Chirology as Self-Creating Mirror

Yael haft- Pomrock

Published:

Confinia Psychiatrica

Edtors: H.Heimann, Lausanne

Publishers: S. Karger, Basel

Separatum (Printed in Switzerland)

Emphasis is put nowadays on body language as a means towards self-knowledge. Body movements, dance, painting, music have become a recognized way of therapy or , more precisely, an assisting instrument in therapy. However, little attention has been given so far to one of the most important organs of our body- the hand. The ability to create, to express, to write, to handle is through the use of the hand. There is a connection between ego development and the use of the hand in tactile and prehensile functioning (2). One says: I grasp an idea; by grasping- one understands.

Chirology is a hand test. It is not a therapy. It is a mirror of our soul and personality as nascent and evolving through the vicissitudes of our life.

Recently, molecular biologists affirmed that much of the information necessary for our development is coded into our genetic structure in the intra- uterine state (7). Might it not be the hand, the outward organ, whereby we may know of this inner structure?

Chirology is based on the assumption that the structure of the hand and the interrelations and correspondences of its components- palm, fingers, lines, mounts, i.e. the elevations, etc.-are basically connected with the psychic structure and also with the nervous system. It was found that the formation, tonus and expression of the hand and its lines show the mental state of the personality. In a research which is being done now in Talbia hospital as to hand characteristics of schizophrenics, attention is focused, among other factors, on the rigid expression, or lack of expression of hand and thumb. Figures 1-3 illustrate three examples of hand expressions.

The hand is dynamic and changes. Lines are formed and extinguished. Changes can occur within a very short time. However, the basic formation of the hand and fingers does not change, just as well as dermatoglyphics do not change.

Fif.1.a Hand belonging to a limited, undeveloped personality. b This Hand is empty- looking, crude and flabby.

Fig. 2. Hand belonging to a well-developed, intelligent personality: it is expressive, alive and differentiated.

Fig.3. This hand expresses fear and agony.

There are six basic forms of hands, no one of which in reality exists purely as such. Usually one finds combinations and variations of the basic forms. Main lines are three to four, and there are a number auxiliary lines and many sublines (8). Too many lines or lack of lines shows disturbances in the inner interactions.

The hand has a language of its own, a language by itself. It is, in fact, a self- creating mirror, where patient and chirologist and therapist can be active participants in the process.

Just as Arieti (1), quoting karpof, states that psychological disturbances may appear in the artistic production of patients before the onset of the psychosis- so also in the hand one can see the process of pathology or the formation that may lead to it, as well as tendencies and capabilities for the restoration and development of the personality, long before the person is conscious of it.

Jung (6), toward the end of his life, said: ‘The sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being. It may even be assumed that just as the unconscious affects us, so the increase in our consciousness affects the unconscious.

In contradistinction to other tests and psychotherapeutic interviews, in the chirological test the patient is passive. His hands speak for him and the chirologist, i.e. tells him about himself, i.e. interprets him to himself. Being told about oneself is contradictory to the usual procedure of slowly understanding oneself. However, experience has shown that the fact that one is being understood and accepted without one’s need to say or explain is already a releasing and freeing experience. It also shortens at times the consolidation of patient- therapist’s relationship. Although, of course, the working through may still take a long time.

It is in the meeting point between the patient and his own personality, capabilities and talents and also his problems as reflected in the hand, that the inner creative process starts, with the chirologist as the mediator between the two. I would like to enlarge on this.

The chirological test begins by taking hand prints. From this first stage, to see the difference between the two hand prints is for the patient the first glimpse into his self in a new way. Even though the specific meaning of the lines and form of the hands lacking, it is still overwhelming. It is like looking at a painting that one has produced out of a one’s unconscious, it is always mystery and a revelation.

The second stage of becoming aware of the whole hand as a living, expressive part of one’s self is also a new discovery.

A man of about 30 years of age came to a hand test. The different expression of the hands as he held them up was striking. ( In order to assess the outer form of the hand, the testee is requested to hold both hands upright with the elbows on the table. It is remarkable to notice the very many varieties of the ways in which one holds one’s hands and the manifold expressions of these same hands.)

The expression of the hands of this man changed meaningfully without his being aware of it, when I requested him to holds his hands straight. It is unusual to see such a difference, as if they were of two different people.

He reacted most astonishingly when they were shown to him. He said to the one which he held freely (fig. 4): ‘This is how I am now – depressed, passive, weak.’ To the streched hand (fig. 5) he said: ‘This is how I used to be, sure of myself, curious and optimistic.’ It was a momentous experience for him. I cannot go further into the case, suffice it to say that it brought him to undertake analysis in all seriousness.

Fig.4, 5. Hands- of one and the same patient- with strikingly different expression.

The following stage is facing the characteristics of the parental images. This is done with the assistance of the patient. His role is to differentiate between the mother’s characteristics and the father’s or surrogates as seen in his hand. It is astonishing also for the patient to realize at times how little he really knows his parents. This may even be the first time for the patient to be confronted with them as persons with problems of their own that he carries on unconsciously.

