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Health Indicators in Your Chart – Part 2: The Nine Centers 

by Evelyn Levenson

Use Your Human Design Chart to Help You Stay Healthy and Vibrant

There is no shortage of theories and advice for addressing health issues and challenges, and for attempting to maximize our well-being.

Here is a very different approach:  use your Human Design Chart!

Click here to read the Introduction to this article series and Part 1 about the Five Types

Click here to read Part 3 about Significant Gates and Channels

Part 2: The Nine Centers

In this second part of the three-part series of articles about using Human Design to improve our well-being, we look specifically at the nine Energy Centers and how they affect us. (You’ll need your Human Design Chart to see your Energy Centers.)

Chart with 3 Open Centers

There are nine geometric shapes (triangles and squares) within the large triangle of your chart’s bodygraph, which is on the right side of most charts. These are your energy centers. Each center carries and manages a different frequency of energy that we experience as humans.

Usually, some of your centers will be colored in and some will be white. A few people have all nine centers colored in. These people are designed to have a large impact on rest of us. Fewer than 1% of the population has all nine centers white. They are called Reflector Types.

The centers that are colored in are called Defined or fixed. Having a center defined means that you have a specific and consistent way of processing and experiencing that kind of energy in your life. Your Defined Centers are your strengths.

The white centers are called Open or undefined. When you have a center Open it means that you don’t have a fixed or consistent way of processing and experiencing that particular energy.

Open centers are our greatest teachers and deepest source of wisdom. An Open center takes in and amplifies that center’s specific energy. So our experience and understanding of the energy of that Open center is unlimited.

The Challenges of Open Centers

Open Centers present great opportunities for us but also great challenges. Here is where we are “conditioned” (deeply influenced) by those around us, like parents, siblings, friends, parents, teachers, clergy, etc., as well as by our society’s “norms” and expectations.

Open Centers are where we experience and carry our deepest pain because we think those energies coming IN to us are “ours”, i.e. something we ourselves have generated. But they are not.

This can be very confusing because those energies coming into our Open Centers change depending on whom we are with. We may question our value, our lovability, our commitment, or our resolve (or even our sanity!) because we seem to be so inconsistent in those Open areas of our lives.

This conditioning, which comes from outside of us, pulls us away from Who We Truly Are and from our Authentic Expression of ourselves. This is deeply painful, however we often are not aware that the conditioning we receive in our Open Centers is the source of this pain.

Well Being in Your Human DesignWe can burn out from holding on to these Open Center energies, which our bodies are not designed to hold. Plus, two of the Open Centers (the Head at the top of the Chart, and the Root at the bottom of the Chart) are pressure centers. You’ll feel pressure to figure things out (Head), and pressure to get things done (Root) when those Centers are Open (white) in your chart. All of this can add to the stress and confusion you may already be feeling.

The number one cause of dis-ease and illness may turn out to be living a life that does not align with or express our Authentic Self. Our Authentic Self IS our Human Design “definition” and the energetic structure we were born with. (For more information, see article on the Not Self.)

How Your Open Centers Affect Your Health

There are predictable behavior patterns and coping strategies associated with each Open Center. These are the “low” expressions of those energies. The brief descriptions and advice below will help you express the higher qualities and gain the wisdom of these energies, while avoiding the potential pain and any dis-ease associated with them.

Understanding YOUR Open Centers will help you be happier, more balanced, and more resilient in your life. Knowing the Open Centers of OTHERS will help you interact with them more effectively.

So, check your chart and the charts of family and friends as you read about each Open Center.

Remember, only a Center that is WHITE on your chart is OPEN for you

HEAD CENTER – top triangle

Center for inspiration and ideas; a pressure Center

Open Head:  You take in and amplify ideas, inspirations, and big questions from those who have Defined (colored in) Head Centers around you. You may feel scattered, overwhelmed, and/or under pressure to figure out how to implement all those ideas.

ADVICE:  Use YOUR Strategy to choose which ideas and inspirations are correct for YOU to pursue. Being selective will help you develop wisdom about what is truly inspiring and what is worth pursuing, and help you avoid the frustration and stress of pursuing ideas that are not correct for you.

AJNA CENTER – next triangle down

Center for concrete thinking, analysis, and data storage

Open Ajna:  You have unlimited ways to think about and analyze situations and information. You are open-minded by design, but not designed for data storage. You can have difficulty making decisions or being certain about things.

