Understanding Defined and Open Centres in Human Design

Human Design is a complex system that blends elements of astrology, the I Ching, Kabbalah, and the chakra system to create a unique framework for understanding an individual's personality, strengths, and potential challenges.                              

Central to Human Design are the concepts of defined and open (or undefined) centres.
These centres are energy hubs that influence how we process experiences, interact with others, and manifest our unique potentials.

The Basics of Human Design

Human Design divides the body into nine centres, similar to the seven chakras in traditional systems but with some differences. These centres are:

1. Head (Crown)
2. Ajna (Mind)
3. Throat
4. G (Identity)
5. Heart (Ego or Will)
6. Sacral
7. Solar Plexus (Emotional)
8. Spleen
9. Root

Each centre can be defined (coloured in) or open (white) on an individual's Human Design chart, also known as a BodyGraph. Whether a centre is defined or open significantly impacts how a person experiences the world and interacts with others.

Defined Centres

A defined centre in Human Design means that the energy in that centre is consistent and reliable. These centres are coloured in on the BodyGraph and indicate areas where a person has fixed and consistent ways of processing energy.

Characteristics of Defined centres:

• Consistency and Reliability: The energy in defined centres is always active and operates in a consistent manner.
• Self-Sufficiency: Individuals with defined centres rely on their own energy and do not need external validation or energy to function effectively in these areas.
• Stability: Defined centres provide stability and a sense of reliability, making individuals confident in these aspects of their lives.
• Influence on Others: People with defined centres can project their stable energy outward, influencing others who have open centres in the same area.

For example, if someone has a defined Throat centre, they typically have a consistent and reliable way of expressing themselves and communicating. They may have a distinct voice or speaking style that remains steady regardless of their environment.

Open Centres

Open centres, depicted as white on the BodyGraph, indicate areas where a person absorbs and amplifies the energy from their surroundings. These centres are more flexible and less predictable, often reflecting the energy of people around them.

Characteristics of Open centres:

• Sensitivity to External Energies: Open centres are highly receptive to the energies of others, leading to heightened sensitivity in those areas.
• Inconsistency and Variability: Energy in open centres fluctuates based on the environment and the people present, resulting in less consistency.
• Potential for Wisdom and Empathy: While open centres can be sources of vulnerability, they also provide opportunities for deep wisdom and empathy as individuals learn to navigate and understand varying energies.
• Reflection of the Environment: Individuals with open centres often mirror the energy, attitudes, and behaviours of those around them, making them adaptable but also susceptible to external influences.

For instance, a person with an open Emotional (Solar Plexus) centre may find themselves experiencing and amplifying the emotions of those around them, leading to emotional highs and lows that do not originate from within themselves.

For Interaction Between Defined and Open Centres, Challenges, Practical Applications 

Read the full article below

Book your human design reading today