Get ready to dive into the intriguing Human Design connection between two literary legends: Anais Nin (Manifesting Generator) and Henry Miller (Manifestor). This post will explore their charts, what makes them stand out, and how their unique relationship influenced their writing. This one’s more advanced than my usual chart readings because we’re looking at two charts instead of one. So, let’s have some fun!
Credit: all images, unless otherwise noted, are generated from myBodygraph.
Anais Nin, Sacral Manifesting Generator
Manifesting Generators are a subtype of Generators.
All Generator types have a defined sacral center, like having a regenerative and creative battery pack in their blueprint. ReGENERATIVE… GENERATOR.
Since Anais Nin is a Manifesting Generator, she has a defined sacral center and a direct connection from a motor center (emotional, sacral, root, or heart) to her throat center.
Anais Nin, born on February 21, 1903, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, had this amazing aura that pulled people and experiences toward her.
It’s like she had a magnet for interesting things!
This magnetism is connected to her sacral center, which gives her that instinctive “yes” or “no” response.
The Channel of Charisma (20-10) and 3/5 Profile (Martyr/Heretic)
Let’s talk about the Channel of Charisma (20-34). It’s a mark that automatically makes someone a Manifesting Generator.
People with this channel are naturally charming and have this captivating aura that draws others to them.
Anais Nin had that charm going on. When she met her future husband, Hugh Guiler, at a party in New York, he was immediately smitten by her. They became inseparable! Anais had this enchanting way of disarming people with her charisma. She had several lovers, including writer Henry Miller, her psychoanalyst Dr. Otto Rank, and essayist lover Gore Vidal.
Her charm was so intoxicating that Hugh Guiler even funded Henry Miller’s trip to Paris, which allowed them to collaborate on their work.
Another thing about this channel is the constant pursuit of opportunities. Anais Nin was restless and loved pushing boundaries and trying new experiences.
She openly embraced her sexuality, which was considered taboo at the time, and traveled extensively to places like Paris, Havana, and Acapulco.
She was a true creative explorer, dabbling in various art forms like painting, music, and film.
Anais Nin’s allure was undeniable. People described her as beautiful, clever, and unconventional, which added to her appeal. She lived on her terms, inspiring others with her independent and free-spirited nature.
But hey, every superpower has its shadow side. Restlessness can sometimes get the best of those with this channel. It can make them impulsive and abandon their strategy and authority to fill the void when they’re not doing something.
So, deep self-trust is essential for finding balance.
Unfortunately, the giving nature of the Channel of Charisma can also make one vulnerable to being taken advantage of. Anais Nin funded many up-and-coming writers, but not all her affairs ended well. For example, Henry Miller stole and claimed her work as his own, despite her financial support. She even helped Henry and his wife, June Miller, with rent money, but they wasted it all in one night of drinking.
Henry Miller: The Manifestor
Now let’s talk about Henry Miller, the Manifestor.
He was born on December 26, 1891, in New York City.
As a Manifestor, he had a splenic authority and a 4/6 profile. He had two channels that connected his splenic center to his throat center, which allowed him to speak his truth.
Manifestors have this unique aura that repels and protects them. They can manifest things without waiting for others’ input.
They have this “I can do it myself” energy. (In contrast, Manifesting Generators like Anais Nin still rely on waiting to respond).
The root center, located at the base of the spine, is all about adrenaline and stress. It’s not about labeling these as good or bad; people with a defined root center might feel guilty for thriving during stressful times.
It’s important to remember that they can shine in these situations.
Root and Splenic Center
The root center, located at the base of the spine, is all about adrenaline and stress. It’s not about labeling these as good or bad; people with a defined root center might feel guilty for thriving during stressful times.
It’s important to remember that they can shine in these situations.
On the other hand, the splenic center is where intuition, instinct, and health reside. It’s the most basic and primal awareness center. Unlike the root center, the splenic center is not a motor center, so it doesn’t power actions directly. Instead, it’s all about being aware of one’s surroundings and doing whatever it takes to stay alive and well.
I talk more about centers in this free PDF.
Let’s move on to the channels in his chart.
Channel of Judgment (18-58)
Now let’s talk about the channel of judgment (18-58).
This channel is often misunderstood as the perfectionist’s channel. People with this channel are often accused of perfectionism, but that’s not the whole story.
They are designed to improve things based on their unique perspectives.
For example, imagine you have a particular way of squeezing toothpaste, like pushing it from the bottom up. Others might find it annoying and label you as “controlling” or “perfectionist” for that. It’s just your way of doing things!
Henry Miller expressed this channel in various ways:
- “Writing is not a thing you do; it’s a thing that does you. It’s a disease, an obsession.”
- He was perceived as hypercritical of his peers and friends. As mentioned earlier, Anais Nin felt compelled to fulfill certain acts to keep Henry’s affection. This stemmed from his desire for her to demonstrate high loyalty through these actions.
- He rebelled against the narrow-minded and conservative literary establishments of his time. To challenge this, he wrote explicit and often fragmented works.
Channel of Struggle (28-38)
Now, let’s dive into the core of Henry Miller’s persona—the channel of struggle (28-38). This channel is about embracing struggle head-on, like looking the devil in the eye and running straight toward it. People with this channel understand that there are obstacles in life, and they get an adrenaline rush from chasing after them.
Within Henry Miller, this channel manifests as the essence of the tortured artist.
This understanding of struggle inspired his journey:
- Despite being aware of his poverty, Miller took the bold step of quitting his job at Western Union to pursue his writing fully.
- He viewed his intimate relationships as a joyful struggle, finding fulfillment within the complexities they brought.
