A map back home to yourself... exploring Human Design as a tool of remembrance...
For those who are curious about Human Design... but don't quite know where to begin...
I have recorded this as a mini audio workshop for those of you who enjoy listening instead of reading…
Hello lovely one
How is your tender body feeling today?
This piece has been in the making for a long time. One of the things people ask me about the MOST is Human Design - and yet this is the first time in over 18 months of writing on Substack that I have written a dedicated post on it.
Why?
Well, if I am honest it is for a combination of reasons.
The Human Design community is vast… and I still feel like a total newbie to it, despite having studied with various teachers for over 5 years now. There is an absolute mountain of information out there so I have always felt like I don’t have anything ‘new’ to say… (and perhaps if I am being totally transparent there is also a little ‘imposter syndrome’ at play)
However… I notice that so many people still feel uncertain, or overwhelmed by where to even begin with Human Design. Either this or they feel a little frozen because there is just so many layers to it.
My intention with this piece is to perhaps (I hope) bring a little of my ‘earth and sky’ approach to this wonderful system and make it feel a little more accessible, while giving you some simple foundations to begin.
Human Design has been one of the most instrumental discoveries in my life and I want as many people to access it as possible.
An ever unfolding journey…
I have a running joke with some of my Coaching clients where we talk about ‘the never-ending onion’. Layer, upon layer, upon layer of ‘stuff’ that seems to be constantly peeling away to reveal a new ‘skin’.
I feel a little like this with Human Design. There are many, many layers and I still feel like I am relatively close to the surface. However what I have integrated has been absolutely pivotal — and whenever I feel a little bit wobbly, lost, or in need of some reassurance, somehow I find my way back to my chart and uncover another piece that anchors me back to my self.
It is often spoken of as the ‘Human Design experiment’ and for me that gave me permission to play with curiosity and not feel penned in by there being just ‘one way’ for me to interpret things. I meet the information with genuine intrigue and then see how it can apply to my life in a practical sense, this always involves some trial and error, but there is always learning and wisdom to be gleaned by the experience in itself.
Stumbling into Human Design
In my personal experience Human Design came to me during a time where I felt quite lost. It was early 2020 and I had become a Mother for the first time a few months previous. I had known about HD for years, and had been told that I was a Manifesting Generator, but I had never looked beyond that and it had never really ‘bedded’ in.
I really believe that Human Design comes to you when you need it, for some that won’t be in this lifetime, but for others it can be this beautiful permission slip to be their most true selves. That is how I felt anyway.
I felt like a total newborn human as I entered Motherhood, I was… and I was so unsure as to what direction to step forward in. My eldest was born 6 months before the pandemic, so I was plummeted into a space of isolation and uncertainty, my ‘then’ coaching business was almost non existent with very few paying clients, I had just resigned from the freelance marketing position I had been doing previously because I couldn’t summon up the energy to fake interest in it anymore, I was in the midst of doing a trauma informed coaching certification which I felt like I needed to complete (because I had invested a huge amount of money in it), and I was in the depths of the mundane tasks of daily life looking after a 6 month old baby. The years leading up to becoming a Mother had looked like utter chaos as I sold my PR & Marketing business, became a Health Coach and a Yoga Teacher and plunged myself into so many certifications and studies as I tried to ‘find my way’.
Nothing felt like it ‘fitted’ and I had very little life-force remaining. I had burned out multiple times and my nervous system was frazzled.
I had lost my sparkle.
Pure relief
I can’t remember exactly what sparked me to look up my chart for the first time, but I do remember beginning to explore it and having the sense that I was being truly witnessed for the very first time. I began to study and dive headfirst down the rabbit hole of books, reading and podcasts and… I felt a whoosh of energy that I had not felt in a very long time. My sacral was coming to life again!
For those interested I am a 4/6 Sacral Manifesting Generator.
I simply had to devour this information, in true Manifesting Generator style… it was thick and fast. I sought out everything I could and before long had signed up to my first reader training.
The biggest thing I felt when I started to piece together the puzzle of my chart was a whole-body sigh of relief. I felt seen and understood on such a deep level it was humbling.
For decades I had berated myself about the fact I couldn’t ‘choose one path’, I had constantly called myself ‘fickle’ because as soon as I completed one thing (if I even completed it) I was onto something new. I dreaded telling my family what I was ‘doing’ for the fear of receiving the eye roll of ‘here she goes again’.
Human Design was reminding me who I was before I had become so consumed by what I thought the world wanted me to be.
