Imagine an alien race out there, capable of conscious awareness, and imagine this race scouring the galaxy in search of life to find the perfect species, in which to implant itself to be able to have experiences. Without a body, these aliens are only capable of consciousness, but with a body, they can experience it all – birth, life, and death, in order to grow. One doesn’t need to do much imagining, because this is us. We are conscious awareness symbiotically merged with our bodies, which are our vehicles to experience life.
Though Human Design is not a philosophy but an esoteric science, its message as shared by its messenger, Ra Uru Hu, is a philosophy that shares many of the same essential truths as Buddhism and Daoism. At the core of Human Design is the message that we are passengers in this body vehicle, that’s equipped with very powerful hardware, a mind capable of thinking, and various organs that automatically ensure this vehicle functions. Most importantly, this thinking mind is not the driver, nor should one fool themselves in believing that they have control over where this vehicle is going. What we can do, as dictated by our individual Design is follow the strategy and inner-authority that this body was given in order not to feel frustration, anger, or whatever the negative emotion. Like Daoism, Ra’s philosophy teaches surrender to the flow of nature, which stands as a strong juxtaposition to our Western World’s views that we can achieve anything through raw grit and perseverance, regardless of which way the river flows.
At the core of HD is the understanding that deep within us lies an authentic individuated Self, which is covered, like a veil, by our conditioning. Since birth, our parents, peers, and environment have been continuously imparting beliefs, about how to act “correctly”, how to live, how to speak, and how to decide, what to want in life – in essence to survive. We grow up with this veil and we condition our offspring, peers, and environment with these beliefs that are not our own. Whether you drink the Kool-Aid that HD offers as a science or not, one cannot dispel the importance of digging down to uncover the authentic you that lies beneath. In our Western World, which has become so comfortable and predictable as long as we follow the path laid out by our society, we become so disconnected from our true selves that previously unheard-of illnesses like depression and existential crises can arise.
The underlying message at the heart of Ra’s philosophy that resonates with me is “Surrender to who you’re supposed to be and you will end up where you need to be.” Once we cease this fruitless resistance against the stream, caused by our unconscious grasping onto old conditioning, we free ourselves of baggage; we become light and we can enjoy this beautiful experience called life.
If you’re interested in uncovering your true Self, I offer Perspective Coaching with a supplemental Human Design lens, to not just learn about your Strategy and Inner Authority, but to differentiate the aspects of you imposed on you through conditioning from your authentic Self.