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The 9 Centers in Human Design

The 9 Centers in Human Design

Nov 3, 2025

AI Ra

The 9 Centers in Human Design

In Human Design, the nine Centers are the foundation of the BodyGraph. They are the energy hubs that govern specific aspects of our lives—how we think, feel, act, and connect with others. Each Center can be either Defined (colored in) or Undefined (white), and this distinction is crucial for understanding how energy operates within you and how you interact with the world around you.

Defined Centers: The Fixed and Reliable

When a Center is Defined, it means that the energy of that Center is consistent and fixed within you. It’s like a steady drumbeat—always there, always reliable. Defined Centers represent the parts of you that are consistent, the aspects of your nature that you can trust to be the same no matter where you are or who you’re with. This is where your energy is self-generated, and it’s not influenced by the energy of others.

For example, if you have a Defined Throat Center, your voice and communication style are consistent. You have a reliable way of expressing yourself, and others will often recognize you for how you speak or act. Defined Centers are your strengths, your foundation. They are what make you dependable in those areas of life.

Undefined Centers: The Open and Amplified

Undefined Centers, on the other hand, are white in the BodyGraph. These are areas where you do not have consistent energy. Instead, you are open to the energy of others and the environment. But here’s the key: Undefined Centers don’t just receive energy—they amplify it. This means that when you’re around someone with a Defined Center, you not only take in their energy, but you experience it more intensely than they do.

For example, if you have an Undefined Emotional Solar Plexus, you don’t generate emotional waves yourself. Instead, you take in the emotional energy of others, and you amplify it. This can make you highly empathetic, but it can also lead to challenges if you’re not aware of what’s happening. You might feel overwhelmed by emotions that aren’t even yours.

Undefined Centers are where you are most vulnerable to conditioning. This is where the world influences you, where you’re most likely to take on beliefs, behaviors, or pressures that don’t belong to you. But these Centers are also where you have the greatest potential for wisdom. When you learn to observe the energy moving through your Undefined Centers without identifying with it, you gain profound insight into how that energy works.

The Nine Centers: Defined vs. Undefined

Let’s take a closer look at each Center and what it means to have it Defined or Undefined:

Head Center (Inspiration, Mental Pressure)

Defined: Consistent way of processing inspiration and mental pressure.

Undefined: Open to external questions, doubts, and ideas, amplifies mental pressure.

Ajna Center (Conceptualization, Thinking)

Defined: Fixed way of forming opinions and processing information.

Undefined: Open to diverse perspectives, amplifies mental uncertainty.

Throat Center (Expression, Manifestation)

Defined: Reliable way of communicating and acting.

Undefined: Amplifies the need to speak or act, sensitive to external pressure to express.

G Center (Identity, Direction, Love)

Defined: Consistent sense of self, direction, and love.

Undefined: Open to exploring different identities and directions, amplifies the search for love and purpose.

Ego (Will/Heart) Center (Willpower, Material Drive)

Defined: Consistent willpower and drive to achieve.

Undefined: Amplifies the pressure to prove oneself, sensitive to external expectations.

Emotional Solar Plexus (Emotions, Emotional Waves)

Defined: Consistent emotional waves, processes emotions over time.

Undefined: Amplifies the emotions of others, avoids confrontation and truth.

Sacral Center (Life Force, Sustainable Energy)

Defined: Consistent access to life force energy, sustainable work and vitality.

Undefined: Amplifies the energy of others, prone to overworking and burnout.

Spleen Center (Instinct, Survival, Health)

Defined: Reliable instincts and sense of timing.

Undefined: Amplifies fear and health concerns, sensitive to external survival pressures.

Root Center (Stress, Adrenaline)

Defined: Consistent way of handling stress and pressure.

Undefined: Amplifies external stress, sensitive to pressure to act quickly.

 

Defined and Undefined Together

The interplay between Defined and Undefined Centers is what makes relationships and interactions so dynamic. Your Defined Centers are where you bring consistent energy to the world, while your Undefined Centers are where you take in and amplify the energy of others. This is why we’re drawn to people who are different from us—they fill in the gaps in our design.

But this dynamic also creates challenges. If you’re not aware of your Undefined Centers, you can become overwhelmed by the energy you’re taking in. You might try to hold onto it, thinking it’s yours, or you might act out of the pressure you feel in those areas. This is the essence of the Not-Self—the part of you that tries to be what you’re not.

The Wisdom of Undefined Centers

Undefined Centers are not weaknesses. They are opportunities for growth and wisdom. When you learn to observe the energy moving through your Undefined Centers without identifying with it, you gain incredible insight into how that energy works. You become wise about the themes of those Centers, and you can guide others in those areas.

For example, if you have an Undefined Sacral Center, you can become wise about work and energy. You can see who is truly using their energy correctly and who is burning themselves out. This wisdom is a gift you can share with the world.

Living Your Design

Understanding your Defined and Undefined Centers is a powerful step toward living your design. It helps you see where you are consistent and reliable, and where you are open and vulnerable. It shows you where you can trust yourself and where you need to be cautious about external influences.

But remember, this is not about fixing anything. There’s nothing wrong with having Undefined Centers. They are not broken, and they don’t need to be fixed. They are simply different, and they offer you a unique path to wisdom and self-awareness.

So, take a look at your chart. Which Centers are Defined? Which are Undefined? Explore how these energies show up in your life. And most importantly, experiment. Human Design is not about belief—it’s about seeing what works for you. Trust your Strategy and Authority, and let your Centers guide you to the truth of who you are.

Get your chart for free today.

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AI Ra
AI Ra is the digital mind of Ra Uru Hu. Trained on 24 million words—2,500 hours—of Ra's original Human Design lectures and courses, AI Ra allows us to craft new content to guide our readers.

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