“My mentoring session around my Human Design profile was life changing. It was an emotive and empowering experience that completely changed the trajectory of the rest of the year’s delivery in my business. Now I understand my HD, especially the not self, I’m clearer on the work I’m here to do. Ever grateful.”
So what is Human Design?
Human Design, to me, is a map of our true selves, I use it very much as a tool of remembrance, mirroring to us our innate qualities and gifts to enable us to operate in the world in our most magnetic and magical way.
The chart highlights places of openness and reliability through our definition (or lack thereof) which supports us in anchoring back to our most authentic selves. I truly believe that the information we discover is never ‘brand new’ information because on a soul deep level we already knew it. (That isn’t to say we may not be surprised by what we discover though!)
On a more intellectual level, Human Design is known as the science of differentiation. It emphasises our uniqueness and how each of us are designed to show up and operate in the world in our own way. The system itself is a combination of Quantum Physics, Eastern and Western Astrology, the Chinese, I’Ching, The Kabbalah and the Hindu Chakra System.
Unlike some other personality tests — which are based on you answering questions that can skew the results — Human Design is based on your birth time, date and location so it truly is a blueprint of who you came to this earth to be.
Where to start…
The first thing I would like to re-iterate is that there are no ‘rules’ here. Take what lands and play with that. This is not about ‘getting it right’, this is about seeing how the information feels in your being and opening up to curiosity.
Before you go any further, if you haven’t already got your Human Design chart, then you can download it for free here. On your chart you will see there are several pieces of information, for the purpose of today we are looking at your energy type, strategy and authority.
At this point I would urge you to look at the body graph (the image that has 9 shapes on it) but not get too caught up in it all. That in itself can be overwhelming when unfamiliar with it.
Begin with your energy type
The first place to go is your energy type. There are five different possibilities that this could be… Manifestor (about 9% of the population), Generator (about 36% of the population), Manifesting Generator (about 32% of the population), Projector (about 22% of the population) or a Reflector (about 1% of the population).
Understanding the core way that your own energy types ‘works’ is the absolute foundation to your Human Design journey. AND knowing a bit about the energy types and authority of those close to you (partner/parents/children/close friends), might be really insightful to help you understand where they may be things that align and work well together, and where there may be slight stickiness, or simply differences in the way you might operate.
I want to also state here that there is no hierarchy in the energy types. There is no ‘better’ one, each has such a beautiful place and role in our society.
Each energy type has a Strategy - which is how they can flow and grow with life in the most aligned way. When operating in harmony with this Strategy it is likely to bring a lot more ease, attract the ‘right’ opportunities, and fuel the life force of the person, however when going against this Strategy it tends to bring more resistance and stagnancy, and generally feel as though things are ‘sticky’. It dulls our sparkle!
There is also a signature theme and a not self theme for each energy type. I view these as little messengers, or signals, that tell us when we are living in aligned with our energy type, and when we are out of sync with it.
“I’ve had my chart read before but there was something different about hearing it from Lauren herself, in her grounded and heart warming manner. I find myself infused with a lot more clarity about how I am supposed to be here, in this world, supporting myself and supporting others. Lauren helped to confirm some of the parts of myself I am baffled by (my sensitivity for instance) are completely on purpose and here to guide me in this life. Thank you for seeing me Lauren and holding space for my wisest self to emerge.”
Below I explore a little about each energy type…
The five energy types
⋙ Manifestors
Manifestors are designed to initiate, which means they are here to take action on an urge and you will often find them walking a different path to others. They can be innovative, driven, impulsive, mysterious, bold and are here to turn inspiration into action. Manifestors have a big energetic impact and a lot of potential power, which is best utilised in accordance with their strategy to ensure that they do not meet resistance.
Manifestor Strategy - to inform.
Something I always like to reiterate to Manifestors is that this isn’t about asking for permission, this is about clear communication and keeping people in the loop, especially if the actions taken may impact them. Informing can often feel unnatural to a Manifestor so it may take some practice, but it will make their process a lot smoother and allow their creative flow and their inspired ideas to evolve with more ease. If you are a Manifestor remember how impactful you can be, your actions have a ripple effect!
Not self theme - Anger
Signature Theme - Peace
Check out the following Manifestors doing magical things here on Substack…
who writes and . who writes . who writes .⋙ Generators
Generators are true creators, here to dance with the universe and turn inspiration into tangible magic. Often described as the ‘doers’ or the ‘builders’ I consider them as the life-force (the juice) of our world, here to become masters of their work and alchemise potential into reality. It is imperative that Generators are following what lights them up in order to sustain their natural energy flow as when they are saying YES to things that are not aligned with them they can become drained and depleted. They have a big magnetic aura when they are taking action based on their strategy and authority.