The fourth stage is confronting one’s own personality structure, capabilities, talents, ways of behavior and problems. It has the role of focusing one’s self- knowledge- as one testee said.

We usually know about ourselves, we know how we feel, think, act, but to be told by someone we do not know at all and in such precision is, as mentioned before, relieving, releasing, and revelatory. Suddenly, one sees oneself in another light, understanding the complexities of our nature and the twisting of our flaws. However, many a time the patient is unaware and unconscious of parts of himself.

A 26 –year –old woman, who had been in a psychoanalytically oriented therapy for the past 1.5 years, was sent to a chirological test owing to an impass in the analysis (5).

The chirological test showed, besides the structure of the personality, unconscious suicidal tendencies, proneness to accidents and thoughts about death, which she could not openly talk about in the analysis. Having been confronted with a mirror of her personality and present psychic state in a way that she could tolerate, the resistance in the analysis was overcome and the meaning of her death wishes could be worked on. She denied parts of herself and her death wishes portrayed an inner need that a part of her, with an old pattern of behavior, should die, in order that her own self could come alive.

It is customary and recommendable to have a second chirological test done after a period of therapy or analysis. It may be necessary to ascertain developmental stages in the therapeutic process or clearing questions pertaining to the process which may arise, as well as when an impass is reached, as mentioned above.

The effect of again seeing physically the changes that occurred since the first print was taken in many times of a therapeutic nature, importance and effect. Here are two examples of two handprints: the first taken at the beginning of analysis, and the second after a period of time. The first print is meshed with lines, showing chaos, (fig.6), the second shows lines which are clearer, better ordered and the whole impression of the hand is quieter (fig. 7). The hand, at the beginning of analysis (fig.8) is lacking in lines, showing repressions, lack of relatedness to herself and others. The second print shows the emergence of lines, which means more life and relationships (fig. 9) (4).

To become aware of a process, of the emergance of inner self- creativity, is to begin to relate oneself in a direct way, i.e. seriously and respectfully- which is one of the goals of therapy.

Loooking at chirology from the chirologist-therapist’s point of view, the test provides a map, an X-ray of the structure and dynamics of the personality. As the test is mainly time-bound, i.e. shows a present picture of the psychic state, it can only serve as a sign- post, not a fixed theory or way. The soul of man works in mysterious ways and the changes that one observes are sometimes surprising and uncountable. Therefore, the test can only be a reference tool, a ground that is a starting point. At times, draems of patients can correspond to a chirological finding.

As said before, it remains to the direction of the chirologist what and how much to say to any patient, taking into account the personality and psychic state and strength of the ego. One finds quite often acknowledgements coming from the unconscious through dreams as to the chirological assessment.

A woman who came to a test out of curiosity as she proclaimed, when in fact she was dissatisfied with herself without apparent reason, agreed at the end of the test to start therapy. The test showed a sensitive deep personality and disguised depression, with capabilities which were never developed. She was living an extraverted empty and shallow life, very contrary to what she was basically. She rationalized and intellectualized preventing any possibility of relating to hersrlf in a deeper sense. Very little could be conveyed to her at the time of the test. However, slowly, during therapy, dreams appeared emphasizing the chirological findings.

The therapist, from the beginning, is aware of the patient’s personality, relating to the inherent positive, regenerative factors. This unites both patient and therapist in a creative process of the patient’s self-search and, most important, self-acceptance.

The second and third chirological tests serve as signs from the unconscious of the process of change and development. Looking at the changes which occur during therapy, seeing the development of the person in unending failures and successes, of positive and negative life occurrences, yet, hopefully, in a constant process of self-realization, is a proof of the inner capacity for creativity which lies dormant in each one of us, where patient and therapist-chirologist are active agents in this process.

Let me conclude with a poem by Karl Frankenstein in Heresis:

‘When you will feel secure enough to steer

your boat of growth and change through

stormy seas of happenings

and follow only the directions of your soul,

then you will know: the unattractive diamond

once more has found a path into humanity.’

References

1. Arieti, S.: Interpretation of schizophrenia, pp. 352, 361 (Basic Books, New York 1974).

2. Cameron, N.: Personality development and psychopathology, pp. 48-50 (Houghton Mifflin, Boston 1963).

3. Frankenstein, K.: Heresis (undated, privately distributed).

4. Haft-Pomrock, Y.: Psyche and soma in chirology: personality changes in analysis as reflected in the hand. Annual of archetypal psychology and Jungian thought, pp. 179-192 (Spring, Zurich 1974).

5. Haft-Pomrock, Y.: Suicidal tendencies as reflected in the chirological test. Proc. 8^th Int. Congr. Suicide Prevention and Crisis Intervention, Jerusalem (1975).

6. Jung, C.G.: Memories, dreams, reflections, p. 326; recorded and edited by A. Jaffe (New York 1963).

7. Singer, J.: The age of androgyny in quadrant. Journal of C.G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology. Jung Centennial Issue (Winter, New York 1975).

8. Spier, J.: The hands of children. An itroduction to psychochirology (Kegan, London 1944).

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