Episode 184: Your Human Design Authority - How Do You Best Make Decisions?
How do you make decisions? Do you make a pro vs con list? Do you “go with your gut?” Do you overthink? What’s your decision-making process and how is it working for you?
In Human Design, each person has an “Authority” - your inner guidance system on the best way for you to make decisions.
In this episode, we explore:
The seven possible Authorities
How they are determined
What each Authority is about and how to lean into them to guide your decisions
Listen to the Episode:
Mentioned in this Episode:
Episode 182: Human Design Non-Sacral Types and Their Strategies
Episode 166: A Foundational Breakdown of Your Human Design Chart
Connect with Naomi:
Share the Episode:
“Your Human Design Authority is your inner guidance system. Think of it as your own personal GPS system that helps you navigate how to make decisions. What’s the best way for your decision-making process, because it’s not the same for everyone. Unlike Type and Strategy, just because we might have the same Type and Strategy, that doesn’t mean that we’re going to have the same Authority.”
Read the Transcript:
Hello and welcome to a new episode of The Live FAB Life Podcast. I'm your host Naomi Nakamura, and we’re continuing with our introduction into Human Design.
As I said in the last episode I'm laying the groundwork, talking about the introductory, foundational parts of Human Design because while I can’t wait to dive in and cover the more advanced parts of Human Design, like your primary health system, we can’t really go there until we understand the foundational pieces.
We can’t run before we walk.
It’s like I tell clients who ask me about what the Digestion and Environment parts in their Human Design charts. Until you have a solid understanding of your Type, Strategy and Authority, I don’t want to even go there.
I equate it to health coaching clients who want to try some really advanced, complicated diet or want to go into advanced, expensive lab work, but still are hooked on sugar, on highly processed food, who aren’t exercising regularly and aren’t sleeping.
Take care of the basics, the core foundations first because it might be all you need. Furthermore, I don’t really think you can grasp the full enormity of any advanced topic until you have a solid understanding of the basics.
So that’s why I’ve dedicated three episodes to Type, Strategy and Authority because if you know nothing else about Human Design, just knowing these three things from your Human Design chart can be transformational for you.
If you don’t have any interest in learning more about Human Design, although I suspect you do, just knowing your Type and Strategy, what we covered in Episodes 182 and 183, and then your Authority, what we’ve talking about in this episode, will be powerful.
When it comes to your Human Design Authority, it’s all about decision-making. How you make decisions. So let me ask you, “How do you make decisions?”
Do you pull out a piece of paper and write down a pro versus cons list? I've done that many times over.
Do you follow your gut?
Do you have to talk things about and ask others for their input?
Are you an overthinker?
Whatever your process is, how is it working for you?
Most of these are valid strategies to use, the exception being overthinking, but is it the right strategy for you?
As I’ve said before, blanket statement advice doesn't work for everyone so telling everyone to “go with your gut” or “follow your heart” literally doesn't work for everyone.
So, today, we’re going to talk about the different Human Design authorities, how they’re determined, what they mean and how to lean into them.
In Human Design, every person has an authority. But unlike your Type and your Strategy, which go together with each other, it’s a little different with Authorities.
For example, you and I could both be Projectors who need to wait for the invitations, but we may not have the same different Authority.
Before I get into the specifics of that, let’s talk about what your Authority is.
To put it simply, your Authority is your inner guidance system. Think of it as your own personal GPS system that helps you navigate how to make decisions. What’s the best way for your decision-making process, because it’s not the same for everyone, right?
To learn more about Authorities, unlike Type and Strategy, just because we might have the same Type and Strategy, that doesn't mean that we're going to have the same Authority.
There are seven different Authorities that we can have. How your Authority is determined is based upon your Human Design body graph chart, specifically, what centers in your chart are defined.
So, in Episode 166, I shared a breakdown of the Human Design body graph chart and the nine energy centers. If a center is colored in, it’s defined. And if it’s not colored in, and it’s white, it’s either undefined or opened.
And so, depending on what centers in your chart are defined, that's going to determine what your Authority is. So, let’s go through each of the seven possible Authorities and I'll explain how it's determined on your chart.
But before I do, let me just share that, in my opinion, learning how to lean into your Authority is a lifelong journey. Everything about Human Design is a lifelong journey.
So, with that, let's get started.
The very first Authority in Human Design is the Emotional Authority. The reason why it’s first, is that if your Solar Plexus center is defined, and your Solar Plexus center is on the bottom right side of your chart, if that center is colored in and defined, that automatically makes you have an Emotional Authority.
So, when we look at someone’s chart, that's the first center we look at; that's the order of operations. It starts with the Solar Plexus center
If you have an Emotional Authority, you're all about your feelings. When your Solar Plexus center is defined, this means that you're always creating and emanating, giving off, emotional energy.
