Learn about Splenic authority in Human Design and how the defined, undefined, and open Splenic center behaves and influences life force energy.
What is Splenic Authority in Human Design?
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One of the most important components of the Human Design system is authority. Determined by an individuals’s defined centers, Authority is a powerful tool governing the internal decision-making process, to assist with making the correct decision.
For each aura type, we must look at the body graph as a whole to determine authority type.
Splenic authority is related to a defined Splenic center, however most people have more than one defined center. (Reflectors are the only energy type this does not apply to since all of their centers are open, giving them Lunar authority – to wait a lunar cycle.)
For each of the other Human Design types, we must look at the body graph as a whole in order to determine authority type, which can be any of the following:
Inner Authority Types
- Emotional Solar Plexus authority – emotional wave of the defined Solar Plexus center
- Sacral authority – Sacral response of the defined Sacral center
- Splenic authority – intuition created by the defined Splenic center
- Ego authority – defined ego center / Heart center
- Self-Projected authority – G center defined
Outer Authority Types
- Environmental authority / Mental Projector type – no defined centers below the throat
- Lunar authority – no defined centers
Each type of authority listed above is in hierarchical order and manifests in different ways to assist in making big and small decisions in life.
In order to have Splenic authority, a person must have a defined Splenic center, and undefined Solar Plexus and Sacral.
Emotional authority of the defined Solar Plexus outranks all other centers, with Sacral beings coming next and then the Splenic. Tuning into your personal authority type is said to be the correct way to reach the right decision.
In order to have Splenic authority, a person must have a defined Splenic center, and undefined emotional center and open Sacral center.
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What is the Splenic Center in Human Design?
The Splenic center represents primitive instinct and fear.
According to the Human Design center developed by Ra Uru Hu, the Splenic center is one of the 9 energy centers in the body, which include two pressure centers, three awareness centers, a manifestation center, an identity center, and four motor centers.
They consist of:
- Head center (pressure center)
- Ajna center (awareness center)
- Throat center (manifestation center)
- G center (identity center)
- Ego / Heart center (motor center)
- Spleen center (awareness center)
- Emotional Solar Plexus center (awareness and motor center)
- Sacral center (motor center)
- Root center (pressure and motor center)
The Splenic center is the oldest awareness center in the body. Around 55% of the population have a defined Spleen, with around 10% also having Splenic authority.
The Splenic center represents primitive instinct and fear, and when defined, is profoundly adept at intuiting what is good for us versus what is bad.
Gates in the Splenic Center
Defined gates are where energy will flow and process most consistently.
According to Human Design, there are 7 primary fears associated with the Splenic center – one connected to each of its gates, listed clockwise below:
- 48 Gate of Depth – Fear of Inadequacy
- 57 Gate of Intuitive Clarity – Fear of the Future
- 44 Gate of Vigilance – Fear of the Past
- 50 Gate of Values – Fear of Responsibility
- 32 Gate of Continuity – Fear of Failure
- 28 Player Gate – Fear of Death / Purpose
- 18 Gate of Correction – Fear of Authority
Regardless of whether your Spleen is defined or undefined, if there are activated gates in your Splenic center, it’s valuable to be aware of them and what they mean.
Defined gates are where energy will flow and process with the most consistent access. Familiarise yourself with the themes of their energy, and notice which centers they’re connected to via defined or undefined channels.
Ask yourself:
- Are you consciously aware of the energy theme in your life?
- How does it make you feel?
- How can you nurture that energy in a positive way?
Where is the Splenic Center in the Body?
As you look at a body graph, the Splenic center is located on the lefthand of the abdomen, beside the Sacral.
It’s depicted as a triangle, and when defined it’s typically coloured in brown (though on some charts it may be filled in a different colour).
What is the Splenic Center in Human Design?
Biologically, the Splenic centre is related to the spleen and the lymphatic system, which is an important part of the immune system, along with:
- The lymph nodes
- T cells, a type of white blood cells
- Red blood cells
It’s also the body’s most intuitive center, communicating at a primal level.
What Does an Open, Undefined, or Defined Splenic Center Mean in Human Design?
