Analyst Tips: How to Read Your Human Design Bodygraph
Photo from The System Guide – Human Design, Vol. I
The Human Design System (HDS) combines astrology, the I Ching, the Kabbalah, the Hindu chakras, and quantum physics to provide a comprehensive understanding of one's energetic essence — your Design. HDS is a valuable, powerful tool for self-discovery and self-actualization. Within the System, an individual’s Design is visualized by their Bodygraph: the structure that displays which energies comprise your Design, how your energies interact with one another, and how you can be conditioned by external energies. By understanding your bodygraph, you’re able to recognize the strengths, challenges, and inner potential that was within you all along; it’s your life’s roadmap, your body’s blueprint, and your mind’s framework. In this blog post, we will explore the various aspects of the bodygraph, offering you a streamlined overview for learning the various elements of your own Bodygraph, Dual Chart, and Design.
Core Chart Components
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The Dual Chart aggregates the fourteen celestial bodies, illustrated by their associated glyphs, alongside the gates they activate within the bodygraph. It displays two sets of celestial body positioning data used to create your Design; the positioning of the celestial bodies at the time of your birth represents Conscious information, whereas their positioning around 88 days prior to one’s birth represents Unconscious information. The Conscious (Personality) data is black in coloration, while the Unconscious (Design) data is yellow. Both aspects together compile your bodygraph’s total gate activations.
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The Bodygraph is a visual representation of your energetic blueprint and features. It’s composed of nine geometric shapes called centers, 64 gates within the nine centers, and 32 channels linking everything together. These elements reflect your traits, strengths, and weaknesses, as well as how energy flows within and between your centers.
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The 4 Variable Arrows represent the four key aspects of your Design: Determination, Environment, Perspective, and Motivation. Each arrow can point either left or right, indicating a specific quality or approach to that aspect of your life. These are generally considered to be advanced mechanics within Human Design and require a greater understanding of the System to properly understand and implement in one’s deconditioning process.
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The Variable Sub-structure Numbers are the numerical values assigned to each of the 4 Variable Arrows. These numbers provide further detail on your specific Variable configuration and how it influences your Design’s Determination, Environment, Perspective, and Motivation.
Design Elements
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Type is one of the most fundamental elements of Human Design, and has five main categories: Manifestors, Generators, Projectors, Manifesting Generators, and Reflectors. Your Type reveals your overall approach to life, your aura’s energetic dynamic, and your Strategy for interacting with others and moving through life in general.
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Strategy is the recommended approach for each Type to properly navigate life and attract opportunities that are in alignment with their authentic uniqueness. By following your Strategy, you can experience greater ease, flow, and success in your life, while simultaneously reducing friction and hardship.
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The Not-Self represents the conditioned aspects of your personality, which can manifest as fears, desires, and behaviors that are not aligned with your true nature. Recognizing and letting go of these patterns leads to personal awareness and growth. Each Type has an associated Not-Self theme that exemplifies the state of feeling when one’s not operating correctly.
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Signature is the positive state of feeling that arises when you are living in alignment with your Type and Strategy. By achieving and maintaining your Signature, you cultivate opportunities to correctly utilize the unique gifts you bring to the world. Each Type has an associated Signature theme that exemplifies when one is operating correctly.
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Authority is your inner decision-making method, and is determined by the configuration of your Design. It’s meant to work in tandem with your Strategy and helps you determine which decisions are correct for you. By following your Authority, you enable yourself to move through life with greater confidence and energetic clarity.
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Definition refers to the specific configuration of connected and defined centers in your Bodygraph; it delineates the consistent or fixed aspects of your inner energy and nature. There are five kinds of bodygraph Definition: No Definition, Single Definition, Split Definition (either Simple-Split or Wide-Split), Triple-Split Definition, and Quadruple-Split Definition.
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Profile is a combination of two numbers (out of six possible) that represent the duality inherent within you, and characterize your life’s basic pattern. It can be likened to the way you interact with the world, such as one’s behavioral motivations or propensities. Profile adds a great deal of interpretive nuance necessary to correctly operate one’s Design.
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The Incarnation Cross is composed of four Cross Gates in your Bodygraph, and represents your life’s ultimate purpose and direction. The Incarnation Cross is a deeply nuanced concept that gives you an idea of where your life’s energies are meant to be placed and how you’ll contribute to the greater whole. Properly exploring your Cross requires you to be aligned with your inner authority and operate your Design correctly.
Variable Elements
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Sense relates to how you best perceive and process information from your environment and others. It can be either outer-focused (external stimuli) or inner-focused (internal experiences), influencing how you engage with the world.
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Determination is the first of the four Variables, and is represented by the upper-left arrow. It indicates the optimal way of nourishing yourself and taking in information, both physically and mentally. It provides guidance on the best diet and learning approach for your unique Design. Additionally, it represents the first pillar of the Variables since one must first take care of their body or vehicle’s particular needs to operate correctly.
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Environment is the second of the four Variables, and is represented by the lower-left arrow. It relates to the specific kinds of environments that support your well-being, growth, and success. By understanding your ideal ambiance, you can better operate your body and better perceive the world around you. It represents the second pillar of the Variables since one must be in the right external environment in order to correctly operate internally.
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Perspective is the third of the four Variables, and is represented by the lower-right arrow. It reveals the lens through which you are meant to view life in order to best make sense of your experiences. It frames your view of the world and of yourself, yet it can be distracted through a process called transference to focus things that are not meant to be focused on. Transference is unavoidable and you only need to practice recognizing its influence in order to perceive your world authentically.
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Motivation is the last of the four Variables, and is represented by the upper-right arrow. It is the driving force behind your actions and desires, which can either be in alignment with your true nature or influenced by your Not-Self conditioning. When you operate our of your correct Motivation, something that requires you to correctly practice all preceding Variables first, you transform your mind and begin to express your true Outer Authority — true awareness that is immune to external conditioning and homogenized concepts.
Reading your bodygraph can be a transformative experience, as it offers a deep understanding of your unique strengths, challenges, and inner potential. By learning about the various elements of your Design, such as Type, Strategy, Authority, and the four Variable Arrows, you can gain valuable insights into your life purpose, decision-making processes, and optimal ways of living.
Remember that your bodygraph is a roadmap to self-discovery, not a rigid blueprint for your life. It is subject to a constant change in energetic flux by virtue of the conditioning energies all around us. As you grow and experiment with your Design, your understanding of it will deepen, providing you with ever-greater clarity and self-empowerment. Surrender to the process and embrace your unique Human Design in order to let it guide you towards your highest potential.
For those of you who may not already have your Design’s bodygraph, click the button below to acquire it. Once you have it, consider downloading the free Micro Report Analysis to help orient your first steps in exploring and recognizing your uniqueness.