“Do not punish yourself in thinking that you have to be best. You never ever have to be your best you only have to be yourself. If you are yourself, you will be recognised and if you try to be your best you will not.”

Ra Uru Hu, creator of Human Design.

Human Design is one of the most fascinating systems available if you want to decode yourself. Perhaps you’ve taken one of the many psychometric tests available such as Myers Briggs, the Enneagram or DiSC. Helpful as they are, compared to Human Design, they don’t scratch the surface! My aim with this article is to breakdown how the chart is constructed should you want to read your own. But more importantly excite you about your potential and possibilities waiting to be discovered. As Epiphanie’s strapline goes there’s magic in you, I’m here to help you find it! Human Design is not about changing you, it’s a tool to remind you who you are.

How many of the below questions can you answer?

1. Who are you?
2. What’s your life’s purpose?
3. What are your unique strengths and talents?
4. What environments are you best suited to?
5. Do you know how to take care of your energy so you don’t burn out?
6. Do you know how to best take care of your health?
7. What role do you play in a team?
8. What role do you play in a partnership?
9. Do you know how to communicate effectively and get great outcomes every time?
10. What excites you?
11. What motivates you?
12. What are your fears?
13. What environment and conditions you should eat and digest your food in?
14. What sort of exercise are you best suited too?
15. What conditions will induce your best sleep?

The chances are you probably instinctively know answers to many of them. Our bodies are always trying to get our attention and keep us on course towards health and happiness. Through my exploration of Human Design, I discovered things about myself I knew but had previously questioned or challenged why I thought or wanted to behave in a certain way. I now know what’s correct for me, I choose to follow my design knowing it’ll lead me towards a life of less resistance and ultimately peace.

What is Human Design?

It’s a synthesis of systems which will provide you with your own personalised guide to living your most optimal, healthy, fulfilled life.

When you first look at a Human Design chart aspects may appear familiar.

• The body graph contains 9 energy centres similar to the 7 chakras in Hindu.
• 64 numbers appear within the energy centres (they’re called gates) which correlate to the I Ching considered the oldest book of oracles.
• The shape of the graph is similar to the tree of life in Kabbalah.
• Either side of the body graph you’ll see a chart which contains astrological gliph signs, the symbols represent the planets.

Human Design also applies modern disciplines of astronomy, quantum mechanics and biochemistry too. That may all sound a little daunting, and it did initially for me when I first discovered Human Design, but trust me, you don’t need to be a scientist or scholar to decode your chart!

Your Human Design chart shows you how your energy operates and its reserves. It reveals how you are designed to best use your energy in work, relationships and life. How your designed to make decisions, we all have our own internal compass but do you know your bodies clues and how to listen to them? Do you know how to communicate most effectively? Once you apply your specific communication strategy the right opportunities and experiences are going to flow in for you. Human Design also shows you what your own unique gifts and talents are and how best to share them with the world. It also guides you on the environments that you’ll thrive in and the type of diet and digestion you’re most suited too. And plenty more!

The Bodygraph

The Chart

How does astrology fit into Human Design?

One of the reasons I created Epiphanie was to shine a light on Human Design. I want to make it accessible, easy to recall and for you to start applying to your life now! I believe wholeheartedly in the efficacy of Human Design but from my own experience have found some of the terminology and explanations ambiguous. I’ve created a glossary should you wish to embark on your exploration of the system. I hope it helps!

Human Design Glossary

ENERGY CENTRES – in Human Design we have 9 centres (see the above Bodygraph example) They are starting from the top of the Bodygraph the CROWN, MIND, THROAT, INDENTITY, HEART, SACRAL, SPLEEN, SOLAR PLEXUS AND ROOT. When you look at your Bodygraph chart those that are coloured in are called defined (consistent and balanced energy) if they are white they are undefined (inconsistent and open to being malleable.)

GATES – within all 9 centres you will see a series of numbers, these are called gates. Each gate represents a specific gift and characteristic. There are 64 possible gates to be activated.

CHANNELS – this is when two gates meet they form a channel. Each gate has its own characteristics, when they meet and merge to form a channel it’s a blending of the two gates energies. A channel is defined and active when it’s coloured in. If only half a channel is coloured in this is called a hanging channel, you will seek people within your life who have the connecting hanging half to your channel to feel complete. There are 32 possible channels to be activated.

PROFILE – this makes up about 70% of who you are. It’s made up of our conscious and unconscious sun, therefore every profile contains two separate numbers. These numbers are called Lines. Your Profile tells you your inner nature, it’s how you orientate your way through life and learn. There are 12 possible configurations of Profile Lines.

TYPE – how your energy operates and its reserves. It reveals how you are designed to best use your energy in work, relationships and life. There are 5 very different TYPES. If you’d like to meet all 5 I’ve written a journal piece called The Cosmic Trinities which will introduce you to them.

AUTHORITY – Authority is how we’re designed to make decisions, it’s our internal guidance system. Your Authority tells you which of your energy centres is most dominant in your chart. If you’d like to meet all 6 I’ve written a journal article called The Cosmic Trinities which will introduce you to them.

STRATEGY – this is how you’re designed to communicate, respond and react most effectively depending on your Type. If you’d like to meet all 4 I have written a journal piece called The Cosmic Trinities which will introduce you to them.

DEFINITION – is determined by how the defined centres in your chart are connected to each other by defined channels (the lines that are fully coloured in at both ends of the gate). When a channel connects two centres this creates the flow of energy and information between the centres in a consistent way. Defined centres that are not connected by a channel cannot communicate with one another; this is called a Split. The more splits you have in your chart the more inconsistency and doubt you will have about making decisions.

INCARNATION CROSS – this is your life’s purpose; it’s made up of your conscious and unconscious sun and earth in both your Design and Personality charts. There are 192 possible combinations.

DESIGN CHART – is your unconscious self, it represents aspects of ourselves we may not be aware of but others may recognise in you. It is your body. The planets are represented here, they move through the 64 gates. In Human Design the design chart is calculated by the position of the sun approximately 88 days prior to the moment of your birth.

PERSONALITY CHART – is your conscious self, it represents aspects of ourselves we are aware of, it is your mind. The planets are represented here, they move through the 64 gates. Depending on your birth details will depend on which gates are activated.

VARIABLES – These are the 4 arrows that sit up by the head on the Bodygraph. Arrows pointing to the left are focused, strategic objective and need structure. Arrows pointing to the right are receptive, subjective and allow life to flow.

The Variables show you your ideal Digestion, Environment, Perspective and Motivations in life.

There are others terms and aspects to Human Design but the above are its core components. If as you explore and delve into this system there is something you’d like clarity on feel free to drop me a message via Connect.

Included within all the reports I write, your charts will feature along with detailed explanations on all of the above features specific to you.

I hope you enjoy learning and exploring your Human Design. Once you’ve wrapped your head around your chart start applying what you know to those closest to you, it’s revelatory!

To create your own Human Design chart this is the website I use Genetic Matrix .