By looking at your body graph, you’ll be able to easily tell whether your Splenic center is open, defined, or undefined.
If the center is coloured, it’s defined. This Splenic definition is created by a defined channel running between the Spleen center and one of the adjacent centers, which in turn is created defined gates in each center.
For a center to be completely open, it will have no defined gates.
For a center to be defined, it must have at least one defined (or activated) gate adjacent to another defined gate in a different energy center.
The difference between an open or undefined center is more subtle, and the terms are often used interchangeably, which is incorrect.
If a center has a defined gate but the adjoining gate in the adjacent center is undefined, the channel is only partially coloured and this will not create definition in either center – these centers are therefore undefined (unless they have another defined channel running between them).
For a center to be completely open, it will have no defined gates.
Now let’s take a closer look at what it means to have an open, defined, or undefined Splenic center…
What is an Undefined Splenic Center?
The undefined Spleen center does not have the inner knowing of the defined Spleen, and is not naturally skilled at intuiting danger in the same way. The undefined Splenic center is susceptible to becoming overwhelmed by an individual’s personal fears.
Anyone with an undefined Spleen should avoid spontaneity.
It’s vital for these people to face each of their seven fears and overcome them, else the consequences will be to live in a constant state of anxiety.
These people have undeveloped intuition compared to those with a defined Spleen, and therefore they should not make spontaneous decisions, but take their time and ponder first.
It’s necessary for anyone with an undefined Spleen to use their own Human Design authority type to help in the process of making big decisions, which invariably means avoiding spontaneity.
Having said that, learning to tap into an awareness of which of your fears belong to you is possible, and with practice you’re able to develop your intuition. It just won’t ever be equal to the effortless, innate intuition of the defined Spleen.
The Splenic Center and the False Self
The undefined Spleen is vulnerable not only to the individual’s personal fears, but also to taking in and amplifying the fearful energy of those around them. This can amount to a lot of negative energy, and the key to managing this is awareness.
For anyone with an undefined Spleen, it’s super important to nurture an awareness of your own fears, versus those being projected onto you by others, so that you can release the energy which is not your own.
Following your own authority and strategy can enable those with an undefined center to challenge the false self and achieve growth.
Be cautious of a tendency to be pulled into a false sense of security around those with a defined Spleen. Practically, this can look like holding onto situations or relationships which have run their course.
Ironically, this dependence on others can bring a sense of security – of course it’s a mirage because its foundations are not solid. This dynamic explains toxic relationships where an abused partner feels safer staying than leaving.
Being mindful of your Design and following your own authority and strategy can enable those with an undefined center to evade such difficulties, instead challenging the false self, overcoming conditioning, and achieving growth.
What is an Open Splenic Center?
A completely open Spleen center is a bit of an oxymoron. In theory, a person with no defined gates in their Splenic center will be overwhelmed with fears to the point of paralysis.
A completely open center may bring more action than an undefined center with some defined gates.
In practice, the fears are so widespread and profound, that they can often become unclear. And when an individual no longer knows what to be afraid of, or is fearful of everything, it can result in recklessness.
When no path feels safe, everything becomes viable as an option, and this manifests as its own kind of fearlessness, potentially leading to impulsive and hasty choices.
In this sense, an open center may bring more action than an undefined center – but whether that action is wise or not comes down more to luck than judgement.
Again, the best protection against these pitfalls is to follow your strategy and authority, and foster an awareness of your vulnerabilities.
What is a Defined Splenic Center?
There are 5 energy types in Human Design, and out of those three can have Splenic authority. They are:
- Pure Manifestors
- Pure Generators*
- Splenic Projectors
* Manifests as Splenic Generated Sacral authority, due to the hierarchy of authority meaning that technically, the Sacral outranks the Spleen. In practice this looks like intuition working in tandem with the Sacral response.
If you’re a Manifesting Generator or Reflector you will not have Splenic authority.
If you’re a Splenic being, you’re gifted with an innate, strong and direct connection to well-developed intuition.
As you experience its wisdom, you’ll learn to trust the guidance of Splenic authority.