ADVICE:  Recognize your gift to see and analyze many perspectives about any situation. Don’t seek certainty; stay fluid. Make lists to help you remember things and use your Strategy to make decisions and avoid overwhelm.

THROAT CENTER – top square (at throat level, just below Ajna)

Center for communication energy and manifestation of ideas into form and action

Open Throat:  You amplify communication energy and can modulate your voice and delivery to best suit your audience. You need attention/recognition from others to access and manifest the other energies in your Chart. You can have difficulty feeling heard, and may be extremely talkative or extremely quiet (or a combination of both extremes!).

ADVICE:  Recognize your genuine need for attention and seek it in appropriate ways. Wait for the right opportunities to speak. Don’t push your Throat energy (i.e., your opinions, advice, criticisms, demands, chatter, etc.) at others without first being asked or recognized. Incorrect use of Throat energy affects the metabolism through the Thyroid gland.

IDENTITY CENTER – diamond shape in middle of chart

Center for sense of self, direction in life, love, and “right place”

Open Identity:  You have a mutable sense of self, which changes according to whom you’re with (because you take in and amplify others’ identities). You are here to receive love and to know others deeply. You may have unclear direction or multiple directions in life.

ADVICE:  Let go of trying to “know” or “define” yourself and enjoy the flexible nature of your identity and your direction in life. Only be with people and in places that truly feel good to you. Be reassured about your lovability, support your self-esteem, and avoid the pressure to “find yourself.”

WILL CENTER – small triangle below-right of Identity Center (also called Heart or Ego Center)

Center for willpower energy, business, material values, and generating and managing physical resources

Open Will:  You do not possess consistent willpower so it’s hard for you to force yourself to do things you aren’t compelled to do. You may also have trouble correctly valuing things, people, and yourself.

ADVICE:  Don’t make promises, because you don’t have the willpower to ensure that you honor them. Be willing to go with the flow. Use your Strategy to correctly enter commitments. Practice valuing yourself and others, and ensure that you charge an appropriate rate for your time or services. Don’t push with Will Power you don’t have… you’ll burn out and exhaust yourself. Make time to REST!

SOLAR PLEXUS CENTER – lower right triangle (as YOU view it)

Center for emotional energy

Open Solar Plexus:  You take in and amplify the emotional energy of Defined Solar Plexus people around you, so you feel THEIR emotions more intensely than they feel them. You typically want to keep everyone happy and not “rock the boat.”

ADVICE: Recognize that the emotional highs and lows you feel are not yours then let them go. Learn to speak your truth without fear of emotional reactions from others. Experiment with the full range of human emotions flowing through you and then be selective about the ones you choose to experience. This also helps to avoid emotional overwhelm which can “fry your circuits.” You need alone time to discharge emotional energy from others. This Open Center can be associated with depression, diabetes, emotional eating, and weight issues.

SACRAL CENTER – square below diamond-shaped Identity Center

Center for work force and life force energy

Open Sacral:  You do NOT have sustainable energy, so don’t try to keep up with Defined Sacrals (who do). You take in and amplify their Sacral energy, so you can work harder than any of them — but only for short periods of time. Then you need time to rest and recover.

ADVICE:  Avoid jobs that demand sustained physical energy and long-term commitment. Take naps when you’re tired and “manage” your energy. You’re a sprinter, not a marathon runner (metaphorically speaking). It’s correct for you to have few or no children, as they require a lot of sustainable energy! Recognize that sometimes you don’t know “when enough is enough” and learn when to stop. It’s better to avoid burnout than have to recover from it.

ROOT CENTER – bottom square

Center for adrenaline energy — a pressure Center

Open Root:  You feel pressure (often self-imposed) to get things done, and you have trouble relaxing if your “To Do” list is still long (which it always is). You amplify adrenaline energy from Defined Root Centers, which helps you be productive but possibly at the expense of quality or thoroughness.

ADVICE:  Recognize that the pressure you’re feeling is just energy and choose to relax and be “free” even when everything on your list has not been done. Use others’ adrenaline energy wisely to get things done and consciously release the pressure that you feel so you can operate without excessive pressure and stress. Even self-imposed pressure causes very real stress effects on your body and mind, including adrenal burnout and anxiety disorders.

