Your energetic blueprint at a glance
The BodyGraph is the central visual in Human Design. It is a symbolic map of your energetic system, derived from your birth data and combining elements of astrology, the I Ching, the Kabbalah, the chakra system, and quantum physics. While it may look complex at first, the BodyGraph is a practical tool that helps you understand how your energy is designed to operate, how you interact with others, and how to make aligned decisions.
This article breaks down the key components of the BodyGraph in clear, accessible terms.
📊 The Structure of the BodyGraph
Your BodyGraph contains several core elements:
1. The Nine Centers
These are geometric shapes that represent areas of consistent or variable energy in your body and life:
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Defined Centers (colored): Areas where you consistently express energy
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Undefined Centers (white): Areas where you absorb and amplify energy from others
The Nine Centers are:
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Head (inspiration)
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Ajna (processing)
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Throat (expression)
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G (identity and direction)
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Heart/Will (ego and drive)
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Sacral (life force and work)
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Solar Plexus (emotions)
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Spleen (intuition and survival)
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Root (stress and momentum)
2. The 64 Gates
Each Center contains multiple Gates, numbered and corresponding to the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching. These represent archetypal energies you carry in your design.
Gates can be:
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Activated by planets in your chart
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Open or defined, depending on your birth imprint
3. The Channels
When two Gates connect between Centers, they form a Channel. A defined Channel creates a consistent energy flow between those two Centers and influences your personality and behavior.
Defined Channels also help determine:
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Your Definition type (how your Centers connect)
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Your Energy Type (such as Generator, Projector, etc.)
4. The Profile
Displayed as two numbers (such as 3/5 or 1/4), your Profile reveals how you learn, relate, and show up in the world. It is derived from the line numbers of the Gates activated by the Sun and Earth in both the Personality and Design columns.
5. Strategy and Authority
Your BodyGraph reveals your Strategy (how to engage with life) and your Authority (how to make decisions). These come from a combination of your Type and Center configuration.
🌓 The Two Sides of the Chart
Your chart includes two sets of planetary positions:
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Design (unconscious): Calculated 88 days before birth, shown in red
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Personality (conscious): Calculated at birth, shown in black
The black lines reflect traits you are aware of. The red lines reflect traits others may see in you before you do. Together, they form the full picture of your energetic identity.
🧠Reading the BodyGraph
While a full reading offers deep nuance, here is how to begin:
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Start with your Type and Strategy
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Look at your Defined and Undefined Centers
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Identify your Authority
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Explore your Profile and how it plays out in daily life
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Gradually explore your Gates and Channels
You do not need to understand it all at once. Human Design is meant to be lived, not memorized.
✨ Final Insight
Your BodyGraph is not a personality test. It is a mirror that reveals how life energy flows through you. It shows your natural gifts, your sensitivities, and your best path for growth, decision-making, and self-acceptance.
The more you understand the BodyGraph, the more compassion you develop, not just for yourself, but for others too.