1. Any object which is flexible can adapt
itself to a greater variety of conditions than could be the same object if it
were still.
2. A flexible object bends under pressure; a stiff object under the same amount
of pressure breaks or remains immovable.
3. As the hands reflect the condition and quality of the mind, flexible hands
show a flexible mind, and stiff hands a stiff mind.
In the present examination, which seeks to determine the degree of flexibility
possessed by the hands, you are beginning to judge the mental powers of your
client and will aid yourself materially by gaining a thorough understanding
of the three statements introducing this chapter.
The flexibility of a hand is shown by the ease with which it bend itself backward,
and to test this quality lay the hand of your client, with the palm upward,
in the palm of your left hand, and with your right hand exert pressure down
on it until you have bent it as far backward as you can.
Having made a test of both your client's hands as above described, notice whether
the whole hand is flexible, or whether the bending occurs only at the knuckle
joints, for in the flexibility which means the most, you will find that the
whole hand bends fingers and all, and does not merely give way at the knuckles.
In the examination for flexibility there will be great degrees of variation,
running all the way from hands in which the fingers bend back at an angle of
nearly forty-five degrees to others where the fingers cannot be even straightened.
The extreme degrees of flexibility you will find in the hands of women, while
pronounced flexibility in the hands of man is a rarity. The flexibility of the
hand shows the degree of flexibility of the mind and nature, and the readiness
with which this mind has power to unfold itself, and "see around the corner"
of things.
In
treating this matter, we shall speak fist of the hand which is stiff and hard
to open, where the fingers form a curve inward (20). This hand indicates the
mind that is cautious, immobile, close, inclined to narrowness and stinginess,
and which, in every way, lacks pliability or adaptability. Such a person is
afraid of new ventures, afraid of new ideas; the method of dress and mode of
living of his ancestors satisfy them; they have the political and religious
faith of their fathers, and there is absolutely no use in trying to argue
them out of it . When they view the methods and manners of the present generation,
they long for the open fireplace, the stage coach, and, as they call them the
"good old days". They are one whose narrowness makes them ungenerous.
Appealed to for help, they reply, "I had to work for my money: let then
do the same". They think that failure comes because the oldtime ways have
been discarded, and the "new fangled notions" are ruining everybody.
They are the person who succeeds by hard work, deprivation, and saving, and
they cannot conceive how success can be achieved in any other way. They are
in short, cramped and narrow in their ideas, stingy in their ways, unprogressive
in their views, and lacks flexibility, or elasticity, in mind and manner, as
well as flexibility of hands. They are, however, exceedingly close-mouthed,
and you can trust them with a secret, not from any desire on their part of doing
you a favor, but nothing that they can keep gets away from them, so they holds
your secret as avariciously as they cling to their own dollars. This is the
stiff hand, and under the kaleidoscopic changes during the past age, they break
on the wheel of time, because they do not bend, and adapt themselves to the
inevitable march of events. The hand is usually hard.
You will find hands which when pressed backwards, open readily until the fingers
straighten themselves naturally, so that the hand opens with ease to its full
extent (21); there will be cases where it bends back just a trifle.
This hand is the medium or normal development, and its owner is balanced, even
in action, up to date, and has control of themselves. It is the hand of one
who does not go to extremes, is self contained, listens readily, and understands
what they hear. They are not held back by old-fogyisn, nor impelled into rashness
or over enthusiasm. They can use money properly, will help those in need, but
does not throw away either sympathy or charity. To them life is a problem, it
is serious, and they thoughtfully use their mind trying to understand it. They
look over the world from a bird's eye point of view,
can appreciate the difficulties that surround humanity, and will not try to
find the remedy by crying that we are departing from old ways neither will they
want to turn everything upside down with the advancement of new ideas. They
are thoughtful, broad, earnest, sympathetic, yet all within bounds. They are,
in plain words, well balanced, and not an extremist. This hand is generally
elastic in consistency, and impresses you as possessing vital force.
There is another hand that is flexible in the extreme (22). The finger band
back, without giving their owner any pain, until a graceful arch is formed.
The fingers seem mobile, and the bones cartilaginous. This hand, as you bend
it back and forth, impresses you with its great pliability, and shows readily
what a fine machine it is, and how easily it can adapt and shape itself to circumstances.
This flexible hand shows an elastic mind, a brain susceptible of receiving keen
impressions, and of understanding them quickly. It is the hand of the person
who readily adapts themselves to their surroundings, is versatile, and does
not require a diagram with every statement. Its elasticity is its danger, for
it is a brilliant hand, directed by brilliant mind. Its owner possesses in the
highest degree versatility, and, being able to do many things, is liable
to diversity their talents and lack concentration in any one direction, thus
becoming a Jack of all trades. The possessor of the flexible hand is extremely
sympathetic, generous, and money to them is only the means of securing what
he wants, not a thing to be hoarded for itself alone.