SPLEEN CENTER – lower left triangle (as YOU view it)

Center for intuition, survival, time consciousness, and the immune system

Open Spleen:  You are intuitive, but receive that energy in inconsistent ways. You are likely to be time-challenged and may be chronically late, letting time “get away from you.” You are sensitive to slight changes and symptoms from your immune system. You may be paralyzed by various fears, and probably have issues knowing when to let go of things.

ADVICE:  Learn to trust your intuition and pay attention to signals from your immune system. Develop systems that keep you on time and learn to let go of things that no longer serve you, including clutter, relationships, emotions, grudges, etc. Recognize you are sensitive to others (and may even be medically empathic). Push through Splenic fears that keep you stuck.

 

In Part 3 of this article we’ll look at the impact of some specific Gates and Channels on our health.

I welcome your comments!

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  1. Hi I have all nine centers defined. triple split. you are the only one ive found on the internet who’s mentioned anything about a person who has all nine centers defined. 12/12/1960 4:22am los angeles, ca. Do you have any information regarding someone like myself. Thanks Leona.

    1. me too i have all centres defined and i am a triple split!!! i am just learning my chart and feel so happy! it fits me like a glove and is so helpful!

  2. I have all centres defined and have been looking for more information on this, there doesn’t seem to be much out there. If you have any infortmation that you could point me to I’d be really grateful. Thank you

  3. This is the first place I have seen other people with all defined centers. I would also love more information.

    1. People with 9 centers defined are uncommon, probably less than 1% of the population. They are “broadcasting” through their defined centers, and influence others around them more than they are influenced by others. They will always be Generators or Manifesting Generators. From a health perspective, people with a defined Spleen Center tend to take their health for granted and are less aware of subtle cues from their body, so they may not notice early signs of a physical problem. John Denver had all 9 centers defined.

  4. Great info, Evelyn! I just wanted to chime in for people who have all 9 centers defined. It is very rare to find Single Definition with all 9 centers. If someone is Split, Triple-Split or Quad-Split then the bridging gates become the most significant sources of conditioning. Actually, regardless of how many centers are defined, bridging gates are significant sources of conditioning.

    So, say someone has 9 centers and they have bridging gates 59 and 53. This is someone who is going to organize their entire life around finding intimacy (59) and starting new things (53). They’re going to want to avoid frustration by starting up new, intimate relationships. (This is an example Ra gives of Mae West, whose split definition was bridged by 59 or 53.) Or, say they have bridging gate 29: here’s someone who will feel like if only they could commit, they would avoid frustration. Or 52: if only they could find stillness. You get the idea. The bridging gates are deep conditioning forces where the person will try very, very hard to embody these qualities, and chastise themselves for not being able to do it. All of this is Not-Self, of course. With Strategy and Authority, the deconditioning process begins.

    So, I just want to be clear that even those with 9 centers will have strong conditioning factors in their chart, particularly around bridging gates.

    Even more rare is someone with 9 centers and Single Definition. In that case, the hanging gates are receptive to conditioning, so the unactivated gates they are pointing to will be where there is strong conditioning. I have never personally come across anyone who has all 9 centers defined and is Single Definition, so I imagine this is an extreme rarity.

  5. I’ve been trying to find a resource that explains the significance of the color of each center (brown vs. green vs. red vs. yellow)- is there significance to these colors and do they have varied meaning according to specific centers?

    1. Each center is either white (open) or a color (defined). A defined center will consistently be the same color. The defined Head Center is always yellow; the defined Ajna will always be green, and so on. I’ve never seen any reference to the meaning of the colors that are linked to each defined center.

  6. Hello,
    This page was helpful in learning about the open centers but I am curious about the closed centers. I don’t have many. I am a manifestor 2/5. I am currently experiencing difficult and confusing health issues related to my closed centers (throat and solar plexus). Any advice or comments on the topic of diseases in the body only in closed centers would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.
    Jenni

    1. Health issues in defined centers are usually related to not using the energy of that center correctly over time. This, of course, is common; before learning about Human Design, most people don’t understand how they are designed to express themselves and interact with the world. Do you understand your emotional wave, and how it affects you and your decisions? Are you using the power of your Throat Center correctly: informing, then following your creative flow? My downloadable course, Success by Centers, covers each center, open and defined, in detail. You can learn more about the course here: http://humandesignforsuccess.com/success-by-centers

