What are Energy Types and why do they matter?

The purpose of understanding the energy types is to make sense of the way in which we are designed to dance with the energies of the world around us. This is important because all of the world and its people are comprised of energy. In honouring your own energy type and energetic composition, you will experience ease and flow in interactions, optimize your contributions to the world and reduce resistance and sensations of stuck-ness that arise when our energetic impulses are used incorrectly. Discovering and mastering your energy type is a sure way to touch your own truth and honour the Divine in you and around you.

According to Human Design, there are 5 energy types: Manifestors, Generators, Manifesting Generators, Projectors and Reflectors. A short summary of each energy type can be found below.

Manifestors

This energy is akin to starting a fire or blazing a trail. This movement-making energy is fuelled by an internal, divinely-generated impulse. Manifesting energy is designed to initiate action for no other reason than the person with the energy desiring to do so. Manifesting energy has an intensity to it that is felt by everyone. When this energy is used correctly, it has an in-built selection mechanism that automatically pulls the right people and energies towards the Manifestor and ricochets those that are not in alignment with their mission. Manifestors are designed to start something and not necessarily finish it. Manifestors can make their bold energy easier for others to receive by adhering to their strategy of informing others before taking action.

Feelings of anger, irritation and annoyance indicate to the Manifestor that they are not using their energy correctly. This often occurs when the following tendencies are activated: people pleasing, apologizing for oneself, playing small, shapeshifting to make others more comfortable, co-dependency, seeking the approval of others, ignoring the divine (but seemingly irrational) urge to do something in any given moment.

Proportion: Approximately 8% of population

Strategy: To inform

Signature: Peace

Not-Self theme: Anger

Energetic pattern: Spontaneous. Comes in powerful bursts followed by a period of recovery. Energy being.

Generators

This is feel good, effervescent energy and life force in motion. Generators are designed to allow life to happen and respond to that which gives their gut a green light feeling. They are not designed to be grabby and force action or outcomes. A Generator’s purpose is to feed the world with their zest for life which is activated when they use their energy to do what they love. They are natural achievers with their strong propensity to get things done.

Feelings of frustration, stuck-ness and lacklustre and heaviness indicate to the Generator that they are not using their energy correctly. This often occurs when the following tendencies are activated: over-performing, constantly saying yes, doing things out of obligation, forcing actions or outcomes or ignoring the divine gut responses that are reliably guiding you toward expressing your true nature.

Proportion: Approximately 37% of population

Strategy: To respond

Signature: Satisfaction

Not-Self theme: Frustration

Energetic pattern: Internally created, strong and reliable. Energy is designed to be used up throughout the day and restored each night with quality sleep. Energy being.

Manifesting Generators

This energy is like "WOW”, it’s fast, dynamic and rainbow-like. A blend of manifesting and generating energy, Manifesting Generators (MGs) are hard to miss. Just like the Generator, MGs are designed to honour their gut response to life’s happenings, but their manifesting edge gives them a spontaneous flavour. Some MGs are comprised of more Manifestor energy, while others have more Generator Energy and the way this energy is best used will depend on an MG’s individual chart. The inherent, divine message in this energy is “fuck the rules”, do what you want and if you change your mind, that’s OK. MGs are teaching us that we needn’t live life according to what society deems as acceptable. This is often the hardest part for people with MG energy to grasp, because they feel compelled to fit into a box they don’t belong in.

Feelings of Frustration, stuck-ness, annoyance or fatigue can plague an MG when they are forcing themselves to follow-through, adhere to structure, not give themselves permission to change their minds orjobs, not honouring their multitude of interests/hobbies or doing too many tasks that don’t bring them joy.

Proportion: Approximately 33% of population

Strategy: To respond then inform

Signature: Satisfaction

Not-Self theme: Frustration/Anger

Energetic pattern: Internally created, capable, fast, variable and dynamic Designed to be worn out be end of day and rejuvenated with quality sleep. Energy being.

Projectors

An all-seeing energy with a clear view to guide others and make improvements. Projectors are all born with the gift of seeing something (or a variety of things) in a way that others cannot. There is a knowingness that Projectors possess and when they recognize their own energetic value, so too does the rest of the world. It is then that others willingly approach Projectors and invite them to share their knowingness allowing them to effectively guide the energies of others, communicate patterning, or create efficiencies.

A feeling of bitterness, blaming others or victim mentality as well and exhaustion can overcome a Projector when they force their knowingness onto others without first being invited, force themselves to keep up with everyone else as a way to prove their worth, become impatient because they can’t “make things happen”, lose trust in life and its process.

Proportion: Approximately 21% of population

Strategy: To wait for the invitation

Signature: Success

Not-Self theme: Bitterness

Energetic pattern: Deeply penetrating with a reliable ability to see clearly into the souls of others and patterning of life itself. Non-energy being.

Reflectors

This energy mirrors back to people and society where they are at energetically, it’s the energy of witches and shamans. As with all energies, it is automatic, but is designed to be used by the individual to sample life, its people and places. It is in sampling so many experiences that Reflectors have the greatest capacity to gain wisdom and do whatever they will with this knowledge in a bit to improve the overall health of society. Reflectors have the magical opportunity to experience anything they desire simply through energetic osmosis. Being the rarest energy type has its challenges because so often these beings do not see their divinity reflected anywhere else in the world and often try very hard to “be” one thing and fit into a mould society has deemed acceptable. Feelings of disappointment, cynicism, depression or experiences of burn-out can arise when Reflectors force themselves into a societally-formed idea, try too hard to figure out who they are and what they want, surround themselves with wrong people and spend too much time in the wrong environments.

Proportion: Approximately 1% of population

Strategy: To wait a lunar cycle

Signature: Surprise

Not-Self theme: Disappointment

Energetic pattern: Sampling the energy of others and the world around them. Non-energy being.