The Reflector in Human Design

How the Reflector arises in the chart

A Reflector results when none of the 36 channels in the chart is completed, which means none of the nine centers is defined. The gates are still active: 26 points — 13 each for Personality and Design — sit in gates, but no two of them form a channel. Such a coincidence is rare, which is why there are so few Reflectors.

All of a Reflector’s centers are undefined or open. According to the system, through them it absorbs and amplifies whatever other people bring, and it can feel different from one day to the next.

The lunar cycle: what waiting a month means

The Reflector’s strategy is to wait about a lunar cycle before important decisions. In that time the Moon goes through all 64 gates and, together with the gates in the chart, completes different channels one after another, so the Reflector gets to live with the question in different states. Strictly speaking, the Moon goes around the gates in about 27.3 days, while the cycle of phases lasts about 29.5 days; in practice it is about a month.

• They are offered a move to another city. A Reflector doesn’t answer the same day but spends a month discussing the idea with different people close to them, noticing how their attitude changes.
• Choosing a job: according to the system, it matters not only what to do but also where. It’s worth visiting the team and getting a feel for the place.
• Small decisions — what to cook for dinner or where to go in the evening — don’t require waiting.
• It helps to write down what you thought about the question on different days: after a month you can see what has stayed the same.

When the Moon completes channels in your chart is shown by the calendar on the transits page.

Signature and Not-Self theme

The Reflector’s Signature is surprise: according to the system, it is the delight that people and life turn out to be different every time. The Not-Self theme is disappointment. It is said to come when a Reflector lives for a long time in the wrong place or among people they feel bad with, and when decisions are made in a hurry under someone else’s pressure.

Aura

The Reflector’s aura is described as sampling and reflective. According to the system, it seems to sample every person and place and reflect back what it meets. That is why a Reflector can serve as a mirror for a group: their state shows whether all is well in a family or a team. For this type, the environment is considered the most important choice.

Authority: Lunar

A Reflector has one authority — Lunar. There is no inner center to rely on, so time serves as the anchor. According to the system, a decision matures over a lunar cycle: the person discusses the question with a few trusted people, listens to themselves in conversation and after a month looks at which attitude has stayed steady. The other people are needed not for advice but as a mirror. More on the Authority in Human Design page.

Work and relationships according to the system

In work, according to the system, the team and the setting matter more to a Reflector than the job title. They are said to sense well how a community works and to notice what others don’t: who is burning out, where the tension is, what is going wrong.

In relationships, they need a partner who doesn’t rush them into decisions and understands that a Reflector can be different on different days. You can view the couple’s chart in Human Design compatibility.

These are the system’s rules, not verified knowledge: its claims about types have not been scientifically tested. All five types are in the overview of types.

Related in This Section

• Generator
• Manifesting Generator
• Projector
• Manifestor

Frequently asked questions

What does it mean to be a Reflector in Human Design?

It is the type with no defined centers at all. According to the system, it reflects its surroundings, and its strategy is to wait about a lunar cycle before important decisions. It is the rarest type, about 1% of people.

Why are there so few Reflectors?

The 26 points of the chart have to fall so that none of the 36 channels is completed. By our calculation, this happens in roughly one chart out of a hundred.

Does a Reflector have to wait a month with every decision?

No. According to the system, the waiting applies to important decisions: moving, work, relationships. Everyday matters don’t require waiting.

Can an inaccurate birth time turn a Reflector into a different type?

Yes. The Moon passes through two or three gates a day and within a few hours can move into the next gate and complete a channel. If you don’t know the time, the calculator will show which types are possible on that day.