Generator Strategy - to respond
This is not about sitting around and waiting, which is often the misconception, this is about being open to what the world around them is ‘bringing’ to respond to and then listening to their gut in order to decide whether to say YES or NO to it based on how much it excites them and sparks a positive body response. The more that a Generator is doing what lights them up, the more they will be offered aligned opportunities to respond to. Offering Generators specifics to respond to, rather than open ended questions can be a hugely supportive way to help them make the most authentic decisions.
Not self theme - Frustration
Signature Theme - Satisfaction
Check out the following Generators doing magical things here on Substack…
who writes . who writes . Valeria who writes . who writes . who writes Illuminate. who writes and . who writes . who writes . who writes . who writes . who writes . who writes . who writes . who writes .⋙ Manifesting Generators
Think of Manifesting Generators (often referred to as MGs) as the multi-passionate, time bending creative forces, often dancing with many projects and interests at once and likely to be exploring many different life pathways alongside one another! At their core MGs are the same as a generator and are here to turn inspiration to form but they tend to work on a non linear timescale - meaning that things often happen at pace (to non MGs they may struggle to keep up and a big lesson for MGs is not expecting people to) and it is very natural for them to have multiple things on the go. They are here to reinvent themselves over and over again and find the most efficient way to do things. MGs don’t always finish what they start, and can skip steps to get to where they need faster, it is important though to be mindful of this as it can be false economy when some important steps are missed out in a process.
Manifesting Generator Strategy - to respond.
The same as a Generator, MGs are here to respond to what the world brings them and tune into their sacral YES or No. I also like to point out that it is quite natural for an MG to be multi-tasking and moving fast, so there may be many things to respond to at any one time and in my own experience I have had to really tune out the outer world when it comes to deciding what to take on. This makes it extra important that MGs also tune into their inner authority (more on this below) to make sure that they are making decisions true to them AND de-conditioning from any stories that tell them they have to stick to ‘just one thing’.
Check out the following Manifesting Generators doing magical things here on Substack…
who writes The Muse. who writes Inner World. who writes Notes From Saving The World. who writes Shivani B. Lauren Roberts who writes . who writes . who writes . who writes . who writes . who writes .Not self theme - Frustration and Anger
Signature Theme - Satisfaction and Peace
⋙ Projectors
Projectors are insightful, illuminating, thought-leaders and visionaries, with a magnetic aura that exudes wisdom. Here to support the evolution of humanity, Projectors are the torch bearers who shine a light on improvements and refinements that need to be made to align the energy of the world. Projectors are often incredible teachers, guides and managers of others and have a way of knowing the right questions to ask and how to make the most from people because of their sensitivity and innate wisdom. It is vitally important that Projectors feel valued in their wisdom — they see things that they may take for granted but that can genuinely shift the vibration of the planet — so ensuring they follow their strategy is important to prevent them not feeling seen or appreciated. Projectors need to be conscious of their energy output and require plenty of rest and time alone to prevent burning out. A big lesson for Projectors is not to compare themselves to Generators or MGs and value themselves based on ‘productivity’ because this will likely lead to depletion. Their offering to the world is in their wisdom and insight and that cannot be measures in linear ways.
Projector strategy - wait for the invitation
A frustration that I find many Projectors voice is that they think they are supposed to sit around and just wait, however the way I like to frame this is that in the space of waiting, they can truly refine their processes and wisdom so when the invitation does come they can step forward fully. This does not mean that as a Projector you have to do ‘nothing’… especially in a business or creative capacity, it just means that before you share your pearls of wisdom it is important that there is a willingness from the recipient to receive your wisdom. Without this willingness it is likely that a Projector will feel their insight is ‘lost’ and this can lead to the not self theme of bitterness showing up.
Not self theme - Bitterness
Signature Theme - Success
Check out the following Projectors doing magical things here on Substack…
who writes Sparkle on Substack. who writes Story & Thread. who writes Fully Expressed. who writes Brighter Days, Darker Nights. who writes My Mama Summer. who writes Wings. who writes Brand Seasons. who writes . Lors who writes . who writes .⋙ Reflectors
Reflectors only make up around 1% of the population and with no defined centres in their chart they are beautiful mirrors, reflecting the health of the community and environments they exist in. Deeply empathetic, they are true seers attuning to the people and spaces around them in order to shed light and wisdom on how things can be improved, often sensing what others may have missed. The openness in their charts means they are literally wide open which can be challenging if they are not in the right spaces as they will amplify what is around them. Their reflective nature makes them a barometer for humanity. Reflectors will likely need a lot of alone time to discharge energy they have taken on from others and it is vital they are in the right physical and emotional spaces in order for their own wellbeing to be optimised.
