By Shayan Belliappa
What if we told you that our handwriting could reveal our personality? We are how we write. Our handwriting personality is just as unique as our personality. By examining our handwriting alone, a graphologist can tell us whether we are extroverts or introverts. The strokes of our handwriting could reveal a lot about our approach to life.
In a fascinating interview with Soulveda, Mumbai-based handwriting analyst Vishwas talks about our mind’s relationship with our handwriting. Here’s a peek at the first part of our conversation, as he takes us through the basic understanding of this art:
Vishwas, founder of Write Choice International
Most of us don’t give our handwriting a second thought. Yet, it is influenced by our behaviour. Could you explain this correlation?
Handwriting analysis, also known as graphology, is the study of graphic movements or strokes in handwriting, which correlate to a personality trait of the writer. To an ordinary eye, how a letter is formed may be inconsequential.
However, according to graphologists, the brain sends messages to the hand, to form handwriting strokes that reveal who we are, how we think, feel and behave. Through handwriting–also known as brain writing–it is possible to determine a writer’s characteristics.
A person embodies several traits. How much can handwriting personality reveal?
Handwriting reveals whatever personality trait an average human being can think of. It can reflect whether we are shy or outgoing, timid or brave, confident or attention-seeking, persistent or a quitter.
For example, someone with plenty of sharp and pointed strokes in their handwriting could be very aggressive and hostile. Additionally, handwriting can reveal qualities like persistence and determination. It can even reflect mental states such as depression, sensitivity, open-mindedness, creativity, intelligence, and temperament. Handwriting can even indicate motivation levels.
Studies suggest handwriting analysis lacks scientific support. Is it a pseudoscience?
I would say it is an empirical science, gauged with observation and experimentation. Writing is a physical process, a task performed by our nervous system. The intent to write is formed within our brain, which signals our hand to use the pen in a certain way. This makes handwriting an expressive gesture, indicative of our mindset.
What inspired you to take up handwriting analysis?
I was introduced to handwriting analysis by an accomplished Kolkata-based graphologist Mohan Bose, founder of Kolkata Institute of Graphology.
It was fascinating to learn that handwriting analysis could reveal so much about our personality. Here’s what blew my mind: Just by bringing about a few alterations in our handwriting, we can change our behaviour.
Handwriting personality analysis
Handwriting analysis has such a deep connection with personality. In what ways can we use it to better our lives?
We can analyse handwriting to understand our strengths and weaknesses.
For example, the analysis of our handwriting can tell us whether we are good for a sales job or a desk job, whether we function better alone or in groups, and the like.
Also, graphology’s curative offshoot – graphotherapy – can help us overcome some of our problems. For instance, if we have any confidence issues, changing our signature in certain ways can help resolve them.
How does graphotherapy work?
Graphotherapy recommends making conscious alterations to our handwriting, in order to effect desired subconscious changes in our personality. This is a reversal of the normal writing process: our hands send messages to our brain to fix the root cause of problems such as lack of persistence, determination, and concentration.
However, graphotherapy is effective only when we show tireless commitment. A graphotherapy exercise is done for 30 days at a stretch without fail. If it is discontinued even on the 28th day, we will have to restart.
To what extent can altering one’s handwriting help in affecting circumstances?
Altering our handwriting won’t change our circumstances. It will only change our attitude and behaviour. When we take care of negative personality traits, through handwriting, conflicts in our life reduce, leading to positive changes in our reaction to circumstances.
If our handwriting indicates that we have a tendency to take up many things at a time and finish none of it, then it is a serious personality roadblock. Changing a few things in our handwriting can help improve our sense of prioritisation.
Could you tell us how signature analysis is different from handwriting personality analysis?
Signature analysis is part of handwriting analysis. While our handwriting reveals our true personality, the signature reveals how we want the world to see us, perhaps minus our weaknesses. We may have noticed that some people are talkative at home but quiet amongst strangers.
In this case, the signature will show their quiet side, while the handwriting will reflect their talkative side. I usually do not analyse a signature sample in isolation, because the signature can give me a picture of the personality, which may not be entirely true. It will only tell me what the person wants me to see about them.
Handwriting Personality: Keep Writing
Doodles are very popular these days. Can they be analysed?
Doodles are not as straightforward as handwriting. They are random strokes and they don’t fall into the category of drawing or handwriting. They aren’t easy to decipher.
Still, like with handwriting, we can look at the strokes, angularity, roundness, and of course, speed. However, not all codes of handwriting analysis apply to doodles, which are more pictorial.
