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Introduction:

With all the technology of computers and cell phones (texting

specifically), you might believe that handwriting is becoming a thing of the past. It may seem like it, but handwriting has endured centuries and will continue to be a part of our lives for a long time to come. Our handwriting is as unique as our fingerprints - no two people have the same handwriting and no two people have the same thumb print. You may think you write like your Aunt Sophie because your handwriting looks like hers, but there are strokes in your handwriting that are unique only to you. Isn't it interesting that we all learned handwriting in the same manner? Our teachers gave out sheets of paper on which we would practice each letter of the alphabet, upper and lower case, over and over again. Each letter had to be formed "exactly" like the pre-printed letter on the first line of this paper. We didn't move on to the next letter until every child could form the letters "properly" and according to "handwriting standards." As we moved up in years, we continued to write, but our handwriting began to change. We hadn't forgotten the "standard" letter formations, but our handwriting began to take on a style all its own. We, suddenly, had a unique way of writing that we were never taught. The basics were given, but we responded to the demands of our individual personalities and our handwriting followed suit. It wasn't a rebellion, it's who we are. You may believe, looking at your own handwriting, that you never write the same way twice or that your handwriting is constantly changing. You would be correct to some degree. We are all this way, however, no matter how differently your handwriting appears at any given time, you will still create your letters with the same strokes which are unique only to you. The underlying strokes that create your handwriting do not change unless you make a conscious effort to change them. This, in turn, would work on changing aspects of your personality. Handwriting analysis is NOT a party trick or party pleaser. Telling a person they have a temper because you see the temper tick in their writing or telling a person they have low selfesteem because you see it in their handwriting would not be accurate unless you could also tell them to what degree these traits affect them as a person. A person who shows a temper tick may rarely lose their temper because they have traits within their handwriting and personality that offset the need to blow their top. You can either be accurate by understanding the person as a whole or completely wrong by offering only bits and pieces of a person. This will determine your success as a Certified Handwriting Analyst.

History of handwriting analysis:

The interest in handwriting as an indicator of personality has its origins far back in history. Over 2000 years ago, Aristotle noticed the correlation between handwriting and personality while the Chinese independently also made the observation that there was a connection between character and writing.It was however, only in 1622 that an Italian physician and professor of philosophy at the University of Bologna, published a book describing the analysis of character through the study of handwriting. In the late 1800's, Abbe Michon who was the headmaster of a school in Paris and a respected intellectual, wrote several books on the subject and coined the name of "graphology". Later, his successor, CrepieuxJamin, classified the many features of graphology into a comprehensive system. Max Pulver, a Swiss professor who lectured in Graphology at the University of Zurich used psychoanalysis for the first time in the interpretation of graphology. This line of investigation

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was also followed by AniaTeillard, who worked closely with C.G. Jung for 20 years and applied his typological theories (extrovert and introvert etc.) to the theory of graphology. Alfred Binet, the renowned psychologist who founded the present method of I.Q. Testing for intelligence was a firm supporter of handwriting analysis. He confirmed that certain character traits are reflected in handwriting.

Handwriting Analysis- What is it?

Handwriting analysis, or graphology, is the science involved in producing a personality profile of the writer by examining the characteristics, traits and strokes of an individual's handwriting. I know it seems impossible, but a trained graphologist can gather an astonishing amount of information about the writer just from analyzing their handwriting. Besides creating a complete personality profile, many other things are revealed in your handwriting, such as health issues, morality, past experiences, hidden talents, mental problems-- to name just a few.

How it works?
Your brain guides your hand. Everything put on paper is a result of a two-way circuit between your brain and the motor reflex muscles of your hand. Thus, your handwriting becomes a Polygraph or Oscilloscope read-out of your "complete self." To you, it's just handwriting, but to a handwriting analyst, it paints a picture of the person "behind the pen."

How to Begin?
When analyzing writing style, first look at the handwriting in general, much like you would a painting. Make mental notes of the most outstanding traits and try to get a general feeling of the writer. (After 20 years of experience I can usually put the writer in a category right away.) Then, determine the emotional energy of the writer. This is the most important factor of the personality of the writer. The emotional energy has a direct impact on every other trait displayed in the handwriting. Emotional energy is determined by how much pressure the writer uses when he writes. If you examine the writing you can determine how much pressure was used by how "dark" the writing is. Also, if you turn the page over and feel the underside you can feel how much pressure was used (especially if the sample was written on a soft surface).