As an ancient awareness, Splenic energy gives rise to a primitive and instinctual intuitive sense, linked to fear and survival – and it should always be listened to.
Learning to tune into this inner authority can be challenging in our noisy world, but doing so is incredibly valuable and will help carry you in the right direction. The inexplicable knowledge of the defined Spleen is never wrong!
As you begin to pay attention to what your Splenic authority communicates to you and act accordingly, you’ll learn to trust its guidance as you experience its wisdom. The sixth sense of Splenic awareness will not let you down!
How to Listen to Your Splenic Authority
Because it’s not a motor, when the defined Splenic center communicates, it does so in a quiet voice. The chatter of the other awareness centers, the Ajna and the Solar Plexus, are both significantly louder than the Spleen.
Splenic energy is fleeting and does not repeat itself.
Whether you’re hearing your own defined Ajna or you’re taking in the energy of somebody else’s defined Solar Plexus, it’s important to be aware that you can easily become distracted or overwhelmed by their noise.
This clamour to be heard can make it very challenging to tune into the whisper of your Splenic voice. This is especially significant because Splenic energy is in the present moment, spontaneous and fleeting – and does not repeat itself!
If you miss it the first time, the wisdom of your Spleen will disappear into the ether.
The best way to tap into your authority and experience its intuitive hit is to practice tuning out external noise, perhaps through meditation.
Interactions Between Splenic and Other Inner Authorities
Having an awareness and understanding of how Splenic energy communicates in tandem the energy of other defined centers can provide valuable insights.
Observing and noticing these patterns can lead to increased clarity around major decisions.
For example, the way Splenic energy blends with emotional definition may mean you must wait for the wave of your emotional clarity to pass before you’re able to discern the subtle sound of your intuitive voice.
If you have Splenic and Sacral definition, you may experience a combination of Sacral sounds and intuitive knowing arriving together or in quick succession.
Observing and noticing these patterns can lead to increased clarity around major decisions.
Ready to Order Your Report?
Curious to find out more, or order a reading for yourself or a loved one?
A comprehensive report can be an excellent tool to help deepen your relationships. And, newly unique to the market, child reports are now also available to help strengthen your connection with your child, and support their wellbeing.
Hot tip: Use code HD963K2 for a 25% discount when you purchase two or more reports!
Unlike the free reports typically available online, the offering from Supernatural Coaching is a 120+ page comprehensive deep-dive into your unique Design and type, also covering profiles and themes and providing a quick reference guide and workbook.
What Does the Science Say?
Despite its growing popularity, there’s no evidence to support the mystical theory of Human Design.
That said, in terms of the intuition associated with the Splenic center, there’s a scientific explanation which validates the idea:
Essentially, intuition is the lightening quick processing of information, so fast that it occurs at a level below our consciousness. The end result is the gut feeling that something is ‘off’, without our conscious understanding of why.
Intuition is hardwired into our brains at a primitive level as a survival mechanism.
What’s vital to appreciate, however, is that this hunch is based on real information, which we’ve subconsciously taken in, examined, weighed against experience, and assessed as threatening.
And just because this incredible sequence of events has taken place so quickly and instinctually that we’re not aware of it on a conscious level, does not in the least undermine its accuracy or validity.
Fascinatingly, women appear to have stronger intuition than men.
Known as intuition, this spidey sense is hardwired into our brains at a primitive level as a survival mechanism – and it’s surprisingly successful (though false alarms can occur).
Biologically, intuition incorporates the right side of the brain, the hippocampus, and the digestive system, which also has neurons (which is why it’s sometimes referred to as a gut feeling).
Fascinatingly, women appear to have stronger intuition than men, which can be explained by their thicker corpus collosum, the white matter connecting the right brain to the logical left brain, providing them with better and faster intuition compared to men.
To learn more about the science of the decision-making process, head over to our post about authority in Human Design where I’ve written on this subject specifically.
Sources
- The Science Behind Intuition and How You Can Use It to Get Ahead at Work, Forbes
- What is Intuition and Why is It Important? PositivePsychology