Basics on Human Design "Environment"
The “Environment” from our Human Design chart tells us the type of surroundings for us that are the most nourishing. In Human Design, something that is nourishing means that it is a place where:
We will naturally not be taking on conditioning that is against our design
We will find less resistance in our differentiation process a.k.a. living out who we truly are, as we were “designed”
We will naturally meet the people or situations that will help us grow
There are a few important things to remember when thinking about our Environment:
If you are under 30, your environment is not as important. It becomes more important after the Saturn Return (which usually happens between ages ~27 and 30).
The Environments are more of a concept than a specific place. Some of them are rather abstract, some are more physical, and most environments are not mutually exclusive. So, for instance, if you and your partner or family member have different environments, it does not mean that you will not be happy living together, because some environments can be created within the same home. Some have nothing to do with the space of your home, and some have nothing to do with the geographic location.
It’s important not to take this at face value and uproot your life to put yourself in the correct “Environment.” What you will likely find is that the Environment in your Human Design chart will resonate with you on a deep level, and you’ll recognize that you’ve felt this all along, if you really tune into yourself.
HOW TO FIND “ENVIRONMENT” IN YOUR CHART
You can calculate your chart here on my site, which lists your Environment.
I also cover your Environment in my 28-page quick-start guide to your Human Design for $9.99. It is customized to your chart and downloads instantly.
THE SIX ENVIRONMENTS
Here are my interpretations of the Environments, from what I’ve read and absorbed, but also from what I’ve intuited about the Environments based on the people close to me whose charts and lives I’m familiar with. It’s important not to take the names at face value, and think more about the broader application.
Each Environment also has two sub-types.
The Cave
Selective
Selective caves are small, cave-like environments that are cool, dim, calming, and only have one entrance. People who have this Environment do best when they can control who is coming in and out, and when they have their back to the wall so that they feel a sense of security. They will also do best alone, or sharing the space with one other person. A selective cave would be found in a house or building interior, such as a basement workroom or office.
Blending
The Blending Cave is also an enclosed environment, but people who thrive in the Blending Cave are more open to who comes into their space. This would be a communal environment where perhaps there are multiple entrances and more free-flowing energy and movement.
The Market
The Market is all about being choosy with what you allow into your life.
External
External Markets are bustling environments with a lot of people, and exchange of money/commerce, communication, and information. What makes the External Market special is that the individual with this Environment typically heads into the Market with a specific goal in mind - to buy a certain thing, find a certain person, etc. So, an ideal Market Environment would be one where the individual benefits from their exchanges with others, but they are very discerning about who they are interacting with to make sure they are getting what they want.
Internal
The Internal Market is also a space of exchange - goods, information, energy. However, the Internal Market is an indoor or enclosed space that has been created so that the person with this Environment in their chart can invite people into their sacred space to congregate, exchange, and gather. These will be people that all share a common interest or goal.
The Kitchen
The Kitchen is also sometimes referred to as the Laboratory. I like this name, because I think it describes the concept better. The Kitchen is where a lot of different things come together, like ingredients of a meal, with ample workspace to combine creatively. An example of a Kitchen would be a city - where housing, offices, shops, cafes, restaurants, and public transit are all humming away. Not only that, but the Kitchen is where people from different backgrounds, cultures, races, ages, and professions coexist. The Kitchens person will flow best when surrounded by a lot of different connections, options, variation, and action.
The two variations of Kitchens are Wet and Dry. This refers to a more humid geographic location (leafy, green, rainy) or a more dry location (desert, high mountain).
The Mountain
The Mountain Environment is all about getting out of the trenches, and up to a place that allows you to get a little bit oxygen-deprived.
Active
Active Mountain people thrive when they can literally get up high physically and be in an environment where their intellect is engaged and challenged. A perfect example of an Active Mountain would be working or studying in a high-rise building, or anywhere that they are getting out of the trenches and up where there is less oxygen.
Passive
A Passive Mountain environment would more likely be a literal mountain environment. This would be a place that is high up, there is literally less oxygen, and they can get away from people and bask in their own aura.
The Valley
The Valley is all about acoustics and hearing sound in a protected space.
Narrow
Narrow Valley people do best when they are in a space like a narrow street, where they can engage in one-on-one conversations and greetings with the people around them, and hear the goings-on of the neighborhood. This could even be an interior space, like a workspace in a hallway. The important thing is that they are taking in sound in a direct way, from a specific source they can see.
This could also be wearing headphones, and hearing sound that is very close to you.
Wide
Wide Valley people thrive in the acoustics of a much larger space that has two walls, where they are taking in sound indirectly. This would be more likely to be a literal valley, perhaps with a river running through it, a highway coming through, or a place where they can hear music or celebration coming from the next town. The key is to be in a larger space where you are hearing sound from a distance.
The Shore
Shores are all about seeing where two distinct environments come together.
Artificial
The Artificial Shore is the edge of two non-natural environments. For instance, a suburban environment that blends together the city and country, the border of two countries, a street that divides two different neighborhoods, or even a workspace that straddles two distinct parts of the house. You would want to be able to see both of these environments come together.
Natural
The Natural Shore is a true shore, where water is coming together with land. This could be a lake, stream, ocean, or any other body of water. Being able to see both environments is the key.
HOW I INTERPRET MY ENVIRONMENT
My Environment is Wet Kitchens. Based on my own observations from my own experiments during my life, and where I’ve spent my time, I know that I do thrive in a city environment. I love nature, so this has always been a little bit confusing to me. However, deep down I know that a city is where I feel the most aligned and enriched.
I’ve lived in the country, in the suburbs, in large cities, in a small city, and in medium-sized cities. I’ve found that for me, I feel most nourished in a city that is at least medium-sized. I like living in a neighborhood with a lot of different types of dwellings - apartments, houses, condos, duplexes. I like to see different sizes and styles of houses. If everything feels too uniform, I feel claustrophobic. I like to feel the anonymity of being around enough people to blend in, and have a lot to observe. I like to be walking or biking distance to shops and restaurants.
As far as the “Wet” part of my Kitchens environment, I definitely love to live somewhere with a lot of greenery. I don’t like hot humidity, so thankfully I live in a place where the humidity happens during the colder part of the year (The Pacific Northwest, USA).
I have also naturally incorporated the Kitchens environment into my own personal workspace. My ideal situation is having my own sacred space in the middle of a larger Kitchens Environment (i.e. a city). Within my studio/office space I have also set up a Kitchens-esque Laboratory environment. I have multiple stations - a desk work station, an altar, a meditation bench, a sofa for relaxing, I have my books within easy reach, and a closet full of creative supplies. This is my Laboratory for personal development and creativity, and I alternate between all of the stations many times per day.
The only way I could see my environment improving would be to be nearer to a more lively street with more shops, people, and things happening. My neighborhood is a little quieter than I would prefer!
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
As always, the first thing is to never give your power over to anyone or anything external. Meditate on the general guidelines I’ve given here, and be open to any intuitive feelings you have about how you might apply your Environment in your life. Additionally, it’s not good to let your mind get ahold of this concept and try to make a drastic change. As you live your Design, let your Strategy and Authority naturally guide you to these Environments. We can all thrive everywhere, so don’t worry. However, as we fine tune our lives as we get to know ourselves better and dig deep within, Environment is a great tool to help us understand why we are drawn to certain environments.
Love,
Rachel
Make sure to keep in touch!
