The Misconception of Control in Human Design: A Deep Dive into Ra Uru Hu's Wisdom
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"The mind is not our inner authority. It was never designed to make decisions for our life." — Ra Uru Hu
Introduction: The Illusion We Live In
In January 1987, on the island of Ibiza, a man named Robert Alan Krakower had an experience that would forever change the landscape of self-knowledge systems. Over eight days and nights, he received what he called "The Voice" — a transmission of information that would become known as Human Design. Robert became Ra Uru Hu, and he spent the rest of his life until 2011 teaching this revolutionary system.
At the heart of Ra's teachings lies a profound and often misunderstood truth: we are not in control. This isn't a philosophy of defeat or passivity — it's an invitation into authentic living. This blog explores one of the most fundamental misconceptions in Human Design and in life itself: the illusion of control.
Part I: The Not-Self Mind — The False Controller
What Is the Not-Self?
Ra Uru Hu introduced the concept of the Not-Self as the conditioned version of who we think we are. It's the accumulation of all the programming we've absorbed from family, culture, education, and society — a mental construct that believes it's running the show.
The Not-Self operates through the open centers in our Human Design chart. These are the white areas in your bodygraph, and they represent where you are susceptible to conditioning. The Not-Self mind takes in energy from these open centers and creates a false narrative about who you are and what you should do.
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Key Insight: The Not-Self is not your enemy. It's simply a conditioned pattern that arose because you weren't given the tools to understand your true nature. Awareness, not rejection, is the path forward.
The Mind's Desperate Need for Control
Ra was emphatic: the mind is not designed to make decisions for your life. This is perhaps the most radical and misunderstood teaching in Human Design.
The mind has an extraordinary function — it's meant to be an outer authority, a tool for reflection, wisdom-sharing, and understanding. But when the mind tries to control your life decisions, it creates suffering. Why? Because the mind operates from conditioning, fear, and the illusion of separation.
Ra often said:
"The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master."
When we allow the conditioned mind to make our decisions, we are essentially letting our fears, insecurities, and societal programming determine our path. This is the Not-Self at work — and it's exhausting.
Part II: The Mechanics of Decision-Making — Strategy and Authority
Beyond Mental Control: Your Inner Authority
Human Design offers a revolutionary alternative to mental decision-making: Strategy and Authority. These are the mechanical, reliable tools built into your design that allow you to make decisions that are correct for you.
Your Strategy is determined by your Type:
Type Strategy Percentage of Population Manifestor To Inform ~9% Generator To Respond ~37% Manifesting Generator To Respond ~33% Projector To Wait for the Invitation ~20% Reflector To Wait a Lunar Cycle ~1%
Your Authority is your inner decision-making mechanism. It bypasses the mind entirely and connects you to your body's intelligence:
The Seven Authorities
1. Emotional (Solar Plexus) Authority
The most common authority. Decisions require riding the emotional wave — never making important decisions in the high or low of emotion. Clarity comes over time, never in the moment.
Ra's Teaching: "There is no truth in the now for emotional beings. Your truth is revealed over time."
2. Sacral Authority
For Generators and Manifesting Generators with undefined Solar Plexus. The sacral responds with sounds — "uh-huh" (yes) or "un-un" (no). It's a gut response, immediate and visceral.
Ra's Teaching: "The sacral doesn't lie. It knows what's correct for you before the mind has any idea."
3. Splenic Authority
The most ancient authority — pure survival instinct. It speaks once, in the moment, and never repeats. It's a quiet knowing, easily drowned out by the mind.
Ra's Teaching: "The spleen whispers. If you're not present, you'll miss it."
4. Ego/Heart Authority
Rare. Found in Manifestors and Projectors. Decisions come from the will — "Do I want this? Is my heart in it?"
5. Self-Projected Authority
For Projectors. Truth is found by speaking and hearing your own voice. The identity speaks through you.
6. Environmental (Mental) Authority
For Projectors with no inner authority defined below the throat. Decisions are made by being in the right environment and discussing with trusted others — not to get advice, but to hear yourself.
7. Lunar Authority
For Reflectors only. Major decisions require waiting through an entire 28-day lunar cycle, allowing the moon to move through all 64 gates.
Part III: Surrender — The Radical Act
What Surrender Really Means
When Ra spoke of "surrender," he was not advocating for passivity or victimhood. He was describing something far more profound: alignment with your design.
Surrender in Human Design means:
Releasing the mind's grip on decision-making
Trusting your body's intelligence (your Authority)
Following your Strategy even when the mind protests
Allowing life to come to you rather than chasing it
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The Paradox: When you stop trying to control your life and start living according to your design, life begins to flow. Opportunities arise. The right people appear. You find yourself in the right place at the right time — not through mental manipulation, but through alignment.
The Misconception of Control Exposed
Here's the radical truth Ra Uru Hu taught:
You have never been in control.
The neutrino stream — the subatomic particles that carry information from the stars — programs us at every moment. Our Design is imprinted at the moment of birth. Our conditioning begins immediately. The planets continue to transit and influence us throughout our lives.
