Madame la Roux - The Practice of Classical Palmistry

Long ago, when the world was still young, the story of palmistry was only beginning. People in those days were simple, but the imperative for survival forced them to be alert to their surroundings. No matter how primitive were the tools of these ancients, and no matter how simple their minds, they constantly had their eyes on the heavens, carefully noting the movement of the Moon, the planets, and the patterns of the stars. As we became more civilized, we began to look within as well. That moment, so long ago, was when palmistry began.

In the early quest for cosmic understanding, people elevated the planets to a state of godhood. Each planet had a character, a behavior pattern, certain human attributes, and strengths or weaknesses commensurable to the planet's size, color, and brightness. These godlike features later became a standardized alphabet for the many occultists who followed. Early palmists applied these planetary attributes to their observations of the human hand and fingers. These ancient references to the gods and goddesses are still applied in the practice of palmistry today. To properly understand palmistry, it is important to familiarize yourself with the attributes of these gods and goddesses. These archetypical descriptions are the keys to the seven basic types of personality which we will discuss in depth later in this book.

Gods and Goddesses

The seven human attributes that assume godlike proportions are: Aggression (Mars), Receptivity (Venus), Ambition (Jupiter), Wisdom (Saturn), Artistry (Apollo), Communication (Mercury), and Imagination (Luna). The two most fundamental features of human nature are the masculine (Mars) and the feminine (Venus). These two deities represent the polar opposites within everyone.

Readers need to understand that Gypsies mix metaphors. Apollo is the Greek name for the Sun God. The rest of the names used for the mounts are Roman. Luna is not the name for the moon Goddess, but is a popular name used for her instead of Diana. These names have been used by traditional readers regardless of any historical differences. Gypsies and other practitioners kept the practice of palmistry alive despite persecution, revolutions, wars, and the continual reshaping of homelands in Romania, Hungary, Bavaria, etc. The Gypsies were kept moving and were not generally lucky enough to be educated in the classics of Greek and Roman history. I have traveled with Gypsies who speak a language called Rom, an ancient language resplendent with slang and swear words from every country imaginable. It is very much in character for traditional practitioners of palmistry to intermingle the Greek and Roman pantheon, as well as using the Romany name Luna to represent the Moon. In the interest of preserving tradition, the gypsy names have been maintained.

Mars

In the Roman pantheon, Mars () was the god of war and aggression. Known to the Greeks as Ares, he represented determination, courage, and mighty resistance. He can manifest in two ways. On the positive side, Mars is zealous, resolute, and capable of command. On the negative side, he can be overly forceful, prone to fights and very stubborn. On the hand, Mars is located in three areas as shown in the Mars chapter on p. 125ff. Prominence in these areas of the palm would show an emphasis on aggression, strong vitality, and a courageous attitude.

Venus

Venus (), to the Romans, was the goddess of love. Her attributes were receptivity, sexuality, and fertility. Known to the Greeks as Aphrodite, she was the patroness of courtesans, and seen as healthy, beautiful, agreeable, enthusiastic, cheerful, and affectionate. She has two sides of her naturewarm and pleasurable, or fiery and passionate. On the hand, Venus is found ruling the ball of the thumb. Emphasis on this part of the hand indicates an abundance of the aforementioned qualities.

Jupiter

The Roman god, Jupiter (), was known to the Greeks as Zeus. He was the god of the skies and keeper of the thunderbolts. He commanded the rain and was looked on as a beneficent god. To this day, he represents financial ambition, desire for authority, and religious leadership. Other qualities associated with Jupiter were justice, loyalty, integrity, sociability, and pride. The Jupiter finger is known in the world of palmistry as the index finger and, when Jupiter is strongly pronounced in the hand, it represents a strong-willed individual who can lead, and sometimes dominate others. Jupiter, also known as Jove, is famed for his sensuous appetite, his protection and guidance of small children and animals, his love of learning, and his sense of fair play. The concepts of Law and Order are also associated with the great and just spirit of Jupiter. The areas of the hand that represent Jupiter are both the index finger and the mount or pad of flesh just below the finger.

Saturn

Saturn () was known to the Greeks as Chronos or Father Time. His task was to measure and regulate time. For this reason he is depicted as a brooding, serious, introspective god with severe and specific ideas of right and wrong. His attributes are skepticism, prudence and serious study. He is also known for his cautious, reserved, reclusive, self-reliant, and independent spirit. On the positive side, he is an ardent student, and represents the search for truth through scientific or metaphysical investigation. On the hand, Saturn rules the middle finger and the mount of flesh just below it.

Apollo

Apollo (