(If you have not read, please read Lesson #4 first)

In the previous lesson we have learnt about the minor lines on the palm and what they stand for. In this lesson we propose to describe the fingers, and associated characteristics.

Zones

First of all the hand as a whole should be examined. It can be divided in 2, 3, or 4 zones to understand which facets of the personality dominate.

Two Zones

If the palm is divided vertically in two parts, the thumb side is the conscious side which reflects the impact one makes on the world outside. The half that is on the percussion side denotes the subconscious. Its development reveals how much you are driven by your subconscious motivations. If it is more developed than the other side you are more intuitive, receptive and spiritual in nature.

Three Zones

If the palm is divided horizontally in three parts, the top part, including the fingers, is termed as the emotional zone. This is also called as the mental zone. Please note that this zone contains four mounts and the fingers.

The middle part is called the practical zone. It is like the meeting ground between the emotional and physical energies and how you strike a balance between the two or how you go about channelising the two energies. Remember that the headline mostly falls in this zone. Also the mounts of Mars and some portions of the thumb fall in this zone.

The base of the palm denotes the physical zone. It represents primal desires, baser instincts and the physical energies.

Note: The length of the fingers is also divided in three zones and have the same meanings attributed to each zone as given for the whole palm. The joints in the fingers act as the dividing line. The top part (nail phalange) denotes the mental world, the middle phalange denotes the practical and the bottom part the baser world. One may note that the intellectuals generally have the nail phalange long, the business people have the middle phalange long, and those who believe in ‘eat, drink and be merry’ have the bottom phalange long. The glutton and the debauch also belong to this last category.

Four Zones

If the palm is divided into two vertical and two horizontal parts, each part indicates a specific world. In an ideal, well balanced personality, the four zones would be equally developed. But in reality this is very rare.

Zone no. 1, as indicated in the diagram, is the mental-rational zone. When this zone predominates it indicates an ambitious personality. This zone when underdeveloped denotes a lack of self confidence.

Zone no. 2 is the mental-instinctive zone. It represents the need to express creatively. The ability to communicate well is of essence. This zone is well developed amongst writers, journalists, artists and scientists. People who have this zone under-developed find fulfilment in pursuits other than artistic or creative.

Zone no. 3 is the physical-practical zone. The prime motivators in the lives of those having this zone dominate are material considerations. When over developed, the abundance of energy will be channelled into physical/sense-gratification. An underdeveloped zone will mean absence of vitality and enthusiasm.

Zone no. 4 is the zone of physical-intuitive energy. When this zone is developed, the individual is spiritual, sensitive and intuitive. The under- developed zone suggests a rather rational approach to life. One would do well to remember that in this zone falls the mount of Moon that is associated with imagination and the subconscious.

Having taken a stock of the whole hand zone-wise, one should examine the fingers collectively first and individually next. The wealth of information contained in the fingers is enormous. It is a very important element in the study of Cheirognomy. The shape of the tip of a finger helps classify a hand, e.g., square, spatulate, conic, pointed, etc. This was discussed in the first lesson. Its importance can never be over- emphasised.

Fingers

Length of fingers (general)

Some individuals have short fingers and some have long. Long fingers give love of detail in every sphere of life. Short fingers make one quick and impulsive. They do not like to be bothered about details, they want to form an overall opinion first. Individuals having very short fingers generally jump to conclusions too hastily (specially if there is a 4-5 mm space separating the life-line and head-line at their start). People with short fingers do not care much for appearances or the conventionalities of society; they are quick in thought, and out-spoken in speech.

If the fingers are not only short but also thick and clumsy, they denote a cruel and selfish personality. If they are stiff and curved inwards, they denote an excess of caution and reserve, and often a cowardly spirit.

If the fingers are supple and bend backwards in an arch by a small pressure, they indicate a charming nature, affable and clever, quick to learn, curious and inquisitive.

When a small fleshy pad is found at the backside of the nail phalange on the finger tip, it denotes extreme sensitiveness and tact. They would take care that their behaviour does not cause pain to any one. They are extremely sensitive to touch and do not like to be touched by unknown people. When the fingers are thick and puffy at the base (denoting the baser or physical zone of the fingers), the individual considers his own comfort before that of any other. You cannot expect him to offer his seat to the old and infirm in a train or a bus. He loves luxury in all its forms, in eating, drinking, living. On the contrary, if the fingers are ‘waist‘ like at the base it indicates unselfish disposition in everyway, and fastidiousness in matters of food.

Length of fingers (individual)

The length of fingers should be checked not only with respect to the palm but also with respect to each other. Normally, a short palm has short fingers and a long palm has long fingers. When they are anamolous then the meanings given to long and short fingers become more pointed.

In a normal hand the Saturn finger should be the longest, the Jupiter and Sun fingers should be equal and reach up to the middle of the 1st phalange of Saturn finger. Mercury finger should normally reach upto the nail phalange of the Sun finger. These four fingers aid and abet the characteristics of the mount on which they have their base. If Jupiter finger is well developed, is of normal length, and is set neither low nor high, it indicates the normal characteristics of the mount of Jupiter – the qualities of leadership, self respect, pride, religiosity, etc. A short-index finger makes the person shy and immoral. A very long forefinger, reaching to the tip of the Saturn finger makes him foolhardy, arrogant, egotist and over-ambitious. Such a person does not hesitate to insult others. When this finger is smaller than the Sun-finger, the person is not self-assertive and may suffer from inferiority complex.

