Many of you already know that my name is João, that I am a Human Design Coach, and that I am a 5/1 Splenic Projector, but today I wanted to share a little more about myself, because there is much more behind our Energy Type, Authority, and Profile. In truth, the path of Human Design always involves Deconditioning, and conditioning is our story. I believe in Authenticity and in the empowerment that exists when we honour our life journey with deep respect for who we are and everything we have been through.
I grew up in a modest family, in a neighbourhood in the north of Setúbal. When I was little, I wanted to be a football player, but from an early age I realized that one of my passions was observing people. I have always operated through intuition, from what I ate to the route I took to get home. I could not explain how I knew what to choose, but I always followed that inner voice. I was not a very extroverted child, but I loved being outside playing in the street and, of course, playing football. At home, I immersed myself in Lego and books. Spirituality was always present in my life through my mother, who scattered crystals around the house, read Paulo Coelho and Eckhart Tolle, and practised Reiki.
I was a somewhat unusual young person. Although I was socially involved at school and doing the typical things for my age, I also had an extremely introspective side. I did not smoke, drink, or ever try drugs, simply because those things never meant anything to me. I liked History and, at school, I had a tendency to challenge teachers whenever the rules did not seem fair to me.
At home, however, my family was falling apart. My parents separated when I was on the verge of adulthood and, although it did not come as a surprise, it still left its mark on me. I consider myself someone deeply connected to the idea of Family, and it was a hard blow to see my mother having to rebuild herself while my father drifted away. As someone who loved studying, I ended up not pursuing university because of financial reasons and so, suddenly, I lost everything that had been holding me up. My school friends moved on with their lives, and in my own time there was a huge emptiness left behind, followed by a very turbulent period in my life.
From Online Gaming Addict to Soldier
It was in online gaming that I found comfort. There, I not only had a reason to get up every day, but I also had a community that needed me and depended on me. On top of that, I was very good at it. My intuition, my ability to focus, and my talent for understanding and mastering systems quickly made me a leader to others. For the first time, I felt I had found a place where all my qualities were recognized. What had started as a hobby became an addiction. Gaming began to control my life and my schedule.
I tried to quit several times. The sedentary lifestyle of gaming began to affect my health, but it was not easy. Whenever I stepped away from that world, I was met with judgment and loneliness. Time dragged on, and finding a job was not easy. When I had no other option left, I enlisted in the army. I trained and trained to prepare for the tests. I went through basic training, which was tough for someone who did not align with that kind of mindset. I would swap meat dishes for soup with the other recruits because I did not eat meat. I ended up staying in the army for almost seven years, in a relatively calm position within the Communications Department. It was another system that was easy for me to master. Online gaming, although it took up less space than before, was still there.
When I left the army, I went to work in hospitality. It was around that time that I began to devote myself more seriously to my inner journey. After all, my Saturn return was approaching, and something had to change. I began to dedicate myself to something I had already been doing whenever I had the time: self development. I started looking inward, into what was within me. What was my system?
One of the paths I followed was yoga. It was something I had already been practising for many years, and eventually I went on to complete a Yoga Teacher Training course. At the same time, I was surrounded by information: the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza and Lacy Phillips changed the way I related to life. The more I looked within and did inner work, the more I began to let go of that relationship with gaming.
When Human Design Showed Up
Then, in 2018, I came across Human Design, and it resonated with me immediately. It was the first system I had found in which I fully recognized myself. Human Design does not just look at one side of who you are, it gives you the possibility to see all sides of yourself and to understand the reason behind so much of your story. Realizing that I was a Projector helped me understand why I needed recognition so deeply in order to flourish, why any system feels simple for me, why I can become so focused on one thing or one person, and why the role of guide is where I fit best.
I also understood where my intuition came from, and I felt grateful to myself for having known how to recognize it and listen to it through so many years, most of the time. So many people are conditioned to ignore their Authority, and I always had the discernment to listen to mine. I realized that forcing things does not work for me. I need an invitation to enter, and that took a weight off my shoulders, because the world around you can create a lot of expectations, and when you are a 5th Line, it is even worse. I began to recognize my gifts, while also learning to observe my flaws with curiosity and, with care, start working on them.
Like any 1st Line and master of systems, I began to deepen my study. I consumed, and still consume, a bit of everything about Human Design. I have never been a purist about the source, and I knew how to be humble enough to listen to what others also had to teach, while filtering what made sense for me. I studied with Jenna Zoe, with IHDS, and with Karen Curry Parker. I also follow Richard Rudd’s work with the Gene Keys very closely. I think my 5th Line does not allow me to follow any teachings blindly or without questioning. That would not be healthy for me.
I continued with my childhood practice of observing people, but this time through the lens of Human Design, and that was when I realized I was able to “guess” people’s energy type, defined centers, profiles, channels, and gates. In truth, I was already a Human Design specialist before I officially became one.
Turning your life around is not easy. I have fallen and rebuilt myself many times, each time becoming more attuned to myself and to my personal vibration. I believe that my story is nothing more than a story, and that everything that has happened to me up until today has brought me here to this moment. I am no longer going to diminish myself, I am no longer going to make myself smaller to accommodate others, I am no longer going to betray myself or fail to be who I am.
It is common to think that guides, influencers, or gurus in spirituality or personal development are perfect beings who spend their days chanting om and sitting in meditation every time they have a problem. The truth is that their lives continue in the same way as everyone else’s. From time to time, we fail. From time to time, we shout. From time to time, we give in to temptation. What perhaps makes us a little different is that we avoid self judgment and self blame, and we practise self love. When I speak of self love, I am not referring to hot baths and candles, but to the acceptance of who we are. When I speak of self love, I mean faith in ourselves, the kind that is not shaken by any blow that comes from others.
It was by understanding all of this that I found my place in life, in the here and now, because I know nothing of tomorrow. I took a leap of faith and decided that Human Design is something I want to devote myself to completely.
These decisions are not made without deep inner searching, and even less without the heavy gaze of outside judgment. What I have learned up to now is that the mind lies and the heart speaks the truth. I am here to help you through my knowledge. Those who are within Human Design, or even within other forms of spirituality, know that turbulent times and great change are expected in the coming years. I want to be on the right side of the future, and I want to help you do the same, if that is what you choose. After all, my Incarnation Cross is the Right Angle Cross of Healing: it is my Life Purpose.
