The Line of the Head

THE line of the head (see plate 27, number 2), shows mental balance, control, interests, depth, and concentration.

It is one of the most important lines of the hand. Its normal position lies in a course across the palm, about midway between the wrist and the base of the line of the fingers.

This line requires very careful study, for its most minute variations are of significance.

Particularly should the two hands be compared as to their headlines.

Early training, environment, and the effects of outside circumstances on the mental characteristics of a person often outweigh the influence of heredity.

The right hand indicates our composite personality, the left, our natural endowments.

If you are lefthanded, the reverse will be the case, for the left hand is then the operative one.

First, study the quality of the line. The best headline is clear, reddish in color and deep.

With such a line, you can expect the ability to concentrate, sound judgment, a good memory, and vigorous, keen thought.

A broad, shallow line indicates less precision and sureness, but, though the mind may be less penetrating, it is not necessarily less purposeful. It is the chained line (see plate 28) which shows flightiness and lack of concentration.

Often you will find a line which varies in quality through its length. In that case, the mental abilities will differ at various periods of life. Sometimes the cause of such variation will be apparent in other signs of the hand. The life line may, for example, show a serious illness at the time the line of head is of inferior quality, or the line of heart may indicate emotional unbalance for a period.

A broken line is always unfortunate.

In the headline, a break shows impairment or interference with thinking and memory.

When there are dots or islands at the termination of a break, the injury is the more serious. If the break is repaired by a square, or bridged by a sister line running parallel to the main line and close by it, the ill effects of whatever is responsible for the break may be largely discounted. Refer back to plate 28 for examples of these variations in a line.

The course of the line of head is often altered by small rises or deflections downwards. For example, it may arch upwards under the middle finger. In that case, the qualities associated with the mount of Saturn and the Saturn finger seriousness, thoughtfulness, prudence in money matters are a strong influence on the thought patterns.

If the rise in the headline occurs towards the finger of Apollo, then then the artistic sensibilities, lightness and gaiety of Apollo must be connected with the line’s change in direction.

As a rule:

• small dips in the line of head are considered signs of depression
• rising arches are signs of good spirits or of an uplifting influence.

The most usual place of origin for the line of head coincides with the beginning of the line of life (see plate 33), the two lines being joined together for a short distance. This indicates caution, timidity and dependence on others at the beginning of life.

The earlier the two lines separate, the sooner will self-reliance be manifested.

When the line of head begins inside the line of life (see plate 34), the negative qualities associated with the first position are exaggerated.

A person who has this has little self-confidence, with nervous apprehensions inflated into phobias.

He is supersensitive, always looking for slights, lacking control.

A person with a headline beginning in this position is very often a solitary individual, not necessarily by inclination, but because he is too timid to dare the criticism of his fellows and the give and take which social contacts entail.

A line of head beginning about midway between the origin of the line of life and the base of the first finger (see plate 35) is a strong indication of well-balanced, independent headwork.

Such a line shows self-confidence without conceit, an energetic, daring mind, not bound to pathways followed by conventional thinkers.

With such a head-line, there is usually strong ambition and the mental clarity needed to realize that ambition. Of course, the quality of the line itself will modify the indications of its position, but, on the whole, a headline with this origin is strong augury of success.

When the space between the line of life and the headline is widened, and the latter begins high up on the side of the hand near the base of the first finger (see plate 36), the quality of self-reliance is turned to recklessness.

A person with his headline beginning so close to the finger of Jupiter is too conceited to listen to the counsel of others, too impatient to base his actions on careful judgment. He is a gambler, thoughtless of consequences, careless of his actions’ effect on others. When this high headline is short, a jealous temperament is also shown.

Usually the line of head commences at the edge of the hand. One exception to this position is found in the line which leaves a slight margin at the side and commences under the finger of Jupiter (see plate 37).

Strong ambition will motivate the thinking of a person with this kind of headline. Usually a headline having this origin is in quality, and there is every probability of fulfilling the ambition unless a weak thumb and generally forceless hand gainsay its promise.

The course followed by the line of head and its termination must be read in conjunction with the origin. A straight, even path (see plate 33) denotes good mental balance, excellent control, and a mind which is neither too taken up with fantasy nor too restricted by small, practical considerations.

A straight course will do much to counteract the weakness implied by an origin coinciding with the line of life and will to some extent reduce the timidity and oversensitiveness of a headline which begins inside the space enclosed by the line of life.

With a headline which starts outside the line of life, a straight, even course is a brilliant indication.

Its balance will even somewhat counteract the recklessness of a line starting too high on the hand.

When the line of head points in a downward direction or ends in a sharp curve towards the mount of Luna (see plates 34 and 35), the faculties of imagination and fantasy, represented by that mount, govern the mind.

In a weak hand, one lacking will and force, one which the origin of the line of head shows excessive timidity, this direction is unpromising.

It gives us the dreamer, the introspective builder of castles in the air, the conqueror of non-existent empires.

But, when there is sufficient strength to use the gift of creative imagination, a headline dipping onto Luna is the mark of the artist, the writer, the discoverer, the man or woman who is not afraid to venture beyond the realms of known fact.

The best combination with a headline descending onto Luna is one which begins outside the line of life, but not too high on the side of the hand (see plate 35).

The worst is a headline commencing inside the line of life (see plate 34), for with so little mental balance and self-confidence, there is always danger that a strongly imaginative person will take refuge completely in his land of make-believe, becoming the victim of delusions and fancies.

A star at the termination of a headline of this even stronger indication of insanity, especially when the quality of the line is also poor chained or much broken up.

A headline which curves up towards Mercury (see plate 37) shows a practical mind, taken up with the problems of business and material existence. On a narrow hand this line will indicate an excessively humdrum man of affairs, concerned with making money and success, very positive and bigoted in his opinions.

On a broad, active hand, it still does not show great liberality of mind, but at least it does not reveal a narrow-minded fanatic. It will indicate a person who looks at material things in a broader perspective, though one who is impatient at other things that are not of immediate utility.

When there is a sort of double curve in the line of head, first dipping down, then up, like the letter “S” (see plate 38), you have a person with complete coordination of the mental and muscular processes, in other words, an athlete.

This double curve can be found in the headlines of persons as diverse in their general makeup as William Tilden, Babe Ruth, Spencer Tracy, Gene Tunney, Jack Dempsey and Helen Wills Moody. One thing they have in common—the wonderful control of their muscular reactions with the mind.

A forked headline (see plate 39), one ending in two or more branches, may mean one of two things, depending on the strength of each branch. When the added branch gives increased versatility. For example, a straight headline with a branch descending onto the mount of Luna will show the soundly balanced judgment and reasoning power of the straight line plus imagination.

In a weak hand, such a forking results in uncertainty and vacillation.

The general position of the line of head is also of significance.

If the line is very high, thus overshadowing the line of heart, you have a strongly rational being whose emotions are completely controlled by his mind. When, on the other hand, the line of heart is placed low, close to the line of head, mental balance will be more precarious, subject to the vagaries of the emotions.