Defects and Repair

The first thing to examine in the lines is their character, as their:

• clearness
• depth
• evenness
• whether they are perfect or defective.

If there is a defect, then what is it?

• Does it cover the entire line or only a part of it?
• Is the line repaired after the defect?
• Does it regain its original depth and clearness?
• Does it show diminishing strength until it gradually fades away?

The first general principle governing lines is:

• the more evenly they run, the clearer they are
• the less they are crossed, broken, islanded, or chained, and the nearer pink in color, the better is the line and the more vigorous and clear the operation of its attributes.

These clear, even lines serve as channels through which the Electric Current can flow.

• They offer less obstruction to free circulation.

Conceive the Electric Current to be flowing in and out through the finger ends. You can readily see that:

• all vertical lines facilitate its passage
• all horizontal lines check and impede its progress.

Thus:

• vertical lines are favorable
• horizontal lines crossing them are defects.

This is why:

• vertical lines on a Mount are good indications and increase the force of its type
• grilles and cross-bars on the Mount are bad indications and obstructions, bringing out the bad side of the type or its health defects.

The lines operate best when the Current has the least obstruction to its free passage, and defects and bad effects are produced on a subject when it is impeded.

The slighter the defects and obstructions seen, the less marked are the bad results, and, conversely, the greater the obstruction the worse the effects.

The best lines are those that are clear, cleanly cut, even, and pink.

The defective lines have a break, cross, island, or obstruction of any kind.

• These may impede or scatter or overflow the Current, causing a defective operation.

Note whether any one line is deeper or shallower, is more defective, or has a different character in any way from other lines in the hand.

• The strongest line is the one that is deeper, cleaner, better colored than the others that are of the same quality.
• The weakest line is the shallowest and least clear.

Look for proportion constantly, and anything which disturbs it must be used for or against the chances of the subject.

If the lines in the hand are broad and shallow, instead of deep and clear, there is an imperfect channel for the Current to pass through.

• Instead of being a deep stream full of strength and power, it is a shallow brook.
• The Current spreads over too wide a surface to make it strong.
• This broad and shallow line is:
  • a feeble and weak one, and
  • generally full of defects and obstructions.

Lines that are clearly cut, deep, well-colored, uncrossed, or unspoiled by other defects show:

• vigor and strength in the operation of their several qualities
• steadiness of purpose
• evenness of temper

These are the subjects who overcome the many difficulties that they encouter.

Broad, shallow, poorly colored lines show weakness, vacillation, and discouragement.

These subjects achieve few results, and those are gained only after great effort and with strong outside influences to spur them.

All of the changes, obstructions, and defects that occur in the lines themselves have special names, and these we will consider separately.

The Uneven Line

This might seem like a good line. It is deep but becomes thin afterwards, sometimes becoming broad and shallow, and often fading away entirely.

Sometimes this uneven line may start broad and shallow, become deep and clear, and then grow thin again.

The uneven line does not break, island, or show other similar defects.

If the line starts thin then grows deep, it shows that:

• a great intensity of purpose has been expended during the deep periods
• the Current was flowing strong and cutting too deeply during this revival
• it consequently produced a defect in the line.

If, after this depth, the line grows thin again, it shows that the great pressure of Current has been followed by a reaction, and the thin place following the deep one indicates a period when the Current was flowing in a weak manner.

By following the course of an uneven line from its beginning, and by applying to it the measurements which indicate the ages of life upon the lines, you can locate the periods of strength, weakness, intensity, and all the consequent changes in the life of the subject.

The uneven line shows the unequal, spasmodic operation of the qualities of the particular line which is found uneven. Please remember that, in this chapter, we are applying our statements to lines in general and not to particular lines’, and the illustrations show in general different formations of uneven lines, all of which may be found on any line.

Splits (Branches)

These are splinters which have broken the lines and produced defects in any line by:

• reducing its clearness and strength
• impairing its usefulness by crippling its ability to carry the Current

These splits:

• must not be mistaken for sister lines, nor for islands, as they do not join the line again after splitting away from it.
• show a weakened quality of the line

Splits are sometimes very small and fine. Use a manifying glass if you are in doubt of a split or not.

The true split line leaves the Main line.

• It does not come back and attach itself to it again.
• This split line allows a portion of the Current to be diverted from the Main line and changed to some new direction.

It is a leak in the line. This divides the strength of the Main line by taking away from it part of its ability to carry the Current in the original direction. These split lines are often the beginning of a new course in the life of the subject. They show that the natural life map may have been altered at the time they occur.

If this is true, the new line will continue to grow in length and pull the Current from its original channel into the new one which is cutting through the hand.

If split lines run only a short distance and stop, and the Main line continues strong, these split lines will show that the attempts to change the natural course of the life have failed, and while they show by the splits the attempts to change, they also show by their shortness that they did not succeed.

The closer these splits lie to the Main line the less likely they are to divert much of the Current. The wider they open away from the line and the deeper and clearer they are, the more importance must be placed upon them, and the more likely they are to produce a change in the course of the life.

If a split line pulls away from a line and runs clear and strong to a Mount, it shows no. 2 the great attraction that Mount has for the subject, and such subjects will either strongly partake of the qualities of that Mount or will seek the companionship of subjects of that type.

This is why older palmists read such lines breaking away from the Heart line as showing that the subject would marry some one of the type represented by the Mount to which this line ran.

When the 7 types were less often combined than they are now, and pure specimens of the types were plentiful, it was often easy to describe the color of hair, eyes, etc., of the person a subject would likely marry.

This was possible by following the description of the appearance of the types indicated by the Mount to which the split line ran. Such feats are still possible when the split lines are strong and the types pure specimens, and while in my own readings I have never said that any subject would marry someone of a particular appearance, I have often described in this way the appearance of the person who would be most attractive to the subject as one who would be his ideal, and whom he would prefer to any other for a life partner.

The split line will tell of many events, ranging from a mere trivial defect of the line, shown by a small short split, up to an entire change in the life of a subject. There must always be a distinct separation of a line, showing that it plainly divides, before you should read it as a split. With care and practice you can learn properly to judge such defects.

During the study of this chapter examine as many hands as possible, looking for each of the signs and lines as treated here, and accustom yourself to recognize at once the different formations, not trying to interpret them fully at first, but learning to distinguish them quickly when seen.

Remember that a divided line is not as strong by one half as if the split had not occurred, and this will give you the proper general theory to apply to split lines.