Introduction to Human Design
Human Design is a relatively new system, but its roots draw from ancient disciplines including the I Ching, astrology, the Kabbalah, the Hindu-Brahmin chakra system, and quantum physics. It was founded in the late 20th century and provides a unique synthesis of these ancient wisdoms and modern science. The end result? A comprehensive map—your Human Design chart—that offers insights into your personality, decision-making process, strengths, challenges, and your purpose in life.
At its core, Human Design believes that we are all unique, with our distinct energy patterns. It rejects the one-size-fits-all approach to life, offering personalized guidance tailored to each individual’s design.
Your Human Design chart, sometimes referred to as the BodyGraph, is a visual representation of your unique energy configuration. It details how you’re energetically wired, helping you understand how you interact with the world and other people.
It’s important to remember that while Human Design provides a detailed roadmap, it doesn’t dictate your destiny. Instead, it empowers you with self-knowledge, enabling you to navigate life with greater awareness and authenticity.
The Five Types in Human Design
At a foundational level, Human Design classifies individuals into five distinct Types. These Types offer broad insights into one’s role in life and their strategy for making decisions. Each Type has its own unique way of interacting with the world, and understanding your Type can be profoundly illuminating.
Manifestors are initiators. They have a unique capacity to start things, to set into motion plans and projects. Their strategy is to inform others of their intentions before taking action. This helps them navigate potential resistance and ensures smoother interactions.
Generators and Manifesting Generators are the builders of the world. They have a defined sacral center, which gives them sustainable energy to create and work. Their strategy is to respond, waiting for something outside of themselves to spark their internal sacral response.
Projectors are guides. They don’t have the consistent energy of Generators but possess a deep wisdom and ability to oversee and guide others. Their strategy is to wait for an invitation, ensuring their wisdom is recognized and valued.
Reflectors are the mirrors of society. They have no defined centers, making them incredibly receptive to their environment. Their strategy is to wait for a lunar cycle (around 28 days) before making major decisions, giving them time to reflect and gain clarity.
By understanding your Type, you gain insights into your inherent strengths and the strategy that aligns with your unique design.
The Nine Centers: Energetic Hubs
The Human Design chart, or BodyGraph, showcases nine geometric shapes, representing the nine energy centers. These centers correlate with the seven chakras of the Hindu-Brahmin system but include two additional centers. Whether a center is colored in (defined) or left white (undefined) in your chart offers valuable insights.
The Throat Center is the center of communication and manifestation. If it’s defined in your chart, you might have a consistent way of expressing yourself.
The G Center or the Identity Center relates to love, direction, and self-identity. A defined G Center might indicate a fixed sense of self and direction in life.
The Ajna, or Mind Center, concerns intellectual capacity and how one processes information. Those with a defined Ajna may have a consistent way of thinking and reasoning.
The Head Center is the pressure center for inspiration and questions. When defined, there might be a consistent pressure to act on ideas or answer questions.
The Heart/Will Center deals with willpower, value, and worth. A defined center can indicate someone with a consistent willpower and a drive to prove themselves.
Each center, whether defined or undefined, provides insights into specific areas of one’s life, ranging from communication to emotions, intuition to survival instincts.
Channels and Gates: The Highways and Doors of Energy
Connecting the nine centers in the Human Design chart are channels and gates, representing the flow of energy within an individual. They are the “highways” (channels) and “doors” (gates) that energy travels through.
There are 64 gates in total, and each one corresponds to one of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching. When a gate is activated in your chart, it signifies that you carry the energy or theme of that particular gate. Gates become activated by planetary positions at the time of your birth.
Channels are formed when two gates from two different centers connect, creating a flow of energy between those centers. This connection defines the centers it connects, influencing the way an individual processes and expresses that energy.
The presence or absence of certain channels and gates in your chart can offer detailed insights into various aspects of your personality, your strengths, and the themes you’re here to explore in life.
