Ray_Walker - The Science of Handwriting Analysis

The Science of Handwriting Analysis

Handwriting University International Certification Course Textbook www.HandwritingUniversity.com

Original text by Dr. Ray Walker. Additional text, articles, and contributions by Bart Baggett and the staff of Handwriting University. Revised edition 2005

©2005 by Handwriting University

Handwriting University.com‘s Certification Level Textbook

FOREWORD The teachings of Ray Walker have now touched thousands of people worldwide. When he was living and working, he changed the lives of hundreds of people one-on-one as an effective hypnotherapist, a counselor, and a teacher in and around Oklahoma and Texas, USA. His books and audio tapes were used by thousands during his lifetime, to change themselves and learn the science of handwriting analysis. However, in the past decade after his passing, his writings have received worldwide acclaim and respect as the defacto standard for certification level handwriting analysis study. Because he was my first handwriting analysis teacher, I must give him credit for inspiring me to pursue this career path and expand and grow the research where he left off. If it was not for the generosity, inspiration, and kindness of Ray Walker, you would not be reading this book now and I would have chosen an entirely different career; and, as a result, thousands upon thousands of people worldwide would have been deprived of the powerful and life-changing benefits that handwriting analysis and grapho-therapy have provided. I witnessed people around Ray Walker become happier, more enlightened, and find solutions to life’s most difficult problems as a direct result of his wisdom and counseling. I was one of those people. Now, the legacy continues as you share this knowledge with people in your circle of influence. It is with great pride that the staff at today’s 21st century Handwriting University present this newly revised edition of Dr. Ray Walker’s classic textbook for you to use toward your certification as a handwriting analyst. Enjoy, and we know you will reach a better understanding of yourself and others. Sincerely, BART BAGGETT President , Handwriting University International Los Angeles, CA

By Dr. Ray Walker

Table of Contents PART ONE: KEY CONCEPTS & FUNDAMENTALS PAGE NO.

ILLUSTRATION TABLE CHAPTER 1 - OVERVIEW

1 1 1 2 2 3 4 7

CHAPTER 2 - EMOTIONAL RESPONSE (BASELINE & SLANT)

8

Study Aids History of Handwriting Analysis Prove for Yourself History of Paper Brainwriting What Writing Does Not Reveal Review What You’ve Learned CONCEPTS The Baseline Three Analytical Zones Strokes and Stroke Foundation The Little Man Slant PROCESS - DETERMINING SLANT Drawing the Baseline Determining Slant Emotional Responses EMOTIONAL SLANTS FA Writer AB Writer BC Writer CD Writer DE Writer E+ Writer Variable Slant Review What You’ve Learned

11 12 12 13 14 15 15 16 20 20 23 25 26 27 28 30 33 35

CHAPTER 3 - PRESSURE & DEPTH OF EMOTION

36 36 37 38 38 40

CHAPTER 4 - STROKE FOUNDATION & CLASSIFICATION

41 41 41 42 44

CHAPTER 5 - LETTER SIZE AND MIDDLE ZONES

45 45 45 48

Depth of Feeling Heavy Writing Light Writing Medium Writing Review What You’ve Learned

Unit Structure of Strokes Stroke Classifications A Stroke Is A Stroke Wherever You Find It Review What You’ve Learned Letter Size Concentration Review What You’ve Learned

Page iii


Bonus article: analyzing handwriting using metaphors by Bart Baggett

49

PART TWO: TRAITS CHAPTER 6 - THINKING PATTERNS & INTELLIGENCE

51 52 53 55 57

CHAPTER 7 - MORE TYPES OF THINKING PATTERNS

58 58 59 59 60 61 61 63

CHAPTER 8 – LETTER T - THE HEIGHT OF THE T-BAR

64 65 65 66 67 67 68

CHAPTER 9 – LETTER T - ENTHUSIASM & WILLPOWER

69 69 70 71

CHAPTER 10 – LETTER T - DEFENSE MECHANISMS

72 72 72 74 75 77

CHAPTER 11 – LETTER I AND T.

79 79 79 81 82 83 83 86

Cumulative Thinker Investigative or Exploratory Thinker Comprehensive Thinker Chapter Review Shallow Thinking Analytical Thinking Independent Thinking Combinations Lack of Mental Cultivation Lack of Definiteness Chapter Review

Low Self-Esteem and Fear of Failure Fear of Disapproval The Practical T The Visionary T The Dreamer T Chapter Review Enthusiasm Will Power Chapter Review Sarcasm Procrastination Temper Self-Control Chapter Review

Optimism Dominance Irritability Desire to Be Different Loyalty Attention to Detail and Memory Review What You’ve Learned

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By Dr. Ray Walker

CHAPTER 12 - LOOPED LETTERS & THE IMAGINATION

87 87 89 89 90 92

CHAPTER 13 - LOWER LOOP LETTERS & PHYSICAL IMAGINATION

93

CHAPTER 14 – DETERMINATION, THE BLUFFER, EXCLUSIVENESS, SOCIAL SELECTIVENESS & REVIEW OF MATERIAL IMAGINATION

99

Sensitivity to Criticism Paranoia Guilt Employment and Relationships with Extremely Sensitive People Review What You’ve Learned

Socially Selective Desire for Change and Travel Confusion Exaggeration, Trust and Gullibility Generosity Incomplete Drives Teenage Y Anti-trust Loner Review What You’ve Learned

Determination The Bluffer Exclusiveness and Social Selectiveness Review of Material Imagination in the Lower Loops Review What You’ve Learned

93 93 94 94 95 95 96 96 97 98

99 100 100 101 102

CHAPTER 15 - UPPER LOOP LETTERS

103 103 103 104 105

CHAPTER 16 – INDEPENDENCE, PRIDE, VANITY, DIGNITY, STUBBORNNESS & DELIBERATENESS

106

CHAPTER 17 - FEARS

113 113 113 115 116 118

Philosophical Imagination Lack of Spiritual Imagination Permissive Loops Review What You’ve Learned

Independence Pride Vanity Dignity Stubbornness Deliberateness Review What You’ve Learned

Guilt Jealousy Desire for Responsibility Fear of Ridicule or Self-Consciousness Review What You’ve Learned

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106 106 107 109 110 111 112


CHAPTER 18 - COMMUNICATION DEFENSE MECHANISMS

119 119 120 121 121 121 122 124

CHAPTER 19 - GENEROSITY, EXTRAVAGANCE, PERSISTENCE, BLIND PERSISTENCE & DEFIANCE

125

CHAPTER 20 - ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITY, FLUIDITY OF THOUGHT, TALKATIVENESS, RETICENCE, FRANKNESS, DEJECTION & DESIRE TO FAIL

130

CHAPTER 21 - INTUITION, HIDDEN INTUITIVENESS, DESIRE TO ACQUIRE & CRIMINAL TENDENCIES

135

CHAPTER 22 - SELF-CONFIDENCE, SELF-RELIANCE, SELFCASTIGATION, SUICIDE & STROKES THAT RETURN TO THE PAST

141

Self-Deceit Secretiveness Desire for Secretiveness Lying Intentional Liar Pathological Liar Review What You’ve Learned

Generosity Extravagance Persistence Blind Persistence Defiance Review What You’ve Learned

Organizational Ability Fluidity of Thought Talkativeness Reticence Frankness Dejection, Desire To Fail Review What You’ve Learned

Intuition Hidden Intuitiveness Desire To Acquire Criminal Tendencies Review What You’ve Learned

Self-Confidence & Self-Reliance Self-Castigation & Suicide Graphotherapy Review What You’ve Learned

125 125 126 127 127 129

130 130 131 131 132 133 134

135 136 137 138 140

141 143 147 150

PART THREE: APPENDICES APPENDIX A - Glossary

151

APPENDIX B - Trait Reference Index

158

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By Dr. Ray Walker

ILLUSTRATION TABLE Illustration The Baseline Three Analytical Zones Strokes and Stroke Foundations The “Little Man” Determining Upstrokes and Downstrokes Learning To Draw the Baseline Marking Slant Determining Slants with the Gauge Emotional Slant Examples Examples of Variable Slant Writing Straight Strokes (Cross-strokes) Odd Strokes Cumulative Thinker Curious or Investigative Thinker Investigative or Exploratory Thinker Short Wedges of the Surface Thinker Steeple-shaped Writing of the Comprehensive Thinker Shallow T-bar The Analytical Thinker’s T-bar Independent Thinker’s T-bar Lack of Mental Cultivation Low Self-Concept Fear of Disapproval The Practical T The Visionary The Dreamer Enthusiasm in the T-bar Willpower in the T-bar Sarcasm in the T-bar Procrastination in the T-bar Temper in the T-bar Self-Control in the T-bar Optimism in the T-bar and Baseline The Dominant/Domineering T-bars Page vii

Figure No. Page No. 1 12 2 12 3 13 4 13 5 14 6 7 8 20 9 10 33 11 42 12 43 13 52 14 53 15 54 16 54 17 55 18 58 19 59 20 60 21 61 22 65 23 66 24 66 25 67 26 67 27 69 28 70 29 72 30A 73 30B 74 31 75 32 79 33 80


Irritability in the I- and J-dots The Desire To Be Different Loyalty in the I- and J-dots Attention to Detail and Memory Sensitivity to Criticism Guilt, Flat-topped Loops Long, Narrow loops Normal-sized Imagination Loops Confusion in the Lower Loops Exaggeration in the Lower Loops Incomplete Drives The Teenage Y Retraced Lower Loop Straight Downward Stroke of the Loner Downstrokes Ending Below the Baseline Heavily Exaggerated Downstrokes of the “Bluffer” Exclusiveness in the Lower Loops Closed Upper Loops Large Upper Loops Pride in the T- and D-stems Vanity in the T- and D-stems Dignity in the T- and D-stems Stubbornness in the T- and D-stems Deliberateness in the T- and D-stems Jealousy Loops Desire for Responsibility Fear of Ridicule Self-Deceit Self Versus Outward Determination Loop Secretiveness Intentional Liar Pathological Liar Extravagance Extreme Generosity Persistence Blind Persistence Defiance Page viii

34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63A 63B 64 65 66 67 68 69

81 82 83 84 88 89 93 94 94 94 95 96 97 97 99 100 101 103 104 106 108 109 110 111 113 115 116 119 120 120 122 123 125 126 126 127 127

By Dr. Ray Walker

Concentration Example of Concentration Organizational Ability Fluidity of Thought Reticence Frank, outgoing writing Dejection loop, desire to fail Intuition Hidden Intuitiveness Desire To Acquire Self-Confidence/Self-Reliance Self-Confidence in Yourself Self-Castigation – Specimen A Self-Castigation – Specimen B Self-Castigation – Specimen C Strokes That Return to the Past

70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85

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45 46 130 131 132 132 133 136 137 138 142 143 145 145 146 147

CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW Study Aids Types of study aids are included with the text to improve your training and retention. TIP or MEMORIZE – This indicates an important item to remember WARNING – Important idea or concept to be aware of and handle with extra care EVALUATE – Suggestions for thinking about “stacking” related traits to EVALUATE get a more accurate analysis by combining one or more traits to create a third, more accurate behavioral description. Italicized, bolded words – Vocabulary and important concepts

The History of Handwriting Analysis Handwriting analysis has many names. It is not generally known that Edgar Allen Poe, the great American poet, analyzed handwriting and published his analyses. He employed the term “autographery.” The first book on the subject was written in 1662 by Camillo Baldo. He is the accredited father of handwriting analysis, who was an author and professor of medicine and psychology at Bologne University (Spain). Even earlier, in 99 A.D., Roman historian Suetonius made a study of Emperor Augustus’ personality from his handwriting. Monks practiced the art of telling character by handwriting, and after 30 years of study and work, two French priests, Abbe Flandrin and his student, Abbe Gene Hyppolyte Michon, established some basic rules for determining specific characteristics. They published two books, one in 1871 and one in 1878, coining the phrase “graphology,” the art of knowing men by their handwriting. We don’t know how closely those first books resemble the modern science of handwriting analysis, but we do give credit to their pioneering work. Among the many people studying handwriting analysis through the nineteenth century were Robert Browning and his wife, Elizabeth Barrett Browning. In fact, she wrote a book, Dark Words on White Paper Bare the Soul. During the nineteenth century, handwriting analysis was first accepted as a psychological testing device in Europe. An outstanding Swiss psychiatrist, Max Pulver, introduced the importance of unconscious drives in handwriting. In the twentieth century, companies in France and Israel found it more common than not to utilize a handwriting sample as part of the job screening process. Just in the last thirty years, handwriting analysis has been accepted in the United States, India, and other English speaking countries as a valid psychological assessment tool. In 1915, M.N. Bunker began his studies in handwriting and wrote many pioneering books, which perfected the Pagea1 Page


science of looking at individual strokes and stacking them for an exact, accurate meaning. You can find many of his books penned in the 1950’s and 1960’s at your local library. This course adheres more to the French version of graphology (Bunker‘s version of strokes), rather than to the books from famous German authors. Prove for Yourself Handwriting analysis is classified as a subset of the study of personality, which is but one category of the field of psychology. There have been many books and papers written on this subject by different psychologists. However, as with any personality test, the psychologists and psychiatrists have found evaluating its accuracy, a measure of probabilities. There are common tests such as the Myers-Briggs, the MMPI, and many others, which do an adequate job of putting people‘s personalities into categories and creating useful labels for personality types. As far as I can tell, a handwriting analysis by a trained analyst is as equally effective as any one of these accepted personality tests. When confronted with anyone challenging the validity of this science, I just refer to the common practice of modern western medicine, which is perfectly happy to manufacture, market, and prescribe medicine, with effectiveness rates of less than 80 percent, and with known negative side effects. As with any non-laboratory based research, the validity is strongly dependent on the skill of the analysts and the response of the people being examined. The best proof I know of is to have your handwriting analyzed by a professional and judge for yourself. There have been many different theories on expressive movement, and I have a library full of books with different theories. So, one of the first things I will teach you, is to use and check immediately every trait that you learn from this book, until you are sure that you fully understand. Until you have witnessed the accuracy of each trait for yourself, you might have doubts about portions of this science. To my utter amazement, I have found this science to be so accurate, that many people feel I have psychic qualities. This is not true. Everything that I perceive about an individual’s personality comes from his handwriting. You will learn this skill, too. To be fair, there are dozens of strokes and traits that are not included in this book because I have not “witnessed“ the accuracy of them for myself. If you read other books, you will find such strokes, and I encourage you to prove every stroke for yourself and don‘t automatically assume that any author‘s opinion is valid. I have only included strokes and meanings in this textbook which I have found to be valid 100 percent of the time. As you begin to learn handwriting analysis, you will also be amazed at the understanding you have about your fellow man. The “loud-mouth” whom you could not tolerate, you begin to understand and accept. The arrogant person you used to despise, you now have compassion for as you now understand his feelings of inferiority. It is likely that this course will help you have a happier, more harmonious personal life. You suddenly understand the wife, child, or husband that were puzzling. You may find that you have misjudged some of your friends or associates. Don’t be too surprised if handwriting analysis makes you an amateur psychologist. It is common for graduates of this course to be known in their office and circle of friends as the person to go to solve problems and counsel people. Did you know that the artist Gainsborough kept the handwriting of his subject before him while he was working on a portrait? The History of Paper It is important also that you have some history and background of the pen, ink, and paper. Year in and year out, we use tons of paper, carloads of pencils and pens, gallons of ink. If we were deprived of our familiar writing materials and instead had to use a nail and hand-patted cakes of Page 2

clay, we would be hard put to communicate. Yet, for many centuries, clay was the only “paper” known to people. In the 21st century, the computer and email are overtaking the traditional writing habits of the past 1000 years. Who knows were the future of graphology will lead? The very first writing was done by cave men who drew pictures. Then came the Sumatrans (about 2500 B.C.) who used symbols. Some five thousand years ago, the Egyptian scribes invented a material they named papyrus, after the water reed from which it was derived. These plants were converted into sheets of writing material through a very simple process. The stems were slit into long strips, those from the center being the broadest and best. The strips were lined up side by side on a flat surface, and on top of this went a second layer at right angles. After prolonged soaking in water, the wet mass was pounded with a heavy mallet, so that eventually the two layers became one, bound together by the natural gum of the plant. The wet sheet was then hung on a line to dry in the sun, and when trimmed was approximately 12 inches by 16 inches in size. Finally, the separate sheets were pasted together end to end to form a continuous page; these scrolls were sometimes 20 to 30 feet in length. By scraping the “black” off of their pots and mixing it with water, these Egyptian scribes made simple ink. With reed pens they drew picture symbols and had at least 700 symbols committed to memory. This writing form is now referred to as hieroglyphics. The first “paper” was invented in 105 A.D., by Ta’si Lun, a Chinese court official. He had discovered a way to make paper from bark, hemp, rags, and old fish nets. He received high praise for his accomplishment. He did, however, come to an untimely end as he was caught up in some political intrigues. Rather than appear before the judges, he went home, took a bath, combed his hair, put on his best robes, and took poison. At one time there were paper mills in Damascus run by the Arabs. This paper was made from cotton, grasses, and plants, but it was a poor substitute for the fine paper manufactured by the Chinese. The first European paper mill opened in 1150 A.D., and within a relatively few years, Italy and France each had factories of their own. In a subsequent lesson we will discuss inks, their manufacture, and the fathers of handwriting analysis in America. Brainwriting Handwriting actually could be called brainwriting.[C5] When you first were taught how to form letters, you had to consciously think about how to form each shape; they were somewhat shaky and it took effort. Most people learned this skill as a child, so the writing process became second nature, way before you became an adult. It was something like when you learned how to drive a car: when you first started to shift the gears, you also had to think about pushing the clutch in, what gear to engage, how far out and how quickly to release the clutch. When you first started learning how to write, it was the conscious learning process; but, after a short time, your subconscious mind began to take over the duties of forming the letters. As you progressed further, your subconscious mind began to learn words. Then you had only to think of the meaning and your subconscious mind sent minute electrical impulses to your hand, telling you exactly how far to go and how to make each letter within the word. Thus you began to write without conscious thought of the writing formation. In other words, your brain or subconscious mind actually formed the characters as a result of habit. We know this is true, because individuals who have lost use of their hands have retrained their feet or mouth to “write,“ using Page 3


pens and pencils with surprisingly similar writing styles to what they had before they lost the use of their hands. So, it really is brainwriting, not handwriting. The “trail of ink“ on the paper is a clue to the specific neurons being fired in a specific sequence. So, the brainwriting is shown to us on paper. What Handwriting Analysis Does NOT Reveal Writing cannot accurately reveal the age or the gender of a writer. Probably the most amazing thing of all, we cannot tell whether the pen or pencil was held in the hand, between the toes, or in the mouth. Since writing is brainwriting, the individual character traits will still come forth, no matter how the pen is held. People do change over time, and so does their handwriting. You will discover that the handwriting of a very moody or chemically imbalanced person might have various slants, varying thicknesses and weights of strokes, and quite often also has an inconsistency in relation to the baseline. Handwriting can fluctuate with someone‘s mood, but this does not decrease its validity, it increases it. Handwriting does NOT reveal: • • • • • •

Age Gender Race Nationality Left or right handedness The Future

Handwriting analysis is not fortune-telling. In fact, many businesses employ handwriting analysts as part of their Human Resources division to improve hiring and employee relations. I have done personnel work for a number of large companies. Anyone who refers to handwriting analysis in the same category as fortune telling, astrology, or palm reading, is obviously terribly uninformed and should be enlightened at the earliest possible opportunity. One of the very quickest ways to cause me to grow a little red in the face is for someone to ask me if I also read palms or tea leaves. I suggest that you do not worry about these clueless people and don‘t let their ignorant comments dissuade you from mastering this science. Once you have completed this course, you will be able to look at the handwriting of even the harshest skeptic and quickly prove to them that you can look deeply into their minds just from their handwriting. Remember that there were people who though it was impossible to fly and called the Wright Brothers quacks. Be a pioneer, and don‘t let uninformed people‘s opinions affect your ability to change the world and those around you. A habit which most of us have is that of labeling people. We tend to catalog both our friends and our enemies. We have a tendency to judge others’ philosophical beliefs and morals against our own sense of what is right and wrong. I would like to invite you to end that habit now and allow people to believe exactly what they want, with no judgment – just compassion from you. This book is full of categories, labels, and personality types with can be used either to enlighten each other, or judge people harshly. Please use this information with compassion and understanding.

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TIP: When analyzing someone‘s handwriting which contains traits you deem negative, ask yourself this question, “What had to happen in this person‘s past to result in all these traits?“ Then, as you imagine the answer, have compassion and understanding that he came up through childhood doing the best he can with the resources he had. It is a great habit for you to learn NOT to judge. As you analyze a person’s writing, report what you see, using the best words that come to your mind, and do not attempt to make judgments as to whether these traits are good or bad. Not too long after I began studying handwriting analysis, I remember a time when I was working for a pipeline company in eastern Oklahoma called Red Oak. I worked on the pipelines in the summer to make enough money to study in the winter! There was an inspector there, and when I looked at his handwriting, I found a great deal of sensitivity to criticism. I said “You have a very bad trait here,” and I told him how sensitive he was to other people’s feelings. I was amazed to see his face light up and he said, “Do you really see that there?” “Yes, it shows,” I said, and I pointed out to him exactly where it appeared. He told me that for many years he had not cared about what other people thought or felt and it cost him many friends. So, he had been working hard to change this trait in his personality; he was so glad that it showed up in his writing. To me, the fear of criticism was very bad – I had just spent a year programming it out of my own handwriting. That night as I sat in my motel room, I began to think, do I really have the right to judge my fellow man, what is good or bad? From that night forward, I realized what is right for me might not be right for someone else. So I am going to ask you not to judge. Tell them what the handwriting reveals, and if you don’t see much, don’t tell much. For you to be accurate, you must also be honest. Don‘t leave out vital information just because it might hurt their feelings, just learn to reveal those sensitive traits with more compassion. In order to be accurate, you must look only at the handwriting. Don‘t let the person‘s clothes, reputation, or mannerisms effect your analysis. Get in the habit of only speaking things the handwriting tells you. EVALUATE After you master the basics of handwriting analysis, you will begin to evaluate – very carefully – one trait with another. Check the strength of each trait to balance the negative features with the positive ones, the strengths with the weaknesses. You will probably find that these people have personality characteristics that you never dreamed existed. There are only 26 letters in our alphabet, but with an infinite variety of combinations, we can express every possible emotion or story every dreamed up…and in a variety of different languages. So, you will earn at least 70-80 different strokes and traits. Imagine the possible personality results when you combine these traits in different ways. Once, in a little town called Plainview, Texas, I knew a salesman who was always getting into a new business. It seemed that just as a certain idea was about to pay off, he would sell out and run to another. I was sure I had this man pegged very closely; he was an extrovert, an outgoing person who did everything impulsively, without thought. I was also sure that, had he thought about it, he would have stayed in just a little longer; then he would have found this thing called success he was searching for so hard. I decided that this man’s writing would show a fear of success and massive impulsiveness. Page 5


One evening, many years after I had become a certified analyst, he came to my office, and I asked him for a sample of his handwriting. I was amazed; I did not know this man at all! He was an introvert who never let anyone know what he was thinking. Everything he did, he did for a purpose, a reason. He felt that judgment ruled everything in his life, and he was cautious. His string of business failures stemmed from lack of self-esteem, not from a fear of success. So, again, I proved that my ability to judge character from what I “see“ is terribly ineffective, when compared to the accuracy of handwriting analysis. The handwriting doesn‘t lie. “This course has been amazing! With a background in clinical research, my first reaction was to search for the evidence that this science is accurate. Upon investigation, biologically, handwriting analysis’ validity makes perfect sense. Ultimately, my own personal improvement was all the proof I needed to change from skeptic to believer!” Deborah Mraz, Clinical Research Specialist, Wilmington, NC

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CHAPTER 1 - REVIEW WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED

1. The unconscious mind is revealed by the shapes of letters on paper. ____True ____ False

2. One habit for you to learn about analyzing handwriting is for you not to _____________________.

3. A person‘s mood swings will show up in their handwriting. ____True ____ False

4. Handwriting analysis is a valid personality test. ____True ____ False

5. List five things handwriting analysis can reveal about a person.

6. List five things handwriting does NOT reveal about a person.

7. Although your handwriting may change from day to day, the basic ___________________ remain the same. What changes is your _________.

8. Handwriting analysis combines a study of physical and emotional factors. ____True ____ False

9. It is likely that more than one person will write exactly the same way as another person. ___True ____ False

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CHAPTER 2 EMOTIONAL RESPONSE (BASELINE AND SLANT) The Three Zones and Stroke Direction Two basic elements of handwriting analysis are the three zones and stroke direction. Understanding the basic philosophy behind handwriting can assist you in figuring out what a random stroke means, even if it does not have an exact listing in the Trait Dictionary. There are hundreds of ways to make any pen stroke, so it is common to find strange strokes that have not been researched enough to have a specific meaning. Understanding the zones and stroke formations can assist you in figuring out the likely significance of a trait.

The three zones correlate easily with the three areas of a person’s life. The upper zone reveals philosophical interest. These include religion, goals and plans, and other philosophical ideals. The middle zone reveals subject matter associated with living in the moment – now, today. In this zone we find such traits as secretiveness, talkativeness, thinking processes, tendencies to argue, and other traits relating to a person’s environment and interaction among people. The lower zone refers to physical life. This includes travel, exercise, material items, and sex. The lower zone is a source of energy and drive. A loop of any kind, found anywhere in the writing reveals imagination. Therefore, a huge loop in the lower zone signifies imagination in the physical realm. This can translate into exaggerated needs in an individual’s physical life. Two more important features to know are the future and past zones. Any stroke ending to the left symbolizes a retreat into the past and/or into one’s self. A stroke ending to the right symbolizes an effort to go into the future and outward towards other people. It is considered healthier to express energy towards others and the future than to live in the past with bottled-up emotions.

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TIP: The intensity of any trait can be determined by the frequency of a stroke in the handwriting. You cannot judge a football team’s season by just one game. You must analyze enough strokes to get an average.

When in doubt about a specific stroke, take a look at its zone and direction to get a hint about its meaning.

TIP: Remember that someone’s personality is more than one individual trait. You must use the slant and emotionality factors as a foundation in order to stack the personality traits. This way, the entire person is revealed as more than the sum of his or her parts.

EMOTIONAL RESPONSIVENESS/SLANT

The emotional responsiveness of a person, as stated earlier in this chapter, is revealed by the slant of the handwriting. As a general rule, any stroke ending to the right side of the page symbolizes a movement toward other people or the future. Likewise, any stroke ending to the left symbolizes a tendency to be withdrawn or to move into the past. With this concept in mind, it is easy to understand why someone who writes with a left-handed slant is more shy than someone whose writing is tilted to the right side of the paper. The emotional outlay of a person’s writing can often be estimated accurately without using the time-consuming procedure of measuring slant. However, it is strongly suggested that you work through at least 100 samples using this scientific method with the clear plastic emotional gauge until you really understand the process. Slants can be deceiving. Accurately measuring slant is the most common task that new students struggle with during a live class or a testing situation. Because it takes time to learn it, many lazy students skip the measuring process altogether, and end up making huge mistakes in their analyses later on. If you are lucky enough to be reading this book in a live class, your instructor will be able to show you, step by step, how to accurately measure slant. If you are not in the presence of an instructor, refer to the available audio or video courses to gain more insight into this valuable process, after you have read the following section three times.

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STEPS TO MEASURING SLANT To measure slant accurately, you must have a clear plastic emotional gauge. If this book did not arrive with one inside the front or back cover, you can order one from your instructor or our web site. Or, you could photocopy the emotional gauge shown above, and transfer that image to a translucent overhead projector plastic sheet. Once you have your emotional gauge and have selected a sample of handwriting to measure, you are ready to begin. The first step is to decide which letters you are going to use to measure slant. Some letters have three or more strokes (start, go, stop) to constitute the entire letter. Measuring for slant is actually measuring one stroke, so, many letters could have more than one measurable stroke, or they could have no measurable strokes. If there are not three direction changes and an upstroke (two at the baseline area and one in the upper part), then you cannot measure that stroke. This is why it is so hard to establish slant with block printing—it is mostly downstrokes and very few upstrokes. For example, you can’t measure a clear printed o that starts in the upper zone. If it doesn’t start at the baseline and then make an upstroke, then end at the baseline, you can’t measure the stroke. The easiest letters to measure are the cursive t, b, l, m, n, r, s, d, h, and k. Many letters do not qualify for slant measuring because they do not fit the criteria: a. The stroke must have a starting and ending point at the baseline. (This excludes many capital letters, most non-cursive printed letters, and many letters with lower zone loops, such as y, g, and j. b. The stroke must have a clear lowest and highest point, which will be used to establish the location of your dots, which ultimately form the angle we measure. If the high and low points are estimated, then your angles will not be accurate.

CONCEPTS Slant and pressure reveal the emotional foundation, the basis for any handwriting analysis. Before we measure slant, you need an understanding of certain terminology in the field of handwriting analysis. The General Baseline There is an imaginary line that we use to create the bottom of our letters. This “general baseline” is found at the bottom of the middle zone letters. We call this the baseline (Figure 1). At times this will also be referred to as the line of reality. The straight line we usually see on a typical college-ruled sheet of school paper is probably close to a typical “general baseline,” however this “general baseline” should not be used to measure slant. The “stroke baseline” is actually the Page 10

imaginary line between the initial upstroke and where the ending downstroke returns to start a new letter. You could have more than four different “stroke baseline strokes” in a four-letter word. If you don’t measure the “stroke baseline” of each individual letter, you cannot properly measure the angle of the upstroke coming from the baseline. People with sloppier writing will often display tricky baselines that will take a longer time to measure. Later in the chapter, we will explain in step-by-step detail, how to locate the “stroke baseline,” and measure slant using it.

Figure 1. A General Baseline (Line of Reality) Three Analytical Zones Figure 2 shows the three analytical zones of writing: philosophical, mundane, and material. Everything above the mundane area (the upper loops) is known as the philosophical zone. This is the superego zone, the consciousness of the intellectual, spiritual, ethereal thoughts and religious area; the psychic, emotional, or theory zone. The middle zone (small lower case letters) is called the mundane or today zone. Or, if we were going to use psychological terms, you would say the individual consciousness, the daily routine. This is known as the ego zone. Everything below the baseline is called the lower zone. This is below the line of reality. Freud would related this to the mind’s id, or the materialistic or material zone. This is the exotic, travel, sexual urges and drives, materialistic impulses, instinct, the physical experiences zone. As we continue into the course, references will be made to the philosophical, mundane, and material zones (Figure 2). These zones will assist you in determining the meaning of unusual strokes not commonly found in textbooks and our trait dictionary. These zones are part of the important theory which explains the root cause and probable meaning of most traits. These zones will become increasingly important as you advance toward becoming a master level analyst.

Figure 2. Three zones of writing Strokes and Stroke Foundation When doing a proper handwriting analysis, we do not use words, syllables, or individual letters to determine personality. Instead, we use the strokes which make up those words, syllables, or letters. There is no magic in the letter t. Instead, there are a variety of strokes found inside a letter t that do give us insight into character. Individual words and letters give us a quick “map” to locate the specific “strokes” that do have meaning.

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In other alphabets, like Hebrew or Chinese, a trained analyst could find the same meaning in the same strokes, but he would have to discover a different location to find that stroke. So, the true clue to personality is found when we break the letters into strokes and stroke foundations.

