There are 9 Energy Centers in Human Design that represent the energy flowing within us and shaping who we are. Their origin comes from the Hindu chakra system, in which there are 7 centers (chakras), all aligned and allowing our Kundalini energy to rise on the path towards Samadhi.
In Human Design, the centers work in a more practical way and have more defined functions. They are also what determine our Energy Type and allow, through the activation of Gates in opposite poles, the formation of Channels that give characteristics to our personality.
Before the discovery of the planet Uranus in the 18th century, people were said to have only 7 centers, like the chakras. When we became 9 centred beings, a genetic mutation occurred that allowed the emergence of the G Center and the Splenic Center, as well as a reorganisation of the remaining centers.
As soon as we look at our Human Design chart, the nine centers are the first thing that stands out. Represented by geometric shapes, the nine centers can appear either coloured or white. If a center is coloured, this means it is Defined. What makes a center Defined is the existence of a channel connecting it to another center, which then also becomes Defined. Defined centers have a consistent energy that is always being expressed. They are an integral part of who we are and show up across many areas of our lives.
On the other hand, if a center is white, it is because it is Undefined or even Open, when it has no active Gates at all. These are the centers where we receive energy from the outside. This energy is not only absorbed, but also amplified. Our Undefined centers represent the areas where we can gain the most wisdom and give us the potential to evolve in this life. However, they are also the centers that can cause us the most pain or distraction.
A good example of this is the Solar Plexus centre. This centre is represented by a triangle on the lower right side of the chart and is the centre that governs emotions. Those who have an Undefined Solar Plexus are often referred to in Human Design as Non-Emotional. This term could not be further from the truth. In practice, people with an Undefined Solar Plexus are extremely empathic and capable of feeling, and amplifying, the pain of everyone around them. This empathy can be a great source of wisdom when used consciously.
Each centre has its own function and represents a specific theme. Its Gates always appear within that same area.
THE FIRST CENTER: THE HEAD
At the top of the head, on the Human Design chart, we find an isosceles triangle. The Head Center represents the pineal gland in the brain. It is the center of inspiration that receives the mental pressure to answer all of life’s questions. Depending on the Gates defined in this center, the questions we try to answer may be abstract, logical, or individual in nature.
Undefined Head
Like all undefined centers, the Undefined Head does not receive inspiration consistently. Inspiration is not generated from within the individual, it is received from the outside and amplified. People with an Undefined Head are easily inspired by the world around them and, because of that, may find it difficult to apply that inspiration in a practical way. The challenge for those with this center undefined is knowing how to choose which inspirations are truly worth pursuing and which are simply there to observe.
With an Undefined Head, there is a tendency to want to answer all of the world’s questions. That tendency can become even stronger because this is a pressure center. By receiving constant inspiration, it becomes difficult to find a clear answer for every question. Receiving so much outside influence and pressure makes it harder to make a decision that is aligned with our Human Design. To avoid this, we should always follow our Strategy. After all, decisions are meant to be made through Strategy, not through the mind.
Defined Head
When the Head is Defined, it appears coloured yellow and we radiate inspiration out into the world. The questions are constantly generated from within, and there is a tendency for the person to feel uneasy if they do not immediately find the answers. For someone with a Defined Head, it is important to tolerate this ongoing process of self questioning, but not to let it influence decision making.
THE SECOND CENTER: AJNA
The Ajna appears in our chart as an inverted triangle inside the head. This is an awareness center and it symbolises the pituitary gland. The function of this center is to conceptualise ideas and to research.
Undefined Ajna
People with an Undefined Ajna do not have a fixed way of thinking and, because of that, they are able to process and absorb information in different ways and from different sources. As such, they are characterised by an open minded, tolerant, and empathic mind.
Because of their ability to receive information from such different sources, people with an Undefined Ajna may seem inconsistent in their opinions and may even be labelled as fickle. In truth, it is not easy for an Undefined Ajna to commit blindly to a particular belief system unless it arises in alignment with each person’s Strategy and Authority.
Defined Ajna
The Defined Ajna appears coloured green and is designed to gather and store information. People with a Defined Ajna are quick to draw conclusions because they are able to use the vast amount of information they accumulate. No matter how abstract an idea may be, people with a Defined Ajna are able to conceptualise it. Their ideas are fixed, but it is important to remember that, in Human Design, decisions should not be made with the mind. For someone with a Defined Ajna, it is very important to remember their Strategy and Authority.
THE THIRD CENTER: THE THROAT
This center appears on the chart as a square located in the throat area. The Throat is the center of communication. We all know that words carry power and have impact. That is exactly why this is also our center of manifestation. In relation to the body, the Throat represents the thyroid gland.
Undefined Throat
People with an Undefined Throat feel a great deal of pressure from the outside to speak, and the worst part is that what they say can come out so abruptly that it is rarely well received by others. However, not everything is negative for those with an Undefined Throat. Their ability to receive outside energy means that many people with this undefined center have a great aptitude for singing, public speaking, learning foreign languages, or even acting.
