palmistry powwow

Got together with four other serious professional palmists last week to discuss the future of palmistry.

http://pinterest.com/pin/399624166904695278/

I recognise Richard in the photo. Would love to hear more about your discussion on the future of palmistry

I would also love to know the future of palmistry. Also no doubt modern palmistry there is lots of detailed research going on but do you consider the old palmistry of the 20th Century obsolete. (pardon my spelling mistake)

Pravin Kumar

That's interesting Mark, can you describe us a short summary of the discussion?

Lynn wrote:I recognise Richard in the photo. Would love to hear more about your discussion on the future of palmistry

I also invited Nat Altman, Frank Andrews (full time professional palmist, tarot reader, and former student of Florence Meschter), and Jean Worth, however, they were unable to make it to lunch.

We talked about the palmistry books we're currently writing (I'm blogging my book at the moment) and how we are planning to put them out into the world. Everyone is a bit frustrated that palmistry is still so obscure after 5500 years. All of us want to expand our audience. The mass market still thinks of palmistry as a gypsy fortunetelling scam.

Back in 1968, astrology was still obscure until Linda Goodman wrote Linda Goodman's Sun Signs. Suddenly, everyone was asking, "What's your sun sign?" Horoscope columns began appearing in newspapers and consumer magazines everywhere. Linda Goodman sold over 100,000,000 books worldwide with virtually no social networking. Now, with facebook, twitter, linked in, google +, you tube, pinterest, etc., there's no excuse not to promote palmistry as a valid and powerful method of self-help.

So that's what we'd like to do - popularize palmistry. We plan to support each other, share our knowledge and materials, and help in whatever ways we can. Can you imagine nearly everyone saying, "Can I see your hands?" Can you envision people everywhere examining each other's hands, looking into each other's eyes, and talking about their most important personal matters? We can. My personal mission is to give everyone a helping hand, their own.

Nice

Thanks Mark, great to hear so many hand readers working together with an aim that I share - to rid palmistry of its fortune telling image and get more people interested in hands

pravin kumar wrote:I would also love to know the future of palmistry. Also no doubt modern palmistry there is lots of detailed research going on but do you consider the old palmistry of the 20th Century obsolete. (pardon my spelling mistake)

Pravin Kumar

I don't think there's anything wrong with the science of palmistry. Palmistry's challenges are ideological, philosophical, and spiritual. Ideological because there's a persistent paradigm that palmistry is gypsy fortunetelling. 20th Century palmists did little to shift that preconception. Philosophical because our hands are topographical maps of our character and we are all capable of navigating our maps. Everyone should be made aware that there's priceless information about themselves waiting to be discovered at the ends of their arms. Spiritual because palmistry is for everyone with hands and not the domain of a small number of 'gifted' practicioners. Everyone should be encouraged to examine their own and each other's hands.

Most people are trying to figure themselves out. That's why they read books on self-help, palmistry, astrology, numerology, psychology, or whatever. One of my largest complaints about palmistry is that many seekers read a couple of books on the subject and decide to become palmists. There's virtually no standards or certification in the industry and most commercial palmists lack solid counseling skills. The blind are leading the blind.

Hello Mr. Seltman

There's virtually no standards or certification in the industry and most commercial palmists lack solid counseling skills. The blind are leading the blind.

When I read this sentence , I thought: 'Truer words have never been spoken!'

I am writing this from experience after having consulted a few. Without taking names (obviously), I can say that most commercial palmists are good entertainers, they offer little value.

The nice part is that they don't charge much: $ 50 or so for an hour. Not too expensive for knowing my 'life-purpose' & other such stuff !!

guypalm wrote:Hello Mr. Seltman

There's virtually no standards or certification in the industry and most commercial palmists lack solid counseling skills. The blind are leading the blind.

When I read this sentence , I thought: 'Truer words have never been spoken!'

I am writing this from experience after having consulted a few. Without taking names (obviously), I can say that most commercial palmists are good entertainers, they offer little value.

The nice part is that they don't charge much: $ 50 or so for an hour. Not too expensive for knowing my 'life-purpose' & other such stuff !!

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Most people think that palmists know more about them than they actually know. Unfortunately, many palmists also believe they know more than they know. As long as a palmist is constructive, helpful, and leaves people feeling hopeful, I don't have a problem with him or her. I once had a very vulnerable client who was a feeling type with a triple girdle of Venus. Some palmist at a party told her that she was going to have "seven years bad luck". For seven years, every time she had a problem, she thought of his prophecy. That kind of palmistry really pisses me off!

Dear Mark,

I am reading your post and hope to gain more insight into palmistry through your posts. I refer to your following lines:

mark seltman wrote:I once had a very vulnerable client who was a feeling type with a triple girdle of Venus. Some palmist at a party told her that she was going to have "seven years bad luck". For seven years, every time she had a problem, she thought of his prophecy. That kind of palmistry really pisses me off!

I have come across this many many times and even in this forum there have been people who come after consulting other palmist or reading it on the nett after Googling and see things in their palms which puts the fear in their mind. When they come to us we do sort out the matter and you will find many of those who have come with their questions where they were in the above state of mind, they have received their answers that either convince them totally or they leave satisfied that there is no such problem in their palms. This requires more maturity and the way to present. I remember reading Cheiro to advise only if you can do so well otherwise do not advise.

