How to Start Your Human Design Experiment - Not Strategy and Authority
06/03/2021
You’re probably reading this because you were introduced to your Human Design chart and you’re trying to figure it out. There’s a lot to learn if you truly want to understand the ins and outs of Human Design. But before you go down the rabbit hole of information overwhelm, please allow me to reign you in a bit and point you in a productive direction.
When Ra Uru Hu downloaded the information that’s now known as Human Design, he created a system of experimentation. It includes the following steps…
- Follow your strategy
- Listen to your decision making authority
- Observe the results
This is truly the foundation of your experiment. And if you only do these 3 things, you’ll discover whether the information presented on your Human Design chart is actually going to serve you in living authentically as yourself with ease and flow.
The tendency, however, is to give these foundational pieces a cursory glance and then dive headlong into trying to figure out the gates, channels, centers, incarnation cross, and planetary placements. This is the worst thing that you can possibly do if you’re interested in deconditioning and coming into alignment with your true nature.
Sure, these elements of the chart are relevant, but only after you’ve grounded and embodied a basic understanding of what’s going on in your body when you experiment with your strategy and decision making authority. You could say that the first step in your experimentation process is to become familiar with the ins and outs of your strategy and authority, but I feel that you need to do one thing prior to (or concurrent with) this step…
Recognize When You’re Living Out The Emotional Themes for Your Energy Type
What the heck is an emotional theme? It doesn’t seem to be the most popular thing on the Human Design chart. Or at least, I haven’t seen it discussed much in pop Human Design. But it’s a fundamental tool for feeling into your body and recognizing when you are in the flow of or in resistance to the natural way that your energy works.
How to Find Your Emotional Themes
It’s really quite simple when you get your chart. Somewhere in the keynotes (that’s the writing, not the picture) you’ll see “themes”, “emotional theme”, or something like that. Each energy type has a “not self theme” and a true self theme. You’ll probably see both on your chart.
Understanding Your Emotional Themes
The “not self theme” is what you feel when you’re not living true to yourself… i.e. probably not following your strategy and authority. The other theme, I call it your true self theme, is the one you feel when you’re operating as your true self and probably following your strategy and authority. Each energy type has its own not self and true self themes. Here’s a quick overview and explanation of each.
Manifestor Not Self Theme – Anger
The Manifestor experiences anger inside themselves or from others when they don’t follow their strategy to inform before initiating action.
Manifestor True Self Theme – Peace
The Manifestor Experiences peace in their life when they inform others before taking action.
Generator / Manifesting Generator Not Self Theme – Frustration
The Generator / Manifesting Generator experiences frustration when they ignore they do something other than what their sacral is responding to (often initiating action).
Generator / Manifesting Generator True Self Theme – Satisfaction
The Generator / Manifesting Generator experiences satisfaction when they follow their sacral response according to the timing of their decision making authority.
Projector Not Self Theme – Bitterness
The Projector experiences bitterness when they put a lot of effort and work into things that no one recognizes them for. This is often a direct result of not waiting for the right invitations or recognition before putting in the effort… The cousins to bitterness… cranky, exhausted, disheartened, unappreciated, resentful.
Projector True Self Theme – Success
The Projector feels successful when they’re offered the right opportunity (via invitation and recognition) to be who they’re designed to be for others.
Reflector Not Self Theme – Disappointment
The Reflector experiences disappointment when they’re in the wrong environment or don’t wait long enough (at least 28 days) to make a decision.
Reflector True Self Theme – Surprise
The Reflector experiences surprise when they wait long enough to be clear about their decisions and their decisions bring them to the right people and environments that are good for them.
Signature and Not-Self Themes Before Strategy and Authority
Even if you’re not yet clear on your strategy and authority, start to reflect upon the two themes for your energy type. See if you can catch yourself in your not self theme or its opposite. Look back on your life to identify times when you felt both of these themes. Then put your awareness on what each of your themes feels like in your body.
This is the first step to the body awareness that’s necessary as you experiment with your strategy and authority. There’s a lot about the Human Design experiment that’s mental. Your mind needs to be occupied with things to look at through the lens of your design. That’s how it eventually gives up on trying to control your life. But the primary reason that you want to know this stuff to begin with, is to help your body to realign to the life it’s meant to live.