- Miller embraced pushing boundaries, even in the face of book bans. He experienced a thrill in going all-in and defying the odds.
Channel of Wavelength (16-48)
Lastly, let’s talk about the wavelength channel (16-48). This channel moves from the root center to the splenic and throat centers.
It’s not about conforming but discovering answers that can disrupt the questions asked.
Henry Miller had this channel connected to his splenic authority, and he truly mastered the art of literature.
He wrote everything from letters to erotica to semi-autobiographical works. His command of language was so extraordinary that even today, we admire his passionate letters to Anais Nin and romanticize his banned novels.
While individuals with this channel often seek recognition and benefactors, Henry Miller had a self-sufficient variation. He didn’t rely on others as much because he had all the resources within himself. He knew the rules and patterns of writing so well that he could bend them to create his unique artistic expression.
So, in a way, the writer truly becomes one with the words. They learn to harness the power of language and let it shape their identity as a writer.
From the root center, our focus now shifts to the splenic and throat centers.
The channel of wavelength is not about conforming to societal expectations but rather about exploring answers that have the potential to disrupt the very questions posed.
With the channel of wavelength connected to his splenic authority, Henry Miller has achieved personal mastery that he expresses to the outer world. He dabbled in various forms of writing, ranging from letters to erotica to semi-autobiographical works. His writing skill was so remarkable that even today, we admire his letters to Anais Nin and romanticize his banned novels.
Individuals with this channel often seek support and recognition from benefactors, but Henry Miller’s unique variation of this channel reveals someone with no interest in doing so.
(You can see here that despite knowing what this channel means, it can show up differently from person to person based on deeper aspects of their chart. If you’re curious about how your chart is divergent, click here to check out my offerings for readings.)
When Henry began his affair with his future wife, June Miller, he had a knack for influencing her to secure financial support from one of her sugar daddies, Roland Freedman. This was another example of how Henry had a way of getting others to foot the bill instead of taking on the responsibility himself.
From a Manifestor’s perspective, Henry could declare something which would manifest. In his case, he had access to the necessary resources to pursue his literary mastery.
He had a deep understanding of the rules and patterns of writing, which allowed him to manipulate and bend them to his will skillfully.
You see, for a writer, it’s not just about putting words on paper—it’s about the words becoming a part of them. Henry Miller fully embraced this concept. He immersed himself in the world of words, allowing them to shape and define him as a writer. It was a truly symbiotic relationship between the writer and the written word.
Human Design Connection Chart
Here, you see what happens when Anais Nin and Henry Miller are together. There’s a blend of their Human Design charts.
The blue colors are Henry. The green colors are Anais.
8/1 Have Some Fun Connection Theme
When Anais Nin and Henry Miller come together, we see the theme of 8/1 (have some fun).
The 8/1 connection theme creates a bond where the two individuals share many common interests. There’s an effortless mutual understanding.
But this can manifest in several ways. For example (but not limited to):
- Finding similarities that make each other feel at home
- Exploring the world together, trying different things
- Burnout from spending too much time together
- Enjoying shared interests but wanting space to do it alone, too
- Getting bored or losing interest in someone because they’re too alike
There are no hard and fast rules here, only expressions.
Anais Nin and Henry Miller collaborated on several literary projects. She helped edit his Tropic of Cancer, and he wrote a preface to her book of short stories, Under a Glass Bell. Their “home” was their passion for creative writing. Their exploration was their synergy.
We can also see the shadow side. Henry and Anais were jealous people. He became controlling when she began relationships with others. She felt hurt when his attention wavered from her. This expresses how what brought them together (an affair) was no longer fun.
Dominance Channels
In the connection chart above, you’ll notice five dominance channels. This is where one person has the channel defined, but the other person doesn’t. This is where one person conditions the other.
I’m making an assumption here based on my experience with Human Design; People are attracted to what conditions them. It’s what they don’t have. It’s what they yearn to hold on to.
With how many dominance channels Anais has, it’s possible that he craved her conditioning, her talent, and her charm. It likely brought the same traits out of him. But as conditioning goes, it didn’t (and she didn’t) belong to him.
Channel of Power (34-57)
An example of a dominance channel brought in by Anais Nin is the channel of power. It’s the intuitive and primal instinct of the splenic center meeting the regenerative energy of the sacral. This channel demands that decisions are made in grounded humanness rather than from a place of logical reasoning or emotional inclinations. While Anais disarms others, she is the only one that can tap into her vulnerability. This channel manifests as survival instincts that trust the sacral response.
When survival shows up, there are always safety measures in place.
An opportunity for shadow work here is based on fear. Anais Nin’s father left her and her mother at an early age so he could have another family. This sparked Anais’s beginning to write in her diaries.
She channeled those fears into her creativity and brought forth the work we have today.
Henry Miller likely became aware of his fears after meeting Anais Nin. He famously struggled with his intimate relationships, always having affairs while petrified of abandonment. The two of them bonded over imposter syndrome, though it can be argued that this drove them together and magnified each other’s creativity.
The only undefined center the two of them have is the emotional center. It’s ironic because their writing can be seen as filled with emotion. Based on the connection chart, this is uncharted land for both. They’re co-designed to experience both the nurture and the drowning emotional tides.
Their Legacies Today
Anais Nin and Henry Miller were endless in their search for love. Their story continues with those inspired by their unconventional journeys.
Anais Nin’s line 3 seduced and disrupted her relationships. Henry Miller’s line 4 scared him, unable to leave lovers without having a replacement ready.
They struggled together. They were relentless with their taboo erotica. They brought it out of each other.
This is the uniqueness of two people coming together and conditioning each other.
Their work could’ve been overlooked and lost to time without this notorious relationship.