Profiles: The Costume of Your Life’s Role
Within the realm of Human Design, the Profile gives a deeper layer of individuality. It’s often described as the “costume” you wear as you walk through life. Each profile is a combination of two numbers, derived from the lines of the I Ching hexagram.
There are 12 potential profiles, such as 1/3, 2/4, 5/1, and so on. Each number carries its own significance, and the combination provides insight into one’s life strategy, strengths, and challenges. Understanding your profile can shed light on how you best interact with the world and make decisions.
The first number represents the conscious side of you – the personality that you’re aware of and present to the world. The second number, however, delves into the unconscious aspects of your being. This might be the part of you that operates in the background, guiding your actions in ways you might not always be conscious of.
For instance, a 4/6 profile merges the themes of ‘opportunism’ and ‘being an objective role model.’ Such an individual might naturally build networks while simultaneously going through distinct life phases, moving from trial and error in their younger years to a more observational role in mid-life.
Embracing the nuances of your profile can provide clarity on your journey, assisting you in recognizing patterns and maximizing your inherent strengths.
Authorities: Your Decision-Making Guide
Central to the Human Design system is the concept of Authority. It provides guidance on the best way for you to make decisions, rooted in your unique design. Rather than letting the mind take the lead, which can often result in overthinking or confusion, Human Design proposes that decisions made through one’s Authority lead to more aligned and authentic outcomes.
There are seven types of Authorities: Sacral, Splenic, Emotional, Self-Projected, Manifested, Lunar, and None. Your Authority is determined by the centers that are defined in your BodyGraph and their configuration.
For instance, individuals with a defined Sacral center have Sacral Authority, making decisions best when they listen to their gut responses. Those with a defined Solar Plexus (Emotional center), on the other hand, have Emotional Authority, which means they benefit from giving themselves time to feel into decisions and allow their emotional wave to pass.
Recognizing and honoring your Authority can be a game-changer. It streamlines your decision-making process, minimizes second-guessing, and helps align you with choices that resonate with your true self.
Definition: How You Connect Internally and With Others
The concept of Definition in a Human Design chart refers to how the centers in your BodyGraph connect and communicate, both within you and with the outside world. Understanding your Definition can provide insights into your inherent nature, how you process experiences, and how you relate to others.
There are four primary Definitions: Single, Split, Triple Split, and Quadruple Split.
A Single Definition means all the colored-in centers in the BodyGraph are connected. These individuals often have a sense of wholeness and can find it easier to understand themselves, but might sometimes struggle to understand those with a different internal configuration.
Split Definitions have a break or gap in the connections between their defined centers. They often learn about themselves through relationships, as interactions with others can bridge their energetic split.
Triple Split and Quadruple Split Definitions are less common. Those with these Definitions have multiple breaks in their centers’ connections, leading them to experience different aspects of themselves in varying environments or with different people.
Understanding your Definition can be a key to self-awareness. It provides context for certain life challenges and offers guidance on how to cultivate deeper connections and self-understanding.
Circuits and Circuitry: The Flow of Your Energetic Currents
The Channels in a Human Design chart can be grouped into Circuits, representing different thematic energy flows. There are three primary circuits: Individual, Collective, and Tribal.
Individual Circuitry channels focus on personal empowerment and transformation. They have a unique frequency and are here to bring forth innovation and mutate the collective. The energy here is about personal discovery and sharing these findings for the betterment of the group.
The Collective Circuit channels, divided further into Logic and Sensing, concentrate on sharing information and experiences for the collective’s advancement. Logic channels bring a focus on patterns and predicting the future, while Sensing channels are more about experiential learning and sharing stories.
Tribal Circuitry, on the other hand, is deeply concerned with support, protection, and family. It’s about ensuring the safety of the group, creating bonds, and passing on traditions.
Knowing the primary circuitry that your channels belong to can offer profound insights into your purpose, how you process information, and where you naturally direct your energy. It helps elucidate your role within the larger collective and how you contribute to the evolution of the whole.