Defined vs Undefined: the toolbox, van, shed metaphor

Written by Christie Inge, 5/2 Splenic Projector, born in the LAX of the Clarion 2 (57/51. 62/61) and creator of the Human Design Map

NOTE: My Human Design content is my personal interpretation of mechanics and is always written through my heretical + alchemical lens. It often does not align with traditional HD perspectives. And this post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase after clicking one of my affiliate links, I may make a commission. 

“Living your Human Design” won’t take away the 50/50 nature of life. Life will always change the music and ask you to dance along. That is truly the beauty of life.

But, working with your Human Design does make the dance of life more fun. It shows you which risks are worthwhile and which ones aren’t. And helps you trust that you can handle any move that life makes.

Your design is a set of tools to help you navigate your life with more ease, Grace, and flow. The more you understand what your tools are, how to use them, and when to use them, the easier it becomes to move through really challenging times.

a human design bodygraph with the text human design defined vs undefined what they really mean about you

The places where you are defined in your chart are the tools you will need all the time. The places where you are undefined/open are the tools you will only need occasionally.

Imagine for a moment that you are someone who does odd jobs for people. You mostly get hired to hang pictures but occasionally get hired to do other things on the honey do list.

Because you mostly get hired to hang pictures, you have a toolbox with hammers, nails, and screwdrivers. You carry the toolbox into every single job you are doing. (aka the defined gates of your incarnation cross)

You also have a van with tools that make hanging certain pictures easier, like a ladder, speciality nails, and a level. (aka the other defined gates in your chart)

Since you do get hired for other odd jobs, you also have a storage shed with tools like a power washer, a miter saw, and siding nailer. (aka the undefined/open parts of your chart)

You don’t put all of the tools in toolbox or even in the van because you just don’t need them as often. There isn’t room in the toolbox for everything and the van has limited space, too.

When you try to put everything into the toolbox and van, you make your job unnecessarily hard. You waste time and energy (and maybe even money) when you can’t find the hammer under all the other stuff.

Instead, you trust that when the job calls for it, you know where they are and can easily grab them when you need them.

When it comes to navigating your life with ease and grace, it is important that you understand what goes in the toolbox, the van, and the shed.

The gates and lines of your incarnation cross go in your toolbox. They are the “tools” that you will use on every single “job” in your life.

The gates and lines in the other parts of your chart go in the van. You’ll need them pretty often.

The undefined gates and line go in the shed. You’ll need them occasionally (during transits and in relationships with those who have them defined).

Notice what goes in your toolbox, van, and shed.

And, most importantly, stop trying to cram everything into the toolbox. And believing things should be in there that aren’t only perpetuates your story that you are not enough as you are.

So, please, for the love of all things holy, stop that shit.

You’re making your life harder than it needs to be and you’ve got way more important work to do in the world.

There is so much more where that came from:

If you loved this post, you will love the Human Design Map & Portal where Christie will explain the most important parts of your chart (Type + Strategy, Authority, Profile, and all four gates of your Incarnation Cross). And, you’ll get unlimited access to Q + A with her and her team. Get your map here

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