Introduction

Human Design is a self-discovery system that was developed in 1987 by Ra Uru Hu. Each individual has a unique Human Design chart based on birth date, time, and city — which provides insight on their energetic aura and decision-making process, as well as practical guidance for work, relationships, and greater personal flow.

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A lot of information about Human Design exists online. As someone who deeply values clarity: my goal is not to muddy the waters with more info! Instead, my intention is to give my simplified introduction, and send people who are curious on their way. I always recommend embracing play, exploration, and openness with this tool.

Downloading Your Chart

You will need your birth date, time, and place in order to download your chart. I choose to use Jenna Zoe’s website or app. In the following pages, I break down different components of your chart for easier understanding.

1: Centers

The first thing you’ll notice about your Human Design is your Bodygraph, which consists of 9 distinct energy Centers:

Each Center is either:

Defined (aka: filled in) — You experience this energy consistently, from within yourself, regardless of your environment or the people you’re around.

Undefined (aka: open) — You experience this energy inconsistently; your environment and the people around you are influential. These open centers are receptive to conditioning, so it is valuable to assess whether the energy is your own, or belongs to someone else.

Authority

Your chart has 1 Defined Center* that influences decision-making, and this is called your Authority.

• Example: If your Authority is Splenic, decisions are made from the Spleen Center — based on your instinct and intuition. If your Authority is Emotional, it’s coming from the Solar-Plexus Center.

*1% of the population has 0 defined Centers, and their Authority is considered Outer/Lunar.

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The reason Human Design piqued my interest was learning I have all 9 Centers Undefined! I was determined to investigate.

When you’re first starting out with learning Human Design, I think it’s nice to simply take note of which Centers are Defined vs. Undefined, and understand which Center is influencing your Authority before jumping into the most talked-about piece: your Type.

2: Types

The Defined and Undefined Centers in your Bodygraph influence your Type.

Each of the following Types has its own Strategy to assist with decision-making and managing energy, as well as Themes to look out for. One is positive (a reinforcement that you’re living your design) and the other is a signal (a shadow side that may nudge you to make adjustments).

• Manifestors

  Strategy: To Inform

  Themes: Peace <> Anger

  Population: 9%

  Tip: Share your ideas and visions as they come to you, and work with the other types to make them a reality.

• Generators

  Strategy: To Respond

  Themes: Satisfaction <> Frustration

  Population: 31%

  Strategy: Honor what your gut tells you in response to any of life’s questions. You will get a clear “yes” or “no” from your Defined Sacral Center.

• Manifesting-Generators

  *This type is a hybrid of the two types, and follows both Strategies, Tips, and Themes.

  Population: 37%

• Projectors

  Strategy: To Be Invited

  Themes: Success <> Bitterness

  Population: 22%

  Tip: Be on the lookout for invitations to share your insights, visions, and plans. When you master the correct timing and your audience is receptive, you can have maximum impact.

• Reflectors

  Strategy: To Let the Answers Reveal Themselves

  Themes: Surprise <> Disappointment

  Population: 1%

  Tip: Talk to me! 🤭

Insight: The Types on Creative Teams

I love a good practical analogy when learning something new — so this is how I believe the Types would work well together on creative teams.

Manifestors are meant to Inform, so I see these individuals doing well in roles where they are set up to initiate for their teams. Perhaps they’re the Strategist who is giving the brief, or maybe they’re a Creative Director who setting the vision. They may also find their Peace in being an entrepreneur where they dictate their days.

Generators have incredible energy to create. They might be Art Directors, Writers, or “doers” in any other medium. These people like rolling up their sleeves and getting into it. They might experience Frustration if their focus is too heavy on logistics/dynamics/people, feeling in their best flow with action and output.

Manifesting-Generators are a hybrid of the two Types above, possessing a great ability to multi-task and switch gears. Some days, they might want to be a visionary — while other days, they might want to be the ones doing and creating. They should honor that juggling-ability and give themselves permission to switch it up.

Projectors are often referred to as the Seers — they are good at forecasting into people and situations. If they are in a role where they’re invited to share their insights and wisdom, they may feel great Success. I see them doing well as Managers of groups where they are empowered and in charge of' “guiding” for everyone’s benefit.

Reflectors mirror any of the Types above, so every day can look a little bit different depending on their surroundings. These individuals might do well with a flexible, jack-of-all-trades role that allows them to move throughout a team and contribute to various causes. Or perhaps as a Consultant who make seasonal contributions.

