Maybe you have heard of Human Design, but have no idea what it’s really about. This Beginner’s Guide serves as an introduction to help you get started with Human Design and learn what it’s all about.
I’ll write other posts in the future to go more into detail about different aspects and elements of Human Design. But this is a good place to start.
What is Human Design?
Human Design is a synthesis of five modern and ancient sciences: the Chinese I-Ching, astrology, the Hindu-Brahmin Chakra System, the Kabbalah, and quantum mechanics.
The system was synthesized in 1987 by a Canadian Robert Allan Krakower, who later called himself Ra Uru Hu. During a mystical experience that lasted eight days “The Voice” spoke to him and that is how Human Design came into being.
Your Human Design chart shows your unique energetic blueprint. It’s a “manual” to yourself. It shows you who you really are, how you interact with other people and the world, and how to navigate life.
Why Would You want to Know Your Human Design
When I first came across Human Design, I was skeptical. It sounded way to woo-woo. Nonetheless, I started diving into my own chart and those of friends and family. Time and time again, I was amazed at how accurate it was.
Everyone who has learned about their design says that it’s like coming home to yourself. It’s a permission slip to be yourself.
We’re conditioned to try to be like everyone else. In contrast, Human Design is the “Science of Differentiation”: being our unique selves.
When you start living your life in alignment with your Design, you’ll experience more ease and flow in your life.
Your Human Design Chart will also show you the areas, in which you are most likely to have picked up limiting beliefs, which helps you break free from them. In Human Design terminology that process is called de-conditioning.
How Do I Get My Human Design Chart?
There are various places that you can get your chart from for free. Just put “Human Design Chart” into Google and you’ll get plenty of different options. In essence, they are all the same. Some might show you some more information than others. But when you’re starting out, that’s not relevant.
Here are few of my suggestions:
Your chart is calculated based on your birth date, birth time, and location. The location is only needed to determine the correct timezone. So, if you’re born in a small town, you can just enter the next bigger town, when you’re getting your chart.
What Happens If You Don’t Know Your Exact Birth Time?
The more accurate your birth time is the more accurate your chart will be. From that perspective, it’s best if you can find out your exact birth time. It might be written on your birth certificate or you might be able to get that information from the birth register in your country.
Another option is to ask your mother if that’s possible. Most likely she’ll be able to narrow it down rather well. For example, around 3 pm or early in the morning around 6 or 7 am.
Why Does Birth Time Matter?
When it comes to birth time, you’ll often either hear that you can’t get your Human Design Chart if you don’t know your exact birth time. Or you’ll hear that you can just use 12 noon. Neither is true.
Generally, the foundational elements of a Human Design Chart don’t change much during the course of a day. But occasionally they do. Even a few minutes can make a difference. If you don’t know your birth time, run a chart for 00:01 am, 6 am, 12 pm, 6 pm, and 11:59 pm to see where the charts differ. You can read the different descriptions and see which one resonates most with you and go with that.
The more in-depth you wanna go, the more accurate your birth time will have to be. But when you’re just starting out, it’s anyway recommended to focus on the foundational parts of your design and not get lost in the nitty-gritty details.
How Do I Read My Human Design Chart?
I briefly describe here all the main elements in a Human Design chart. I’ll describe each of them in separate blog posts in the future.
Energy Type
There are five Energy Types in Human Design and it tells you who you are on an energetic level. Each energy type has its own traits. The different types are Manifestors, Projectors, Generators, Manifesting Generators, and Reflectors.
Strategy
Each Type has their unique strategy. It shows you how to harness the energy of your Type.
Authority
This is your decision-making mechanism. It shows you how to make aligned decisions.
Profile
Aside from your Type, Authority and Strategy, your Profile is probably one of the most important things to know about your Human Design. It shows you your approach to life.
Signature and Non-Self Theme
Your signature and non-self theme are dependent on your type. They refer to the most prevalent emotion that we’re going to feel when we’re living in alignment (signature) or out of alignment (non-self theme). I like using them as a guide for whether I’m on or off track.
Centers
There are nine different centers in a Human Design chart. Each of them symbolizes different energy. When the center is colored in your chart, it means that it’s defined and is an area of natural strength for you. If it’s white, it’s undefined or open for you. That means that it a natural source of wisdom for you.
Gates & Channels
The Gates refer to the numbers in the Centers of a Human Design chart. The Channels refer to the connecting lines between the Gates. They tell you about your consistent life themes.
Besides those elements, there’s even more information in a Human Design chart. You gain even more insight once you look not only at the separate elements in your chart but how they all fit together in your unique Design.
What Do You Do With The Information From Your Human Design Chart?
When you’re learning first about Human Design, it’s easy to lose yourself in all the information. I’ve certainly gone down the rabbit hole of wanting to learn more about each little detail that I can find in my chart.
But the thing is knowing isn’t enough. You have to embody your design.
Follow Your Authority and Strategy
When you’re starting out with Human Design, follow your authority and strategy.
Human Design as an Experiment
Human Design is meant to be an experiment. Meaning that each of us should experiment with their design. Life should feel easier if we follow our design. Play with it. This goes back to what I said above. Embodying it as opposed to just knowing about it.
It also means questioning the things that don’t resonate with you.
Designs are different, but one isn’t better than another
Designs are just different. One design is never better than another. One type isn’t better than the other. Being more defined isn’t better than being more open and vice versa. Each design has its unique strengths and weaknesses. You were born with the exactly correct design for you in this lifetime.
Don’t use Human Design to limit yourself
Don’t use Human Design to put yourself into a box and limit yourself. You can do whatever you want no matter what’s your type, profile or any other element in your chart is. You might have a different way of getting there.
If you follow your authority and strategy, you will know if something isn’t meant for you.
Dealing with Opposing Energies in Your Chart
There are so many different layers in your chart that generalized statements based on one element of your chart don’t necessarily apply to you when you look at the whole picture.
For example, I don’t have a line 2 (hermit) in my profile, but I like spending time alone. But I have Gate 33 (Gate of Retreat) active in my chart, which brings that energy to my chart.
Summary
Human Design is your energetic blueprint and many people receive it as a permission slip to be themselves.
To get started focus on and follow your Authority and Strategy. It’s important to experiment with it in your daily life rather than just knowing about it.
PS. If you want to want some help interpreting your chart and get practical and actionable strategies to embody your design, you can book a Human Design Reading with me.