Palmistry, also commonly referred to as palm reading, is a form of divination that uses the lines, shapes and patterns of the hand to make predictions about an individual's past, present and future. The primary theory behind palm reading is that the hand contains information about an individual's personality, their physical body, and the significant events that occur throughout their lifetime.
It is believed that palm reading originated in China over 3000 years ago. In Europe palm reading was used as a method of fortunetelling by the gypsies and later became popularized in the late 19th century during the spiritualism movement. There is a debate over the efficacy of palm reading as some believe it is predictive of the future while others believe that it is merely a reflection of an individual's personality.
The hand also reveals important information about one's life purpose and soul's journey. A good palm reader will explore the major life challenges someone is faced with. They will also examine key vulnerabilities that people need to work through in order to experience personal transformation. Many palm readers believe that the hand holds information about one's karma and the significant life lessons that need to be addressed. Some palm readers also associate patterns in the hand to traits found in astrology.
It's important to note that patterns on the hand can change over time. Palm readers believe that this occurs due to significant changes in one's life. There is also the theory that spiritual practices, such as yoga or meditation, can change the shapes and patterns of the hand. Palm readers believe that the more one connects with the Divine or Universal mind, the more your spirit can free it's self from the physical body. As one gains knowledge about spiritual principles, the physical body changes in conjunction, including the hand.