Channels In Human Design – An Overview
In Human Design, a “channel” connects two centers within your bodygraph, a visual representation used in this system. There are 36 different channels, each with a specific meaning and significance. In this article, we will explain how channels work and the different types of channels, and we will discuss each of the different channels and how they tend to influence your life.
There are two gates for each channel. The position of the planets at the moment of your birth determines which gates are defined in your chart. Your defined gates are energies you experience consistently. When both gates are defined, it defines the whole channel, as well as definition in the centers at each end of the channel. Even though you will have your unique gates defined in your chart, we all have all of the gates in some form or another. Your open gates will be experienced in multiple ways depending on who you’re with and where you are.
Like all the energies in the chart, there is a high and a low expression of each channel. As you go through the channels in your chart, ask yourself how that energy may be influencing your life. We are designed to be joyful, connected, creative, abundant, and powerful. When you live out the highest expression of the energies in your chart, the magic of life unfolds naturally for you.
Here’s a brief overview of channels in human design – we’ll cover each of these elements in more detail below:
- Connection Between Centers: A channel links two of the nine energy centers in your Human Design chart. Each center corresponds to different aspects of human experience, such as emotions, intuition, communication, and identity.
- Activation of Gates: Each channel is made up of two gates, one at each end. When both gates in a channel are activated (meaning they have planetary influences), the channel becomes defined, creating a consistent energy flow between the two centers.
- Defined vs. Undefined Channels: A defined channel means that the energy between the two connected centers flows consistently, providing specific qualities and strengths to you. An undefined channel, on the other hand, may lead to variability in how energy and traits manifest.
- Types of Channels: There are various channels, each associated with particular themes and characteristics. For instance, some channels are linked to creativity, leadership, relationships, or survival instincts.
- Impact on Personality and Behavior: The presence and configuration of channels in your Human Design chart influence your personality, behavior, and how you interact with the world. Channels can highlight your inherent abilities and areas where you might naturally excel or face challenges.
Understanding the channels in your Human Design chart helps you gain insights into your inherent strengths, potential challenges, and unique way of navigating life.
How Channels Work
Because channels connect gates we first have to understand the concept of gates in Human Design. There are sixty-four gates in the Human Design system. Gates represent specific energetic themes that give you further insight into your personality, what drives you, your life purpose, themes in your relationships, what fulfills you creatively, and even how your intuition works and how you connect to Source.
When you look at your Human Design chart, you will notice that your Human Design Energy Centers are connected with lines; some are red or black, some are checkered black/red, and some are white. Lines that connect two Centers and are a combination of white, red, black, or checkered are known as Channels. There are thirty-two Channels in the Human Design Body Graph, and each Channel has two Gates —the number where the Channel connects with that Center is the Gate. Each active Gate in your chart adds a different theme or “flavor” to your personality.
There are two gates for each channel. The position of the planets at the moment of your birth determines which gates are defined in your chart. Your defined gates are energies you experience consistently. When both gates are defined, it defines the whole channel, as well as definition in the centers at each end of the channel. Even though you will have your unique gates defined in your chart, we all have all of the gates in some form or another. Your open gates will be experienced in multiple ways depending on who you’re with and where you are.
Like all the energies in the chart, there is a high and a low expression of each channel. As you go through the channels in your chart, ask yourself how that energy may be influencing your life. We are designed to be joyful, connected, creative, abundant, and powerful. When you live out the highest expression of the energies in your chart, the magic of life unfolds naturally for you.
How Do I Discover My Human Design Channels?
To find your Human Design Gates you will need to have a copy of your Human Design Chart which you can get for free here. You will need some basic information in order to run your Chart: the location, date, and time of your birth. When you receive your Chart you will see a Body Graph. The Body Graph will show which channels you possess.
Circuits in Human Design
It is easy to get overwhelmed with all of the information in our BodyGraphs. First and foremost, always refer back to your Human Design type and profile. After you consider your type, and profile, look at your centers because the centers themselves form your individual life force energy.
Centers and gates create your channels which route the energy from your centers like an electrical circuit.
There are three main circuits: Individual, Tribal, and Collective. These three circuits contain several sub-circuits: Integration, Centering, Knowing, Defense, Ego, Logic, and Sensing.
Individual Circuitry (The Transformation Circuit)
If you have Individual Circuitry, you are here to metamorphosis and develop the world around you. This energy was the first to develop in human evolution because it ensures survival. You are here to be unique which will lead you to a life as a lone wolf. Being an outsider allows you to see what the group needs in order to survive and thrive. Your community will utilize your innovative and unique ideas, but you will not be the one to implement them- leave the doing to those with the Tribal Circuit.
Individual Circuitry contains two sub-circuits. The Knowing Circuit holds a deep all-knowing truth. This knowledge is not based on perception, but on universal truths. The Centering Circuit is all about self-love and individuality.
Tribal Circuitry (The Sustainability Circuit)
Those with Tribal Circuitry are here for the people of the world. This Circuit places the needs of the many over their own needs. You are emotional, caring, and nurturing. If you are considered touchy-feely you probably have the Tribal Circuit and you need to physically engage with others.
Those with the Individual Circuit are going to bring you their ideas. It is your path to implement their ideas for the greater good and survival of your community.
Tribal Circuitry’s two sub-circuits are Ego and Defense. The Ego Circuit holds the energy for resources, such as business, marriage, and management. The Defense Circuit is an intense energy that contains: the creation of resources, intense logic and reason, war and peace, education, and procreation. Defense is deeply primal and responsible for the success, or failure, of a society.