  7. Would anyone be up for chatting via messenger? I also have all nine centers defined and I am looking for others to speak with. I am finding it very difficult to gain information on this. I am even taking a course on the human design right now. Thank you in advance! ❤️

  8. Hi Erin, I hope you are doing well with all 9 defined centers!
    I am very new to human design, and I have all 9 centers defined, and was trying to dig up more info on those with defined 9 centers. Yes, I have always known intuitively that I was here to impact others in a very special way, and I cannot hide because my aura does impact space and others even when I am not trying! I find human design very very cool, it allows me to see things with a certain preciseness of clarity, and I like that. These 9 defined centers are particularly drawn to mastery, they would not have it any other way!
    I would like to exchange/share info/wisdom
    with other 9 defined centers!

      1. I also have all 9 centers defined, and it’s so refreshing to find others like this in this thread! I would love to connect and share information as I’ve had a hard time learnings around this.

  9. Hey everyone! I’m a 9 center defined person too, but a quadruple split. There isn’t much about quad splits OR 9 centers defined, any advice would be greatly appreciated. I do feel like I have a hard time assimilating things and making decisions. I also feel very conditioned, so gates certainly are a factor. Just now getting in touch with my Sacral voice and learning to honor it above my mind and all the other competing voices that come with being a quad. Thanks in advance for any advice!

    1. Traditionally, Human Design teaches that conditioning comes to us through our open-ness. Additionally, we’re affected by all of our life experiences and the beliefs we take on in response to them, the behaviors we learn to model from the people we grew up with, and so on.  You’ve already recognized the importance of exploring your strategy– use your sacral response for making decisions.  If your answer is using words, it’s most like not coming from your sacral.  If you have a lot of individual circuitry, it may take you a while to integrate new information. If you’re emotionally defined, that will influence your decision-making process as well. You might find a professional reading to be helpful in understanding how the different features of your Design interact.  You can learn about the various Human Design Readings I offer here:https://www.humandesignforsuccess.com/human-design-services/

  10. Hello everyone. Thank you Evelyne for the information and for this open discussion. I also have 9 centres defined and I definitely feel that I am strongly conditioned. It is a very big gift and big responsible to leave with this because I can see clearly how big is my influence to the people. I would like to share with other people so feel free to contact me on katina.avramova at gmail.com . Blessings

  11. I’ll join the crowd (but still be myself hahha) I too have all 9 defined. It looked strange to me, because all the people I know have at least two centers open. Ego of course loves to be special – so it jumped on this one 🙂
    So hello to you all my fellow spirits…

  12. It’s tough having all these open centers (7/9 are white in my chart). I feel so inconsistent, dramatic, sensitive, anxious, unheard and FATIGUED. I’m grateful I’ve found human design to explain why I’ve been so neurotic for so long, and ways to help ease the pressure. Thank you for sharing!

    1. I was just thinking the same. I googled “HD all 9 centers defined” and got this page about open centers as first hit, ha ha:-D

  13. Thank you!!
    Was wondering what an undefined head and root are for a triple split definition. This information is very helpful thank you!
    I am an accountant and do psychic readings (just fyi) 😉
    ____/|\____

    1. Anyone with an open Head and Root Center will feel a lot of pressure: to figure things out and to get them done. Decision making can be especially tricky with a triple split as there are three collections of defined centers that are not in communication with each other.  A Reading would be helpful to sort this out.  You can learn more about the Reading packages I offer here: https://www.humandesignforsuccess.com/human-design-services/

  14. I am also interested in this conversation around defined centers. Most of mine are defined AND I’m a manifestor! I find this very confusing and I wonder if it plays into my social anxiety because I have this energetic impact on people that I’m always trying to mitigate and it can be very anxiety producing for me. How do you create more flow around this?

  15. My daughter is a mani gen with all centers defined. quad split. Have been trying to find more information so I can understand her more and parent her the best i can for her!

    1. With all 9 centers defined, she is here to have impact on others.  There is great power here!  To understand her unique configuration better, I recommend a reading, either an Initial Reading about her, or a Custom Reading package of 3 readings which can include her chart in relationship with other family members.  You can learn more about the reading packages I offer here: https://www.humandesignforsuccess.com/human-design-services/

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