Should You Get Certified in Human Design?
Toying with the idea of getting certified in Human Design?
This is a topic that is near and dear to me because back in 2019, I was working through the same situation. I hope this post provides some truth and much-needed clarity around the topic of getting certified in Human Design.
To give you an idea of where my knowledge of Human Design comes from, here’s my background:
Studying and watching Ra Uru Hu’s courses through his business, Jovian Archive.
Taking one certification course through the International Human Design School.
Studying material from Jovian Archive’s competitors including students of Karen Curry Parker and Chetan Parkyn.
Private classes with my former Human Design mentor, Kip Winsett.
Honorable mention: Richard Rudd’s Human Design material. He wrote some of the earliest works about Human Design when he was working with Ra Uru Hu. If you don’t know him, he’s the gene keys guy.
The intention behind this article
First, this is not an article bashing Human Design certification. At the time of you reading this post (I’ve updated it), there is an oversaturation of Human Design content, including certification programs.
When I went through the “should I, shouldn’t I?” decision, the content was dry. If you wanted to learn more about Human Design’s traditional material, you’d have to pirate the material (I’m not condoning/judging pirating) or fork over serious cash.
In my first year as a reader getting paid, I spent $10,000.
This article is my experience and perspective on the trajectory behind Human Design’s popularity.
A “review/opinion piece,” if you will.
As of late 2023, I am still uncertified.
There is a divide between Human Design teachers.
There are several powerhouses when it comes to Human Design teachers.
Off the top of my head:
In 2019, they were the big four.
In my experience, Karen Curry Parker and Chetan Parkyn stay true to the traditional material with a personal twist. It’s clear they branched off to express their vision of the system.
Jenna Zoe is a controversial figure in the Human Design world. I’ve never interacted with her material, but from what her certified readers and outsiders have said, she knows her stuff but ‘deviates’ from the source material.
You may not know this if you’re not in the loop with Human Design gossip.
The industry is at war. There are those who follow Ra Uru Ru’s work like it’s religion. A cult. And if that’s your thing, hey, no judgment here.
Then there are those who use their interpretations to share Human Design work. If that’s your thing, cool.
When you read a sales page about getting certified in Human Design, I encourage you to take a moment and ask yourself if that sales page shows what you’re looking for in a mentor and community.
All of us market our method as the way.
Industry secret: there is no “the way.” It’s whatever gets you to swipe that credit card.
Side note: Human Design certifications are not required when it comes to doing professional readings.
There is no governing or accrediting body watching over Human Design businesses.
Ra Uru Hu’s school does attempt to say that anyone who is not certified through their school is unlicensed and an imitator, but these claims do not mean anything in terms of whether you're allowed to read Human Design without a certification.
Ra’s school does not own Human Design as a system. They own the content they’ve created, period.
Worth reading -> There was a case in Italy where Ra’s school tried to go after Chetan Parkyn over the rights to publish Human Design material. Chetan won.
2. My experience with Ra Uru Hu’s courses and institution.
Back in early 2021, I took a certifying class with Ra Uru Hu’s courses at the recommendation of one of their then-students.
During the first day of class, we were asked to introduce ourselves.
Several students introduced themselves and gushed over how Chetan Parkyn/Karen Curry Parker/Jenna Zoe/etc’s content introduced them to Human Design.
The instructor would speak over them and say, “I don’t know who they are. If they are not certified with us, they are not real practitioners.”
Listen.
I have never bashed a Human Design reader. Even if I don’t ‘agree’ with what they’ve shared, it’s a disservice to the community to tear down another reader.
I don’t know who their content has impacted. Everyone is on their journey. If someone found that reader, it may be what they needed at the moment, or the traditional school wasn’t doing it for them.
As we preach in Human Design, it’s your life, your journey.
I wasn’t cool with the whole [this reader doesn’t exist] bull.
She 110% knew who the F they were. 110%.
But I digress.
Back in 2021, I had my Human Design business for about a year already. I had an established client base, including Human Design students of my own.
I remember one of my students named me in a conversation about Human Design teachers.
One of my peers in that Human Design course we were actively taking said, “She’s not certified yet. She isn’t qualified to be teaching or doing readings.” 🤣
If you need help with your body, you go to a doctor. If you need help with (for example) marketing, you should go to a marketing coach.
This comparison does not translate to Human Design.
While the Human Design reader should be educated in the system and have field experience working with clients, there is no reason to tear down readers who haven’t participated in a certifying body.
In fact, there is something to remember when it comes to purchasing a certification:
3. Certifying people in Human Design is a business model.
And it’s also a lucrative one, too.
To certify someone is to license them in a proprietary way that you do something. It’s a stamp of approval.
Here’s an example:
Readings -> $300
Teaching others how I do my readings + licensing them (course) -> $2000
Teaching others how I do my readings (one on one) -> $3500
Requiring a yearly license renewal -> $500
Why just become a reader when you can teach readers for way more money?
Human Design certifications solely function as a business model for whoever is selling the certification, especially because there is no way to accredit readers.
Note: I don’t knock this model. Some people are designed to teach and they are incredible. But I said what I said. Certification is license and approval from wherever you got the license from.
4. Clients don’t care.
It’s important to know your doctor’s background before you see them.
It’s important to see a marketer’s track record before paying them.
In my five years of reading Human Design: not a single client has ever asked about my Human Design certifications. I have done over a thousand paid readings.
The only people who have asked are aspiring readers or peers.
I like to ask my clients how they found me and why they chose to work with me.
