Palm diagram

The word palmistry is a bit of a misnomer. As experts will tell you, information can be gleaned not only from the palm, and the lines on the palm, but by numerous other factors.

Like what?

The overall shape of the hand. The proportions of the fingers in comparison to the palm itself. The lines on the wrist. The fingers. The length of the fingers. The finger prints. The back of the hands. The relative size of the phalanges. The lines on the knuckles.

So in today’s column, I am going to shift completely away from the subject of palms altogether and talk about one finger: the pointer finger.

Hand analysts will call it the Jupiter finger.

Also called the index finger, this is the finger that indicates your social self. There you can locate your capacity for leadership, as well as your relations with significant people in your life.

Analysts call some one with a long, strong articulated Jupiter finger a Jupiterian. This person will make him or herself known by a charismatic presence. A Jupiterian is not shy, expresses opinions, and will have a direct gaze rather than avoid eye contact. Jupiterians are often priests or politicians. Jupiterians make small take with people. The more they know about people, the better they can lead them.

When the Jupiter finger is long, it rises above the bottom of the finger nail on the finger next to it, the middle or Saturn finger. This length always indicates some sort of leadership. A person with a long finger automatically and unconsciously activates other people’s desire for direction and guidance. Jupiterians don’t strive for this projection, necessarily. But they are comfortable with the transference, often becoming, for example, film directors rather than actors. They are better at giving directions than at following them. According to one source (The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Palmistry), film directors have found that actors with long Jupiter fingers are difficult to direct.

So if you are a boss, or a teacher, before you attempt to get employees or students to carry out an assignment, take a quick look at the length of the Jupiter fingers of those whose work you are trying to direct. Those that argue with you about what is wrong with the assignment probably are blessed with a long Jupiter finger. If they are, what might develop is a battle of wills – who is more Jupiterian than who. That sort of thing.

A short Jupiter finger, on the other hand, or even on the same hand, might indicate a self-effacing, compliant person. That person might work alone in an isolated way, but will be willing to serve you and will strive to please you. This person will accept that you have made the decisions-what the assignment will be, how many pages, when it is due, when is the date expected task completion. When to replace the coffee filters on the coffee maker in the office.

A long Jupiter person is willing to lead. The shorter the finger, the more willing to relinquish authority.

So this might be handy to check out on the first date. If you want some one you can dominate, be sure to check to see that the Jupiter finger falls below the nail of the Saturn finger and you will do all right.

But please don’t tell him (or her) that I said so.

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