Collective Circuitry (The Synergy Circuit)
If Darwinism had a Circuit it would be the Collective Circuit. This circuit protects us as a species as it contains logic and sense which allows those with the Collective Circuit to sense patterns- think about the movement of the sun and stars and how that affects the availability of natural resources. The sub-circuit of Understanding allows for logical thinking, testing hypotheses, and identification of patterns. The Sensing Circuit allows for that logical thinking to be abstracted and to learn from our histories.
The Integration Circuit Channels (The Unifying Circuit)
Integration is a very complex and difficult circuit in that it truly embodies the energy of the soul of humanity. It is a deeply esoteric circuit and one of the more difficult ones to understand. Integration is intuitive, powered by life force, and driven by identity. When hominids first came into form, they expressed only with the Integration Circuit. The theme of Integration is the phrase “I Am.” The job of the Integration Circuit is to develop awareness of the self as differentiated from others and conscious in our form.
When we are not in our bodily form, we exist as formless, undifferentiated unity. It is in human form that we experience the illusion of being separate and define ourselves by our uniqueness. We perceive ourselves to be separate human beings– not a unified whole. This is the power of the human experience. Through perceiving ourselves as separate, we are separate not only from each other, but from God. We seek enlightenment, and it is through the Integration circuitry that we are simultaneously separated and awakened to unity.
On a more practical note, Integration is a profoundly individual circuit. People who have a lot of the Integration Circuit are highly mutative and deeply individual. They may sometimes struggle to feel like they fit in.
People with Integration need time, which may seem counterintuitive, as Integration is rooted in the Spleen (the center for the here and now). Integration needs time for inner reflection and creating new paradigms as new experiences are “integrated” into the archetype of being human. And, of course, in addition to time, Integration also needs to respond. It is a generated circuit.
Channel 34/57: Power (Channel of Hearing)
This is the original channel of the human archetype. When hominids first came into form, it was this energy that defined the original separation of humanity. This is an intuitively based life force. This channel is also deeply auditory and intuitive. People with this channel are frequently employed in some sort of audio production. Sound distortions can be very challenging for people with this channel, and they can be especially challenged if they ever lose their hearing. People with this channel tend to be very clairaudient and can hear voices or intuitive guidance. They will also hear changes in your voice and will intuit things about you from your words and your tone.
Channel 57/10: Perfected Form (Channel of Human Potential)
In the evolution of the human, this was the second channel that evolved: the perfected form of intuition. This channel contains the intuitive, perfected awareness of how to survive in the now.
People with this channel are great people to follow. They always know how to survive. They intuitively know the safest route out of disaster or the best way around an obstacle.
Channel 57/10 people are perfectionists. It is common for this channel to stop taking action if they think they will make a mistake. But it is deeper than just a fear of making a mistake. This is a deep desire to get it perfect, and intuitively they know how to do this.
Channel 34/20: Charisma (Channel of Responsive Power)
This is the most powerful channel in the Human Design system, which brings sustainable, generated energy to the Throat. This channel is the archetype of the Manifesting Generator, as it is the only channel that directly connects the Sacral Center to the Throat. Power and charisma are contained within this channel, but because it is connected to the Sacral, true power in this channel is expressed in response.
That means that even though these people are very, very powerful in a sustainable way, they cannot truly live out their powerful destiny unless they respond. If they are initiating with power and charisma, they will get into big trouble and no one will follow them. If someone with this channel is not living his or her power and charisma, they can become very, very frustrated. Inside, they know how powerful they are, but they can’t move that energy unless they respond.
Channel 20/10: Awakening (Channel of Self-Assurance)
Channel 20/10, the channel of awakening, is the last channel to evolve in the evolution of the hominid into human. With this channel comes the perfection of the self in the now. This is the ultimate expression through Gate 20 of individuation. This is a totally projected channel of awareness. People with this energy have a deep capacity for spiritual awareness, empowerment, and self-love. Channel 20/10 often serves as a teacher of self-empowerment and enlightenment, but its lessons can only be shared when someone asks for them. If a person with this energy tries to force their knowledge out into the world, they are often ignored or even perceived as being critical.
Centering Circuit Channels (The Calibration Circuit)
The Centering Circuit is considered a minor circuit. It has only two channels, but they are very compelling. Two of its three centers are motors, the Sacral Center and the Will Center. The Centering Circuit acts as a vortex. People who are drawn into the energy vortex of the Centering Circuit are influenced to act more individually, regardless of their own definition. The Centering Circuit is a mutative force, ultimately designed to initiate others in the love of self and Spirit, and it will use life force energy (Sacral energy) to make it happen.
Channel 34/10: Exploration (Channel of Change)
The combining of Gate 34, power, and Gate 10, the love of self, creates a channel that represents following one’s convictions. When this channel comes together, it is purely generated, and it is through response that the perfected form of power can happen. Through responding, people with this energy are able to behave with their power correctly or are behaving in a way that is powerfully correct. This is a deeply individual channel, and when you are in its presence, you will be drawn into behaving correctly as long as you are responding.
Channel 25/51: Initiation (Channel of Higher Purpose)
Channel 25/51 is mystical. Notice that this is a totally projected channel. You don’t have to do anything to be initiated. Life initiates you. Initiation in this channel is Will based. The willpower of the 25/51 is less about willpower in the traditional sense and more about having the will to survive the initiation. Initiation can be shocking, dramatically life-altering, and, of course, unexpected. But the initiation here is always about bringing the individual closer to Spirit.