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Putting it Together.
Now let's mix some of these traits and see what we come up with. A writer with heavy pressure and a vertical slant. Heavy pressure= strong emotions and vertical slant= trying to hold emotions back. This writer is usually the one who keeps his wits about him. When "all hell breaks loose," his head rules. He will not be as emotionally responsive as a right slant writer and will "keep cool". This "heavy pressure-vertical slant" writer won't be able to keep his cool all of the time. When his emotions get the best of him he may "fly off the handle" at unpredictable times. A person with light pressure writing (not much emotional or physical energy) and a left slant (tries to avoid emotional situations). This person will be emotionally withdrawn, cold, indifferent and self centered.

The Slant of the Writing; What Does it Mean?

Emotional energy is a combination of the physical and mental energy level. Writers with heavy pressure are usually highly successful. They have a lot of vitality and their emotional experiences last for a long time. Writers who write with average pressure are usually moderately successful and usually have enough energy to make it through the day. Those with light pressure try to avoid energy draining situations. The slant is the second indicator to look for. The slant indicates the writers emotional response to external forces. A right slant (////) signals one who responds strongly to emotional situations. They are caring, warm and outgoing-- their heart rules their mind. A vertical slant (llll) writer tries to keep their emotions in check-- mind rules their heart. A left slant writer (\\\\) will conceal their emotions and is observed as cold and indifferent There are many steps involved in creating a complete personality profile. Using these first two steps you can begin to put together your own "profile" which can be useful in both personal and professional relationships.

Handwriting as a personal trademark

Handwriting is a very personal and individual trademark of personality. As no two people have exactly the same handwriting, signatures have for hundreds of years been regarded as legally binding on documents of all types. A person's handwriting is his own private trademark or seal which cannot be reproduced by any other individual. This was firmly believed by no less a personality than Sir William Herschel who founded the system of identification through fingerprints. He accepted that handwriting revealed character in the same way that fingerprints reveal identity. Alfred Binet, the renowned psychologist who founded the modern method of I.Q. Testing for intelligence was a firm supporter of handwriting analysis and confirmed that certain handwriting traits revealed actual character traits. The French psychologist, Pierre Janet (1859-1947) referred to handwriting analysis as a "science of the future" and described handwriting itself as; "an act which leaves a printout. It is the film record of the writer's sensibilities."

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Graphology:
Graphology is the study and analysis of handwriting especially in relation to human psychology. In the medical field, it can be used to refer to the study of handwriting as an aid in diagnosis and tracking of diseases of the brain and nervous system. The term is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to forensic document examination. Graphology has been controversial for more than a century. Although supporters point to the anecdotal evidence of thousands of positive testimonials as a reason to use it for personality evaluation, most empirical studies fail to show the validity claimed by its supporters.

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Etymology:
From grapho- (from the Greek , "writing") and logos (from the Greek , "speech"); cf.: Anthropology, Psychology, Biology, Geology. There also exist many other words formed from the same root: Graphopathology, Graphomaniac, Graphistic, Graphopsychology, Psychographology, Graphometric, Graphometry, Graphoanalysis, Graphotechnology.

Graphology is based upon the following basic assertions:

When we write, the ego is active but it is not always active to the same degree. Its activity waxes and wanes; being at its highest level when an effort has to be made by the writer and at its lowest level when the motion of the writing organ has gained momentum and is driven by it. The muscular movements involved in writing are controlled by the central nervous system. The form of the resultant writing movement is modified further by the flexibly assembled coordinative structures in the hand, arm, and shoulder; which follow the principles of dynamical systems. The specific writing organ (mouth, foot, hand, crook of elbow) is irrelevant if it functions normally and is sufficiently adapted to its function. The neurophysiological mechanisms which contribute to the written movement are related to conditions within the central nervous system and vary in accordance with them. The written strokes, therefore, reflect both transitory and long term changes in the central nervous system such as Parkinson's disease, or alcohol usage. The movements and corresponding levels of muscular tension in writing are mostly outside of conscious control and subject to the ideomotor effect. Emotion, mental state, and biomechanical factors such as muscle stiffness and elasticity are reflected in a person's handwriting. One must examine the handwriting or drawing movements by considering them as movements organized by the central nervous system and produced under biomechanical and dynamical constraints. Given these considerations, graphologists proceed to evaluate the pattern, form, movement, rhythm, quality, and consistency of the graphic stroke in terms of psychological interpretations. Most schools of thought in graphology concur that a single graphological element can be a component of many different clusters, with each cluster having a different psychological interpretation. The significance of the cluster can be assessed accurately by tracing each component of the cluster back to their origins and adapting the meaning of the latter to the conditions of the milieu in which the form appears.

