The Human Design System Ultimate Guide
The Human Design system is the new player at the table that includes astrology, MBTI, enneagrams, and your favorite archetyping quizzes. To get you started with Human Design, this post goes over the foundations of each type's aura and strategy. Then we'll talk authority and profile.
Hi, my name's Fiona Wong and I'm the Human Design reader and writer behind The Wild Pixel. I've taken formal classes with the official institution, a variety of mentors, and read several thousand dollars worth of textbooks. I'm proudly uncertified in Human Design. My understanding of this system is through reading Human Design charts or writing about the system since 2019.
My first Human Design experience was a co-reading with a former virtual assistance client. We were geniuses in our respective fields but struggled to work together. She was fixed in her Manifestor closed aura and I was abrasive with my Projector stabby-stab aura.
The reading closed the coffin on Human Design for me. I didn't like what I heard, and I thought waiting for an invitation, suggested for Projectors, was a bunch of bullshit.
Waiting for an invitation felt like diluting my ambition.
My first wow, this system could be legit moment was when I learned about my profile. I'm a 3/5 profile, and we're designed to burn our fingers because we don't believe people when they tell us the fire is hot. We're designed to become god when people love us and demonized just as quickly when we set boundaries.
Sounds about right.
You might have a similar story. Maybe you instantly fell in love with the system.
Here's a spoiler: you've worked with your Human Design before you learned about or accepted the system. There's no being behind or too late or too old.
📸Image credits: All Human Design chart images are generated with myBodygraph. The illustrated images are commissioned with Merlin Porter and are copyrighted to The Wild Pixel LLC.
🙏🏼Affiliate links: I use affiliate links in this post which can earn me compensation at no additional cost to you.
📌Pinterest: If you came here from Pinterest, I no longer have the videos associated with this post because those videos were outdated.
How the Human Design System generates your chart
The most reliable calculator is myBodygraph. This is created by the official Human Design institution, and I use it for all my client charts.
To calculate your chart, you need your:
Birth location
Birth time
Birth date
If unsure of your birth time, use a rectification calculator for a guesstimate.
Put your information in myBodygraph. Keep the date/time format in check.
There is a cheat sheet on the right-hand side of the chart.
In this post, we are concerned with your type, strategy, authority, and profile.
Things to know about the Human Design system
Your Human Design type is NOT your archetype/personality: It is the sum of different parts of your chart coming together. See it like a blood type. It's there, and it is unchangeable.
Rarity does not matter in Human Design: except the rarer your type/authority/design elements are, the more difficult it is to find information about it. If you've Googled and found little, chances are you have a rarity. HOWEVER, rarity means nothing else in Human Design.
There's no "doing Human Design correctly:" Human Design is automated. You are living your design right now, even if it feels shitty. This post is here to bring those things to your awareness. Know that there is nothing to "fix" about your design though it can help you understand why/where you want to work on something.
Everyone under the umbrella of a specific type shares the same strategy and aura but not authority. Unless you're a Reflector.
Every type can manifest, not just Manifestors. We call Manifestors that name because all of their charts have an engine that pushes manifestations out of their mouths to be said out loud. Manifestation works differently for other types.
Now we can get to the good stuff.
Human Design Types, Strategies, and Auras
The first thing you learn about your Human Design is your type, strategy, and authority.
This sets the stage for how you use your design.
Manifestors
The Manifestor has a closed, pushy aura to protect them from outside influence. They have the strategy of informing because when they speak, they are saying (manifesting) their vision.
Historically, Manifestors were the monarchs of the world. They ruled the world and beheaded those who tried to dethrone them– see how the closed, pushy aura comes to protect the Manifestor? This includes Manifestors trying to behead the Manifestor in charge to take the throne for themselves.
Today, Manifestors are rare to see. They only comprise 9% of the population as we head towards a more democratic world.
Manifestors get angry when people try to disrupt them. They work best Hemingway-style (minus the coke and booze), locked in their safe space, undisturbed.
Manifestors also inform to communicate though they rarely want a second opinion.
"I'm going to write a novel," said the Manifestor.
