What Is Human Design?

Human Design is a self-knowledge tool that draws from ancient philosophies such as the I-Ching, the chakra system, the Kabbalah, and Astrology, as well as modern sciences like Quantum Physics and Genetics. Our Human Design map, also known as a Bodygraph, represents our genetic design and is created using our date, time, and place of birth. A Human Design chart gives us access to the awareness of our body, taking into account unique and personal factors so we can live in harmony with who we are. Human Design isn’t the first self-knowledge system to suggest that the secret to life is living aligned with our inner self—but it is the one that shows us in the most straightforward and empirical way how to do so.

Our Human Design chart is a map of our genetic code that shows how we are meant to exchange energy with the world. By observing our chart, we can discover how to best navigate life. To live according to this system, we don’t need to believe in any external entity, receive outside guidance, have faith, or follow rituals. Our Human Design is mechanical—it is our blueprint for how we are built to function. Many of us live as though we were airplanes trying to operate like cars just to reach our destination, when in fact, if we functioned like airplanes, we’d get there in no time.

How Did Human Design Come to Be?

The extraordinary story of how Human Design came into existence is as incredible as its application. Ra Uru Hu, originally Alan Krakower, received an unexpected visit from a “Voice” in 1987—the Rave—which spoke to him for 8 days and dictated what is now the extensive Human Design manual we know today. In the Human Design system, the planets are depicted in a type of horoscope known as the Bodygraph. This chart displays the 64 hexagrams of the I-Ching spread across different parts of the body. It is such a deeply complex and individualized system that it can analyze not only our psychological profile but also our physiological makeup.

The empirical basis of the Human Design system is founded on the scientific concept of neutrinos. Neutrinos are particles that carry an infinitesimal amount of mass. It is estimated that around 3 trillion neutrinos pass through every square centimeter of our planet per second. Our Sun alone produces about 70 percent of all neutrinos in our solar system, with the rest coming from other stars and the largest planet in our galaxy, Jupiter. Because neutrinos carry such a tiny amount of mass, as they pass through us, they leave information behind. The date, time, and place of birth are the key to our Human Design because it is in that moment and place that we are imprinted with the information carried by neutrinos. This influence is encoded in the Human Design chart and defines each of us, allowing us to answer the question: “Why are we the way we are?”

How Does Human Design Work?

Treasure Map – Human Design — Example of a Human Design Chart

The human being, in its current form, has nine centers, which more or less correspond to the well-known chakras. In the past, humans had fewer centers, and in the future, they may have more, but for now, each human being consists of the following centers: root, sacral, splenic, solar plexus, G center, throat, heart, ajna, and head. These centers are connected through gates, which form channels that grant us certain characteristics. We all have this configuration, but what varies—based on our date, time, and place of birth—is the activation and connection of these centers in either a conscious or unconscious way.

The prevalence and interaction of these centers determine our energy type. Across all of humanity, there are only five energy types, each associated with the way our aura presents itself. These types are: Projectors, Generators, Manifestors, Manifesting Generators, and Reflectors. In addition to the concept of energy, there is also the concept of Strategy and Authority, which varies depending on the state of our centers. Strategy defines how we should behave in relation to the world, and Authority guides how we should make decisions. The active or inactive presence of certain Gates and Channels gives us different characteristics. On the other hand, all parts of our chart that are not colored indicate where we receive conditioning. The Human Design system views each individual as someone with a basic operating system, equipped with everything needed to be a complete and fulfilled human being. However, it also recognizes that we are heavily influenced by external forces and can point to the exact spots where that influence occurs.

What Is Human Design For?

Each of us was born with a design that is perfect for us. There is nothing wrong with us—none of us need fixing—because our Design exists within us to help us function in a way that brings us all the fulfillment we need. Today, people spend a lot of time and money searching for happiness and for that sense that life is worthwhile: shopping, therapy, food, drink, work. In truth, the sense of dissatisfaction or emptiness we feel comes from being completely misaligned with our Design. A person whose Design was not meant to initiate projects will feel deep bitterness each time their business dream fails. Someone whose Design is built for spending lots of time alone will quickly burn out living in a crowded house and working in a highly social job. Human Design is self-knowledge—and when we know where we are, why we’re there, and how we should act, it becomes much easier to go with the flow of life. By eliminating the resistance that comes from trying to be who we’re not, we come into alignment with the natural energy of the Universe.

Simply knowing your Human Design Chart can be profoundly transformative. It’s a moment of deep recognition when all those things you’ve struggled with your entire life finally start to make sense. Investing in a Human Design reading is an investment in the journey back to yourself.