Graphology is an easy way to understand how someone is wired. But how far does this wiring manifest in one’s handwriting?
As children, we are taught to write just like the way we are told to express our ideas. Nevertheless, no two writings are exactly alike – just the way two individuals are not similar. As we grow older, our handwriting develops characteristics unique to us.
Our handwriting not only reveals how our personality has shaped up over the years, but also how we are consciously attempting to send across a message. Of course, there is the literal message or the conscious information coded in the written words. But our handwriting divulges details about us and how we feel unconsciously as we write.
Handwriting Personality: Career Selection
Handwriting is known to evolve over time. Does this mean our personalities too evolve?
I won’t say change in handwriting always means some kind of an evolution. But yes, it means your handwriting no more looks the way it did 10 years ago. It also means your personality has changed. Circumstances influence handwriting personality, both in the short term and the long term.
You may have noticed how you write differently when you are angry. That’s short term.
On the other hand, if your handwriting consistently shows the presence of temper strokes, which were missing from your earlier handwriting samples, it clearly indicates that your circumstances have forced you to lose faith in the essential goodness of people and that you are increasingly losing patience with them.
Cursive writing is a standard practice in pre-primary schools. How do you analyse a personality if two handwriting samples look the same?
Two different handwriting samples may seem the same to you. But they are not. An expert can easily spot the differences between them. There could be differences in the size, the slant or maybe the pressure used to write. And each of these visual differences correspond to various personality traits of the writer.
How do you analyse block letters?
Block letters are analysed just like a normal handwriting sample. For instance, block letters do not have the upper or lower zones and it lacks connection between letters. So, if a block writer comes to us, we ask him/her to write in cursive for the purpose of analysis. After all, cursive writing says a lot about their personalities. However, if the individual is unable to write in cursive, we go ahead with the all-caps writing.
Can a person’s handwriting reveal anything about his health or gender?
Yes, a person’s handwriting personality can reveal details about his health, but it is beyond the scope of normal handwriting analysis. One has to go through rigorous training to be allowed to comment on the health issues of the writer. Handwriting analysis cannot determine the gender or the age of the writer.
We have heard that graphology can aid medical professionals in diagnosis. What are your thoughts regarding this?
Yes, it does help medical professionals. A lot of psychologists consult handwriting analysts or study the subject themselves. Developmental graphology focuses on the psychological development of an individual and its correlation with certain features in the individual’s handwriting.
There is another branch called medical graphology, which examines anatomic and neurophysiological conditions influencing a handwriting process. This branch of handwriting personality analysis also checks the influences of drugs and diseases on handwriting.
The grapho-pathological aspect of studying is also important. This means unusual characteristics in handwriting may refer to malfunction or specific disorders.
Is it true that a handwriting personality compatibility test for couples can be done using graphology?
Yes. Sometimes, people project a different picture of themselves just to conceal their true personalities.
During the initial phase of any relationship, both partners put on their best suits. When the picture is rosy, it’s difficult to see grey shades. In such cases, a handwriting check could avoid some nasty surprises. Using graphology, one can see a hidden dagger much before it is disclosed.
Handwriting Personality: A Compatibility Test Between Couples
There is another side to the compatibility test, which focuses on inherent personality differences. For example, one partner is outgoing, while the other one does not like to socialise as much and enjoys time alone.
Clearly, happiness would be hard to come by with such stark handwriting personality differences. There could be two outcomes of this compatibility test: One, both the partners decide to call it quits and move on.
Secondly, they may attempt to understand each other and consciously choose to make compromises in favour of the other.
With the advent of typewriters and computers, writing has become a rarity. Do you think graphology will soon become a thing of the past?
It’s unlikely that people will ever stop learning how to write. At least I hope so. As a handwriting analyst, I know that handwriting has important cognitive benefits.
In fact, many places across the world have organised campaigns to ensure school children are compulsorily taught cursive writing. People should be aware that the benefits of cursive writing go beyond the art of writing. It stimulates the brain, even in this age of e-mails, texts and tweets.
Learning cursive writing helps in developing the cognitive side of the brain. Of course, there are more benefits of writing that cannot be dismissed.
Do you have any words of advice for the enthusiasts out there?
Never scribble your signature. Make sure the letters are legible. This will make you more patient and persevering. It will also bring clarity to your communication. Also, keep your signature slightly bigger than your handwriting. This will boost your confidence level.
The interview first appeared on www.soulveda.com
Disclaimer: One element of handwriting may be analysed at a time, but always look at the entire handwriting sample before arriving at any conclusion.
