the girdle of venus, the ring of saturn, and the bracelets

these marks are classed among the minor lines of the hands, but they often have a significance that is of the greatest importance.

the girdle of venus is that broken or sometimes unbroken kind of semi-circular line that is found rising from the base of the first finger to the base of the fourth (1-1, plate xx.).

i have not in my experience found this mark to indicate the gross sensuality that is so often ascribed to it by other writers. it should be remembered that the hand is divided by the line of head, as it were, into two hemispheres, the lower and the upper.

the lower relates to the physical or more animal side of the nature, and the upper to the intellectual. following this arrangement, it is only reasonable to assume that this mark under consideration, viz., the girdle of venus, relates more to the mental side of the symbolism of the venus nature.

i have found that persons with this sign are more mentally sensual than physically so. they love to read or write books on the subject of the "sex problem," but they are not inclined to put their theories and ideas into practice, at least with their own lives.[pg 89]

the qualities, however, that this mark represents are much more active and dangerous when this girdle forms itself from the mount of saturn to that of mercury. the imaginings of such people are then morbid and unhealthy.

plate xx. the girdle of venus, the ring of saturn, the three bracelets, the line of

intuition and the via lasciva. plate xx. the girdle of venus, the ring of saturn, the three bracelets, the line of intuition and the via lasciva.

to those who study astrology, the inference that[pg 90] i draw from the connection of these two parts of the hand will become clear and reasonable.

when broken or made up of little pieces, the girdle of venus has little meaning except to show a hysterical temperament, with a leaning towards the tendencies i have mentioned above.

these persons in all cases suffer enormously from moods, they are very difficult to live with, and when the girdle of venus runs off the side of the hand and passes out through the marriage lines, their moody, changeable natures generally make marriage for them an unusually unhappy experience.

the ring of saturn

what is called the ring of saturn (2, plate xx.) is very seldom found, and it is by no means a good sign to have. it is also a semi-circular line, but found lying across the mount of saturn.

in all my experience i have never been able to come across any person with this mark who succeeded in life or was able to carry any one of his plans to a successful termination.

these people seem cut off from their fellow beings in some peculiar and extraordinary way. they are isolated and alone, and they appear to realise their lonely position keenly. they are gloomy, morbid, and saturnine in character. they seldom marry, and when they do it is always a ghastly failure.

they are terribly obstinate and headstrong in all their actions, they resent the least advice or interference in their plans. their lives generally close in suffering, poverty, or by some sinister tragedy or fatality.

it is the most unfortunate mark ever to find.[pg 91]

the bracelets

the bracelets (3-3, plate xx.) are of very little importance except to throw light on certain points of health. there are supposed to be three of these lines or bracelets at the wrist, which were called by the greeks the bracelets of health, wealth, and happiness.

it is certainly very seldom that they can be found together, for experience in life does not give much hope that these three much-sought-after possessions can ever be found together on this side of the grave.

delving back into the ancient legends of greece, we find one very significant point in reference to the first bracelet, the one nearest the palm, which represents health.

it appears that at one period of the ancient greek civilisation all women had to come to the priest at their temple to have their hands examined before they were allowed to marry. if the priest found this first bracelet out of its place and rising up into the hand in the shape of an arch (4, plate xx.), he would not allow the woman possessing this sign to be married under any circumstance, the idea being that it represented some internal malformation that would prevent her bringing children into the world. in such cases these women were made vestal virgins in the temples. perhaps the old greek priest was right in his idea, for if this first bracelet is found rising into the hand in the form of an arch, both men and women possessing it are delicate internally, and especially so in matters relating to sex.