Question 1

What is Human Design?

Accepted Answer

Human Design is a system of self-knowledge that synthesizes ancient wisdom — astrology, the I Ching, Kabbalah, and the Hindu chakra system — with modern science like quantum physics, astronomy, and genetics. It was transmitted to Ra Uru Hu in 1987 and provides a mechanical map (BodyGraph) of how your energy works.

Question 2

Who was Ra Uru Hu?

Accepted Answer

Ra Uru Hu (born Robert Allan Krakower, 1948–2011) was the founder and transmitter of the Human Design System. He received the knowledge during a mystical experience in Ibiza, Spain, in January 1987, and spent the rest of his life teaching it worldwide through the Jovian Archive.

Question 3

Is Human Design a religion or belief system?

Accepted Answer

No. Human Design is explicitly not a belief system. It is described as a mechanical system of self-knowledge that invites experimentation rather than belief. You are encouraged to test it through your own lived experience and discover what works for you.

Question 4

How do I calculate my Human Design chart?

Accepted Answer

You can calculate your chart for free on our Chart Calculator page. You will need your exact birth date, birth time (as precise as possible), and birth city. The system uses astronomical data to determine planetary positions at your moment of birth.

Question 5

What information do I need for an accurate chart?

Accepted Answer

You need your exact birth date, birth time (to the minute if possible), and birth city. The more accurate your birth time, the more precise your gate activations, profile, and incarnation cross will be. Even a few minutes can shift your chart.

Question 6

What are the five energy types in Human Design?

Accepted Answer

The five types are: Manifestor (~9%), Generator (~37%), Manifesting Generator (~33%), Projector (~20%), and Reflector (~1%). Each type has a unique aura, strategy, and way of engaging with the world. Generators and Manifesting Generators together make up about 70% of the population.

Question 7

What is Strategy in Human Design?

Accepted Answer

Strategy is the way each energy type is designed to interact with life. Manifestors inform before acting; Generators respond to what life presents; Manifesting Generators respond then inform; Projectors wait for invitations; Reflectors wait a full lunar cycle (about 28 days) before major decisions.

Question 8

What is a Signature?

Accepted Answer

Your Signature is the feeling you experience when you are living according to your design: Peace (Manifestor), Satisfaction (Generator), Satisfaction & Peace (Manifesting Generator), Success (Projector), and Surprise (Reflector). It is your compass for correct living.

Question 9

What is the Not-Self?

Accepted Answer

The Not-Self is the feeling you experience when you are not living your design: Anger (Manifestor), Frustration (Generator), Frustration & Anger (Manifesting Generator), Bitterness (Projector), and Disappointment (Reflector). It signals that you are operating from conditioning rather than your true nature.

Question 10

What is the BodyGraph?

Accepted Answer

The BodyGraph is a visual map of the nine energy centers in Human Design. It shows which gates and channels are active (defined) or open (undefined) in your chart, revealing how energy flows through your body and consciousness based on your birth data.

Question 11

What are the nine centers?

Accepted Answer

The nine centers are: Head (inspiration), Ajna (conceptualizing), Throat (communication), G Center (identity/direction), Heart/Ego (willpower), Sacral (life force), Spleen (intuition), Solar Plexus (emotion), and Root (pressure). Each represents a different aspect of human experience.

Question 12

What is the difference between defined and undefined centers?

Accepted Answer

Defined centers (colored in) are consistently active and are your reliable strengths. Undefined centers (white) are open and receptive — you take in and amplify the energy of others in these areas, making them places of great wisdom and potential conditioning.

Question 13

What is conditioning in Human Design?

Accepted Answer

Conditioning occurs when the energy of others interacts with your open (undefined) centers, leading you to operate in ways that are not authentic to your design. Recognizing conditioning is a key part of the Human Design experiment — it helps you distinguish between what is truly you and what you have absorbed from the world.

Question 14

What are the 64 gates?

Accepted Answer

The 64 gates correspond to the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching. Each gate represents a specific archetype of energy located in one of the nine centers of the BodyGraph. When a planet occupies a gate at your birth, that gate is activated in your chart.

Question 15

What are channels in Human Design?

Accepted Answer

Channels connect two gates across different centers. When both gates of a channel are activated in your chart, the channel is defined, creating a consistent flow of energy between the two centers. There are 36 channels in total.

Question 16

What is a Profile?

Accepted Answer

Your Profile is composed of two numbers (e.g., 3/5) derived from your conscious Sun/Earth and unconscious (design) Sun/Earth positions. It describes the role you are designed to play in life and how you interact with others. There are 12 possible profiles.

Question 17

What is the Incarnation Cross?

Accepted Answer

Your Incarnation Cross is determined by the four gates of your conscious and unconscious Sun and Earth positions. It represents your life purpose — the theme you are here to live out. It typically becomes fully active around age 38–42, after the Chiron return.

Question 18

What is Inner Authority?

Accepted Answer

Inner Authority is your unique decision-making mechanism. Instead of relying on the mind to make decisions, Human Design teaches you to follow your body's built-in guidance system. Your authority depends on which centers are defined in your chart.

Question 19

How many types of Inner Authority are there?

Accepted Answer

There are six main types: Emotional (waiting for clarity through the wave), Sacral (gut response), Splenic (spontaneous intuition), Ego/Heart (willpower), Self-Projected (listening to your voice), and Mental/No Authority (sounding board with others). Emotional is the most common (~50%).

Question 20

What is the difference between Strategy and Authority?

Accepted Answer

Strategy is how your type interacts with life (e.g., Generators respond, Projectors wait for invitation). Authority is how you make decisions within that strategy (e.g., through emotions, gut feeling, or intuition). Strategy creates the entry point; Authority provides the decision.

Question 21

What are transits in Human Design?

Accepted Answer

Transits refer to the current positions of planets as they move through the 64 gates of the BodyGraph. As planets transit, they activate different gates, creating temporary channels that influence the collective energy field and interact with your personal chart.

Question 22

How do transits affect me?

Accepted Answer

When a transiting planet activates a gate that connects to one of your defined gates, it can create a temporary channel. This may influence your energy, mood, and experiences for the duration of the transit. The Sun changes gates approximately every 6 days; the Moon every 9–10 hours.

Question 23

What is a composite chart?

Accepted Answer

A composite chart overlays two individuals' BodyGraphs to reveal how their energies interact. It shows which centers are defined together, shared channels, and areas of attraction or tension. It is a powerful tool for understanding relationship dynamics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

Energy Types

Centers & BodyGraph

Gates, Channels & Profiles

Authority & Decision Making

Transits & Daily Life