In Human Design, each type has an emotional signature and a not-self theme that lets us know when we are using our energy “correctly” or not.
“Correct” in Human Design doesn’t mean moral values, society standards, or cultural conditioning. It means using your energy in a way that flows with your design rather than creating resistance by going against your natural energy flow.
We go against our natural energy flow because of conditioning (aka patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions that are “imprinted” from the transits and other people).
You will experience more ease, flow, and synchronicity when you lean into your natural energy dynamics. This is what it really means to be in alignment with your higher purpose.
Being in the flow is…
Satisfaction for Generators and Manifesting Generators.
Success for Projectors.
Peace for Manifestors.
Surprise (and Delight) for Reflectors.
When you don’t go with your natural flow, you experience resistance, burn-out, and weariness. This is what it means to be aligned with the lowest potential of your purpose.
That looks like…
Frustration for Generators.
Frustration and anger for Manifesting Generators.
Bitterness for Projectors.
Anger for Manifestors.
Disappointment for Reflectors.
Those signatures and themes are a snapshot of how things are going on a macro level.
If you are experiencing your emotional signature more often than not, you’re likely in the flow. And if you are experiencing your not-self theme more often than not, you likely aren’t in the flow.
But when you want to actually change the way you use your energy to be more in flow, it can be really helpful to understand what those themes will look like on the micro-level.
That is where tuning into your day-to-day thoughts, feelings, and actions (aka your energy) can help you.
The Nine Energy Centers is where your energy (aka your thoughts, feelings, and actions) comes from.
Your undefined centers are where you are most likely* to be conditioned.
When you look at how your undefined energy centers manifest (in your thoughts, feelings, and actions), you can start to catch yourself long before the not-self themes of frustration, bitterness, anger, and disappointment show up.
So, grab your chart and note your undefined (or open) centers. Then, begin to notice these specific patterns playing out in your daily life.
Not-Self Theme of the Undefined Head Center
The not-self theme of the undefined head center is not knowing which questions are worth answering and which ones aren’t. In your daily life that might look like:
Thought: I need more inspiration. (why?)
Feeling: pressure
Action: scrolling, hoarding ideas, copying
Thought: I don’t know how. (how?)
Feeling: pressure
Action: an endless quest for education, searching for how instead of putting one foot in front of the other
Thought: I’m so confused. I need to figure this out. (what?)
Feeling: pressure
Action: rumination, worry, agonizing
Not-Self Theme of the Undefined Ajna Center
The not-self theme of the undefined ajna center is trying to convince everyone that you are certain when you aren’t. In your daily life that might look like:
Thought: I have to figure this out.
Feeling: futile
Action: obsessing about problems, rumination
Thought: I need an answer.
Feeling: desperate
Action: worry, push others for answers
Thought: I can’t say anything if I’m not certain.
Feeling: unsure
Action: hold back, withdraw, stay silent
Not-Self Theme of the Undefined Throat Center
The not-self theme of the undefined throat center is trying to attract attention with your words and actions. In your daily life that might look like:
Thought: This silence is uncomfortable; I better say something to break it up.
Feeling: anxious
Action: speaking with no point and jibber-jabber
Thought: No one is noticing me; I should say ___.
Feeling: desperate
Action: oversharing, lying, exaggerating
Thought: I bet they will notice me if I ___.
Feeling: needy
Action: tantrums, acting out, drama
Not-Self Theme of the Undefined G Center
The not-self theme of the undefined G center is looking for consistent direction in life. In your daily life that might look like:
Thought: I need a consistent identity and direction.
Feeling: obsessive
Action: constant seeking of identity and beating yourself up when you want to change,
Thought: I’m not lovable as I am.
Feeling: shame
Action: shut down, hide parts of yourself, people-pleasing
Thought: I don’t know my place in the world.