Knowing Circuit Channels (The Gnostic Circuit)
The Knowing Circuit is the last of the Individual Circuits. It is the only Individual Circuit that is designed for transmission and implementation rather than experiencing, as we saw with the Integration and Centering Circuits. The Knowing Circuit mutates the tribe and the collective when the timing is right. Timing is everything in the Knowing Circuit. In this circuit we see both centers for time: the Spleen, which is about the now and right action when the timing is right, and the Emotional Solar Plexus, which is about the energy for expression after taking time for clarity.
The Knowing Circuit also contains struggle. Mutation has to struggle to take hold in the tribe or the collective. Think about this, without the struggle to create meaning, we would be riddled with useless and possibly dangerous mutations that don’t serve people. A worthwhile mutation has to struggle against the status quo to prove its effectiveness.
The most powerful message for someone with a lot of definition in the Knowing Circuit is the importance of celebrating their uniqueness. These are people who are truly here to be different. And in the mechanics of evolution, not all mutations are adaptive. There will be some Individuals who are just plain different, and it’s all perfect. It only becomes a problem when they try to be someone they are not.
Channel 61/24: Awareness (Channel of Cosmic Perspective)
The 61/24 is the initiating channel in the Knowing Circuit. The initiation energy for this circuit starts in the Head with inspiration. Gate 61 is considered one of the gates of madness (along with Gates 63 and 64). The “madness” of 61 comes from the perpetual question of “Why?” which leads to inspiration through “knowingness,” a sudden awareness of information that doesn’t have any proof or logic.
Channel 43/23: Structuring (Channel of Innovative Thinking)
Gate 43 is the beginning flow of the energy that has the job of translating the internal auditory process of the Knowing Circuit into words. The 43/23 is the first expressive channel of the Knowing Circuit. This is the channel that contains the energetic potential for the Individual auditory process to be translated into language. All those sounds, all that wordless thinking is pushed through this channel and given language. Or not. People with this energy often say, “I know, I know, I know . . .” a lot.
The struggle of the Individual knowing process is translating insight into language. Knowingness is instant, a sudden epiphany of awareness. When the Individual blurts out this knowingness without recognition or invitation, there can be a tremendous struggle to articulate or to be understood.
People with this energy serve themselves and the mutation they carry best by waiting for the right timing and allowing other people to ask them for what they know. If they are not waiting, there is a possibility that the timing for the expression of their knowingness will be wrong and they can potentially feel misunderstood.
The most important thing a person with this energy can do is to wait for others to recognize that the 43/23 knows and to ask them for their insight. This can feel like a frustrating process while you’re waiting, but it is well worth the wait. It saves a lot of personal pain and rejection in the long run.
Channel 28/38: Struggle (Channel of Meaning)
The channel of struggle is one of those energies that really needs a lot of awareness. It’s also crucial that if someone has this energy, they understand that struggle is something everyone faces at some point in his or her life. It’s not about screwing up, getting it wrong, or always taking the hard way.
The energy of struggle, in this channel, is first and foremost related directly back to the possibility of evolution. People with this channel are ultimately designed to evolve. But any kind of change or mutation has to meet with resistance to test it out and make sure that it is indeed a good change on a personal (and eventually a collective) level.
The first struggle in the 28/38 channel is all about testing to see what is adaptive and what isn’t. It’s important to remember that when you have this channel that your personal struggles are for the greater good.
The second struggle in this channel is the struggle for the meaning of life. You wonder whether the struggle is worth the effort and endurance necessary to bring it forth and endure. This can sometimes lead to youthful experimentation with the meaning of life until the value of life is discovered.
Channel 57/20: The Brainwave (Channel of Prediction)
Gate 57 and Gate 20 are both part of several circuits, so the wiring in this channel is quite complex. In the Knowing Circuit, these energies function differently than in other circuits. This channel is pure intuition to the Throat Center. Its awareness is penetrating, splenic, and in the now. When people with this energy speak, they speak from their intuition and a sense of what is to come in the future.
Normally, Individual energy does not care. It is an energy that is involved with the self and the experience of the self. But in the Knowing Circuit, we see a different possibility for this energy. In the stream of energy from the Root to the Spleen to the Throat, the 57/20 is forced to intuitively unify the right people with the right skills to create an expression of what is truly valuable in manifested form.
Channel 3/60: Mutation (Channel of Innovation)
The 3/60 is a very important channel on a genetic level, and it has a powerful ability to bring change to the world. This is one of two channels that makes the Sacral response mutative by nature, and when the energy of the 3/60 is on, it responds to change or mutation.
Gate 60 limits the expansive nature of its electromagnetic, Gate 3, and only responds if the mutation seems to look good and adaptive. The 3/60 is one of the three format energies. The format energies operate in pulses and adrenalize the energy of the Sacral. When these energies are pulsing on, they are powerful and vibrant, ready to get things done. When these energies are off, it’s hard to get things done, almost as if the adrenaline energy of the Root and the life force energy of the Sacral are unavailable. Unfortunately for people with this energy, they usually have to keep working, even when the energy is off.
Channel 14/2: The Beat (Channel of Progress)
This channel is in some ways the luckiest of all the energies in the chart. The 14/2 is all about generating and managing resources—usually money, but any resource that is associated with wealth. The 14/2 works to energize the direction of the soul (Sacral to Identity connection). This channel responds to mutative work, or life opportunities, that bring resources that make the journey of the soul easier. It’s much easier to follow your life path if you have the resources and don’t have to worry about the money.
There is energy in this channel for working to make money, as well as energy for managing or allocating money. When both work together, there is a tremendous opportunity for resource generation. On its own, Gate 14 works very hard to make and save money, while Gate 2 spends it. This channel is the energy of the individual who can truly impact the world. If you’re going to be strange, have money, because money will give you the power to influence and insulate you from some of the pain of being different.