Pravin Kumar

Thanks for your comment, Pravin. I agree with Cheiro. If you can't be helpful or leave people feeling hopeful, don't say anything at all. I used to teach palmistry and gave it up because of my student who abused the privilege and responsibility of being able to read hands - http://blog.markseltman.com/2012/08/26/my-palmistry-education/

I'm writing a blog that will hopefully introduce palmistry to the masses. Initially, I'm presenting small generalized introductions to various aspects of hand reading. Eventually, I will put everything I know out in the world for everyone who's interested in learning more about themselves and each other.

guypalm wrote:Hello Mr. Seltman

There's virtually no standards or certification in the industry and most commercial palmists lack solid counseling skills. The blind are leading the blind.

When I read this sentence , I thought: 'Truer words have never been spoken!'

I am writing this from experience after having consulted a few. Without taking names (obviously), I can say that most commercial palmists are good entertainers, they offer little value.

The nice part is that they don't charge much: $ 50 or so for an hour. Not too expensive for knowing my 'life-purpose' & other such stuff !!

PS. I hope that all participants in this topic are aware that one can not judge 'quality' from the amount of money involved in a hand reading. For, when palm reading gets involved with the higher social classes... by principle there will always be more money involved (time = money).

But the silly thing is... the human mind tends to follow where the money goes!
So, the more money involved, the more likely the followers can be expected to perceive subjective validity.

(In general, when money is involved... people become much more sensitive for the 'Barnum-effect' to fold out, etc.)


Maybe this money-perspective shows... why it would not make much sense to get angry about people who predict the future within a few seconds (afterall, it is only common sense that prections nearly always are based on 'guesswork'). By the way, the sub-title of this forum says: 'No psychic palm reading, no predictive palmistry' - also mentioned in the forum rules - is supposed to make people aware that one should not expect too much (or anything at all) from those types of hand readings.

Dear Mark,

I read your Blog and would like to add the following: A palmist has to start somewhere while reading the palms after having learn under a Senior Palmist or someone having good experience in teaching and reading palms. In the beginning the new student will make mistakes no doubt but as he/she gains in confidence and maturity this will reduce considerably but positive reading should be followed at all times. If you are not fit to advise do not do so otherwise the other person who comes to you with hope goes back in a more negative state of the mind.

mark seltman wrote:Thanks for your comment, Pravin. I agree with Cheiro. If you can't be helpful or leave people feeling hopeful, don't say anything at all. I used to teach palmistry and gave it up because of my student who abused the privilege and responsibility of being able to read hands - http://blog.markseltman.com/2012/08/26/my-palmistry-education/

I'm writing a blog that will hopefully introduce palmistry to the masses. Initially, I'm presenting small generalized introductions to various aspects of hand reading. Eventually, I will put everything I know out in the world for everyone who's interested in learning more about themselves and each other.

Secondly Mark I had read that Cheiro was quite successful because he had that Psychic qualities and I remember reading in a book it is difficult to understand Cheiro's readings as many a time he uses his intuitive powers to make readings. Even while I read the palms I remember predicting things that were not there in the palm but it did come out very correct. On reflecting over that I felt that what I said, though I never meant to say it, was a warning to a person to avoid such and such thing. There are times we use psychology to influence a patient to be away from wrong and the person absolutely believes us and he gains in the process. These things come from inner desire to keep the subject informed for his own well being.

Pravin Kumar

I agree with you that Cheiro did not make his predictions or get all his information about a person from palmistry. I've written a bit about him in my blog - http://blog.markseltman.com/2012/09/20/your-palmistry-education-whats-out-there/

If you want to learn how William John Warner became Cheiro, read his autobiography Fate in the Making. It's a fun read - loaded with celebrity stories and testimonials. It's of course, important to read it with a grain of salt. Cheiro was a sensational self-promoter.

Dear Mark,

I have Cheiro's Book on His Memoirs. Yes agree Cheiro was a sensational self-promotor but he did quite well too. I prefer William Benham for his detailed in depth details of almost each thing in palmistry and it is done so logically. I wish he had also given reasoning and details of all those vertical and horizontal lines on the fingers and thumb.

mark seltman wrote:I agree with you that Cheiro did not make his predictions or get all his information about a person from palmistry. I've written a bit about him in my blog - http://blog.markseltman.com/2012/09/20/your-palmistry-education-whats-out-there/

If you want to learn how William John Warner became Cheiro, read his autobiography Fate in the Making. It's a fun read - loaded with celebrity stories and testimonials. It's of course, important to read it with a grain of salt. Cheiro was a sensational self-promoter.

Pravin Kumar

pravin kumar wrote:Dear Mark,

I have Cheiro's Book on His Memoirs. Yes agree Cheiro was a sensational self-promotor but he did quite well too. I prefer William Benham for his detailed in depth details of almost each thing in palmistry and it is done so logically. I wish he had also given reasoning and details of all those vertical and horizontal lines on the fingers and thumb.

Benham is also my favorite western palmistry writer. Regarding the vertical and horizontal lines on the fingers and thumb, you have to reason them out. I seem to find more vertical lines on the fingertips of people who do not handle their mental stress well. The particular fingers and what else is going on in the hands must be taken into consideration. Richard Unger has an entirely different take on lines in the fingers with a more positive interpretation. I don't remember what they are. Have you ever posted the question in this forum? There is a wealth of technical information here.