When I first came across my human design chart, I was incredibly curious about what it all meant. But, after a small amount of research, I wrote it off as a waste of time and energy. But, through various magickal synchronicities, my human design chart kept finding its way back to me. And as I started looking at it a little more deeply, I started to see something very clearly:
Our human design chart is showing us the game we came to play in life and the way our energy naturally flows through that game. And once you get the basics concepts, it all starts to click into place, and it becomes easier and easier to know where, when, and how to focus your energy on a daily basis.
The more deeply I’ve studied my human design chart and my clients’ charts, the more and more enthralled with this system I become.
So, what is Human Design?
Human Design is both a science and an art. It synthesizes Astrology, the Kabbalah, the iChing, and the Hindu energy/chakra system into a “chart” of YOU.
Human Design is like a pristine mirror. When you experiment with what you see in that mirror, you see exactly who you are, why you came to earth, and how to use your energy to its fullest potential.
Human Design shows you your shadows, your light, and the places you will struggle with believing you are too much or not enough. It illuminates your intuitive gifts and your inner guidance system. It reveals your gifts, purpose, and even the kind of people and energy you will be naturally drawn to.
In short, Human Design is a major shortcut to knowing yourself, your innate value, and the ways to support yourself in your growth.
But, in all honesty, the human design chart isn’t exactly intuitive to interpret. It’s like going to a foreign country without speaking the language!
Get Your Free Human Design Chart
Before continuing with this series, I recommend having your chart nearby. If you don’t have your human design chart yet, you can get one for free on the Genetic Matrix. Sign up for your free Genetic Matrix account here.
If you do not know your exact birth time to run your human design chart, I recommend:
- looking at your birth certificate
- asking a family member
- asking the hospital that you were born in.
And if those options don’t work for you, you can hire a qualified astrologer to reconcile your birth time. (That is what I did!)
Here is what the free version of your human chart is going to look like:
If you used Genetic Matrix and it doesn’t look quite like this, be sure you’ve registered for a free account first. If you run the free chart without registering for your account, the chart will have less information. Sign up for your free Genetic Matrix account here.
Also, note that if you run your free human design chart elsewhere, there will be slight variations in the way it looks and the verbiage but you should catch the drift.
The First Glance At Your Human Design Chart
At first glance, you’ll notice two main parts of your chart.
On the left-hand half of the page, you’ll notice your birth information and some of the details about your chart in words.
On the right-hand half of the page, you’ll notice an image called “the bodygraph.” The bodygraph has two columns of symbols + numbers, one in red and one in black, and in between those two columns is the outline of a human body with all sorts of shapes, colors, and numbers inside of it.
Once you become more familiar with the bodygraph, you’ll be able to discern all of the information from the left-hand side of the page (except the birthdate details) just by looking at the bodygraph. But, we’ll use the information on the left-hand side to get started.
Human Design Chart Basics: Type
Your human design type is determined by the centers (see below) that are defined in your chart, and it determines the way your energy body (aura) naturally interacts with the world around you. I’ve circled the location of type on your free Genetic Matrix human design chart here:
The word that proceeds your type is your authority. We’ll cover that below. You’ll be one of these five human design types:
Manifestor
The initiators of energy. They literally MOVE energy with their presence and are very driven to make things happen in the world. They are here to watch their impact in the world. Their energy works in bursts and is great at starting things.
Generator
They are here to generate energy by doing what they love. They have deep wells of energy to work but it must be work that “lights them up.”
Manifesting Generator
They are multi-passionate powerhouses. They are here to have their hands in all the pies that light them up. They are multi-taskers, very efficient, and know-how to trim the fat of unnecessary steps.
Projector
The natural guides of energy. Their aura “penetrates” the other and can spot where energy is out of balance or flowing incorrectly and can guide it back into flow. They also intuitively get how systems and structures work.
Reflector
The community thermostat. With all of their centers undefined, they reflect back the energy of the people and places they are with. If the Reflector is sick and unhappy, it’s an indicator that its community is sick and unhappy. They are wise mirrors of wellbeing.
Human Design Chart Basics: Strategy
Your Human Design Strategy reveals the best way for you to bring about your dreams and intentions and is the direct path for calling opportunities to share your gifts with the world.
Following your strategy (along with your authority) is the most important way to choose worthiness.
Your strategy is always determined by your type. By following your strategy, you will draw in the right circumstances to live your dreams and share your innately valuable gifts with the world. The strategy isn’t spelled out on the free Genetic Matrix free chart for some reason. But, they are as follows:
The Manifestor strategy is to initiate and inform. This means when they get an urge to do something in the world, you literally just go do it. Because the manifestor has a very strong impact field, it is also important that they inform anyone who will be affected by their actions. This keeps the peace in relationships for manifestors.
Manifestors are the only type that has an initiating strategy. All other types rely on some sort of response.
The Generator and Manifesting Generator (MG) strategy is to respond. They hold the intention of what they want to bring forth in the world and wait for the Universe to deliver them options to choose from. This draws in the correct experiences for them to become lit up and turned on. For MG, depending on what they are doing, it may also be important for them to inform those in their impact field.