Answers have included:
They like the way I write/speak on Human Design. It resonates with them.
Cultural understandings.
They “just felt called to do it.”
Aspiring Human Design readers fall into this trap of wanting to validate themselves to other readers.
Why spend money to appease people who aren’t spending money to support you?
I encourage you to see past the glitz, glamor and promises to determine whether a Human Design certification is right for you.
5. Certifications don’t make imposter syndrome go away.
Back in the day, I thought that if I got a certification and learned everything, no one could criticize me. It was a trauma response. I’ve seen readers get called out by other readers on social media and I didn’t want to be one of those targets. (Spoiler: they didn’t want the smoke 🤣).
Harvard Business Review defines imposter syndrome as:
a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. 'Imposters' suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence.
A UK study also shows that 85% of people feel incompetent in what they do for work.
However, you cannot buy your way out of imposter syndrome.
Human Design is literally called The Science of Differentiation.
You can’t feed yourself off of other people’s validation - especially peers!
Side note -> my therapist is a huge part of how I’m able to keep running a business. Working in this industry, especially because it’s considered “woo woo” (and you sometimes have to justify how it’s “real” to other people) can be mentally taxing. Mental health, alongside financial health, is important for business.
6. Are you looking to just “learn more” about Human Design?
We’re living in a cool age of information where you can take a course on Skillshare today and start a new business next week.
If you’ve just discovered Human Design and you’re thinking, “Holy cow, I wanna learn and sell this stuff,” that’s a natural reflex.
If you still want to learn Human Design for your coaching clients, but you’re not ready to take a certification, check out Understanding Your Clients Through Human Design by Robin Winn. This book is free on Kindle (as of writing this post) and will give you plenty of suggestions on working with your coaching clients through the lens of their type.
There are plenty of free resources to help you dip your toes in the Human Design system before committing to a certifying body.
7. How much should you pay for a Human Design certification?
There's one rule of thumb I follow:
The only amount of money you should pay for a Human Design certification course is the amount of money you're willing to lose.
Readers have written to ask about programs I’ve enrolled in and how much money I’ve made after I finished the program.
When you purchase a Human Design certification, you are not purchasing a guarantee of sales.
You may never get a single client out of the certificate, or you may end up hating Human Design after classes are finished.
Also, most certification programs don’t offer a risk-free refund.
The only one-size-fits-all answer is, “As much as you’re willing to lose.”
8. Does the certifying body align with your values?
You’ll likely display your Human Design certification on your website, just like people display their diplomas.
If you promote yourself as a certified Human Design reader through another business, you’re representing their values.
Do a little research. Here are a few questions to start you off:
How are the alumni doing? Do you like the vibe they carry?
Are there bad reviews? Are you concerned about any of the claims?
What is the contractual agreement if you choose to be certified with this company? Will you be able to start your own Human Design business? Will you only be able to read through their company? Are there limitations you must adhere to?
As you narrow down your Human Design certification program, use these points as a way to compare and contrast where you want to invest your time and money.
9. Does the certification content match what you're looking for?
What's a bigger letdown than investing hundreds (or thousands) of dollars into a program only to realize this isn’t what you were looking for 😩
When people are new to Human Design, they think that the system is made up of type, strategy, authority, profile, and a few other seasonings.
Instead, Human Design gets gnarly. You’re looking at quantum science, learning how to keynote, maybe even Rave psychology.
Consider how Human Design might fit into your business model. Write to the course instructor or their customer support team to ask them if what you're looking for will be covered in the program.
If so, great.
If not, they may recommend you to a different program.
This is your time and money.
You get to look for (or wait for) a program that is tailored to your success/satisfaction/peace/surprise.
Side note: Most of my referrals come from coaches or people who want to introduce Human Design to their clients. I do the readings, and then they can use it as they continue the course.
If you’re a coach and you have friends in the Human Design industry, you can do a joint venture instead of going through this time-consuming path.
10. What do your strategy and authority say?
We can’t have a Human Design decision-making post without talking about strategy and authority!
Find yours below.
Emotional authority - allow the information you're absorbing to be felt through the cycles of your emotional waves. Trust that you don't have to rush this decision because if certification is correct for you, the opportunity will present itself.
Sacral authority - place your dominant hand over your sacral center. What does the voice of your sacral center say? You can also use tarot cards or other self-reflective tools.
Splenic authority - what were your initial reactions to the certification programs you've encountered? How does it feel every time you revisit the programs?
Ego authority - is this something you feel a commitment towards? Is this a contract you are ready to enter?
Self-Projected - Does your voice get excited when you talk about one certification or another? Is your voice garbled and difficult to understand?
Mental/Environmental - Have a conversation with the schools that you're looking to enroll in. How does it feel when you communicate with them?
Lunar - Sample the environments. Speak to the schools and teachers. Allow yourself time to chew on the information. Were any of these programs worth going back for a second bite?
Hear yourself first.
Is a Human Design certification worth it?
It’s obvious I’m biased, but I have the experience to back up my bias.
At this time, I’m uncertified in Human Design. I have met delightful people, had patient mentors, and found textbooks I reference on a daily basis, but I haven’t felt the call to get certified.
I teach other Human Design readers, but they are always welcome to their interpretations. I’m not their authority, but I’ll support them ✨
Speaking of which 👇🏼
Getting started with Human Design readings?
I hosted a webinar on tackling imposter mindset, why strategy and authority are harped upon, and the “layering process” for doing readings.
No email necessary. Click the button below to watch the replay and grab the materials to do your mock reading.