This does two things:
Lets other people know not to disturb them because they're writing.
Speaks the novel into existence.
The Manifestor is the only type that does not wait for outside stimuli before they take action.
Manifesting Generators and Generators
Generators, called pure Generators or classic Generators, are a type that can regenerate their energy throughout the day.
Manifesting Generators are all Generators but classic Generators are not Manifesting Generators. Manifesting Generators are a subtype of the Generator so everything written about the Generator is relevant to the Manifesting Generator but not the other way around.
When I say "Generator types," I'm referring to both the Generator and Manifesting Generator.
If there are variances that are solely about the Manifesting Generator, it will be noted below.
Generators have an enveloping, embracing aura that pulls external stimuli into their sacral center. The sacral center is the red square at the bottom of the chart. This center being colored in (called defined) is the trademark of all Generator types.
Imagine having a 360 of arms coming out from all directions. Those hands grab at anything and everything and bring it to the sacral center for its response. Since humans experience an impossible amount of stimuli, the Generator type must be able to regenerate its energy throughout the day, hence the name Generator.
💡Manifesting Generators have to inform and respond as their strategy. MyBodygraph does not say that on the chart, but this is the official strategy that separates the classic Generator from the Manifesting Generator.
The sacral center has a basic way of speaking, like a toddler's voice. The foundation of the sacral voice is childlike, sometimes through grunts like uh-huh or nuh-uh or other sensations in the lower belly. It's a gut feeling. This is how Generators respond to the stimuli.
💡Manifesting Generators experience the sacral voice travel up through their throat. The throat, which speaks the Manifesting part, speaks in words and sentences rather than solely through grunts.
Generator types sometimes believe they are designed to be workhorses or have endless energy. During readings, I get Generator types who mention exhaustion, especially when they read about their regenerative potential.
The regenerative energy is permanent but it cannot be forced. Generators forget that regeneration also means "needing time to regenerate." If the Generator's gut says, "Hello, I am in dire need of regeneration, please rest," ignoring rest can make the Generator type frustrated.
Generator types are not exempt from exhaustion.
Projector
Projectors are the newest Human Design type. They are the only type with a straight, piercing, penetrative aura, allowing them to shine during one-on-one interaction. Projectors are notorious for piercing right into someone's soul, so they must first wait for recognition and invitation. I remind Projectors about consent to help them remember what their strategy means.
Imagine a Projector chasing you with a tattoo needle. You are not interested in getting a tattoo from them so you have not consented or invited them to tattoo you.
Versus the Projector you sought out to pierce your skin. You have invited and consented to the tattooing.
Both show how uncomfortable a Projector's aura can be for the other party. Waiting for an invitation is more about someone being ready for the Projector, as this type is quick to exhaustion if they force themselves to be accepted. This shows up as bitterness.
Projectors must learn to gauge how much of their aura the other person can handle. I use The Wild Pixel as an example:
I'm a Projector so when people interact with my content, they invite me to share. But there are levels to how much of the Projector they want to interact with.
Imagine a scale of 0-10. 0 is no invitation while 10 is 100% invitation.
At level 1-2, they'll read my blog posts, look at my Instagram, or use other methods of content they don't need to monetarily invest in.
Level 3-4 is subscribing to my content/newsletter, which is more intimate because of extended commitment.
Levels 5-7 is purchasing my content, such as ebooks or courses, without direct interaction with me.
Level 8-10 is getting on a live call with me for a private reading. Here, they get the full force of my aura which most are not ready for.
Projectors - keep levels and tiers in mind.
🚪Bonus: invitations cannot be received without some form of entryway. For example, if you want to date, let your friends know you're open to dating to create a door for invitations. If you want to be a writer, tease out snippets of your writing so people can invite your content into their world (levels 1-4).
If people don’t know you exist, they can’t invite you.
Reflectors
Reflectors are the rarest type, making up 1% of the population. They are also different from the other types because they are a lunar type while the others are solar.
The moon reflects the sun.