Figure 3. Strokes and stroke foundations. Start, stop, turn, start, stop, turn, etc. As in Figure 3 where the word is broken into strokes, we will begin to think of words as a series of strokes. If you learn the foundation rules, you will be able to understand what happens to a stroke. Every line, every stroke, starts with a dot and progresses either forward, backward, up, or down. In Figure 4 you see the outline of a little man. This figure represents the areas indicating the ending of each stroke; the ending is where we lift the pen from the paper (concluding the stroke). This is a very simple, child-like drawing that helped me a great deal in understanding the concept of the significance of where a stroke ends. The Little Man When I first became an analyst, it was hard for me to understand stroke foundation – when I was asked, “Where does a stroke go?” I wasn’t sure that I knew what was meant. Then a very dear friend of mine from Kentucky (Alice Moore) sat down with me in Chicago and showed me this little man which I have drawn for you here. She showed me where a stroke ends and the significance of such a stroke.

Figure 4. Ending zones of strokes If the stroke ends to the left, it pertains to the self, the past, to yesterday, to me. However, if the stroke ends to the right, then this means that it is in relation to others, to the future, toward action, outward. If it ends downward, this is into the physical area; if upward, into the philosophical area. Alice then asked me, “If a stroke returns to the line of reality, where does it go?” I would suggest here that you take a pencil and, without actually touching the writing, that you sit down and just play with the writing a bit. Begin to look at the writing, find out exactly how this person makes a stroke, whether they make a circle first, lift the pen here or there, etc. Bob Burnup once told me that when he first sat down to do an analysis, he would just put a clear piece of paper over the writing sample and copy each stroke, paying particular attention to the depth and direction of each pen stroke. He would do this for ten or fifteen minutes until he fully understood where each stroke went, and that habit assisted him in seeing every detail in the writing. Slant Page 12

We have come now to one of the most essential skills you will master as a “certified analyst”… measuring slant. In this course, you will find a small, see-through plastic rectangle with a number of lines on it. This is known as an emotional gauge, and is used to measure the slant of writing. In measuring slant we must understand that we can only measure certain letters and we are looking for letters that contain upstrokes. In Figure 5, the words “think you Ray” are shown at the very top. Below this, we have broken them down to show you only the upstrokes, and below that, only the downstrokes. Surprisingly, you’ll find that with the downstrokes, you are actually expressing yourself; you’re communicating clearly. You can tell what a person intended to write by the downstrokes. However, if you were to just read the upstrokes, the meaning of the communication would be very unclear. What is most interesting about this example is that the real ‘good’ information about personality comes from the upstrokes (the unconscious), not the downstrokes. I think that is why we can get so much “truth” from someone’s writing, even though on the surface, they might not want to reveal much.

Figure 5. A sample of writing where the upstrokes and downstrokes are separated.

Quiz A1: Test yourself.

Circle the letters you can measure. Put an X through the letters you

cannot measure.

See the end of this chapter for answers to quiz A1. Page 13


ESTABLISH THE BASELINE

Remember, the straight line we usually see on a typical college-ruled sheet of school paper is NOT the baseline you are looking for. The baseline is actually the imaginary line between the initial upstroke and where the ending downstroke returns to start a new letter. Quiz A2: Test yourself. Circle the letters that have accurately placed dots. Put an X through the letters where the dots are incorrectly placed.

See the end of this chapter for answers to quiz A2.

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Quiz A3: Test yourself.

Circle the letters that have the baseline and upstroke placed accurately on the page. Pay particular attention to the length of the lines and the exact placement directly in the center of the dot. Every centimeter matters at this stage.

See the end of this chapter for answers to quiz A3. MORE EXPLANATION: How do you find the lowest point? Imagine that you have a tiny marble, and you place it on top of the beginning stroke. Gravity will force that marble to roll gently to the lowest point of the arc. That is your lowest point in the entry and in the exit strokes. How do you find the highest point? Look for the highest point that is within the same pen stroke, no hard turns or pen lifts.

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STEPS AT A GLANCE

1. Place a dot at the lowest point/starting stroke. 2. Place a dot at the lowest point/exit stroke. 3. Draw the baseline by connecting these two points with a very long baseline. 4. Place a dot at the highest point of the upstroke. 5. Draw the upstroke by connecting the two points with a very long line, extending two times taller than the letter. 6. Place your emotional gauge onto the handwriting sample. 7. Move the emotional gauge to the right until the angle formed by the crossing lines falls inside the angles found on your emotional gauge.

Where do you place the gauge on the paper? Place the baselines exactly on top of each other, with the baseline on the emotional gauge covering the baseline on your paper. Make sure you keep the baselines exactly on top of each other and exactly in alignment with the baseline during the entire measurement process. Use the emotional gauge to determine what the various angles represent. Position the emotional gauge on the paper, baselines obscuring one another. Slide the gauge to the right until the upstroke fits clearly between two of the gauge’s upstrokes. The final step is to evaluate the angle formed by the crossing lines. These two lines will meet to form an angle. You don’t need to know the mathematical angle (such as 94 degrees). Just slide the emotional gauge across the baseline to the right until the angle formed fits snugly within one of the six categories. The idea is to draw the baseline and upstroke very long, so the resulting angle is easy to see with the emotional gauge. You will know you’ve found the correct angle when the line on the paper extends high into the air, NOT touching any other line.

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Which angle is it? It should fall between two lines. If the resulting lines seem to be exactly on top of one of the upstrokes (thus not falling within the CD range, for example), assign it one of the two categories and just measure another letter. If you do not see a clear answer, extend the upstroke line you drew beyond the top of the gauge. This will usually clarify the results. Do this same measurement for at least 20 upstrokes until a majority is revealed. Determine which slant is predominant. In most cases, you will find the presence of several slants in one sample of handwriting. For example, you might have 12 DE, six CD, and two E+. However, you will usually find that a slant falls predominantly into one category. If it does not, measure some more strokes. If the writer really does display a consistent and dramatic variability in slant, (AB and DE) you can deduce that this person has an unpredictable emotional outlay and his moods fluctuate severely. The most common reason that students fail this section is that they do not draw the baseline or the upstroke LONG enough. Make it very long (to infinity) and the resulting angle will be easy to identify. The second most common reason students fail this section, is their baseline starting/ending points are off by a centimeter. This affects the angle. When you are learning, do NOT use tiny handwriting. Use a sharp pencil and large writing to practice. The emotional responsiveness of a person is perhaps the single most important trait in his handwriting. With this knowledge as a foundation, all other traits can be added to create a comprehensive description of someone’s personality. You should always ask how an emotional outlay would affect a specific trait. For example, an impulsive writer (E+) with the temper trait will react in an uncontrollable emotional outburst quicker than an introvert (FA) would react with the same degree of temper trait. In the following sections, there are more detailed descriptions of each slant and the corresponding behaviors typically found in writers who display such a slant. Assignment

Use some handwriting samples to measure the slant. Measure 20 to 50 slants in each sample. Over the next few months, do this with a minimum of 100 different samples of handwriting before you are experienced enough to start eyeballing it. You must have the practice.

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You can start by measuring the slant of the following handwriting samples of Trini and Roberta. PRACTICE MEASURING SLANTS

Measure the slants and have your instructor assist you in discovering the accurate slant for each writer. Check your results with the answers found at the end of this chapter.

Quiz answers

Quiz A1: You can only measure 1, 5, 7, and 10. Quiz A2: Dots are placed accurately in examples 1 and 2.

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Quiz A3: The lines are drawn correctly in examples 1 and 4. In example 2, the person missed the dot’s center. In examples 3 and 5, the lines are too short. The writer only drew part of the upstroke and failed to extend the upstroke line below the baseline. Slant Exercise: Trini Dominguez – CD slant. Roberta Cortez – multiple slants.

TIP: Do not “estimate” the slant as a beginner. Always take the time to use your emotional gauge and measure enough letters to establish a majority.

Emotional Responses You will find that measuring the m’s and n’s will give the emotional response to thinking. The circle letters and the e’s will indicate the influence of the emotions upon the writer’s mundane living and his ideas. Measurement of the tall loops will determine the emotional reaction to the philosophical. The t’s and d’s will show the emotional aspect of pride and dignity. As we consider each trait, you will begin to relate them to each emotional aspect. For most people, the resulting slant will fall into the same category. However, if you find a discrepancy, then you can relate the results to the following areas of his or her life. Thinking & Problem solving……………………….m’s and n’s Communication skills and listening……..round middle zone letters Ideas, beliefs, and philosophies………………letters with tall upper zones EMOTIONAL SLANTS One of the most important aspects of personality is emotions: how people respond to their feelings and their environment. We all have emotions, but we process them in a variety of ways. The slant, size, and pressure reveal the intensity and expressiveness of our emotions. Our emotional responses can be accurately estimated from one aspect of our writing. Are we basically ruled by logical, practical judgment (leftward slant) or by feelings, expressiveness, and impulsiveness (rightward slant)? How do we make most of our decisions, with our heads or our hearts? The answer to this question is revealed in the slant. Here is a beginner’s general overview of what slant indicates about a person: A vertical slant reveals logic and restrained emotion. These writers keep their emotions hidden; they are reserved and emotionally distant. It is not that they don’t have emotions – they do, maybe as deeply as anyone else does, it’s just that they don’t express them easily. A leftward slant signifies someone who would rather hold his emotions inside and has a fear of expressing himself. To get along with this person, you must understand that they will be Page 19


emotionally cold much of the time. If you expect them to be consistently giving and expressing how they feel toward you, you are likely to be disappointed. A hard right-handed slant signifies an emotionally expressive person. This writer needs to interact with people. He has a need to express his emotions. He responds sympathetically to his universe. The farther to the right the slant becomes, the more emotionally impulsive the writer will be. Advertisers like this type of person because he is highly responsive to ads that rely on emotional buttons such as music and beauty, rather than logic and value. In the context of a personal relationship, the right-handed slant person will fall in love with someone more quickly and with more overt passion. There may be no logical reason for the infatuation he feels, but it is very real. However, anytime someone buys on emotion alone, there is a high degree of buyer’s remorse. Therefore, in relationships when time passes and the pure emotional high burns off, the relationship often is doomed for failure. Think about that when someone says, “love at first sight.” Misdirected emotions can cause trouble. Likewise, someone who is emotionally repressed can be equally full of trouble, but in different ways. Human emotions are very complex. One wonderful aspect of using handwriting to understand emotions is that handwriting graphically freezes emotions on the page. Unfortunately, emotions are often momentary feelings rather than continuous states. However, in the science of handwriting analysis, we compensate for this temporary state by getting as much writing as possible from the client at various times. Unless he is exceptionally moody, his emotional responsiveness will fall predominately into one of the slant categories illuminated on the emotional gauge. We tend to summarize complex personalities by using short labels, easy to remember terms or phrases. We use the running average of someone’s slant as her primary state of emotional responsiveness. For example, it is more common to say, “He is very outgoing” rather than illustrate the trait using a typical metaphor like, “When he is at a party, he enjoys talking and socializing with people.” TIP: Learn to use the right metaphor and describe the behavior rather than just say the trait name. An amateur just lists trait names, a professional uses the correct metaphor and paints a picture of the person’s behavior.

Metaphors are a useful illustration when describing a behavior. Learning to use the right metaphor when delivering an analysis is a key factor in making your results easily understood by the average person. It is a good habit to describe the behavior rather than just say the name of the character trait. Unless the client has a psychological background, he might have an inaccurate definition of the term introvert. Please read the section on Traits and Metaphors for a more in-depth education on the process of properly explaining the traits you find in handwriting. There are only six categories of emotional responsiveness. This is the reason that emotional outlay categories may seem general in scope – they are. They have specific tendencies, which are very accurate and need to be understood. There are six basic outlays: FA, AB, BC, CD, DE, or E+. While, obviously, there are more than six types of people in the world, when you use these Page 20

six slants as a foundation, the other traits become bricks to form the structure of the personality. Very different houses can be built on the same foundation. Thus, the emotional outlay, the slant, is the foundation of the personality. Whose slant is best suited for a relationship? Well, the topic of relationships and compatibility is quite complex. Generally, it is recommended that you look for someone with a similar emotional outlay (slant) to your own. If you are the kind of person who is very expressive, outgoing, needs a lot of affection, likes to be touched frequently, needs to be told you are loved daily, etc., then you need to choose someone whose handwriting is similar in style because that person will naturally be touchy, expressive, and affectionate. This does not say that opposites cannot be happy as a couple. However, those relationships fail far more often than they succeed. Why? They fail because of different communication styles and needs. The couple simply does not understand each other and/or cannot meet each other’s needs for “feeling loved” or “feeling understood.” The topic of emotional compatibility is covered in depth in Bart Baggett’s classic book, Handwriting Analysis Secrets for Love, Sex, and Relationships, published by Empresse Publishing. We recommend you read this book for a better understanding of handwriting analysis, love, and relationships. In fact, if you are going to apply for “certification,” this book is part of the curriculum. Read an excerpt of the book on the internet at: http://www.myhandwriting.com/booksetc/secretsb.html Now, what does each slant really indicate? As you analyze handwriting, I recommend you reread the following sections once in a while to fully understand the many complexities of the various slants.

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FA SLANT • • • • • • • • • • •

Slant from 56° to 90° Reserved, withdrawn into self Introvert Self-centered Ruled by judgment Never impulsive Enjoys being alone Not able to express feelings Good with hands Doesn’t like selling “Stacks” things and one day explodes, doesn’t regret it

The slant of the writing is from 56° to 90°. The person with an overall FA slant is emotionally repressed. It is an unusual slant. He will often be an outcast with few friends (unless he has very large middle zone writing). This writer has withdrawn into himself. He is reserved and shows his feelings only at times of great anger, extreme passion, or tremendous stress. The writer is commonly called an introvert. He makes decisions based on logic, is rarely impulsive, and doesn’t find any need for expressing his emotions. In fact, he probably sees this emotional expression as an unnecessary waste of time. He has a hard time relating to an extreme extrovert, although it is common for him to be attracted to one. Many people do not understand this writer; it is difficult for them to know how he really feels. He enjoys being alone, and probably prefers working alone. Recent research has revealed most FA writers suffered a profound physical or sexual trauma when they were children, and the result was a compromised ability to open up and trust people. These people have great difficulty opening up to others and maintaining healthy, expressive relationships.

Example of FA writing

The social introvert A predominantly leftward slant and small writing signify introversion. The extent of how emotionally withdrawn a person is depends on other factors in the writing, such as selfconsciousness, lack of confidence, and the overall size of the writing. If the slant of the writing is beyond the 90° angle (FA), he is considered emotionally withdrawn and often had issues as a child with feeling safe and expressing his emotions. Page 22

True introversion is the complete withdrawal into oneself for emotional support and security. Many graphology books incorrectly label tiny writing as introversion. While it is true that people with tiny writing display many social qualities of introversion, you must consider the slant before establishing the correct label for this person’s social and emotional landscape. Remember, people who write tiny might seem quiet and reserved; but they may be as expressive as anyone else in the company of close friends if they also have a DE slant and are talkative. Likewise, a person with a leftward slant who has really large, bubble-like writing might be very social and friendly, but will make many decisions based upon logic and not emotion. The classic introvert has both small and leftward-slanted writing. The FA writer has withdrawn into himself. He’s reserved and shows his feelings only at times of great anger, extreme passion, or tremendous stress. Markedly reserved and never impulsive, he is the introvert, who seems to take things as they come. I used to feel sorry for the FA writers; then one day in class, I heard my instructor say that this writer had found a place in life that is secure, that if he didn’t express himself he didn’t have to worry about what people thought. This, of course, may be true: I find it difficult, as an analyst, to relate to the FA writer, for I have never been one. But I do know that these people are not able to express their feelings. Quite often if a husband or wife is an FA writer, the mate is expected to take a lot for granted. Those with this backhand slant think that expression of emotions is gushy and a waste of time. If you have a son or daughter whose writing is in this area, you’ll be saying constantly, “I don’t understand this child.” When the writing slants far to the left, this becomes a dangerous area and we begin to worry about too much repression within self. The introvert is inexpressive and, as he pulls further and further within himself, he becomes unable to express himself. The FA writer usually is good with his hands. He enjoys working by himself, and is often quite satisfied and happy on assembly line work, where he doesn’t have to sell. He doesn’t like to sell. In order to make a living in selling, he’d have to express himself. I haven’t said that the FA writers are unfeeling; however, it is basic to their nature that they look out for themselves first. They can and do feel emotions, and perhaps as deeply as anyone else. If you do something that displeases them, since they are unable to express their feelings easily, they’ll probably not tell you about it. I tell such people that they “stack” things. In other words, if you do something to the FA writer, he doesn’t do anything about it at the time, but stacks it over in the corner and says, “That’s one!” When you do something else, he says, “That’s two!” Then one day, you do the slightest thing to him and he clouds up and rains all over you, and you think, “Hey, what did I do to cause this explosion?” What he’s really done is kept all of these things inside him, until they grew too big to hold anymore, and then he exploded. He’s thought the whole thing over – before he lets you have it. And, like the AB writer, he doesn’t regret having told you off.

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AB Slant • • • • • • • • •

Slant from 90° to 112° Judgment rules Ruled by head, not heart Rarely shows emotions Objective Withholds emotions Never impulsive Has poise Bookkeepers, nurses and doctors

The AB writer’s slant is 90° to 112°. We have found that generally such writers use judgment and are ruled by their head and not by their heart. They are the cool, collected, unemotional people who are inexpressive emotionally by nature. You realize that I did not say that these people do not have emotions, I said that judgment rules, and they do not readily express their emotions. If you’re selling something to such a person, you’ll have to relate to their sound judgment, prove what you are selling is best for them and their family, and show them why. They quite often don’t tell you what they’re thinking, and if they’re trying to sell you something, they will only say what is needed to sell their ideas. These people enjoy working with their hands. If they are in the sales field, they are there not “natural-born” salespeople, but instead are people who have learned to say the things that need to be said. The AB writers do not show their emotions. They may be kind or generous, but they are never impulsive. The writer does not express emotions until they become extreme or built up over time, such as extreme anger, passion, or stress. In her mind, she puts a mark on the wall when someone angers her. The funny thing is, when you get such people mad enough at you to tell you off, they won’t be sorry later. They are ruled somewhat by self-interest, and seem less compassionate. All their conclusions are made without outside emotional influence. Such a writer has poise. I have found that these people often make good bookkeepers and they seem to be very efficient nurses and doctors. In a marriage partnership, AB writers will show their love by the things they do with their hands, rather than saying, “I love you,” for they feel their mate should already know they love them. Remember that the AB writer will use judgment. He or she will ask, “Is this best for me?” The AB writer is objective and given to evaluating facts before taking action. He is levelheaded and will remain calm in an emergency. In a situation where most people might get hysterical, he responds with a calm, poised attitude. The AB writer is more common than the FA writer. She is similar to the FA writer, but a bit more outgoing and socially integrated. This writer uses judgment to make decisions. She is ruled by her head, not her heart. Some may see her as cold or unemotional. She does have emotions, but has no need to express them. She is withdrawn into herself and enjoys her time alone.

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Example of AB writing BC Writer • • • • •

Slant from 112° to 125° Sympathetic Heart influence Ruled by judgment Moderate in response

Writing that slants from 112° to 125° is made by the BC writer. The farther the slant to the right, the more responsive and sympathetic he becomes. The BC writer is more affected by affairs of the heart than is the AB writer. He is more outgoing and has just a slight tendency to let his emotions rule. He’ll seldom get very far off the path before he begins to come back and say, “Wait a minute, this isn’t best for me.” What I’m really saying is that the heart influence is there, but in the end, judgment will always rule. He’ll be moderate in his response, but when the chips are down the judgment is the stronger influence. He doesn’t make the hard, cold decisions the AB writer makes; he has sympathy; and yet, in the end, he will make the same decision. The BC writer is basically an AB writer with a little more heart. She is still ruled by judgment but is slightly more responsive emotionally and sympathetically. She is slightly more affectionate than the AB writer. She will be slightly responsive to appeals of the heart, but she won’t be sold by them. One must appeal to her sense of logic and judgment, because that is how this writer makes decisions. To understand a BC writer, reread the AB writer and add a tablespoon of emotional expressiveness and empathy to it.

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Example of BC writing CD Slant • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Slant from 125° to 135° Ambivert Outgoing Shows affection Expressive, yet logical Subject to appeals of the heart Moderately moody Likely to jump to conclusions Makes conservative and moderate lifestyle choices Tries to put self in other’s shoes Gets along well with extroverts and introverts Socially, emotionally & politically moderate Susceptible to heart-rending sales pitches Copybook writing style

Next consider the writing of the CD writer, slanting from 125° to 135°. The CD writer is really moderate in all categories. Her emotions are stirred by sympathy and heartrending stories. She can be kind, friendly, affectionate, and considerate of others. She is socially and emotionally moderate. She doesn’t sway too far one way or the other, neither too emotionally withdrawn nor too emotionally expressive. This writer tends to be middle-of-the-road politically as well as emotionally. He doesn’t relate well to extremes and won’t go very far out on any one issue. He weighs both sides of an issue and will not make a decision until he has to do so. In psychological terms, we will list the CD writer as the ambivert. This is a person who is outgoing, whose emotional influence is stirred by his sympathies, and who is subject to appeals. Likely to respond without thinking, to jump to conclusions, the CD writer is a moderately Page 26

moody person who will have lows and highs. One time you see her, she may be very happy, and the next time very sad. However, the CD writer has the ability to get along very well with the FA/AB writer or the DE/E+ writer. She can get along with an introvert (AB writer) as well as an extrovert (DE writer) since she is in the middle. If you were selling something to the CD writer, remember that a heart-rending story could mean a great deal to him and that he is an expressive person. He might even show traces of tears when he hears a sad story. Of the slants we’ve thus far considered, this is the first who tries to place himself in the other fellow’s shoes, but he does not go overboard with empathy. Though he can be very generous, we’ll have to look a little bit into impulsiveness and some other traits. This is also the first slant that may begin to talk on impulse. Actually, if I could pick the slant I’d personally like to have as my own, I’d pick this CD slant. A number of years ago, before World War II, this slant was considered the norm throughout the United States. However, we have become a great deal more expressive, and the established norm would now be from 135° to 150°, or the DE slant. It is common to find that a CD writer also has copybook writing style, which compounds the tendency to make conservative and moderate lifestyle choices.

Example of CD writing DE Writer • • • • • • • • •

Slant from 135° to 150° A natural salesperson - a “people” person Emotional highs and lows Good with people Reacts impulsively Always trusts emotions & impulses of the moment Strong desire to give & receive affection Does everything in extremes Needs curbs to slow down

The DE writer’s slant is from 135° to 150°. The DE writer is very emotional, with a broad range of emotions. This is usually the person who claims “My writing changes all the time.” He feels Page 27


any emotion deeply, from the highest highs to the lowest lows. These mood swings may be disturbing to him and to others. Sometimes he feels he cannot produce anything. Often highstrung, sometimes even hysterical under emotional pressure, they do run down; at such times, if you will allow them to go off by themselves to “recharge their emotional battery,” give them a pat on the back, or even a small, sincere compliment, they’ll spring back. Everything, though, is done in extremes. This writer feels situations intensely, thus relating well to other people’s problems. If he is not careful, when he comes across someone in a depression, he may sink into it himself. He often acts impulsively, without thought. “We’ll do it now and worry about it later.” Even if he carefully plans out a project in advance, he may do it completely differently when actualizing the plan. He always trusts his emotions and impulses in the moment. Unless there are curbs in the handwriting – and in the personality – to slow the DE writer down, he can constantly find himself in trouble. The DE writer has a strong desire to give and receive affection. She thrives on touching and being touched. Ideally, she needs to be told she is loved every day. She enjoys being the center of positive attention. Often these writers exhibit charisma. Very often, the outgoing DE writer will be an actor or a natural salesperson, because she relates so well to other people. She likes expressing how she feels, what she is doing, and her future plans. She is a people person. She will work best in a people-oriented job, rather than working alone or on an assembly line. The AB writer has trouble understanding the DE writer, for we find the DE writer has a need for affection, constantly needing to be told that he’s loved. Yet the AB writer is not inclined to express the love he or she may feel. Since opposites often attract, you will find that DE and AB or DE and FA writers often marry. This presents probably the greatest problem I’ve found in marital counseling. The DE writer, being very emotional, needs to be reassured of the fact she’s loved every day. While the AB writer (not being of an emotionally responsive nature) can’t really tell anyone how he feels. I know how the DE writer feels for this is my own stroke, and I have stood in this person’s shoes. For many years I was married to an FA writer who, repeatedly, when asked, “Do you love me?” would respond, “So, I love you. So what?” This hurt me deeply because I needed affection. What I didn’t realize until I became an analyst is that she was unable to give it. If your mate falls within this area, realize that the DE writer needs expressions of affection often, and make an effort to express your love daily.

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Example of DE writing E+ Slant • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Slant from 150° to 175° A natural actor Ruled by heart not head Impulsive – biggest problem is too subject to emotions Needs attention, touching & compliments Extremely affectionate & romantic Extremely emotional with emotional storms Often hides true feelings Takes on feelings of others Makes decisions based on feelings Extreme extrovert Most prone to fears Most likely to be addicted to drugs, sports or alcohol

Now let’s move just a little farther right on the scale, to the 150° to 175°, or E+ writer. Such a person, so fully influenced by emotions, can be subject at any time to hysteria. Without offsetting influences in the personality, this writer would border on hysteria with the most common emergency. The E+ writer is completely under the influence of his feelings at all times. Page 29


So very quick is he to feel, to express all that he feels, that his emotions – jealousy, anger, sorrow, etc. – will come out of him with terrific force. The E+ writer is the actor, and many times you’ll not understand him, for he’s able to put on an act that hides his emotions. Being extremely emotional, he often says things he doesn’t really mean. When his feelings are hurt he’ll respond in kind, then later think, “I shouldn’t have said that, I shouldn’t have gone so far.” He becomes emotionally exhausted quite easily for he constantly gives of himself. He is an extremely affectionate person, yet can go into an inferno of rage for no apparent reason. Subject to emotional storms, he can be ecstatically happy and then immediately swing just as far in the other direction. The emotional climate in which he finds himself is the barometer of his mood. Probably more prone to fears than any other writer, she needs to be on guard constantly against her treacherous emotions. Since she relates so readily and so fully to the feelings of those about her, she should choose her associates with care. She’ll find quite often she’s taking on the feelings of the person she is around. Since she has a constant need for affection and to be told she’s loved, if she’s married to a mate who is constantly running her down, she may well become a failure. Without the compliments, the consistent boosting of her spirits which she needs, she will have a tendency to drift into the very depths of despair, and can be kept there. Surprisingly, we’ve talked about the emotional outlay of the E+ writer as though we could always see his emotions. There are times when he reveals less of himself than any other person; he’s acting a part. In counseling, I’ve seen E+ writers who refused to respond. One of my students once brought a Lieutenant to class who had just returned from Vietnam (I believe he was from Boy’s Ranch in Tascosa, Texas). When I looked at his writing, I found an extreme E+ slant, the most extreme I’d ever seen. In fact, I couldn’t see a single stroke that was not E+. As I talked to this boy about his emotions, he just looked at me without saying a word. When I had finished, his girlfriend said, “What do you think about that?” and instead of expressing himself, he said, “He’s doing the talking.” He never once indicated whether I was right or not. Actually, this was his mood at the time; he had decided that he shouldn’t be expressive in front of me, and he wasn’t. The writer with the extreme E+ slant relates to everything emotionally and will quite often cry. If your wife or girlfriend is an E+ writer and has a tendency toward tears, then realize that this is her method of releasing tension, that tears actually help her. This is the writer with the farthest right slant you will find. She is fully influenced by a tide of emotions and is very impulsive. She can be quick to express anger or sorrow, often saying things she later regrets. This writer is something of an actor. Many times he hides his true feelings. Sometimes he reveals less of himself than anyone else does, which is ironic because he needs to express himself. He protects himself from being hurt by playacting. Many people will not understand him. He becomes emotionally exhausted quickly. The mood swings of this writer are wide and constantly changing. He is on a constant roller coaster. He is affectionate, a natural romantic. He often gives of himself. His need for attention makes him hard to ignore. This writer’s biggest problem is being too subject to his emotions. He forgets to be logical. His impulsive behavior gets him into trouble. This type of writer can be emotionally draining to those around him. He has two speeds: speeding or stopped. Page 30

In a relationship, she will always refer to her feelings to make decisions. These writers are the most likely of any slant to be addicted to sports, drama, drugs or alcohol. They are high drama and very passionate.

Example of an E+ slant

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Variable Slant You will at times find writing with a variable slant, where there will be forward and backhand slants in adjoining letters (Figure 10).

Figure 10. Example of variable slant writing

• • • •

Has difficulty making decisions Can be warm and friendly one moment, and avoid you the next Confused, going in two directions at once This person might have a brain-based chemical imbalance (from a minor problem, such as excessive sugar in his diet, to a major problem such as bipolar disorder.)

This variance of slant within word structures means that the person is having difficulty making decisions. She really doesn’t know from one minute to the next what she’s going to do. Quite often I tell such a person that she is attempting to make up her mind about something. I’ve heard such people described as being like a thermometer: very, very changeable, because when you meet them today, they may be warm and friendly, yet tomorrow they may not even want to associate with you. Later in the course we’ll learn some of the influences that increase or decrease this trait. Once I told man he was having a hard time making up his mind. He asked me how I could possibly know this. I showed him his extreme fluctuation in the slant of his words. He said, “That’s odd. I’ve never done this previously. I’m a school principal and I’ve been debating about going into private practice, and this has been weighing on my mind very heavily. So you’re right, I am confused, going in two directions at once.” I find this very often among children in their teens for this is a very confusing time of their lives. Often, when the confusing situation is resolved, their normal singular slant resumes. However, if a person consistently has a multiple slant, she really has some emotional issues she needs to work through, and they might be chemical in nature. Your current mood is revealed by the combined slant of your writing. Although these factors don’t usually change much from moment to moment, when they do fluctuate…take special notice of it. By now I think you realize a person’s general attitude toward other people is revealed through slant. We know, too, that if a person who predominantly writes in the DE area begins to write one day in the FA area, something is very wrong. In most cases, something very traumatic has caused him to withdraw into himself and shut out the world. This could be something minor to you, but to him it is major, and he feels safe in withdrawing. So, the further to the left this slant leans, the more the writer is withdrawing into himself. Page 32

In fact, some handwriting analysts believe that all writers who have a consistent FA slant were victims of some type of ‘trauma’ in the past (sexual, physical, psychological, or mental abuse). Although I have not verified this fact in a properly conducted research format, the logic of this belief makes sense. Think about why someone would be an FA writer. They feel safer within their own company (within their own head) than exposing their feelings to others. Most people only need “safety” if something outside themselves forced them to feel scared or threatened. So, we can’t “see the past” from writing, but we can speculate as to what could have happened in the past, based on what defense mechanisms and personality traits they feel are necessary to hold onto today. FAQ: One of the most common questions you will be asked is this “But, my writing changes all the time, how can handwriting analysis be accurate?“ The answer is based on slant. The person asking the question THINKS his handwriting changes all the time because the size and slant have some variety when he is in different moods. Just explain to him that those are just two of over 100 different strokes and writing elements we evaluate to determine personality. It is highly unlikely all his traits change all the time, it is only his perception to his untrained eye. So, as you can see, this section on emotional response is quite important and can become quite complex. As a certified analyst, I expect you will be able to evaluate each trait you find in harmony with the person‘s emotional outlay; this will tell you how each trait is or is not displayed in the general behavior of the person. TIP: Always remember to measure the slant first to discover the writer’s basic emotional response. This will help you determine how often and intense the traits you see will be or will not be expressed.

