• A DEFINITION UPDATE:

What is Palmistry in 2013?
Palmistry is the practice (or art) of studying the hands, usually with the intent focussed on one (or more) of these four aspects of life:
1 - health consultation, 2 - character interpretation, 3 - life purpose orientation, 4 - divination

Examples of 'non-predictive' hand reading systems (not related to divination / future telling) are e.g.:
Elemental Chirology, Life Purpose Hand Analysis & PsychoDiagnostic Chirology.

Examples of 'predictive palmistry' are e.g.:
Classic Indian palmistry (which is in India an aspect of Jyotish), and Urdu palmistry (Hindu palm reading in Pakistan).