The Thumb’s 2 phalanges
The thumb plays an important role in palmistry. I have seen palmists in India doing most of their readings from an analysis of their clients’ thumbs. There is a good reason for this. The thumb can provide a great deal of useful information about the person’s character. For instance, it can tell us how the person will make decisions and how they will follow through.
Humanity is the only animal blessed with opposing thumbs. Chimpanzees come close, but their thumbs are very primitive compared to ours.
A unique feature of our thumbs is the Radial Nerve which is made from the same nerve fibre as the middle of our brains. This nerve fibre also runs through our spinal columns.
This Radial Nerve is responsible for our superior reasoning
capabilities that separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom.
Length of the Thumb
The larger the thumb, the greater the degree of success. Apparently Napoleon had an extremely large thumb. It’s an interesting exercise to watch people’s hands on television. Often you will find actors playing roles that they could never have achieved in real life. An example of this would be someone with a small thumb playing the part of a successful business tycoon. In India, it’s believed that the size of the thumb has a direct relationship with the degree of success the person will have in life.
I find this interpretation a bit too fatalistic, but there is no doubt that people with large thumbs usually reach top positions. These people are generally more motivated, ambitious and persistent than people with small thumbs.
Charlotte Wolff did a survey of the thumbs of successful individuals and found that most had thumbs of normal length. Certainly, people with long thumbs will try much harder to get what they want than people with short thumbs.
If you find someone with an extremely long thumb, they’re capable of a leadership role in any situation. This person will be intelligent,
decisive and have a very strong will power.
People with short thumbs are lacking in will power. They can be stubborn, though often for no apparent reason.
People with medium length thumbs (reaching at least halfway up the lowest phalange of the First finger) are fair and can stand up for themselves. They show common sense and possess reasonable will power.
If the thumb is broad, looking at it from the nail side, the person will be prepared to do whatever is necessary to get what he or she wants. Someone with a thick thumb, will be extremely blunt and forthright. This person will be stubborn and want their own way at any cost.
Sections of the Thumb
The fingers and the thumb are divided into three sections, known as phalanges. The joints divide the fingers into three phalanges, but the thumb appears to have two sections. The Mount of Venus, which is the fleshy mound at the base of the thumb surrounded by the Life Line, is called the third phalange.
Ideally, the first and second phalanges of the thumbs should be the same length. The first phalange, containing the thumbnail, represents will power and the second phalange represents logic. Someone with first and second phalanges of the same length will possess an equal amount of logic and will power. He or she will be able to come up with a good idea and then have the necessary drive and energy to carry it out.
If the first phalange is longer than the second, the individual will have more will power than logic. This person will make plenty of mistakes but will regroup each time and carry on until he or she reaches his goal. This combination gives great determination. He or she will be prepared to work long and hard, but can also be domineering.
Most people’s second phalange is longer than the first. This means there is more logic than will power. Someone with this combination will have lots of ideas, but somehow never get around to doing them. They will think, and think, and think, and then think some more. Everything is present except the motivation to act. That, of course, is why so many of us achieve only a minute fraction of what we are capable of doing. Too much analysis causes paralysis.
Flexibility
Thumbs are either firm or flexible. If it bends backwards from the joint it is regarded as flexible. Someone with this characteristic will be easy-going, positive and flexible. He or she will also give in under pressure, rather than create a scene.
If the thumb is stiff and does not bend back at the joint, it is classified as being firm. Someone with this type of thumb will be determined, reliable and stubborn. He or she will be unyielding and not give in under pressure.
I worked for many years as a salesman and this knowledge was very useful to me. If I was dealing with a customer with a flexible thumb I could push to make the sale. When dealing with someone with a firm thumb, I would not push, but would gently retreat and try again later. If I had tried to push the firm-thumbed clients into a sale I would not have succeeded and would have created obstacles to later success.