SUMMARY Understanding the complex interplay between size, slant, pressure, and the rest of the traits found in handwriting, is the foundation of an accurate personality analysis. Please take the time to master the emotional gauge and be very accurate when measuring slant. Then, with every handwriting sample you ever analyze, consider how the emotional outlay affects all other traits you find in the writing. In handwriting, the personality traits are like soup. Everything is tossed in together to make a unique flavor, but some ingredients are more influential than others. You have to learn which ingredients are more significant than others in the final analysis.

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CHAPTER 2 – REVIEW WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED

1. Draw the cursive lower case letter L and show where you would place the three dots on that letter as you prepare to measure it. Then, connect the dots with long, straight lines in order to form an angle you could measure with your emotional gauge.

2. Name and describe each of the three analytical zones.

Zone: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Zone: ______________________________________________ Zone:

3. Two lines are needed which cross to form an __________ which is needed to measure slant accurately.

4. Strokes ending to the right indicate what?

5. Write a one-paragraph description of the FA writer.

6. Measure your own slant. Which slant are you? Describe the slant in terms of behavior.

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CHAPTER 3 PRESSURE & DEPTH OF EMOTION The depth or weight of handwriting relates to the amount of pressure exerted on the pen point. Many years ago this was not so difficult to measure because nearly everyone used a fountain pen. The harder the writer pressed down, the greater the width of the stroke and you could actually see how much depth a person had from the line width. Today is the day of the ballpoint and felt tip pen, and analysis becomes a more difficult task. The felt tip almost completely obscures the amount of weight or pressure. One simple trick is to pick up the paper and run your hand along the back of the paper. The heavier someone presses on the pen, the more indentations will be protruding on the backside of the paper.

TIP: The amount of pressure reveals depth of emotion. The heavier the writing, the deeper and more enduring the feelings that person will have in any situation.

For a long, long time I was sure we could see the pressure with a ball-point, until one time Bob Burnup called to my attention something which I hadn’t known. He asked that I take a piece of paper and my regular medium ballpoint pen, put six or eight sheets of paper under it, and write my name. Then he wanted me to put the same piece of paper on a sheet of glass and again sign my name, using the same pressure both times. I was rather amazed to see that it appeared as though I had been pressing down harder, with more depth, when I wrote on the stack of paper. So, the surface a person writes on can effect the appearance of depth. The amount of pressure used is still determinable, and it is important, as it reveals the depth of the emotions, how deep they run. When in doubt, use your magnifying glass. Depth of feeling Just as life is not two-dimensional, neither is handwriting. Although it looks like a twodimensional snapshot of personality, a handwriting sample is actually a hologram. If you flip a ballpoint pen handwriting sample over, you can easily discover the depth. Just slide your finger across the backside of the paper. You may find the pen has created a noticeable imprint in the paper. This is the third dimension to handwriting. The amount of pressure exerted on the paper is depth of feeling, sometimes called emotional intensity. Emotional intensity refers to how deeply a person feels emotions and how long these emotions last. A light writer’s emotions tend to pass quickly, while a heavy writer harbors them inside for a long time. The harder the pen is pressed on the paper, the more intense any emotional experience will be. Have you ever dated someone who remembered an argument three weeks later? Was that person still irritated about something you said then? This person was probably a heavy writer. Are you someone who can have a heated argument with someone and then want Page 35


to go to lunch with him five minutes later because you have forgotten the argument already? If so, you are probably a light writer. TIP: It is easier to get along with someone in a relationship who has similar depth of emotions (the same pen pressure). Throughout this course we’ll be referring to depth of feeling and we’ll use three distinct values: heavy, light, and medium. The heavier the writing, the deeper and more enduring the feeling. Heavy Writing

• • • • • •

Great depth of feeling Emotions increased Definite likes and dislikes Food is a primary interest Preference for colors, fragrances and fabric textures Stronger sex drive

A person with great depth of feeling is like a blotter: he writes heavily, takes everything in, and soaks up every emotional reaction and influence from around him, and these emotional experiences stay with him just as the ink stays in the blotter. With very heavy writing, such emotional experiences aren’t forgotten. I tell them “You never forget. You may forgive a person who’s wronged you, but you will always remember it.” With heavy writing, every emotion is increased. While musical tastes will vary, music becomes more important. Food also is of primary interest and such writers will have definite likes and dislikes, often seeking out rich, spicy foods. There will be preference for certain fragrances and colors and fabric textures, abhorrence of others. Entering a room where the color irritates her or is not to her liking, or where a picture frame is awry, disturbs such a writer and makes her nervous. Sex drives are stronger too. In other words, everything about such a writer’s drives has increased.

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Light Writing • • •

Emotions are neither enduring nor intense Emotional or traumatic experiences make a less lasting impression More superficial involvement

On the other hand, the writer who barely touches the paper with the point of the pen passes through situations which would be traumatic to the heavy writer without much effect, then or later. Light writers can get hotly angry, but they’ll probably have forgotten it by tomorrow; and, they won’t understand why you’re still angry or upset. Things just don’t impress them that much, or have any lasting effect. Theirs is more of a superficial involvement, and much of the joy of anticipation and the pain or joy of remembering, that the heavy writer experiences, is lost to them. The light and heavy writers can be compared to a piece of burning paper and a burning log. I would suggest that you get a fountain pen with a medium point and, as you begin to study people’s handwriting, let them use your pen. In this way, you will become used to the pen and be able to classify the light, medium, and heavy writers. Another method of studying pressure is to ask people to write with a piece of carbon paper. If you would really like to test this, I would suggest that you write some words very heavily, repeat those words with a medium pressure, and then write them lightly, all on the same sheet. Then, look at the bottom copy where your carbon impressions are, and you’ll find the differences in pressure. When I first began to study pressure and weight of writing, I carried a notebook with pieces of carbon. By using the carbon I could tell the exact places where the pressure was heaviest in each letter formation, as well as get an idea of the general writing pressure. It was surprising how quickly I began to catch on to pressures from just looking at the writing. Please remember that I have not stated that those with light writing do not feel; I just say that they do not have as strong or as lasting emotions when anything happens. Medium Writing • • • •

Midpoint between heavy and light Moderate force and duration of emotion Average level of emotional intensity Will forget anger after a while, but won’t blow over in a day

Relatively, medium pressure is a midpoint, indicating less force and duration of feeling or emotions than with the heavy writer, but more than the light writer. This writer feels emotional Page 37


experiences for a moderate amount of time. If he is angry, he may forget his emotions after a while, but don’t expect it to blow over in a day. This person has an average level of emotional intensity. So, now that you have studied the emotional response and the depth and duration of emotions, you can take the writing, establish the slant, measure the depth, and then spend some time telling a person about himself. But, to become proficient as a handwriting analyst, you’re also going to have to understand stroke foundations which will be discussed in the next chapter.

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1. The amount of pressure reveals depth of emotional intensity ________ True _______ False

2. Which type of writing does not hold grudges for a long time? – light, medium or heavy? _______________________

3. Which writing shows great intensity of feeling with strong likes and dislikes, along with interests in food and distinct preferences for colors, fragrances and fabric textures – light, medium or heavy?

4. Which is the best writing instrument one should request if you are just looking for the pressure of someone‘s writing?– ball point or felt tip pen? Why?

5. Which writer typically has a stronger sex drive? – light, medium or heavy?

6. The heavier the writing, the deeper and more enduring angry feelings will last. _______ True _______ False

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CHAPTER 4 STROKE FOUNDATION & CLASSIFICATION All handwriting is brainwriting, made up of combinations of strokes, and each stroke has its origin within your brain. In fact, recent research has even tracked specific finger movement with synaptic pathways firing in specific regions of your brain. Even the slightest change in an individual written stroke takes a slightly different neuropathway, as your brain processes this event. Each pen stroke has varying length, weight, and thickness. Many of these strokes have meanings which have been researched over the past 150 years. Sadly, there are many strokes and letter shapes which have yet to be researched to the point of knowing what “everything means.“ Key Questions about a pen stroke to establish the Unit Structure of a stroke:     

What is its shape? Where does it come from? What motion was needed to create it? What is its direction? What is its pressure?

As we begin to study stroke foundation, we need to understand the unit structure of the strokes. For correct interpretation, you need to be able to break down each stroke, and determine what it does and discover where it goes. Each stroke actually starts with a dot and is made up of three reactions: motion, direction, and pressure. The extension of the dot into a line creates motion. The directness or curve of the extension shows direction, and the pressure of a stroke gives us a clue to the relative speed or slowness of the stroke. Stroke Classifications Strokes may also be classified into categories: • • • • • • • •

Forward, into the future Backward, into the past Upward, into the philosophical Downward, into material accomplishment A general blending combination (curve) A tight curve, which ends abruptly (hook) A sharp stop, reverse direction and move away (angle) Long, straight, rigid line (line)

These are a few of the stroke classifications and a thorough understanding of them will make you a better analyst.

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TIP: Individual strokes are the foundations of each “trait” you will later memorize. You might notice a trend of traits that contain “hooks” or “angles” or “straight lines”. A smart analyst will find the common elements in these traits. As a general rule of thumb, curvy strokes represent more feminine and gentle qualities about a person compared to angles or rigid lines, which represent more masculine and aggressive qualities in a person. The Chinese call these human qualities Ying and Yang.

Figure 11. A variety of strokes. Notice where they start, stop, and what shapes they form within each letter. Horizontal straight strokes are found as cross-strokes such as in the t-bars and underlines. Vertical straight strokes are those you might find in a j, f, g, or y. Though these may vary in length or thickness, they do, in fact, represent the force or strength of the personality. The student who learns to understand these variations will be a better analyst, and will be able to see far deeper into the subject. It was, Dr. M.N. Bunker who said, “A stroke is a stroke wherever you find it.” This means that no matter where you see a stroke, the general meaning stays the same. The exact meaning will be adjusted and correlated with the zone and location you find it in. Where does it start? Does it start in the mundane, the abstract, or the material? Does it end in one of these three areas? Which one? Does it return to the past, and then go into the future? Follow the stroke as it makes each bend, turn and crook. Break down each stroke combination in the writing and analyze it. We are lucky to have an easy-to-follow map of individual strokes, such as the 26 letters of the modern Latin alphabet. These letters make finding strokes simple and easy for even beginners to learn. It becomes complicated when you discover strokes in odd locations. So, remember that any language that utilizes these 26 basic letters is a viable language for you to work your scientific handwriting analysis! This means you can analyze writing in French, Spanish, German, and English. “A stroke is a stroke wherever you find it.” The professional handwriting analyst is examining the slant, pressure, curves, straight lines, and hooks. For your own benefit, follow the strokes in Figure 12 – take special notice of where the stroke ends and what shape is formed. Page 41


Figure 12. Notice any odd strokes? What could they indicate? Look at the top left specimen and follow the strokes to the ending of the letter e…which goes up and back to the left. This is an indication that this writer spends an excessive amount of time thinking about the past. The emotion of guilt is primarily based on a person‘s obsession with the past, or obsession with past “sins.“ So, the backward stroke is sometimes associated with the emotion of guilt. (See the logic?)

TIP: The shape, weight, or direction of a stroke can give you added information about the person’s behavior when you find handwriting that is not your typical “textbook” variety.

Now, look at the last example above in the word “they.“ The y-loop is ending in the past. Stack the stroke ending with the meaning of the lower zone y (physical drive and sex). What can you conclude about this person‘s sexual or physical life? Is he thinking about the future, present, or past? Do you think he is satisfied physically, or is there some frustration? You see, understanding stroke foundations can assist you in figuring out meanings in letter formations you have never seen before.

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1. A stroke always has a starting point and ___________ point.

2. Explain how it is possible to analyze handwriting accurately in other languages, even if you cannot read that language?

3. What are the five questions you can ask yourself to assist you in understanding more about a stroke?

4. Name at least six stroke classifications?

5. The starting point of each stroke is not important. ______ True

______ False

6. Which strokes indicate more masculine tendencies: straight or curved?

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CHAPTER 5 LETTER SIZE & MIDDLE ZONES Letter Size In this chapter, I’d like to start off by discussing letter size, and I will give you just the rules for the norm in writing. Average writing is 1/16 to 3/16 of an inch high. Anything 3/16 of an inch or over would be considered larger than normal; anything under 1/16 of an inch in height, concentrated. See the Emotional Gauge. You can often judge “letter size” by the size of the middle zone. This size will be very helpful in judging the person’s social aptitude. This aspect of handwriting (size) is not enough to judge introvert or extrovert – but it is a huge clue in that direction. As you learn how to stack traits, you will find the SIZE of the writing will increase or decrease many, many of the expressions of traits you find in the individual strokes. Tiny Writing A key to noticing the ability to focus and social withdrawal is tiny writing. We also find this trait intensifies and strengthens every trait in the writing. It is called concentration or intense focus: the ability to eliminate all outside interference, shown in legible writing that is less than 1/16 of an inch high (Figure 70).

Figure 70. Concentration & Good Focus

TIP: The influence of every trait, whether negative or positive, will be increased in strength if there is concentration in the writing. When I see concentration, I say “You have the ability to eliminate all outside noises, thoughts, interference, and the ability to concentrate fully on one subject.” One of my favorite metaphors when I see writing this small is relating it to their automobile driving ability. I often say, “There is probably a good chance that you run stop signs or red lights when you become preoccupied while thinking, instead of paying attention to driving.” This usually gets a laugh and it illustrates a point. They are great at focusing on one thing at a time…not ten things at a time. When they concentrate, they become oblivious to everything around them. The natural born bookkeeper usually has an FA–AB slant, with strong concentration.

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A childhood disaster averted by a handwriting analyst: Early in 1970 I had a young mother consult me about her ten-year-old son. Throughout his school career, he had made straight A’s. For the past quarter, her son had become a straight F student. She’d heard of our ability to help young people through handwriting therapy and hypnosis, and she told me that he was a very bright, alert boy. He had just had a complete physical checkup and the doctor could find no physical ailment. I sat the boy at my desk and asked him to do a page of handwriting. As I watched him write I observed that he started in a normal size, but with each line the writing grew smaller until it was very, very small. Then all of a sudden, he said, “Oh, oh!” and began to write larger again. When he had finished the page, I questioned him about the small writing. He explained that he’d always written very small but that his teacher that year could not read his writing. She said it was too small for her to read and that she’d lower his grade if he didn’t write larger. Since we understand that concentration comes from small writing, we know immediately that this well-meaning teacher eliminated this child’s ability to concentrate. In doing so, she was changing a basic pattern of his life. I could find no extreme fears in the writing. He seemed to be a very well-adjusted boy. I had lectured at the teacher’s school about two months previously, and I asked the mother to go to the teacher and explain that I wished her to allow the boy to go back to small writing for 30 days. Within a week, his grades began to improve. By the end of the month he was again a straight A student. This is one of the reasons I feel the day may come when all teachers will be required to understand handwriting analysis and basic grapho-therapy. I really wonder how many teachers have damaged their pupils without intending to. Remember to never “adopt” a cute or neat handwriting stroke just because you think it is pretty…without knowing it, you could be programming a very destructive trait that could take years to fix in therapy later in life. Shown in Figure 71 is the writing of an anonymous college student which was brought to me by some of his friends. This is the most exact, smallest writing I have ever seen. The fellow students reported that he took down every lecture word for word, writing extremely rapidly in the exact size you see here. Amazing, isn’t it? This writing is so small a typical US penny would be as tall as two lines of writing.

Figure 71. Example of extreme concentration ability shown through ultra tiny writing. Have you ever noticed that most young children in the first few grades of school write very large? They also find it very difficult to maintain their attention span for any length of time. You see, Page 45


they haven’t yet developed the ability to concentrate. In fact, the American children’s TV show Sesame Street actually developed their entire program based on the attention span of a three year old. They performed extensive research, discovering that 3-minute segments held the children’s attention the best. Their pioneering research in childhood development changed the way all television programs were studied and provided a generation of better educated children. (For more information on this study, read the book The Tipping Point.) As we grow older and accept more structure, our handwriting gets smaller and more structured. If you plan to use your new skill to consult in hiring decisions, the most important role you can plan is to assist the Human Resource Director in establishing clear job requirements and an “ideal criteria” for the “ideal employee.” Is there a need for concentration or social introversion? If there is, then you’ll know that you can’t hire a person with larger-than-normal writing and expect him to fit the job requirements. To be a true introvert, you would have both small writing and AB/FA writing. But, small writing does indicate a desire to work alone and focus. Remember, when you see concentration, it intensifies other traits such as temper, anger, fears, perversions, etc. You will rarely see an E+ writer with ultra-tiny writing, but when you do, you have both a social introvert on your hands with a manic impulsive personality who has a strong need to “feel” situations intensely. Many professional race-car drivers and Navy fighter pilots have this combination of tiny writing and DE/E+ slants. Remember, size and slant can support or counteract many of the typical behaviors when combined in various ways.

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1. What is the most important thing to remember about the trait of concentration?

2. Concentration is displayed in what size writing? a. Large b. Average c. Small

3. Decreasing the letter size in handwriting can increase the ability to concentrate and improve grades and test scores. _____ True _____ False

4. Name one career or occupation which you would typically find people who display “concentration” in their handwriting.

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BONUS ARTICLE The Process of Delivering an Analysis Using Metaphors: By Bart Baggett Recently, I invented a very useful visual methodology for describing the process of giving a top-notch professional analysis. I’m going to share it here, in an abbreviated format. It is explained in much more detail on the videos that accompany this course. If you understand this process and follow it, your analysis will receive a 95-100% accuracy rating from your customers. By the way, if you are reading this book, it is assumed that you have already memorized the basic 50+ traits contained in the Grapho-Deck Flash Cards, and that you know them inside and out. If so, you are ready for this more advanced book. Furthermore, if you do get disagreement (in other words, they say you are “wrong”) you can easily discover where you erred. In most cases, the handwriting was not incorrect, the metaphor you chose was wrong, or the customer’s interpretation of the trait name is different than the actual definition really is. In most cases, the handwriting is correct, but the analyst either misses something else in the writing that ‘decreases’ that trait, or simply uses a poor choice of words to describe the behavior. In all cases, using the following “map” will assist you in investigating and improving your ability to accurately deliver verbal personality analyses. The Map of a Delivering An Accurate Analysis Specific Handwriting Stroke  Trait Name  Description of Behavior  Metaphor So, using the above “map,” what would you say to a person if you looked at her handwriting and saw the simple, single stroke of a “large beginning arc on the capital M.” If you’ve been studying for a while, you might remember that is the TRAIT NAME of “desire for responsibility.” But, people relate better to metaphors, rather than scientific trait names. For many people, telling them the trait name can cause confusion So, you might choose to skip using the TRAIT NAME and start with a description of the behavior; then, conclude with a clever metaphor. In this case, you could say, “You tend to accept and gravitate toward positions of responsibility. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you end up taking on more responsibility than you really want, even in clubs, organizations, and hobbies. This is usually a trait of a leader, although in most cases, your type tends to do more work than you get paid for in the short term; but, in the long term, it pays off. Does this sound familiar?” The above paragraph never mentions the exact stroke nor uses the exact trait name. It does, however, paint a picture of the person’s life as one who accepts responsibility at work or at a social club, and is often burdened but rewarded by this habit. Remember that using this “map,” you can always research and experiment with different metaphors or behavior descriptions, until you find the ones which receive the most agreement. A great example where the trait is accurate, but where I have chosen the wrong metaphor to explain it to the person, occurred using the low crossed letter t-stem. The stroke is the low Page 48

crossed t-stem. The trait name is low self-esteem. The description of the behavior could take up volumes of books, as this trait is very complicated. So, a metaphor I often use is this, “You stay in bad jobs or bad relationships too long.” And, for most people with a low selfesteem, this is typical, because it is part of the low self-esteem problem. However, if the person just got married and is very happy...they won’t relate to staying in the wrong relationship. She might say “Oh, I used to do that, but not anymore.” So, the trait is still the same, but the metaphor about relationships will not resonate as true at this time. However, she might relate to staying in a low paying job for too long. So, you have to practice using the right metaphor when you see and describe any particular trait. For further instructions on choosing the correct metaphor, view Bart Baggett on the new DVD home study course or the video course “Bart Baggett Success Secrets of the Rich & Happy - Live in India” http://berichandhappy.com

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CHAPTER 6

THINKING PATTERNS & INTELLIGENCE Determination of the writer’s thinking patterns and learning habits is the next key to understanding personality. As an analyst, you need to understand your own thinking habits as well as those of others. Understanding how rapidly a person learns and how much he retains of what he learns, as well as what and how much he desires to learn, are all important parts of any analysis. This information is crucial in the process of choosing an employee or a romantic partner.

• TIP: Thinking Processes can be found in the following strokes • • • •

Connectors between letters The shape of the top of the letters m and n. The shape of the bottom of the letters m and n. The overall clarity of upstrokes and downstrokes in m’s and n’s.

During the first few years of school, we teach the child to write in semi-printed, disconnected strokes. Fluidity is not encouraged until the third grade when we begin to introduce the cursive writing system. There has been some controversy with regard to development of a teacher’s manual of preferred handwriting strokes, designed by handwriting analysts and graphotherapists.

TIP: The easiest letter to determine the thinking patterns are to investigate these cursive letters: m, n, r, and h.

Thinking patterns appear predominantly in the m, n, r, and h, and sometimes in the j or f, as well as other letter formations, but we will look primarily at the formation of the middle zone areas of the m, n, r, and h. In the United States, third graders are taught to write wide, round-topped m’s and n’s, with the hump in the h also wide and round, and the r flat-topped. In Germany however, children are taught to make very sharp, steeple-shaped tops in the humps of the m, n, and h. In fact, in various English speaking schools worldwide, the teaching of the individual shapes of specific letters vary. What I find so interesting about this science, is that no matter where an individual went to school, his own personality adapted or superceded the instructed method. Again, just more evidence, this is indeed brainwriting.

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Figure 13: Notice the very round top humps of the letters m and n.

Procedural or Cumulative Thinker • • • • • • • •

Slow and logical Needs all the facts Constructs in his mind Reads slowly and may reread for comprehension Does not grasp new facts quickly Learns more quickly by demonstration Excellent retention May need additional help

Cumulative writing indicates the slow, logical procedural thinker, a person who needs all the facts. He thinks or creates much like a brick mason, stacking fact upon fact. However, the thought pattern or the conclusion will not be complete until the last fact is in place. He constructs things or pictures them in his mind. He reads slowly and may have to reread before he really understands. Such a thinker learns more quickly by demonstration than through reading instructions. When something new is presented to the procedural thinker in the classroom, he’ll say to himself, “I’ll never understand this, I’ll never get it.” Then, one day, a word or a sentence will place the “last brick” in place, and suddenly he’ll brighten and say, “Oh, I understand now.” And then it is very, very clear to him. Now it would seem that this logical, procedural progression of the methodical, slow thinker would be a negative trait. However, most fine works of art were built in a very painstakingly methodical, step-by-step process, where each layer of paint was precisely placed after the previous layer. Sequence was essential to success. Let’s suppose for a moment you have very round, cumulative humps. It would be useful to point out the many positive aspects. First, since you’re methodical in your thinking, you’re able to build things using procedures and don’t get bored quite as easily as others. So, a career with repetitious elements won’t drive you crazy. Many new ideas are created only after a firm foundation of trial and error – which takes repetition. Thomas Edison has round humps on his m’s. (In fact, almost square!) Most cumulative thinkers have to study extra diligently and read every page in sequence to understand the material. It seems new concepts take a little longer to Page 51


sink in, but once they do sink in, they stick. In other words, if you ever learned it, you still have it. Your retention is very, very good. Grades in school are an interesting and not a very accurate measuring stick of intelligence nor success in life. However, school scores are an excellent measuring stick of the ability of a student to learn new information, digest it, and recite it on a test a few weeks later. In many cases, the methodical thinker is an excellent student once she learns the process and is given the time to study and digest the information. If this is a child in school, the teacher needs to realize he or she will need additional time and help. On the daily test, this student may make a failing grade. Yet, the grade on the six-week test may be very good. If this is an employee, realize that you may have to show him several times, but once he understands he’ll never forget. If there’s an argument, the procedural thinker is thinking thirty minutes later of what he might have said. His mind just does not work as rapidly in coming to conclusions as those writers with more angles in their middle zone. Investigative or Exploratory Thinker The investigative or exploratory thinker has a sharp point at the top of the m, n, h, and r, making a triangle or wedge-like formation. This person thinks more rapidly, has a desire to satisfy their many curiosities, is constantly inquiring, always curious about many things. Able to grasp situations and new ideas without difficulty, such writers always seem to be digging into something new. Remember, this is shown by a distinct, wedge shape at the top (Figure 15). The narrower and sharper the wedge, the more effective and active the exploratory thinking.

Figure 14: These Figures are excerpted from the book, The Secrets to Making Love Happen, by Bart Baggett, (from Pages 86 and 87 in that book, Figures 4.3 and 4.5) They demonstrate the sharp, pointed letters of the curious or investigative writer.

Figure 15. Investigative or exploratory thinker

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Such writers are constantly studying something new, something better. In an argument they always seem to have a ready comeback. Actually, the height of the hump – its extension upward toward the philosophical – determines the amount of exploratory activity or investigation. The higher it extends from the mundane into the edge of the philosophical, the more we find the need for knowledge. These people dig extremely deep into everything in which they become involved.

• • • • • • •

Learns with little effort Thinks rapidly Always asking questions Very curious Able to grasp new situations and ideas rapidly Always studying something new and better Has ready comeback in arguments

Surface Thinker The difference between the fast, investigative thinker and the surface thinker is still shown in the shape of the wedge. The surface thinker, shown by very short wedges (Figure 16), doesn’t wish to get very far away from the line of reality. He inquires or investigates only enough to satisfy his own desires, and will not dig very deeply into any subject. He will often take another’s word as fact, whereas the investigative person wants to see for himself.

Figure 16. Short wedges of the surface thinker

We have just learned another rule–the line of reality relates to our everyday life; it is the base of the mundane area, so we know that the further we reach up, the further we ascend from reality.

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Comprehensive Thinker

• • • • • •

Very active, may be a troublemaker Can size up situations quickly Makes instant decisions Thinks and evaluates rapidly Irritated by slow talking and thinking Becomes bored easily

The handwriting of the comprehensive thinker is shown by steeple-shaped, needle-topped m’s, n’s, h’s, and r’s. This is one of the strokes which is taught as part of the handwriting learning process in Germany.

Figure 17. Steeple-shaped writing of the comprehensive thinker Keenly comprehensive, such writers quickly size up a situation and make instant decisions. They think and evaluate circumstances very rapidly. A child who doesn’t seem to study and yet seems to excel whenever he wishes may have this type of thinking. I said whenever he wishes because I find this can be the sharpest student, or at times, a failure. Now, why would a child that has such ability be a failure? His mind works so rapidly he is able to size up any circumstances or situation without effort. What really is happening is that the comprehensive thinker becomes irritated with slower talking and slower thinking people, and since a teacher must teach at the level of the slowest student, the comprehensive thinker quickly becomes bored. Chances are the comprehensive thinker already has the test worked out before the teacher has finished the explanation for the slower thinkers. For this reason, the comprehensive thinker may be a troublemaker; he has nothing to do after he’s completed his assignment. They are very active people.

TIP: One school teacher summarized the three thinking styles into the following types of students: Creative/cumulative……….. Needs additional help Investigative/exploratory..….Learns with little effort Comprehensive……….....….. Smart Troublemakers

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One time, in a little village called Plainview in Texas, I talked with a teacher who thought very little of handwriting analysis. To prove my powers as an analyst, I suggested she hand me a stack of her students’ ungraded papers, and that I would very quickly sort these into three categories for her: her troublemakers, the students who seldom needed to take a book home, and those who needed additional help (the slower thinkers). She smiled at me very sweetly and said, “Show me!” From what you’ve been able to learn in the past three paragraphs, I quickly separated the papers into three groups: the exploratory or investigative thinkers (the children who seldom needed to take a book home, who seemed to learn with little effort), the comprehensive thinkers (the troublemakers), and the procedural thinkers (the ones who needed additional help). It pleased me to watch the change of expression on this teacher’s face as she examined my findings. She couldn’t understand how – without knowing the children – I had been able to identify them so quickly. She said they were accurate to the last child.

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1. In order to understand personality, what things do you need to determine about thinking and learning in a handwriting sample?

2. Describe the characteristics of a comprehensive thinker. What do you look for in their handwriting?

3. Describe the characteristics of a cumulative thinker. What do you look for in their handwriting?

4. Describe the characteristics of an investigative thinker. What do you look for in their handwriting?

5. Match the following types of students with the types of thinkers. A. B. C.

Procedural thinker Comprehensive thinker Investigative thinker

Learns easily with little help Needs additional help Troublemaker

6. What characterizes the writing of a surface thinker?

7. What letters should be checked to determine thinking patterns?

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CHAPTER 7 MORE TYPES OF THINKING PATTERNS

Shallow Thinking The shallow thinker is shown by shallow, dished t-bars, with very short points on the m’s, n’s, and so on. Shallow thinking is similar to surface thinking, which we discussed in the previous chapter.

Figure 18. Shallow t-bar • Shallow, dished t-bars • Doesn’t dig into anything deeply on first thought • Similar to surface thinking

The shallow t-bar tells us that he doesn’t dig very deeply into anything on first thought. Should we say, then, that this is a negative trait? When I first began to analyze handwriting, I used to say, “Oh, this is bad! You need to dig deeper before you make decisions.” Will wonders never cease? I began to discover many top officials have this dish-shaped t-bar, and we wonder how they became successful. In handwriting analysis, we ask you to put yourself in the other person’s shoes, so to speak, and try to see it from their point of view. In this case, that is what we did. TIPS: • Look at m’s and n’s to see if they are investigative • Look at the i and j to check for attention to detail • Combine and weigh t-bars, m’s, n’s, i’s, and j’s to evaluate Many executives do not have time to dig deeply. EVALUATE We begin to evaluate: If you see the shallow thinker (shallowness in the t-bars), then look at the m’s and n’s to see if they skim the surface, or are investigative. Realize also, that one trait can balance, weaken, or strengthen another trait. Also, in analyzing the shallow thinker with the dished t-bar and short wedges in the m and n, we also look at the i and j. The farther away Page 57


from the stem of the i or j that the dot is placed, the less attention is given to detail. Combining these three and weighing their effect on each other is called evaluation. From here on we will learn more about balancing one trait against another. Analytical Thinking The analytical thinker is shown by natural v’s appearing at the baseline (Figure 19).

