The journey of self-discovery can at times seem daunting, but there are effective ways to gain a deeper understanding of oneself. One approach is to explore the concept of Human Design Centers.
Human Design Centers refer to the 9 focal points or centers in your body that receive and transform life force energy. This system is visually represented by geometric shapes in your Body Graph or Human Design Body Graph, making them easier to understand.
Each of these centers has a special purpose for our life energy and is connected to various bodily functions.
The splenic center, for example, is linked to your lymphatic system, while the Root center is one of the pressure centers linked to your adrenal glands.
The root center is responsible for pushing us to grow. Aside from the adrenal system, the root center is also linked to our stress hormones. Stress is not always bad; it is a natural part of life. When the root center is balanced, stress can fuel us to get out of our comfort zones.
The root center, pressure center, sacral center, and solar plexus are all connected and are all about our life force energy.
The sacral center, in the lower abdomen, is the strength of our energy system. In our human design chart, the sacral center grants us vitality. The sacral center helps our ability to respond to life force energy, initiating movement and action. It is the one that fuels our emotional expression.
The solar plexus is an essential part of our nervous system and is located in our upper abdomen. The Solar Plexus plays a large role in keeping our organs functioning smoothly. Aside from that, the solar plexus is also responsible for our emotional intelligence. The solar plexus is the seat of our feelings and personal power.
The emotional guidance brought about by the solar plexus helps us direct our energy wisely.
It is different from the concept of Human Design Channels which we will tackle in a different article.
Additionally, these centers can be categorized as defined or open, providing you with a clearer image of your key characteristics, such as type, authority, and many others.
Let’s explore how different Human Design Centers can be a way to know more about yourself and how they can influence your experiences and spiritual journey.
Overview of the Human Design System: Its Components and Centers
Human Design Centers are energy hubs in your body where your life energy flows. They receive and transform your energy throughout the body.
The Human Design Body Graph or Human Design Chart is often represented as geometric forms that line up with the nine centers in your body. As we mentioned earlier, these centers are important in determining an individual’s type, authority, and many other characteristics.
Based on their state of activation, these centers are further classified as Defined (colored in) or Open (white).
Understanding the distinction between Defined and Open centers is essential to tackling the complexities of Human Design Centers effectively.
In the next part, you will find a detailed explanation of the importance of both defined and open design centers.
Defined Centers
Defined centers are important in shaping your abilities and traits. Defined centers are oftentimes shown as colored geometric shapes.
These defined centers provide steady and reliable energy and also act as a source of your strengths. Defined centers give you certain skills and abilities that provide you with clarity and confidence.
Your defined centers heavily influence your decision-making and behavior, supporting you in aligning with your inner self. Embracing your defined centers allows you to access your inner potential and live a more meaningful life.
Here are two examples of how a defined center can influence you:
The head center is the driving force behind your thinking process, using questions and doubts as a powerful drive for thought.
When defined, it becomes a source of inspiration, providing you with unique perspectives that widen your understanding of the world.
Meanwhile, the Ajna Center mainly governs your thinking.
When Defined, it processes information with remarkable consistency, leading to a deep-rooted sense of certainty and conviction in your opinions and conceptual understanding.
Having these defined centers means you have a solid foundation that empowers you to better understand the complexities of the world.
Open Centers
Having an open center, on the other hand, significantly shapes your experiences and interactions. An open center is often shown as a white geometric shape. Open centers represent gateways to great sources of information and energy. Open centers offer both challenges and opportunities.
Open centers are closely related, but not to be confused with Undefined Centers Human Design.
Unlike defined centers, which provide consistent energy, open centers act as receptors for conditioning from others rather than your true self. It is more challenging to be your authentic self because of societal expectations and norms.
However, with the right understanding, open centers can be a source of insight and wisdom. Open centers offer a wealth of gifts. Just be cautious because the energy from open centers is unstable.
There might be instances where you unconsciously magnify the thoughts and emotions of others, which can be confusing.
Understanding the influence of external energies allows you to tap into your actual potential and decide based on your authentic self. By embracing the unique dynamics of open centers, we can unlock their potential for great connection, wisdom, and growth.
Next, we’ll look at the qualities and functions of several open centers to get a better grasp of their impact on your life and personal growth.
Not-Self Mind
The concept of the not-self mind is a state characterized by trying to be what you are not. This condition arises from external factors that cause inconsistencies in your values and beliefs, disconnecting you from your true self.
The not-self mind is fueled by the internal monologues and dialogues influenced by your open centers.
Your open centers make you more vulnerable to external factors like the opinions of others, relationships, social environment, and cultural expectations.
Entertaining these thoughts makes it hard to express your authentic self and will eventually lead you to question your self-worth and identity.
Wisdom comes from self-awareness.
Understand and recognize the influence of your open centers and external conditioning patterns, as well as their impact on your well-being.
Try to be aware of your thoughts and identify whether they are coming from your not-self-mind. Dissociate from those thoughts and avoid getting too wrapped up in them.
Dissociating from these ideas and sentiments is the only way that you can make decisions that resonate with your true self and reclaim your true potential.
When you become more self-aware, you can break free from the limitations of the not-self mind.
