Nine centers, channels, and gates
A center is defined when a whole channel has both gates active. A single gate, without the whole channel, leaves the center open. Channels do not replace the type rule. Type is read from these centers.
Editorial review: 2026-09-22 · Reviewed by fateshow · Editorial method
The nine centers
Head, Ajna, Throat, G, Heart, Solar Plexus, Sacral, Spleen, and Root. The motors are Solar Plexus, Sacral, Heart, and Root.
Defined centers stay filled in. Open centers stay blank. Write both.
A channel needs both gates
Gates sit on the edge of a center. Only when both ends are active is the channel defined, and only then are those centers defined by it.
This chart prints five defined channel names: Inspiration, the Prodigal, Awareness, Initiation, and Emotion.
Gates are finer than lines, and color is finer still
A gate is about 5.625 degrees, a line about 0.9375. Gates and lines can be checked. Tone and base need a birth time to the second. A minute-level time is only an estimate there.
One minute of birth time moves the Moon across more than one base. Base is not used as a conclusion.
Illustration: seven centers defined
The same birth. Defined: Head, Ajna, Throat, G, Heart, Solar Plexus, Root. Open: Sacral and Spleen. The channel names are in the previous section.
The definition is on What Human Design is.
Common mistakes
- Painting a center defined from one gate.
- Replacing type with a channel name.
- Discussing base from a minute-level birth time.
Use it in fateshow
Frequently asked questions
If the Sacral is open, do the channels above still count?
Yes. Defined channels stay on the chart. An open Sacral means no complete channel fills it.
Can the five channel names become a personality?
No. They only mark which channels have both gates active.
Which is steadier, gate or line?
Gates and lines are steadier than tone and base. Tone and base are marked as estimates at minute-level precision.
Sources and editorial basis
- 1. Bodygraph centers and channels
Nine centers and the channels that join them. A channel needs both gates active.
- 2. fateshow rule snapshot
Supports only the fields printed in the illustration.