Figure 19. The analytical thinker’s t-bar

• • • • • • •

Makes a good executive Has ability and desire to consider the pros and cons Constantly sifting the bad from the good Weighs facts Makes well-considered decisions If also a procedural thinker, thinks methodically and slowly, analyzing every fact Most analytical thinkers are also investigative

The point of the v must be at the line of reality. The analytical writer has the ability and desire to consider the pros and cons, is constantly sifting the bad from the good, the best from the better. Such a writer weighs one fact against another, coming up with well-considered decisions. If a person is both analytical and creative, he thinks methodically and slowly, yet analyzes every fact as he collects it. You will find that most analytical thinkers are also investigative. Those who are analytical make very good executives, as they are able to sift through the facts and come up with correct decisions. Independent Thinking Independent thinking is shown by a lack of height on the t- or d-stem, regardless of whether it is retraced or looped. Using the mundane area (the height of the lower case letters) as a gauge, a writer is qualified as an independent thinker if the t- or d- stems are not more than two times the height of the mundane area. In other words, the independent thinker does not go too far from the line of reality. In both his thinking and actions he stays as close as possible to reality. • • •

Stays as close as possible to reality Has a mind of his own What others think does not influence decision-making

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Figure 20. The independent thinker’s t-bar The independent thinker certainly has a mind of his own. Although he may care what others think, it will not be the main influence in his decision-making. When he thinks he’s right, he’ll say: “I’ll do it my way.” He’s his own man and thinks for himself. Combinations Invariably at this point in my classroom, someone will raise their hand and ask: “Well, what happens if I make the first hump of my m broad and round, and the second hump sharppointed?” EVALUATE Break down your strokes, taking the first stroke independently, evaluate it. This is the way a person starts. If the stroke has a round, flat-topped m or n beginning, then we know that the person is a slow starter. He needs all the facts. Then, if the very next stroke becomes sharply investigative we know that, although he’s a slow starter, once he gets interested and involved, he thinks faster and becomes very investigative. There are many combinations which you will find. If you’ve learned stroke foundations, these will not disturb you. Evaluate each stroke and define it, put them together and they will tell you about the inner person. A person with very shallow, investigative surface thinking shown in the first hump, becoming creative in the second hump, would tell you immediately that this writer reacts from surface thought; then investigates (but not very deeply), and then slows down. Let’s say we’ve already checked the emotional response and this is a DE/E+ writer; therefore we know he reacts impulsively. So, tying impulsiveness to the fact there’s surface thinking would tell us that he would get into everything that comes by. This gives us more knowledge about why a person gets into everything that he comes in contact with. It would be difficult for him to complete all the tasks he begins, wouldn’t it? As another example, let’s say he’s an AB or an FA writer; then we know he’d use the surface knowledge that he gains to ask, “Is it best for me?” Remember, the emotional response tells us how each trait affects the personality. Use your head to analyze, put yourself in the other person’s shoes. TIP: Never judge whether a person is right or wrong. Tell them only what you see. Compare one trait against another; think about each trait in relation to the emotional response, the depth of feeling, and the learning abilities. Page 59


Take some of a friend’s handwriting, sit down and write out all that you can see from what you’ve learned thus far, but put down only what you see. Do yourself a favor and disregard any knowledge you have of this person; even if you think that what you are seeing is wrong, put it down as you’ve been learning. You will be surprised. Tell a person only what you see in his (or her) handwriting, tell it honestly, above board, do not be vindictive. Most people know their own failings and they will be looking at you to see if you are saying this out of spite, or if you’re sincere. Above all, be sincere, be honest. In giving an analysis, if you eliminate all of the things that you feel are negative you do a severe injustice to the person whose handwriting you are analyzing. Put yourself in his shoes and think about it. Lack of Mental Cultivation • Lacks ability to build a mental picture • Little ability to understand • Can be due to lack of formal education or motor difficulty caused by brain damage Lack of mental cultivation (an exaggerated lack of definiteness), is revealed when m’s and n’s are poorly-formed rather than well-defined, and do not have clear values. This is a difficult trait for me to explain. Figure 21 illustrates this trait. These people lack the ability to build a mental picture, and have little ability to understand. This can come from a lack of formal education or from a motor difficulty caused by brain damage.

Figure 21. Lack of mental cultivation Lack of Definiteness • Writing by people in a hurry: executives, doctors, etc. • Not a lack of mental cultivation • Characterized by first few letters clear, the remainder in a wavy line • Indicates difficulty in learning and in grasping new ideas • Very rare Let’s stop at this point and clarify the one question which always seems to come up at this time – the person who forms the first two or three letters of a word clearly, then just seems to finish a word with a wavy line is normally in a hurry. You may tell such people they’re in a hurry when you see this in their writing. You’ll find doctors, executives, and busy people who have to write Page 60

in a hurry doing this. This is not a lack of mental cultivation; which is shown by a lack of definiteness, where generally none of the writing strokes will be well-formed; these are rare, and this has always been a very difficult trait for me to explain. Usually I tell such writers they have difficulty in learning and in grasping new ideas. I am quite happy that I seldom see this in writing.

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1. What kind of thinking makes for a good executive? Describe the qualities of this type of thinker.

2. What is the difference between lack of mental cultivation and lack of definiteness? Give some examples of the types of people who might have each type of thinking.

3. What is unique about the independent thinker’s writing?

4. Can a person’s handwriting reflect more than one type of thinking? Give an example.

5. Shallow thinking is similar to _________________ thinking.

6. Describe the qualities of an independent thinker.

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CHAPTER 8 LETTER T - THE HEIGHT OF THE T-BAR By now I’m sure you’ve begun to impress many of your friends with the new knowledge you have of handwriting analysis. In fact, if you’re not careful you’ll have convinced them that you have some great, new, supernatural power. This is not in your best interest. You should always explain that these are learned principles, that your ability as an analyst was developed through hard, scientific study; that you are not in the realm of the fortune tellers. Whether you intend to become a full-time professional analyst, use it in your present business, or just in understanding your family and friends better, you’ll still want to be respected and treated like a professional. TIP: The t tells you more about the writer than almost any other stroke. Probably the one stroke in handwriting analysis that tells you more about the writer than any other is the t. You could easily talk for twenty minutes on just the traits shown by a person’s t’s. The t is made up of three strokes: an upstroke, a downstroke, and a crossbar. The placement of this crossbar and whether the “stem” is retraced, spread, or looped will tell you much about the personality. TIP: Check for different kinds of t-bars Count the number that appear on each page Count the number of times in each area Do an analysis on AT LEAST TWO pages of handwriting for a fair picture • Try to have the pages written at the same time and disregard the first five to eight lines • • • •

For handwriting analysis to be accurate there has to be a variation between traits. In most cases a person does not react the same every time; you’ll often find more than one type of t-bar within a space of writing. This is a relative trait, and in order to determine the strength we’ll have to count how many times it could appear in a page of writing, then we’ll count the number of times that it does appear in each area. In other words, if there are 100 strokes showing a t-bar, and 80 of them are related to temper, then we know this writer has a temper 80 percent of the time or in 80 percent of the situations in which he is involved. EVALUATE We’ve measured the emotional response and the depth, and we can evaluate to see how and when the temper flares and what triggers it. Each time you do an analysis, check to see if you find more than one type of t-bar. Count the number that appear on the page and the number of times in each area, for you may find that it appears only once or twice. This is the reason it’s unfair to do an analysis from two or three lines of writing; it gives you an incomplete, often untrue picture Page 63


of the person. You should always have at least two pages of writing. And I prefer to have the two pages written at the same time (and I usually disregard the first five to eight lines). The writer is on his best behavior the first few lines; after that the hand begins to tire and the writing becomes more natural when the artificial control begins to relax. In studying t-bars, first we’ll discuss inner goals, remembering that we’re discovering subconscious through patterns. Low Self-Concept – Fear of Failure The first goal is related to a very low t-bar, crossed within the mundane area. This is our first study of fear and it will be listed as a low self-concept (Figure 22).

Figure 22. Low self-concept Low self-concept, or self-underestimation, manifests itself in the sphere of failure. Conditioning from outside influences (parents, brothers, sisters) begins the moment a child is born. We are a conditioned people. Most of these people intend to help us, that what they are doing is for our own good. Esteem is the basic element of success. Since I can think no more of you than you think of yourself, the person with a low self-concept has an ego problem. He has a fear of failure. Quite often this starts early, when parents begin to say: “You can’t do that,” or, “You’re not capable of doing this.” Even today, if we decide to go into business, people constantly tell us: “Oh, I had a friend who tried that, he never accomplished it.” Fear of Disapproval As a child grows, he is exposed to the approval and disapproval of others. If he develops a fear of disapproval, his self-confidence begins to slip. His goals are set lower and lower until, discouraged, he says: “Why try? I can’t get there anyway.” This attitude speaks to others, and it says: “I don’t think very much of myself.” Regardless of what he tells you about himself, regardless of the front he puts on, it’s a case of “what you are speaks so loudly, I cannot hear what you say.” When the t-bar is low (within the mundane) the writer is afraid to start new projects, because that’s a way to arouse disapproval. In our work with narcotics users, one of the things we found happened almost immediately was the t-bar dropping into the mundane area, lowering goals and lessening drive.

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Figure 23. Fear of disapproval Usually when I see low t-bars, I tell the writer he is aiming too low, or “not aiming” – that he is capable of accomplishing much more. I explain that no one else can think more of him than he does of himself. Parents, brothers, and sisters of such a child should spend time helping him improve his self-image. The Practical T The next t-bar area is about two-thirds the way up the stem. We call this the practical person whose goals are planned. Practical and down-to-earth, they need to see the end of a project before they start. They plan everything in advance and find joy in anticipation. Everything is mapped out – the entire route they’ll take – even if they’re just going across town. If you talk business with this person, keep in mind you’ll need to show them where they’ll end up. EVALUATE Again, you need to evaluate depth and emotional response to the goal, in order to tell how they’ll react with this practical knowledge of theirs. The practical FA or AB writer wants to know: “When does it start, where does it go, when does it finish?” and most of all, “What will it do for me?” On the other hand, the DE/E+ impulsive person who is practical will plan exactly what street he’s going to take or exactly which way he’ll proceed with something, and then for some strange reason the impulsiveness takes over and he does it completely differently. When I see a writer who’s both practical and impulsive, I tell him he plans everything he’s going to do and then posthaste changes those plans; that the night before he plans in detail, and the next morning changes and does it differently. Many people, to stay adjusted in this society, need to be practical. So again, I repeat: let’s not judge another’s needs.

Figure 24. The practical t Explain to the practical person his need to set well-defined goals, his need to see the end of the project at the beginning. Explain that judgment rules, or why he’s impulsive. Many times a person’s occupation has to do with his practical nature.

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The Visionary T The next t-bar is the one I personally like the best – because it’s mine – it’s crossed at the very top of the stem. This is the visionary t-bar of the person with long-range plans, who is capable of seeing far into the future. They plan two, three, five, or even ten years in advance. I am especially pleased when I see this t-bar made by young college students; these literally are the achievers.

Figure 25. The visionary In therapy we quite often suggest to the person who has a low self-concept that they practice crossing their t with a light t-bar, just touching the top of the stem. Later we’ll discuss why it should be light. If you’re changing a stroke in your handwriting or you think, “I’m going to change some of my own traits,” I suggest the one thing you don’t do is make a heavy t-bar. WARNING: When attempting to change your own handwriting, do NOT make a heavy t-bar!

The Dreamer T The goals of the dreamer are shown completely above the stem of the t, floating in the philosophical area. The dreamer, who doesn’t touch the stem at all, has his eyes in the clouds and may tend to trip over a rock and fall. He’s the one who always has a scheme that’s going to make a million tomorrow. Every time you see him he has something new he’s working on; he dreams the impossible dreams.

Figure 26. The dreamer This is not an unusual trait in a child. Our ability to imagine is what brought us to where we are today in the United States. However, if a person dreams and takes no action toward making those dreams a reality, much of the value is lost. When I first became an analyst, I was sure that this was a trait I didn’t want. Could you believe how disturbed I was the first time I looked at a self-made millionaire’s handwriting and found his dream t-bar? I’d been associating this with failure and I decided I would find out how this man, who was a dreamer, had become so Page 66

successful. As time progressed, we found this in the writing of many other self-made men. We also discovered two other ingredients of success, and these will be discussed in the next chapter.

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1. What letter tells you more about the writer than almost any other stroke? ____

2. List four things to do for an accurate analysis of t’s.

3. The t is made up of _______________ strokes. Name them.

4. How would a t indicate a person’s goals were not set high?

5. What type of person would a t-bar floating in the philosophical zone indicate? A. Visionary B. Dreamer C. Practical

6. What type of person crosses their t’s at the very top of the stem? A. Visionary B. Dreamer C. Practical

7. A low t-bar indicates: a. Low self-esteem b. Fear of failure c. Fear of disapproval d. All of the above e. None of the above

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CHAPTER 9 LETTER T – ENTHUSIASM & WILLPOWER In self-made men we also discovered two other traits related to success, both of which are found within the t-bar. In order for you to understand this success, we’ll study them, and how they relate to the personality. Enthusiasm Probably more than any other trait, enthusiasm is the companion of success. The first is the t-bar which is extremely long in relation to the rest of the writing. The corresponding trait is called enthusiasm. In Figure 27 below, you will see two t-bars that are exactly the same length yet one is a very short t-bar, relatively speaking, and the other very long. This will help you understand how enthusiasm is shown. Probably more than any other trait in the human personality, enthusiasm is the companion of success. Enthusiasm is a producer of confidence and generates that extra spark that makes you great. It says, “Hey, I’ve got what it takes!” without you even uttering a word.

Figure 27. Enthusiasm in the t-bar Real enthusiasm is contagious; it rubs off on everyone it touches. When you see the writing of an enthusiastic person you, know immediately you’ll want to go along with them. Enthusiasm has a magnetism of projected energy that can be caught up by anyone nearby, and the power it generates is the whirlwind that causes people to go along with your ideas. Enthusiasm sells. It sways. It influences. Sometimes you see an enthusiastic person and you just know what you’ll see in the handwriting. This may not be the boisterous type of enthusiasm you see at a football game, yet it is a force within and you feel it when you come within range of its radiance. TIP: Relate enthusiasm to emotional response, e.g. FA , AB, BC, CD, DE, or E+. Again, you are going to have to relate the enthusiasm to the emotional response. How impulsive? How much of an extrovert? This trait of enthusiasm can take the DE/E+ person to great heights; when they become enthusiastic, these people really move, they become excited, and everyone around them will feel their enthusiasm. On the other hand, the person with judgment and poise may show enthusiasm quietly, possibly with no more than a sparkle in the eye, a catch of the breath, or a flush of the cheeks. Regardless of how this trait reveals itself, remember that it sells, and the enthusiasm of such people, right or wrong, can carry many others along with them. Page 69


Willpower The next ingredient found in the self-motivated man is willpower, shown in the weight of the t-bar:

Figure 28. Willpower in the t-bar Since willpower is shown in the t-bar, then the depth of feeling will show how strong the willpower is. It is relative, as was the length of the enthusiastic t-bar in Figure 27. If it starts out heavy and fades out to a very light stroke at the end, then we know the willpower is very strong when a project is first started, but as time passes, begins to weaken. When the t-bar starts light and continues to grow heavier toward the end as the writer progresses toward a goal, the willpower grows stronger; such a writer loves a challenge. TIP: The t-bar shows the presence or lack of: • Enthusiasm = Length of t-bar • Willpower = Weight • Goals = Height

As the length of the t-bar tells us whether there is enthusiasm, the weight tells of the willpower (or lack of it) and the height tells of goals (how high the writer is aiming). Most people would consider the trait of dreamer a negative trait because the person dreams about goals that seem impossible to achieve. However when one has the combination of will power, enthusiasm, and freamer… the person sometimes actually achieves the goals and surprises everyone. Since belief is the first and most important step to manifesting new goals, extremely high goals might be a good thing in certain contexts. SO, perhaps it is not our place to judge whether or not someone’s goals aer practical or not. Dreamer + Enthusiasm + Willpower =

Surprising Results

That being said, it is this author’s opinion that during Grapho-therapy, you should choose to cross your t-bar at the top of the stem, and not above to achieve the most predictable results in achieving your goals.

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1.

Does enthusiasm increase or decrease the strength of other traits?

2.

How does enthusiasm relate to emotional responses, e.g. FA, AB, BC, CD, DE and E+?

3.

The length of a t-bar shows: A. Willpower

4.

B. Goals

C. Enthusiasm

B. Goals

C. Enthusiasm

B. Goals

C. Enthusiasm

The weight of a t-bar shows: A. Willpower

6.

C. Enthusiasm

The height of a t-bar shows: A. Willpower

5.

B. Goals

What trait sells? A. Willpower

7.

How does pressure affect willpower?

8.

What combination of traits can accomplish miracles?

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CHAPTER 10 LETTER T – DEFENSE MECHANISMS: SARCASM, PROCRASTINATION, TEMPER & SELF-CONTROL By now I’m sure that you’re beginning to compare one trait with another. You’re beginning to learn how to evaluate. Sarcasm What if the t-bar starts heavy and thins out, much like the blade of a knife or rapier? This is sarcasm, a defense mechanism used to get people off your ego.

Figure 29. Sarcasm in the t-bar Sarcasm says that you have the ability to be sharp-tongued, that you can say cutting things. It is our method of expressing hostility and – although it causes people to dislike us – it’s normally developed as a result of guilt or self-reproach. It usually develops because of a desire to punish self, but the ego slyly directs the punishment out, toward others. To understand how the sarcasm will be used, you’ll have to look at the weight of the writing and the emotional response. Will it be used impulsively, with judgment, intentionally? Though the sarcastic person is often unpopular, he is also misunderstood. He’s actually defending a fear. He’s telling you, “I’m afraid.” He or she is saying, “I don’t know what else to do, so I’m showing my hostility.” Many sarcastic people are very weak; carrying through to their objectives is a problem. They often feel inadequate, guilty, and suffer self-reproach, and they try to turn all of this toward the other person. The next time someone gets sarcastic with you, try to understand that you are getting on her ego, that her fear is showing, and since she doesn’t know what else to do, she’s becoming hostile to protect herself. Once you understand this, the sarcasm won’t really bother you so much. Procrastination The t-bar, and sometimes the i-dot, that is crossed behind or to the left of the stem reveals procrastination, the “was-gonna.” You know, he “was-gonna” do this, and he “was-gonna” do that, but somehow he just never got any of it done.

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Figure 30A. Procrastination in t-bar and i-dot Procrastination is the thief of time and progress, the desire to postpone unpleasant tasks. Again you are going to have to count the number of times this particular trait appears in the writing. TIP: You must count the number of times the procrastination trait appears in the writing in order to evaluate it correctly. If it only appears 5 or 10 percent of the time, the person may have only the desire to put things off. If it appears as often as 50 to 75 percent, then you’ll know the writer postpones everything possible, and especially those things which he finds unpleasant or unappealing; or too difficult, if accompanied by low self-concept. You should never tell them they’re lazy, though they may seem to be. The procrastinator will often be late for appointments. He’ll tell you he’ll do something and then put it off. He has no regard for time, and may ignore deadlines completely. This doesn’t mean he’s a liar; he may have the best of intentions and truly believe he’ll produce on time, yet everything is put off until later. Were you in the finance business, you’d expect such people to be late with payments. This doesn’t mean they’re dishonest, they just disregard deadlines. TIP: You could expect procrastinators to be late with payments.

EVALUATE Now, do some evaluating: add impulsiveness and what do you have? Or, add the poised AB slant and the practical nature and what does this do? Play around with different combinations and you’ll come up with different answers, and all the time you will be learning to be a better analyst. One time I was talking with a used-car dealer in a Cadillac agency. After studying his handwriting, one of the things I told him was that he had a tendency to put things off until tomorrow. He reported I was right in everything but this, that this was the one thing he never, ever allowed himself the luxury of doing. About a week later, I was in the same agency and this same man called me aside and said, “You know, I told my wife what you said, and for the next 10 minutes she told me about all of the things I put off.” He said I was right. “I do procrastinate, but I made such good excuses every time I put something off that I deceived myself.” Page 73


Temper Temper is shown in the t-bar crossed predominantly on the right hand side of the stem. It also is revealed in any short, straight starting stroke. This short, inflexible “tick” just seems to appear out of the air and will not come from the line of reality. Actually, to be temper, it must be made as a quick jab, with the following stroke making a very sharp change of direction, as in Figure 30B.

Figure 30B. Temper in the t-bar Temper is a hostility trait used to resist people who are stepping on our ego. In itself, temper is not really an emotion; it is not anger. What I’m saying is that the person who has a temper and doesn’t understand how to overcome a situation reacts with temper, hoping that will take care of it. Very young children use temper, but as we grow older, most of us learn to control our temper and use it only as a last resort. EVALUATE There are many different types of temper, and if you’ve done your homework you’ll realize that this t-bar in the DE/E+ writer – with his tendency to be impulsive – will cause his temper to fly off very quickly. Also, the pressure of the writing will tell us how strong the temper will be. On the other hand, the temper of AB or FA writers is a calculated type; they use temper for what it will get them. Have you ever watched a child who has found how he can use temper? Observe him trying to see just how far he can push his parents before they refuse to accept what he’s selling with his temper. If the temper stroke is curved, as the shallow thinker’s t-bar is curved, we’d know that he would let his temper go without all the facts. Find a combination of DE slant or E+, a heavy t-bar and shallow-mindedness, and you have a person who flies off the handle very easily, with the slightest provocation. I think you should understand that the defense of the ego is one of the most important motivations to self-preservation. In childhood, as your fears begin to develop, you also develop protective walls around your ego. Temper is one of these defense mechanisms and, if you are doing therapy, I would not recommend that you change temper. To do so would leave the person’s ego open to attack. WARNING: Do not attempt to change temper. It is a defense mechanism and an important motivation to self-preservation. Instead, look for the fear that’s causing it with the goal of eliminating the fear. The temper will then ease up on its own. Page 74

Whenever we find an extremely strong temper, we look for the fear that’s causing it. As we begin to work with this person, we talk to him or her about understanding this fear with the goal of eventually eliminating the fear. As the fear disappears from the handwriting, and the personality, you’ll find that the temper almost immediately will ease and eventually just disappear on its own. Self-Control Next is the concave t-bar, much like an upside-down saucer; this is self-control (Figure 31).

Figure 31. Self-control in the t-bar The weight of the t-bar relates to willpower and the height to goals, so you will know that selfcontrol will be exerted toward a particular type of goal. It bends back toward the line of reality. Sometimes you can look within the writing and also find a desire to control certain fears or problems. To show self-control, the t-bar must not be connected at either end with any other stroke. I’ve often seen self-control shown by an unattached curve stroke under the signature. You may also see this type of stroke under a specific word within the writing. TIP: To show self-control, the t-bar must NOT be connected at either end with any other stroke. When we were considering the E+ writer, remember that I mentioned such writers were the whirlwinds who were capable of hysteria unless there was control? This is the first control you search for in such circumstances. Self-control actually exerts control over the emotional outlay so, where an E+ writer has extreme self-control, it clamps down on the impulsiveness. TIP: Compare the t-bar to a piece of wood; curving the wood adds more and more pressure and strain. If we really get it in a bind, then the person would be close to the breaking point. When we see a t-bar that’s like an umbrella, then immediately we know this writer is under tremendous strain. One time in class a student brought her father-in-law’s handwriting to me. It showed temper with a great deal of self-control (a very curved t-bar predominantly to the right of the t-stem) and I told her that her father-in-law had a very strong temper but that it was controlled, so possibly she hadn’t seen it. I talked a few minutes about him, and when I finished the analysis, the woman told me I was right about everything but the temper; that he was the most mild-mannered Page 75


man you’d ever want to meet, and he didn’t have a temper. I suggested she go home, tell her father-in-law what I’d told her, and see what he’d say. (I had noted also there was no self-deceit in his writing and he was a very frank gentleman.) When the student returned to class the next week, she said, “You know, I understand my father-in-law much better now. He told me he had an extreme temper, and that sometimes he left the house so that no one would hear as he let it go.” This is an example of self-control tied with temper, and when you see this combination you know that other people may never be aware of the temper because of the control. Please try to understand this trait, and when you see it, don’t tell the person that he has a bad habit. Explain that this is a defense mechanism, and don’t immediately ask him to change it. For again, if you are going to be a good analyst, you’ll have to be understanding. You cannot judge what is right or wrong for the other person. As analysts, we cannot sit in judgment.

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CHAPTER 10 - REVIEW WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED 1. You must count the number of times this trait shows in the t-bar in order to evaluate it properly. A. Self-control

B. Temper

C. Sarcasm

D. Procrastination

2. What trait controls over the emotional outlay? A. Self-control B. Temper C. Sarcasm

D. Procrastination

3. Match the following t-bars to the traits listed. A. Self-control B. Temper C. Sarcasm

D. Procrastination

4. Describe the trait of procrastination.

5. Describe the trait of temper. Would you suggest that the writer try to change this?

6. In the case of extremely strong temper, what would you look for? Why?

7. Sarcasm and temper are examples of ______________________.

8. Describe the t-bar of someone who is under tremendous stress and close to the breaking point.

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CHAPTER 11 OPTIMISM, DOMINANCE, IRRITABILITY, DESIRE TO BE DIFFERENT, LOYALTY & ATTENTION TO DETAIL Optimism The optimistic t-bar slants upward to the right, as in Figure 32. When you see this upturn to the t-bar you’ll know the writer expects things to turn out right. However if the upward trend of the t-bar is exaggerated, it can exert a negative influence. When it goes up sharply, it’s too optimistic for the writer’s own welfare – made by the person who believes his fairy godmother will bring his ship in tomorrow. EVALUATE Remember to evaluate; check the slant, pressure, height and weight of the t-bar, and location of the t-bar. Consider what you find and how it all affects the writer. All of these factors will help reveal to you how the writer uses his optimism. Optimism is also shown when the baseline of the writing is slanted up; this is even true when the upward trend is shown in the baseline word by word, causing you to look on the brighter side of life. This is a trait we normally like to see in a person. Such writers know tomorrow will be better.

Figure 32. Optimism in the t-bar and baseline If the t-bar is enthusiastic, then we can add that to the optimism, and if it is heavy we can also add willpower – this would give a much stronger combination. A climbing t-bar curved like a saucer would tell us the writer feels sufficiently informed to face the future without digging deeply for all the facts; and if the t-bar is curved, we know some of the strength is lost. A straight line has more strength than a curved one, remember? The next two t-bars are much the same; there is very little difference in the strokes. However, we find a great deal of difference in the personality. Dominance The dominant person has an extremely heavy t-bar: directed straight forward or downward and it remains extremely heavy to its end. TIP: The dominant t-bar must be heavy in relationship to the rest of the writing. The more downward the slant, the more dominant the personality.

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It must be heavy in relation to the rest of the writing. The more downward the slant, the more dominant the personality. Such writers naturally gravitate toward positions of authority. They boss, they control, they enjoy being in command. There’s a little story I tell my classes about the dominant person: put five men out to dig a ditch with no one in charge. Come back an hour later and you’ll find the one with the dominant personality leaning on his shovel telling the others how to do it. The other men, having accepted him as their leader, will be happily following orders. One time I had a juvenile officer come to me with the handwriting of a young boy being held in detention. They just couldn’t do anything with him – he was really a problem. His handwriting revealed he was a very dominating boy; there was a strong desire for leadership, coupled with a desire for responsibility. I suggested they give him some type of a leadership role. He was so dominant that we knew he was going to lead in some fashion, either for or against. When I received a report from the juvenile officer, he was extremely happy with the results. The boy had excelled immediately when given the responsibility of leading other youngsters. If you deny the dominant employee promotions, or try to keep him at the bottom of the ladder for long, you’ll lose him. A school teacher can look at the writing of their pupils on the first day of the semester and find the ones who will be leaders.

Figure 33. The dominant/domineering t-bars A t-bar starting heavy, with a downward slant, fading to a sharp point, as we have seen in sarcasm (Figure 29), reveals the domineering, arrogant person. The domineering person intends to be boss. There’s a biting, overbearing quality here that is not effective in the personality. Such people tend to assert their authority arrogantly. One thing that surprises such people is to be told they have a tendency to gripe. The down-slanted, sharp-pointed, t-bar is that of the griper. He gets his way by bullying others; although he may get his way for awhile by throwing his weight around, his influence is short-lived. The minute he’s out of earshot, the group will return to whatever they were doing, his high-handed orders forgotten. The domineering person is driving, sarcastic, ineffectual, toward the line of reality. Look carefully at this fear trait. See the reasons behind the domineering quality. Such a writer is defending himself. He feels, at least subconsciously, an inability to control a situation. He’s a weak person (or at least he feels weak) and the strength which is lacking is not physical strength; it is mental strength or force of personality. He tries to control this – to counteract his weakness – by being bossy, and it really just doesn’t come off. Consider this trait a defense mechanism. In some combinations, this is the nagger. What happens when you also find temper? Such writers will demand, and they’ll threaten. Would we not also have to check the slant and the pressure? The t-bar: Is it straight? Concave? Convex? Does the writing show self-control? Or are the tbars shallow? If easily irritated, that would help trigger a very explosive temper. (We’ll show you in the next section how to check irritability.) Remember, the heavier the writing, the stronger the domineering trait becomes. Page 79


Let’s consider the fears here; understanding is the greatest need of all human beings. So, although this person may be arrogant and you may be thinking of him or her as having a nasty personality, it’s quite easy to get through to them. If you’ll look at the fear with them and talk about it, you will have immediately found a friend. Irritability Irritability: “The person easily provoked to anger, easily stimulated to perform some physical function,” the dictionary reports (Figure 34).

Figure 34. Irritability in the i- and j-dots Slashed i- and j-dots, and sharp jabs reveal the existence of irritability. Normally it is triggered by tension. The person is restless, upset about something that’s happening or not happening. A person can be very irritated, yet never say a word to anyone around him. As you noticed in Figure 34, an i-dot may be slashed to the left, the right, or downward. TIP: Be sure to check shape, direction, and slant. How constant are they?

Check how constant the shape and direction of the stroke are within the writing. If every i- and j-dot is a jab, then you know that constant annoyance and tension are always present. What was the slant? In an impulsive, heart-ruled extrovert, irritability will probably come to the surface. Be sure to check the direction of the irritability strokes. I’ve seen this direction change within the writing in a matter of minutes. Review the little man we drew for you in the first chapter and remember, a stroke is a stroke, wherever you find it. TIP: If the slash is jabbed to the left, it is directed at self. If jabbed to the right, it is directed toward others. When the slash is jabbed predominantly to the left, it is directed at self. The irritation results from something happening within the writer’s own life, something he feels he should have accomplished, or changed (and hasn’t), so he’s “mad at himself.” The one we find most predominantly is the i- and j-dot slashed to the right. Would this not be directed toward others? She’s irritated at the incompetence she sees around her; many times we find this in the owners of companies. They constantly react with irritability to what they feel is incompetence.