The Projector strategy is to wait to be recognized and invited. They focus their energy by continually honing their area of expertise and, then, guiding others are designed to guide others when recognized and invited to do so. They don’t want to just go around shilling out unsolicited advice. (As a projector myself, I can tell you that unsolicited advice does not end well!!) By waiting for the correct recognition and invitation, they draw in the people who will most benefit from their highly skilled guidance.
The Reflector strategy is to wait for a full lunar cycle. With no definition in their centers, the reflectors’ energy fluctuates every single day, depending on the environment they are in, the transits, and the people they surround themselves with. By waiting for a full lunar cycle before making any major moves in their life, they discover what is consistent within them and have time to access what is true for them, free from all the external influence.
Honestly, most people feel a little disappointed in their strategies. As a culture, we tend to be conditioned to live against our natural strategy. So, those disappointing feelings are usually an indicator of their exact conditioning.
But, I promise you that your strategy is actually perfect for you once you are working with it, instead of against it. I give you practical tools for working with your strategy in the Human Design Map.
Human Design Chart Basics: Inner Authority
Along with your strategy, your authority is the most important part of your human design chart.
Your inner authority is the way you are best designed to make decisions about how to use your energy and share your gifts with others. By listening to your authority, you will make decisions that are “correct” for you. Inner authority is determined by your nine human design centers definition.
Your authority is your most potent source of inner guidance. It is literally your GPS to the life you truly deserve.
On the Genetic Matrix version of your chart, it’s the descriptor indicated before your type. I’ve circled it below.
There are a total of seven human design authorities. I give more detail and specific practices for each in the Human Design Map. But, for a baseline understanding, they are:
Lunar Authority
Lunar Authority is indicated by having no definition in any of the nine energy centers. Therefore, Reflectors are the only type with this authority.
Before making any big decisions, wait for a full lunar cycle. This gives the reflector time to sift through what is consistently true for them instead of what seems true at the moment based on their environment, the transits, and the people they spend a lot of time with.
Mental Authority
Mental Authority is indicated by only having definition from the throat or above. Therefore, Projectors are the only type that can have this authority.
Before making a big decision, ensure that the environment feels right to your body and then use sound boarding to work through decisions. Sound boarding is “bouncing ideas” off of listening ears (rather than advice-giving ears). Sound boarding can also be done on voice memos or even just talking out loud. Through the sound boarding process, you will “just know” what is right for you by how your own voice sounds when speaking to others and how it “bounces” off of them.
Splenic Authority
Splenic authority is indicated by having a defined spleen but undefined sacral and solar plexus. Therefore, Manifestors and Projectors are the only two types that can have this authority.
Trust your primal instincts (taste, sound, smell, knowing) and intuition to know what is right for you in the now. It works based on what it senses is safe at the moment. It does not look into the future or past. It knows. Right now. It is the NO that keeps you from walking down a dark alley.
Self-Projected Authority
Self- projected authority is indicated by the Defined G and throat but undefined root, sacral, solar plexus, will, and spleen. Therefore, Projectors are the only type that can have this authority.
Before making decisions, talk them out with someone who can just listen and reflect back on your own words and knowing to you. It is critical that the listener not give it advice or make suggestions. You’ll hear the correct decision when it comes out of your mouth.
Emotional Authority
Emotional authority is indicated by a defined emotional solar plexus. If you have a defined solar plexus, you have emotional authority. Therefore, all types can have this authority except reflectors.
Before making big decisions, ride the full wave of emotions. Do not make decisions when super “high” or super “low.” Wait until you are emotionally clear and have “seen all sides” and the decision still “feels right.” “Feeling right” means that even if you don’t feel sure or certain about the outcome, you are open to the emotional experience of a decision – not matter how it turns out.
Unlike splenic authority, the emotional authority isn’t advised to make decisions in the now, especially big decisions. Instead, do yourself a favor and at least sleep on it.
Sacral Authority (Pure)
Sacral authority is indicated by a defined sacral but undefined emotional solar plexus. Therefore, only Generators and Manifesting Generators can have this authority.
When making decisions, big or small, wait for the sacral to say YES or NO via sacral sounds. Uh-huh and nuh-uh. These primitive sounds originate in the gut. The uh-huh feels like it lights you up and turns you on. The nuh-uh feels like it turns you off or burns you out. Do the things that turn you on.
Ego Authority
Ego authority is indicated by a defined will center but This means that Projectors and Manifestors are the only types who can have this authority.
When making decisions, act on the things that light up your sense of healthy competition, willpower, drive, and ambition. This often comes along with a simple thought like I will do that and will tend to have a “fighter edge” to it and will be very determined. If you don’t feel determined and willful, don’t do it!
I’d be remiss not to mention the critical link between the Ego authority and choosing worthiness. Only a small percentage of the population has the will center defined. And an even smaller percentage of the population has the will center but no spleen, emotional solar plexus, or sacral definition. A whopping 1% of the popular has Ego Authority.
The trouble is that most people have been conditioned to prove their worth by using their willpower and determination to make things happen in their lives. But, for 99% of people on the planet, this does not create positive outcomes. It literally creates feelings of low self-worth and the habits of unworthiness. So, it is mission-critical to STOP using your will to make decisions if you do not have ego authority! Using your actual authority to make decisions will be a huge step in CHOOSING WORTHINESS for you.
That’s a wrap on the first part of the Human Design Chart series. Check out the next post in this series on the nine energy centers in Human Design.