The idea that "you" — the mental construct you think of as yourself — is directing this magnificent biological vehicle is, according to Ra, a cosmic joke.
"We are watching a movie we've already been in. The mind thinks it's making choices, but it's just narrating a film that's already been shot." — Ra Uru Hu
This isn't fatalism. This is freedom. When you realize you're not in control, you can finally stop struggling. You can let go of the exhausting effort of trying to manipulate life into giving you what the conditioned mind thinks you need.
Part IV: The Homogenization of Humanity
The World That Wants You to Be the Same
Ra spoke extensively about the homogenization of humanity — the societal pressure to make everyone the same. Education systems, corporate structures, religious institutions, and cultural norms all push toward conformity.
This homogenization creates what Ra called the "Not-Self world" — a world where:
Generators are pushed to initiate (instead of responding)
Projectors are told they're lazy if they don't work like Generators
Manifestors are controlled and restricted from early childhood
Reflectors are completely misunderstood and marginalized
The misconception of control is amplified by this homogenization. We're taught:
"If you work hard enough, you can achieve anything"
"Just make a decision and commit"
"You create your own reality through willpower"
"Success comes to those who take action"
These statements are not inherently wrong, but they're applied universally — as if every human being operates the same way. They don't. And when you try to live according to rules that don't match your design, you suffer.
The Price of Not-Self Living
Ra identified specific Not-Self themes for each Type:
Type Not-Self Theme Manifestor Anger Generator/MG Frustration Projector Bitterness Reflector Disappointment
These aren't personality flaws. They're symptoms — signals that you're living out of alignment with your design. When you try to control life with the mind, these themes become your constant companions.
Part V: The Experiment — Living Your Design
Ra's Invitation
Ra Uru Hu never asked anyone to believe him. He repeatedly said:
"Don't believe anything I say. Experiment with it. See for yourself."
This is the beauty of Human Design — it's not a belief system. It's a mechanical system that you can test in your own life. The experiment is simple:
Learn your Type, Strategy, and Authority
Begin to observe when you make decisions from the mind vs. your Authority
Practice your Strategy for at least seven years (a full cellular cycle)
Notice what changes in your life, relationships, and wellbeing
The Seven-Year Deconditioning Process
Ra taught that it takes approximately seven years to decondition from a lifetime of Not-Self living. This isn't a quick fix. It's a gradual process of:
Awareness — Seeing the Not-Self patterns without judgment
Experimentation — Testing Strategy and Authority in daily decisions
Patience — Allowing the old conditioning to release naturally
Trust — Building faith in your body's intelligence
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Why Seven Years? Ra explained that every cell in the body regenerates over a seven-year cycle. By living your design for seven years, you literally become a different person — one whose cells have been informed by correct decision-making rather than Not-Self conditioning.
Part VI: Deeper into the Mechanics — The Role of Definition
Fixed vs. Open: Understanding Your Design
Your Human Design chart shows colored (defined) areas and white (undefined/open) areas. This distinction is crucial for understanding control.
Defined Centers represent:
Consistent, reliable energy
Your fixed nature
What you can trust in yourself
What you broadcast to others
Undefined/Open Centers represent:
Where you receive and amplify energy from others
Your classroom in life — where you gain wisdom
Where conditioning enters
Where the Not-Self mind creates its stories
The Open Centers and Their Not-Self Questions
Each open center has a Not-Self question — a mental loop that drives behavior:
Open Center Not-Self Question Head "Am I trying to answer everyone else's questions?" Ajna "Am I trying to convince everyone I'm certain?" Throat "Am I trying to attract attention?" G/Identity "Am I still looking for love and direction?" Heart/Ego "Am I trying to prove my worth?" Sacral "Do I know when enough is enough?" Solar Plexus "Am I avoiding confrontation and truth?" Spleen "Am I holding on to what isn't good for me?" Root "Am I in a hurry to get things done?"
These questions reveal where the mind tries to control life from a place of insecurity and conditioning.
Part VII: The Philosophical Implications
Determinism vs. Free Will in Human Design
Ra's teachings sit in a fascinating philosophical space. He spoke of a "bi-verse" — a universe of duality where form and consciousness coexist.
The Form Principle (The Passenger):
Your body, your vehicle
Operates mechanically according to your Design
Follows Strategy and Authority
Has no free will in the traditional sense
The Consciousness Principle (The Driver):
The awareness that watches
The witness consciousness
Has no control over the vehicle
But can watch the movie with awareness
Ra's radical proposition: The only free will we have is in awareness itself. We cannot control what happens, but we can be present to what happens. We can watch the movie instead of being lost in it.
"You are not here to make your life work. You are here to watch your life work." — Ra Uru Hu
The Monopole and the Illusion of Separation
Ra taught about the Magnetic Monopole — a metaphysical concept located in the G Center (sternum area). This monopole:
Holds together the Design and Personality crystals
Creates the illusion of a separate self
Moves you along your unique geometry through life
Connects you to your "fractal" — the people and experiences meant for you
The monopole is not controlled by the mind. It draws to you what is geometrically correct for your life. When you try to mentally control your path, you work against this natural magnetism.