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EVALUATE Keeping in mind that this irritability is directed at others, look again at the slant of the writing; check for presence of self-control, etc. Study the relative strengths of the strokes so that you’ll know when, why, and how much this irritability is expressed as it is directed toward others. What if the stroke slashes straight down, into the mundane area? Then we know the writer is irritated with the thing at hand, that which he’s doing now. He’s not angry with himself, nor with others; he’s unhappy about something that he’s having to do right now. And when we’re doing an analysis, this is what we tell him. Since people seem to feel we’re fortune tellers, the next question is apt to be, “Well, what am I irritated at?” I explain, “You know what I’m talking about, but I don’t know.” Check the learning ability; does he analyze the facts? If he’s analytical and the i- and j-dots are directed to the left, to the past, to self, then we know he’s constantly measuring what he himself has done, critically. He may be setting goals that are beyond his reach; check and evaluate. Irritability is a mild defense, triggered by tension. An i-dot may start to the left, move down a ways, then up to the right. Using our axiom – a stroke is a stroke wherever you find it – we ask, “Where does it go?” If you follow its track, you see the writer started out toward himself; from there he moved through a consideration of today, and finally ended up relating to the future. Since a curved stroke has less strength than a straight one, the irritability is greatly weakened by the curve in this one and would lose some of its force. Desire to Be Different The desire to be different is also shown in i- and j-dots when they are formed as circles. Such circles, used for i- and j-dots, say “I’m different. I have something which sets me apart from all the others. And this difference is quite important to me.” This might be a mannerism, manner of dress, or conduct. It is something with which the writer identifies, and is somewhat like a desire for attention. It can be either positive or negative in its effect. It will sometimes lend to artistic ability. Whenever I see these circled i- and j-dots, I tell the writer that within his writing he has a strong desire for everyone to know that he’s not an average person, that he’s experiencing a desire to be different. We find that everyone around the writer always agrees with you on this. Quite often this trait develops during childhood, or in the teen years when they go through adolescence and have a strong desire to be noticed.

Figure 35. The desire to be different Once my daughter’s teacher told me she never liked a student who circled his i-dots because she felt it was a sign of dishonesty. I explained that this was only a desire to be different and that it in no way showed dishonesty. Later my daughter told me she never again insisted that the students in her class stop making circle-shaped i- and j-dots. I hadn’t changed the teacher’s mind though, for in all her other classes she continued to insist that the children make this change in the dotting of the i and j. I sincerely hope the day will come when all teachers learn basic handwriting analysis, for teachers have tremendous influence in the forming of personalities. Some of what you are today came through the forced changes your teacher(s) insisted upon; changes he or she required you to make Page 81


in your writing. It scares me when I find a teacher at the sixth or seventh grade level, attempting extreme changes of the handwriting, for I feel a teacher should know what personality traits are being changed before deciding on this or that penmanship pattern. Loyalty Loyalty is a trait which is also found in the i- and j-dots; it is a “period” with no tail, a firm round dot, a distinct touch and lift of the pen (Figure 36).

Figure 36. Loyalty in the i- and j-dot Loyalty supports a person’s convictions – their philosophy – and normally is a stabilizer. The loyal person is faithful to her ideals. I was very surprised after I’d been an analyst for some years to learn that not everyone has the same concept of loyalty. I was doing a business analysis one time and the owner of this company was very happy because I saw loyalty within the writing. This writer, however, had every stroke fall within the DE or E+ area. Since he was an extreme extrovert, his loyalty would remain for a long time after he should have pulled it. Loyalty can be misdirected. You can be loyal to people long after they cease to deserve it. A prime example of this is in the criminal element; we find them so loyal to their twisted codes that they will even go to prison rather than reveal who actually committed a crime. EVALUATE Check to see if the loyal person is analytical; if so, he sifts facts to find what is right. Loyalty will add to pride and dignity as you study further and get to look at the philosophical beliefs of the person. You will want to check to see how loyal he is to his ideals. How many close friends does he have – how loyal is he to them? An extremely loyal person does not offer his friendship lightly or casually. Attention to Detail and Memory Where is the i-dot? In addition to observing whether it is a dot, a slash, or a circle, check to see where it is placed in relation to the stem of the i or j. This one little fact becomes important to you as an analyst; or to the salesman or employer. Is it small and insignificant – where does the dot go? Are not details and memory important? Are they not extremely important? The closer to the stem the dot is, the more attention is paid to detail, the more observant the writer, and therefore, the better the memory (Figure 37). Details are important to everyone in their everyday life.

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Figure 37. Attention to detail, memory Whenever we see an extrovert with a lack of attention to detail, we know that this person would be unhappy confined to a desk doing detail work, or working on an assembly line. If he has to work with details and sit in one place for a long period of time, he’ll become extremely nervous. On the other hand, the introvert who has the dot placed close to the stem does pay attention to working with his mind and hands, and he’d do well on an assembly line. If his writing is quite small, he’d be a very good bookkeeper or watchmaker. If the dot close to the stem is slashed we know that the memory is close at hand; probably the writer is recalling something that has happened to him and he’s griping about it. What would happen if we had loyalty very close to the stem? We’d have a very good memory wouldn’t we? The farther the dot is from the stem, the farther the writer buries things in his subconscious mind. And, if the dot is placed far away, then we know that close attention will not be given to whatever he hears; so it will be harder for him to remember. TIP: To improve memory, bring the i- and the j-dots closer to the stem.

Often during therapy I will suggest that a person who wants to improve his memory bring the iand j-dots closer to the stems, keeping in mind that too much of anything can be negative. Were you to take a fast-moving salesman and give him too much attention to detail, he’d get so mired in details he couldn’t do his job well. Again, whether the trait is negative or positive is relative to each person and to whether this attention to detail is needed within this particular personal life – the choice is up to the individual. When there’s both loyalty and attention to detail, you will find that the person gets things correct the first time and adheres to what he’s found. If the dots are a long way from the stems and most of them placed on the left of the stems, we’d be alerted to look at the t-bars because this would give indications that there might be some procrastination. It doesn’t prove that this writer procrastinates, but it is a warning. It suggests you check the t-bars for evidence of procrastination. If the t-bars reveal procrastination, then the dots being placed to the left of the stems further strengthens that evidence. If the i-dot is predominantly to the right, we’d check the t-bars to see how much temper there is. Again, if temper is found in the t-bars, you can identify the placing of the i- and j-dot to the right of the stem as confirming evidence. Page 83


If a person were reporting on an event to me and his i- and j-dots were a long way from the stems, I’d keep in mind that his story might not be too accurate. There’s a good chance he hadn’t looked or listened too closely in his original observations. Absentmindedness The absence of t-bars, i-dots, and sometimes j-dots, is normally called absentmindedness. I would like to qualify this statement in that the absence of t-bars and i-dots means that the writer is not paying much attention to what he is doing; the mind is thinking of other things. If the writing is very large, we realize there is wandering of the mind, and the thought processes are far from concentrated. If the writing is very small, we understand that the writer is concentrating so very hard on some project that he forgets everything else around him. When we see absence of t-bars, i-dots, and j-dots, we usually tell the person that he or she has many things on their mind, other than what they are doing.

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1. Optimism is displayed by: A. A t-bar slanted up to the right B. A baseline slanted up to the right C. Both A and B D. None of the above

2. Can optimism be a negative trait? Explain.

3. Describe a dominant t-bar. What other traits should you look for?

4. What characterizes absentmindedness in the handwriting? Explain how letter size affects this trait.

5. What change would you recommend to improve attention to detail and memory?

6. How is loyalty displayed in the handwriting?

7. How can you tell if someone has the desire to be different?

8. What can the t-bar tell you about irritability, e.g. cause and/or direction?

9. When evaluating irritability, what braking trait should you also look for?

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CHAPTER 12 LOOPED LETTERS & THE IMAGINATION In this chapter we’ll discuss looped letters. A loop anywhere in the writing registers the imagination of the writer. MEMORIZE: The narrower the loop, the less the imagination; the larger the loop, the more increased the imagination.

Before we consider the many looped letters and each of their individual meanings, it is vital you understand this rule well. Memorize it. Whenever you see a loop, whether in the philosophical, the mundane, or the material area of writing, you’ll know the loop relates to the imagination in that area. And anytime you see an over-inflated loop, realize that this increases the imagination. TIP: A loop enclosing imagination has an important relationship to every other trait, and the amount of the imagination (size of loop) shown will affect every other trait. Sensitivity to Criticism Sensitivity to criticism, or fear of disapproval, is shown by loops in the stem of the t and d (Figure 38).

Figure 38. Sensitivity to criticism From the time of birth, man is conditioned by the outside influences that surround him. Many of the people who exert influence intend to help, but not all the influences of family members, friends, teachers, and others about him are good. To a very young child, it often seems that everyone is against him. We’re told from early childhood, “You’re just like your father!” or “You’re just like your mother!” or “You have your father’s stubbornness!” And from almost day one, we tell a child, Page 87


“Don’t speak until you’re spoken to, “ “Go sit in the corner and be still,” or “Go play.” And how many times have you heard the expression, “Mother knows best.” When the child starts school, he or she begins to learn to make disjoined strokes (printing). About the time they’ve really mastered these, they’re discarded, because in the third grade they have to start all over again, with cursive (joined strokes). At this time they’re thrown into a world where they have to compete; they’re graded, and if their grades don’t match those of the other children, they’re criticized. They’re criticized if they get their clothes dirty or torn, and they’re criticized if they don’t play with the other children. The adults psychoanalyze the child, and the schools have either trained professional or amateur psychologists who are certain they know what’s best for the child. Sensitivity is one of the two most common of all fears and my heart goes out to the supersensitive individual, for he’s crying real tears. He wants everyone to like him. He’s telling you, “I need your approval, please help me.” If the loops are small, as shown in Figure 38, then we realize that the writer relates to other people’s problems. He feels for others. The sensitive loops are found only in the t and the d. Let me now give you another rule that you should memorize: MEMORIZE: The loop within the t-stems relates to sensitivity to criticism of the writer’s philosophical beliefs, ideals, and personal code of ethics. The looped d relates to sensitivity to criticism with regard to self, personal mannerisms, speech, dress, “me” personality. It is very important that you understand this basic difference. Such a writer has a desire for friends and for their approval, so we know that she’ll be susceptible to flattery in the area in which she is sensitive. I remember once gaining an appointment with the president of a very large corporation, after having tried for some time to get in. As I entered his office, he looked at his watch and informed me that he was a very busy man, that I could have fifteen minutes of his valuable time, and that he was doing me a favor as most people were only allowed seven minutes. In fifteen minutes he expected me to explain to him how I could help him and his company with this new psychological testing thing I called handwriting analysis. He wanted to question its validity and my ability, and he was going to give me fifteen minutes to change his mind about handwriting analysis. This was a very large account; in fact, it was a nationwide account and it meant a great deal to the company for whom I was working. I had been handed some of his handwriting when I entered the office, and as I looked at it I saw some large, looped d’s. They just seemed to jump off the paper at me. So rather than get down to business immediately, I complimented him on his very bright tie and how well it suited him and his personality and how well it went with the suit that he had on. He just seemed to beam. We talked for a minute about the clothier where he bought his clothes. I mentioned that it was quite unusual in this day and age to see a man with a crewcut and how well it set him off, that it was obvious he had good taste in barbers. And I asked him who his barber was. Page 88

After he’d taken about ten minutes of my time, I glanced at his writing and began to talk about his sensitivity to criticism, how much he wanted everyone to like him and how few people truly understood his need for friendship. This was about two in the afternoon, and at seven that evening we had moved from the office to this man’s home and I finally had to excuse myself as I had an eight o’clock lecture. My fifteen minutes turned into five hours because I was able to see this man’s need for friends. We not only got the account, I made a friend. However, everything I had told him about his appearance was true. Your compliments must be sincere; the person must deserve them. Otherwise the person quite often will see through your “compliments.” TIP: Understanding the fear underlying sensitivity to criticism will be very important to you as an analyst. The sensitive person may have withdrawn within himself to the degree that his slant has moved back to FA. In such an extreme case, he’d hold his hurts within himself; while he was being criticized, he’d say nothing. If his writing was very heavy as well, you would know that his hidden hurt would be very deep and long-lasting. If you criticize him, bear in mind that he’ll remember it. He may brood over it for a lifetime. He’ll stack these hurts up, and – since there is no outlet – the hurts will grow and grow within him, until finally his situation becomes somewhat like a tea kettle left on a fire; eventually it will explode. Since the loop denotes the imagination, the larger the loop the greater the imagination. Remember the looped t’s indicate the writer’s intentions, plans, results of his efforts, things he mentally intends to accomplish, or has accomplished. The looped d’s indicate his personal appearance, his mannerisms, speech, and actions; everything that is a part of him. And since we know that short t-stems (less than two times the mundane area) are an indication of independence, then we’d know if the short t-stem is looped, he’d be sensitive to criticism about his independence. Paranoia As the loop grows larger it magnifies the sensitiveness until – when the loop becomes extremely large – the writer will be characterized by extreme suspicion and delusions, and may show confused thought processes and some extreme forms of maladjustment. Quite often he will have a logical systematized type of delusion. What I’m saying is that such a writer rationalizes his own thinking and believes that those who oppose or differ with him are always wrong. He will appear to act normally in all of his activities, except in the area of his delusions. This is the person who wants everyone to like him. His imagination in the area of sensitivity to criticism is so large, he’ll listen to every conversation, recording it within his brain. Later he’ll go over every word that’s been said and ask himself, “What did he mean by that?” And his imagination will try to seek out a derogatory meaning as it relates to himself. Can you understand the hurt? The feeling of loneliness that comes with a person who wants everyone to like him, yet imagines that everyone is against him? The psychiatrists and psychologists have a word that fits such a person: paranoia.

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Guilt When the top of the loop becomes almost flat, as shown in Figure 39, we also have a guilt complex included. Let’s follow the stroke from the baseline, or line or reality: it goes up to the philosophical or idea area, and then straight back into the past, reliving past hurts, and encompassing a great deal of imagination before returning to the baseline. Since it does come back to the baseline, we know that eventually the writer does come back to reality.

Figure 39. Guilt, flat-topped loops

EVALUATE I have seen DE writers whose d’s and t’s indicated FA slant. This is quite easy to evaluate: very outgoing until someone criticizes, then withdrawing into self. Pull back, don’t let anyone get close. Think of the top of the loop in relation to what you’ve discovered about learning abilities, and then you’ll realize that this round, almost flat-topped structure is made by a person who needs all the facts – that he is slow and methodical in his sensitiveness as well as in his thinking. (Where the loop-tops are sharp-pointed, his sensitivity would be investigative.) This flattopped d or t relates to guilt which can be either real or imagined. For the paranoid, everything is real. At times, that which he experiences in his imagination is even more real than reality. Consider a d where we find the stroke which makes the d going up, around, very large and then just playing out as it starts back toward the line of reality. This writer has allowed her fear to get so far out of hand that it’s all-inclusive; and, since we realize that the baseline relates to reality, then she has really lost touch with reality, hasn’t she? Her imagination has worked so far afield that she can’t tell you what really started the hurt. This doesn’t mean she’s lying to you; she believes everything she’s telling you. Employment and Relationships with Extremely Sensitive People When doing a job classification on an extremely sensitive person, we’ll understand that this is one who will need praise constantly. Put him to work with a group of people and before too long he’ll begin to imagine someone in the group is plotting against him. He can’t work long with a group before he finds someone he believes is working towards his downfall. Consider a hypothetical case where the boss wanders in some morning: maybe he’s had a fight with his wife so he scowls at everyone as he enters the office or plant. Now the sensitive person feels vibrations and when the boss scowls at him, his entire day has been destroyed, because the sensitive one immediately asks himself, “What did I do?” And then he proceeds to go over all the things that the boss could have found out about him. After spending some time in consideration he decides he hasn’t done anything wrong, so he decides someone must be plotting against him. Then he spots a person as he looks around, someone he’s sure told the boss something about Page 90

him. He tells himself, “If someone is plotting against me, it’s all right to cause him a little trouble too (such as telling the other guys something about him in return).” Actually this is done to protect his own ego, to survive; to him self-survival is threatened and is all-important. If you’re the boss it may be days before you realize there is dissension among your people. It may take even longer before you’re able to trace its origin and find out what’s disrupting the organization. The sensitive person really meant no harm for he has a strong need to have friends. Really, I think the key to being a good analyst is understanding the sensitive person. You know when you see the writing. You begin to tell this person that many times she imagines people are against her. Tell her that if someone across the room looks up from a conversation, she’s sure they’re talking about her, or if she walks up to a group and the conversation stops, again she’s sure they were discussing her. You see, to her she’s the most important person on earth. She’s sure that everyone else has the desire to worry about her problems. The sensitive person has an extreme desire for acceptance of her standards, her way of life. Throughout her lifetime, she’s been hurt and criticized. This has made approval and praise all the more necessary to her. TIPS FOR EMPLOYERS: For an extremely sensitive employee, give lots of sincere compliments. If you have an employee whose writing has looped d’s or t’s, realize he needs compliments. If you appreciate and need him, let him know; he’ll work untiringly for you. Above all though, be honest and sincere with him. TIP: Sensitive loved ones need sincere belief and understanding that you feel for them. Be gentle when explaining this trait. If you have a sensitive loved one, understand that she needs sincere belief. Realize how much her feelings are worn upon her sleeve. When you begin to explain this trait of fear to her, treat her gently. Let her understand that you feel for her. Realize that this is one of the strongest causes of the many, many defense traits that we’ll be learning about in this course.

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1. What is unique about loops that indicate the presence of guilt? Draw it.

2. Sensitivity to criticism comes from a fear of ____________________.

3. Sensitivity to criticism is displayed by a lack of loops in the stems of d’s and t’s. ______ True _____ False

4. How would you advise employers and/or family members to deal with people who are extremely sensitive to criticism?

5. How does paranoia appear in someone’s handwriting, if you were to choose only one letter?

6. Understanding the fear underlying sensitivity to criticism will be very important to you as an analyst. _____ True _____ False

7. Sensitivity to criticism is considered a defense mechanism. _____ True _____ False

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CHAPTER 13 LOWER LOOP LETTERS & PHYSICAL IMAGINATION There are seven lower loop letters: f, g, j, y, p, q, and z. We find that the lower loops of all of these letters (except the f and p) relate to the imagination in the material-physical area of the writer’s life. Socially Selective EVALUATE The first loop we’ll consider is the long, narrow loop, as seen in Figure 40. In evaluating this, we see that there is very little loop, so we know there is very little imagination. The size of the loop in the physical area will relate to our acceptance of friends, to our imagination as to the physical things which you can touch in life. Those who make the long, narrow loops are selective, careful in their choice of friends. They accept very few people into their inner circle. I haven’t said they dislike people; what I did say is that they choose their friends very carefully. They ask themselves, “Does this person have the same interests I have? Is their circle of friends the same? How will ‘being friends’ affect me?”

Figure 40. Long, narrow loops Usually I tell a person who’s selective about choosing friends that he can count all of the friends he truly trusts on one hand, and he probably won’t need all the fingers. He may have to think about this for a minute, but then he’ll agree. Desire for Change and Travel If this lower loop is long, there’s a strong desire for change, for variety, to move about and not stay in any one place for long. There’s a desire to travel; such writers usually enjoy travelogues or travel shows, and although they may not be able to travel, they don’t like to be tied down. We see a good, healthy imagination in Figure 41, a person who uses their imagination to understand. It’s a normal-sized loop and the writer’s imagination is used for constructive purposes. There’s no confusion here.

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Figure 41. Normal-sized imagination loops Confusion of Interests / Too many irons in the fire Now let’s consider the lower loop you see in Figure 42. You’ll notice that the long lower loops are overwritten by the line of writing below them. The name of the trait this illustrates is confusion. It says, “I have many interests and I’m attempting to do many jobs at one time. I scatter my energies. I’m constantly on the go. I’m always looking for something new.”

Figure 42. Confusion in the lower loops I once did an analysis for one of the agency directors in the home office of a very large company. He later told me that the analysis was just fine except for one thing: I had stated that he had too many irons in the fire, and he’d have me know that he had no extra-curricular activities, that he’d go to Kansas and not even get started squaring away things there before they’d have him in California. All he did was work and run all week long, and never had time for any outside interests or activities because of his job. I grinned as I told him, “Well, I really can’t tell whether you have too many irons in the fire on your job, or off. I just know that you’re going in so many directions at once and have so many things to do that you’re confused.” He agreed. EVALUATE When there’s confusion, you will need to check the height of the t-bars to see if there are limitations with regard to the writer’s goals, what his learning abilities and habits are, how deeply he digs. Is there shallowness in the t-bars? All these have an effect on his confusion. Exaggeration, Trust and Gullibility The next trait we’ll study is shown by exaggerated, fat, lower loops:

Figure 43. Exaggeration in the lower loops Page 94

The writer who makes this oversized lower loop enlarges upon everything where material interest applies. Although he may not intend to deceive or mislead, he takes a grain of truth and blows it way out of proportion, since everything he observes is exaggerated by his own imagination. However, he doesn’t consider he’s lying. EVALUATE When you find these extremely large lower loops in the writing, examine the t-bars; if the bar is enthusiastic, this encourages exaggeration. If he were also an impulsive extrovert, that too would provide a fertile setting. He’s a good story teller by the way – he can hold you spellbound. When we realize that this is related to our physical world and our acceptance of people, we know that such a person is trusting and gullible, that he accepts everyone as his friend and thinks everyone is going to treat him fairly. He’s going to be in for constant heartache, particularly if he is ruled by his heart Generosity Generosity can be seen in 45 degree ending strokes and also revealed by large spaces between letters within words. I have found it rare to find an authentically generous person. That’s what I said: very few people really give from a place of pure selflessness. In my experience with most of them, when they give, you search for the hook; they often expect loyalty in return and want you to give your loyalty to the friendship unquestioningly. So, of course, the gullible fellow believes what he’s told. He enlarges on what he believes and then is constantly unhappy with his return. If you want to impress him with your knowledge as an analyst, tell him that he trusts too many people when you see generosity...they can often relate to that. Again, if he is ruled by his heart, you know that a sad story will bring tears to his eyes. If he also has an extreme imagination, he can relate to anyone’s problems. The imagination will increase his feelings and he may go to the very depths of despair. Incomplete Physical Drives

Figure 44.

Incomplete drives

Here the stroke moves down, turns, and fades as it moves back toward the baseline. It never reaches the line of reality. Were it a balloon, it would be open. All of the imagination spills out. This shows a sense of frustration. Is shows an incomplete drive in the physical area. When this is incomplete it’s a mental thing, but it relates to frustration in the physical life. Teenage Y The next lower loop we’ll look at is found predominantly in the y loop and is a stroke that moves down from the baseline and back into the past, as you see in Figure 45. I have never really seen Page 95


this stroke named in the literature, but for many years I’ve called it the teenage y. Although you may see it in adults’ writing, more predominantly it appears in teenagers’ script: usually beginning at age 12 to 13, and disappearing somewhat around 17 or 18. EVALUATE Let’s evaluate this stroke: first, we go down into the physical area of our life, then we return to the past, and there we stay; never to come back to reality, just examining the past in the physical area (sex, body, activity, etc.).

Figure 45. The teenage y When I see this trait I immediately look at the h loop in the philosophical area. If the h loop is much higher than the rest of the writing, then I know there are some very high beliefs in the h, that he has had some very strong philosophical beliefs there. Now, what has happened to this youngster that has caused him or her to revert to the past in the physical or material area of life? In our religious teachings here in the United States quite often we leave the feeling with our children that desire and sex are taboo. Until the early teenage years, youngsters really have had no interest in the opposite sex; yet all of a sudden the normal biological urges begin to stir. Girls begin to notice the boys, and the boys return their interest. The problem lies in what they do about these urges. First, they go into the past and try to find something that will tell them what to do. These problems are normally solved for them through education and marriage as they grow into young men and women. If the problem is solved, you’ll see this teenage y disappear from the writing. TIP: Consider the age of the writer when evaluating the teenage y. So when you spot this y in the writing of a teenager, you’ll know it’s perfectly normal and expected. If it is in the writing of an adult, you’ll realize that the writer has never truly reached a balance between the physical and philosophical areas in his life. Fear of Intimacy / Fear of Trust Next, let’s consider the completely repressed or retraced lower loop (Figure 46). This is the anti-trust stroke made by one who has completely eliminated imagination from his physical life. He has also eliminated people and close friendships: he trusts no one. I seem to find this more in the extrovert’s handwriting than the introvert; probably because extroverts are outgoing people and they generally tend to trust others; yet, when they feel this trust has been betrayed, they close up. When a betrayal situation recurs, they repress people and cease to allow close friendships. Many times this will happen because of fear, for if you never let anyone get close to your ego, then you never have to worry about being harmed by someone stepping on it. The writer who makes this retraced lower loop is often very lonely, yet has a crying need for friends.

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Figure 46. Retraced lower loop Loner About this time, someone in class usually asks about the person who makes a straight, downward stroke, such as you see in Figure 47. Usually I explain that such a writer doesn’t need anyone, that he’s capable of making it alone. These people are the loners of life, and if you’re around one for any period of time, you’ll observe she is very self-sufficient.

Figure 47.

Straight, downward stroke of the loner

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1. The lower loops of what letters relate to imagination in the material/physical area? What are the exceptions?

2. What trait does a completely retraced or repressed lower loop show?

3. Describe the teenage y in terms of the past, the future and the line of reality. Write an example of a teenage y.

4. The following description of a lower loop shows what trait? The stroke moves down, turns, and fades as it moves back toward the baseline. It never reaches the line of reality. Were it a balloon, it would be open. All of the imagination spills out. This shows a sense of frustration. Write an example of this lower loop.

5. What happens to lower loops when confusion is present?

6. How are lower loops for social selectiveness distinguished from a desire for change and travel?

7. What three traits do extremely large lower loops indicate? _____________________, ____________________ and _________________.

8. What thing(s) do you need to check for when you see confusion in the handwriting?

9. What trait shows that someone chooses their friends carefully? Describe the lower loops that show this.

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CHAPTER 14 DETERMINATION, THE BLUFFER, EXCLUSIVENESS, SOCIAL SELECTIVENESS & REVIEW OF MATERIAL IMAGINATION You’ll remember while we considered the E+ slant, we discussed controls, applying brakes, slowing down. We discovered the curved t-bar (self-control) has this braking effect, and that the heavy t-bar is willpower, which helps to establish goals. The next trait is also a very valuable one, as it assists in the accomplishments of any goals the writer established, as well as any goals the writer accepts which have been established by others. This is determination, and it is found in the downstrokes extending below the baseline. Determination

Figure 48. Downstrokes ending below baseline: determination These downstrokes may be simple strokes, or they may be part of a loop which relates to material imagination. They must be extensions downward of strokes starting in the mundane area. The longer the stroke below the baseline, the more enduring the determination. The heavier the stroke, the more forceful and strong the determination. EVALUATE If the stroke is short, the writer has determination which will last through a short project; she’d need to be assigned jobs which could be completed rather quickly. You can tell such a writer that if she can’t finish a project in a short time, she’s apt to be easily distracted or drawn to something else (this is especially true if her slant is DE or E+). The heavier the stroke, the more forceful the person becomes in her determination to do something. When I talk about heaviness of the stroke, I am referring to its weight in relation to the rest of the writing. It must be relatively heavier for you to give it the value of forceful determination. If the stroke becomes heavier and thicker as it moves downward, the person possesses a reserve of powerful determination which becomes evident when she’s pushed or detoured. There is hidden strength which makes the writer all the more determined in the face of obstacles or delays. At first it may appear she’s going to bend when pushed, but the rougher the situation gets, the more determined she is to see it through to the finish. The strength may be hidden until the chips are down, but it is there. Page 99


If the determination downstroke is much lighter than the rest of the writing or if the downstroke fades, you can’t depend on the determination as it has very little staying power. If the stroke moves down toward the baseline and usually stops there, or moves forward at the baseline (moves on down below the baseline), then it, too, is measured for its relative value of determination. TIP: After establishing slant and pressure, look next at goals, enthusiasm, and willpower. Then look at determination, which tells how the writer is going to accomplish goals. I once worked for Paul Meyer, who heads a large motivation company. One of Paul’s stories tells of being a young man, broke, almost destitute, and going to work in the insurance field. He was given a battery of psychological tests and advised to work in a service station, that he’d never make it as a salesman. When I looked at his writing, the amount of determination he showed was amazing. Paul holds very little favor with psychological testing devices because they so often fail to show the amount of willpower and determination. If you believe strongly enough that you can accomplish anything, it becomes a fact. Your determination to accomplish a goal will have more than a little to do with your success. This is the reason why handwriting analysis can tell what a man will do with his talents better than all the other psychological tests devised. The other tests may reveal a man’s aptitudes – what he’s capable of doing – but very seldom can they measure the determination and the willpower he’ll use. Incidentally, Paul Meyer became one of the world’s top salesmen. So you now have an idea what a man can do with his goals when he also has strong determination. Bluffer Long, heavy downstrokes which are heavily exaggerated reveal the bluffer. See Figure 49 and remember our discussion about too much of anything?

Figure 49.

Heavily exaggerated downstrokes of the “bluffer”

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Exclusiveness and Social Selectiveness Exclusiveness is shown by small, squared or rounded circles at the bottom of the lower loops on the g, y, or j. This is the person who excludes all but a few from his society of fellowship, one who is selective in the choice of his associates and limits close, intimate friends to one or two (Figure 50). Actually, if the stroke does not return to the line of reality, this also shows signs of physical frustration in the physical life.

Figure 50. Exclusiveness in the lower loops There is a small amount of imagination, but it will be directed at one person. If such a writer is outgoing, he could be popular and well-liked, and enjoy the company of many people, but you will find that he still would prefer his own clique, his own people. There has been some speculation that this is the sign of homosexuality; I tend to disagree. In fact, if you were depending upon this trait alone, you could not even see the tendencies. In the graphotherapy course we will show you homosexual tendencies. However, as far as I know, it is impossible to say definitely that a person is a homosexual. Exclusiveness is just what it says, the exclusion of others from our inner life. This stroke has also been termed clannishness. This, however, is a term that can be misunderstood, so I prefer exclusiveness. When this is present, check the insecurities within the person. Find out what they need to select. This completes our study of lower loops, or the lower stroke formations applying to material imagination. Let’s review what we’ve learned. Review of Material Imagination in the Lower Loops The person with material imagination sees everything as a challenge. He needs to change things. He sees how things will work. The architect is one of the types of people with material imagination. His imagination makes him want to change our world to something better, something greater. Such people know how to use nature to help us. Material imagination is reaching out, to touch, seeing a room and knowing what it will look like with the furniture and furnishing it. If the writing is quite heavy as well, we know that the writer has a very strong color sense. Imagination helps him use that. How will he use his imagination if there are no upper loops? In such cases, we know that everything will be imagined in the material sense. From this moment forward, each time you consider a trait you will have to consider the imagination used. If the writer is jealous, the imagination can blow something that is not important into a mountain, way out of proportion. If there’s self-deceit, the imagination can enlarge upon everything which the writer deceives himself about. Add sensitivity to criticism and everything that offends the writer is exaggerated.

