Understanding our channels in our Human Design Chart is essential for unlocking and expanding in our natural gifts. It is where we are truly recognized as our divine unique selves. At the heart of our channels in Human Design, we want to understand the circuitry first before diving into the details, meaning, and characteristics of the channel.
But first, let’s do a little recap, overview, and lay the foundation of what a channel is before we go into the circuitry.
What is a Channel in Human Design?
Channels are essential components that play a crucial role in shaping the way our life force is here to be expressed (unless you are a Reflector, in which you will not have any channels).
Channels in Human Design are pathways (or the lines in the Bodygraph) that connect two energy centers forming a consistent flow of energy.
These channels are derived from the 64 gates, and their activation contributes to the definition of specific aspects of our life force and gifts. Understanding channels is pivotal in comprehending the intricate tapestry of our individual designs.
These pathways, in turn, have a profound impact on various facets of an individual’s personality and behavior.
A Channel in Human Design represents a specific theme or aspect of our life. Each Channel has its unique qualities and influences the way an individual experiences and expresses various aspects of their personality, behavior, and expression of their natural talents.
Channel Circuitry encompasses how these channels operate and show up in the BodyGraph. It refers to the overall network of energy pathways and how they shape an individual’s unique energetic makeup.
Your Circuitry has a lot of impact of how you show up and feel in the world! We are moving out of an era that has been very tribal into a more individualistic centered era.
Sidenote: Every 411 years we go through global cycles, so for the last 411 years we were in the Cross of Planning. This had to do with the building and sustainment of systems such as governments, schools, banks, family, marriages, hospitals, etc. However, in 2027 we move from the Cross of Planning to the Cross of the Sleeping Phoenix.
In 2020, we have already seen the breakdown of a lot of our tribal systems and as the years have progressed and getting closer to 2027, we have been moving on a path of more individual and spiritual growth, empowerment, and enlightenment!
Now back to the circuitry! If you are someone who has predominantly individual or collective channels you may not feel you “fit in” or are comfortable in “tribe” like settings or groups. Well, it is for a reason!! It is in your design! And not just your design, in your life force!
So, you may be wondering, how do I know my circuitry in my chart? Am I more individual? Am I all collective? Do I belong in the tribe?
You will first want to locate your channels, then refer to the picture below to see where your channels are in the circuitry of the three.
The 3 Types of Channel Circuitry in Human Design:
Individual Circuitry
There are 3 different sub circuit groups in individual circuitry.
We have the knowing circuit, integrating circuit, and centering circuit. For the purpose of this article, we are going to go over the very basics of each circuitry (individual, tribal, and collective) and not go TOO much into the details of the sub circuits for each.
The individual channels and circuitry are all about knowing. You know that you know, and you don’t know how you know. That is a huge theme for the individual channels. The conditioning can be to question your knowing, double check and fact check, and when you analyze your knowing it can go into confusion and condition you to be in your not-self.
There is also a deafness to the individual circuitry. You could tell them something 5 times before it lands for them, if it is meant to. That is how the individual works, it isn’t personal it is how the circuitry is designed. The individual is meant to find their own way, come to terms and things in a mutative process, and not go with the norm.
The circuitry for the individual is a pulse, it is a stuckness and a melancholy. You cannot time the individual and its pulse into its knowing, transformation, or mutation.
So, the energy can feel like it is stuck, stuck, stuck, omg…. I am stuck I don’t know what I am going to do, and some low waves of energy and melancholic feelings. But the beautiful thing with melancholy and the stuckness is that it can provide creativity, artistic expression, and allowance of what is getting ready to pulse, change, and mutate.
One of the best things we can do for the individual circuitry and channels is to allow their timing, to not rush the emotions and energy to pass through the melancholy waves, to dive into the ebbs and flows of the circuitry and allow what is wanting to be there. The pulse, meaning the change through the pulse, happens when it is meant to.
The individual is here to self-empower and empower the other! When someone who has more individual channels than the other circuitries they can be seen as an “outcast” or different because they are VERY individual. But what happens with this is that when they are recognized for their individuality, invited (sort of like the projector) to share their genius, and then they get to empower those that recognize them!!
There is no one else like the individual, there is great genius and uniqueness in their channels and circuitry! It is one of a kind, you cannot replicate it!
The shadow side of the individual circuitry is that they can be more self-focused, which may be interpreted as self-absorbed. Meaning that their circuitry causes them to be more inward, focusing on their unique genius, what sparks their interest, focusing on their inner world, what their channel(s) are pulling them into so that the other can recognize their unique genius and it gets to empower others from it. Trust me, it’s a process!
Tribal Circuitry
There are 2 sub circuit groups for Tribal circuitry. We have the defense circuit and the ego circuit.
Tribal circuitry is all about support. It is support of your tribe, your group, and your people (could be job, family, organization, etc.)
The tribe provides a warmth and takes care of their people, when you follow the tribe’s values, ways of thinking, and customs that is.
The shadow side of tribal circuitry can be “my tribe” vs. “your tribe.” We see this a lot with religious organizations saying their religion is better than another religion, or our views are better than your views, etc.
Also, falling out with family members when certain INDIVIDUALS who were not designed to be tribal were kicked out of the tribe. Albeit they had no knowledge of this intel and Human Design, but this is what we see a lot!
But we need the tribe! When we are building and running a business and/or providing and caring for a family the tribe is designed to support. This is how the babies are brought into the world, how they are tended to, resources for our tribe to be administered, and defending our loved ones when we need to.
