The Mounts of the Palm in Palmistry

The lines get most of the attention, but seasoned palmists read the mounts — the fleshy pads of the palm — just as closely. Each is named after a classical planet, and its size and firmness are read as the strength of the qualities that planet rules. Here's a complete guide.

What the mounts are

The mounts are raised cushions of flesh across the palm, mainly clustered at the base of each finger and around the edges. In palmistry, a full, firm mount means the qualities it governs are strongly present; a flat mount means they're quieter; and an over-developed one can suggest excess. To check a mount, look at the palm side-on under light and press gently — you're judging both height and springiness. There are seven main mounts, plus the two Mars mounts and the Plain of Mars in the centre.

Mount of Venus

The largest mount: the pad at the base of the thumb, enclosed by the curve of the life line. It rules love, warmth, passion, energy and vitality. A full, firm Venus is read as an affectionate, vital, life-loving nature; a flat one as cooler or more reserved; an over-full one as intense appetite for pleasure.

Mount of Jupiter

Sits at the base of the index finger. Jupiter rules ambition, leadership, confidence and self-belief. A strong Jupiter mount is read as natural leadership and healthy pride; a flat one as modesty or low self-assertion; an excessive one as ego or a craving for status.

Mount of Saturn

At the base of the middle finger, where the fate line often heads. Saturn rules responsibility, discipline, wisdom and seriousness. A balanced Saturn suggests prudence and depth; a flat one a light, easy-going outlook; an over-developed one a tendency toward gloom or solitude.

Mount of Apollo (Sun)

At the base of the ring finger. Apollo rules creativity, success, recognition and a love of beauty — and is closely tied to wealth and good fortune. A well-formed Apollo mount is one of the most prized in palmistry, read as charisma, artistic flair and the ability to attract success.

Mount of Mercury

At the base of the little finger. Mercury rules communication, wit, business sense and adaptability. A strong Mercury mount is read as cleverness with words and money and a quick, persuasive mind; a flat one as shyness or a struggle to express oneself.

Mars & the Moon

Three more zones complete the map:

• Upper Mars (below Mercury, on the outer edge) — read as resilience and the courage to endure.
• Lower Mars (just above the thumb, inside the life line) — read as active courage, assertiveness and physical drive.
• Mount of the Moon (Luna) — the pad on the outer edge near the wrist, opposite Venus. It rules imagination, intuition, dreams and creativity. A full Luna is read as a rich inner and imaginative life; it's also where a fate line rising from this mount points to a path shaped by the public or chance.

Reading prominent vs flat mounts

The art is in the balance between mounts, not any single one. Palmists note which mount stands tallest — the "dominant" mount sets a keynote for the personality (a Jupiter-dominant hand leans ambitious; a Luna-dominant hand leans dreamy). A flat mount is never read as a flaw, just a softer expression. As always, mounts mean most when read together with the lines and the overall hand shape.

The mounts also interact with marks and special signs that appear on them — a star on the Mount of Jupiter is read very differently from a cross on the same mount. For a full reference to what each mark means on each zone of the palm, see the guide to marks on the palm: stars, crosses, triangles, and islands.