The official name for Human Design Gate 1 is The Gate of Self-Expression. But I call it The Divine Creative because its primary action is to connect with and honor one’s natural creative cycles.
About Human Design Gate 1 – Gene Key 1
Archetypal Name: The Divine Creative
In Action: connect with your natural creative cycles
Keywords: creativity, surrendering to the highs and lows of creativity, and making marks
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Official Gate Name: Self-Expression
Human Design Definition: Creation as a primal force. The energy potential to manifest inspiration without limitation.
Core Theme: Capacity for creativity.
Bodygraph Center: G center and connects to the Throat center via human design gate 8.
Tropical Sign: Scorpio
(Want all of the correspondences and keynotes for the gates of your incarnation cross? The Human Design Map is for you.)
The Energy Spectrum of Human Design Gate 1
All energy in the Human Design chart exists on a spectrum of potential.
On one end of the spectrum, Human Design Gate 1 is the energy for Creativity. It leads by example and knows that it’s greatest impact on the world happens when you stay true to your creative process.
On the other end of the spectrum, Human Design Gate 1 is the energy for believing that you should be able to be creative all the time or that being depressed or low means that something is wrong with you. It Resists your creative ebbs and flows.
If you don’t like the results that the “negative” side of the spectrum is creating in your life, you can raise the frequency of Gate 1 with a number of boundaries, practices, and tools.
(I cover the practices for the gates of your incarnation cross in the Human Design Map.)
For now, the most important thing to raise the frequency of gate 1 is to practice deep self-care during “low” periods and learn how to access the wisdom of your emotions.
My personal contemplation of Human Design Gate 1 (Gene Key 1)
One of the patterns I’ve noticed, both in people who have Gate 1 defined and those who don’t, is this deep, deep story about unworthiness when they aren’t on top of their Creative game. They start to question their true purpose and forget the magic of who they really are.
Those low feelings roll in, and, all of a sudden, they start telling themselves that the Universe is punishing them for being human. They tell themselves that if they were better at managing their emotions or could just stay “high vibe,” they would be Creative all the time.
I’ve been there myself more times than I could even count.
What I’ve come to understand through contemplation of Human Design Gate 1 is how important it is to trust in the natural ebbs and flows of Creativity and not make it mean terrible shit when you’re feeling uninspired to Create.
It’s critical that we drop the story of unworthiness and trust that “negative vibes” are in service to Creativity. They don’t “prove” horrible shit about you. I promise.
Up and down it goes like a great wave across my own home
All the questions of the mind trying to find a way to show
That I got darkness I got light I got everything in between
Don’t deny any side
I don’t cut branches off my tree
Great storm clouds holding rain
It’s part of nature to hold a bit of pain
All in all, that rain falls, and then we watch a new thing grow
Great Storm Clouds by Trevor Hall
Human Design Gate 1 shows us that “the low” is just as important as “the high” in your most authentic self-expression. Its energy. In motion.
Now it’s your turn to contemplate Gate 1
When you stand in the Truth that your lows don’t mean anything about your Creative potential…
What does Creativity mean to you?
Are you connected to your Creativity?
Do you make your low feelings mean something about your Creativity and your worthiness? Why do you think that is?
How can you honor your Creative highs more often? And what do you need to take care of yourself when you are in a Creative low?
Who are your biggest allies who can remind you of your Creative genius?
I encourage you to take some time with these questions. Take them out into your world and let their answers reveal themselves to you. Intend for deeper levels of clarity about gate 1.
And, if you have gate 1 in your Human Design Incarnation Cross, be sure to check out the Human Design Map where I go super deep into each gate of your cross.