Channel 1/8: Inspiration (Channel of Self-Fulfillment)
Channel 1/8 is rooted in soul direction from the Identity Center and the Throat Center. There is a pressure to make a creative contribution to the world. The channel of inspiration comes from the soul. It speaks from its identity and has a certain vulnerability associated with it. It wants to be accepted for who it is and be recognized for the contribution it makes. If it isn’t, it may never make its contribution.
This is a projected energy. The mutation of this contribution isn’t influential unless it is recognized or invited. If it is connected to a motor, it will have a better chance of being heard, but it will still be vulnerable.
People with this energy are inspiring and are here to be creative role models. While the contribution may not be entirely mutative, its full expression as a creative role model inspires others and can be the catalyst for mutation in the world.
The 1/8 has to develop its communication skills to be recognized correctly. With Individuality, we know this can be hard. The challenge of being an agent of change is articulating paradigms that are new. The theme here is to express yourself (or not), but only when you’re recognized. If the 1/8 isn’t waiting for the right recognition, it runs the risk of sharing from that deep place of the soul and not being valued or heard.
Channel 55/39: Emoting (Channel of Deliberate Creation)
The 55/39 is a deeply emotional energy that can experience high highs and low lows. It is a power and creative energy when the mood is correct. There is energy here for music, poetry, and other creative endeavors. Creative energy has two distinct kinds of cycles. This channel is punctuated by an inner creative cycle that sometimes can feel like melancholy. It also experiences an outer creative cycle that can be joyful, bubbly, and outwardly expressive. Both cycles are crucial to the creative process.
The real challenge with this energy is to understand the nature of creative cycles. It is very easy when this energy goes down into an inner cycle to mistakenly think that you are depressed or that something is “wrong” with you. The minute you get into your mind about where you are with your creative cycle is when you can actually make yourself depressed by overthinking the melancholy.
Channel 12/22: Openness (Channel of Grace)
The 12/22 is the only manifested Individual channel (motor to the Throat). It is deeply emotional and has to wait for the right mood to speak. The theme of this channel is self-expression. People with this energy can talk about their feelings, their creative contributions, and what is unique about them—but only when they are in the mood to.
If the mood is right, then this energy is heard and can be quite transformative. But if people with this energy try to communicate when the mood isn’t right, they often will come across as angry. There is a lot of potential anger here. There is also grace and charm. The 12/22 is designed to wait for the right mood, and then it can come in and articulate and express with passion, beauty, grace, and more, deeply impacting those around them. The theme of the Individual process is articulation. The Individual struggles to articulate what is new and unique about it. When there is no paradigm to speak into, it’s hard to bring change.
Defense Circuit Channels (The Nurture Circuit)
The Defense Circuit is the energy that sustains life on this planet. Rooted in this circuitry is the actual act of sex, sexuality, bonding, raising children, fighting, and, of course, defending. Providing resources for the tribe, as well as values, rules, laws, responsibility, and cooking are also attributed to this circuit.
The Defense Circuit is the glue that binds the family and the tribe together. It is one of the seats of love in the chart. The love of the defense circuit is wild and powerful, the kind of love that gives mothers superhuman strength and that makes men go to war.
The only energy centers in the Defense Circuit are the Sacral Center and the Emotional Solar Plexus. It is a purely generated circuit. It is also sustainable—it has to be. Raising children requires sustainable energy. You can’t just quit or the children will die. The love generated here is part of the sustainability. It is in the name of love that we sustainably commit to nurturing and raising children and are deeply invested in the outcome.
Contrasting with the love in the Defense Circuit, we also find the energy for war. Resources and tribes must be protected and defended. The acts of war committed from this energy are actually the greatest acts of love. The warriors give up their life force for the greater good of the tribe.
Channel 59/6: Reproduction (Channel of Provision)
This channel is the archetype of masculine energy. Here we have the energy for the provision of resources, war, and sex. This half of the circuit is also emotional and needs clarity over time. Wars should be fought after there has been time to really get clarity about the issues. A war fought in the moment without time for clarity can be reckless, deadly, and destructive.
The same applies to sexuality. Sex, by design, is not intended to be a spontaneous act. It’s an act that needs clarity over time. The consequences of sex are handled by the values of the tribe. Sex outside the context of the rules of the tribe, or that happens without forethought, can deeply impact the whole tribe.
As you can imagine, the nature of sex and war can be tricky if you don’t wait for emotional clarity. Sex and war are seductive, but both can have dire consequences.
Channel 50/27: Preservation (Channel of Sustenance)
While sex, reproduction, and war are all emotional and require time for clarity, the other side of the Defense Circuit, the Channel of Preservation, is intuitive, immediate, and nurturing. The energy of the archetype of the Good Mother is contained within this channel. This is the energy for goodnight kisses, bedtime stories, chocolate chip cookies, and the watchful eye of motherhood helping the child with homework.
The preservation channel is also about the transmission of values and education because the drive of this channel is the preservation of the tribe. A tribe survives to reproduce when it is well fed, educated, and the values of the tribe are transmitted to the next generation. Time is required for reproduction, but once the child is born, intuitive nurturing for survival is immediately necessary.
This is also the energy of the court system, fairness, and rules. It is not emotional. The letter of the law has dominion over the spirit of the law. Fair rules can only be implemented without emotions. Rules are rules. Gate 50 is the cauldron where the “stew of values” is cooked. Gate 27 is the ladle that dishes out the values. Values on their own are nice, but they have to be transmitted. Transmission of values is also crucial for the maintenance of tribal unity
Ego Circuit Channels (The Economic Circuit)
The Ego Circuit contains the Emotional Solar Plexus, the Will Center, and the Root. It is creativity and bringing forth agreement into material form when the timing is correct. The Ego Circuit, like the Defense Circuit, has specific aspects that require time for clarity. Tribal circuitry is all about maintaining and sustaining the tribe for generations, and the Ego Circuit provides the resources and agreements that create the foundation of the tribe.