Graphology - an introductory guide to handwriting features

As previously stated there are around 300 features - this introductory article attempts to explain some of the basic ones that can be readily understood and which give interesting information.

Slant
Right slant indicates a response to communication, but not how it takes place. For example, the writer may wish to be friendly, manipulative, responsive, intrusive, to sell, to control, to be loving, supportive, just to name some possibilities. If the handwriting is generally upright, this indicates independence.

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A left slant tendency shows emotion and reserve. This writer needs to be true to self first and foremost and can be resentful if others try to push for more commitment from them.

Size
Handwriting is made up of three zones - or cases - middle, upper and lower. A basic average measure - or benchmark - by which size can be judged is 3mm per zone. This gives a benchmark for a non-remarkable full height of 9mm. More than this is large; less than this is small. Large size handwriting can mean extravert and outgoing, or it can mean that the writer puts on an act of confidence, although this behaviour might not be exhibited to strangers. Small size can, logically, mean the opposite. Small size handwriting can also indicate a thinker and an academic, depending upon other features in the script. If the writing is small and delicate, the writer is unlikely to be a good communicator with anyone other than those on their own particular wavelength. These people do not generally find it easy to break new ground socially.

Pressure
Heavy pressure indicates commitment and taking things seriously, but if the pressure is excessively heavy, that writer gets very uptight at times and can react quickly to what they might see as criticism, even though none may have been intended. These writers react first and ask questions afterwards. Light pressure shows sensitivity to atmosphere and empathy to people, but can also, if the pressure is uneven, show lack of vitality. Upper zone or case (as in l, t, h, etc) Tall upper strokes are reaching towards goals and ambitions or, if they are very extended, there may be unrealistic expectations of what the person feels they must achieve. If there are reasonably proportioned upper zone loops, this indicates someone who likes to think things through and use their imagination in a sensible way. Wider upper zone loops indicate more of a tendency to dream up ideas and mull them over. If the up-stroke goes up and then returns on top of itself, the writer may be squeezing out imagination and keeping to the basic requirement of getting down to the job in hand.

Lower zone (as in g, y, p, etc)

Lower loops are also varied and have different meanings. For example a straight stroke shows impatience to get the job done. A 'cradle' lower stroke suggests an avoidance of aggression and confrontation. A full loop with heavy pressure indicates energy/money-making/sensuality possibilities, subject to correlation with other features. A full lower loop with light pressure indicates a need or wish for security. If there are many and varied shapes in the lower zone, the writer may feel unsettled and unfocused emotionally. Again the handwriting analyst would look for this to be indicated by other features in the script.

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Word spacing
The benchmark by which to judge wide or narrow spacing between words is the width of one letter of the person's handwriting. Wide spaces between words are saying - 'give me breathing space'. Narrow spaces between words indicate a wish to be with others, but such writers may also crowd people and be intrusive, notably if the writing lacks finesse.

Spacing line
Handwriting samples are always best on unlined paper, and particularly for exhibiting linespacing features. Wide-spaced lines of handwriting show a wish to stand back and take a long view. Closely spaced lines indicates that that the writer operates close to the action. For writers who do this and who have writing that is rather loose in structure, the discipline of having to keep cool under pressure brings out the best in them.

Page margins
The sides of the page each have a meaning. The left side margin shows the roots and beginnings/family. The right side shows other people and the future. The top is goals and ambitions. The foot of the page shows energy, instincts and practicality. Therefore margins are very informative. If the writer has a wide left margin, the interest is in moving on. If it is narrow, caution and wanting to avoid being pushed before they are ready is indicated. Narrow right margin shows impatience and eagerness to get out there and on with things. Wide right margin shows that there may be some fear of the unknown.

Middle zone or case (as in a, c, e, etc)

These middle zone shapes can give some particularly interesting information. The middle zone in the script represents the ego - from it we get a lot of information as to how the writer feels and acts in public settings - what makes them tick socially and at work. Some people's handwriting consists of only one single style, but many people will have a mixture of two handwriting styles or more. Again this provides useful information. All of these features have potentially positive and negative connotations; the analyst uses the flow and facility (ease, smoothness) of the script to infer a positive or negative interpretation.

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Arcade
This means that the middle zone of the writing is humped and rounded at the top like a series of arches. It is in the basic style of copy-book, though it is not taught in all schools. Writers who use this can be loyal, protective, independent, trustworthy and methodical, but negatively they can be secretive, stubborn and hypocritical when they choose. The most important characteristic is group solidarity against outsiders.

Garland
Garland is like an inverted 'arcade' and is a people-orientated script. These writers make their m's, n's and h's in the opposite way to the arcade writer, like cups, or troughs, into which people can pour their troubles or just give information. The Garland writer enjoys being helpful and likes to be involved.