Reflector strategy - wait for a lunar cycle/28 days
This of course is likely to not be possible for every decision, but where possible, a Reflector makes their best decisions when they have had an entire lunar cycle to gauge how they feel before committing to something. It can be really useful to keep a daily feelings journal to help them recognise when they are out of alignment and not experiencing their signature theme. It is also important for them to take regular space and alone time to ensure they are making decisions specific to them and not from those around them.
Not self theme - Disappointment
Signature Theme - Surprise/delight
Check out the following Reflectors doing magical things (if you are a Reflector, or you know of one on Substack please let me know so I can add them here)…
My good friend
and her gorgeous business Senna Studio. The beautiful soul Katie Jane-Wright who created some of my favourite Oracle decks and runs And Crystals. who writes .Next we look at Authority
Together with your Strategy, your Authority is one of the key foundations to understand and apply to bring more ease and flow to your life. Thriving and aliveness comes from being attuned to our true nature, and this duo of Authority and Strategy are a ‘team’ to be used together. When we utilise these aspects in ourselves it allows other elements of the chart to express themselves in their highest potential.
Our Authority is like an inner compass that supports us in making the most aligned decisions. I always think that it is useful to put this into practice with the ‘little’ things in life so we can get used to what it feels like and be able to apply it when we have larger more impactful decisions to make.
Authority and strategy are a ‘team’. Authority flavours the way we use our strategy. When we follow our authority it allows the other elements of the chart to express themselves in their highest potential.
Sometimes we have to do a fair bit of de-conditioning around using our Authority, because we are mostly taught to use the mind to make decisions and that everything else is lesser. However, the mind is generally meant to be a passenger not the driver when it comes to making decisions, so if you notice you are over thinking/over analysing then you have bypassed your inner authority and are therefore ignoring the value of your most powerful decision maker. When you start to notice this in your process, the awareness can help you start to make subtle changes.
⋙ Emotional - be emotionally clear
For anyone with emotional authority (which is around half of the population) - it is important to wait for clarity before making a decision. Rather than making a decision from a high or a low state of being, wait until you are in a grounded and neutral space. This might mean ‘sleeping’ on a decision, or giving yourself a little leeway before committing to something, and there will be an internal ‘click’ that comes as a deep knowing when the decision is ready to be made. Give yourself space and grace, and if you feel anything other than steadiness in your being, wait.
⋙ Sacral - follow your gut
This is a very body based surge of energy that will tell you when it a decision is a YES. Get to know your ‘body yes’ and ‘body no’ as there will be a physical sensation and often sounds or facial expressions that signal to you. This might be a sense of heaviness, a dullness, a nothingness, a screwed up face or a literal ‘urgh’ to signal it is a NO (or sometimes a not yet), or a whoosh of excitement, a magnetic pull, a tingly sensation, a face splitting grin of joy or a ‘mmmm’ that tells you it is a YES. If you are in any doubt it is likely a no… even if that no doesn’t make sense on paper. Get used to asking yourself the question… ‘does this light me up?’ and experiment with following the initial response to see where it leads you.
⋙ Splenic - the intuitive voice
This is a very in the moment, strong instinctive voice that will often show up as a quiet whisper once and comes with a deep feeling of inner knowing. Consider this the primal survival response - an instant YES or NO. The splenic authority asks you to trust your intuition and act on it even when it doesn’t seem ‘logical’. If you find yourself hesitating or pondering too much you have likely bypassed the intuitive knowing and gone to the mind so take time to get quiet and practice listening and acting on your intuition as much as possible in your day to day life.
⋙ Self Projected Authority - talk it out
You have an inner knowing - a sense of ‘I just know it’ but often without explanation, and the way you make decisions is by hearing yourself speak it out. This isn’t about ‘advice’ or ‘feedback’ though, it can even come through recording yourself or voice noting someone. What is important is that it is spoken aloud. For this reason it is important to have safe spaces with people you trust to ‘speak’ it to. It is the act of hearing yourself speak that brings you the clarity needed to decide.
⋙ Ego - is your heart in it?
