Palmistry, Outside the Lines ! By Tehron Gillis

Palmistry, Outside the Lines ! By Tehron Gillis March 10, 2021

Palmistry hand licensed under CC 0.0

The first time I read palms it was at one of our temple feasts and I had to read everyone in attendance including my Priestess. It was terrible. I was bad. This was all in preparation for a potential gig for Michael Bloomberg (I.KID.YOU.NOT). I was tasked with learning palmistry if I wanted to be a reader at this party and our feast day was my test. Well after I crashed and burned I went to my local library and hunkered down. My redemption came a month or so later at the NYC Renaissance Fair. I was with my Priestess and had no cash and really wanted some funnel cake. So without much promoting the next thing I hear is my Priestess calling out “Five Dollar Handjobs!” (I.KID.YOU.NOT.) While I stood in shock she let me know this was going to be my palmistry make-up test: make enough money to buy a funnel cake. To quote Queenie from AHS Coven, “you wouldn’t understand. This is Voodoo.”

This time was different though. As I took my clients hands in mine everything I read up on came to me. What surprised me were things that were not in palmistry books. So much focus is one the lines, life, fate, heart. But there was also so much in the mounds, phalanxes, and phalanges. Beneath are things I have learned about palmistry from experiences and researching different magickal sources.

Cleanse and protect
It is common practice to cleanse and purify oracular tools (tarot, pendulum etc.). Since palmistry doesn’t involve any additional devices there is usually less if not any emphasis on cleansing and protecting. When reading palms it is a good idea to cleanse yourself and your client. As a Voodooist I prefer florida water, but use whatever you would in your tradition. Also protect. I wear a piece of black tourmaline as a way to protect myself from unwanted energies after a reading.

Trust your intuition

Reading palms is a personal business. Other than the lines on the palm and the other details you may start get images, feels, sensations that seem to come from nowhere. Go with it. If palmistry works who is to say psychometry doesn’t as well. This can be helpful for beginners who aren’t quite sure where to start with their reading. Clear your mind, expand your senses and trust your intuition.

Holding Hands
A client that holds their hands wide open are most likely extroverts while an introvert may hold their hand more cupped. I also ask to see both my clients dominate and non-dominate hands. A the more alike they are to each other the more self aware a client is of themselves. Vastly different hands may mean this person does not hold a accurate self -image.

The Flexibility Test
In addition to lines, fingers are also treasure troves of knowledge. Each finger has a corresponding heavenly body ( Mercury, Sun, Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus) from pinky to thumb. If you have a good working knowledge you can add an extra level of depth. Lets take the thumb. Ruled by Venus, the thumb gives us a window into a person’s emotional side. Give your client’s thumb a wiggle! If its stiff this may be a stubborn personality not willing to adjust to change. If its all loosey goosey then you may be dealing with a jokester a real clown. The flexibility test is also a great icebreaker. See what else you can pick up on with the other fingers as well.

It puts the notion on its skin
So little is written about interpreting skin. You could stare at the lines for a good 20 minutes (sometime it be like that) and ignore basic information that is in the condition of a person’s skin. In traditional Chinese medicine, the palms as well as the eyes, tongue, and foot soles are all used to help diagnose a person’s condition. Does your client have callous hands? You can tell they a hard worker so check their to see if their life line can keep up with this lifestyle. Press down on a fleshy part of the palm. Does the skin. If an indent remains for more then a few seconds this person has not been hydrating. Are they taking care of themselves. Don’t let a client obsess on noncritical things if you see warning flags.

… Witch!
Some people are born with an extra finger. This mutation runs on my own family with both my grandmother and brother were both born with twelve fingers. While they neither my grandmother nor brother were invited to Xavier Institute they would must definitely had tried as witches if they born a few centuries ago. Dating back to the time of Anne Boleyn an additional finger was seen as a witch’s mark. I would like to think this is somewhat true. If not supernatural powers definitely a sharp mind and even sharper tongue. My rule of thumb (hehe) is that if you see something like any extra finger or anything else that would totally get you burned at the stake in the 1600’s do not view it as a stigma but a sign that your client may benefit from exploring their spirituality more.

Like all divining skills it take practice. If you hit a wall try to study other things like numerology and astrology as well. Be patient and remember to have fun.

Tehron Gillis is a Westchester based slam poet and writer, is a voodoo initiate and rootworker. Practicing magic and tarot for over a decade, Tehron works towards exploring LGBTQ and ethnic themes in the craft.


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