THE HUMAN DESIGN SYSTEM
AN INTRODUCTION
Upon first coming across Human Design, its unique language and highly detailed charts can often create more questions than clarity. In this article I will break down the basics of how this system functions and some of the key terms that can help you to understand the foundational elements of the practice.
by Fiona Bicknell, June 2024.
A BRIEF OVERVIEW
Created in Ibiza in the late 1980’s by Ra Uru Hu, Human Design brings together various aspects from ancient wisdom to create a modern system for self-understanding on the deepest, energetic level. This is a system that allows us to understand the unique energy of our body and mind, showing us how we are each designed to operate.
When looking at the chart (reference below), we can visually identify how each practice of ancient wisdom is incorporated;
First, you will notice a number of large geometric shapes creating together what resembles a human head and torso. These are referred to as ENERGY CENTERS, referencing the Hindu chakra system. The evolution here is that in Human Design we consider ourselves as nine-centered beings rather than the traditional seven.
Connecting each of the Energy Centers you will notice various lines - these are referred to as CHANNELS. This pulls from the Tree of Life, a Kabbalistic tool to help us understand the energetics of how and why it is we manifest all that we do in our lives.
Next, look to the numbers you see mapped onto each of the Energy Centers. Each number is referred to as a GATE. Each gate correlates to an aspect of the I-Ching - an ancient Eastern text dating back 3,000+ years that is said to contain the full spectrum of the human experience. The I-Ching is a collection of 64 various energies offering insight into how these manifest as human behavior. The 64 Gates of Human Design correlate to the 64 ‘Hexagrams’ of the I-Ching.
Finally, take note of the columns of numbers and symbols down either side of the chart. This pulls from Western Astrology. Here we are referencing planetary placements in the sky at two points in time - the time at which you were born (the right-hand column), and an earlier point in time when the sun was positioned 88 degrees back prior your birth time (the left-hand column). You will notice that, once again, all numbers are between 1 to 64 - each aspect of the I-Ching is given a slice of the sky. The number you see directly next to each planetary symbol references the section of the sky that planet was in at these particular points in time.
HOW THE CHART IS CREATED
All key properties of your Human Design are determined by the DEFINITION in your chart. Essentially, anything you see ‘colored-in’ in the chart is your definition. This includes the Gates that are highlighted (circled in black with a colored line extending from them), the Energy Centers that are colored-in (those in the grey color), and the Channels you have defined (the full lines that connect from one Energy Center to another, regardless of color).
All of your definition is determined by the position of planets in the sky at those two key moments in time. You will notice that for each number listed in the left-hand column, the corresponding Gate on the chart will be highlighted with a dark line extending. For each number listed on the right-hand column, the corresponding Gate is highlighted with the line extending in grey. When you have both Gates of a Channel ‘defined’ (for reference in the chart above - which happens to be mine - this is the 44-26, the 17-62, the 48-16 or the 18-58) the two Energy Centers that are connected become ‘defined’.
It is the definition of your chart that gives us insight into the make up of energy in your system. There are millions of possible outcomes for how your definition can present, making your chart incredibly unique to you.
“What we’re here to express is that quality of uniqueness that differentiates us from everyone else.”
WHAT IT ALL MEANS
Every Center carries a particular type of energy. Every Gate carries a particular type of energy. And when two Gates come together to form a Channel, there is yet another type of energy created. In this sense, the chart (originally named a BodyGraph) is an individual map to the energy of the human form.
In the most simplified summation - the aspects of your chart that are defined offer us insight into the types of energy you carry in your system that are strong, consistent and reliable. The core properties of your design - the Energy Type, Strategy, Authority, etc. - are determined by the combination of definition you carry. Anywhere in the chart that is undefined (all areas in white) is where you are receptive to outside energy. Leaning on the guidance of our four systems of ancient wisdom - the chakra system, Kabbalah, the I-Ching and Astrology - we can then ‘read’ the chart through exploring that which is defined vs. that which is open (undefined).
Dive Deeper.
To learn more about your unique chart, our FOUNDATIONS reports - written by Fiona Bicknell - offer more than 100 pages of insight into the foundational elements of your design. One-to-one private chart readings are also available to be booked at the link below.
