Be Still, Be Abundant

How to align with the themes of Autumn using the Pressure Centers in your Human Design

As a sensitive woman who balances entrepreneurship, motherhood, a loving partnership, and my own personal self care, I know firsthand how easy it is to get caught up in this fast-paced modern world. We try so hard to make things happen and get things done on a surface level, to see tangible results of our labor, that sometimes we miss the point of our daily experience. Abundance becomes a far off destination, only to be seen through the proper amount of personal toil.

But, have you ever noticed that to overflow, you must be still for your cup to be filled?

What I’ve learned along my path is that being present for the journey is where the greatest gifts are found. We don’t have to delay gratification. We don’t always receive more through doing more. We truly receive when we pause to accept and hold what is being placed in our hands. Abundance is an act of stillness.

This contemplation is especially pertinent as we transition now from summer to fall. We move away from the fun filled carefree days of summer, to the flurry of harvest and back-to-school time. As our attention naturally turns to gratitude and release, we are bombarded with another wave of social events and activities to consume our time. In the midst of these conflicting messages, I invite you to consider these questions…

• Am I complicating my daily life? How can I open myself to simplicity and rest, just as Mother Nature surrenders herself at this time of year?

• Am I open to receive what I really want? How can I create more space for it to land?

• Where in my life can I add a pause, so I can become a sturdy vessel for the overflow?

Claiming abundance in your life is an ongoing, holistic process. It’s part of the work I do with Human Design-- to connect your inner and outer landscape, so you can experience deep fulfillment in all seasons of your life.

Your individual human design illuminates your innate strengths so you can move in alignment with your soul’s natural energy -- with less force and more ease. Knowing your design allows you to see where you may need support for your inconsistent energy-- not seeing these parts of yourself as weaknesses, but as potential sources of deep wisdom.

If you’re not familiar with your design, I recommend getting your free human design bodygraph here before reading further.

In this autumn season, I encourage you to look at the following areas of your design. They are key points of alignment for learning the art of pause that brings abundant clarity, peace, and satisfaction…

There are two Pressure Centers of energy in your human design: Head and Root. How you are defined in the Head Center is how you are designed to process mental pressure, inspiration, questions, and doubt. How you are defined in the Root Center is how you are designed to process environmental pressure, adrenaline, mutation, and to move through natural cycles of change.

The pressure coming from the Root is ever present; it will be there if you try to avoid it, and it will still be there if you work yourself to exhaustion trying to make it go away. There’s no need to rush or force when you feel “stuck” or “pressured.” These feelings are illusions. You can use the definition of your Root and/or your design’s Strategy and Authority to “root down” amidst the pressure. Authentic joy and healthy exhilaration come as you tune in and surrender to the changing seasons, or as you withstand the pressure to change at your own pace.

If your Root is defined, then you have reliable access to consistent ways of processing or withstanding adrenalized pressure. This is Strength. In a healthy state you lean in to this strength in alignment with your Strategy and Authority, and you don’t pressure or expect others to handle pressure like you do. You’re here to empower, not push, others to change or pivot in a healthy way.

A pro tip: Root pressure can mimic Sacral life force energy, but it isn’t sustainable. Listening to your Authority for deciding when and how to work, instead of giving in to the constant pressure of a defined Root is one way to avoid burnout and welcome the pause that leads to abundance.

If your Root is undefined, then you have unreliable access to processing adrenalized pressure in a consistent way. This is potential Wisdom that comes from cultivating awareness of the pressure coming in from others and your environment. In a healthy state, you recognize what pressure belongs to you and what doesn’t. You’re aware of when it’s healthy to take advantage of the adrenalized pressure and when to let it go. Ask yourself: Am I in a hurry just to get things done to be free of the pressure?

Opposite the Root Center, at the top of the bodygraph, is the Head Center. The Head is where inspiration, questions, and doubt begin to shape our thinking. These thoughts eventually become ideas, knowledge, and beliefs stored in the Ajna Center and communicated out through the Throat Center.

If your Head is defined, then you have reliable access to consistent mental pressure. Inspiration comes in a fixed way. You can be inspired by your own mental questioning and pondering, without interacting with others. This is Strength.

In a healthy state you are aware of the mentally inspiring energy you radiate and you use it powerfully by aligning with your Strategy and Authority. When you have a healthy defined Head Center, you help raise our collective consciousness.

If your Head is undefined, then you have unreliable access to mental pressure and are open to taking it in from external conditioning. This is potential Wisdom, which comes from building awareness of the mental energy coming in from others and your environment. You’re designed to grow your wisdom through identifying who and what is inspiring or confusing.

In a healthy state, you recognize which questions belong to you and which don’t. You’re aware of what ideas and questions are correct for you to explore using your Authority. Having a few minutes of unplugged solitude each day, to let go of the mental pressure you’re always taking in, is crucial for your wellbeing. Ask yourself: Am I thinking about things that don’t matter? Am I trying to answer everyone else’s questions?

Whether defined or undefined, if you’re feeling mentally overwhelmed, a pause is beneficial. I encourage you to get out of your head and into your body with a somatic practice like breathwork or tapping. Enjoy a sensual goddess bath. Spend some time outdoors. Try gentle movement like yoga, stretching, hiking or even more strenuous exercise if it’s aligned with your inner Authority.

No matter what your design, abundance is waiting for you inside the stillness. Remember that for all expansion there is contraction-- this is the way of divine growth. To receive the infinite gifts of the Universe you needn’t go far or wide, but deep within. Regardless of your individual nature, rest is a crucial part of the journey. No matter what season you're in, remember that instead of doing more, a pause may be the catalyst to abundance that you’re searching for.

Love through all seasons,

Libby Hoffmann

Moderne Homemaker

Libby Hoffmann is an earth intuitive and holistic wellness guide, specializing in the Human Design System for pregnancy and motherhood. She is a mother of two, author of the children's book We Are All Light, and a birth and postpartum doula. Connect with Libby and the Moderne Homemaker movement