Angle
Angled middle zone is the analytical style, the sharp points, rather than curves, give the impression of probing. The angle writer, is better employing talents at work and for business or project purposes, rather than nurturing, which is the strength of the garland writer. As with any indicators of personality style, the interpretation doesn't mean that each writer needs to be categorised and prevented or dissuaded from spreading their talents and interests, but the analysis can helpfully show where the person's strengths can be best employed.

Thread
Thread handwriting is like unravelled wool, waiting to be made up into something fresh. These writers are mentally alert and adaptable, but can also be elusive and lack patience. They are responders, rather than initiators. They can be very clever at drawing together strands of information and making something of them. Therefore they observe and bide their time, so that decisions are made at the most appropriate moment.

Wavy line
Wavyline handwriting is often an amalgam of all or most of the other forms and is usually written by people who are mentally mature and skilful. It shows that they can call on a variety of responses, to suit the occasion and indicates good coping mechanisms. They are adaptable and resourceful. These features and interpretations provide a small but useful guide as to the way people behave, and particularly how they handle their social requirements. Check your own handwriting against these pointers to see what you can learn or confirm about yourself, and see also how effective even just a few simple graphology techniques can be in revealing personality style. Understanding the personality through handwriting is a valuable way of making the best of both personal awareness and interpersonal situations for the benefit of all concerned. The aim in using graphology to analyse a person's handwriting must always be positive. The interpretation should enable people analysed to use the understanding gained, to help them live their lives to the highest level of satisfaction that they choose. In a professional or organizational context, graphology can play an important part in enabling working relationships to be forged that will enhance the quality of the group or team performance. As a child you were taught to write, but it's not likely that you still write in the way you were taught. The fact that you don't helps to explain the reason graphology exists and why graphology can be used to interpret personality.

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Uses for Graphology:

Graphology is used with excellent results in the home, in schools and other educational institutions as well as in the workplace and in business organizations. Handwriting Analysis is used in the following situations:

Personal Relationships
Handwriting is analyzed to check compatibility in all types of personal relationships. Where family members are incompatible or find themselves in situations of conflict, an analysis of their handwritings will highlight the areas where personality clashes occur. In all areas of communication, and wherever people need to understand one another better, be it of a personal, social or professional nature, a handwriting analysis can provide deep insight and penetrating revelations.

In Education
Handwriting Analysis is valuable in the field of education and in the counselling of students. It is particularly useful where interaction between teachers and pupils or between the pupils themselves is problematic. If more teachers were given access to information about Handwriting Analysis, they would be able to create a better climate of understanding between themselves and their students. Children under-achieve because of low self-esteem and other personality problems. An analysis of handwriting can help us to discover and encourage latent skills or talents that might have gone unnoticed.

Career Guidance
Handwriting analysis is also used for career guidance where knowledge about personality is essential in order to match the individual correctly to the type of work that would best suit his or her personality and interests.

Personnel Selection
In the selection of personnel, handwriting analysis is an invaluable tool for helping to choose the most suitable person for the job. It is also useful in existing job situations where major personality differences can have an adverse effect on employer - employee interaction as well as on the managerial staff itself. Handwriting analysis allows us to focus on these problem areas in order to correct them.

Approaches to graphology
There are three approaches to graphology: The integrative approach, The holistic approach, and the symbolic

Integrative graphology
This approach holds that specific stroke structures relate to personality traits. Most systems within this approach use a cluster of stroke formations, to score a specific personality trait. Systems that fall under this umbrella are: fixed signs, trait stroke, French System and Graphoanalysis. It has been described as starting from the inside, and working to the outside.

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Holistic graphology
This is commonly, but incorrectly referred to as Gestalt Graphology. Gestalt graphology was a system of handwriting analysis developed circa 1915 in Germany and was related theoretically to Gestalt psychology. In this approach (Holistic Graphology) a profile is constructed on the basis of form, movement and space. It has been described as starting from the outside, and working to the inside. In this approach, individual traits, such as legibility, are not assigned specific meanings, but can take on different meanings depending on the overall context.

Symbolic analysis
In this approach, one looks for symbols seen in the handwriting. This can be either Major symbolism, or Minor Symbolism.

Major symbolism is the meaning ascribed to the stroke, as it related to the page. Minor symbolism ascribes a meaning to the stroke, depending upon the picture that the stroke draws. For example, John Wayne's signature shows a blackened out portion, that represents his lung cancer.

This approach provides the theory that underlies both Holistic Graphology, and Integrative Graphology. Max Pulver is the best known exponent of this system.