My Experience

A person shouldn’t feel “locked in” with the info about their Type. Projectors can Generate. Generators can Project. But I do think it’s interesting to have awareness, and keep tabs on how you feel and function day-to-day.

As a Reflector, I’ve experienced Disappointment with my inconsistent and changing energy at work, but lately I’ve embraced the shape-shifting. I absolutely honor that I am never going to have the consistent stamina of one of the Generator types.

My dad is a Generator, who spent his career as an individual contributor in Sales with his quota as his success metric. He would often get encouraged to step into a Manager role, but he knew he found the most Satisfaction in “the doing.” So, he stayed in his role with zero regrets. A Projector, on the other hand, may find the “seeing and guiding” involved with Manager roles to be more rewarding.

Oftentimes, a person’s trajectory is to start as an individual contributor and work their way up to a Manager. I tend to hear that people relate to my dad: they wish they could go back to “the doing!” And this checks out, considering 70% of the population are Generators with their Sacral Center defined.

After learning the Types of my closest family and friends — it’s so affirming. Whether it’s traveling, work, social gatherings: each person is naturally interested in different facets of the experience.

All roles are vital.

It’s been so fun to experience people learning their design. I find a lot of people say, “Um, doesn’t everyone operate this way…?” Or, “Wait, how does someone operate that way, that does not resonate with me at all…”

Always curious to hear about experiences.

The next piece is your Profile.

3: Profiles

You can think of your Profile as the “character” your Type plays in this life.

There are 12 unique Profiles (eg: 6/2, 1/3, 3/5) that include two numbers:

• First #: Conscious Profile Line — You are aware of these qualities

• Second #: Unconscious Profile Line — You may not be aware of these qualities yet

• 1 - The Investigator

  Your process involves thorough investigation and research to accumulate knowledge

• 2 - The Hermit

  Your process involves isolation and retreat to embrace what comes naturally

• 3 - The Experimenter

  Your process involves discovery through trial-and-error and firsthand experience

• 4 - The Networker

  Your process involves networking with people and to be influential in your community

• 5 - The Heretic

  Your process involves challenging the norm, sharing wisdom, and having an impact on others

• 6 - The Role Model

  Your process involves accumulating wisdom through three distinct life stages:

  age 0-30: trial and error

  age 31-50: settling and healing

  age 51-65: operating as a Role Model

I think this blog post by Jovian Archive articulates the Profiles beautifully, and I particularly love this quote:

“How often are we trying on roles and costumes that aren’t doing us justice? Does your current costume ‘fit’? Does it feel good on your physical body? Are you glowing or restricted?

My profile is the 2/5 - Hermit/Heretic. I was busy trying on the 1/3 and the 5/1 outfits and learned the hard way that some costumes just simply look better on other people.

Relaxing into your innate costume is a breath of fresh air. It actually feels nurturing to the physical body and brings a new sense of vibrancy to your being. Having a basic understanding of the lines gives you an opportunity to understand your gifts and those of people around you.”

— Jovian Archive

My Experience

I am a 6/2.

I totally resonate with my 2, The Hermit. And I love it. I also feel a kindred connection when I meet other 2s. There is just this deep satisfaction about being alone and hibernating; no shame, just pure bliss being hermity.

Others describe the 2 line as The Natural, and I resonate with this idea, too. When it comes to work or tasks — there isn’t really a science or process for how things come together. I’m not a researcher who loves to gather up information, nor am I someone who needs a firsthand experience to gain clarity. I just need to take space, and wrap my head around things. I’m really not a fan of live/group working sessions; it’s hard for me to come to solutions with a crew of people or feel like I’m making good progress. I do best when I can go off alone, do things in my own weird way, and report back.

My 6 line, The Role Model, has also played out for me, as I had a major life transformation at age 30. I can now see how my first phase of life involved trial-and-error, and now, I’m entering a season of healing and integrating my learnings, in order to work towards my role model wisdom.

The next piece is a favorite of mine, your Environment.

4: Environment

One of my favorite aspects of Human Design is the next piece I’ll cover: Environment.

Each of us has a type of environment that our body resonates with most deeply. By getting clear and intentional about our surroundings — whether it’s your city, community, home, or even your desk — we have the ability to experience more flow and inner peace.

• Shores

  Open spaces where two different landscapes come together.

• Mountains

  High-up places where you can get perspective, and see the full picture.