Tribal circuitry has their tribes back! Honoring the differences of others and agreeing to disagree on certain things (like how someone likes to dress, what they choose to do with their life, whom they love, etc.) can decrease the tribal tendency of fighting, blaming, shaming, and ultimately war.
The funny thing about tribal circuitry is if you look at the picture above that outlines each circuitry is that the head, ajna, and G center are not included in tribal circuitry. So, the thoughts (Head center), beliefs (Ajna Center), and self-love, direction, and identity (G Center) are not included. Something to think about! Or not!
An example of tribal circuitry: If we look at Will Smith’s Human Design Chart, I believe his only channel is the channel of mating (59-6) which is a very tribal emotional and even MASCULINE aspect of the Bodygraph. (Yes! The side of the emotional center, the Solar Plexus Center, is Masculine, while the Spleen and intuition is Feminine).
So, most of us saw what happened during that award ceremony a couple years back and how Will defended his wife from a very emotional and tribal defensive place. Not condoning the actions of this, however this is how the tribe and its influence on our charts can impact us and others! Don’t mess with my tribe baby!!
Collective Circuitry
There are 2 sub circuit groups for the Collective circuitry. We have the abstract circuitry and logic circuitry.
The collective circuitry is all about sharing. Sharing of information, ideas, how things can be perfected. With the abstract we see the lessons learned from the past and with the logic we look at the patterns that can influence the future.
We often associate collective circuitry with non-profit organizations, people who donate their time, resources, and energy for a better cause.
Notice on the picture above that the collective circuitry has all the centers defined except the ego. So, there is no willpower in the collective circuitry, it is not coming from an egoic force or materialistic drive.
The collective is here to share what they know (when invited for most channels), and with the open ego part of the collective circuitry, there is an open-hearted essence with the collective.
*Sidenote:* I am all collective circuitry AND I have an open ego, so diving into my design throughout the years, leaning into my life force (channels) I wait for the invitation as a projector, share what I know with others on my platform, and follow my inner authority. I do over give, but I know it comes back to me!
One thing I’d like to mention is that the abstract (and collective in general) circuitry can take a long time, even longer than the individual pulse and circuitry, to come to a realization or invitation about what it is here to share.
The abstract circuitry gathers and collects information of the past, sees certain themes, and has an experiential and poetic like flow to it. It is not logical! Like logic circuitry can be.
It can take years for a theme to really pop for the abstract. But there is so much beauty and power from this process! Just like the individual, we do not want to force or rush the flow of our unique energetic process of our design. This is where great poetry comes from.
For example, the channel of Abstraction 64-47 (I have this channel, so I can definitely speak on this) is a process of not understanding what you are currently going through in the moment. The pressure from the head will be confusion (gate 64) and wanting to understand, there can be oppression from the gate 47, but when you surrender and process, succumb to the emotional thinking of this channel, you can share the inspiration of this poetic like process. That is where the gold is in the abstract!
This was my whole childhood; I would write poetry and journal all the time to make sense of my emotional thinking and process of what I experienced in the world. It is what saved me! I also wrote poetry for others for a while, as I was invited to create soul poems!
The difference between tribal and collective is that tribal is all about support while collective is all about sharing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Human Design Circuitry (FAQs):
What is circuitry in Human Design?
Channel Circuitry in Human Design refers to the interconnected pathways created by the activation of consecutive gates within the BodyGraph. These channels form a continuous flow of energy, influencing different aspects of an individual’s personality, behavior, and experiences. It involves a channel being individual, tribal, or collective. The circuitry plays a pivotal role in someone’s chart of how they show up in the world and how they get to share their gifts.
How do Channels differ from Channel Circuitry?
A “channel” in Human Design represents a specific pathway formed by the connection of two defined gates. The channel will go into more detail and information of the characteristics and natural abilities it possesses. In contrast, “Channel Circuitry” encompasses the broader concept of interconnected channels within the BodyGraph, including Individual, Collective, and Tribal Circuitry.
How does Channel Circuitry impact personality?
Channel Circuitry influences an individual’s personality by shaping their unique energetic makeup. It affects personal development, self-expression, societal impact, family dynamics, and collaborative efforts based on the types of channels formed.
Can Channel Circuitry change over time?
While an individual’s overall Human Design remains constant, experiences and external influences can impact how Channel Circuitry expresses itself. However, the fundamental types of Individual, Collective, and Tribal Circuitry remain stable.
How can I identify my Channel Circuitry?
Identifying your Channel Circuitry involves examining your Human Design chart. Channels are formed by the connection of specific gates, and understanding the types of channels activated in your chart provides insights into your unique energetic dynamics. You can look refer back to the picture that highlights the pathways of the different circuitry and see where your channels are.
Readers, what is your circuitry? Do you identify with your circuitry? Are you more of an individual? Someone who loves to support their tribe. Are you more of a sharer and see the bigger picture? We want to hear from you! How did this article resonate and inspire you into diving more into your circuitry? Let us know!
If you are ready to dive more into your circuitry, live your design, and align to your theme in all areas of your life then you can reach out to me via email at: la[email protected] to inquire about personalized Human Design Life Coaching.
Or go check out the coaching/reading pages in the menu!
Let’s continue to experiment in our design, walk into the Era of the Individual, and live the lives we were designed to live!! xoxo
