What is Human Design? An interview with Alexa Valentin

Through Instagram, we have often become aware of exciting people in the yoga world. This is also the case for the Austrian yoga teacher Alexa Valentin, who lives in Portugal and specialises in human design. We had heard about human design here and there, but it was not really tangible for us until now. So what is human design? Alexa explains it to us in this little interview we prepared for you, our hejhej-community. Enjoy being curious and reading.

hejhej: What is human design?

Alexa: Human Design is your energetic blueprint – your operating manual and your experiment. It’s a tool that helps you accept your true self by making visible what you (maybe) always knew was inside you.

You probably know that what works for you, might not work for me and vice versa. What gives you energy, might drain me and situations where I shine might be a nightmare for you. Throughout life, you (hopefully) get to know yourself better so that you can live your life aligned to your uniqueness and make choices that really suit YOU, and not because you saw someone else doing it. That’s at least the ideal situation.

In reality, this way of living can sometimes be harder than we think.

Why? Because: How do I know if something really is right for me? How do I know what my strengths are? How do I overcome challenges and learn from them? Well, this is where Human Design comes in.

By combining elements of astrology, the I Ching, the Kabbalah, and the chakra system, Human Design creates a comprehensive tool for self-inquiry and development, a tool to understand yourself and the ones around you on a deeper layer. Human Design is kind of like your unique operating manual that teaches you where and how to access your body’s energy as a decision-making tool, and ultimately, how to live as your true self. Because: When you live in alignment with your true nature, you begin to feel comfortable and accepted for who you are rather than chasing something you are not.

In Human Design, there are 5 different Energy Types that tell you how you can optimise your individual energy in all aspects of your life – including relationships, work, sleep, digestion, and creativity. Knowing your Energy Type and the corresponding Strategy (how you interact with stimulus from the outside and how to best use your energy) is really the foundation to creating ease and flow in your life.

The 5 Human Design Energy Types

hejhej: How did you first learn about Human Design?

Alexa: I heard about Human Design a couple of years ago via various podcasts and obviously immediately checked what my Human Design looks like (for those interested: I’m a 4/6 Emotional Manifesting Generator). But it wasn’t until last year that I really started to dive deep into the topic and wanted to learn how I can actually read a chart. So I would say it took a while between my first encounter with Human Design, experimenting with my own design and the decision to become a reader. And still, it’s an ongoing process of learning, deconditioning and being mindblown how powerful this system truly is.

Human Design has opened the doors to self-discovery and self-acceptance wide open and has provided me with a language and framework to put into words the things you sometimes don’t have words for. Experimenting and exploring your Human Design is a process and I’m still constantly amazed at how it brings so much more clarity and authenticity, especially to my decision-making process.

hejhej: How do you integrate Human Design into your everyday life?

Alexa: For me, I would say the biggest changes in my life started happening when I consciously started using my Strategy and Authority (your Authority is the way you make decisions aka the inner voice that is guiding you). Although it was challenging in the beginning, I started experimenting with what would happen if I waited for things to come to me that I can respond to and at the same time gave myself the time to wait for clarity instead of feeling pressured to react in the moment. The more I surrendered and created space for my energy to flow, the more opportunities that really felt aligned came to me.

An example of this was when I had the idea to offer a workshop one evening and just went out and offered it. The approach of ‘just do it’ works perfectly for pure Manifestors but of course, my workshop wasn’t very successful because I didn’t honour my own Strategy and Authority. I knew that I wanted to give this workshop another try but this time, I consciously surrendered and waited for something to come to me that I could respond to. When it did, my enthusiasm was on fire but still, I gave myself another night to sleep over the decision if I really wanted to go for it. The next day, my enthusiasm was still on fire so I went for it. And this time around, the workshop was a complete success!

Here are 5 tips on how to connect with your own Human Design in everyday life:

1. Approach the system with an open mind. Take what resonates and uplifts you, and leave the rest. Remember, Human Design is here to liberate and empower you to live your life as authentically as possible, rather than becoming another rigid framework to conform to.
2. At the beginning of your Human Design journey, prioritize understanding your Energy Type, Strategy, and Authority. Of course, we all want to know as much as possible about ourselves but focusing on these fundamental aspects will naturally guide you. Trust that by following your Strategy and Authority, the rest will fall into place.
3. Remember that knowing about your Human Design is valuable, but it’s the application that makes the difference. So, as you learn, make sure to actively put your newfound knowledge into practice.
4. Unless you’ve been raised without any conditioning, expect some discomfort when starting to use your Strategy and Authority. We are all still wired to live from our brains instead of our inner guidance so it will take time and effort to adjust.
5. Embrace this process with joy and curiosity. Explore your own nature and show interest in those around you. Because we can learn so much from each other.

As I said before, Human Design is your experiment.

Keep playing around with it and stay aware of the small shifts that will happen once you start incorporating your design into everyday life.

hejhej: Can you combine Human Design with yoga?

Alexa: Of course! In both yoga and Human Design, it’s all about energetics and the connection to yourself and others. I think any tool that helps you shine a light on who you truly are and strengthens the relationship with all parts of you (whether that’s body, mind or soul) is interconnected in some way. What’s particularly interesting about the Human Design graph is that it shows energy centres and those centres are actually based on the chakras from the yogic philosophy. Human design emphasizes the importance of listening to your body’s intelligence. And what better tool is there to deepen your body awareness and sensitivity than yoga?

If you are interested in learning more about your own Human Design, you can book your 1:1 session with Alexa or follow her on Instagram.

Alexa is also hosting a holistic business retreat this autumn with a special focus on well-being and togetherness. Through Human Design knowledge, business workshops and a curated well-being program you can expect to be empowered with a clear vision for your Biz & Life in 2024. Take a look at the retreat right now!

Many thanks from the whole hejhej-team for your effort and the great pictures on your rather light hejhej-mat, Alexa!