The Human Design Centers

This post is an overview of the 9 Human Design Centers and how each center, whether it’s defined (colored in) or undefined (white), has an impact on how you navigate through life. The centers are like the hubs of how energy flows in your body, each with its own theme. Your definition is what you’re already working with – it’s who you are as you know it. Understand it, love it, and grow to appreciate the gifts it offers. It is your anchor through the inevitable ups and downs in life.

Your openness, or undefined centers, are mysteries that continually unfold. They take you beyond who you are, into who you can become. These centers are our greatest source of challenge, confusion, comparison, and pain, while also being the teachers we never knew we had. By having appreciation and understanding for your definition, you will feel grounded enough to embrace the unknown, to remain receptive in your openness, and to trust and surrender to what’s outside your control in life.

Below you will find where each center is located in the Bodygraph, as well as the center’s theme. Grab your chart to review your unique definition!

The Head Center

The Head Center is a pressure center. Which means that we constantly feel pressure to ask, answer, resolve, and button up all of the questions we present to ourselves and/or receive from others. The mind craves “knowing” – and when working with this center, instead of rushing towards an answer or solution just to relieve the pressure, experiment with waiting and letting those questions brew in the unknown. Unexpected answers reveal themselves when we don’t push for them. Check out Human Design Head Center to dive deeper into definition and openness.

The Ajna Center

The Ajna Center is an awareness center. In the Ajna, this is all about mental awareness and clarity or confusion. It is where we process information and how we make sense of the questions and inspiration we receive from the Head Center. How we make sense of this information depends on our unique definition. Human Design invites us to lean on this center as a tool to seek clarity and make sense of information – while letting go of the mind as the default decision-maker. For more information on this, see Human Design Ajna Center.

The Throat Center

The Throat Center is a manifestation center. All of the energy that flows through the other 8 centers works to make its way to the throat for expression, manifestation, and action. It is our voice, and our unique way of bringing new creation into the world. How we differentiate ourselves, and how we bring our own expression into everything we do, is brought to life by our unique definition in the Throat Center. To take a deeper dive, see Human Design Throat Center.

The G Center

The G Center is an identity center. This is the central point of our Bodygraph, and what keeps all aspects of our chart together as a whole. This is the center that sets the direction in our lives and gets us in touch with our true identities. And what might that look like for you, specifically? This all depends on your unique definition. As you begin to grasp how the aspects of your G center play out in your life, you start making your way back home to yourself. To learn more, see Human Design G Center.

The Heart Center

The Heart Center is a motor (or energy) center. This represents the power and energy in terms of what you value, and the capacity (or willpower) we have to get things moving in the material world. This center is all about building our resources and our means to survive. It’s the energy of making and keeping promises (or not). As this center is a motor center and has full capacity to work – or overwork – it’s entirely possible to feel burnt out when pushed too far. It’s important to recognize the need for rest. To dig deeper, see Human Design Heart Center.

The Splenic Center

The Splenic Center is an awareness center. In this center, we’re looking at survival awareness – specifically, what’s happening in the now to ensure we’re safe, healthy, and not in danger. It is the center for intuition, health, and well-being, and our defined gates and whether or not the center itself is defined give insight into how certain fears show up in our lives. It’s so beneficial to learn about your definition, as those fears can subside with a deeper understanding. To take the next step, see Human Design Splenic Center.

The Sacral Center

The Sacral Center is a motor (or energy) center, and it. is. powerful. This center houses what is often called life-force energy – which is generative energy that churns and builds as we choose to do the things we love most. The Sacral Center helps us respond to the world around us, and the role it plays in our lives looks different whether it’s defined or not. Either way, there’s a lot of potential for burnout with this center. The Sacral invites us to dig deeper into what we have the energy for…and what brings us joy. To learn more, see Human Design Sacral Center.

The Solar Plexus Center

The Solar Plexus Center is both a motor (energy) and an awareness center – a motor center in terms of the energy and desire to bring about experiences, intimacy, and relationships in life, and an awareness center that sheds light on emotional intelligence and social awareness. How emotions are processed through this center is determined by your unique definition. And what our definition can teach us is that oftentimes, the feelings and emotions we identify with don’t even belong to us. See Human Design Solar Plexus Center to learn more!

The Root Center

The Root Center is both a pressure and a motor (energy) center. As the Head Center pressures us to ask and find answers to our questions (to know), the Root Center pressures us to do. The motor of this center is the spark that drives us to take action. Your unique definition will determine how you experience and navigate the different kinds of pressures and potential stressors in life. Understanding how energy flows in your Root Center will take you from dealing with stress to working with it. For a deeper dive, see Human Design Root Center.

Up for an Experiment?

The Human Design Centers can feel superrr overwhelming to learn about all at once. If you’re up for the experiment, spend one week or a couple of days learning about each center, understanding how your definition or openness shows up in your life. And remember, your definition is what you’re already working with. Your undefined centers (or openness) are where you can learn and practice discernment. I suggest learning about your defined centers first for a more solid foundation.