And so, you my friend, you're governed by your feelings. It’s so appropriate for you to let yourself feel things out, feel your emotional highs and emotional lows. This is natural for you.
In Human Design we call the emotional highs and emotional lows, “waves.” So, when it comes to having an Emotional Authority, you best make decisions by riding out your emotional waves. Ride out the emotional highs at the emotional lows, and in between those waves, when you’re feeling even keeled that's when you want to make decisions.
Wait for the clarity that comes in between your waves.
If you're feeling exceptionally high, that’s not the time for you to make a decision; neither is when you’re feeling. So, what this means is that spontaneity is not for you. Neither is blanket statement advice like “following your gut” and “listening to your heart.” It’s not for you.
So, if you have an Emotional Authority, you really want to observe, and to know what your emotional highs and lows feel like, so you can know when you're in between those moments.
Wait for the moments of clarity that come in between your waves - that's the best way for you to make your decisions.
Next, in the order of operations for Authorities is the Sacral Authority. I spent the past two episodes talking about the Sacral center and how it’s all about your lifeforce energy.
So, if your Solar Plexus center is white and not colored in, but your Sacral center is colored in, then you are a Sacral authority. The Sacral authority is all about the gut. And physically, on the Human Design charts, that's where the Sacral center is located – at the gut.
So, if you have a Sacral authority, you are governed by your gut and how you make decisions.
“Following your gut”, your gut instincts and your gut feeling is appropriate for you. Whenever you feel that nagging, pulling feeling in your gut, the butterflies in your belly, lean in and listen to it.
One way to develop clarity with your gut is to ask yourself binary questions because your gut can’t answer open ended questions. Asking your gut, “What should I do about this?” isn’t ideal.
Rather, ask your gut, binary questions, two option questions – “Yes or no”, “this or that”, “true or false.” You get the idea.
And make your decisions based upon how excited you feel, or you don't feel in your gut, about something.
One other note if you have a Sacral Authority - you have the gift of always knowing whether something is right for you, or not. You have this divine sense of timing. And you always when something is right for you, and when enough is enough. When you’ve had enough to eat, enough sleep, enough exercise – you have the gift of moderation. Not everyone has this – so embrace it!
Third in the order of operations is the Splenic Authority. If your Solar Plexus and Sacral centers are both white and undefined, but your Splenic center is shaded in and defined, this makes you have a Splenic Authority.
I have a Splenic Authority, and we're all about our instincts.
If you have a Splenic Authority, you have the gift of discernment, an inner knowing that speaks in the moment. It’s a knowing that isn’t from our logical minds because we can’t always explain it.
When I was first learning about having a Splenic Authority, one question I had, that you may have too is, “What's the difference between gut feeling and instincts?”
Gut feelings from the Sacral center feel like a nagging, pulling, vibrational feeling in your gut. It's the butterflies in your belly.
Whereas instincts from the Spleen aren’t gut feelings, but rather a knowing. A feeling of discernment that can’t always be explained. It's like a whisper in your mind that happens in the moment and can go away as quickly as it appeared. So having a Splenic Authority is all about spontaneity and trusting our instincts. It’s about welcoming, paying attention, and honoring our quiet moments.
I find that it helps to have a notepad or a voice memo app ready to capture the thoughts that come in those quiet moments because once it’s gone, it’s gone. And if you're not in tune at the moment, you can easily miss it.
It’s also helpful to calm your nervous system. Episodes 174 and 175 are all about the nervous system – and that was selfishly intentional as I wanted to learn more about calming my nervous system, having a Splenic Authority.
Next, in the order of operations is the Ego Authority.
If your Solar Plexus, Sacral, and Splenic centers are not shaded in and white they’re undefined. And your Heart center, the tiny little triangle on the right side of your chart is colored in and defined, this makes you have an Ego Authority.
If you have an Ego Authority, you’re all about your Heart - makes sense right, since it’s based on a defined Heart center.
So, if this is you, listening to your heart IS appropriate for you. You best make decisions by asking yourself, “Is this something that my heart truly wants, or not?” “Is this something I want because I truly want it, or am expected to want it? Or do I think I want it because everyone's telling me that I should want this?”
So, if you have an Ego Authority, clarity comes when you talk things out; when you discuss things long enough for your true heart's desires to come out and emerge.
Like I said, ask yourself, “Do I really want this? Or is this something that everyone expects me to want but I actually don't want it? Will this get me what I really truly need?
That’s the Ego Authority.
Moving on, next is the Self-Projected Authority.
As you probably guessed, if your Solar Plexus, Sacral, Splenic, and Heart centers are undefined, but your G-Center, the one that’s right in the middle of your chart, is colored in and defined, this makes you a Self-Projected Authority
Self-Projected Authorities are exclusive only to Projectors.
