One of the first questions people ask concerning palm reading is: Which hand do you look at? The answer is: Both, and It depends. 

Students of palmistry distinguish between the active and passive hand. A right-handed person's active hand will be his or her right hand; and the left hand is considered the passive hand. Similarly, a left-handed person's active hand is the left hand; and his or her passive hand is the right hand.

Generally, the passive hand is read for inherited characteristics and potential.

Look to the active hand for changes to these inherited traits.

As a general rule, when the lines and markings on the active and passive hands are quite different, it shows a person who has actively worked toward self-development.

Remember to consider the size of the hand relative to the size of the body.

Generally, a large hand suggests a person who spends more time thinking than acting. A person with a relatively small hand is thought to be more active, spending less time thinking about what to do.

There are four general shapes of the hand, and these are related to the four elements of Air, Earth, Fire, and Water:

When considering the length of the palm: 

When the vertical and horizontal measurements of the palm are approximately equal, it is considered a square palm.

A long palm is when its vertical measurement is longer than the horizontal measurement.

Fingers are considered long when the length of the middle finger is equal to or greater than three-quarters of the length (height) of the palm.

Fingers are considered short when the length of the middle finger is less than three-quarters of the length of the palm.

Air Hands are characterized by a square palm, long fingers, and thin, clear lines. These are the hands of intellectual and sociable people. They are often restless and in need of change and stimulation, mostly of the mental kind. As lovers, these people look for mental rapport above all else.

Earth Hands are characterized by a square palm, short fingers, strong or thick skin, and deep, clear, and straight lines. These are the hands of practical, down-to-earth people with strong vitality. They often have a strong connection to nature and the outdoors. As lovers, they are generally quite dependable and straightforward. 

Fire Hands are characterized by long palms, short fingers, plentiful and prominent lines, and firm, warm skin. These are the hands of risk-takers and action-oriented people. As lovers, they are positive and confident, willing to take the lead.

Water Hands are characterized by long palms, long fingers, plenty of fine lines that are not always clear, and soft, damp skin. These hands indicate a creative, emotional person. As lovers, they are sensitive, vulnerable, a little naive, and focused on caring and being cared for. 

How flexible is the thumb? The flexibility of the thumb is thought to measure how adaptable a person is. The more flexible the thumb, the more easy-going the character is. A lack of flexibility suggests an obstinate person.

Does the thumb have a "waist"? If the thumb narrows in the base phalange of the thumb, the person is thought to employ tact and diplomacy in his or her relations with others.

Some consider the relative length of the thumb as an indicator of faithfulness. Longer thumbs are thought to indicate stronger characters who are faithful to others and to themselves.

The palm generally consists of the Major Lines, Secondary Lines, and Minor Lines. 

A palm with numerous fine lines in addition to the Major Lines indicates a rather complex, sensitive personality that is especially vulnerable to outside influences and worries. In general, the fewer the lines, the more straightforward a person is. These people live their lives in a more direct and simple manner. 

The Major Lines:

Generally, there are three prominent lines on a palm. These are the Major Lines. 

In the palm at right, the top horizontal line ending at point A is the Heart Line. This line indicates the affections, so it is of particular interest to those reading a palm for love indicators. The higher this line is, the more passionate, and oftentimes jealous the person is. A heart line that goes right across the hand suggests a person who is very controlled emotionally. A heart line that curves upward towards the Jupiter finger (the index finger) indicates a warm-hearted, reasonable, and affectionate nature in relationships. Crosses and breaks on the Heart line suggest periods of sadness and sorrow in love.

The middle horizontal line at point B is the Head Line. This line indicates the type of intelligence a person possesses. The space between the beginning of the Head Line and the beginning of the Life Line, if any, indicates the level of cautiousness a person possesses. When these lines are joined at the beginning, the person has a rather cautious, and sometimes fearful, nature. The further apart, the more confident, risk-taking individual.

The curved line that generally swoops from near the base of the palm to the point between the thumb and first finger at point C is the Life Line. In terms of relationships, a Life line that is wide, leaving plenty of room for the Mount of Venus, is indicative of a person with an expansive and giving nature in love. The closer the Life line is to the thumb, the less generous a person is with his/her energy and time. 

An interesting secondary line concerning relationships is called the Line of Attachment. Some call these lines Marriage Lines. These lines appear just above the heart line (in our diagram, just above point A). Light, fine horizontal lines found here are thought to indicate affairs that are not deep commitments. One long, clear line suggests a long-standing and happy marriage or commitment. When there is more than one long, deep line, the lower one is thought to describe the earlier relationship in the person's life.

There are a number of mounts in different positions of the palm, and these are associated with planets. The Mount of Venus is of particular interest to those looking for indicators of love in the palm. This mount is found beside the thumb and within the curved Life Line. Generally, fleshiness here indicates a love of pleasure. A fleshy and firm Mount of Venus indicates a strongly sexual nature, and a flabby mount here shows a low level of sexual vitality. 

Prominent horizontal lines on the Mount of Venus are thought to indicate a person with powerful charm over lovers. Plenty of fine lines going in different directions on this mount (often looking like a grid) suggests a person who is quite complex in the area of love. A changeable, worrisome character may frustrate lovers. In general, lots of fine lines here indicate a person who is easily influenced by outside forces. This person may be easy to dupe by partners. A triangle on this mount is thought to indicate a person who may have extramarital affairs, and a crescent shape (moon) here suggests one who has powerful seductive powers.