The trademark of the Reflector is that they have no defined centers, meaning none of the geometric shapes in their chart are colored in. Each of those centers are mirrors, sieves, and sponges, taking in the environment around them and sampling those energies.
Reflectors are incredible channels and guides. They are the only type able to experience the other types because they mirror, sieve, and sponge around them.
They have an aura that resembles bubbles around them that catch the outside energies but are not absorbed into the Reflector. It protects the Reflector from interacting with energies they don't want to work with.
When we talk about intuition, we think of people who hear voices from the dead, experience sudden downloads, or have fast speaking instincts. Reflector intuition works differently. While they can experience those things, their intuition works like a carbon monoxide detector.
They are the first to know when something is wrong. They are the first to know when something is healthy. And Reflectors don't keep it to themselves. They share it, reflect it back, and it is up to the rest of us to listen.
The Reflector is asked to wait a lunar cycle because they are not impulsive or quick to make decisions unless pressured. Instead, they take time to care and nurture energies they choose to work with and even then, the choice can take time.
Lunar cycles overlap. For example, if a Reflector is in a serious relationship with a Manifestor, they may consider whether they'd marry this Manifestor. The Reflector can sit with the energy, likely over months or years, which consists of many lunar cycles. When the Manifestor proposes, the Reflector doesn't need to say, "Hm, ask me again in a lunar cycle." If the Reflector agrees, they can say it in the moment because they've already mulled over this question through several cycles.
The Reflector's strategy and authority are the same, so waiting a lunar cycle will not be covered again in the authority section.
Human Design Authorities
The Human Design system has authorities that help your strategy make decisions. It's like two best friends having a conversation though one of them, the authority, makes the final one.
For example, a Generator has the strategy of waiting to respond. If they have a sacral authority, their strategy waits for the sacral voice to say something.
Strategy: I read this book on vegan eating and can write a better one (the response).
Sacral: Uh-huh.
Strategy: Do I have the time, though…
Sacral: Nuh-uh.
Strategy: We should anyway.
Sacral: Uh-huh, final answer.
You see how there's a back and forth rather than stopping at the first uh-huh? Sure, it's possible to get an instant answer, though giving the strategy and authority space to converse allows you to understand what's happening.
Emotional Authority
Manifestors
Manifesting Generators
Generators
Projectors
Emotional authority is the most complex of the Human Design system. Think about it. Emotions have incited wars, violence, marriage, heroic acts, etc. People struggle to explain how they feel, especially to themselves.
This authority is the up and down of emotions. If you are offered a promotion, there are going to be feelings. If you get dumped, there's going to be feelings.
Emotional waves can come on in a variety of ways:
A gradual buildup moving upwards.
A rollercoaster that builds up, then explodes; Repeat.
Feeling neutral and then a sharp up or down swing; Repeat.
A steady upswing and then a sudden drop; Repeat.
You experience at least one of these waves. Your chart reveals which.
Sacral Authority
Manifesting Generators
Generators
The Generator type section of this post explains how the sacral responds.
The foundation of the sacral voice is childlike, sometimes through grunts like uh-huh or nuh-uh or other sensations in the lower belly. It's a gut feeling. This is how Generators respond to the stimuli.
💡Manifesting Generators experience the sacral voice travel up through their throat. The throat, which speaks the Manifesting part, speak in words and sentences rather than solely through grunts.
The aura pulls in from all directions and hits the sacral. The sacral uses its basic (or common, if a Manifesting Generator) language to respond.
Splenic Authority
Manifestor
Projector
The splenic authority is primal, instinctual, yet intuitive. This authority works differently from the others because it gives rapid moment-to-moment information. It comes on as a full-body sensation, including goosebumps and butterflies in the stomach.
People with splenic authority need to learn how to decipher what those sensations are saying. Goosebumps can feel nice or it can reveal danger. Once familiarity with the splenic center is established, it becomes easier to understand what it's trying to say.
The splenic authority gives moment-to-moment information because it is only relevant in the context of that second. Imagine it as a friend who interrupts and gives their two cents, then tells you to please continue. That interruption is only valid in those specific contexts. It won't repeat itself.