In the Ego Circuit, we find the energy for ambition, business, sales, money, and resource allocation and management, as well as the energy for marriage, social contracts, and bargains. The parts of the Ego Circuit that have to do with ambition, initiation of business ideas, sales, and resource management are not emotional. But the parts of the Ego Circuit that are about tribal agreements, such as marriages and business deals, are emotional. Again, don’t jump into anything related to relationships, especially a potentially long-term one, without waiting for clarity. Otherwise, you have the potential for revolution and war.
Channel 54/32: Transformation (Channel of Revelation)
The channel of transformation is a projected channel that strives for recognition. Integrity can be a big theme in this channel as well. Often people with this channel can become workaholics who think that by working hard they can fulfil their business dreams. The challenge is finding the energy for the fulfilment, as the only energy in this channel is the Root, and the Throat is very far away.
As part of the Ego Circuit, this channel is the initiating energy for productivity and business creation. We start with Gate 54, which is ambition, and move to Gate 32, the energy for big business ideas. Gate 32, when it intuitively perceives a dream of Gate 54 to be a great idea, has a sense of urgency to work and work until it gets the right recognition. But there is no energy here.
However, there is the potential for magic here. The energy for big business dreams and ambitions is far away from the Throat Center, so this is an energy that has to wait for others to see and recognize it. If you have this energy in your chart, you have really big ideas, but you have to wait for those ideas to be seen and understood by others. The fulfilment of your dreams can and will happen if you let the Universe handle the details.
Channel 44/26: Surrender (Channel of Alignment)
Channel 44/26 is very complex. The 44/26 is the energy for sales and the presentation of ideas. So much energy in this channel is about selling good ideas. It is also the energy for truth and integrity, understanding the lessons from the past and transmitting these lessons. Many filmmakers, historians, and journalists carry this energy.
The energy in this channel is to get the attention of the tribe and to convince the tribe that the ideas are indeed good ideas and worthy of dedication, resources, and work. The 44/26 can convince, seduce, or even use tricks if necessary to get the attention of others. This is a very influential energy with a powerful capacity to sell good (or bad) ideas. The 44/26 can be a powerful agent of integrity or a trickster who seduces the tribe into a bad idea.
Channel 19/49: Love and Marriage (Channel of Intimacy and Connection)
The right side of the Ego Circuit contains the Emotional Solar Plexus and the energy for creating social contracts and agreements. The 19/49 is the energy for establishing and maintaining intimate emotional contracts. Because it is rooted in the Emotional Solar Plexus, we see that entering into emotional contracts such as marriage is an emotional decision, and therefore one that should be entered into correctly over time.
Couples with the 19/49 will often truly enjoy the company of their partner. Even a trip to the grocery store can be an intimate encounter for couples with this energy. This can often seem codependent to outside observers.
While the energy for divorce is also located in this channel (and can be activated if the relationship is entered into incorrectly), divorce for people with this channel can be a very difficult and painful end because of this deep, intimate bonding.
Channel 40/37: The Bargain (Channel of Administration)
Energy found in this channel is vital for making agreements and contracts. These agreements are about work, provision of resources, and formalized bonds and contracts, and they are all focused around the tribe. The energy for the marriage contract is also contained in this channel. It is important to remember that marriage contracts were originally a business deal. Connecting two families, or tribes, and creating resources.
Because this channel connects the Will Center and the Emotional Solar Plexus, there is energy here for working and creating resources, as long as the emotional energy supports it. This means after waiting for clarity, over time, the correct agreements can be made that will produce the material resources for the tribe.
Channel: 45/21 The Money Line (Channel of Sustainable Resources)
The 45/21 is a very interesting energy and can often be a difficult configuration in a relationship. The energies together are about managing and creating resources. This channel is rooted in the Will Center, and the possibility of a willful struggle for control is inherent in this channel. The important thing for both of these energies to realize is that neither one has power without the other.
A treasurer (Gate 21) without a king or queen (Gate 45) is a control freak, and a king or queen without a treasurer is simply a beautiful figurehead. When this energy comes together in a relationship, there is often a struggle over resources, such as how or when to spend money. The energy of this channel can be powerful when Gate 45 and Gate 21 recognize each other.
Logic Circuit Channels (The Pattern Circuit)
The Logic Circuit contains two motors, the Root Center and the Sacral. It is a Generator circuit, so we see within it the theme of mastery. Mastery only happens over time with repetition and correction.
The Logic Circuit starts with suspicion and doubt (“Can this be true?”), followed by inspired ideas and a hypothesis that, throughout the course of the circuitry, must be proven to be correct and patterned over time. Once the hypothesis is proven to be correct, it is shared with the Collective through leadership in the Alpha channel (7/31).
The agreements we make with the Logic Circuit create the stability for building the structures that maintain society and cultural empires. Observing natural patterns helps us know that we need sun, water, and good soil for food. Our understanding allows us to predict the future, to a certain degree, so that we can make choices for our survival.
We rely on logical facts. Notice that the Emotional Solar Plexus is not in the Logic Circuit. Logic is not emotional. We don’t have to passionately argue for it; logic speaks for itself. The validity of logic is born of time and repetition, allowing us to be comfortable with the future. The logical mind can only share opinions that are subject to validation. People with a lot of opinions are often met with resistance until they can prove themselves to be correct.
