“Can you tell me about my weaknesses?”, “Tell me about my flaws and make sure you don’t sugarcoat them.” “After getting to know someone’s personality, does it not make you judgemental?” These are some of the commonly asked questions that we, as Handwriting Analysts/Graphologists receive on a regular basis. And each time such a question has been asked by a client, I have always been nudged towards reflecting deeper into our role as analysts. What does it mean to be a Handwriting Analyst?

There we are, sitting in front of the person, holding not just a piece of handwritten paper, but a piece of their Life. They are actually doing us a favour by allowing us to peek into their lives, being mostly unaware of the degree to which the things can be revealed through their writing. This in itself can be reason enough to approach the analysis with a sense of humility and gratitude. At Aatman, we have been taught that the easiest way to understand our role as analysts is to see ourselves as Mirrors! A mirror is ever so present. It never labels, simply reflects ‘What is’. As mirrors, who are we then to label a person’s behavioural patterns as good/bad? 

We are all humans shaped by stories. While listening to stories told by the client or while narrating observations from their handwriting, it’s easy to slip into our own stories based on our subjective reality and project them on the person. It might also colour our analysis of them. That’s when we can anchor ourselves on what ‘The Ancient One’ had said to Dr. Strange, “It’s not about you!” It’s about them. Our responsibility and work therefore is to keep cleaning our mirrors, making them free of any judgements, labels, or projections. The clearer the mirror, the better it will reflect.

This cleaning of the mirror, which can otherwise be called ‘self-work’, is what sets us on the journey of self discovery at Aatman. It helps us hold space for our own patterns and gradually we understand why they are the way they are. When we understand the “Why” behind something, the judgement automatically dissolves and is replaced by warm acceptance. From acceptance blooms empathy. Reminds me of the famous quote by Lynn Nottage, “Replace judgement with curiosity.” Through this ongoing practice of self-work and self acceptance, as Analysts, we can extend the same compassion and acceptance towards anyone getting their writing analysed. This practice helps us analyse less from a place of judgement and more from a place of understanding and empathy.

Reflecting on a quote by Matt Kahn, ‘People can only meet you as deeply as they have met themselves’, our job as Analysts is to continue our practice of becoming better Mirrors, of approaching every analysis with a sense of humility, of trying to be fully present, and of holding space full of kindness and compassion for the person to reveal his story through his handwriting!