Reflectors & Their Environments

I've been away from my home for a few days, attending a family wedding in New York. And I'm not going to lie, I've had anxiety about this trip since the "save the date" arrived a year ago. New environment, lots of people, scheduled events, and a small hotel room. Each of these things brought a sheen of sweat to my forehead. Except this time I made a decision that my experience would be different and I figured it would be a great chance to really tap into my design to let all those Reflector gems shine.

Reading up on Reflectors, one thing you might've heard is that we're really sensitive to our environments. They can take a toll on our health and vitality if there's something not quite right about them or they can propel us forward and actually support us when they're nicely aligned.

I thought it would be fun to cover some of the important aspects of a Reflector's design that make environments so important, so that you can tap into your own design and see how your environments measure up.

Open Centres

This one might be a bit obvious but our open centres allow us to experience things differently pretty much every day, if not every hour. I used to think it applied mostly to how we experience other people but because nature has its own energy (just walk though a forest to feel for yourself!) I'm now convinced that every environment interacts with us at a deep level.

Now, our auras are something like 6 feet beyond us in each direction so it's most likely you'd feel your environment in close proximity but we can definitely sense a much wider field than that. I'm in a hotel right now and the vibe of this place is a little anxious, even when I'm away from other people in my tiny room.

 
The openness of our centres gives us a really cool ability to perceive environments and the sampling/resistant aura we have means we're feeling the energy of literally every space we walk through.

Your Bottom Left Arrow

In your chart there are four arrows, each with a different area of impact (environment, perspective, digestion, awareness) and how you experience them depends on the direction of the arrow. Take a look at your chart and notice which direction your bottom left arrow faces. This arrow can help us identify the best environments for us physically and mentally (more on that in the next section) but also how we're designed to operate in those environments.

The left-facing arrow means you're designed to be "observed" in your environment, which was Ra Uru Hu's way of saying you'd thrive with a more structured or fixed environment to live and work in. If your arrow faces left you likely feel most comfortable and productive when your space is tailored exactly to how you like it, with your unique touches like a favourite blanket over the back of the chair or your scent diffuser that sits nearby.

I'm one of the left arrow folks and when I carve out a special space for myself to do productive work or even read a book, things just feel so much better. Now that I'm in a hotel for a few days, I promptly unpacked all my stuff and cleared a little space for my book, water bottle, and laptop on the desk. Even though I'm only here for a short stay, I can feel that this space is going to be ok for me to write and research to my heart's content.

If your arrow faces right, you're designed to be an "observer" of your environment. These are the people who can set up shop in a café and thrive off the unique energy of that space by popping in and out without needing to go there everyday. If you're ever feeling a mental block or want to jump start your productivity, pick a new location in your house or in the community to spend time.

You've probably noticed that there's something about a new space that can lift your mood and creativity but trying to recreate that in one place like a home office, usually doesn't give you that same boost. For my right arrow Reflectors, the lockdowns during COVID were probably more challenging for you because your environment was limited in some capacity.

The Environment In Your Chart

Most HD charts also contain something that'll tell you your best environment. The options are Caves, Mountains, Shorelines, Kitchens, Markets, and Valleys. One thing to note about these is that they can be interpreted literally and figuratively. For example, my environment is Mountains so I'm sure I'd thrive nicely if I actually lived somewhere with mountains (I don't) but it also is representative of environments where I can gain perspective from a high level. I like knowing the big picture and being able to see how things in my life are going at a glance. This applies not only to the physical space where I live but also knowing how my finances are doing by having my banking/investments/expenses available at any time.

One thing I've noticed when I go on vacation or travel, is that I always choose the side of the bed closest to the window. There's something about needing to see my surroundings that compels me to always have this side of the room. Even at home, my favourite chair and my office space are set up facing out windows where I can see what's going on down below.

This element of our design is so fun to play with and can have really big impacts on your wellbeing. Take a look at your chart and see which environment is listed. Then consider how that could play out in a literal sense and more metaphorical.

For example, those with Valleys don't actually need to live in a valley but they might love having a home where they can walk outside and put their feet on the ground. Maybe a high rise apartment isn't the best option for them and they'd be happiest closer to street level. They may also love being "on the ground" as in having a solid grasp on what's happening within their family and at work. The Valley people I know bring a peaceful calming effect to their relationships and help others stay grounded.

See what I mean? There are so many quirky ways to interpret and explore your environment! You may be pleasantly surprised to find that just a small change in your settings can result in much more alignment and happiness.

Bonus: Your Strongest Sense
Each Human Design chart also identifies your strongest sense, and I'm including this as a bonus because it's about so much more than your environment but tapping into it while considering your environment is sure to add an extra zip of alignment.

Since we use our senses literally all the time, having one super sense means you've got an additional way of checking in with your environment and taking stock of how it feels for you. I hear a lot from those with "smell" as their strongest senses when it comes to environment because as soon as they walk into a space the smell will either repel them or draw them in.

My strongest sense is "feeling" so I pick up on the vibe of a place, which I have to let sink in before I can tell whether it's a healthy space for me or not. What about you? I bet if you put some focus on your strongest sense it would tell you a lot about the environments you spend time in. It's definitely worth trying!

Now that I'm heading home from this little trip I can say that my design really helped me enjoy the time spent away from home much more than any other hotel stay I've had.

Environments for Reflectors can make or break our wellbeing, so it's worthwhile to bring awareness to the environments you find yourself in most often and rearrange them if necessary.