One of the most commonly used terms in Human Design is Definition. Definition comes from the defined centers, meaning the centers that are colored in on a Human Design chart. For a center to be defined, it needs to be connected to another center through a channel. This means that all energy types have at least two defined centers, except for Reflectors, who have no Definition because they have no defined centers.
However, if you look at your Human Design chart, you will find a specific term called Definition.
A person’s Definition is determined by looking at how the various defined centers are connected. They can form distinct groups among themselves. You might have, for example, the Root, Sacral, and Solar Plexus connected to each other, while the Throat is connected to the Ajna. In that case, you have two separate groups of defined centers, which is called Split Definition.
Definition is an important factor in our design because it represents the way you assimilate information or receive what is presented in front of you. It would be extremely useful, for example, for teachers to know their students’ Definition so they can understand why one student grasps everything immediately, while another seems not to understand anything at first but then knows how to do everything the next day, and so they can manage their expectations accordingly.
If you think of your defined centers as representing a consistent and constant energy, then the more connected they are to one another, the better the energy can flow between them. They are like circuits that can either be fully connected or have breaks between them.
There are four types of Definition:
Single Definition: this occurs when all the centers and channels are connected as one closed circuit, and it makes up about 41% of the population.
Split Definition: this occurs when there are two distinct groups of defined centers that are not connected, and it represents about 46% of the population.
Within Split Definition, there are three subcategories: simple, wide, and very wide. A simple split is when only one Gate is “missing.” A wide split is when two Gates are missing, meaning one full Channel is absent. A very wide split is when three or more Gates are missing in order to complete the circuit between the defined centers.
Triple Split Definition: this occurs when there are three distinct groups of defined centers that are not connected to one another, and it represents about 11% of the population.
Quadruple Split Definition: this occurs when there are four distinct groups of defined centers, and it makes up approximately 1% of the population.
Single Definition
People with Single Definition either have only two defined centers or one single group of fully interconnected defined centers. Their energy is therefore concentrated in one focal point.
For those with Single Definition, it is generally easier and faster to learn and understand the world because their energy is all concentrated in one place. They do not lose themselves trying to bridge connections between different centers.
To have Single Definition, a person may have only two defined centers, leaving a lot of openness or undefinedness, or they may have a large group of defined centers all connected together.
Typically, these are very independent people who like to work and study on their own. Some may find it difficult to understand other people’s problems or dilemmas, but, as with everything in Human Design, the chart needs to be looked at as a whole. Just as they learn quickly, they may also forget quickly, because their circuit processes everything so fast that it immediately moves on to the next piece of information.
Split Definition
When someone has Split Definition, there are two distinct groups of defined centers that are not connected. These groups can vary in size, but it means there are at least four defined centers.
The energy is divided into two circuits, which can be either very close to each other or very far apart. The gap between them can make the way we experience ourselves feel quite different, depending on how wide that gap is.
If the centers are very close, there is often a tendency to look for someone who closes the channel that would allow the person to experience Single Definition through the influence of another person’s aura.
For this reason, people with Split Definition generally need others and often feel wonderfully at ease in monogamous relationships because they experience them as very harmonious. They tend to enjoy being in a collaborative mode and having someone with whom they can share ideas. For people with Split Definition, one person can be enough, as long as it is the right person with whom they can close the circuit.
Triple Split Definition
With Triple Split Definition, there are three distinct groups of defined centers that are not connected to one another. For this reason, people with Triple Split Definition enjoy being around many different people so that others can “fill in” their open spaces.
Without being near other auras, people with Triple Split Definition can feel lost, and they are often quite impatient in the way they process information, requiring multiple explanations in order to understand something that may seem basic to others. Still, with the help of others, they eventually get there.
A person with Triple Split Definition who also has emotional authority may not always know how they feel, and clarity can take some time to arrive. It is important to be gentle and understand that this clarity may mean that something said yesterday may have changed today, and that is okay, because with three separate groups it takes longer for everything to come together.
It is essential for people with Triple Split Definition to develop this kind of awareness, because if they know how to handle this dynamic, it becomes easier to avoid misunderstandings and to have the freedom to clarify something that was said in the moment but later regretted.
Quadruple Split Definition
In this type of Definition, there are four groups of defined centers. This means these are people with many defined centers and, because of that, they are not able to draw much energy from the outside world, having to remain more limited to their inner energy.
In addition to having a very rare Definition, these people also function as the opposite of a Reflector and have at least 8 defined centers, which means they are not as exposed to conditioning because they already have a strong sense of who they are. Since they carry so much Definition, they are less influenced by the world around them.
These are people who mainly need time, patience with themselves, and the freedom to process information calmly.
Is One Definition Better Than Another in Human Design?
There are no Definitions that are better or easier to have than others, because each one has its own unique characteristics.
People with split definitions do not need to do anything. If they are aligned with their Strategy and Authority, their aura will naturally be drawn toward people who can bridge their openness. Definition is also not a sign of intelligence, because if we think about how much we constantly learn through our interactions with others, then those with Single Definition would actually be missing out.
Por outro lado, tendo em conta que a maioria da população tem Autoridade Emocional e as pessoas com Definição Tripartida ou Quadripartida têm a maioria dos centros definidos, podemos ver que o factor tempo é fundamental para estes tipos de Definição.
