Our phone is often buzzing with inquiry calls, and most often, the calls are inquiries for the upcoming courses. What’s interesting is that each time we talk to a new person on the other end, we also land up learning something new about the way people view and approach this subject. It is common for inquirers to ask about “crash” courses, because that’s the world we live in today. When YouTube University and low-fee, super-short MOOC courses are available at one’s fingertips, it becomes doubly challenging to answer the queries, as that often involves (a) helping the inquirer define their objective, and (b) raise awareness about the correct approach towards learning this subject.

 

So based on the innumerable inquiry calls we have received so far, here are some simple but essential markers. Whether you wish to join Aatman Graphology, or any other institute, these markers will help you make your decision:

 

2. Associations and affiliations
This aspect is like a double-edged sword, because on the one hand, we fall prey to names and labels very easily, while on the other hand we fail to check this aspect completely. For e.g. In India, when someone tells you they have a PhD, the person is immediately and unquestioningly positioned at a higher level in our minds, without asking them three very pertinent questions that should be asked: (1) Where did you do your PhD? (2) What was your research topic? And (3) How does your research contribute to the world? More so, there even are some international individuals, universities, and organizations that are blacklisted in their own country, but they come and put up shop here in India, and we accept them without a proper background check. Therefore, checking the founder/teacher’s affiliations is critical, as it not only speaks to their seriousness towards the subject, but also toward their individual contribution to the subject. Ideally, these affiliation details should be mentioned on their host website. Below are some well-reputed and respectable Graphology organizations: 

         i.  American Handwriting Analysis Foundation (AHAF), USA

         ii. British Institute of Graphologists(B.I.G), UK

         iii. ASQDE

3. Approach towards the subject
This is a big one! If you notice the social media pages of any Graphologist today, you will find content that follows a pattern of “if you write in X way, then it means Y.” Or another common one is to present the analysis of some celebrity. Remember that this is just click-bait content, and it has serious accuracy-risks because analyzing handwritings requires calculations and combinations. To look at one aspect of the writing and conclude that someone is a certain way is not only dangerous, but also very unethical. Such click-bait content may get you short-term clients, customers, and (perhaps) profit, and it shows a commercial, profit-oriented approach vs. a professional, ethics-driven approach. Therefore, always observe the content presented by any individual/institute to know whether they have a commercial approach or a professional approach towards the subject and their practice. 

These are the most crucial markers and questions to explore before joining a Graphology institute and there can be many more of course. However, always start with your own “why” – why do you want to learn Graphology? Whether you want to learn it for your own self-development, or to pursue it as a career, the above lines of inquiry will prove to be beneficial. 

 

We wish you a kick-ass adventure and journey ahead!