We normally don't think very much about handwriting, but a little meditation on it can show us a writer's character, ability, diligence, patience, love, care, concern, humility and probably all the divine virtues essential for Self Realization. Writing is the mirror in which one's "samskaras" and character -- through the instruments of body, mind, intellect and ego -- are reflected.

Before starting to write, we must select the a paper of proper size, quality, weight, material, durability, appearance, etc. We should select a paper that absorbs ink; glossy paper will not allow ink to be stable -- it may easily slur or burr. The pen also slips or slides and ruin the shapes of letters on such paper. Selecting a pen is not easy because no pen is perfect. We should make sure the pen fits our hand properly. It should neither be too fat nor too slim, neither too long nor too short. We must know if we need a pen with fine, medium or thick point. The thickness of the letters also depends on the quality of the ink. We should check if the color of the ink matters. Thus, we could perhaps think of many cares and concerns about the pen and ink.

While writing, it is important to examine our table, our seat, the amount of brightness, air, other environmental factors, our posture, the distance between our eyes and the paper and also, how weight of the pen's hold. Nonuniform letters are caused by an uneven weight (either too heavy or too light) of the hand.

When I started learning alphabets in a village school, we were taught to make our own pens out of a stalk like slim bamboo -- soft on the inside, but hard on the outside. Much art went into preparing a pen that would write to the teacher's satisfaction. The letter in the copy book had to be followed or perfectly duplicated in size, line, and variable thickness because as the hand turns, so does the thickness of the particular part of the letter.

In examining any handwriting, it is obvious whether it was written in a hurry or out of love, care and dedication. Letters that come out of the pen are not simply produced by the pen or the hand, but also the mind, intellect and ego. So if we want to train our mind to be peaceful or meditative, we could use writing as one of the means to train it.

Merely sitting with closed eyes rarely brings the mind under control. Purity of mind is, of course, required, which in turn depends on selfless services, chastity or control of all the five organs -- all this has to be done out of humility.

Since everything is a manifestation of Atman, our handwriting is important. We should write is as if we are drawing a picture of God -- every letter we write is His picture according to our "samskaras" and our being. We could not or would not think of drawing a picture of Krishna or Christ that may look ugly or inappropriate. Yet, we do that when we write shabbily or when we live a negligent life, or when we hurt others as well as ourselves.

Precision is important, and moderation is the law. Everything must be done with interest and love, rather than with expectations of rewards in one form or another. "Doing something out of love is in itself the best reward and success," Gitaji says.

When we write a shloka, or a letter, or a bill, let us remember that it reflects our personality and our whole make-up. If we are negligent, careless or inadvertent in one thing, there is no guarantee that we are not so in everything else also. After all, there is only one mind; the one that works on handwriting directs everything else too.

So much more can be written on the subject, but from the above, the message should be clear to all of us: writing is one of the many ways to please God. Gitaji will teach us many more means -- such as knowledge, selfless service and devotion based on the purity of heart -- to Self Realization.

 --Swami Radhanandaji