A Simple Way to Understand Your Human Design Authority

There’s a lot to learn in Human Design, so it’s best to start simple and get a handle on your Human Design Type through your Authority – which is part of how you make decisions.

The 5 Human Design Types

If you’ve come across Human Design, you’ll know there are five distinct Human Design Types: –

1. The Generator
2. The Manifesting Generator
3. The Manifestor
4. The Projector
5. The Reflector.

Your chart is created from five ancient and modern systems combined into one cohesive map:

• The I Ching (Chinese wisdom and prediction system with 64 Gates, or hexagrams)
• The Tree of Life / Kabbalah (ancient Jewish mysticism)
• The Hindu Chakra System
• The Human Genome experiment (64 codons in human DNA)
• Western Astrology

That’s a lot of dense information! So, where do you start?

As you learn about Human Design, it’s important to set the following frame of reference, especially if you discover that you are the same Type or Authority as a friend, partner, or colleague.

Just because two people are the same Human Design Type, they do not contain the same type of Soul or set of intentions as the next person.

Our Souls are the source of our being, and our Human Design Types are the vehicles we have chosen for this lifetime.

Human Design can inform us about our Life Purpose, and much, much more. Life is an individual Soul journey, even if the Human Design Type, or other factors on your chart, are the same, even for identical twins. You are still separate Souls!

One simple way to begin understanding your Human Design Type is to notice how you respond to the need to make decisions through your interactions with people, places, opportunities, or even ideas.

Let’s Start By Discovering Your Human Design Through Your Authority

How do you respond to the need for decision-making from the perspective of your Human Design Type?

This is called your Human Design Authority.

The Generator

Generators respond to the world through the gut — that deep, physical sense of “yes” or “no.”

When something is aligned for you, you might:

• Nod vigorously or say “Yes!” out loud
• Feel an intuitive surge of excitement or recognition
• Sense warmth, safety, or joy in your gut — that unmistakable hunch
• Get energized, knowing that this project, person, or idea is meant for you

When something isn’t aligned, your body says so too:

• You shake your head or feel resistance
• You might say “No,” or feel blocked or heavy inside
• There’s a sense of frustration, or that your energy is being drained

Generators are here to create through their responses.

Your power lies in waiting for what life brings you — and responding from your gut truth.

There are Two Types of Generator Authorities: the Emotional Generator and the Pure Generator.

The Pure Generator gets the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ from the Sacral Chakra, below the belly button.

The Emotional Generator gets that hunch, too. However, since your Human Design Authority comes from your Solar Plexus Chakra, you will need to take time to tap into the wisdom of your emotions, too.

Some famous Pure Generators: Pamela Anderson, Pete Buttigieg, Megan Markle, Alan Tudyk.

Some famous Emotional Generators: Christina Aguilera, Isaac Asimov, Gloria Estefan, Cesar Millan.

Not sure of your Human Design Type or Authority? Feel free to message me for a free chart and short report.

The Manifesting Generator

Manifesting Generators (MGs) are similar to Generators — you have that same gut-based yes/no — but you also have a defined Throat Center, which means your responses are often verbal and quickly expressed.

You might find yourself “weighing the scales” or talking through your decision process:

“I’d love to do this, but…”
“Have I really thought this through?”
“Maybe I’d prefer this instead…”

You may even feel a little “wobbly” while you decide — one foot out the door, the other double-checking the plan!

MGs are multi-passionate builders, here to find efficient shortcuts and follow inspiration. Your key is to respond first, then inform before you act.

There are Two Types of Manifesting Generator Authorities: the Pure Manifesting Generator and the Emotional Manifesting Generator

The Manifesting Generator also has two sub-types of Human Design Authority, as does the Generator (see above).

As a Pure Manifesting Generator – the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response from the gut is your go-to.

For the Emotional Manifesting Generator, learn to tap into the wisdom of your Solar Plexus. Process your emotions before taking the next step, and speak about your intent before acting. This will help with your wobble.

Some Famous Pure Manifesting Generators: Roseanne Barr, Bjork, Karen Carpenter, Ben Falcone, Matt Dillon, Elton John.