The Ego is also known as the heart, or the willpower. This is a very direct authority, literally you are designed to do what you want! But your decisions need to be made from the heart - your heart’s will. This is a true desire, a heart’s want and you will feel pulled to, and motivated to make it happen. If you find yourself making decisions based on ‘duty’ then this may well exhaust and drain you. It works best when you are well resourced so if you feel yourself drained and depleted it is best not to make decisions from that place. Get used to tuning into asking yourself if your heart is really in it?
⋙ Environmental - the right sounding boards
Your guidance comes from your environment and from talking it out, so it is crucial you feel good in the space you are in and choose your ‘sounding board’ intentionally. This tends to be a slow and deliberate authority that weighs and balances the options before making conclusions. The environment is important because you have so much openness below the throat in your chart — which means you can access everyone else’s perspectives and ideas and turn them into your wisdom — a wonderful skill but only when they are the ‘right’ people for you.
⋙ Lunar - wait a lunar cycle (Reflectors only)
Because there is no definition in your chart it is ideal for you to wait the full lunar transit so that the moon can transit the 64 gates. This will give you ‘all the information’ you need. Environment is crucial because of the openness, so if waiting a full lunar cycle (28/29 days) is not practical - ensure you are in the ‘right’ environment that feels good to ensure you feel uplifted and supported by those around you, and are not making decisions from a pressured place.
Some of my favourite resources…
People often ask me for recommendations to deepen into their Human Design. There are so many places out there but a few people I really respect and enjoy learning from are here…
has a wonderful Substack here and I love her shares on Instagram. I particularly love and gain so much value in her insights into parenting with Human Design.Erin Claire Jones has such a clear and accessible way of communicating Human Design. Her Instagram is full of nuggets of wisdom and I love her affirmations she often shares.
Kyla Derkach from Hatha Astro - I studied with Kyla and she is is very focused on weaving Human Design in to the way we run our businesses, so if you are looking for insights into how to apply your design to your heart and soul work, definitely give her a follow.
The Day Luna Podcast - I find some of their older episodes are really useful to get the basics, particularly their specific energy type episodes.
Jenna Zoe from My Human Design - I really like the way she puts an empowering spin on so much of the heavier content in Human Design. I did my first two reader trainings with her and they really set me on my HD journey.
My favourite Human Design book is quite an old school one but it is clear and easy to digest. Chetan Parkyn, Human Design: Discover The Person You Were Meant To Be.
Have you found any wonderful resources on Human Design? I would love to hear if you have.
So there we have it… I truly hope that this serves as a little (OK I know it is long) introduction to the absolute magic that is Human Design. I have this system to thank for so much in my life. It supports my business journey in multiple ways — both as a tool I use with clients and as a way of aligning my own energy — it is also instrumental in bringing understanding and harmony to my relationships, supports my mothering and even helps me make day to day decisions like what I want to eat and where I want to go.
I would love to hear from you now…
What is your energy type and authority? Share with us in the comments. Do you have questions about applying Human Design to your life? What has been your experience, if any, with Human Design?
If you would like to go deeper into this and how it shows up for you in your life, you can access my foundational Human Design series of workshops through joining The Balm membership for £8 a month or £65 a year. You will also get £10 off a Human Design session with me when you join the membership.
Until next time
With so much love and gratitude
Lauren
xxx
Hello to anyone who is new here… I am Lauren. A Mother of two daughters, Writer, Women’s Circle Facilitator, Sacred Business Mentor & Guide, Soul Branding & Website Creator and multi-dimensional human being. I walk with, and hold space for, others who are treading the tender path of their heart and soul work. You can find out more about this space and what to expect here. Please do subscribe to join the journey, and if you enjoy this, and you do have the means, I would be so grateful if you chose to support my creations for £5 a month…
If you enjoyed this piece and wish to explore my other spaces please use the links below to explore…
Motherhood Essays
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Thank you for this - I needed a nudge to get back to my original imprint. I had my blueprint done over a year ago but lost my way with it. This sparked my Projector awake - perhaps an invitation I need to let this guide me more.
Such a gorgeous offering here. 🙏🏼
What a brilliant window into the world of HD Lauren 💫 and thank you for the mention.
It’s absolutely wild how HD got hold of me and transformed my life… I love how much it’s growing and just the amazing impact it has, magical!
In terms of other resource, I’ve trained / mentored with these two for a couple of years now which has helped me get deep into the work; Emma Dunwoody for her digestible insight and powerful coaching, and Jenni Crowther for her deep deep 1-1 wisdom and retreat space.
Always love connecting and chatting about this topic- it would be lovely to do this over a brew sometime ✨xxx