Ego-Manifested Authority
Manifestors only
Manifestors who have ego-manifested authority experience truths blurted out as their answer. These Manifestors are seen as "strong-willed" because they are unmoveable when they lean into what their voice is saying without trying to reason with it.
The ego center is concerned about fairness, especially in the material world. So when a Manifestor with the ego authority speaks without thinking, it tells the Manifestor and those around them what it wants to feel an equal exchange. If the ego-manifested Manifestor says yes, it's a ride-or-die commitment. It is go time god help the poor soul who tries to get in this Manifestor's way.
Ego-Projected Authority
Projectors only
The ego center is about fair compensation of your time and energy. So when the Projector is invited to work with someone, they must ask themselves whether they are getting the proper compensation.
It is committing to something specific; if the Projector doesn't feel fairness, they will burn out and become bitter. Burnout wipes out Projectors. They can feel the tiredness in their bones.
Like the Manifestor with this authority, when a Projector says yes through their ego, it's a ride-or-die commitment. Inviting an ego-Projector to work for/with you is transformative because of the precise way they pierce through the soul of whatever you're working on.
Self-Projected Authority
Projectors only
The self-projected Projector speaks from a place of love, identity, and direction. These people commonly hear they are passionate/emotional or intense/stubborn because when they say what they mean, they believe it.
Self-projected Projectors must tell others if they want advice or someone to listen. To make decisions, these Projectors can ramble for hours, even days, on the topic before they come to a conclusion aligned with who they are and what they love. People with great intentions could try to chime in, only for this Projector to shut them down because more often, the self-projected authority is talking to talk, not for advice.
This is the only authority that is a straight-up projection of the person, so they will speak bluntly if they identify with bluntness. If they are timid and quiet, they will speak timidly and quietly.
Sounding Board/Mental Authority
Projectors only
This authority is usually called either the sounding board or mental authority. Aside from the Reflector's lunar cycle authority, this is the only external authority. The others are internal and come from their body.
Projectors with the sounding board/mental authority have answers that pop up in their mind. The answers come when the Projector is open to accepting external stimuli to flesh out the answer. This can look like hearing a line from a song that makes the Projector realize something. Or an echolocation of similar information coming in and out, feeding into how the answers are being shaped.
For example, if the Projector is invited to speak at a gala, they may feel something external that feeds into an answer. Perhaps the asker's voice makes the Projector uneasy, but the Projector feels they want to do it anyway. Or when hearing excitement from your spouse when you tell them you've been invited.
Note that none of those external stimuli give you the final answer. It's conversation and suggestions you're given but your decision comes from the vibe you're experiencing.
Human Design Profiles
Profiles are the closest you'll get to personality archetypes in the Human Design system. Imagine yourself as a character in a TV show or book. When you were written (or designed), you were assigned a rough draft of how you process information and interact with others.
There are three types of profile numbers:
1, 2, and 3: are numbers that are personal. Having at least one of these numbers in your profile relates to how you make sense of life.
4 and 5: are numbers related to sharing experiences and lessons with others. These experiences and lessons do not have to come from you; You are the messenger.
6: is different from the other numbers. It works in three phases:
Birth to 30: experimental, asks questions, and provokes answers. It is susceptible to pessimism when things don't work or they are judged for not having "the right answer."
30-50: reclusive time to process what they've learned from phase 1. Becomes optimistic and sees life with a grain of salt. Wisdom is cultivated.
50+: reintegrates into society to share the wisdom they processed.
1/3: Investigator Martyr
Needs structure and ironclad foundations to feel safe and secure in knowledge. Has a side that constantly experiments with the foundation, creating a cycle of "I know" versus "I need to tinker."
"I finally understand [xyz], BUT, let me mess around with it just to be sure…"
1/4: Investigator Opportunist
An independent learner who enjoys sharing what they know, as long as it's with a trusted circle. Shines when giving answers but can become annoyed if asked to explain it.
1/4: "This brotein shake is good."
Person 2: "Yeah? I might try it. What's in it?"
1/4: "It's on the label."