Part VIII: Practical Integration
Daily Practices for Releasing Control
1. Morning Awareness
Before getting out of bed, notice where your mind immediately goes. What is it trying to control today? Simply witness without engaging.
2. Decision Diary
Keep a journal of your decisions. Note whether they came from your mind or your Authority. Track the outcomes over time.
3. Body Listening
Throughout the day, pause and check in with your body. What is your sacral saying? What does your spleen whisper? What wave are you riding emotionally?
4. Not-Self Tracking
When you feel frustrated, bitter, angry, or disappointed, pause. Ask: "Where am I trying to control something that isn't mine to control?"
5. Strategy Practice
Generators: Practice waiting for something to respond to before initiating
Projectors: Notice the difference between invited and uninvited sharing
Manifestors: Practice informing before acting
Reflectors: Give important decisions the full lunar cycle
Signs You're Living Your Design
When you release mental control and live according to your design, you'll notice:
Generators/MGs: Satisfaction replaces frustration
Projectors: Success and recognition replace bitterness
Manifestors: Peace replaces anger
Reflectors: Surprise and delight replace disappointment
Part IX: The Collective Implication
Raising Children by Design
Ra was passionate about children. He believed that raising children according to their Design could transform humanity. When parents:
Honor a child's Type and Strategy
Don't impose their own design onto their children
Allow children to make age-appropriate decisions from their Authority
Protect children from homogenizing conditioning
...they raise beings who grow up without the misconception of control. These children don't need seven years to decondition — they were never deeply conditioned in the first place.
"If you want to see what a human being can be, don't look at adults. Watch a child living their design." — Ra Uru Hu
The 2027 Shift
Ra taught about a significant shift occurring around 2027 — the end of the "Cross of Planning" and the beginning of a new era. According to Ra, this shift would:
Dissolve many of the structures we've relied upon
Require individuals to be more self-reliant
Make living your design even more essential
Accelerate the consequences of Not-Self living
Whether you interpret this literally or metaphorically, the message is clear: individual alignment becomes increasingly important as collective structures become less reliable.
Part X: Frequently Misunderstood Concepts
"But Doesn't This Make Me Passive?"
No. Following your Strategy and Authority often leads to more action — but it's correct action. Generators, for example, have enormous sustainable energy for work they've responded to. The difference is that the action comes from alignment, not mental pushing.
"What About Goals and Intentions?"
Human Design doesn't forbid goals. The mind is excellent at processing information, planning, and envisioning. The key is: don't let the mind make the decision about whether to pursue the goal. Let your Authority confirm it.
"Isn't This Just Avoiding Responsibility?"
Actually, it's the opposite. Taking responsibility means understanding your mechanics and living accordingly. It means not blaming others when the Not-Self creates chaos. It means being accountable to your own experiment.
"What If My Authority Says Something Uncomfortable?"
Welcome to the experiment. Your Authority doesn't care about comfort — it cares about correctness. Sometimes the sacral says no to something the mind desperately wants. This is where trust is built.
Conclusion: The Freedom of Not Being in Control
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The Ultimate Paradox: True freedom comes not from gaining control, but from releasing the illusion that you ever had it.
Ra Uru Hu dedicated his life to sharing this knowledge — not as dogma, but as an experiment. He knew that the mind would resist these teachings. Of course it would. The mind's very identity is built on the belief that it's in charge.
But for those willing to experiment, to test Strategy and Authority in their own lives, a different reality reveals itself:
A life where decisions feel clear instead of agonizing
Relationships that feel correct instead of forced
Work that feels satisfying instead of draining
A sense of peace that comes from alignment with your nature
You were never meant to control your life. You were meant to live it — as the unique expression of consciousness that you are, with your specific gifts, your particular geometry, your irreplaceable frequency.
The misconception of control kept you struggling against life. The truth of your design invites you to flow with it.
Resources for Deeper Study
Books by Ra Uru Hu
The Definitive Book of Human Design (with Lynda Bunnell)
The Design of Forms
The Rave I'Ching (Line Companion series)
Key Concepts to Explore Further
The Rave Mandala and the 64 Gates
Incarnation Crosses and Life Purpose
Channels and Circuitry
The Variable (Determination, Environment, Perspective, Motivation)
Primary Health System (PHS)
BG5 (Human Design for Business)
Ra Uru Hu Audio Archives
Thousands of hours of Ra's lectures have been preserved. His voice and teaching style convey nuances that text cannot capture. Seek out the original recordings when possible.
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Final Words from Ra:
"Love yourself. Love your life. Love the movie you're in. And most of all — stop trying to be the director. You're the star of this film. Just show up and deliver your lines. The script was written before you arrived. Trust it."
This article is dedicated to the memory of Ra Uru Hu (1948-2011) and to all students of The Human Design System who continue to carry his transmission forward.