A person with a lot of definition in the Logic Circuit will feel compelled to share. The key is waiting to be asked to share. It’s an energetic compulsion. No one likes to wait. But the right logic shared at the right time is impactful. The right logic that is forced on others is ignored or resisted.
Channel 63/4: Logic (Channel of Potentiality)
This is the initiating sequence of logic. If you were to trace the scientific process from its inception to completion, the 63/4 is the inspiration for the creation of a hypothesis. The Channel of Logic starts in the Head with a question, followed by a need for proof that is demonstrated throughout the rest of the circuit and eventually shared. This is a highly visual channel that is associated with dreaming, and sometimes insanity. The pressure to prove and the ensuing suspicion can be challenging if the Head Center is undefined.
Channel 17/62: Acceptance (Channel of Formulation)
The Channel of Acceptance gives voice to the initiation of the Logic Circuit. This is the verbal formulation of the logical hypothesis or question. Note that this is still a question. There is no energy in the mind, just ideas. As with all things spoken from the Ajna, these ideas are projected and only heard and acted upon correctly when invited or recognized.
Logic struggles for energy. All energies within this circuit do best either in response or through recognition. Without these key activations, ideas are just words carried away on the wind. This can be a difficult energy. We like to share opinions. But not everyone wants to hear them. If you absolutely have to share your thoughts, always ask first if it’s okay to share them. It can soften the impact of this energy significantly.
Channel 16/48: Talent (Channel of Excellence)
Here we bring the intuitive expression of logic to the Throat. Notice this channel has no direct access to energy. That means that talent and mastery have to be recognized by others when the timing is right. Gate 16 is the energy for communicating with enthusiasm, but only if it comes into connection with Gate 48. Without Gate 48, Gate 16 lacks the depth of mastery and intuitive correct expression.
Talent is expressed through practice over time, but it also struggles for resources and money because it has to be seen to be supported. The arts are always hungry for money and support. This is why shows and exhibitions are important for artists of all types. They have to be seen.
The energy for enthusiasm and depth is contained in this channel. There is also right timing in this channel. Do not express the depth with enthusiasm until you have practised and achieved mastery.
Channel 18/58: Judgment (Channel of Improvement)
This channel can pose some serious challenges to those who carry this energy. First of all, notice that this channel is way far down in the chart and has no access to the Throat. Also, notice that this is one of the energy centers in this circuit (the Root).
One of the challenges of logic is getting energy to the Throat. This is why logic is so tenuous; it has to be proven, and it is met with resistance until it stands the test of time. The Channel of Judgment is purely projected, meaning it serves best when others ask for it. It contains the intuitive and energetic ability to make things correct in order to create a perfect expression of the joy of life.
This energy is exceptionally difficult for Projectors. The bottom line of this channel is that you must wait for recognition. If you do not wait, you run the risk of being perceived as critical by others, and no one likes to be criticized.
The beauty of this channel is that the correction in Gate 18 leads to Gate 58, the joy of life. When Gate 18 waits to be recognized, it clears the path for the perfected expression of the joy of life.
Channel 9/52: Focus (Channel of Clarity)
This energy is the energy of the Root, and it pulses on or off. This is the energy for focus and concentration- or lack thereof. When the pulse is on, it adrenalizes the Sacral and things get done. When the pulse is off, it may seem challenging to learn and master.
This channel is the beginning of the flow of energy up the middle of the chart. The logical process has been proven, and we are headed to expression through life force (the Sacral to the Throat). We are applying the logic with the collective. Remember, this is about sharing with the group the hypothesis that is true or the talent we have mastered. The focus and concentration of the 9/52 is about learning and doing repetitively so that patterns can be established as collective behavior. This is the energy for reading about experiments in books or research journals and duplicating and applying the results in life.
Channel 15/5: Rhythm (Channel of Natural Order)
The 15/5 is the only channel that is contained within all life forms. It is the energy of the rhythm of nature itself. If you think about the natural world, it has rhythm built into it. It is ruled by rhythm. The sun comes up every day and sets every evening. Plants grow by season. Animals have their daily routine. This is the energy of life patterns such as seasons, weather, reproduction, and genetics.
People with the 15/5 need rhythm to feel secure. Rhythm gives direction to the Sacral and to workforce energy. People with this energy usually have a deep connection to nature and animals, and they need this connection to find direction for their spirit. If you have this energy, going outside can often help you stay calm and clear. This is especially true for children.
The love of humanity is also located in this channel. What we see with this energy is the fullest expression of our love for our fellow man. It is part of being human, and expressing that love is deeply tied to the natural world.
People with this energy also have an unusually large aura and stand out energetically. They get noticed. This is important because, ultimately, this energy is vital for the sustainability of mankind. Because this energy is so deeply tied with all mammals and nature, people with this energy can often communicate with animals, use plants and herbs, and can even have a deep tie with the elemental kingdom.
Channel 7/31: The Alpha (Channel of Egalitarianism)
In this final expression of the Logic Circuit, leadership is based on mastery and repeated truths. Here we have the final expression of logic- democratic leadership. The leadership here has to be recognized, or it is not effective. This is not dictatorship or ruling by extremes. This is leadership recognized by the people based on its demonstration over time of its effectiveness.
Gates 7 and 31 have to work together. Gate 7 provides direction and support in leadership to Gate 31. Neither alone can provide leadership. Gate 31 without Gate 7 has a leader’s voice but no direction; the 7 without the 31 struggles to be heard.
The ultimate expression of humanity in groups is democracy, and the 7/31 will be called out by others. This is a leadership energy that is a result of a group of people agreeing to rule themselves. If someone with the 7/31 tries to force leadership, then you have a revolution and a new regime that is not logical; it has not withstood the test of time and, consequently, has to start over with logic and “prove” itself to be effective—otherwise it will be subject to being overthrown.
