3 Ways the Lunar Cycle Impacts Reflectors

In Human Design there are solar beings and lunar beings. The solar types are Manifestors, Projectors, Manifesting Generators, and Generators. For them, the sun's movement through each of the 64 Human Design gates happens at a rate of just under one gate per week. Then we have the only type that is governed by and deeply connected to the moon: Reflectors.

Making up just 1% of the population is fun and special in and of itself but the fact that our type is also the only lunar type, kicks things up a notch. For us, it's the moon's travels through each of the gates that has profound impacts on our lives. In contrast to the leisurely movement of the sun, the moon zips through all the gates in just 28 days. Yes, we get 2-3 gates per day!

Our link to the moon explains why Reflectors need to take a lunar cycle to prepare for decisions and opportunities. Afterall, if you're able to feel the entire spectrum of feelings during that time, it stands to reason that you'll come out on the other side with a clearer idea of whether the decision is right for you. Giving yourself the space of a lunar cycle to feel through a decision is ideal because instead of coming up with a pro and con list, which is based on logic, you can see how the choice resonates in your body. And the body is so much more aware of what's aligned for you than your logic-seeking mind.

All that to say, Reflectors go on a bit of a rollercoaster every 28 days, regardless if that time is spent seeking clarity on a decision or not. So, have you ever wondered what happens to you during this cycle?

No matter what you're doing the moon will continue its journey through the gates like clockwork, resetting every four weeks. We tend to discuss how to use this time for our decisions, so I figured it would be fun to take away that layer and see what's changes in your chart as the moon moves around.

Activating gates you don't have:
Take a look at your Human Design chart. You'll see that of the 64 gates (the numbers inside the shapes), you've got a bunch of them coloured in but many of them have nothing. If the body graph diagram makes it hard for you to tell which gates are activated for you already, take a look down the columns to the left and right of your chart. Here you'll see a list of gates next to planetary symbols. Any number not listed is an inactivated gate.

As the moon moves through its cycle, every single one of the gates get lit up for a short period of time. This means that you get to temporarily experience the skills, gifts, and perspectives that aren't naturally part of your own design. How amazing is that!?

You don't need to have in depth knowledge of what each gate does to appreciate your own experience with them. Just know that your super powers are enhanced without any effort on your part, and these enhancements circle back to you in the same order each month.

Reflectors are said to be inconsistent because our openness provides us with space to experience our surroundings and become wise about others through this energetic exchange. However, the word inconsistent has such negative undertones that it doesn't resonate with me. Instead, I see us as versatile, flexible, and highly adaptive. When new gates are activated in your chart you may feel a surge of energy, focus, creativity, inspiration, or intuition. And it likely won't feel the same from month to month. Depending on what you're working on or dealing with at the time, you can direct the power of these gates wherever you want.

I recently had a rush of intense mental focus, which I used to deal with a list of small but irritating things I'd been putting off. I could've just as easily used it to learn something new, do my taxes, or set up a supportive process in my business. Are you starting to see how the supposed inconsistency of our type actually works in our favour?

Creating channels:
Another look at your chart will show you a bunch of white shapes. These nine centres are connected by channels, which are coloured in if the gates on either side of it are activated. For Reflectors, we don't naturally have any channels but this changes throughout the month. At one point during the lunar cycle the gates in your chart get activated and these result in a temporary channel.

Why is this important? Every gate has its own meaning and gifts but something magical happens when they connect with one another to form a channel. Suddenly its not as though you're experiencing the two gates individually but rather a relationship that synthesizes the powers of both, transforming them into something even greater. It's the same way you and a friend are both amazing humans on your own but when you come together and put your skills, ideas, and abilities to use, a greater force emerges. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, as they say.

Many of the gates in Human Design rely on the other gate in its channel to express certain characteristics. For example, in the Head Centre (the very top shape) gate 63 is known as the Gate of Doubt, and without Gate 4 activated, it has the potential to be skeptical and doubtful to no end. Gate 4 steadies the doubt to help formulate solutions, which is really useful. Now, there are high and low expressions of each gate so I'm not saying that Gate 63 is useless without Gate 4. There are just some facets of each gift that are more accessible when the corresponding gate gets activated. The great news here is that all of your activated gates get partnered to form a channel once a month, bringing out the best of both gates and then some.

Intensifying gates you already have:
By now you might be wondering what happens to the gates that are already lit up in your chart. Afterall, they're part of your design and you experience them on a regular basis. While it's fun to think about the new gates and channels we Reflectors have access to during the lunar cycle, I probably get more excited about the ones already defined in our charts. When the moon passes through one of these gates, it's like turning up the volume and intensity of its gifts.

You might feel like you…but better. More dialed in, with heightened senses, and things flowing a bit easier. While I no longer follow the lunar transits, I remember journaling about some of these hyper-focused moments and days when physical energy was right on the mark, only to realize that my own gates were being lit up by the moon's movement. It was like a friendly reminder to use what I've got.

Now what?
As always, you get to choose where to place your focus and you get to decide what story to tell about your own Human Design. Every aspect of your design is the way it is on purpose. It sets you up to live your purpose if you're willing to let the truest version of yourself show up and make the decisions.

There is no such thing as a good or bad Human Design. Each one is needed for its unique abilities, which is why I'm so crazy about helping Reflectors tap into their design! The world just can't afford to have any Reflectors sitting on the sidelines, so if you have questions about your design or you'd like to take a more hands-on approach to living it in real life, I invite you to explore the many resources we have here at Reflector By Design.