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1. Determination can be found in upstrokes extending into the upper zone. _____ True ___ False

2. What does the determination stroke mean if it is heavy?

3. What does the determination stroke mean if it is short?

4. Describe the downstrokes of a bluffer.

5. Does exclusiveness also indicate physical frustration? Draw a lower loop that indicates exclusiveness.

6. The person with material imagination sees everything as a __________________. What type of occupation typically requires this trait? ____________________

7. What trait tells how a writer will accomplish his goals?

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CHAPTER 15 UPPER LOOP LETTERS Philosophical Imagination The upper loops above the mundane area relate to the abstract philosophical imagination and our religious beliefs. Our philosophies relating to religion can be Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, etc. So, although the upper loops do apply to our religious feelings, we’ll not consider this as a church-oriented trait, even though you will remember we talked about the h and l as relating to religion. EVALUATE Again, with philosophical imagination, the size of the loop will tell you how much imagination is evident. We would need to add one rule here: TIP: The farther the loop extends into the abstract, the farther it extends from reality. Which way do the upper loops lean? Remember from your first lesson: going forward with a forward stroke, the philosophical desire is to penetrate the unknown, get away from everyday experiences. What type of top does it have? Is it comprehensive? Investigative? Does it encompass everything that comes by? Does the loop lean to the left? If so, then we’ll know that this will relate to the past, the past experiences. How wide is the loop? How much imagination does it contain? How high or how far from reality is there a desire to go? If it is very high, we know that the person has a far-reaching philosophy. If it’s short, he needs to stay closer to reality. If the loops are closed (Figure 51) then you know that he is not open to suggestions. You’ll have to prove your philosophies to him, for he’s interested only in the facts. Lack of Spiritual Imagination

Figure 51. Closed upper loops When I first became an analyst, I read many books. I was studying with a handwriting school in Chicago, Illinois. I had gone in my first year for some of their resident training. I was very disturbed about some of the ministers I had met who had very, very narrow upper loops in the h’s and l’s. In fact, they had no spiritual imagination. Page 103


I had a very good teacher (Mary Cherry in Primary Traits Class) and about the third day I asked her about the preacher who had eliminated all of his spiritual imagination. I felt he couldn’t be a very good minister if he had no spiritual imagination. Mrs. Cherry pointed out to me that if he had established a philosophy, a code of ethics, if he was no longer searching, then he’d no longer have the imagination. This made sense to me, for we find that with an established code of ethics, one would have to have the facts before he’d change. When you see this narrow upper loop, you can tell the writer that he has established his code of ethics and intends to live by it; whether the code fits society’s customs or not, it’s his code, and he’ll live by it. You’ll be surprised how often they will agree with you immediately. Permissive Loops When the loop becomes larger and larger (Figure 52) begin to realize that this person is looking for the facts. The large, round tops say that he’s taking all philosophies in, that he will consider those of the people about him.

Figure 52. Large upper loops EVALUATE Now we must do some evaluation, how this will affect his personality. A head-ruled person would ask, “Is this philosophy best for me?” before he’d accept it. Unless there’s a great deal of self-control, the heart-ruled extrovert will go along with whomever he’s near. He’d relate to them and their ideas. He wouldn’t ponder over it, he’d just accept whatever philosophy he’s exposed to at that time. We could almost say that he’ll go for anything. These have been called permissive loops. If you have a child with these large loops, then you’ll know to watch everything carefully about the company he or she keeps. Since such a person accepts others’ ideas and philosophies, he becomes permissive in all areas of his life. We must consider how these views affect others. In order to make a decision, we have to look at the accompanying traits. Is he dominating? Domineering? Does he inflict his ideas on others? Do we find sarcasm? Is he easily irritated most of the time? With loyalty and a great imagination, he will believe and be very loyal. With long, narrow upper loops, he would be loyal to his philosophical beliefs, would stay very strongly loyal to his code of ethics or ideals.

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1. What do closed upper loops indicate?

2. What things are important to consider about the shape of the upper loop? Explain why each is important.

3. What does it mean when upper loops become larger and larger? What are these loops called?

4. What other traits need to be looked at when evaluating the upper loops described in question #3?

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CHAPTER 16 INDEPENDENCE, PRIDE, VANITY, DIGNITY, STUBBORNNESS & DELIBERATENESS Independence You remember in an earlier chapter, we discussed independence, shown in the height of the t- and d-stems. Independence is shown by a stem less than twice the height of the mundane area. In measuring this, include the mundane area. The independent person sets his own standards, disregards customs when they don’t suit him, has his own ideas, makes up his mind independently, and has the ability to think for himself. When the t- and d-stem indicate independence in thought and action, the stroke is shorter, staying close to the line of reality. If this very short d- or t-stem is looped, it adds sensitivity to criticism, yet it would be towards the independence. Although the independent person may seem to have a desire for others’ approval, this is not true. You’ll find he really desires his own approval. Independence says, “I must think well of myself.” He sets his own standards and the approval that he is looking for comes from within himself. Pride Now let’s consider a stem which extends farther from the line of reality, a little more than twice the mundane area; this reveals pride of achievement. Pride is shown in the d- or t-stem from a little over twice the mundane area to a little over three times the mundane area (Figure 53).

Figure 53. Pride in the t- and d-stems Here I might give you another thought: many times an analyst will tell you that this is an exact measurement. It is very difficult for me to believe that a fraction of an inch can make the difference between independence and pride. So, of necessity, there must be a small gray area between pride and independence, where the pride would not be strong, for there would be enough independence to hold the pride down. Pride is a spur to achievement. Pride says “You must think well of me, too!” How does a person measure their own conduct? Pride is something that a person feels; it has to do with their desires. It can produce a feeling of elation. Pride is the striving for approval from others. Pride says “I can stand straighter, and I hold myself in high esteem.” So always realize that pride is the desire for approval. TIP: Remember to consider pride with every other trait in the handwriting. Since pride is a spur to achievement, then would we say that pride is always a positive trait? Of course not. The criminal would take a great deal of pride in his achievements. I once spent some Page 106

time talking with an expert safecracker and roof-top burglar. His handwriting showed pride – in fact, sometimes extreme pride. He was organizing a school of safecrackers and he wanted to organize crime in the small town where he lived. When you saw the pride in his handwriting, you could certainly understand his thought patterns. My own handwriting shows pride, sometimes almost extreme pride. In most cases my pride has been used as a measurement and a spur to accomplish a new kind of life, to begin to become a respected handwriting analyst. So my tall t- and d-stems mean that I am stretching upward in order to be seen and approved. When you find a writer who makes a tall d, you know that he is reaching above surrounding objects. The independence or pride shown within the d-stem would relate to the personal self. Either of these two traits shown in the t-stem relates to our ideas, our beliefs, what we hope to accomplish in life. EVALUATE Pride will sometimes act as a brake against impulsiveness, much as a car slowing down, and it will at times cause a person to react according to the rules merely because he wishes society’s approval. Pride really governs a person’s attitude toward others. A person might be too proud to show his temper, or he may be proud of his loyalty. We’d have to look at the other traits in the writing to decide where the pride is directed. With dignity added, you have a conformist who will like modernistic things and conform to today. TIP: Pride governs a person’s attitude toward others. Evaluate to discover where pride is directed.

Does her pride indicate that she is proud of her intentions, her plans, and the results of her efforts? Or is it her personality shown in her d’s? If jealousy is shown with pride, it’s a spur to even greater accomplishment. A weak person, with no willpower and no determination would be a frustrated one. Remember to consider pride with every other trait in the writing. How much physical imagination is there? How much sensitivity to criticism? What other trait can you find, to which you can relate the person’s pride? If you are truly becoming an effective handwriting analyst and if you intend to become a graphoanalytical psychologist, then you must evaluate each and every trait in relation to the other traits that you have found in the writing. Vanity Let us now extend the t- and d-stems even farther from reality; let’s take them up to above three times the mundane area, above the gray area that is between pride and vanity (Figure 54).

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Figure 54. Vanity in the t- and d-stems I’ve heard many an argument about vanity. Vanity is an overgrowth of pride. This is extending pride into the extreme. I’ve heard many analysts say there’s a place for vanity; there’s a need for this extremely exaggerated pride in order to balance the writer’s life. Vanity is the indication of a strong self-love. It feeds on its own self-gratification; I guess we could also call this egotism. In my own experience, there has only been a time or two that I’ve found vanity that wasn’t used in a negative sense. Vanity says, “I’ve waited and waited for you to pat me on the back for my great achievements, and you haven’t done so; therefore, I’ll pat myself on the back.” Or, “I’ve decided that since you’ve refused to approve of me, I’ll approve of myself.” TIP: In hiring, vanity is always a problem. There is a tendency to oversell ability. Each tells you that he can do anything anyone else can do, in half the time. As the egotist repeats these tales, he begins to believe them. He is always selling himself long and then feeling very bad because he cannot deliver what he has sold. In the sales field, we find this happening quite often. There will be a tendency to say, “I am great. I know I’m great...so why should I care?” When I went to work for Success Motivation Institute, my immediate boss had a rather heavyset son who sat in front of the television the whole day long and literally refused to take any action. He talked a good game. His handwriting revealed vanity, but it also revealed jealousy. I realized that this boy felt he had accomplished certain achievements and was not accorded the praise he felt his due. So he withdrew, became vain, did nothing. I explained to his father, an achiever with the motivation business, that if his son had made a B in school, he got dressed down for not making an A. Even though he increased his grade level he was still chewed out for not accomplishing more. In this one case, my boss began to take a greater interest in his son, to compliment him when he had it coming. Almost immediately the vanity began to disappear; the boy began to have pride and he too, began to achieve. In this one case, vanity revealed the child’s problem. EVALUATE As a matter of evaluation, if we look at a low t-bar (self-underestimation, the opposite of being vain), we should know that the writer is satisfied to accomplish only short range goals. If he is domineering, with vanity, you’ll find an arrogant person; interested only in himself. What he’ll really be doing is attempting to knife you enough so that he can bring you to his own projected level. Were he talkative, he’d become a braggart. Page 108

Add temper and you would know that he’d hit anyone who didn’t agree with his opinion of himself. The vain person with self-underestimation is really frustrated inside, and although he feels that he’s above everyone around him, he still lacks faith in himself. This could cause him to stay constantly irritated because of his frustrations. Vanity in the company of willpower, high goals, enthusiasm, and determination would be a positive spur to achievement. Such a person could leave a great deal of unhappiness, however, if he sold himself long, and then through willpower and determination would have to produce what he sold. Once you understand the vain person, you realize he is constantly disturbed. Quite often, vanity will be accompanied by extreme sensitivity to criticism, and there may also be guilt; then you realize the hurt caused by criticism causes the vain person to become even more arrogant. It helps to understand that the vain person feels no one appreciates him, so he must appreciate himself. Dignity Dignity, shown by a retraced t- or d-stem, is illustrated in Figure 55. This is a standard of conduct without imagination. There is no loop in the stem, so there is no imagination with the dignity. How will the dignified writer act? He’ll wear the correct clothes for the occasion, do the right things; and, if at all possible, do it with pride. He’ll want his food served in a dignified manner, not dumped on the plate. However, add independence to the dignity and he’d reject society’s ways, especially if he felt they were useless and outdated, though his conduct would be dignified. Dignity often stabilizes the personality. Always look at the other traits to understand how the person uses dignity. TIP: Dignity often stabilizes the personality. Always look at the other traits to understand how a person uses dignity. If there were no imagination in the philosophical area, he’d certainly rely on facts rather than any imagination.

Figure 55. Dignity in the t- and d-stems Dignity can also relate to defense, for if someone begins to push the dignified person, he’ll literally stand above the criticism. If you were loaning money, you’d find that dignity would cause a better pay record, especially if you called upon them personally or sent them mail, so that the mailman would know that they owed you. Dignity will cause people to pay their bills so it can be used with credit problems. Page 109


TIP: People with dignity tend to take pride in their credit rating, thus are a better credit risk when loading money. Stubbornness Stubbornness is shown when the t-and d-stems spread like wigwams and have a triangle at the bottom. Stubbornness shows the strongest when the stroke goes straight up, then straight down and the finish comes to an abrupt stop. Of course, as with every trait in handwriting analysis, the more curved the stroke, the less strength the trait has. While stubbornness is shown predominantly in the t and d, indications can also appear in other lower-case letters, such as the i (Figure 56).

Figure 56. Stubbornness in the t- and d-stems Stubbornness can be easily misunderstood. When I see this trait, instead of telling the writer, “You are stubborn,” I say, “Once you make up your mind, you don’t really wish to be confused by the facts.” Or, “Your mind’s made up, that’s the way you intend to keep it. Many people might call you stubborn, but I wouldn’t say that.” I find that they agree with me. Stubbornness is a strong defense trait. This person says, “I refuse to accept your argument, whether you’re right or wrong. And, whether you’re right or wrong, I’ll refuse to accept your way.” The stubborn person may subconsciously feel that if he is wrong you will have cause to criticize him, that you’ll have a tool to use against him. If he never admits he’s wrong, you can never use anything against him. Add pride and the writer may actually be proud of his stubborn attitude. As with any other trait, the influence of stubbornness can be either negative or positive. However, if a person is too stubborn, it will usually be a negative trait because he can never accept anyone else’s ideas. I usually tell my students in class to picture a man standing braced so that he could not fall over or be pushed over. If you removed all the other strokes, the t or d would stand by itself. It would look like a man standing with his legs braced. TIP: Eliminate using trait names—traits mean different things to different people. Find at least five ways to explain each trait without using the official psychological term.. In learning to be a professional handwriting analyst, you will be wise to eliminate using trait names whenever possible. People quite often have different ideas about trait meanings. For example, we keep some positive thinking signs posted about the classrooms; and one evening in Page 110

class I selected a short statement and asked each of the students what he thought this short positive sentence meant. To my utter amazement, every person came up with a different thought! WARNING: Your greatest problem as an analyst will be in proper phraseology for effective communication so that others can understand what you are really saying. Find at least five ways to explain each trait without using the trait name. Then, the very next analysis you do, try to go completely through the analysis without using any trait names. Just think, “How could I explain this without using the crutch of referring to the trait name which goes with the stroke?” It will amaze you how much more people will value you as an analyst. Deliberateness Now let’s take the same stroke and lean it over, instead of bringing it down braced. If you took the surrounding strokes away from it, it will fall. So this completely changes its meaning. Another defense mechanism, it is called deliberateness (Figure 57).

Figure 57. Deliberateness in the t- and d-stems Deliberateness is an upper stroke into the mundane area, without loops, and without retracing. It is very difficult to speed up or rush the deliberate person. He has his own rate of progress and normally he will tell you how fast you can continue. Give him a problem, and he sits quietly and thinks about it. Many people think the deliberate one is either lazy or doesn’t like to think rapidly. I have found this characteristic in the writing of investigative thinkers, people who are capable of making their mind up very rapidly, and yet they would quietly sit and deliberate over all the pros and cons. In other words, this person is quite often considered a slow thinker who cannot make up his mind. In order to find out how the deliberateness would be used, we’d have to look at the goals, whether procrastination is involved, the slant of the writing, and so forth. We do know the deliberate person refuses to allow anyone to increase his rate of speed in whatever he’s doing. If you had a job opening on an assembly line you wouldn’t be interested in the deliberate applicant. However, he might be a very valuable employee in a job where precision and exactness were important. This trait is often found in the writing of young school children and usually means that they are afraid they’re going to do something wrong. They do not wish to make a mistake, so they deliberate, they think a long time about it before they do it. Again, since we are a conditioned people, we should realize that our criticisms cause the deliberate child to slow down because this fear of criticism is one of the real fears of life. Page 111



1. Is too much pride a good thing or a bad thing?

2. What trait is often a red-flag when doing employee screening? Describe the shape of the letter(s) that display this trait.

3. The trait of deliberateness _________________ is an upper stroke into the mundane area, without loops, and without retracing. It is very difficult to speed up or rush the ____________________ person.

4. Name the strong defense trait that is shown when the t- and d-stems spread like a wigwam? Draw the trait. ________________________

5. As an analyst, should you use trait names or metaphors to help your clients understand themselves better?

6. A short t- or d-stem staying close to the line of reality indicates __________________ in thought and action.

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CHAPTER 17 FEARS Fear has many causes. Many times parents are responsible; children lose confidence in their parents and mistrust people around them. Parents can create and instill fear in the minds of their children by telling them that if they don’t mind, the Devil is going to get them. I think the church today probably causes more psychological problems than any other one group. In Sunday school and church the child is constantly taught fear of the Devil, of Hell, of burning. Children are often taught to fear policemen; they are told, “We’re going to call a policeman to come and arrest you if you don’t mind!” Guilt Guilt complexes develop for many reasons. Many children repress their fears and, being fearful, they end up with a misconception of God and his loving powers. A child may become fearful because of pain or a physical defect. Think for just a minute about how fear influences the personality. It restricts and inhibits emotional expression; it damages integrity; and it restricts the thinking capacities. It limits purpose, goals, and drives. It stunts spiritual growth and causes many physical and mental illnesses. It is one of the greatest causes of damage to sexual responsibility. As you discover fears in handwriting, realize that fear causes things to happen. For every fear, we must build a defense mechanism to serve as a shield we hope will protect us. In this chapter, we’re going to go into some of the fears, their origins, and their defenses. Although there is a comprehensive study of fears in the advanced course, we will nonetheless touch on it here, so you will understand it. We have previously talked about two fears: sensitivity (the fear of disapproval), and self-underestimation (low self-concept, the fear of failure). The third fear we’ll study is the fear of not being loved, and we’ll give this the trait name of jealousy (Figure 58). Jealousy

Figure 58. Jealousy loops Jealousy is shown by a small, restricted, almost-squared, reversed loop at the beginning of a letter formation. It may be found in almost any formation, but most frequently is seen in the capital letters. The jealousy loop starts with a back-to-self stroke, usually in the mundane or philosophical. Actually, the writer is going back into the past to find some measure of security, eventually around and forward into the future, then down to reality. Jealousy = Fear of not being loved

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Jealousy usually develops very early in life, and it can be defined as attitudes of envy or resentment toward a more successful rival. These attitudes are usually the result of frustrations in attempts to achieve a desired effect. The jealous person exhibits numerous forms of behavior. He is at odds with his environment. He can be both suspicious and stubborn. He may even attack the individual who is the object of his unhappiness by making false statements, or may even assault him physically. Often irritable and nervous, what he’s really saying is that he feels that he cannot measure up to others’ expectations. He has a strong desire to be loved, to be first. There is a strong feeling of maladjustment in the jealous person. Those who are extremely jealous sometimes have very irregular eating habits and sleeping patterns. I mean by this, that they either sleep excessively or are unable to sleep. In analyzing jealousy, normally we have to think of the parental handling of the child’s initial experiences with competition. Jealousy reveals a feeling of insecurity. Probably its most common cause is the arrival of a new baby (rival). The child has been the only one in his family, the center of attention; then here comes a new baby. Everyone seems to relate to this new child; the older one feels left out. He’s usually resentful and his desire for the attention that was previously lavished upon him becomes even greater. Too often, parents ask their children to outdo each other, or the neighbor child, and they make unfavorable comparisons. You know, of course, that jealousy is a threat to the stability of a child, or even an adult. The jealous child will often feel unwanted, inferior, unloved. He feels like he must accomplish, he must be first. Now, looking at this tight jealous loop, we realize that this person has to be first with one, or with a small group. You’ll find that this looks much like the reverse of the exclusiveness stroke in the physical area and they mean basically the same thing – that we close people out – that we have only one person important to us that we’re jealous of. And if you’re around the jealous person, you’ll realize she is jealous; she’ll let you know it. If you have a person within your business that is jealous, get him to compete with others. Since jealousy is also a spur to achievement, you find top salesmen quite often have jealousy. Although they are unhappy, they must compete, they must be first. If you have a worker who is jealous, then you need to understand that basically he is insecure and needs praise; that inside, he feels unable to cope with the situation. Jealousy can be a spur to achievement. If the writing is very heavy, then we’d know that there are very deep feelings. A strong imagination would increase the jealousy. A DE slant would cause the jealousy to be even greater in the impulsive person. Irritability or stubbornness could also increase it. These could all be elements that would intensify jealousy. TIP: You must look at the emotional outlay to understand how much jealousy would show. In the FA writer, it would certainly be hidden until it surfaced in an explosion. Very seldom do I tell jealous people straight out that they are jealous. I say, “There’s a strong fear in your writing of not being loved.” They can relate to this if you tell them there is a feeling that they need to be told they are loved. And if they have a DE or E+ slant, I tell them they need to be told that they Page 114

are loved daily. I earnestly believe that you cannot assure the jealous person of your love too often. Desire for Responsibility Now let’s increase the size of the loop and make it large and rounded, revealing a desire for responsibility. TIP: Desire for responsibility is actually shown by an enlarged jealousy loop.

What this really means is that the writer still wants to be important, but with more people, with a larger group (Figure 59).

Figure 59. Desire for responsibility The desire for responsibility says, “I’ll not be happy being an Indian...I must be Chief. If you don’t allow me to be Chief, I’ll go home. I must be important to many people.” TIP: You must look at all the other traits in the writing to determine if a person is able to handle responsibility.

You’ll recall the boy in the detention home who had a desire for responsibility. They had him working as an Indian. He was a very dominant boy. By combining that quality with the desire for responsibility, you realized that you had only to give this boy a management job to transfer him to your team. TIP FOR EMPLOYERS: If you have people with desire for responsibility in your organization, realize that they make very good managers. If they are not given responsibility, they quite often become troublemakers, becoming leaders against you. They have a need to get things done, an inner desire to do a big job. They want to be the most potent factor in the organization. These people are the doers, the movers.

I usually do not try to change traits of jealousy or desire for responsibility; if you change these, you may take away the writer’s spur to achievement, thus causing him to become a failure. I will Page 115


say, however, that you need to let the writer know of these inner desires, help him to recognize his fear of not being loved, his desire for the love of many persons.

WARNING: Do not try to change traits of jealousy or desire for responsibility – you may be removing important spurs to achievement, thus causing her to be a failure. The beginning stroke of my signature shows a strong desire for responsibility. And try as I might through the years, I’ve never found a way to remove it successfully from my handwriting. As you become a handwriting analyst, you need to use this wonderful psychological evaluation to understand all of the people that you deal with. I’m quite careful about the organizations I join, for I know that if I’m a member then I must climb high and if they wish to keep me as an Indian, I’ll not stay with the organization very long. Fear of Ridicule or Self-Consciousness The next fear we’re going to discuss is the fear of ridicule. This is often called self-consciousness. It’s very easily recognized in the handwriting by the increasing height of the m and n humps. This is also shown when you have two l’s side-by-side as you see here in Figure 60:

Figure 60. Fear of ridicule All fears are related to insecurities and usually when I see self-consciousness, I explain that there’s an over-awareness of self. When the writer enters a room, for example, he prefers to go to the sidelines until he has everyone catalogued in his mind. A very outgoing self-conscious person still has this fear of ridicule, the fear that someone will say “no” to him. Though such an individual may feel inferior and may also be supersensitive, they sometimes react in an attentiongetting way to seek acceptance. Sometimes they become perfectionists because they fear others will laugh at them. They may even attempt to lord it over those who they feel are inferior to them. You will sometimes find that they become reclusive, preferring solitude. Quite often they hide their feelings of inferiority by concentrating on developing one ability which will gain the attention and respect of those around them. Many musicians have done this. Self-conscious people may criticize others habitually, to create a more acceptable self-image, especially if they also have a low self-concept. TIP: Self-consciousness can be a problem for people in sales. This is called reluctance. Page 116

This is the one trait that every sales manager recognizes and has seen wreak havoc many times. For a salesman, let’s name this reluctance. This person lacks self-confidence. He feels inadequate, unwanted, and sometimes unloved. Usually this is the result of constant emotional conflict. The insecure person is usually nervous, constantly susceptible to worry and apprehension. In a sales situation, this person may know all of the things that he needs to sell, yet you’ll find he fears asking a closing question. They’re the people that, when they go to a door, feel happy when no one answers: for then they’ve had no chance of ridicule. They’re relieved when a person says “no” to them. They’re the people who are afraid to ask for the sale. If they’re in a sales field where they have to pick up the phone to call for appointments, they will be inclined to hang up after the first few rings thinking “Oh, they’re not home.” What they’re saying really is, “I didn’t have to talk with them and have them say ‘no.’” When they make a call at a home, they may drive around the block several times before building up enough courage to stop. Of course, the slant would have a strong relationship with this, wouldn’t it? How does she relate to people around her? Is she outgoing? Or is she an introvert? Does she pull back within herself? TIP: An extreme imagination or sensitivity to criticism will always increase self-consciousness. Realize that such a writer hurts inside. Tell him he has an over-awareness of self. He’ll usually relate to what you’re saying if you tell him that when he has to meet new people, he actually goes to the sideline, and that he wants to get acquainted better before he opens up too much. Sometimes self-conscious people are even apologetic for existing, and this is a trait which constantly limits goals and increases sensitivity. Procrastination may show in the writing because fear causes things to be put off. It can limit, or even eliminate, all of the outgoing traits. You can never really tell what a person is self-conscious about. There may be something that is very obvious to you, but this may not be what is bothering her at all. Yet the minute you tell her she is self-conscious, she is over-aware of self, she’ll know instantly what you mean. You’ll see that knowing look. When you see a parent running a child down, constantly laughing at or criticizing him, realize that this is the seed of self-consciousness being planted. At a lecture I heard Miss Emillie Stockholm say, “I remember the Lord said, ‘Forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ If only people could know more about our basic needs, and how to avoid hurting each other, we wouldn’t have as many mental hospitals.” I wanted to clap my hands in wholehearted agreement, for I thought that truth had never been better expressed.

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1. Jealousy can be a spur to achievement. _____ True _____ False

2. An employee with the trait of _____________________________________ can become a leader against you and a troublemaker. This person would also make a good manager.

3. Can handwriting analysis tell you what a person is self-conscious about? _____Yes _____ No

4. What trait is known as reluctance for someone in sales?

5. As an analyst, you should recommend someone with traits of jealousy and desire for responsibility work to remove these traits from their handwriting. ______ True _____ False

6. What two traits will always increase self-consciousness? _____________________________ and ___________________________________

7. Those who are extremely jealous sometimes have very irregular eating habits and sleeping patterns. _____ True _____ False

8. Another name for self-consciousness is fear of _________________________.

9. An enlarged jealousy loop indicates what trait? ___________________________.

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CHAPTER 18 COMMUNICATION DEFENSE MECHANISMS We have discussed the five main fears that you find expressed in handwriting. This course doesn’t give us the time to go into all of our fears that you might find. There’s the indecisiveness (fear of finality), stinginess (fear of want), ultra-conservatism (fear of change), and timidity. In the Advanced Course you’ll find that we go very deeply into each of these fears, although they do not appear as often in the writing. Let’s now talk about a few of the defense traits, or defense mechanisms, as they are sometimes called. We have already discussed some of them. Self-Deceit Self-deceit is shown by a loop within and on the left-hand side of a circle formation in the mundane area.

Figure 61. Self-deceit A loop enclosing a certain amount of a circle has to do with imagination, for it is a loop in the mundane area, so this relates to today (to self). The larger this initial loop, the larger the deception. We are considering self-deception, and this says, “I am deceiving myself...about the things which are happening around me.” TIP: Self-deceit is a very important trait for you to analyze – it will tell you whether or not you will be believed. Self-deceit reveals that the writer doesn’t really know himself, so when you tell him about himself, he may deny that what you say is true. In general, the larger the loop, the more imagination, the larger the left-hand loop within the circle, the stronger the self-deceit. Now, I’d like to give you a rule that I learned many years after I began the study of handwriting analysis; had I learned it the first year or two, it would’ve helped me a great deal more. As you see here in Figure 62, I have cut the circle in half; on one side I show self, and on the other, outward. What this means is that any part of the self-deceit circle that is actually in the left half of the circle relates to self, and any part of the self-deceit which explodes over into the right half relates to others. By examining each half of the circle, you can tell the influence of the self-deceit, whether it relates only to the writer or to others as well. TIP: Pay attention to the self-deceit loop in the mundane area circle letter. If it is on the left half within the circle, it relates to self. Any part of the self-deceit that explodes over to the right half relates to others. Page 119


You cannot always rely upon the conclusions of those with self-deceit; they may not be realistic. If self-deceit is used as a defense mechanism, the writer will rationalize that whatever he wants to believe is true. Thus, he’s fooling himself. He actually uses only the facts that he needs to fit the situation, forgetting all other facts. Many times the writing may also reveal shallowness in the t-bar: again, they don’t want all the facts.

Figure 62.

Self versus outward determination loop

As an example, and one I often use in the classroom: We have the case of a man going out on his wife, and the society in which we live demanding that if his wife catches him, she divorce him. On the other hand, let’s consider the wife with three or four children who has no job, has never worked at anything but being a homemaker. She has a very happy home. She is with her children and she doesn’t work outside the domestic atmosphere of her life. Then one of her neighbors tells her that her husband is dating another woman. She has two choices: she can jump in the middle of him, ask for a divorce, go to work, live in unhappiness, give up all the things she’s developed for herself; or she can deceive herself by saying, “I don’t believe this.” And she can go on like this for many years. In this particular case, she had to deceive herself. Although the case is hypothetical, I’m sure you’ve seen it happen many times. In order for this home to remain intact, she had to deceive herself. Secretiveness This now leads us to another trait, shown in the final loop within a circle, on the right side (Figure 63A).

Figure 63A. Secretiveness This reveals secretiveness and it can appear with or without the self-deceit loop. Here again, the smaller the loop, the less the secretiveness. I think the ability to keep secrets is valuable, and small secretive loops are shown quite often in handwriting. When the secrecy loop grows larger, it can spread into the left-hand side of the circle. Here the secretiveness not only relates to others outwardly, but to ourselves. And if the secretive loop covers the entire circle, then we know that this writer doesn’t let his right hand know what his left is doing; in fact, the secretiveness relates Page 120

to self. Such writers know they are being secretive about self, that there are certain personal things they don’t intend anyone to know. That is what I usually tell them. “You have the ability to keep a secret. You often don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. There are things about your past that you don’t intend for anyone to know; you feel that it isn’t any of their business.” And I hasten to add, “I can’t tell what that secret is...I only know it is there.” When I see an extremely secretive person, I tell him that he doesn’t like to lie, but that one might need to listen very carefully to the exact wording that he uses. For example, if you ask him a question he may phrase his answer in such a way that it would be the truth and an answer to the way you ask it, but not really the answer to your intended question. A hypothetical story I tell to explain this deals with a mother who asked her son if he left the house. She says, “Son, did you go downtown today?” And the son replies, “No mother, I didn’t go downtown today.” A week later she finds out he went over to the shopping center and played pool. So she said, “Son, you lied to me.” And he says, “No mother, I didn’t lie. You asked me if I went downtown. I didn’t go downtown, I went to the shopping center.” So with extreme secretiveness, know that you have to listen carefully to the exact words. Although they don’t really want to lie, they’ll maneuver the truth sometimes in being secretive. Sometimes they’ll lie to you without meaning to and – I qualify this without meaning to – because if they don’t allow their right hand to know what the left is doing, then they may literally not know the truth. They have been so secretive that they don’t fully understand. Desire for Secretiveness When we have a secretive loop which doesn’t close the top of the circle, the desire for secretiveness is present, but whatever the information is inside escapes through the open top of the circle. You can tell such a writer, “You have a strong desire to be secretive, but secrets sometimes just seem to get away, though you don’t really mean to let them go.” This will rather surprise them because it is true. Lying This leads us into a third trait, one very closely related to self-deceit. There are many ways to say this. You could say that it is intentional deceit. If we want to be extremely diplomatic, we might refer to it as a potential prevarication. If we tell it like it is, we call it lying. Lying is defined as telling a falsehood with the intent to deceive. There are many types of lies: the “fantastic” lie, the “imitative” lie, “boastful” lies, “pathological” lies, “defensive” lies, “compensatory” lies, lies of “exaggeration”, “social” lies, etc. Lying continuing into adulthood may be a sign that a person is unable to accept himself as he is. With an adequate self-concept, there’s no need to falsify information as a defense, or to impress others with one’s success. We are going to separate lying into two general categories; within these areas, you’ll have to classify those that I’ve just listed. Intentional Liar The first is the tied circle, illustrated in Figure 63B. This is the intentional liar. Of course, the larger the loops, the larger the lie. This writer will lie to you at any time he thinks that it will assist him. Let’s realize that the child who lies has often learned this from the parents, for he’s been conditioned from early childhood. Page 121


Figure 63B. Intentional liar Fairly tales are read to children at a very young age. It is not at all strange for them to invent imaginative stories. These really are no problem as long as your child keeps strong in the imaginative realm. Many times a parent may falsify information or exaggerate to make events sound more interesting and make happenings sound greater or more impressive. They may be setting an example for the child to follow without realizing it. Too, a parent may ask a child to go to the door and lie about the parent’s presence in the home. Or they may lie to a friend while the child is listening. In any case, the child observes the parent in untruthfulness and he may then develop the belief that lying is acceptable. Parents should be careful about this if they expect their children to be truthful. Children often exaggerate information. This usually is a form of bragging and not a cause for deep concern. But the child should always be helped to understand when his statements are inaccurate, and that it is always best if he tells you the truth. With the “social” lie, the parent may tell the child to tell someone on the telephone that she is not at home, or call in ill and falsify information to make sure someone’s feelings are not hurt. The child usually knows the parent is lying, and therefore feels that it is all right. The “defensive” lying of a child quite often pops up when he feels he is going to be punished. If he admits his guilt, he feels he’ll be punished, so he conceals the truth; this is quite normal. The “antagonistic” lie is told when a child becomes aggravated with another family member or playmate. Or he may lie in order to be left alone. He gets upset with his parents when he feels he has had unfair treatment, and he may turn to lying to get back at them. He may even invent stories of evil deeds to retaliate or shock people. Pathological Liar The pathological liar is a conditioned, chronic liar; this is a situation where an individual stands to gain nothing from his falsification. This type of lying sometimes is accompanied by forms of delinquency and usually reveals severe emotional conflict. This problem requires professional help and should be dealt with at an early age. As we said earlier, the pathological type of adult lying is a sign that the person has an inadequate self-concept. He doesn’t really need to prevaricate in order to defend himself or to impress others. However, the person who feels inferior may turn to lying in an attempt to demonstrate to others that he is successful. Evidence that an individual lies for no reason is shown also by the double loop, but this time it is open at the top, as shown in Figure 64.