Sensing Circuit Channels (The Miracle Circuit)
The Sensing Circuit is the second part of the Collective circuitry. The Sensing Circuit gets its energy from the Root, the Sacral, and the Emotional Solar Plexus. This circuit is all about telling stories about the past and incorporating new experiences into the bigger story of humanity.
The Sensing Circuit is holistic, right-brained, sensual, and experiential. Epiphanies, great understanding, aha moments, and curiosity are contained here. Because most of this circuit is about new experiences, and curiosity, there is potential for “unrooted” daydreaming and chaos if you don’t follow your strategy with this circuit. Luckily, there are other circuits to ground the daydreams of the Sensing Circuit and bring the ideas generated here into form.
Even though we all contain aspects of this circuit, in Western cultures there is a bias against this circuit. We are deeply conditioned to learn in a “logical,” linear, and patterned way. People who are strongly defined with the Sensing Circuit often struggle to articulate their thoughts and avoid the impulse to take action.
In truth, both kinds of thinking are necessary—logical and sensual. The experiences of the Sensing Circuit tend to flow into logic to determine if there are duplicable patterns. Sometimes with the Sensing Circuit, there are patterns, while other times it’s just about having an experience. The energy in this circuit is the energy that allows an individual to push the envelope of the human experience and for all of us to use that experience and make it a part of our own story of life.
Channel 64/47: Abstraction (Channel of Divine Potential)
The 64/47 is the initiating energy in the Sensing Circuit. Here we see the right side of the brain at its very best. The energy of this channel starts with confusion (Gate 64). The confusion of the abstract or Sensing Circuit comes from experiencing a complex idea in a very short period of time. An abstract idea is holistic and nonlinear, but the challenge of abstraction is turning a big idea into a linear process that can be followed through.
A second challenge of abstraction is answering the question, “How do we make this idea happen?” An inspiration can seem difficult and challenging without the step-by-step sequence of how to bring it into form. What’s the point of having a big dream if it seems impossibly big? Mental defeat and negative thinking, the low expression of “possibility thinking” are also sourced in this channel.
In order for the big ideas of channel 64/47 to come to fruition, the mindset of possibility and the willingness to wait for the passing of confusion is vital. The 64/47 can be marvellously open to miracles when they understand that the “how” will be delivered when the timing is correct, and no amount of forced thinking will bring it forth.
Channel 11/56: Curiosity (Channel of Framework)
The inspiration of the Sensing Circuit is expressed through the Channel of Curiosity, the 11/56. Unlike its counterpart, the Logic Circuit, the Sensing Circuit is not about facts or data. This is the channel of storytelling and the energy for seeking (and not always necessarily finding).
People who have this channel need to understand that there are no answers, only the stories of their experience. This circuit is about the process of living life, not about finding answers or patterns.
It is crucial to remember that this is a projected channel. The stories and ideas of the 11/56 are best heard when invited. Sometimes people with this energy forget to wait for the invitation or recognition and can push others away with their stories or metaphors.
This is energy that is designed to be shared with others. If you have this energy defined, it’s tempting to think that all your ideas belong to you and to go out and try to make them happen. If you do that, you’ll only end up frustrated and burned out. Share your ideas and stories with those who ask you about them.
Channel 53/42: Maturation (Channel of Executive Function)
Some of us are here to start things. Some of us are here to finish things. And some of us can complete the entire task at hand. This is the energy that starts the pulse of an experience. Contained within this channel is the energy for beginnings and ends.
It is a Generated channel. Because the Sensing Circuit is all about having an experience in order to learn, entering into the right experience is something that must be done in response. When you enter into an experience correctly, you will have the right energy to start and finish it, or you will respond to having an experience with the right people who will bring you the correct energy.
While Gate 53 struggles to finish, Gate 42 struggles to get started. Together, the 53/42 makes great energy for getting things done, but without responding, both energies can get stuck, which can cause frustration. If you are not waiting to respond, you will not have the energy to start or finish an experience.
Channel 29/46: Discovery (Channel of Dedication)
The Channel of Discovery is sometimes called, “the channel of succeeding where others fail and failing where others succeed.” People who carry this energy have the capacity through perseverance, determination, and sheer hard work to be successful. And they make it look easy, even though they’ve worked hard to create it.
Because they make it look easy, people assume that the 29/46 don’t put much effort into things and that they are somehow lucky. And, truthfully, they can be lucky. The 29/46 is designed to be in the right place at the right time in response. But you can not underestimate the amount of preparation that went into getting positioned in the right place in the first place.
Because of its tendency to get noticed by others, many people with this channel will struggle to turn down their light to appear “normal.” But this requires them to shut down an enormous amount of energy. Remember, the Sacral is the most powerful motor in the body.
Channel 13/33: The Prodigal (Channel of Collective Consciousness)
The Channel of the Prodigal is one of the expressive channels of the Sensing Circuit. Rooted in life experience, the Channel of the Prodigal is the mirror of the 11/56, the Channel of Curiosity, which is based on thoughts and ideas.
Channel 13/33 is the true storyteller, the one who shares the tale of the journey and uses the lessons gained to give direction.
In this channel, we have the energy for keeping a history of the past. People with this channel often love history. They may make scrapbooks, or chronicle the journeys that have come before in another way. People with this energy are often the keepers of the traditions in their family. If this energy is missing in a family, they can sometimes struggle to have consistent family traditions.
