Read the Transcript:

Hey there, my friend. Welcome back to The Live FAB Life Podcast, Episode 241. I’m your host Naomi Nakamura.

If you go to the podcast section on my website, at the very top are links categories. Every episode is assigned one or more categories, so if you are interested in a specific category, you click on that link, and all the related episodes within that category will populate the page.

Today's episode falls under the Human Design Fundamentals category for episodes on core parts of Human Design or something that explains something on the Human Design body graph chart.

And today, that fundamental thing that we’re talking about is Human Design Definitions.

What are Definitions in Human Design?

We know there’s nine energy centers in the Human Design body graph chart. When a center is shaded in, it’s a defined center. Definition.

The white and not shaded in centers are Undefined centers, where we’re open to external influences, take on the energy of others, and are vulnerable to being conditioned.

Definition is about hanging gates. A channel is when two active gates connect energy centers together, defining each center. A hanging gate is when there's only one gate of a channel active. When the gate on the other end of the channel isn’t active, we have a hanging gate.

Hanging gates are incomplete parts of our design. The idea of Definition is that we’re naturally drawn to and unconsciously seek out others who have the other side of our hanging gate.

For example, I only have one channel in my entire design - the 48-16 channel I discussed in Episode 210. This means that I have a lot of hanging gates. One of those hanging gates is Gate 26, in the Heart center. I talked about Gate 26 in the last episode, Episode 240, because it’s part of my Incarnation Cross.

On the other side of Gate 26 is Gate 44, which is in the Spleen center. While I have a defined Spleen center, Gate 44 is not active. This is a situation of a hanging gate. As I learned about Definitions and hanging gates, I looked up many of my friends’ charts and found that many of them do have Gate 44 active in their design. So interesting, huh?

Definitions are another layer that provides insight into relationships through Human Design.

There are five different possible Definition configurations – let’s go through each of them.

The first one is No Definition. Someone has No Definition when they don’t have defined centers in their design. Who would that be? That would be Reflectors, of course, because what makes someone a Reflector is that all nine centers in their design are undefined – No Definition.

The second kind of Definition is called Single Definition. A Single Definition is where the centers that are defined, and as a byproduct, the channels, are all in one area of the chart. There’s a single connection. That's a Single Definition.

The third kind of Definition is called Split Definition. Sometimes it’s also referred to as a Small Split, Wide Split, and Simple Split. A Split Definition is when two separate areas of defined centers in one’s design don't connect to each other.

So, say, for example, someone has the Spleen center connected to the Root center, and they also have the Head and Ajna centers connected, but there's nothing in their design that connects the Ajna to either the Spleen or Root centers. Thus, there are two groups of defined centers in this design, which is what is called a Split Definition.

The fourth kind of Definition is the Triple Split, and yes, a Triple Split is when there are three different areas of defined centers in one’s design that don't connect to each other.

And lastly, there's the Quad Split Definition, where there's four separate defined areas in a design, and none of them are connected.

So, what do all these Definitions mean?

With No Definition, as I said earlier, Reflectors have no defined centers – No Definition. I'm not going to get into all the nitty gritty bits and pieces of Reflectors. Instead, I refer you to Episode 182 on non-Sacral Types; Reflectors not having a defined Sacral center means they’re non-Sacral beings, and Episode 202, where I was joined by Tanya Reyes, who is a friend and a fellow Human Design guide who’s a Reflector. She shared what it's like to be a Reflector, so if you’re a Reflector or have one in your life that you want to understand a little better, go listen to those episodes. I’ll link to them in the show notes.

When it comes to a Single Definition, this is where all the defined centers in a design, and as a byproduct, the channels, are connected in one single area of a design. People with Single Definitions are singularly focused. They have a consistent, reliable, focused, fixed energy source, so these people tend to be very focused. They process and digest information quickly, but the downside is that they can rush and be hasty.

I’m a Single Definition. When I was a kid, I’d always rush through my schoolwork. Part of it was having an undefined Root center where I just wanted to get rid of the pressure of schoolwork, but with a Single Definition, I processed things quickly. Still, being that way, I tended to be hasty, often moving quicker than I should have in certain situations. Oftentimes my assignments would be returned marked up in red ink with the words “Haste makes waste” written in angry letters at the top of it. So, whenever I see the word “haste,” I think about that.