Some Famous Emotional Manifesting Generators: David Beckham, Jimi Hendrix, Sinead O’Connor, Tori Amos.

The Manifestor

Manifestors have a dense, self-contained aura that can make them hard to read. Others might not immediately see what’s going on inside, but that doesn’t mean we’re not responding.

As a Manifestor (this is me), you feel energy deeply. You’re often sensing, formulating, or building momentum before anyone else even realizes something’s happening.

Manifestors live in their own energetic bubble. You might not react in the moment, but later, after processing, you act because you initiate.

When I was a child, people often thought I was aloof or “had my nose in the air.”

In truth, I was usually thinking about how to help someone or stop a bullying situation.

That’s the Manifestor energy — internal, reflective, and quietly planning how to make an impact.

Because of this, Manifestors are sometimes misunderstood or projected upon.

But our true role is to initiate change — to start movements, ideas, designs, or new ways of being.

Manifestors are powerful and magnetic. We can be triggering, too, depending on others’ readiness for change.

The Three Human Design Authority Types of Manifestor Authorities: Emotional, Splenic, and Heart (Ego)

Manifestors always do best by informing others as they go along on their creative journeys. Making decisions can happen: –

• Through the Spleen Chakra (Splenic) – immediate, and informed by the environment or people around them.
• Through tapping into the Solar Plexus (Emotional), the seat of the emotions, and gaining emotional clarity over time.
• Through leaning into your heart’s desire (Heart) or strong will to do something through the Heart Chakra (called a Heart Manifestor, or Ego Manifestor on some sites).

Famous Splenic Manifestors: Maya Angelou, Amy Poehler, Jennifer Aniston, Daryl Hall, Bruce Springsteen, Wanda Sykes.

Famous Emotional Manifestors: Adele, Jane Austen, Kathleen Turner, George Michael, Orson Welles, J.R.R. Tolkien

Famous Heart Manifestors: Wanda Sykes, Renee Zellweger, Dionne Warwick, Slash, Al Pacino, and Lindsay Buckingham.

The Projector

Projectors are relatively new to our human story — they began appearing around the mid-1700s.

If you’re a Projector, you’re here to guide, manage, and lead — ideally through insight, not force.

Projectors are naturally wise observers, tuned to recognize how energy flows best. You see systems clearly, and you can help others operate more efficiently.

However, your role isn’t about pushing in or trying to be heard. You shine brightest when you’re invited — when others recognize your wisdom and ask for your input.

Projectors often face challenges early in life because of their cone-shaped, pointed aura (think of one cone of that famous Madonna bra pointed outwards!).

This ‘pointy’ energy focus can feel invasive to some, so a Projector’s natural leadership may be misunderstood or resisted.

Taylor Swift, for example, demonstrates how Projectors can disrupt established systems through authenticity, intelligence, and leadership that challenge the status quo.

If you’re a Projector, accept invitations regularly and get welcomed in. That’s how your energy flows best, when others see you and welcome your guidance.

Then you’ll feel less pointed, and people will welcome your clear way of seeing things.

If you know a Projector, invite them for coffee, ask their opinion, and really listen. You’ll always learn something new about yourself in the process.

Projectors Have the Most Human Design Authority Types: Splenic, Emotional, Heart, G-Self or Self-Projected, and No Authority (aka Mental Projector)

Projectors are here to lead and guide, so their incarnation possibilities run into 5 different potential Human Design Authorities, some of which you will have seen before in this article because they relate to other Types.

