Authority in Human Design
Authority is the way of making decisions that the system derives from the defined centers of the chart. Below are all eight kinds, the order in which they are determined, and how common each one is. You can find your own authority with the chart calculator.
What authority is
Authority in Human Design is the way in which, according to the system, a person does best to make decisions. The mind (the Ajna and the Head Center) is not considered an authority: the system says it is good for reflection and for advising others, but not for your own decisions. Authority is determined by the defined centers in a strict order: the first one that applies is taken.
| Authority | When it occurs | Share | Which types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional | Solar Plexus | ≈52 % | Generator, MG, Projector, Manifestor |
| Sacral | Sacral Center | ≈31 % | Generator, MG |
| Splenic | Spleen | ≈9,5 % | Projector, Manifestor |
| Ego Manifested | Heart connected to the Throat | ≈1 % | Manifestor |
| Ego Projected | Heart connected to the G Center | ≈0,7 % | Projector |
| Self-Projected | G Center connected to the Throat | ≈2,5 % | Projector |
| Mental (Environmental) | only centers above the Throat | ≈2 % | Projector |
| Lunar | no defined centers | ≈1 % | Reflector |
The order matters: if the Solar Plexus is defined, the authority is Emotional, even when the Sacral Center and the Spleen are defined as well. That is why Sacral authority occurs only in Generators and Manifesting Generators without a defined Solar Plexus. The shares come from our own calculation on 4,000 random birth dates.
Emotional
In the system, with a defined Solar Plexus the right decision is not made in the moment. Emotions move in a wave from high to low, and clarity is thought to come not at the peak or at the bottom but over time. In practice this means putting off an important choice for a few days and seeing which attitude to it stays stable.
When it occurs: Solar Plexus. Types: Generator, MG, Projector, Manifestor. Share: ≈52%.
Sacral
The decision comes as an instant bodily response to a specific question: a sense of “yes” or “no” that is sometimes expressed in sounds like “uh-huh” and “uhn-uhn”. This response is thought to arise in the moment and to need no thinking over. It works best when others ask the question and it can be answered with a yes or a no.
When it occurs: Sacral Center. Types: Generator, MG. Share: ≈31%.
Splenic
In the system, the Spleen speaks about a decision once and quietly: it is an instant sensation, an instinct, a feeling that something “fits” or “doesn't fit” here and now. This signal is thought not to repeat and to be tied to a sense of safety, which is why the mind's arguments can easily drown it out. Deciding means noticing the first spontaneous impulse and trusting it.
When it occurs: Spleen. Types: Projector, Manifestor. Share: ≈9.5%.
Ego Manifested
This is what the system calls the authority when the Ego center (Heart) is directly connected to the Throat Center. The decision is heard in what the person spontaneously says about their desires and about what they are willing to take on. It is thought to be important to listen to your own words and check whether real desire and willingness stand behind them.
When it occurs: Heart connected to the Throat. Types: Manifestor. Share: ≈1%.
Ego Projected
Found in Projectors when the Ego center is connected to the G Center rather than to the Throat. The decision is checked with simple questions: what do I really want, what will it give me, and am I willing to put effort into it. The answer is thought to become clear when the person says it out loud in conversation with others.
When it occurs: Heart connected to the G Center. Types: Projector. Share: ≈0.7%.
Self-Projected
The authority of Projectors whose G Center is connected to the Throat Center without the motors being involved. In the system, the decision comes through speech: the person talks about the choice with people they trust and hears in their own voice what fits their direction. The other people are needed not for advice but as listeners.
When it occurs: G Center connected to the Throat. Types: Projector. Share: ≈2.5%.
Mental (Environmental)
Mental Projectors have only the centers above the Throat defined, and possibly the Throat itself, so there is no inner authority in the body. In the system, the decision takes shape through conversations with different people the person trusts and through the feel of the environment. The mind here is thought to serve for discussion and observation rather than for the final choice, and there is no need to hurry.
When it occurs: only centers above the Throat. Types: Projector. Share: ≈2%.
Lunar
The authority of Reflectors: no center is defined, so time serves as the anchor. In the system, over a lunar cycle the Moon passes through all 64 gates, and the person gets to live with the question in different states. An important choice is put off for this period, talked over with people close to them, and they see what stays the same.
When it occurs: no defined centers. Types: Reflector. Share: ≈1%.
Authority and strategy
In the system, your type's strategy tells you when to get involved (wait to respond, wait for the invitation, inform), and your authority tells you how to know that a decision is truly yours. You can find your authority with the chart calculator: it is shown next to your type and profile.
An Honest Look at the Method
Human Design was created in 1987 by one man, Ra Uru Hu, and its claims have never been scientifically tested. We describe the rules of the system as they are and write the interpretations in our own words, not as knowledge about you.
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Frequently asked questions
What does Emotional authority mean?
In the system, this is the case for half of all people: with a defined Solar Plexus, clarity doesn't come at once but only after the emotional wave has passed. The advice is to put off important decisions and see which attitude stays stable.
Why can't the mind be an authority?
In the system, the Ajna and the Head Center are the centers of awareness and of mental pressure. They are thought to be good for analysis and for advising others, but the mind makes decisions about your own life less well than the body does.
What is Mental (Environmental) authority?
It occurs in Projectors who have only the centers above the Throat defined. The system advises them to make decisions by talking them through out loud with people they trust and by listening to their environment.
Can your authority change?
No: it follows from the birth chart. According to the teaching, transits don't change it either.