A Head Line indicates how somebody thinks. The Head Line crosses your palm on the top of the palm, from the base of your little finger over to the base of the pointer.

If this line is deep and thick, you think with the qualities of the earth. You are more cautious and fixed in your understandings. For you, it takes a long time for information to set in; once it does, you will remember what you have absorbed for a long time.

If your line is thin and wiggly, you have a water line. This means that you are more imaginative. Flowery language appeals to you. You are good at absorbing ideas and connecting concepts.

Opening Palms

A medium, clean line indicates an air line. It signifies a kind of philosophical mentality; a person who has it can incorporate a broad range of perspectives to situations. This person is usually concerned with why things are the way they are, with evaluation and assessment.

A fire line is staccato and sharp. A person with a fire line has a discriminating mind. Information needs to be presented to this person in clear, sharply punctuated points—like a list of bolded power points—to be understood.

To explain some of these distinctions a bit more clearly, I am going to use Freddie’s hands as an example. Freddie has been producing silver pendants for me here in Taxco, Mexico, where I have been for the last five days. I have been interacting with many artisans and shopkeepers. The latter often act as mediators with the artisans who are having some jewelry made up.

As I was working on this piece—about half way through the process—I became interested in reading Freddie’s hands. When he showed me the first work-up of designs I had given him—a drawing from an archaeological site of an ancient winged Hittite goddess, and another archaeological rubbing of an ancient Indian coin with two sirenas (mermaids), both from a few thousand years ago and discovered somewhere in India—this was his written (in Spanish) feedback on the former: 1. Flatten the braids; 2. More pointed headpiece; 3. Nose line slanted to the left. Of the latter, he wrote: 1. Sirena one, bottom of body; 2. Sirena two, tail separate from body; 3. Sirena two, arms more distinct across body, and so on.

Now It could have been that Freddie was writing down instructions to give to other workmen; the guys at Jaime’s told me Freddie was just an intermediary farming the work I gave him to others like himself. That’s why he would have needed to make such a clear list.

When I was working with the crew at Jaime’s—all artists—no such list was ever made. I would stop in a few times a day as each piece was carved by hand, and was involved in constant conversation about how to improve the piece in the next version of the same product: raise this—it is supposed to be a vagina; she needs to have a smile; no eye on the circle she’s holding because it might represent the world and not a child; she needs toes.

The folks at Jaime’s probably have water lines like myself. We go on, explaining things to each other using poetic images and long stories, speculating on things like what the drawing of the Hebrew goddess symbolizes and what each line is supposed to be.

But Freddie, sure enough, makes lists. And he has fiery, staccato Head Lines on both hands.

If you’re having trouble communicating with someone, have a look at your Head Line and compare it with his or hers. Then try to modify your styles accordingly.

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