best way to learn

I direct this question at the seasoned and sincere palmists here, esp. Lynn and Patti.

Martijn has presented a new way of looking at hands, one that is scientifically verified. If you had to do it all over again,how would you have learned palmistry.

Please, don't advise about a personal teacher, because I tried so, and it only undermined my confidence.

I learned traditional palmistry with a personal teacher, then I read lots of palmistry books for 3 years, then I learned 5-element hand reading with a teacher via correspondence course, then I read every book and article I can find on palmistry and hand analysis. If I had to do it all over again, I think I would do it exactly the same! Maybe you just didn't find the right teacher to suit you.

Thanks for your reply, but it must be pretty confusing, different teachers saying different things. And then there is Martijn, who tells on basis of statistical evidence, that e.g. the head line tells us pretty little about how people think.

I have been studying Fincham several times now, and he seems to me the best source for traditional palmistry, but I am not at all convinced. I think in less extreme terms than Martijn, but things do look rather speculative at times.

In the absence of a further reply from a traditional palmist, I put my question to Martijn. I have the basic knowledge, and want to become practical without making up stories. Can your modern handreading be a stepping stone, or is it still to specific at present.

Hello nuttyprofessor,

Everything depends on what you exactly have in mind.

As you probably know, in my scientific hand reading approach I focus on well defined themes. The results found in my fundamental research nearly always that it usually does take quite a lot of efforts (in terms of combining hand signs) to identify specific psychological or medical conditions from the hand. Actually, the need for combining hand signs probably requires an amount of cognitive activity that may not have high appeal for the the average palmist who's mind has gotten attached with the superficial methods that are typically used in the field of palmistry - where interpretations often even become manifest in the name of a hand sign which implicit suggests that there is no need to combine hand signs at all.

For, in the culture of palmistry the fundamentals are often build on traditional interpretations or religious/philosophic concepts which nearly always suggests that a psychological theme can often be identified from basically just a single hand sign. But the vocabulary used to refer to the themes is typically not well defined at all, which basically makes any theory/interpretation sort of an arbitrary matter... but after identifying a hand sign palmistry theories typically suggests that the meaning can be identified relatively easy. But this is usually not much more than just a matter of belief and the word 'practical' is in the field of palmistry often associated with simple theories.


Now, regarding the process of teaching... I am not sure that I have understood your question properly (e.g. because you apparently worry about 'making up stories').

Nevertheless, I can inform you that in early adulthood I did a 4 year course in 'Diagnostic Hand Analysis' based on an eclectic approach (e.g. with vedic philosophy included) which I experienced to be a very inspiring proces. However, during the process I began my research in order to find out soon that my teacher was not able to assist me to make progress in my research at all... because some of his ideas about hand reading (which I now recognize to reflect basically not much more than a personal belief) turned out to be incompatible with some of my research findings!

So, whether you need a teacher or not highly depends on your own needs & interest. My needs went (far) beyond the interests of my Dutch hand analysis teacher... and so I began developing my research efforts even before I finished the course - at that time I completed the course as the youngest student in the history of the Dutch Academie Antropodynamica (which back then already had a track record of almost 10 years).

I outgrew the teachings that I learned, so I would now make other choices if I could turn back time (be aware: I am talking about the pre-internet days, a time when professor Manning had not even started his 2d:4d digit ratio research).

Any person who possesses wealth of common sense can learn this language of palm reading. There are four stages of learning we know i.e. inclination, interest, efficiency and power ((reorganization and money). First of all a deep passion with total dedication and urge is needed to learn this art and science. Read and re-read good books on the subject. Have a proper coaching from any good institute. You would have proper guidance from there about the basic knowledge and course in this regard. It demands your love and attention. Start reading hands from home and friends. Do what you are passionate about otherwise you may be wasting your time, money and energy. How early you would become efficient depends on your urge!



Besides having a deep knowledge on the subject Palmistry, you would have to be familiar with human psychology, human behavior, human body language, human face reading, numerology, astrology and hand writing, Pursuing in the auxiliary activities mentioned above would support you to be efficient in this regard. You can begin learning anytime but, you must be passionate about what you do otherwise you may be wasting your time money and energy!


And all in all, with a wealth of common sense, a ten thousand hours study in any subject or business can make you perfect. Same is the fact with Palmistry. You may be wrong about predictions sometimes in initial stages but don’t have worries, have patience. Perfection depends on your urge, time devoted to serious study and practical experience. Be ready to know what is latest in the field; be up to date as research works are being done. My advice will be to practice, practice and practice because there is no substitute of experience and practice makes a person perfect. Buy some books. You can download many books free of cost from some sights. If you want to rise up in Palmistry or any other Science or for that matter even in life in any career be humble. See great men how humble they are.

Science is often sniffed upon by those working in the paranormal domain, and one good reason among bad reasons is that an artificially controlled test environment is not compatible with the spontaneous and, in the case of divination, subjective nature of such phenomena. However, like astrology, and unlike other means of divination, the symbols and signs in palmistry are established by nature, and should lend themselves to a reasonable degree of objectivity, and as such should be suitable for an empirical approach.

It seems that Martijn's approach is as objective as it can get, and I tend to think that it will be best to start from the findings of him and his academic colleagues. So where should I begin?

nuttyprofessor wrote:Science is often sniffed upon by those working in the paranormal domain, and one good reason among bad reasons is that an artificially controlled test environment is not compatible with the spontaneous and, in the case of divination, subjective nature of such phenomena. However, like astrology, and unlike other means of divination, the symbols and signs in palmistry are established by nature, and should lend themselves to a reasonable degree of objectivity, and as such should be suitable for an empirical approach.

It seems that Martijn's approach is as objective as it can get, and I tend to think that it will be best to start from the findings of him and his academic colleagues. So where should I begin?