Type and authority: how the five types are decided
Type looks at whether the Sacral is defined, and whether the Throat connects to a motor. Authority comes after type, from the defined centers. Type is not a personality label.
Editorial review: 2026-09-22 · Reviewed by fateshow · Editorial method
Two cuts decide the five types
No defined center means Reflector. A defined Sacral splits into Manifesting Generator when the Throat reaches a motor, and Generator when it does not. No Sacral, but a Throat that reaches a motor, means Manifestor. The rest are Projectors.
The illustration is male, 14:19 on 20 May 1990, Beijing. China was on summer time, offset +09:00, so UT is 05:19 that day. Human Design and the two charts do not apply true solar time.
Manifestor: Throat to a motor, Sacral open
A Manifestor’s strategy is to inform, not to wait for a response. This illustration’s engine prints Manifestor.
The Sacral is open, so it is not a Generator and not a Manifesting Generator.
Generator and Manifesting Generator both need a Sacral
A defined Sacral without a Throat-to-motor link is a Generator. A defined Sacral with that link is a Manifesting Generator.
This Sacral is open, so neither line holds.
Projector: defined, but the Throat has no motor
A Projector is not a Reflector, has an open Sacral, and has no Throat-to-motor link.
This Throat is defined and the type prints as Manifestor, so the Throat reaches a motor. It is not a Projector.
Reflector: every center is open
A Reflector has no defined center. Only then does authority fall to the lunar cycle.
Seven centers are defined here, so it is not a Reflector.
Illustration: Manifestor, emotional authority
The same birth. Type is Manifestor. Authority is emotional. Defined centers: Head, Ajna, Throat, G, Heart, Solar Plexus, Root. Sacral and Spleen are open.
The definition is on What Human Design is.
Common mistakes
- Turning type into a personality.
- Calling an open Sacral a Generator.
- Letting authority rewrite the printed type.
Use it in fateshow
Frequently asked questions
Why is this not a Generator?
A Generator needs a defined Sacral. This Sacral is open.
Does emotional authority change the Manifestor?
No. Authority is taken after type. The type stays Manifestor.
Why is a Reflector’s authority different?
Only when every center is open does authority fall to the lunar cycle. This chart is not that case.
Sources and editorial basis
- 1. Bodygraph type rules
Type follows the Sacral, the Throat, and a motor channel. Authority follows the defined centers in order.
- 2. fateshow rule snapshot
Supports only the fields printed in the illustration.