This channel gives us the energy for listening and then guiding if asked. This is the energy of the witness and the direction-giver. It’s a nice energy to have if you are a coach or a therapist.
In its highest expression, the Channel of the Prodigal looks back and remembers, keeping the history of life’s experience alive. In its lowest expression, it gets stuck in the past, always looking over its shoulder, worrying that the past will repeat itself. Because this channel connects the Identity to the Throat, it is also vulnerable to the judgment and criticism of others.
Channel 41/30: Fantasy and Desire (Channel of Intention)
The Channel of Fantasy and Desire is a powerful energy in the chart. This channel is actually the energy that starts the Human Design year. And though it is an enormously creative energy, it is not located anywhere near the mind. In other words, the energy that gives us the push to create something new requires a different kind of force. We can think thoughts all day—we all do. But thinking is very different from doing. The Channel of Fantasy and Desire is actually about doing something new, not just thinking about it.
People with this energy can be powerful dreamers who bring to the world stories of new experiences and adventures. Or they can be living in a constant state of chaos, leaping into the wrong adventure and hurting themselves and others. Because this is an emotional channel rooted in the Root Center, people with this energy have to wait for clarity before they act. True creativity is a thoughtful, deliberate process, not a wild shot in the dark.
The theme of fantasy in this channel often inspires fantasy in those influenced by this energy. If you have this energy in your chart, other people will often have fantasy conversations with you that they will swear truly took place. It’s important that when you have this energy you be sure to communicate clearly. Always make sure the other person really understands what you just said and isn’t spinning fantasies around what they think they heard.
In its highest expression, this channel is extremely creative, passionate, and innovative. It has the power to set the world on fire with its intensity and drive. Waiting until it’s the right time to express this initiating energy is crucial.
Channel 35/36: Transitoriness (Channel of the Threshold)
The energies in this channel have two big challenges: boredom and feeling jaded. These challenges can create restless energy that can make someone look or feel as if they are jumping all over the place. Of course, this is an expressive, emotional channel, with a direct connection from the Emotional Solar Plexus to the Throat Center. Any time we have the Emotional Solar Plexus defined, we know there is some kind of waiting involved.
The Channel of Transitoriness waits for the right time to act on the right desire to have the right new experience. When the timing is on, then we have something new and exciting to add to the story of humanity. These are the stories that regale us, entertain us, and expand our understanding of the human experience. These stories can be emotional, poignant, and ultimately inspire us in every way.
But there is also impulsive and crazy energy living in this channel. Desires that are expressed without waiting for correct timing can sometimes be hurtful, dangerous, and destructive. Of course, stories are told from the dark side of this energy, too. When someone with this energy becomes bored or jaded, they can create chaos by leaping into things or by yanking up stakes and jumping into a new lifestyle. This is a restlessness that is always seeking the next new thing until it gets bored with the newness.
Putting It All Together
Human Design is a complex system, filled with all kinds of details and information. It’s easy to be seduced by all the intricate elements of your chart and to miss the bigger message hidden in that amazing triangle.
While each piece of Human Design is fascinating, powerful, and intriguing, just like each one of you. The real beauty of the system lies in its simplicity. Be yourself. Follow your decision-making strategy according to your type, and you will not only discover who you truly are but you will be perfectly aligned with a life that is an authentic manifestation of your soul’s purpose in this incarnation.
The chart reveals to us that when we are true to ourselves, love ourselves, and follow the direction of our souls, the energetic result of such self-honor and awareness is a world where we all express a natural love for humanity that is deeply aligned with nature and the natural order.
This is a world where we can organize ourselves in groups that are fair, democratic, and egalitarian. Where we can take care of our physical bodies and be responsible for our own physical reality. Where we have more than sufficient resources and support that we eagerly share with one another—all because we understand on a bone-deep, soul-deep level that we are infinitely sustained by Source energy (All that just from loving yourself!)
When you discover who you truly are and create a life that is a reflection of that truth, you are adding to the abundance of the world, and each and every one of you is a crucial piece of this divine puzzle. You matter. And the world needs you to be who you really are.
Your Human Design chart represents your potential. The journey of life is about discovering the true you and courageously creating a life that is in alignment with your authentic self. That is the nature of personal growth and evolution on this planet. When we don’t fulfil that potential, because life seeks to be in a state of constant expansion and growth, we tend to create life experiences designed to teach us the meaning of our lives. What we see in the archetype of mankind as defined in the chart is that sometimes we need to struggle a bit to discover the meaning of our lives.
When we are not fulfilling our human potential, we tend to struggle with our health, our wealth, our relationships, our creative fulfilment, or even our spiritual connection. Our struggles are here to help us learn and grow, not to keep us stuck in suffering. There is no gate of suffering in the chart. Due to our consciousness, and our energetic uniqueness, as humans we always have a choice. We can be true to our authentic self or not.
We can live out the highest expression of our chart or not. We can continue to create struggles to help us define the meaning of our life, or we can relax into the natural interface of our unique energy with the energy of the world and create a passionate, joyful life. We always have a choice. Self-awareness is the key to making more joyful, abundant choices.
If you want to make a difference in the world and create a world of sustainable peace and abundance, you have to start first by living a life that is a reflection in consciousness of what you want to see in the world. In other words, you must be abundant, peaceful, and authentic in your life in every way. When you live in this state of consciousness, you add to the critical mass of this energy on the earth. And when enough of us are abundant, peaceful, and authentic in consciousness, then we will see radical change on our planet.
Note: The names in brackets above are the Quantum Human Design (QHD) names for these Types. QHD helps us to reframe the ‘Not Self’ or conditioned self in Human Design to explore the potential of the deconditioned self and to live more in alignment with our inner truth.
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