If you go back and listen to Episode 182, I talked about what makes a Projector a Projector, in terms of the Human Design chart. So, if you have all those other four centers undefined, not colored in, but your G-Center is defined, this can only happen if you’re a Projector, and this is what makes you have a Self-Projected Authority.
With the G-Center governing your identity and sense of direction in life, having a Self-Projected Authority is all about knowing who you are and where you want to go in this world. Clarity comes to you when you’re able to talk things out with someone else.
Their opinion and advice don’t matter; it has no bearing on your decisions, you just need to hear yourself put things into words for the clarity to come to you.
Can you see how blanket statement advice like, “go with your gut” and “follow your heart” truly doesn’t work for everyone? It’s the bio-individuality that goes beyond our plates, or what I talked about in Episode 180.
Next in line is what is called Mental Authority.
If any of the three centers at the top of your Human Design chart, the Head, Ajna and Throat centers are shaded in and defined, and all the other centers on your chart below the Throat center is white, and undefined or open, then you have a Mental Authority.
I haven't had any clients who I've done readings for yet, who have a Mental Authority – its rather rare, and also exclusive only to Projectors.
If you have a Mental Authority, you're all about observing and seeing the world around you, which correlates to the Head Ajna centers being observing and seeing what’s going on in the world.
So, if you have a Mental Authority, clarity comes to you from your surroundings, what’s around you. So, my friend, put yourself in a place that feels safe for you. Then observe and look for clues in what's going on around you. That's going to help you make decisions.
Lastly, in the order of operations for Authorities, is the Lunar Authority. And the Lunar Authority is exclusive to Reflectors.
Because the Lunar Authority is for people who have no defined centers – all the energy centers in their Human Design chart are white, undefined, or open.
If you recall from Episode 182, those with no defined centers in their Human Design charts are automatically Reflectors.
And as such, that automatically makes them have a Lunar Authority - exclusive to Reflectors.
Lunar Authorities are all about following the moon cycle – the Lunar cycle. Clarity comes when you give yourself that time to make a decision. Follow the 28-day moon cycle.
So, Lunar authority friends, you don't want to rush things. Take your time, and let things come to you.
And there you have it my friends. That's a quick overview of the seven Authorities of Human Design. There's emotional authority that's all about the Solar Plexus, center, the Sacral Authority that's all about the Sacral center, the Splenic Authority that's all about the Splenic center, the Ego authority that’s all about the Heart center, the Self-Projected Authority that's all about identity and the G-Center, the Mental Authority, that's all about the either Head, Ajna and/or Throat center, and then of course the Lunar Authority that happens when one all the centers in one’s chart is completely undefined or open.
So, if you know what your Authority is, you can look at your Human Design chart and understand why you have the Authority that you do and how to best lean into it.
And if you don't have your Human Design chart yet, you can go to www.geneticmatrix.com to look it up, and I’ll have a link to it in the show notes for this episode which you'll find at www.livefablife.com/184 for Episode 184.
Then when you get your chart, come back and listen to this episode, and the rest of the episodes on Human Design. I recommend also checking out the posts on Authority that I have on my Instagram account at @livefablifewithnaomi that has some additional tips for each Authority.
And if you'd like to explore your chart more, and learn how to integrate your Type, Strategy and Authority into your daily life - your health, work, relationships, really any aspect of your life, then I book a reading with me and let’s dive into your chart. You can find more information on how to do that at www.livefablife.com/services.
Sharing one’s Human Design chart with someone and helping them understand what’s in their chart, seeing their excitement and the validation that they feel when they learn about their chart, is truly one of my most favorite things to do.
So, we’ve covered the core foundations of Human Design – Type, Strategy, and Authority. If you learn nothing else about Human Design, just integrating these three things will give you so much insight to help you navigate life with less resistance and more ease.
Now of course, because I’m me, there’s so much more to explore about Human Design, and we’re going there! In fact, in the next few episodes we're diving into the nine energy centers because as you can see, they’re what determines your Type, Strategy and Authority.
We're gonna dive into what each center is, what they represent, what they mean, and how they work together. So, I welcome you to listen in and continue the conversation.
If you have any questions, if you want to reach out to me, you can leave a comment on the show notes for this episode or come find me on Instagram - I’m happy to chat with you!
That's it for this week. Have a good week and I'll see you right back here again next time. Bye for now.
Naomi Nakamura is a Health x Human Design coach who’s creating a healthier society through aligned energy.
She blends a bespoke mix of Functional Nutrition and Human Design to help others shift into alignment to leverage and correctly manage their energy to support their body, mind, and spirit.
She believes that when we embrace our authenticity and lean into our bio-individuality, we naturally live a life of freedom, empowerment, and optimal health.
Naomi resides in the San Francisco Bay Area and can often be found exploring the area with her puppy girl, Coco Pop!
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