So Single Definition people can be hasty in the way they go about things. They’re also independent and don't necessarily need or want other people to help them. They’re very independent in the sense that they don't need others to “feel whole.”

They like to do things their way, with the downside being that they can be inflexible, uncompromising, and rigid. Compromising doesn't come naturally to Single Definition people.

An example of this, as I have a Single Definition, is that we don't like group work. We'd rather work independently on our own.

Take this podcast; many podcasters have cohosts. Many people won’t do a podcast without a partner or cohost. I put a lot of thought into whether I should have a cohost. Even after the show launched, I’ve had moments where I considered bringing someone else on as a partner.

But at the end of the day, I like doing this show by myself. I like being in complete control of this, from the timing and scheduling to the topics to the show's direction.

The Split Definition is people with two separate areas of defined centers in their designs that don't connect to each other.

Unlike Single Definition people who quickly digest information, Split Definition people need more time to process. They need more time to integrate. They work well with others because they’re more flexible, accommodating, and compromising than Single Definition people.

Instead of being independent, they tend to be more curious. The downside is that they’re always thinking there's something out there that's better. They're curious to know what else is out there; is there something that could be better? It's that thinking that the grass is always greener, which we know isn’t always the case.

So, Split Definition people feel the split more deeply because they have two splits in their designs and tend to seek the other sides of their splits. This makes them creators of deep bonds with others when feeling that they’ve found their other halves.

The downside to this because there's always the gift and the shadow. I suppose you could think of it this way, the shadow of this is becoming codependent or not ending a relationship or leaving the situation when it becomes toxic.

The Triple Split Definition, again, where there are three separate areas of defined centers in one's design that don't connect with each other, Triple Split people because they have three separate areas of definition can feel like there's three different parts of themselves.

They're complicated people. They need more time than Single and Split Definitions to process and integrate things. This can cause them to feel impatient, especially with themselves, and it can also lead to impulsivity.

They also have a deep need to interact with various people to bridge the triple splits they have in their design. This makes them natural people persons - they love people! The downside of this can be feeling limited and stifled when they're limited to interacting with the same few people over and over again.

When I was first learning about Definitions, this made me think about how Triple Split Definition people must’ve struggled early in the pandemic when the world went into a shutdown. Being at home with the same group of people, perhaps even quarantined alone, I could only imagine how difficult that may have been because of their need to interact with many different people.

And then lastly, of course, is the Quad Split Definition, where there are four separate areas of defined centers in one’s design that don't connect with each other. Like Triple Split Definition people, Quad Split Definition people are complicated.

They need the most time of all the Definitions to take things in and process them. The downside is that they can feel that other people might be moving too fast for them, or they might be moving too slow when they’re moving at the appropriate pace for them.

Having a lot of defined centers, Quad Split Definition people naturally have a lot of energy. They have a lot of defined centers in their design, which makes them very influential people. They give off vibes of energy and are influencers.

The downside of this is not embracing their bigness, not embracing their powerful, influential energy. Another downside is not embracing their uniqueness, what makes them different, and what makes them rare. It’s estimated that, like Reflectors, only one percent of the population have Quad Split Definitions.

So, why do I think Definitions are important?

What resonates the most for me is the insight into people we’re naturally drawn to because they complete our hanging gates.

Think about what kind of insights they can give us on our relationships with others, and I don't just mean romantic relationships. This applies to friendships, familial relationships, your colleagues - people you likely spend the most time out of your week with - whatever relationships we have.

Definition can shed light on the energy that draws people together, meaning by looking what the hanging gates that complete each other.

And it's another layer in understanding other people’s needs, boundaries, and of course, even our own.

As a Single Definition person, I’m independent, but my sibling is a Triple Split. If only I had understood this when we were younger, how might our relationship be different?

I'm planning to spend the next couple of episodes answering some listener questions on relationships and exploring different ways of looking at relationships through the eyes of Human Design. If you have a question, send it on over so I can address it in an upcoming episode too! I always love to hear from you - come over and find me on the show notes for this episode at www.livefablive.com/241 for Episode 241. This is where I’ll also link to the other things and episodes I've mentioned.

With that, I’ll see you right back again next time - bye for now!