The possession of riches gives pleasure to these persons only in that it allows
them luxury, and extravagance is a prevailing tendency of the type. They are
emotional, easily moved by a pitiful story, and readily give to any one. Their
minds work rapidly, they absorb ideas quickly, and their tendency is to go too
fast. These brilliant hands are capable of the most wonderful achievements;
they are not the hands of dreamers, but are full of life, and action, though
too versatile often for their own good. They can do too many things,
turn their minds in too many directions, and unless restrained they come to
naught from too much talent. They are as extreme in prodigality as the stiff
hand is in economy. and yet they have this wonderful factor in
their favor, viz; they are so sensible that they can see their own failings
when properly pointed out, and with good head lines, and good thumbs, they turn
their brilliancy to fine account by applying determination and self-control
to their natural versatility, which qualities give them the highest degree of
success.
Hands where only the first phalanges of the fingers are flexible, the rest
of the hands normal, give one third of the degree of flexibility shown when
the whole of the fingers are flexible, indicating flexibility in the mental
qualities of the fingers on which this condition is found.
Where the fingers
bend back at the knuckles (23), you will find, in a musical hand, fine ability
in execution. It also shows the extravagance of the extremely flexible
type. It will not be hard to find good specimens of the hands dealt with in
this chapter: the first you will find oftenmost among middle-aged farmers; the
latter types you will find everywhere. You should always carefully compare the
two hands. If the left hand is stiff and the right flexible, your subject is
improving mentally, the brain is coming more elastic, the subject passing from
stiff to flexible qualities. if the left hand is flexible and the right stiff,
they are becoming more stingy, careful, less versatile, and are passing from
the qualities of the elastic to those of the stiff hand. In this way you will
often be able to do some excellent work by describing how a subject sued to
throw money away, and how stingy they have grown. Having learned fully the qualities
of the two hands, you can carry your simile as to the changing condition as
far as you like, and in whatever direction the flexible of stiff hand may show
it to be drifting.
References
The Laws of Scientific Hand Reading- A practical Treatise on the Art Commonly
called Palmistry 1946 Benham, William. Printed and published by R. J. Taraporevala
for D. B. Tarporevala Sons & Co. Bombay
In
treating this matter, we shall speak fist of the hand which is stiff and hard
to open, where the fingers form a curve inward (20). This hand indicates the
mind that is cautious, immobile, close, inclined to narrowness and stinginess,
and which, in every way, lacks pliability or adaptability. Such a person is
afraid of new ventures, afraid of new ideas; the method of dress and mode of
living of his ancestors satisfy them; they have the political and religious
faith of their fathers, and there is absolutely no use in trying to argue
them out of it . When they view the methods and manners of the present generation,
they long for the open fireplace, the stage coach, and, as they call them the
"good old days". They are one whose narrowness makes them ungenerous.
Appealed to for help, they reply, "I had to work for my money: let then
do the same". They think that failure comes because the oldtime ways have
been discarded, and the "new fangled notions" are ruining everybody.
They are the person who succeeds by hard work, deprivation, and saving, and
they cannot conceive how success can be achieved in any other way. They are
in short, cramped and narrow in their ideas, stingy in their ways, unprogressive
in their views, and lacks flexibility, or elasticity, in mind and manner, as
well as flexibility of hands. They are, however, exceedingly close-mouthed,
and you can trust them with a secret, not from any desire on their part of doing
you a favor, but nothing that they can keep gets away from them, so they holds
your secret as avariciously as they cling to their own dollars. This is the
stiff hand, and under the kaleidoscopic changes during the past age, they break
on the wheel of time, because they do not bend, and adapt themselves to the
inevitable march of events. The hand is usually hard.
Where the fingers
bend back at the knuckles (23), you will find, in a musical hand, fine ability
in execution. It also shows the extravagance of the extremely flexible
type. It will not be hard to find good specimens of the hands dealt with in
this chapter: the first you will find oftenmost among middle-aged farmers; the
latter types you will find everywhere. You should always carefully compare the
two hands. If the left hand is stiff and the right flexible, your subject is
improving mentally, the brain is coming more elastic, the subject passing from
stiff to flexible qualities. if the left hand is flexible and the right stiff,
they are becoming more stingy, careful, less versatile, and are passing from
the qualities of the elastic to those of the stiff hand. In this way you will
often be able to do some excellent work by describing how a subject sued to
throw money away, and how stingy they have grown. Having learned fully the qualities
of the two hands, you can carry your simile as to the changing condition as
far as you like, and in whatever direction the flexible of stiff hand may show
it to be drifting. 