If you are having a hard time controlling your negative thoughts, try reading our article, 4 Ways to Get Rid of Negative Thoughts: A Spiritual and Manifestation Guide.
In-depth understanding of the 5 Human Design Centers
There are nine Human Design Centers but let us focus on the first five, which are located in the upper part of your body.
These five centers are mainly responsible for your thinking process and connection with yourself. They are the Head Center, Ajna Center, Throat Center, G Center, and Ego Center. All of which focus on connecting with your life force and journey to self-discovery.
Below, learn more about each Design Center, their significance, and what they represent:
The Head or Crown Center and Mental Activities
The Head Center is focused on acquiring knowledge, thinking processes, beliefs, and conceptual knowledge.
- Defined Head Center Human Design
- Consistent and reliable thoughts
- Inspiring others with a fresh perspective
A Defined Head Center that is not aligned with the authentic self leads to mental confusion and overthinking.
- Open Head Center Human Design
- Receptive to others’ thoughts, which leads to vulnerability and anxiety
To be more balanced, the key is to acknowledge that you don’t have to know everything. Learn how to identify important information and ignore things that are unnecessary mental noise.
By gaining insight into its operation, you can navigate through confusion and access wisdom and clarity by aligning your thinking with your true nature.
The Ajna or Mind Center and Cognitive Awareness
The Ajna or MInd Center, is crucial as it governs how you process and analyze information.
- Defined Ajna Center
- Sound and logical way of thinking
- Clarity and conviction in your opinions
- Open Ajna Center
- When the Ajna has an open center, you feel pressured to hold on to a specific mental opinion, leading to inconsistency and anxiety
Embracing the fluidity of this Human Design Center and realizing that a fixed mental opinion isn’t always necessary will give way to the maturity of your Ajna Center.
A deeper understanding of your Ajna Center will give valuable insights into your thinking patterns and decision-making processes.
Whether defined or undefined, this knowledge helps you make informed choices aligned with your authentic self and avoid unnecessary mental pressure.
Cultivate your Ajna Center by learning more and reading our article on Fixed VS Growth Mindset in Manifestation Practices.
The Throat Center and the Power of Communication
The Throat Center is vital for communication.
- Defined Throat Center
- Communication is consistent
- Having a clear voice that can inspire and influence others
- Open Throat Center
- The communication style is fluid, resulting in feeling nervous or pressured to speak.
- Seeking attention by verbalizing thoughts or making abrupt promises
- The ability to have various authentic voices emerge
Understanding your Throat Center helps enhance your communication skills, allowing you to express yourself authentically and connect with others on a deeper level.
It serves as a gateway for sharing your thoughts and emotions with the world through speaking, singing, or any other form of expression.
The G Center and Identity Formation
The G Center shapes your identity. It is also the center for loving yourself, direction, and purpose. It is our G center that navigates our sense of self and how we relate to the world.
- Defined G Center
- A fixed sense of self and consistent behaviors and expressions of love
- Have a solid foundation for navigating the world
- Open G Center
- A fluid personality that adapts based on different environments and interactions
- This may lead to confusion and a constant search for stability
- Feeling the need to grasp onto a particular persona or love for security
However, remember that identity is fluid and ever-evolving. Understanding your G Center and your openness to its characteristics offer insights into the nature of identity and the importance of finding stability within yourself.
Embrace yourself and the unique and special journey that you are on, and practice self-love by journaling. Know the whys and hows of starting a self-love journal in our article: Self-Love Journal, Love Should Start with You!
The Ego Center and Willpower
The Ego Center or Heart Center Human Design, represents your willpower and determination. You can also call this your awareness center.
- Defined Ego Center
- Strong sense of self-assurance and confidence in accomplishing goals
- Can make commitments and promises with certainty
- Open Ego Center
- Feeling constant pressure to prove yourself, leads to feelings of inadequacy and a lack of self-worth
- Seeking external validation to feel valuable becomes common
It’s essential to understand that your worthiness doesn’t rely on external validation but on embracing your uniqueness and directing your willpower toward authentic self-expression.
Exploring one’s design centers helps you understand how each center influences your experiences and decision-making.
Recognizing the distinct characteristics of a defined open center unravels conditioning and allows for greater awareness of your true potential.
Final Thoughts
Using Human Design Centers or Human Design Chart for personal growth empowers you to tap into your true potential and align with your authentic self.
Understanding both defined and open centers helps you navigate your life with awareness and intentionality.
Defined centers provide reliable energy and strengths to purposefully harness. Embracing these centers allows you to make decisions aligned with your true nature.
Open centers present an opportunity for learning and growth. Despite their susceptibility to conditioning, an open center can offer wisdom. Being aware of how open centers impact you leads to deeper self-understanding and growth.
By integrating the wisdom of defined centers and exploring the potential of open centers, you unlock self-awareness and personal transformation. Human Design is a tool for self-discovery, helping you live a more authentic and fulfilling life.
Learn more about how energy flows within us from our article, The 7 Chakra Tree of Life in Manifestation and fully embrace your connection with the universe.
What are your thoughts about utilizing Human Design Centers in your spiritual journey? Comment down below!
