Thursday 1 July 2010

Your Japanese word of the week is...

"tesou" 手相 which is "palm reading".  Yes, like astrology or tarot cards, the type of palm reading that is supposed to decipher the mysteries of your life.

Now, I certainly don't think that palm reading is something exclusive to the Japanese (and it's not) but I do distinctly remember one time when I was intrigued by it...

I was riding the train home from a karate training when, out of boredom, I was reading the many ads on the train.  One on the window beside me was about a palm reading service and included a handy (no pun intended) chart describing some basic palm lines and what they mean.  Of course, that's what I can only presume since, at that point, I couldn't read any Japanese.

I'm reminded of this because yesterday, again out of boredom, I was flipping through the channels and stumbled upon a Chinese show which had invited a palm reader (or "palmist") to explain some of the finer details of palm reading.

Now, I should point out I don't believe in any of this stuff.  I even find Wikipedia is overly kind in calling it a "psuedoscience".  But I do find it interesting what they read into.

For example, on your dominant hand, the one line that goes from the edge of your palm (between your thumb and index finger) and arcs down towards your wrist tells tales about your life.  One thing I remember hearing about was how the "choppier" the line was, the worse your health would be.  And that the closer the "choppiness" was to your wrist, the later the onset of said disease.

This, to me, is pretty hard to believe.  How would a palm crease tell of illness as a child or as a senior?  I suppose MAYBE if you were sick as a child and you spent a long time clinching your fist, perhaps the line would be less smooth.  But to be able to say that you'd be sick LATER in life?  Right.......

Anyway, just a funny story I thought I'd share.  In other news, Happy Canada Day!!

Perhaps someone can read Canada's lines and creases and figure out what kind of future it has...

Oh wait, that's geology isn't it?...  and that IS real... =P

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