Following is an interview I did with world famous Palmist and author, Vernon Mahabal just over seven years ago. We just re-reviewed his sage wisdom, and are delighted to share it with you.
Kay and Vernon
After Vernon Mahabal read my hands in Los Angeles on Nov. 6, 2006, I asked to interview him for our (IIHA) newsletter. He gladly accepted. Vernon spoke at the IIHA Conference in 2006 in Tiburon. He is the founder and director of the Palmistry Institute. In 1979 he began formal training in Vedic (Eastern) cosmology, which took him to India many times. He combines Western astrological palmistry with Chinese elemental hand analysis. He also continues new research, particularly within the field of fingerprints. Vernon has read thousands of hands, given hundreds of lectures and trained hundreds of students to read hands. For more info visit www.palmistryinstitute.com
Vernon, please tell me again how you started reading hands in New York
In 1985 or 86 I saw a reader on street. His name was Patrick Geoffrois. He looked like a magician. I was on a spiritual path and I stayed with him for 5 years on St. Marks.
There is so much information in the hands – I came at it as a skeptic, but was so intrigued with the mystical arts. Patrick taught the entire western system of the Astrological palmistry system. I read peoples hands on the subway while sitting in one spot. People are easy to meet in NY. They tend to be more philosophical and open.
I was inclined toward palmistry and Patrick was my catalyst. I didn’t pick it. Palmistry picked me. As a career, it fell into my lap. People encouraged me to make this my career
What is most meaningful to you about reading hands?
Being about to tell people what their life purpose is… their talents and abilities. Yes, this is what I am, aside from how society wants me to be. Life purpose is clearly written onto a person’s hands. They know it instinctually, but are misaligned by society, leaders.. things that have taken a person away from their life path. They have an ah-ha factor. Our society is based on economical development and sense gratification, which takes them away from who they really are. In my work, I’ve had a number of people who are sophisticated in a number of ways, and when I give them a reading I like to focus on a specific areas. What’s in the hand is an intrinsic part of their subconscious. My job is to tell people the steps to get ‘there’ (to their life purpose). Put their train on the correct path. Difficulties are easier to deal with when living on purpose. Rarely, if ever, does someone not get it. The hand is an astrological road map that clearly delineates the between the last and this lifetime.
What advice can you give hand-analysts-in-training?
Become your own researcher. Its necessary/imperative to take a teacher, to be at the feet of a legitimate palmist, and by way of serving them, hearing from them, being in their presence you’ll learn from them. Investigate your science thoroughly. Know why the teacher is doing it. It takes about 7 years to get a handle on what palmistry is all about and feel confident in it. It’s important to learn western and ancient palmistry. Western is very good at letting a person know about psychology, character, and talents. Eastern palmistry (sidereal) is excellent for letting people know talents, potentials as well, but is excellent for predictions. Vedic palmistry is unsurpassed for its ability for predictions. Predictions could include career changes, relationships beginnings/endings, and changes in geography. Good to study both systems.
Be a researcher of the hand. Take experiences in life and combine them with palmistry skills and skills should reflect their life. Palmists should be familiar with what went on before, other important palmists and who contributed what and when. Don’t be satisfied with one answer. Question everything!
Put yourself into your work. Put your whole being into the work… whole soul and self. Palmistry is a science and an art. It becomes your art.
Do you have a bad experience you can share to help others avoid the same mistake?
When I first started I was amazed when I went to physic fairs where palmists didn’t know their science. A lot of palmists claimed to be palmists but were really just a parrot telling people what a book or other palmists have said, not from their own research. I’ve met palmists who said they were physic but they had not database to support them. Psychic Intuition is a big part of palmistry, but imperative to have a well stocked astrological background. Otherwise, there are no checks and balances to support their reading. I’ve modeled myself after sophisticated astrologers who monitor each other and are professional. They are way ahead of the game because they formed associations and meet as groups. They have magazines. They’ve made their art genuine. We haven’t done much to have conferences and police ourselves. Astrologers present themselves with credibility. There is no real credibility with Sea-side palmists. The public is becoming more discriminate. The public will mirror our becoming more credible and professional.
We need to form our own organizations, coach each other, and meet over coffee as an association/community of palmist’s. The public takes astrology more seriously.
What is your favorite part of reading hands?
This is the most fascinating thing I do in a day. I am deciphering a Rosetta stone – seeing the symbols and configurations is fascinating to put together and then to get to the heart of the person. This is a personalization of the spiritual being. It’s like mixing a cake to get to the core and what they are here for. Need a conscious entity to add and subtract from the reading. Most intriguing thing in a day is reading hands… and the hieroglyphics.
Goal is to elevate consciousness of that person in this life and their next. When they come to a higher mode they’ll be happen.
What are your fingerprint patterns?
R loop whorl loop whorl whorl
L loop whorl loop peacock whorl
LP Leader in the spotlight with a inspirational message to deliver to the mass public
LL Successful Teacher/coach
How did you come to the Life Purpose and Life Lesson teaching?
I had been working on it 1992 “Body Signs” (Hillion) which had info about palmistry. Didn’t agree with things in palmistry section. Look at fingerprints as a group, not as individually. I had thought that for 2 or 3 years. Now I had pages and pages of research. In 1994 I started writing notes. I met Richard’s students, Eric, and we’d meet in New York and hold palmistry circles with other palmists. Eric read my fingerprints. Your life purpose and life lesson is ‘this’. How long have you been doing this? About a year – said Eric. Eric told me about Richard. I called Richard the next day. We contacted each other by phone a lot. I then moved to the San Francisco East bay in 1996/97 then would see Richard and go his grads classes. We have many similarities – 95%, but have some differences. See the tented arch differently. He was ahead of me in the psychological area. He’s helped me fill in some of my blank spots. I hope I’ve helped him fill in some of his.
Noel Joaquin (1940s) referenced fingerprints but I didn’t necessarily agree. Richard’s and my systems don’t accept Joaquin but Joaquin should be recognized. My system is more career oriented and Richard is more about the physiological aspects but very similar. I value his friendship, his expertise. He’s contributed MUCH to hand analysis. Seasoned, professional. Looking for the day there will be hundreds of people like Richard, teaching. The way we get our info is different than each other. Info was in the ether. I’m just an instrument.
Where do you see yourself in 5 & 10 years reading hands?
I want to make reading hands more accessible without commercializing it. It is truth and will come out. Present it in a way to take this science more seriously. The ancient’s adored it and held it in reverence. Doing more lectures, reading, make more people aware of it.
Do you have anything else to share?
Continue to build up the reputation of Palmistry for the public. Hold up regard for palmistry like astrology.
We should create our own foundations, federations, establishing sisterhood/brother hoods. You become like those who you associate with. Associate with others who are serious about this path, and that will inspire others. If you go to India, Astrologers look at the hands before making a prediction and vice versa. Astrology and Palmistry are like a brother and sister. By the way, Mountain News has a poor view of Palmistry because of the practitioners who haven’t taken this science seriously.
Vernon is available for private readings, workshops, lectures and consultation. For more information visit http://www.palmistryinstitute.com