• Caves

  Cozy spaces of safety and security, where you can see who enters and exits.

• Valleys

  Acoustics play an important role, in order feel connected to and exchange information with others.

• Markets

  Spaces that are both comforting and stimulating with an eclectic, sensory mix of things you enjoy.

• Kitchens

  Central gathering spaces that allow for a special concoction of people, ideas, and cultures.

My Experience

I love this site by Vaness Henry which fuses Feng Shui with Human Design, and provides a much deeper look on these, along with tips and tricks.

I definitely resonate with what I’ve read about mine, Valleys.

Before moving to Portland, I traveled and checked out many different cities. I found that I was naturally drawn to places with easy-accessibility. I really benefit from a quick jaunt to a local coffee shop, a 5 minute drive to see a friend, and positioning myself anywhere buzzy (with the ability to retreat). San Francisco was good for this, too, being a small city at 7x7 miles. My home in Portland absolutely feels like a Valley town, and it’s made me feel so bright and happy!

The same goes for work. I can romanticize a WFH situation for a bit, but I’ve realized that the lack of “buzz” and social connection is absolutely missing for me.

I have loved to learn about friends’ Environments. People with Shores have expressed their need to be near bodies of water, or with freedom to roam; uneasy when landlocked. I also love to see a trend of people with Kitchens, thriving in large hubs like Los Angeles.

As always, each of us can thrive and succeed in multiple Environments: we’re never boxed in. Yes, I also love water and central gathering places. But it’s interesting to get curious about which factors of an place contribute to an extra level of vibrancy or comfortability for you.

I’ve gained empathy for people whose Environment might be opposite of mine. Everyone values different things about their home, and I love that this can shed light on deeper reasons for people’s preferences.

Next is your Cognition.

5: Cognition

Your Cognition is a special “sense” that you can play with in order to gain clarity on what people and experiences are healthiest for you.

Again, we can all access each of these senses. But I invite you to explore and play with yours, and see what comes up.

• Touch

  Explore tactile experiences like gardening, cooking, feeling textures and fabrics — and use your strong sense of touch to get information.

• Taste

  Sampling is a beneficial process — try out new people, places and spaces as freely as you like, and give yourself permission to step away from what doesn’t align.

• Smell

  Your extra sensitivity through your sense of smell can be used to assess what is healthy or safe for you.

• Inner Vision

  Close your eyes and practice visualization — manifestation was made for you, so give yourself space to daydream, meditate, and imagine.

• Outer Vision

  Follow what is aesthetically-inspiring to you — create mood or vision boards, re-arrange your home space to feel right, and give yourself permission to follow what subjectively appeals to your tastes.

• Feeling

  Physical waves of feeling in your system (shivers, sensations) help guide what is healthy for you — trust these signals and feel free to exit anything out of alignment.

My Experience

Learning that I am Outer Vision definitely resonated. I’ve always followed my subjective aesthetic preferences, and sometimes people give me a hard time for it! But, I honor that they may not have the same connection to this cognition, and it’s nice affirmation to own it. I recently redesigned the way my closet looks, and now I feel entirely better about what’s in it. It’s like I have a new wardrobe. And sure, a lot of people might feel similarly, but I’ve seen some crazy closets behind truly put-together people. My desire to design things in a way that aligns with my Outer Vision feels so innate, and has an influence on my energy. I’m also creating monthly moodboards as a way to play with this sense — experimenting with getting an external sense for what I’m inspired by, and want to bring in.

One of my favorite Cognition discoveries is my dear friend who has Taste. I read a piece that these individuals may literally ‘nibble on their food’ — and I can totally attest that she does! She’s a such nibbler, and really needs to sample. I love that she’s just tasting her way through people and experiences in life, deciding what’s sweet and sour, and I hope she continues to own it!

It also brought me joy to learn about another friend who has Inner Vision. He has always talked about closing his eyes, and visualizing himself winning. Contests, parking spots, you name it: and it truly works for him! I’ve tried to replicate this process but I can’t say it’s as strong for me. Following my visual joys has lead to some natural and happy discoveries.

Deeper Exploration

There is a lot more to unpack about Human Design. Components I didn’t cover here — like Gates — which are distinct gifts and themes to look out for throughout the course of life.

I also love to study Astrology charts in parallel, because each topical sign and placement can add great color on personality and temperament, painting a holistic picture.

1:1 Consultations

If you’re interested in learning more about your Human Design chart, shoot me a note in my Contact section!