The Jupiter finger is connected with stomach, liver, gall bladder and spleen. If the finger is bent towards the second finger and its nail is of a pale colour, any of these organs may be weak. If the base phalange is thick, the person may suffer from obesity, rheumatism or sciatica. If the middle phalange is thin and bony (as compared to rest of the finger), lung weakness is possible.

If the Saturn finger is reasonably long the person is prudent and stead- fast. If it is short or abnormally long, the malefic nature of Saturn takes over and makes the subject melancholic or cranky. If the nail phalange is rather long it makes the person suffer from melancholia and superstition. With the middle phalange long, the practical mind teams up with interest in the occult and makes the individual an astrologer, spiritual guru or even an unorthodox scientist; the other markings in the palm have to be supportive.

If the Sun finger is long (nearly as much as the middle finger) speculation, greed for money and unfounded vanity are indicated. If it is short, the person has no artistic taste and lacks in social presentability. If the tip is spatulate, it is a great asset to the actor, orator, artist or preacher. If the tip is pointed, at best it shows artistic appreciation, not the abilities of a performer. Medically, this finger is associated with cardiac diseases.

A long Mercury finger is almost essential for success in business, management, science, law, oratory, negotiations, speculation and fields where communications and self expressions are important. A short finger denotes a short temper, and if it is also low set, the person has to struggle hard to earn his livelihood (specially if the Sun finger is also low set or deficient in some manner). When this finger is bent forward, it shows secretiveness and ambiguity in relationship with one’s partner. If the nail phalange is bent outwards, the subject has a keen sense of hearing and is an intellectual. He may have phonetic and linguistic talents if the third phalange is rectangular and the tip is squarish. If the finger is twisted sideways and the first and second phalanges bend towards the ring finger, the person may be given to telling lies, dishonesty and self indulgence.

Since the Mercury finger is connected with honesty in communication, its development or lack of it has a lot to do with relationships, particularly with business partner but also with life- partner. This is a fact missed by most palmists.

Spacing between fingers

The fingers are known by the name of the mount situated at their base, e.g., the index finger is known as the Jupiter finger. It is important to note the spacing between two fingers when the hand is held in a relaxed, natural way. If there is a wide space between the fingers of Jupiter and Saturn, it denotes great independence of thought. He is not bound by the views of others, but forms his own opinions. When there is a wide space between the fingers of Saturn and Sun (Apollo), the subject is careless of the future, has Bohemian ideas and does not believe in formality. Some palmists interpret this as the space through which money slips out and the person can never save enough. When the space between the fingers of Sun and Mercury is wide, it denotes independence of action. He does what he wishes irrespective of what others would think.

In vast majority of cases, freedom of thought is found but not freedom of action. But by and large all combinations exist. If all the fingers have space, such a subject is easy to get acquainted with, entirely lacking in conventionality and not tied down to tradition. On the contrary, if all the fingers are held tightly together, the subject will be reserved, stiff and will air other’s opinions, not his own. He will also be stingy, self-centred and extremely careful about future.

Setting of fingers

The most easily visible situation is often not seen at all. But it is of paramount importance. First of all, the setting of a finger has a strong relationship with the power of the mount belonging to it. A low set finger takes away substantially even if the mount is otherwise well padded. A high set finger adds to the strength and characteristics of the mount. Of course, the Moon, Mars and Venus have no fingers attached to their mounts.

People having evenly set (in one line) fingers achieve stupendous worldly success though they are most rare. Even if Saturn and Sun fingers are in a straight line, success in life is easier. Most people have an arch on which the fingers are set. If Mercury and Jupiter fingers are low set, the person lacks both self-confidence and self-esteem; and that makes the life more struggle prone.

The characteristics represented by different phalanges of different fingers have been described in the body text. The importance of these is so often neglected by young palmists that it is being presented in the tabular form separately to highlight the associated key characteristics. These attributes are applicable when the phalange under review is longer than the othey. One may note that these highlights are in consonance with the three zone division mentioned earlier.

Joints of the fingers

The joint acts as a valve that regulates the flow of life energy between the two phalanges. The individual that has smooth joints is inclined to be impulsive in thought without giving sufficient space to reasoning faculties. People having developed joints (also called knotty joints) show more exactness and method. They are more analytical and philosophical in their approach to life and work. An actor with smooth joints will be natural and instinctive, whereas an actor with knotty joints will be a ‘method actor’. Even his spontaneity will be the result of great deliberatiion and analysis behind it.

The knot between first and second phalange indicates that thinking is methodical and information is analysed and sifted before it is acted upon. But if only the joint between second and third phalange is developed then the person has a tidy mind and needs orderly surroundings in which to live. The question of development of joints will have different repercussions in different types of fingers e.g. square or pointed, etc. Similarly not all fingers may have one kind of joint. The effect will have to be judged as per which finger and which joint is developed or otherwise.

© Vinay Aditya, Vedic Astrology