2/4: Hermit Opportunist
Needs time to isolate and nurture their intuition. They're only willing to share what they know with small, tight-knit groups where they trust the other parties. Won't answer the phone/door if they don't feel it's worth their energy.
Person: "Since you're religious, can you help us fact-check this book? A favor for a friend."
2/4: [does not answer]
2/5: Hermit Heretic
This profile holds mysterious energy. People know the 2/5 comes up with incredible answers out of nowhere but expects the 2/5 to be able to do it on command. If the 2/5 attempts to force the answers, they will be distrusted as quickly as they were put on the pedestal.
2/5: "Here's how you solve the problem."
People: "Oh wow! Can you show us how to do it step-by-step?"
2/5: "Nope, my work here is done."
People: "How do they come up with this stuff…"
3/5 Martyr Heretic
This is a profile who will die on the hill before they submit to something they don't believe in. They are the first to challenge questionable traditions and answers while they propose alternatives. It's easy to criticize the 3/5 when they trigger others.
Person: "3/5, I can't do this anymore, but I can't leave my spouse. We have kids."
3/5: "What're you teaching your kids by staying?"
Person: "Wow, you're a dick."
3/6 Martyr Role Model
An adventurous profile versed in setting things on fire to watch what happens. Then, they put out the fire, have a good laugh, and share what they learned.
3/6: "I wonder what would happen if I tried turkey instead of pork in these meatballs."
Person: "How'd it go?"
3/6, chewing: "It tastes like shit but still edible. Here, try a piece!"
4/6 Opportunist Role Model
This profile is easily mistaken for an extravert because they naturally gauge what others need. It's less about needing people and more about reading people. This information creates diverse opportunities and social circles but the 4/6 must always honor their need to decompress.
4/6: "Hey friend, there's the artist you've wanted to network with forever. I can make an introduction."
Friend: "Oh please oh please oh please."
4/6 makes the introduction and exits without babysitting the friend.
4/1 Opportunist Investigator
Loves learning as much as sharing. This is a give-and-take, back-and-forth profile that will inspire while being inspired. In the mirror, it can stop talking because of self-doubt while absorbing the insecurities of others around them.
4/1: "Let's make some candles today."
Friend: "That'd be great. We have to go with soy though because I heard it's better for the environment."
4/1: "Technically, none of this is good for the environment."
Friend: "Right, but neither is plastic, eating meat and those things, but we do it anyway."
5/1 Heretic Investigator
People tend to view this profile as godhood. They project expectations onto the aloof 5/1. This profile is well-read and sympathizes with the human condition but can struggle to understand when to intervene.
People: "Come on, you gave us the plan to save this project, and it worked. Why won't you help us do the rest?"
5/1: "I tried, and it's not my strength."
People: "You're not trying hard enough."
5/2 Heretic Hermit
This profile lives in constant projection from others. From an early age, impossible expectations have been placed on them. Many with this profile are considered child prodigies or gifted in some form. This can condition them to pursue the interests of other people.
5/2's parent: "You must keep playing the violin because you're too good at it."
5/2: "I don't like the violin."
5/2's parent: "People would kill to have your violin skills. You don't have a choice."
5/2, 30 years later: "I'm never touching the violin again. I'm going to study astrology."
6/2 Role Model Hermit
This profile is a leader who doesn't care about follower count or praise. It feels natural to share their intuition with those who want to soak it in. The 6/2 needs solitude to understand what their intuition is sharing versus what they are expected to say. However, this profile takes care to understand when they are isolating as a choice or isolating to run away.
6/2: "Thank you for coming to my tea-making class."
Also 6/2: "Now it's time for my plants and me to take a break for at least a week."
6/3 Role Model Martyr
Think of that one teacher or professor you've had who was a total weirdo and eccentric as hell, but goddamn, they're a master of their craft. This is the energy of the 6/3. No one can explain how the 6/3 knows what they know.
Person: "How did you know that?"
6/3: "When you've spent your life sticking your hand in the fire, you learn how to work with the flame."
Person: "What?"
6/3, with a smile: "Exactly."