So, the five potential Authorities a Projector may have are: –

• Splenic – through the Spleen Chakra. Splenic Projectors can emanate a feeling of safety, as they review all options for change from their spleen-based sonar pings, keeping us safe.
• Emotional – like other Human Design Types I’ve mentioned before, using the Solar Plexus and the wisdom of emotions to gain clarity on what a Projector sees, hears, feels, and senses around them.
• Heart (or Ego-Projected on some sites) – the heart Chakra and the heart’s desire help to focus clear decisions for this type of Projector as they scan the world around them.
• G-Self or Self-Projected (depending on the site). The Identity or G-Self Chakra is one of the new Chakras introduced into Human Design, along with the Spleen Chakra. Self-Projected Projectors can learn to master the delicate task of inner knowing – they just ‘know’ something to be correct, or the next step, as it floats through their Identity or G-Self like a butterfly.
• Mental Projector – No Authority. Two different potential Chakra patterns result in a Projector having ‘No Authority’. What this means is that your decision-making comes from gathering data from the outside, and it must relate to your inner truth.

Famous Splenic Projectors: Taylor Swift, Rosanna Arquette, Emily Bronte, Chip Gaines, Bradley Cooper, Steve Winwood, Roy Orbison.

Famous Emotional Projectors: Bridgitte Bardot, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Jon Bon Jovi, Steve Carell, and President Jimmy Carter.

Famous Heart Projectors: Lisa Rinna, Nancy Farmer, Lee Anne Womack, Wayne Dyer, Dan Rather, Luke Perry.

Famous Self-Projected Projectors: Viola Davis, Joan Jett, Barbara Streisand, Tom Brokaw, Steven Spielberg, Sam Waterston.

Famous Mental Projectors: Amelia Earhart, Princess Anne, Serena Williams, Axl Rose, Duff McKagan, Pablo Picasso, Jay Leno.

The Reflector

Reflectors are the rarest of all Human Design Types — only about 1% of people on Earth.

Imagine a person who is almost completely open energetically, feeling and reflecting the world around them like a mirror.

Reflectors can sense others’ emotions, energies, and even collective moods almost instantly. This can be incredibly powerful — and also exhausting if not managed well.

In my years of reading for clients, I’ve only met one Reflector so far, and recently discovered that a childhood friend is a Reflector too!

Reflectors have enormous potential. Many have lived lifetimes as spiritual teachers, healers, or wise souls working in higher vibration.

But that sensitivity can also mean they’ve known struggle, overwhelm, or burnout in denser environments.

If you’re a Reflector, your path is about clarity and cleansing — creating space to feel what’s yours and what’s not.

When you live an energetically clear life, you become an exquisite barometer for truth and harmony — a living reflection of the world’s state of balance.

Reflectors Have One Human Design Authority Type: No Authority

Because of their unique energetic nature, Reflectors make decisions very differently from all the other Human Design Types — even the Projectors.

Reflectors thrive when they give themselves time, ideally aligning their decisions with the Lunar Cycle.

If you’re a Reflector facing a big decision, try this: set a date in your calendar 29 days ahead, and let that full lunar cycle guide your process.

During those 29 days, gather information, observe your environment, and notice how your feelings and insights shift throughout the month.

By the end of the cycle, your clarity will naturally emerge. This slower, more reflective rhythm allows you to make choices that truly align with your energy — and others will notice the grounded, wise quality of your decisions.

For reference, Beatrix Potter was a Reflector — a wonderful example of someone who saw the world through a unique lens and translated that vision into enduring creative expression.

Famous Reflectors: Margaret Atwood, Beatrix Potter, Sandra Bullock, Richard Burton, Uri Geller, Gore Vidal, Peter Dinklage.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, from the perspective of Human Design Authority, decision-making is far more nuanced than simply “being logical” or “going with your gut.”

Understanding your unique Authority can reveal why certain decisions have felt effortless — and why others have felt like pushing against the current.

It also helps us recognize how we’ve been conditioned to make choices in ways that may not suit our natural design.

Ultimately, we all want to make decisions that feel right, not just in the moment, but in the long run.

Learning to connect with your Human Design Authority is one of the most powerful ways to do exactly that.

Learn More About the Human Design Readings I Offer

What is Your Unique Human Design?

I hope you have enjoyed this article about Human Design Authorities.

To receive a short chart report and a free Human Design Chart, message me through the client portal.

Would you like a Human Design Reading with me? I’d suggest beginning with the Life Purpose Reading.

If you’d like to learn more, I’ve written a short introduction to Human Design as a PDF; you can download it below.