Figure 64. Pathological liar with talkativeness Page 122

This person tells a lie and then tells another on top of it which catches him. We feel sorry for him because he literally tells himself something once or twice and then believes it. I have now shown you how to tell how truthful the salesman is who calls on you, whether he knows the truth, or whether he intentionally lies. We have come close to talking about honesty, haven’t we? You know that the prevaricator – or “intentional” liar – cannot really be honest; either with himself or others. And, if he is a “pathological” or “chronic” liar, then he certainly cannot be sure of anything; nor can you.

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1. Compare and contrast the characteristics of writing that indicate a pathological liar and an intentional liar.

2. What does it mean when you see a secretive loop which doesn’t close the top of the circle?

3. Secretiveness can appear with or without the self-deceit loop. ______ True ______ False

4. How would you explain the trait of secretiveness to a client? How about extreme secretiveness?

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CHAPTER 19 GENEROSITY, EXTRAVAGANCE, PERSISTENCE, BLIND PERSISTENCE & DEFIANCE Generosity Generosity is a willingness to share and is shown by: 1) long finals on structures of words which go gently upward, and 2) by the space between letters, within words, and sentences. The wider the space, the more generosity the writer has. Generosity is an extension of giving anything of value. Usually when I mention generosity, people immediately think of money. We will have to come back in rebuttal with the statement that generosity is the giving of values. Many people value their time much more than their money. The impulsive person may give on the spur of the moment, without thought. And sometimes will give more than he should, or obligate himself beyond that which is wise. Giving can be an emotional reaction. You find the writer moving along the line of reality; then, in the long finish stroke, he moves upward away from the line of reality, and away from himself. There are many types of generosity. If the writing is spread out and yet there are no generous endings, the writer is more generous with self than with others. An FA writer may be selfish. He may be generous with self, but since he is FA, he’s not tempted to be generous with others through any action of sympathy. Remember, he is self-oriented. EVALUATE Very long ending strokes, very wide spacing, and possibly confusion of interests, impulsiveness, and some yielding qualities all contribute toward extravagance, giving off too much of value, as shown in Figure 65. You may find these traits in varying strengths but combinations of several of these should cause you to evaluate for extravagant attitudes and actions. Extravagance

Figure 65. Extravagance When endings are not consistently long, you have selectivity. With exclusiveness or selectivity, and occasional generosity, the person will be free-spending only when he chooses to be. If the stroke moves upward then back to the left, you know it’s generosity with self; if he gives to others, he will do so strictly to gain attention for himself. This person gives to gain approval. He feels that he has to do many things for others, and he works at “buying” their attention and friendship. He gives usually through a feeling of guilt. This is a defense mechanism, and should be considered when you see extreme generosity (Figure 66). Page 125


EVALUATE To be certain, a thorough evaluation should be accomplished.

Figure 66. Extreme generosity Persistence I referred earlier to the procedure I use of looking at three areas to see how well the writer completes what he starts. These areas are willpower, determination, and now the third, persistence. This trait is shown by tied strokes within the writing, anywhere in the three zones or areas, and it is persistence if it is a downstroke which turns to the right, crosses itself, then repeats into the future or comes forward, crossing back into action. In other words, the direction of travel is reversed. We go into the past and then forward as you see in Figure 67.

Figure 67. Persistence People have a pretty good understanding of persistence. When a man runs into a brick wall, this is the quality which makes him get up and try again. There are two types of persistence. This first is inherent so that when he hits the wall, he looks over it (if he can) and finds a ladder, or a way around it. Still, he’s persistent and will continue to persist at the same thing. Until a few years ago, I was quite sure that persistence was always a very positive trait. To me, a man who tried, tried, and tried again was very good. However, Mary Harrison, a friend of mine in Dallas who is an employment consultant, did a series of evaluations on Million Dollar Round Table Insurance Producers. In order to correlate these examinations, she had to take the failures as well as the producers. One of the most surprising results was that within these insurance people, persistence showed up very strongly within the failures. Now, who would have thought that persistence could cause failure? But I began to think about it. The salesman with too much persistence within his writing would continue to call on the same people day in and day out; over and over. So I thought, “Well, maybe that isn’t good.” Persistence can be shown within the f’s, at the bottom of the y, and quite often you’ll find it in the formation of the t. Relating this to each area, we know that if it’s shown within the t-bar, this Page 126

is persistence in our philosophical beliefs. Within the mundane, it is persistence in the physical life, but very seldom do you find this stroke coming back to the line of reality. Blind Persistence There is one more type of persistence which is illustrated in Figure 68:

Figure 68. Blind persistence I call this blind persistence and, instead of reversing itself and coming forward, this one makes a loop while it is back there, adding imagination within the persistence. I term it blind persistence, for when the writer hits a brick wall, he doesn’t look either way, he doesn’t search for a ladder or a way around, he just lowers his head and batters away again and again. With this person, you feel sorry for the wall, for he keeps coming back time and again, in order to hit it in the same place. Thus, you see that persistence can have many positive and negative applications. For example, persistence can be a way of overcoming – think about it. Defiance Another defense mechanism is defiance, that quality in a person that is always ready to resist forces which he thinks are infringing upon his freedom of action. The defiant person doesn’t like to be “managed” and is always alert for any sign of unjust authority. This trait is shown by exaggeration in the middle of structures. With the exaggeration of a letter within a word, usually it takes the form of a capital letter, but it can be the enlargement of any stroke formation. What we’re saying is that the upper portion of the stroke (the area that is in the philosophical area) is exaggerated. Most handwriting analysts talk about the defiant k and some of them call it the “goto-hell” k. The buckle of this k is not in the mundane area where it belongs; when it invades the philosophical zone, we know we have defiance. We also realize that the circle on the k becomes imagination; if it’s closed, this will enlarge the defiance (Figure 69).

Figure 69. Defiance We have also included a capital R in the middle of a letter, and you will find m’s and n’s that reach up from the line of reality, out of proportion, into the philosophical area. When a defiant person meets you, he’ll tell you, “I’m sorry you don’t like my doing this, but that’s the way I’m going to do it; whether you like it or not!”

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Defiance is a defense of the ego. It says, “I defy you to criticize me, to attempt to hurt me.” It is important to check the defiant writer’s handwriting thoroughly, to see what other traits are inherent in his handwriting style. For instance, if there were stubbornness in good measure, the defiant person would be very hard to overcome. Then, let us consider defiance in combination with persistence and very heavy writing; we’d know that when you add stubbornness, the defiant person with persistence and depth of feeling would fight even harder, wouldn’t he? If he were domineering and sarcastic, we’d also know that he’d have a chip on his shoulder, that he’d be looking for a reason to knife someone, figuratively or literally. Although defiance is probably a negative trait most of the time, Bob Burnup of Independence, Missouri told me that he took all the mail that came in to him from all over the country (and he is well-known in handwriting circles) and did an evaluation on defiance. The results were very surprising, for his evaluation showed that 67% of those he checked were defiant.

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1. What two characteristics in the writing indicate generosity?

2. What does it mean if the writing has wide spaces between the words but no generous endings?

3. Describe the characteristic that indicates blind persistence in terms of a brick wall. Draw an example. How does this differ from the characteristic representing persistence?

4. Defiance is shown in the writing by exaggeration in the middle of ______________________.

5. What does a circle in the upper zone of a defiant k signify?

6. When endings are not consistently long, you have ___________________. Explain what this means in terms of extravagance.

7. Defiance is a defense mechanism. True_______ False _________.

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CHAPTER 20 ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITY, FLUIDITY OF THOUGHT, TALKATIVENESS, RETICENCE, FRANKNESS, DEJECTION & DESIRE TO FAIL

Organizational Ability TIP: Use a small 6-inch clear plastic ruler in order to measure upper and lower loop lengths of an f. If they are fairly wellbalanced, the writing shows organizational ability. By laying the metric scale over the f, you can see to measure and compare the upper and lower loop lengths. If they are fairly well-balanced, then you may call this “organizational ability” (Figure 72).

Figure 72. Organizational ability This is the ability to create smooth-running order out of chaos, to take a situation with a problem and smooth it out, organize it to operate without hitches, complications, or bottlenecks. The balanced f likes organized situations. He will organize his time, his work, and his home. Now, let’s help the businessman find an employee. Will the man or woman we’re selecting need organizational ability? Almost invariably they will. In employee counseling, this trait becomes very important. You will find that we go much deeper into this in the advanced training on personnel section. If he is a crew manager, he’ll need to organize his crew. However, in order to find out how well he uses his organizational ability, we’d have to examine some of the other traits in his writing. What if he was dominant? If we add this to the organizational ability, we know that he’ll probably be the boss, that he’ll organize things and do a good job. We’d have to look at his ability to concentrate. How fast does he think? How well does he retain the knowledge that he gains? How analytical is he? What is his own self-concept? Fluidity of Thought Since we’ve been discussing how well organizational ability will be used, we will also consider the ability to move smoothly from one thought to another, or from one thought pattern to another, to write and express our ideas with graceful fluidity. We call this fluidity of thought. It is revealed in smooth-flowing unbroken strokes (Figure 73) which connect words or letters, and also whenever you discover a smooth figure-eight in the writing (often found in the g). Fluidity says, “I can express my ideas smoothly and easily, moving from one subject to another with Page 130

ease, taking you along with me.” You’ll find that most good speakers show some form of fluidity within their writing.

Figure 73. Fluidity of thought If the writer is an extrovert with extremely heavy writing, fluidity will assist him in expressing and releasing his feelings. On the other hand, an extrovert with a fluid g open at the top, as well as a’s and o’s open at the top, would be made by an extremely talkative person – the type of person who might send out a stream of words without much thought behind them (depending on the other traits in the writing). Of course, if we added self-deceit, then we would know that the writer might gossip freely and that some of that gossip might be untrue. In combination with resentment, this could be malicious gossip. Talkativeness If we had fluidity with the open circle-letters and added a large lower loop (extreme imagination) we’d know that this person would be talkative, would exaggerate and intensify everything, and would see and report things larger than life. By now, I’m sure you’ve realized that the open tops on circle-letters o, a, and d, indicate talkativeness. EVALUATE This could be a positive trait for a salesman, yet for an assembly line worker, not necessarily so. The man on the assembly line would need to stand there quietly, doing the same job over and over, day after day. If he were talkative, he could not produce the work because it would detract his attention from the routine of his operation. With the DE slant, there would be a need to be moving about. The outgoing, talkative person works well in public relations. All of these evaluations are quite easy if you just stop and think about them. Reticence Along with talkativeness, we need to consider the reserved person, and reticence is shown by compressed, narrow, closed circle letters (Figure 74). The reticent person keeps his own counsel. When you see these closed circle formations, you can quite frankly say, “You see many things you don’t tell anyone.” It is not that such writers are secretive; if you ask a question, there’s a good chance you’ll receive an answer.

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Figure 74. Reticence Frankness Also, we find the frank, outgoing person by examining the circle letters – the circular part of the a, o, g, and d. If the writer is frank, these will be rounded, plain and very simple, and a wellrounded e confirms it (Figure 75).

Figure 75. Frank, outgoing writing How talkative the writer will be is shown by the opening at the top of the circle. If the letters are well-rounded but closed on top, then the person keeps his own counsel, but has a frank, broadminded approach to life and others in general. If the circular formations are wide open at the top, the writer is outspoken. When I find the latter in writing I sometimes say, “You are very frank and people may get angry with you. For if you feel something, you’ll say it without being asked.” People often agree with you when you’re talking about this frankness, and admit that it is one of their greatest problems, and their very agreement is a confirmation of the presence of the trait. Sometimes I tell them laughingly, “You have a habit of opening mouth and inserting foot.” People often ask me about honesty; frankness will add to honesty. If you ask the frank person a direct question, you’ll get a direct answer. With loyalty, and a lack of self-deceit, the frank person is honest. EVALUATE Let’s consider the frank, talkative person in evaluating with other traits. He’d need some additional control to keep people around him from being very unhappy. One would be generosity, particularly appropriate as generosity of spirit. Maybe a right-handed slant would help. What I am saying is that this person would often need to soften his frankness to keep from hurting others. The slightest bit of sensitivity to criticism would also act as a brake upon his blunt frankness; a bit of humor would also help. Personally, I’ve learned to like this quality of frankness; you know where you stand (always) with such an individual. Page 132

A few years ago when I was a member of the International Graphoanalysis Society, Gordon Hallenbeck (who probably taught me more about circles and hooks than any other teacher) took me aside at our annual resident training and told me about a new trait that he had been working on for many years. He suggested that I begin to watch letters that people wrote and if I found a very frank person, to check the frankness all the way through the letter, and if all of a sudden, I began to see prevarication appear within the circle letters, I should examine very closely the subject the writer was writing about at that point. He was very proud of what he had discovered and wanted me to evaluate this too. This was simple, since I was taught very early as an analyst to prove each trait as it was taught me. On my return from Chicago, I began to examine every letter I could. I wanted to see how accurate this new theory of Gordon’s was. I was amazed, because I began to find that when the double loop began to appear in the writing where there had been either reticence or frankness previously, that the writer really was lying at that point. The double loops would continue all the time the writer was discussing that subject, then slowly drift out. Sometimes it would take four or five lines for this double loop to disappear, after the change of subject was made, but it did revert back to its original form of frankness or reticence. After some study with this, I began to wonder if this would also relate to other feelings within the letter. I began to watch the fears, the sensitivity to criticism, the self-consciousness, to see if these also could pop into the writing. I found many times not only would sensitivity to criticism appear when a person was trying to sell an idea but sometimes for three or four lines there would be the dejection y loop, the desire to fail, that I had been checking closely for two years (Figure 76). I was very surprised about this, and now, whenever I am analyzing a letter, I am alert to any trait which pops into the writing unexpectedly. TIP: Be alert to any trait that pops into the writing unexpectedly.

Dejection, Fear of Success

Figure 76. Dejection loop, fear of success (desire to fail) I think by now you are probably a little unhappy because I have made the test so difficult. When I was studying, I was somewhat unhappy when the tests became very hard, and at times I even wished to quit. And yet, the harder the tests were, the more I learned. I am going to suggest that you begin to watch carefully in the writing in the letters that come to you; I think you will be amazed at what you’ll begin to discover about the people who write to Page 133


you. I have been using this ever since Gordon told me about it; and of course, I must offer him my sincere thanks for showing me this ability to see deeper into another person’s feelings.

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1. Describe the letters and their shapes that indicate reticence. Explain how this is different from being secretive.

2. Describe letters that indicate frankness. If they include an opening at the top, what trait would be added to frankness?

3. If you see smooth-flowing, unbroken strokes which connect words or letters, and also a smooth figure-eight (often found in the g), what trait is shown in the writing? ______________________________

4. Draw a loop that shows dejection or a desire to fail. What is unique about this loop?

5. Fairly balanced upper and lower f-loops show what trait? _________________________ How should the loops be compared to determine balance?

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CHAPTER 21 INTUITION, HIDDEN INTUITIVENESS, DESIRE TO ACQUIRE & CRIMINAL TENDENCIES Intuition In this chapter I wish to consider a group of traits which is very close to my heart. We’re going to think about some of the things we teach here at the Institute, and use more of the ability that was given to you at birth, the first in a series of becoming what you think. The first trait we’ll study is intuition (Figure 77).

Figure 77. Intuition The intuitive person (shown by frequent breaks between letters within the word, even almostprinting sometimes) has a feeling about a situation, a knowing what someone else is thinking and not knowing how he knows, an almost psychic (or, perhaps it is psychic) ability to know what’s going to happen before it happens, sometimes known as “woman’s intuition,” or “I had a hunch I should do this, because I just knew it was going to turn out this way,” sort of thing. I have a feeling for the people who are intuitive, who have breaks within their writing. They should learn to accept their hunches, to depend on that sixth sense that comes to them, and it will bloom and flower. I always caution them to take the first thought which comes, it is usually right. I believe that everyone is born with this quality of intuitiveness, and with some people it comes closer to the surface than with others. It frightens some; they fear this hidden sixth sense that lets them know what’s happening ahead of time. When I see breaks in the writing, I say “You feel situations and it is difficult for anyone to lie to you.” Sometimes, if it is a woman, I jokingly add, “I’d hate to be married to you; it would be very hard to lie to you because you sense when a person is trying to deceive you. You feel that things are just not right. Many times you’ll know of impending danger, or impending happiness. You’ll say, ‘Boy, I feel good today, I really do, I don’t know why.’ You’ll just know something good is going to happen to you.” We are now entering a new age and many schools are now teaching extrasensory perception (ESP), mental telepathy, astroprojection, mind control, some forms of yoga; all of these are closely akin to what we call intuitiveness. It might be interesting, the next time you find a person who claims to be able to look into a crystal ball, or read your cards, or your palm, ask the “psychic” person (the person we are not, for ours is an exact science) to look at the handwriting to find out how much intuitiveness is shown, how well the writer is able to feel others’ thoughts. Page 136

Hidden Intuitiveness You should always study writing with a magnifying glass to enlarge it and see every portion of it. You will also remember earlier in the course I suggested you also just kind of play around with each stroke, to see how it was made, where it started, and where it went. Examine the writing for awhile before you start your analysis, and as you examine the writing, you may find that there are pen lifts, as seen in Figure 78.

Figure 78. Hidden intuitiveness The pen is lifted and then comes right back down in the same place to at least cross over so that it’s very difficult to tell that there has been a pen lift. This is hidden intuitiveness. TIP: You should always study writing with a magnifying glass to enlarge it and see every portion of it.

EVALUATE When I see this, I look to see how much dignity there is, how much self-consciousness, how many fears there are. After I have looked at these areas and evaluated, I suggest that the writer is a very psychically-oriented person, that he knows many things which came to him before they happened; and if he wished to, he could tell us a lot of stories he’s let no one know. You see, this hidden intuitiveness says, “I don’t want anyone to think I’m crazy, or that I’m kooky, so I’ll just keep quiet.” Intuition is very important to the salesperson. I’ve found salespeople who were top closers and they didn’t know why, they just seemed to know the exact instant to stop talking, to ask what is considered that all-important question: “Now, which of these would you like to buy?” That is because they realized at that instant, that their prospect was ready to buy. But, if you asked such salesmen to teach this to someone else, they wouldn’t know how. I’ve seen loan officers with a strong intuitive quality that would cause them to re-check or double-check a loan application, and I’d say “Why do you do that?” They wouldn’t know why, they just felt that there was something wrong. They had a feeling. I’ve seen people in the construction business have a feeling that an accident was pending. I, myself, am an extremely intuitive person. I used to go out on the pipeline and work construction every summer, also doing evaluations on accident proneness. One day, while I was moving heavy equipment in Oklahoma for the Brodie Construction Company, I got the strangest feeling that I was going to lose the steering ability of my truck. It was so strong that I examined the steering assembly carefully, looked for any signs of wear, and tightened everything I could. Page 137


As the days in that week went by, the feeling became stronger, and toward the end of the week while I was in the office the boss had decided to send me to Amarillo. I asked permission to take the large diesel truck in to the shop to have the spindle bolts in the steering checked; yet they found nothing wrong. Along about the end of the second week, I started to make a turn over an eighty-foot drop-off. I was probably only doing about twenty miles an hour when I lost all steering ability and the truck cab went off over the drop-off. Luckily I was pulling a large bulldozer which kept me from going on down the embankment and no one was hurt. I was very scared, and yet I was relieved because I had been worrying about this event for nearly two weeks; I had talked to everyone in the crew about my fears until all of them thought I was crazy. I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences. Another amazing thing to me is that many analysts I’ve met and a lot of people who become interested in handwriting analysis are intuitive. I remember the first time I went to Dallas after I began studying the science. I had thought how surprised they were going to be to have a person around with my intuitiveness. But, when I arrived and began to look at other people’s writing, I felt almost naked, for about 90% of them also were very intuitive and they seemed to be looking deep down inside of me. At first I was afraid to write around them, but after awhile, I just relaxed and accepted it. You’ll find that most people who become interested in handwriting analysis have a strong desire to help others. Watch for this trait; it certainly can assist a person in becoming successful. Desire to Acquire Next, let’s talk about the desire to possess, to acquire, as shown by an additional hook formation at the beginning of a writing stroke. Basically we look for these hooks at the beginning of the stroke, but they also can be seen within the writing (Figure 79).

Figure 79. Desire to acquire Whenever you want to pick up something, you form a hook with your fingers. If you carry something in your arms, they bend to form a hook. If you pull anything toward you, you find that you form a hook with your hand. The smaller the object you reach for, the smaller the hook. The larger the item you desire to possess, the larger the hook. EVALUATE By now, you’re starting to evaluate some, so you’re beginning to realize that the size of the hook will have something to do with the desire and the size of what is desired. You’ll find that very few people realize that they make this hook at the beginning of a stroke, and it is not taught in any penmanship class. Yet it will develop subconsciously.

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A person begins to develop this hook because they like the appearance and/or feel of it. This stroke appeals to him mentally, and you’ll find that if there’s a strong desire to possess there will be many beginning hooks in a person’s writing. Here again, we need to look where the hook appears and decide in which of the three areas of writing the hooks are predominant, don’t we? For instance, if the hooks are on the t-bars, an evaluation would tell us that the desire to acquire or possess is in the philosophical zone. So we’d be able to tell such people they desire more knowledge. If we had fairly large hooks in the mundane, then we’d know the acquisitiveness has to do with everyday life, with today. So let’s do a little further evaluation, start with some rather large beginning hooks and add a very large lower loop (imagination). What happens to the desire to acquire? Everything this person experiences is enlarged, isn’t it? Since it is enlarged, then the desire to acquire will run to very large things: Cadillacs, brick homes, etc. You often find acquisitiveness in very young girls. EVALUATE I wonder what chance they’d have to accomplish these desires? Look at the mentality to see how fast the writer thinks. This would be a help, wouldn’t it? Let’s go a little farther and examine the willpower, determination, and persistence. Surely this would tell us how well he or she will strive for the pre-set goals. We’d need something else to go with this, wouldn’t we? How high are the goals? Is the writer planning only for today? Is there a good self-concept, or it is low? How much self-deceit is there? Is the writer able to tell herself the truth? Was that enough evaluation? No, I don’t really think so. We need to look at the organizational ability, the enthusiasm. Every single trait – its presence, its strength, its influence – are all important. Criminal Tendencies Can you think of a situation when the desire to acquire might be a negative trait? Let me suggest that you consider a person with shapeless m’s and n’s, the inability or disinclination to learn, a person who is a liar, and add extreme sensitivity to criticism, maybe a little guilt, and tied in with this some extremely large desire-to-acquire hooks, along with a vivid material imagination in inflated lower loops. Last, but vitally important, procrastination: extreme laziness. Let’s say, for example, this is a person for whom you’d be doing an analysis. There is a good possibility there would be criminal tendencies. Tied with the other negative traits, the desire to acquire would then be negative in its influence. MEMORIZE! • • • • • • • •

Shapeless m’s and n’s Inability to learn Lying Extreme sensitivity to criticism Guilt Extremely large desire-to-acquire hooks Vivid imagination in lower loops Vitally important: procrastination/ extreme laziness

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After I became a certified handwriting analyst, one of the first television shows I made in Amarillo was done on Channel Four. When the interviewer asked me if I could tell whether or not a person was a criminal by the writing, I clearly explained criminal tendencies and that they had to be evaluated. Shortly after we left the air, I discovered the manager was very unhappy with the interviewer because he didn’t think my answers were too accurate. I didn’t fully understand this anger until the next day: I received a call from the Chief of Police, and he was challenging me on my statement that I could determine a person was a criminal from his handwriting. I went to his office, talked with him awhile, and explained to him that I could not tell if a person was a definite criminal from their writing. I also explained that I really couldn’t tell whether a person would ever have the opportunity to become a criminal or not; but that I could tell from the writing if a person should be turned loose with a cash register, whether he or she could be trusted with your money or not. Some people’s honesty depends upon direct supervision. TIP: You cannot tell if someone is a criminal or not by their handwriting; you can only evaluate the tendencies. If you should find this combination of traits, then do not tell the person that he is a criminal. If you’re analyzing for an employer or prospective employer, do tell him that the person will need direct supervision.

If you’re analyzing the writing for the writer, keep in mind that he may not be honest with you. Not all criminals will have all the tendencies that I’ve told you about. Some of the smartest people I’ve ever met are criminals; however, I find that the desire to acquire and laziness are always evident in the writing. Below are two examples of handwriting which show criminal tendencies:

Example 79A. Criminal tendencies.

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1. What trait does an additional hook formation at the beginning of a writing stroke indicate? ____________________________________

2. What characterizes the trait of intuition in handwriting? What is this person like?

3. How is the handwriting different when displaying hidden intuitiveness? How does this person differ from the one who has intuition?

4. List eight criminal tendencies that can be displayed in handwriting.

5. Handwriting can determine if someone is a criminal. ________ True ________ False

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CHAPTER 22 SELF-CONFIDENCE, SELF-RELIANCE, SELF-CASTIGATION, SUICIDE & STROKES THAT RETURN TO THE PAST What do you think of yourself? Now that we’ve studied your self-concept, we know that the low t-bar says you have a low or limited self-concept and that the high t-bar indicates high goals. EVALUATE However, we have to evaluate these goals. What is your ability to achieve? You see, we literally become what we think. From the very days of the Bible, we’ve found time and time again it advises us that you become what you think, you are what you believe, you are the sum total of your thoughts. Self-Confidence & Self-Reliance The next trait we’ll study is self-confidence or self-reliance. These are shown by an underscore beneath your signature, or by capitals that are fairly large and clean, as you see in Figure 80:

Figure 80. Self-confidence/Self-reliance The person with self-reliance, or self-confidence, is convinced of his ability to reach the goals he sets for himself. He’s a very efficient person and doesn’t fear failure. He’s sure of himself, and when you meet him you feel this confidence even before he speaks; it’s in his attitude, the way he walks, his expression, everything. EVALUATE In order to evaluate self-confidence, you’re going to see some well-placed t-bars, in the high, visionary, practical area, and the underscore below the signature, which says, “I believe in myself, I know where I am going, and I know I will get there. I don’t have to lean on anyone; other people actually lean on me.” This underscore can be formed in many ways, but by drawing a line under your name, from right to left, you would be ending at the left (Figure 81).

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Figure 81. Self-confidence in yourself Remember the illustration of the little man which I gave you in the first chapter (Figure 4)? Where would self-reliance be directed then? To the past, since it ends to the left. Many times you will find a signature such as my own, where the stroke reverts to the past, then comes forward strongly to the right. This indicates the writer reverts to the past, examines, then comes forward with strength. The self-reliance stroke that ends to the right says, “I aim at the future with this self-reliance.” Ask yourself, is the stroke strong? Is it straight? The heavier the stroke, and the straighter the stroke, the stronger the self-reliance. Is it slightly curved or bowed like an upside-down saucer? If it is, then self-control is included with the self-reliance stroke. Does it start out heavy but fade as it moves forward, becoming weak toward the end, and just dwindle out? If so, you’ll recognize what happens to the self-reliance. Since this trait of self-confidence or self-reliance is a very positive one, we’d think it would be a wonderful stroke for everyone to have, wouldn’t we? In fact, if you’ll look at the writing of selfmade millionaires, you’ll find that many of them often underscore their signatures. The capital letters in their signatures are often large, clean, and well-formed. Success and achievement in the past makes them know they have ability. Several years ago, I lectured at a woman’s club and at that time I thought this self-confidence trait was wonderful and that everybody should have it. I knew it had helped many sales people and business people. This was about the time I was just beginning my investigations into graphotherapy, and as I gave the lectures, I recommended that everybody begin to make an underscore below their signatures, that everyone become self-reliant. I even suggested they go to the bank and change their signature to include the underscore. Many of them took me at my word and began practicing this self-reliance stroke. Some two or three months later, a man came to my office to talk with me about his wife; it seems his wife attended my lecture. Previously she had been very dependent upon those around her, and particularly her husband. But she had begun to practice this self-reliance stroke and quickly began to change into a self-reliant person. The problem here was that her husband had liked her dependence upon him. That was one of the reasons that he married her, and he was losing the very reason the marriage meant so much to him. I suggested he explain this to her, and ask her to discontinue the practice of including the self-reliance underscore. TIP: Understand that if you change one trait, others will change with it. Decide carefully what you wish to change and why! As you begin to work with handwriting, understand that if you change one trait, others will change with it; sometimes many others. You may be thinking about some of the traits in your Page 143


own handwriting that you wish to change, perhaps some fears you’d like to eliminate. Of course, you should realize that when you practice a handwriting change, it becomes natural and you’ll actually find you’ve changed your personality. When you are thinking seriously about a change, decide carefully what you wish to change, and why. If you wish to become more self-reliant, begin to draw a line under your name. But it is like prayer; I suggest you not ask for anything that you don’t really want to receive. Self-Castigation & Suicide We want to discuss now the desire to punish self, which can go all the way to self-castigation. We’ll take it through one case to a suicide: Probably the first danger signal which is seen in the three letters (Figures 82–84) is that the crossing of the t-bar moves from right to left, or back to self. Now, this in itself was not really that serious. In doing an analysis, we find that he did live in the past a great deal. If you’ll look carefully at the t-bars, you’ll see many of them were crossed from right to left, but even so, there was a sign of self-control. He had a strong determination, and he wasn’t too impulsive, although he was a very outgoing person. He had established a personal code of ethics; we see this of course in the narrow h loops. There was almost a complete absence of imagination in the lower loops. The philosophical imagination shown in the l’s was a little tight, but it was healthy. Once in a while there was a very small loop in the d’s, but this also was healthy. Specimen A was written in May, 1968. Specimen B came from the same writer a year and a half later, in September, 1969. You can see there has been an extremely traumatic change in the writing. All of the strokes are now crossed from right to left, but we notice they begin to become very, very sharp-pointed at times; and at such times he would not be sure of himself. We begin to see a heaviness in the writing, with deeper feelings now. Look now at the lower loops; this is a tremendous change. What’s happened to the y loops? We find an extreme imagination now. In Specimen A, the d’s and t’s were almost independent. They were retraced, no sensitivity to criticism. As we begin to look at Specimen B, especially at the d’s, we realize that they’re growing taller, with increasing pride. Also, they’re beginning to inflate a little and you see an occasional inflated t. This boy is still thinking very rapidly, but what’s really happening in his mind? He has developed an extreme imagination in this year and a half. He has become very sensitive to criticism and he has begun to imagine criticism. Most of all, he’s extremely sarcastic toward himself. He’s living in the past, and he’s beginning to blame himself a little bit. Every once in awhile, such as in Sept. 22 in the third line, you find the t-bar begins to slant down toward self. This is even more of a danger signal, a sign of self-castigation. Now, as a handwriting analyst, when you see these two writings, you almost immediately realize that something is causing this boy some very big trouble. In the next to the last line, the d loop in the word “tired” is extremely long, almost vanity. There are some strokes that have become leftslanted (AB and almost FA). What has happened to this boy who basically had a DE slant? We have a varying slant here now, sometimes way over to the right, and other times, repressing back to self. You’ll find many strokes actually FA, and some AB. So, we know that he’s repressed back into himself: that’s evidence he is having problems. An extreme change has occurred in a year and a half.