With this Undefined center comes an innate ability to speak on behalf of others, which makes these individuals strong advocates for causes.
The best advice for someone with an Undefined Throat is, quite simply, to stay quiet and use their Strategy to know when to speak. When someone with this undefined center speaks only when invited or in response to a question, they are able not only to express themselves well, but also to be truly heard.
Defined Throat
When this center is defined, it appears brown on the chart. Someone with a Defined Throat was born to speak, but the way they speak will vary depending on the other center connected to the Throat. For example, someone whose Throat is connected to the Solar Plexus will have no difficulty speaking about their feelings.
THE FOURTH CENTER: G
The G Center refers to the diamond shaped figure located in the middle of the chest on the chart. This center is also known as the Identity Center. It is where our soul resides and where the magnetic monopole is found. It is the center of love and direction and one of the most important centers in the Human Design system. Within the human body, the G Center represents the liver.
Undefined G
People with an Undefined G Center are excellent at picking up on other people’s way of being and personal direction. They are able to absorb and amplify this energy and, in doing so, reflect back to others who they truly are. When the G Center appears undefined, people develop chameleon like qualities, making it relatively easy for them to blend into a particular group. Because of their ability to mirror others, someone with this undefined center can make an excellent psychologist or teacher.
Defined G
When we have a Defined G Center, we come into the world to give love. Our sense of direction is so strong that we know clearly who we are and where we want to go. People with a Defined G Center have deeply rooted ethical and moral values and tend to accept themselves as they are, without reservation, expressing their true self in its full extent.
THE FIFTH CENTER: THE HEART
The Heart is the small triangle that appears slightly to the right of the diamond on the chart. This is the center of our heart, stomach, and gallbladder, and one of the four motor centers. The Heart is the motor responsible for material manifestation. In energetic terms, it is the Heart that gives us the so called willpower to keep moving forward even when everything seems difficult.
Undefined Heart
People with an Undefined Heart do not possess consistent willpower of their own. They are the ones who rarely finish what they start, such as diets, courses, and other long term commitments that require sacrifice. This is not a flaw, especially because seven out of eight people have an Undefined Heart. For this reason, these individuals should only accept commitments that honour their Strategy and Authority, as these will always be aligned with their true self.
Because the Heart is associated with issues of value, it is common for people with this undefined center to undervalue themselves both professionally and personally, feeling a constant need to prove their worth to others. Once again, Strategy and Authority provide the wisdom needed to deal with this. A wise Undefined Heart will easily know where it is worth investing energy and where it is not, without any feelings of guilt.
Defined Heart
Someone with a Defined Heart has consistent access to their willpower. It may be raining, they may feel exhausted, but if someone with this defined center has promised themselves or another person that they would run 5 km that day, they will do it. Defined Hearts are reliable people who keep their promises. If, for some reason beyond their control, they are unable to do so, they will feel guilty. That is why it is important for individuals with a Defined Heart to know when it is time to work and when it is time to rest.
Their seemingly endless willpower is a source of inspiration for others, who, when within their auric field, may also begin to feel tireless.
THE SIXTH CENTER: THE SOLAR PLEXUS
The Solar Plexus is the motor center of emotions, located on the chart in the lower right triangle. It corresponds to the kidneys and the pancreas and is one of the most widely discussed centers in the Human Design system, as it represents what most deeply unites us, or separates us, as human beings.
Undefined Solar Plexus
People with an Undefined Solar Plexus came into the world to learn about emotional energy and to gain wisdom about their feelings. They are highly empathic individuals, capable of absorbing and amplifying the emotions of others. This ability is, in fact, a gift. Who would not want to be able to read other people’s emotions? However, for most people who do not understand how the Undefined Solar Plexus works, this can be very painful, because they spend their lives experiencing emotions that are not their own with deep intensity.
The solution is to become aware of which emotions truly belong to us and to allow the Solar Plexus to function as a filter rather than a sponge.
Defined Solar Plexus
The Defined Solar Plexus appears brown on the chart and means that the person consistently carries a strong emotional energy. That energy is so powerful that a Defined Solar Plexus automatically gives that person Emotional Authority.
In these individuals, emotions move in waves that may have bigger or smaller peaks. For those with a Defined Solar Plexus, it is important that their emotions are validated, both by themselves and by others, whether negative or positive. Because they are so influenced by these emotional waves, these individuals should wait for the wave to pass, or for their moment of emotional clarity, before making any decisions.
THE SEVENTH CENTER: THE ROOT
The Root is the square shaped center located at the base of the chart, and it is both a motor center and a pressure center. Pressure is, in fact, the core theme of this center. If we think about it, the root is the origin of everything, but for anything to emerge there has to be pressure. Even our birth comes through movements of contraction.