Feeling: lost
Action: looking for a magical unicorn of a community or place where you always “feel good”
Not-Self Theme of the Undefined Will Center
The not-self theme of the undefined will center is attempting to prove your worthiness and value to others. In your daily life that might look like:
Thought: I will be worthy when I ___.
Feeling: willful
Action: doing things that others thing you should do
Thought: I have to prove that I am ___.
Feeling: desperate
Action: pursuing goals that others perceive as valuable (education, jobs, belongings, relationships) rather than from a place of sufficiency
Thought: If I show how ___ I am, people will like me.
Feeling: graspy
Action: exaggerating, aggrandizing, boasting about self
Not-Self Theme of the Undefined Spleen Center
The not-self theme of the undefined spleen center is holding onto things that aren’t good for you. In your daily life that might look like
Thought: I’m too scared.
Feeling: fear
Action: don’t take beneficial risks
Thought: I better stay here because something better might not come along.
Feeling: trapped
Action: stay in relationships, jobs, places, environments that aren’t healthy
Thought: I’m not enough.
Feeling: insecure
Action: don’t pursue dreams and goals and focus on what is lacking
Not-Self Theme of the Undefined Sacral Center
The not-self theme of the undefined sacral center is not knowing when enough is enough. In your daily life that might look like:
Thought: If I don’t say yes, I will miss out.
Feeling: fear
Action: do things, sign up for things, accept invitations that are “incorrect”
Thought: I’m not allowed to have boundaries.
Feeling: submissive
Action: avoiding saying no, over-giving, staying in situations that do not honor your values
Thought: I can keep going even though I really need to {rest, eat, sleep, pee, drink}.
Feeling: reckless
Action: ignoring your needs, powering through, unnecessary finishing
Not-Self Theme of the Undefined Solar Plexus Center
The not-self theme of the undefined solar plexus is avoiding emotional confrontation and truth. In your daily life that might look like:
Thought: I don’t want to deal with that.
Feeling: fear
Action: hoarding, buffering (emotional eating, drugs, drinking, etc.), avoiding people, places, and situations
Thought: I have to make sure everyone is happy.
Feeling: hypervigilant
Action: scanning for people’s moods and adjusting behavior to appease moods
Thought: I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
Feeling: over-responsibility
Action: not doing or saying things because of how it could influence others
Not-Self Theme of the Undefined Root Center
The not-self theme of the undefined root center is trying to free yourself from the pressure by overdoing it. In your daily life that might look like:
Thought: I need to make my life better.
Feeling: pressure
Action: pushing yourself to grow, do, and be more with no regard for where you end up
Thought: I need to hurry and get this done.
Feeling: pressure
Action: rush and push beyond the bodies natural limits
Thought: I better start something new.
Feeling: pressure
Action: starting new projects (and rarely finishing them)
Don’t be an asshole to yourself.
Now, if you notice these things in yourself, it is important to have compassion for yourself. None of these things are reasons to shame, blame, or criticize yourself.
These not-self themes are just what it means to be a human with a perfectly functioning human brain and nervous system. At our deepest level, we all want to be loved, to belong, and to be safe and we condition ourselves in “incorrect” ways to “ensure” those things.
As a species, we are starting to move beyond “survival mode” where pleasing everyone around us is our main motive. And we are moving into an age where thriving is our deepest motivation.
So, as we do our deconditioning work, we are literally on the leading edge of human evolution.
And, well, in case it isn’t obvious, that is both uncomfortable and takes time. We didn’t get here overnight and we won’t evolve overnight.
There is no reason to add “negative” emotions on top of that.
My recommendation would be just to pick ONE undefined center to focus on.
Notice how it is playing out in your world.
In the beginning, you may notice your actions. Then, you’ll notice the feelings driving those actions, and eventually, you will start to see the thoughts that are creating those feelings. And even the thoughts that are “under” those thoughts.
Start where you are. Notice what you notice. And get really curious about what stepping into your flow would actually look like in each situation.
You’ve got this.