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Figure 82. Self-castigation

Figure 83. Self-castigation. Page 145


Figure 84. Self-castigation Page 146

Now, let’s study Specimen C, written in October, 1969. As we progress through the study of these specimens, you’ll notice that there’s a lessening of concentration. Where it was strong in 1968, he had completely lost this trait by the latter part of 1969. Much of his writing has gone completely backhand; there’s been a dramatic switch in the slant. Observe, too, the extreme imagination in the material area and also in the lower part of the letter, how the y’s come through and start back down, into dejection. He has also become extremely sarcastic at self now, the t-bars very sharply pointed. See how the d’s show a sense of guilt; they’re almost flat-topped. You’ll remember that I mentioned he had established his philosophies and code of ethics; he had a closed h in Specimen A. He has completely opened up the h to imagination now, accepting all philosophies. There’s strong self-blame and extreme sarcasm directed at self; he isn’t sure now about his philosophies or religious beliefs. I think it will be of interest to you that this letter, dated October 18, 1969, was the last one received from this boy, before his death. This is his suicide note. Let’s go a little deeper now into the strokes that return to the past. different words below in Figure 85:

You see a half-dozen

The first (Specimen A) is a writer who comes back completely and covers his writing: returning to the past, thus putting an umbrella – so to speak – over the writing. This returns to the past. It does not then move forward to the future; instead, it stays back there. This means that this writer has an inability to face reality, to face the future; he prefers to live in the past.

Figure 85. Strokes that return to the past In Specimen B the stroke is returned under the name. We considered this briefly when we were studying the underscore. Such a writer wouldn’t wish to start new projects, while living in the past. In Specimen C we see the strokes returning over the top, completely covering the word, and then pointing downward. Here the writer’s willpower and sarcasm is directed toward self. This would mean the same thing as the down-pointed t-bar which says, “I’m sarcastic toward myself,” and becomes the opposite of domineering, a desire to punish self. If the writer covers the word completely and then comes down, this is completely blame-taking. Have you ever been around a person who says, “I’ll be glad to take the blame; I’m at fault.” These are the blame-takers. You may have just the t-bar crossing backwards as in Specimen D, going down very deep to the line of reality, and very heavy. Again, this extreme course would be directed toward self. Page 147


Now, let’s take the lower y in Specimen E, and you find it reverting way to the past in the physical area and making the exclusiveness loop. This means the writer reverts to the past. He doesn’t like relationships with his fellow humans, and may limit his close friendships to a few or just one. Other social problems may be involved. I think you realize now why in the first chapter the little man as he looked to the left was frowning, for we must realize that today is really the first day of the rest of your life. We can’t change yesterday, and if we don’t like today, time will heal this problem. Tomorrow will change today. The only thing we can really change is tomorrow. We must learn from the past, but for those who live in the past there can be nothing but problems. When you see a very old and feeble person living in the past, then I’m sure that you’ll understand this. They feel they have nothing to look forward to. And since many of the things in the past could be relived and enjoyed, this is understandable. However, if you see a young person living in the past, it is a matter of concern for we know that much unhappiness can come to such a person. Whenever I find the self-castigation stroke I look at the loops immediately, to see how strong the imagination is, how much fear there is in the writing. As you saw in the preceding figures 82-84, fear increased very rapidly as this boy neared his date of suicide. Of course we’d like to be able to give you a definite trait which would say, “This person is completely suicidal.” Many of the handwriting books in my library give suicide notes and some ideas which the author felt indicated suicide. I have not been able to prove to my own satisfaction, any way of telling that a person is on the brink of suicide. In many suicide notes I’ve seen, I find there’s a tendency to have a downward trend in the baseline and many times the writing will run to the right margin and then start down, sometimes every line will start down. However, this did not hold true with the case we considered in this chapter. However, the writing on his suicide note does have a general downward trend; in the fifth line in the word understand you’ll find that it does slant down as the whole line begins to go down. So, we realize that the dejection has something to do with suicide. I’ve read quite a few books on suicide, written by psychologists and psychiatrists, and I have not been able to gather anything from them in personality traits which lets me discover a definite trend toward suicide. In our analysis in this chapter, we have seen that this boy had a desire to live in the past and that he developed a strong sense of self-criticism. He had extreme sarcasm towards self. When you see writing like this, with self-castigation, you can only suggest to the writer who also makes this large d-loop, that he begin to retrace it immediately. And if a person crosses the t from right to left, I suggest it be crossed in the opposite direction. You’ll be surprised at the almost immediate change. Graphotherapy With the training you’ve had, you should now be able to do very well with most analyses. However, you are not yet a qualified graphotherapist. I cannot stress strongly enough that every time you change a trait in the writing (and thus, in the personality), it will also change many other traits too.

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TIP: Every time you change a trait in the writing, it will change many other traits too. It’s difficult to change a personality in a very short time; it’s also difficult to change without some nervousness problems.

In the event we go very deeply into therapy (into changing the handwriting of a person to assist in an adjustment toward more positive thinking), we will show you many of the actual cases where by using certain stroke modifications, we were able to exact extreme changes in personality. You must understand however, that it’s difficult to change a personality in a very short time. It’s also very difficult to alter a person’s writing without encountering some nervousness problems. When I began my research in therapy and had changed myself a great deal through my own personal handwriting changes, I didn’t think there’d be too much of a problem; yet the first people I worked with became extremely nervous. Sometimes they had trouble getting along with the people around them. I couldn’t understand what was happening. Some of them complained of severe headaches or nightmares. As I first began my research, I started talking with different people in the International Graphoanalysis Society and found that they barred all forms of research and therapy. I had an opportunity to work with Bob Burnup (he’d just received a degree in psychology) who generously allowed me to share in his study. I knew that a lot of handwriting therapy had been done in Europe, and I began to search for reports on what the Europeans had accomplished in graphotherapy. I found only one book which has been translated into English (Graphotherapeutics, by Paul de Sainte Colombe). I do not agree fully with his conclusions but I did study his changes. And some of the conclusions that I reached in working with people came from his book. A lady from Kentucky had been using graphotherapy quietly for years, and she also made some very helpful suggestions. Graphotherapy is in its infancy in the United States and I really believe that in the next ten to fifteen years there will be an extreme demand for graphotherapists. The idea of the Institute developed from a need to establish a research center and an ethical group, which could not only help others but could also be self-governed as much as the AMA does with its members. I feel that graphotherapy is now taking its place with the same importance as the doctors and the psychologists. Before we discuss the individual’s traits related to their letter size, I’d like to suggest an experiment in therapy. If you write average or larger, I would like for you to sit down – right now – and write very small for half a page. If you write small, then write large for half a page. Do this right now, before you continue reading. Now that you’ve completed this test, examine your feelings. How do you feel about what you’ve just done? You’ll find that there’s a feeling of nervousness, that your hand is tired, and that it was very difficult for you to do. If there was an extreme size change, you may even feel the slight hint of a headache. This will leave, if you’ll take two deep breaths and hold them as long as possible. The purpose of this experiment was to show you that changing another person’s handwriting can be dangerous. And, until you have your degree as a therapist, you should not recommend handwriting changes for your friends and relatives.

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WARNING: Suggesting grapho-therapy changes in handwriting will have a powerful result. To insure that result is positive, please study carefully our recommended changes and do not suggest changes NOT already researched. Stick to the changes recommended in the Change Your Life in 30 Days Workbook.

I once had a student who learned everything from me that he wished to learn, except this one point: about a year after he took the course, one of his friends came in, very upset, asking for my help. I asked him to write for me, and the handwriting showed many fears. But the one thing it showed me which was surprising was an extremely heavy, long t-bar. Now of course, we know that a heavy t-bar means willpower, a strengthening of our drives, whether negative or positive. When I asked him why he made the t-bar so very heavy, he told me that this ex-student of mine had told him that if he’d push very hard on the t-bar, he’d develop strong willpower. This student was very self-conscious and very sensitive to criticism. He also had a strong guilt complex. I ask you, as an analyst, what do you think a strong willpower would do to this man? It was destroying him. It was increasing all of his traits, including the fears. I found that the fears were becoming so strong that he could not handle them and he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. His friend meant no harm, and in that circumstance I am sure you would mean no harm, for most people only want to help. As you do an analysis of a person, treat him as kindly as possible. Tell what you see and nothing more; let him work on his own changes. You’ll find that as he begins to understand himself, he’ll be able to change himself.

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1. What trait is shown by an underscore beneath your signature, or by capitals that are fairly large and clean? ________________________________

2. Your spouse asks you to help them change their handwriting before you become certified as an analyst. How would you respond?

3. What should you change about your handwriting if you wish to become self-reliant?

4. Can handwriting analysis predict that someone is contemplating suicide? Discuss elements of the examples shown in this chapter.

5. Describe handwriting that shows self-castigation. Is there a positive recommendation you could make for changing this handwriting?

6. How can you tell from the handwriting if someone is living in the past? Does a person’s age help you to evaluate if this is a problem?

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APPENDIX A - GLOSSARY AB writer - Slant is from 90° to 112°. • Judgment rules • Ruled by head, not heart • Rarely shows emotions • Objective • Withholds emotions • Never impulsive • Has poise • Bookkeepers, nurses and doctors Analytical thinker - Analytical thinking is shown by natural v’s appearing at the baseline. • Makes a good executive • Has ability and desire to consider the pros and cons • Constantly sifting the bad from the good • Weighs facts • Makes well-considered decisions • If also a procedural thinker, thinks methodically and slowly, analyzing every fact • Most analytical thinkers are also investigative Backward stroke - A stroke that goes backward, into the past. Bar - A stroke that crosses a stem, e.g. t-bar. Synonyms: cross-stroke, crossbar. Baseline - An imaginary line from which the writing starts to which it returns. Must have two reference points. Also known as line of reality. BC writer - Slant is from 112° to 125° • Sympathetic • Heart influence • Ruled by judgment • Moderate in response Brainwriting - Writing without conscious thought of the writing formation. In other words, your brain or subconscious mind actually formed the characters as a result of habit. The pressure of your pen and the formation of each part of each letter show your subconscious thinking. Your brain sends minute electrical impulses to your hand telling you exactly how far to go and how to make each letter within the word. Brainwriting is made up of combinations of strokes, and each stroke has its origin within your brain. These strokes have varying length and thickness, and each stroke has an individual value. These values are influenced and shaped by the weight and length of the strokes. Also known as handwriting analysis. Brake - Something that slows down a trait, e.g. the trait of self-control curbs the impulsiveness of an E+ writer. Also known as control. CD writer - Slant is from 125° to 135°. • Ambivert • Outgoing • Shows affection • Expressive, yet logical • Subject to appeals of the heart • Moderately moody • Likely to jump to conclusions • Tries to put self in others’ shoes Page 152

• Gets along well with extroverts and introverts Closed - Compressed and narrow loops. Indicates lack of imagination. In terms of communication, closed circle letters indicate the ability to keep things to oneself. Comprehensive thinker - The handwriting of the comprehensive thinker is shown by steepleshaped, needle-topped m’s, n’s, h’s, and r’s. • Very active, may be a troublemaker • Can size up situations quickly • Makes instant decisions • Thinks and evaluates rapidly • Irritated by slow talking and thinking • Becomes easily bored Concentration - The ability to eliminate all outside interference, shown in legible writing that is less than 1/16 of an inch high. Controls - See brakes. Procedural thinker - Writing is characterized by great, wide, round-topped m’s and n’s, with the hump in the h also wide and round, and the r flat-topped. Also known as cumulative thinker. • Slow and logical • Needs all the facts • Constructs in his mind • Reads slowly and may reread for comprehension • Does not grasp new facts quickly • Learns more quickly by demonstration • Excellent retention • May need additional help Criminal tendencies - Criminal tendencies MUST be evaluated. They include: • Shapeless m’s and n’s • Inability to learn • Lying • Extreme sensitivity to criticism • Guilt • Extremely large desire-to-acquire hooks • Vivid imagination in lower loops • Vitally important: Procrastination/ extreme laziness Crossbar - See bar. Cross-stroke - See bar. Cumulative thinker - See procedural thinker. Cursive – Joined strokes. Curved stroke - A general blending combination. Has less strength than straight strokes. DE writer - Slant is from 135° to 150°. • A natural salesperson or actor • Emotional highs and lows • Good with people • Reacts impulsively • Need for affection • Does everything in extremes • Needs curbs to slow down Page 153


Defense Mechanisms - For every fear, we build defense mechanisms to shield us from harm, e.g. extreme generosity, sarcasm, temper, dominance, irritability, dignity, stubbornness, deliberateness, guilt, jealousy, self-deceit, lying, paranoia , aggression, defiance, secretiveness, sensitivity to criticism. Depth - See pressure. Direction - The directness or curve of the extension. Downstroke - A stroke going downward into material accomplishment. What a person intended to write. E+ writer - Slant is 150° to 175° • A natural actor • Ruled by heart not head • Impulsive • Needs touching • Extremely affectionate • Extremely emotional • Emotional storms • Extreme extrovert • Prone to fears • Takes on feelings of others Ego zone - The middle zone (small lower case letters) is called the ego zone. It is also known as the mundane or today zone. In psychological terms, this area involves the individual consciousness and daily routine. Emotional gauge - A small plastic rectangle with a number of lines on it used to measure the slant of writing. Emotional intensity - The amount of pressure exerted on the paper is depth of feeling, sometimes called emotional intensity. Emotional intensity refers to how deeply a person feels emotions and how long these emotions last. Emotional responses • Thinking……………………….m’s and n’s • Mundane living and ideas……..e’s and circle letters • Philosophical…………………..tall loops • Pride and dignity………………t- and d-stems Emotional responsiveness - The emotional responsiveness of a person is revealed by the slant of the handwriting. As a general rule, any stroke ending to the right side of the page symbolizes a movement toward other people or the future. Likewise, any stroke ending to the left symbolizes a tendency to be withdrawn or to move into the past. Emotions - One of the most important aspects of personality is emotions: how people respond to their feelings and their environment. We all have emotions, but we process them in a variety of ways. The slant, size, and pressure reveal the intensity and expressiveness of our emotions. Ending zones of strokes • Left - self, the past, to yesterday, to me • Right - relationship to others, to the future, toward action, outward • Upward - ideas, philosophical area • Downward - physical area expressing yourself; you are saying something Exploratory thinker - Also known as investigative thinker. • Learns with little effort • Thinks rapidly • Always asking questions Page 154

• Very curious • Able to grasp new situations and ideas rapidly • Always studying something new and better • Has ready comeback in arguments FA writer - Slants from 56° to 90°. • Introvert. • Withdrawn into himself. • Reserved and shows feelings only at times of great anger, extreme passion, or tremendous stress. • Markedly reserved and never impulsive. • Seems to take things as they come. • Has found a place in life that is secure, that if he didn’t express himself he didn’t have to worry about what people thought. • Not able to express feelings. • Thinks that expression of emotions is gushy and a waste of time. • Usually is good with his hands. • He enjoys working by himself. • Doesn’t like to sell. In order to make a living in selling, he’d have to express himself. • Looks out for self first. • Can and does feel emotions, and perhaps as deeply as anyone else. If you do something that displeases them, since they are unable to express their feelings easily, they’ll probably not tell you about it. • “Stacks” things. Keeps these things inside until they grow too big to hold anymore, and explodes. • Thinks it over before letting you have it. • And, like the AB writer, doesn’t regret having told you off. Fears - Fear of: failure, disapproval, criticism, not being loved (jealousy), ridicule (selfconsciousness). Covered in advanced course: fear of finality (indecisiveness), want (stinginess), and change (ultra-conservativism). Also timidity. First reference point - The point where the upstroke leaves the baseline. Forward stroke - A stroke that goes forward, into the future. Future zone - A stroke ending to the right symbolizes an effort to go into the future and outward towards other people. It is considered healthier to express energy towards others and the future than to live in the past with bottled-up emotions. Graphotherapy - See handwriting analysis or brainwriting. Handwriting analysis - Handwriting analysis is of necessity classified as a clinical test. The pressure of your pen and the formation of each part of each letter shows your subconscious thinking. It is a key to unlock personality; it reveals personality, emotions, intellect, and energy. The basic characteristics of handwriting remain the same, but can fluctuate with mood. Hook - An abrupt blending combination. Imagination - Imagination is shown by loops in letters. The greater the loop, the greater the imagination. The smaller the loop, the less imagination. Independent thinker - Shown by a lack of height on the t- or d-stem, regardless of whether it is retraced or looped. Using the mundane area (the height of the lower case letters) as a gauge, the t- or d-stems are not more than two times the height of the mundane area. • Stays as close as possible to reality • Has a mind of his own • What others think does not influence decision-making Page 155


Investigative thinker - Also known as exploratory thinker. Has a sharp point at the top of the m, n, h, and r, making a triangle or wedge-like formation. • Learns with little effort • Thinks rapidly • Always asking questions • Very curious • Able to grasp new situations and ideas rapidly • Always studying something new and better • Has ready comeback in arguments Line of reality - The line of reality relates to our everyday life; it is the base of the mundane area, so we know that the farther we reach up, the farther we ascend from reality. Also known as the baseline. Loop letters - Loop letters indicate presence (or lack) of imagination. Lower loop letters – Letters that have loops in the lower zone. Lower loop letters indicate physical or material imagination. Lower zone - Everything below the baseline, below the line of reality. Refers to physical life. This includes travel, exercise, material items, and sex. The lower zone is a source of energy and drive. A loop of any kind, found anywhere in the writing reveals imagination. Therefore, a huge loop in the lower zone signifies imagination in the physical realm. This can translate into exaggerated needs in an individual’s physical life. Also known as material, materialistic or id zone. Material zone - See lower zone. Middle zone - Area just above the baseline, below the upper zone. Reveals subject matter associated with living in the moment now, today. In this zone we find such traits as secretiveness, talkativeness, thinking processes, tendencies to argue, and other traits relating to a person’s environment and interaction among people. Also known as mundane, today or ego zone. Motion - The extension of the dot into a line. Mundane zone - See middle zone. Open - A circle or loop that is not closed. An open circle letter or loop indicates that imagination or communication will leak out. Past zone - A stroke ending to the left symbolizes a retreat into the past and/or into one’s self. Philosophical zone - See upper zone. Physical imagination - Indicated by loops in the lower zone. Physical zone - See lower zone. Pressure - The relative rapidity or slowness of the stroke. The depth or weight of handwriting relates to the amount of pressure exerted on the pen point. The amount of pressure reveals depth of emotion. The heavier the writing, the deeper and more enduring the feeling. The amount of pressure exerted on the paper is depth of feeling, sometimes called emotional intensity. Printing – Disjoined strokes. Running average - Someone’s average primary state of responsiveness, determined by slant. Second reference point - The point where a stroke stops going up, away from the baseline. Shallow thinking - Shallow thinking is shown by shallow t-bars, with very short points on the m’s, n’s, and so on. Shallow thinking is similar to surface thinking. Doesn’t dig very deeply into anything on first thought. Slant - The slant relates to the writer’s emotional response. Slant is measured with an emotional gauge. Over 100 consecutive upstrokes must be counted. The further to the left the slant Page 156

leans, the more the writer is withdrawing into himself. The further to the right the slant leans, the more outgoing. Slant, hard right-handed - This slant signifies an emotionally expressive person. This writer needs to interact with people. He has a need to express his emotions. He responds sympathetically to his universe. The farther to the right the slant becomes, the more emotionally impulsive the writer will be. Advertisers like this type of person, because he is highly responsive to ads that rely on emotional buttons, such as music and beauty, rather than logic and value. Slant, leftward - This slant signifies someone who would rather hold his emotions inside and has a fear of expressing himself. To get along with this person, you must understand that they will be emotionally cold much of the time. If you expect them to be consistently giving and expressing how they feel toward you, you are likely to be disappointed. Slant, vertical - This slant reveals logic and restrained emotion. These writers keep their emotions hidden; they are reserved and emotionally distant. It is not that they don’t have emotions – they do, maybe as deeply as anyone else does, it’s just that they don’t express them easily. Stabilizer - A trait which helps to stabilize the personality, e.g. loyalty and dignity. Stacking - Someone’s personality is more than one individual trait. You must use the slant and emotionality factors as a foundation in order to stack the personality traits. This way, the entire person is revealed as more than the sum of his or her parts. Straight strokes - A straight stroke has more strength than curved ones. They are more expressive and fundamental. Though these may vary in length or thickness, they represent the force or strength of the personality. Stroke - A stroke starts with a dot and progresses either forward, backward, up, or down. Stroke classifications • Forward, into the future • Backward, into the past • Upward, into the philosophical • Downward, into material accomplishment • A general blending combination (curve) • An abrupt blending combination (hook) Superego zone - See upper zone. Surface thinker - The difference between the fast, investigative thinker and the surface thinker is shown in the shape of the wedge. The surface thinker, shown by very short wedges (Figure 16), doesn’t wish to get very far away from the line of reality. He inquires or investigates only enough to satisfy his own desires, and will not dig very deeply into any subject. He will often take another’s word as fact, whereas the investigative person wants to see for himself. Three zones - The three zones correlate easily with the three areas of a person’s life. They consist of the upper (philosophical), middle (mundane) and lower zones (physical). Unit structure of strokes - Each stroke actually starts with a dot and is made up of three reactions: motion, direction, and pressure. The extension of the dot into a line creates motion. The directness or curve of the extension shows direction, and the relative rapidity or slowness of the stroke relates to the pressure. Ask the following questions: • What does it do? • Where does it go? • What is its motion? • What is its direction? • What is its pressure? Page 157


Upper loop letters - Letters that contain loops in the upper zone. Upper loops represent consciousness and imagination in the intellectual, spiritual, ethereal thoughts and feelings areas; the philosophical, idea, superego, psychic, emotional, or theory zone. Upper zone - Above the middle zone. Reveals philosophical interest and imagination, including. religion, goals, and plans, and other philosophical ideals. Represents the consciousness of the intellectual, spiritual, ethereal thoughts and feelings areas. Also known as the philosophical, idea, superego, psychic, emotional, or theory zone. Upstroke - A stroke that goes upward, into the philosophical. You are going back to a position where you can express yourself again. Only the upstrokes are used in measuring slant. An upstroke must start at the baseline or below. Only the upstrokes that cross the baseline qualify for measurement. Weight - See pressure.

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APPENDIX B – Trait Reference Index Trait AB Slant Absentmindedness Acquisitiveness Analytical Thinker Anti-trust Attention to Detail BC Slant Blind Persistence

Bluffer CD Slant Comprehensive Thinker Concentration Confusion DE Slant Defiance

Dejection Deliberateness Desire for Change Desire for Responsibility

Characteristics Slant from 90° to 112°. Absence of t-bars, i-dots, and sometimes j-dots. Hooks at the beginning of the stroke, but they also can be seen within the writing. Natural v’s appearing at the baseline. Completely repressed or retraced lower loop. I- and the j-dots close to the stem. Slant from 112° to 125°. Like persistence stroke, but instead of reversing itself and coming forward, this one makes a loop while it is back there. See Persistence. Long, heavy downstrokes which are heavily exaggerated. Slant from 125° to 135°.

Figure No. Page No. 26 85 79 19 37 68

49 28

Steeple-shaped, needle-topped m’s, n’s, h’s, and 17 r’s. Legible writing that is less than 1/16th of an inch 70, 71 high. Long lower loops are overwritten by the line of 42 writing below them. Slant from 135° to 150°. The exaggeration of a letter within a word, usually it takes the form of a capital letter, but it can be the enlargement of any stroke formation. “go-to-hell k.” Lower loop that goes up but turns away before it reaches the baseline. An upper stroke into the mundane area that leans over, without loops, and without retracing. Long, narrow loops. An enlarged, rounded jealousy loop. See Jealousy. Page 159

30

69

76 57 93 59


Desire for Secretiveness Desire for Travel Desire To Acquire Desire To Be Different Desire To Fail Determination Dignity Dominant

Domineering Dreamer E+ Slant Enthusiasm Exaggeration Exclusiveness Extravagance Extreme Generosity FA Slant Fear of Disapproval Fear of Failure Fear of Ridicule Fluidity of Thought

Frankness

A secretive loop which doesn’t close the top of the circle. See Secretiveness. Long, narrow loops. Same as Desire for Change. Hooks at the beginning of the stroke, but they also can be seen within the writing. I- and j-dots formed as circles. Lower loop that goes up but turns away before it reaches the baseline. Downstrokes extending below the baseline. Retraced t- or d-stem Extremely heavy t-bar: directed straight forward or downward and it remains extremely heavy to its end. T-bar starting heavy, with a downward slant, fading to a sharp point. T-bar drawn completely above the stem, floating in the philosophical area. Slant from 150° to 175°.

121 93 79 35 76 48 55 33

33 26 32

T-bar which is extremely long in relation to the rest of the writing. Exaggerated, fat, lower loops. Small, squared or rounded circles at the bottom of the lower loops on the g, y, or j Very long ending strokes, very wide spacing. Ending strokes at a 45° angle Slant is 56° to 90°.

27

T-bar is low (within the mundane); loops in the stem of the t and d. T-bar is low (within the mundane). Increasing height of the m and n humps. Smooth-flowing unbroken strokes which connect words or letters; also a smooth figure-eight in the writing (often found in the g). The circular part of the a, o, g, and d is rounded, plain and very simple; a well-rounded e confirms it.

23

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43 50 65 66 23

22 60 73

75

Frustration

Generosity

Generosity with Self Guilt Complex Gullibility Hidden Intuition

High Goals Incomplete Drives

Independent Thinker

Intentional Deceit Intuition Investigative, Exploratory Thinker Irritability Jealousy

Lack of Definiteness Lack of Mental Cultivation Lack of Spiritual Imagination

Stroke of lower loop moves down, turns, and fades as it moves back toward the baseline; never reaches the line of reality. Long finals on structures of words which go gently upward, and shown by the space between letters, within words, and sentences. Stroke moves upward then back to the left. Flat-topped t- and d-loops. Exaggerated, fat, lower loops. Pen lifts seen through a magnifying glass that come right back down in the same place to at least cross over so that it’s very difficult to tell that there has been a pen lift. T-bars crossed high on stem. Stroke of lower loop moves down, turns, and fades as it moves back toward the baseline; never reaches the line of reality. Lack of height on the t- or d-stem, regardless of whether it is retraced or looped. T- or d- stems are no more than two times the height of the mundane area. The tied circle. Frequent breaks between letters within the word, even almost-printing sometimes. Sharp point at the top of the m, n, h, and r, making a triangle or wedge-like formation. Slashed i- and j-dots, and sharp jabs. Small, restricted, almost-squared, reversed loop at the beginning of a letter formation. It may be found in almost any formation, but most frequently is seen in the capital letters. First few letters clear, the remainder in a wavy line. M’s and n’s are poorly-formed rather than well defined, and do not have clear values. Closed or very, very narrow upper loops in the h’s and l’s. Page 161

94

94

125 39 43 78

141 44

20

63B 77 15 34 58

60 21 51


Logical, Cumulative Thinker Loner Low Goals Low Self-Concept Loyalty Memory Optimism Organizational Ability Paranoia Pathological Liar Permissive Persistence

Practical Pride Procrastination Reticence Returning to the Past Sarcasm Secretiveness Selectivity Self-Castigation Self-Confidence Self-Consciousness Self-Control

Rounded humps on the m or n. Straight, downward stroke, such as in y, g, or z. T-bar is low (within the mundane). Very low t-bar, crossed within the mundane area. I- and j-dots; a “period” with no tail, a firm round dot, a distinct touch and lift of the pen. I- and the j-dots closer to the stem. T-bar slants upward to the right. Fairly well-balanced upper and lower loop lengths in the f. Extremely large t- and d-loops. Double loop, open at the top. Large, round upper loops. Shown by tied strokes within the writing, anywhere in the three zones or areas; a downstroke which turns to the right, crosses itself, then repeats into the future or comes forward, crossing back into action; direction of travel is reversed, goes into the past and then forward. T-bar is about two-thirds the way up the stem. D- or t-stem from a little over twice the mundane area to a little over three times the mundane area. T-bar, and sometimes the i-dot, that is crossed behind or to the left of the stem. Compressed, narrow, closed circle letters. Stroke ending back to the left. T-bar starts heavy and thins out. Final loop within a circle, on the right side. Long, narrow loop. Crossing of the t-bar moves from right to left, or back to self. Underscore beneath, or by capitals that are fairly large and clean. Increasing height of the m and n humps. Concave t-bar, much like an upside-down saucer. Page 162

51 47 22 22 36 37 32 72 89 64 104 67

24 53 30A 74 85 29 63A 40 82, 83, 84 80, 81 116 31

105

Self-Deceit

A loop within and on the left-hand side of a circle formation in the mundane area. Self-Reliance Underscore beneath signature, or by capitals that are fairly large and clean. Sensitiveness to Criticism Loops in the stem of the t and d. Shallow Thinker Shallow t-bars, with very short points on the m’s, n’s. Social Selectivity Long, narrow loop in physical area. Stubbornness T-and d-stems spread like wigwams that have a triangle at the bottom. Surface Thinker Shown by very short wedges. Talkativeness Open tops on circle-letters o, a, and d. Teenage Y In the y loop, a stroke that moves down from the baseline and back into the past. Temper T-bar crossed predominantly on the right hand side of the stem. Trust Exaggerated, fat, lower loops. Vanity T- and d-stem up to above three times the mundane area. Variable Emotional Forward and backhand slants in adjoining letters. Response Visionary T-bar crossed at the very top of the stem. Willpower Weight of the t-bar.

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Ray_Walker - The Science of Handwriting Analysis

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