Your Human Design Type is the broadest aspect of how you are energetically designed to engage with the world around you. It’s the first thing we look at within the Human Design system, and it determines your Strategy; the way for you to operate in the world without resistance, become aligned with your authentic self, and “win” in life.
The following analogy, which I learned (and tweaked) from Brittany Eastman, can help with understanding your Type and how you are designed to fit into and contribute to the collective.
The Manifestor, as an initiator, forms an idea and is designed to make it happen. The Manifestor informs everyone “I’m going to go on a day trip to the forest today, it’s going to be epic and so much fun! I’m not sure how I’ll get there yet, but will work it out. Who’s in?”
The Generator is designed to respond to what comes towards them in their external physical reality. Our Generator responds to the Manifestor’s idea with excitement: “That sounds awesome! Count me in! I’ve got a car, so I can take a carload of us.” The Generator helps the Manifestor fulfil the vision because she has a vehicle that can drive them to the destination, and the key to her ignition is her excited response. The Generator also has a GPS system fitted in her car, so she has the ability to get to the destination in a focused and direct manner.
The Manifesting Generator (MG) is also designed to respond. “Yes! That sounds ace! I’m in too! I’ve got a car as well, I’ll take the second carload.” The MG has rounded up her passengers & driven down the street before the Generator is even off the couch. The MG’s vehicle doesn’t have a GPS; she wings it, knowing that she will find her way there. If the MG gets 2 minutes down the road and her car’s engine warning lights up because the motor is on the verge of dying, she’s realised that actually, she’s not so excited about this day trip now after all. At that point, it’s important for the MG to take the passengers back home so they can catch a lift with someone else, otherwise they’ll all end up stranded and no one will be happy.
The Projector is the person in the traffic report helicopter, who hovers in the sky looking down upon the road network, and with her unique perspective she’s able to see where the traffic jams are. She broadcasts her traffic report via the radio, into the vehicles of the Generators and MGs who are tuned in and receptive, offering advice and guidance on which roads to avoid and which route to take in order to arrive at their destination in the most efficient time possible.
The Reflector works at the roads authority, in the control room, in front of the wall of screens that display the live feed of all the CCTV cameras situated across the entire road network. Her computer is hooked up to all the incoming information about the road system, so she has an amazing overview of how well it’s working; she’s tapped into the general condition or health of the road system as a whole, enabling her to provide reports for the roads authority so that issues can be addressed and improvements made.
This analogy demonstrates how each Type works together in co-operation and synergy. Each with their own role to play, they have a unique contribution to make to the collective. No one Type is better or worse, more or less valuable, or more or less desirable. They’re all unique in their own incredible way, with their place in society, and if they try to force their way outside of that natural and inherent way of operating in the world, they’ll encounter resistance and struggle.
Please keep in mind, this is a basic analogy to kickstart understanding of Type. It’s not about imposing limits on what a person is capable of. It’s important not to jump to conclusions about what people can or cannot do or achieve based on Type, without a deeper understanding of the nuances of their Human Design and consideration of their unique attributes; Type reveals how we best engage with the world, but it’s such a small part of who we are as individuals.
Discover your Type by generating your free Human Design chart here.