The official name for Human Design Gate 42 is The Gate of Growth. But I call it The Celebration Doula because its primary action is to bring projects, dreams, and goals into their full potential.
About Human Design Gate 42 – Gene Key 42
Archetype Name: The Celebration Doula
In Action: finish things and celebrate accomplishments
Keywords: celebration, closing loops, and seeing things through
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Official Gate Name: Growth
Human Design Definition: The expansion of the resources which maximizes the development of full potential.
Core Theme: Closing cycles and bringing things to an end.
Bodygraph Center: Sacral center and connects to the Root center via human design gate 53.
Tropical Sign: Aries
(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 42
All energy in the Human Design chart exists on a spectrum of potential.
On the “positive” end of the spectrum, Human Design Gate 42 is the energy for seeing things through to the end and celebrating accomplishments. Gate 42 believes that the future is bright with possibilities and uses that belief as fuel for bringing projects, dreams, and goals into their full potential.
On the other end of the spectrum, Human Design Gate 42 is the energy for unhealthy attachment, repeating the same patterns over and over again, and trying to control how things end through rebellion or self-sabotage (especially in relationships or in business).
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 42 with a number of boundaries, practices, and tools.
(I cover the practices for the gates of your incarnation cross in the Human Design Map.)
But, the most important thing to raise the frequency of gate 42 is to celebrate all of life and be mindful to start projects that you have the energy to see to fruition.
My personal contemplation of Human Design Gate 42 (Gene Key 42)
Gate 42 is undefined in my chart, but I do have gate 53 defined (the other side of the channel of maturation). And it has often seemed like I’m endlessly trying to solve the “never finish what I start” problem.
I am really good at starting things. Like, really, really good.
But finishing is a whole other story. And it has been a source of deep shame for me my entire life.
Learning more about my chart—a non-sacral being, undefined root, hanging 53—helped me see that there isn’t actually anything wrong with me.
My energy for finishing is inconsistent, and I incarnated this time around to gain wisdom about seeing things through.
By taking the pressure off, I was about to notice, without judgment, how many “open loops” I had in my life.
I looked at my art projects, household plans and projects, appointments and people who wanted to connect, my business, my dreams and goals, and even some relationships that really needed “closure.”
As I took in all of these “open loops,” I could clearly see that I have a pattern of overloading my to-do list. Like, way too much. I had so much “to do” that it would take many lifetimes to finish it all.
At first, this awareness was really depressing.
With my undefined will, my never ending to-do list was a way I attempted to prove my worthiness.
And, a part of me didn’t want to let go of the idea that “one day I’d get my shit together enough to finish everything I started.”
But, as I often tell my Human Design Map clients, I knew that a big part of this was taking worthiness off the table of discussion.
Worthiness is not a real thing. It is a made up construct. And really getting that is an essential part of deconditioning.
In letting the “earning worthiness” piece go, I started to develop more discernment about how much I could take on at any given moment.
I stopped saying yes to every single thing that came my way. My “plate” started to get clearer and clearer. I noticed that there was more room in my life to just breathe and be.
And with that open space, I began asking myself these questions:
- Do I have the energy to see this through?
- Is there someone else that can help me?
- How attached am I to this outcome and how can I release that attachment?
These questions have led to a deeper sense of self-compassion. But, on a more practical level, I was able to become even more discerning about the kinds of things I was actually starting.
For example, my husband and I LOVE to go thrifting and antique shopping.
Our home décor has a bohemian meets farmhouse meets mystical sigil magick vibe. I love the alchemy of taking something old and giving it a new purpose (human design gate 28).
Antiques often fit the vibe .
And I usually have at least one decorating project going on at all times.
At one time, we’d go antique hunting every single week.
We’d come home with a haul of stuff, and we’d pile it on the dining room table.
I wouldn’t have the energy to process it all, and it would just sit there all week. Then, on the next weekend, we’d go out again and come home with more stuff.
As I really paid attention to this “open loops” thing, it became abundantly clear that the antique/thrifting was contributing to the “not finishing” thing in a BIG way.
With every purchase, I was creating a new open loop that would need to be closed.
Each item needed to be physically and energetically cleaned, it needed a home, and if it was part of a bigger project, it may need other work as well.
After the first “processing,” it would need to be cleaned or maintained in some other way on a regular basis, too.
So, I made a new rule:
If the last trip’s “stuff” isn’t processed, we don’t go on another trip.
Since then, I’ve become even more minimal in my lifestyle. And I no longer feel quite as compelled to bring everything I love home. I can appreciate something’s beauty without bringing it home.
Do I have an immediate need/project for the item?
Am I OK with it just going in the stash?
How many home decor loops do I have open?
And the most magical question of all…
Can I just admire the item without actually buying it?
These days, we rarely have stuff on the dining room table anymore, we buy way less stuff to start with, and I’m more intentional about my mindset going into a thrift/antique store.
All of this was a great lesson for me. I’ve started to be more mindful in every area of my life and in the loops I have open.
I’ve streamlined my business. I only sell one thing (the Human Design Map) and I keep my big projects to a minimum.
I’ve made peace with having a limited number of close relationships.
And I try to finish one decorating project before starting new ones. Honestly, that one is the hardest, and I’m definitely not done “becoming wise” in finishing things.
I’m not making any promises, though. LOL.
Either way, I’m not going to be an asshole to myself about any of it. I understand that my worthiness is an optional story and has nothing to do with finishing things or not.
What really matters is being honest with myself and trusting the process as I learn more about the delicate balance between starting and finishing.
Now it’s your turn to contemplate Gate 42
When you stand in the truth that the gifts of gate 42 are always available to you (whether it’s defined in your chart or not)…
Do you consistently finish what you start? Why or why not?
How do you know when you have the energy to finish something versus when you don’t?
What if you told yourself the truth about your capacity to start and finish things?
Are you willing to offer yourself compassion and grace for your unfinished projects?
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 42.
And, if you have gate 42 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.