Undefined Root
People with an Undefined Root experience a great deal of pressure. Not only pressure from the outside, since all undefined centers absorb and amplify what comes from outside, but also internal pressure. It may seem natural to want to finish all the work first and then rest, but people with an Undefined Root can hardly even consider doing things differently and, because of that, they often struggle deeply to relax and recharge. The truth is that there is always work to do, and the faster they do it, the more they are given, which becomes a vicious cycle for those with an Undefined Root. That is why it is very important for these individuals to understand that the pressure comes from the center and is not “real.” It is simply energy, and we do not have to act on it.
Defined Root
When the Root is Defined, the motto is simple: things get done when they get done. People with this defined center do not give in to pressure, preferring to work in cycles driven by adrenaline. Those with this defined center do not struggle with tight deadlines. In fact, they often prefer them because they provide that motivating pressure.
THE EIGHTH CENTER: THE SPLEEN
The Spleen, or Splenic Center, is the triangle on the left side of the Human Design chart. It is the center of intuition, sense of timing, and the lymphatic and immune system.
The type of intuition located in this center is based on our survival instincts and operates only in the “here and now.” Because the Splenic Center is connected to the survival function, these intuitive messages are often interpreted as fears. Fear has an important role in our lives, as it protects us from danger. Fortunately, because these instincts, or fears, operate only in the moment and can seem so illogical, it is relatively easy to move beyond them.
Undefined Spleen
People with an Undefined Spleen tend to have a weaker immune system and are therefore more prone to illness and minor infections. Because they often tend to feel physically weaker, they are drawn to people with this center defined in order to absorb their strength.
With an Undefined Spleen, access to intuition is inconsistent and it may manifest in different ways: dreams, inner voice, gut feelings, and so on. This inconsistency leads many people with an Undefined Spleen to believe that they do not have intuition or that they should not trust it.
Because it is also the center of sense of timing, individuals with this undefined center may have some difficulty doing things on time.
Defined Spleen
With a Defined Spleen, people tend to have strong health. So strong, in fact, that they may not even realise they are unwell until they are already in need of treatment. Because of this tendency to ignore illness, it is helpful for individuals with a defined Splenic Center to pay attention when someone asks whether they have been feeling well.
The intuition that comes from this defined center is like a quiet voice that speaks softly and only once. Most people with this defined center only learn to hear that voice around the age of 40.
Because this is the center of fears connected to survival, those who have this defined center feel those fears in a very real way. It is therefore important that they do not allow themselves to be paralysed by them and that they understand some fears are there to be overcome, if their individual Strategy determines it.
THE NINTH CENTER: THE SACRAL
The Sacral Center, or Sacral, is one of the most important centers in the Human Design system. It is the energy center of life force and work, and it is associated with the reproductive organs. The Sacral Center is the most important and powerful motor center and holds a strong influence over us.
Undefined Sacral
People with an Undefined Sacral were not made to work eight hours a day from Monday to Friday. Although it may sometimes seem to them that they have endless energy for work, this energy is limited to short periods of time. Someone with this undefined center does not know how to say “Enough is enough!”, which leads them to do more than they should because they absorb the sacral energy of others.
Because around 70% of the population has the Sacral defined, people with this undefined center are often labelled as lazy or sleepy. In truth, sleep is extremely important for the health of these individuals so they can recharge and restore their bodies.
Defined Sacral
The Defined Sacral appears as a red square on the Human Design chart. Having this center defined means that a person is immediately either a Generator or a Manifesting Generator. The purpose of beings with a defined Sacral is to work, but that does not mean working hard and well at just anything. It has to be only and exactly in what ignites the Sacral’s inner fire.
When this center is defined, it takes on a primary role in the person who has it. It is an inner light that switches on and off depending on what appears in front of it, and it is an excellent compass to guide the person who carries it.
However, the Sacral Center is designed to respond, not to initiate, which means there is a certain degree of passivity in a being who is made to work. The Sacral Center acts in response to something, so individuals with this defined center need to learn to wait and to respond only through the Sacral’s binary voice, Yes or No.
The energy of a Defined Sacral is sustainable and is meant to be used up fully every day. People with a Defined Sacral sleep better when they are completely exhausted, unlike those with an undefined one.
The defined and undefined centers within us reflect our uniqueness, but they are also an opportunity to become aware of our collective aura. When more people are around us, we absorb their energy and they absorb ours. Together, we have all centers defined and all channels activated. If all of our own centers were defined, we would become stagnant, and that is why our undefined centers are our space for growth, deeply dependent on where we are and who we are around. This is also why they are the space where we receive conditioning. Strategy and Authority are what regulate whether external conditioning is good for us or not. When we are aligned with them, we can ensure that the external energies we receive through our undefined centers bring us closer to a life lived in alignment with our authentic self.
