An Intro to Human Design | The Twelve Profiles | An Introduction to the Profiles | The Investigator and the Hermit
Ask, and ye shall receive!
As per the results of the survey, most of you Beautiful Humans are DYING for content on the PROFILES, so that's where we're headed next.
As you may know, on our Body Graph, there are two columns of information on either side of the depiction of our centers:
The information in BLACK represents our Conscious Personality and
The information in RED represents our Unconscious Design.
Each column is populated by thirteen boxes. Within each box, there is
an astrological symbol (one of the eight planets, Pluto, the Sun, the Moon, or the North or South Node)
a gate number (followed by a decimal point) and
a line designation (1-6)
Above, I broke down the information for Ms. Britney Jean Spear's 9th and 64th gate, her conscious and unconscious sun.
Each gate lives within one of our CENTERS, and the information provided on either side of the chart basically lets us know
which astrological body influences the lesson we learn through that gate,
which themes and characteristic that line brings to the gate it touches, and
whether or not this lesson impacts us on a conscious personality level or an unconscious, innate level
THIS IS WHY I LOVE HUMAN DESIGN! This is what makes you YOU! No two Manifesting Generators with Sacral Authority are exactly the same: the planets and lines touch their charts in a myriad different ways and combinations.
I'm not going to go that deep here (though there will be resources to really dig in this deep in the new subscription program YOU by design), because shit gets real complex real fast. So we'll keep it simple and stick to the two lines that matter.
In Human Design, our PROFILE designation is determined by two things:
on which line our Sun lives in our Conscious Personality
on which line our Sun lives in our Unconscious Design.
Our PROFILE is listed as Conscious Personality Line / Unconscious Design line, which is why Britney Spears has a profile 5/1 (see above). You might also see it listed in shorthand by keynote, which makes Britney a Heretic/Investigator (see below).
A breakdown of the different lines of our profile. I make graphics now.
Since each profile is a combo of two of these lines, let's take a look at each line alone, starting with the first two lines of the lower trigram.
Sherlock, the investigator
Line 1 - The Investigator
The first line of the hexagram, The Investigator, represents a solid foundation, and those with a first line in their profile are driven to get to the very bottom of things. Investigators are deeply introspective and need time to really immerse themselves in their research and reflection, and they need the space to go it alone. Investigators don't do well with advice and truisms, as they're here to really be students of life and of behavior: they're here to observe what works, and what does not.
Think about Sherlock Holmes, as played by the beautiful Benedict Cumberbatch. In some ways, he's fantastic example of the Investigator archetype. Once Sherlock is locked in on a problem to solve, he turns inward. He doesn't bounce ideas off of Watson, he just immerses himself in whatever research or experiment he needs to conduct to be sure of his answer. He does, however, take great joy in telling Watson how he figured it all out in the end. Those with a first line in their profile need that, too. Investigators are deeply introspective. They need to come to conclusions on their own and need ample time to research, study, and reflect.
Sherlock is also a student of interpersonal behavior. He can tell by the way your eyes move if you're being deceptive, or by the way you carry yourself how you feel about the others around you. Whereas Sherlock is a master of restraint, those with a first line in their profile can actually take this a step further, and employ what they know and intuit about the needs of others to actually smooth things over for themselves in the physical plane. Investigators need to know that things are OK, and can be like chameleons when they feel insecure. They are deeply empathic and really good at letting others see what they think others need to see so that they feel safe and secure. They know their place in a conversation and can change their colors, so to speak, to blend in.
If you think of the lines of the hexagram like the floors of a house, the 1st line would be the basement. Investigators seek a super sturdy foundation to work from, as they need to feel security and trust to truly give themselves over to the object of their research and introspection. Uncertainty is the enemy, and their area of study usually won't see the light of day until they're sure about their findings. A motto for the Investigator would be "the more I know, the less I fear."
A big not-self theme for the Investigator is inferiority...and this happens when the Investigator hasn't given themselves the ME time and space to fully conduct their investigation. In fact, many times these investigations, when approached with discipline, actually become the Investigator's area of expertise, as being an expert in something provides the Investigator with the feeling of security they need.
Merlin, the Hermit
Line 2 - The Hermit
There is a complicated duality to the 2nd line, the Hermit. On the one hand, the Hermit wants to be LEFT THE EFF ALONE, to nerd out in peace. They want to do their own thing in their own way and don't really feel comfortable or excited at the prospect of having to explain to anyone how they do that special thing that they do. Their talents are natural, so innate in fact that the Hermit may not recognize their talents AS TALENTS. And therein lies the irony: as much as Hermits prefer to be left alone to their own devices, it's through the people around them that they gain the self-awareness and perspective to recognize their gifts as such.
Once a Hermit's talents have been identified, they need recognition and feedback. Hermits are often described as lacking self-awareness but deeply self-conscious. If we coax them out of their cave and persuade them to share their talents with the world, we damn well better give them the positive feedback and reassurance they need or it's off to their cave they go and we'll never see them again.
In the text The Definitive Book of Human Design, Ra Uru Hu and Lynda Bunnell say that Hermits are "like a seed that sits in the drawer for years, waiting for just the right time to be planted so it can awaken, grow, and produce its unique fruit." For Hermits, listening to their STRATEGY and AUTHORITY is CRUCIAL, as it's all about knowing which call is the right call that will make leaving their Hermit cave worthwhile.
Think about Merlin from the Sword in the Stone. He was completely content to live in his own Hermit-cave with his books and potions and scrolls, completely separate from the world around him. But it took the correct calling, meeting Arthur and becoming his tutor, for Merlin to be able to share his talents with the world. And think about Merlin's method of tutelage: he didn't just tell Arthur what was what; he set up circumstances in which Arthur could learn particular lessons via personal experience. He didn't waste have to explain how he knew what he knew, he just had to work his magic to make his correct contribution to the story.
Sources:
Curry, Karen. Understanding Human Design. Hierophant Publishing, 2013.
Parker, Karen Curry, et.al. Abundance by Design. GracePoint Matrix, 2016.
Parker, Karen Curry. Human Design Activation Guide. GracePoint Matrix, 2018.
Parkyn, Chetan. Human Design: Discover the Person You Were Born to Be. New World Library, 2009.
Do you have a 1st line (Investigator) or 2nd line (Hermit) in your profile? Did this resonate with you? Let me know in the comments!