Rules for Good Hand writing:

1. Good writing is based on a pattern of ovals and parallel lines.

2. All small letters start at the top.

3. All the downstrokes are parallel.

4. All similar letters are the same height.

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5. All downstrokes are equidistant.

6. The space between words is the width of the small letter o.

7. Ascenders and descenders are no morethan twice the height of small letters, preferably less.

8. Capital letters are no higherthan the ascenders, preferably less.

9. Lines of writing are far enough apartfor ascenders and descenders not to touch.

10. Letters which finish at the top join horizontally.

11. Letters which finish at the bottom join diagonally. 12. Letters which finish ona stroke moving left, are best left unjoined.

Hand writing features:

The science of graphology uses at least 300 different handwriting features to produce a personality profile of the writer by examining the characteristics, traits and strokes of written handwriting. Quigley and Thomas have both identified a series of handwriting features.

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Comments from recent students

Handwriting analysis is helping me to understand my students better and I believe it will help me develop changes in their learning and learning ability. I am also interested in applying this with adults nolimits. Isara Argent, California, USA, special education teacher This program has helped me realize things about myself and has increased my confidence to a level beyond my imagination. In fact,now I am able to visualize myself in a much better position around a year from now. Thanks a lot for the exciting and enjoyable time. Vinod Nair, Mumbai, India It is very useful for me and I intend to use it to be a better mother and teacher. Meenu L. Thakes, Mumbai, India Handwriting has also enabled me to get more out of summer camps. When only at a program for a week, handwriting is a real catalyst to cause people to open up. I will tell them what I see in their handwriting, and they will talk to me about their past experiences, their family, their relationships, and their life struggles. I have gotten a lot more out of summer camps because handwriting has allowed me to get to know so many people on such a personal level. As I mentioned briefly in my self-analysis, it allowed me to reach my 23classmates and let them know they had one more true friend to count on. I truly felt I made a positive difference in every single classmate's life by talking to each one about who they were. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for creating such a wonderful certification course, that has helped me have stronger bonds with the people I have met. Amanda Anderson, age 18, Virginia, USA

Case study
What is handwriting analysis? It is a scientific method of identifying, evaluating, and understanding personality via the strokes and patterns revealed by handwriting. It is not document examining, which involves the examination of a sample of handwriting to determine the author. Document examining is often used in forgery cases no comment on character or personality is derived from the handwriting. What does handwriting reveal? Handwriting reveals the true personality, including emotional outlay, fears,honesty, defenses, and over 100 other individual personality traits. What can you not tell from a handwriting sample? Handwriting cannot accurately reveal a persons age, race, gender, religion,or nationality. While there are masculine, feminine, and cultural patterns among certain groups, these patterns are not statistically significant to be able to determine these things all the time. How does handwriting reveal personality? Handwriting is often referred to as brain writing. Research scientists in the field of neuroscience have categorized neuromuscular movement tendencies as they are correlated with specific observable personality traits. Each personality trait is represented by a neurological brain pattern. Each neurological brain pattern produces a unique neuromuscular movement that is the same for every person who has that particular personality trait. When writing, these tiny

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movements occur unconsciously. Each written movement or stroke reveals a specific personality trait. Handwriting analysts identify these strokes as they appear in handwriting and describe the corresponding personality trait. Handwriting is like body language, but is more specific and is frozen for a more detailed analysis of our unconscious movements.

How accurate is handwriting analysis? It is only as accurate as the analyst is skilled. Most professionals claim to be 85 to 95 percent accurate. Compared to other personality assessment tools and tests, handwriting analysis is sometimes more accurate and much more revealing. When answering psychological questions in person or on paper, a person may consciously or unconsciously answer according to how he thinks he should answer rather than giving an honest reply. The clinical research is divided as to the validity of handwriting analysis. Again, it depends on whom you ask. Why does my handwriting change all the time? Certain strokes represent emotions and moods. As your feelings and moods change from minute to minute, those corresponding particular strokes will change. However, the basic character-defining traits will remain the same. And if you really have a total variation in handwriting styles, you are one moody person and should cut down on the sugar snacks.

What can be told from a person's signature? The signature represents what a person wants the world to see or what he wants to be, an image that may or may not be the same as his inner self. Because a signature contains only a few letters, it does not provide enough information for the analyst to make a complete and accurate evaluation.

Image Gallery

Hand Writing of Bill Gates

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Mahatma Gandhis Hand writing

Handwriting of Swami Vivekananda

Signature of Sachin Tendulkar

Albert Einsteins Handwriting

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Rabindranath Tagores Handwriting