The Cult-Like Behavior in the Human Design Community

the question nobody wants to ask themselves.

I used to get incredibly triggered whenever someone would ask if Human Design was a cult.

I would flush with embarrassment. I would feel that internal rise of defensiveness. I had my standard reply, which is often reiterated in this community when asked this question, that Human Design could not possibly be a cult because it encourages individuals to make decisions for themselves.

Earlier last year — June 3rd to be precise, I found the exact date in my search history — I remember googling “how to know you’re in a cult.” The results came up with this article: ‘The 25 Signs you’re in a High-Control Group or Cult.’ I saved it to my bookmarks bar and have read it multiple times since then.

As I was reading, I was shocked at how many signs I was ticking off the list. There is opposition to critical thought. CHECK. Leaders claim to have special insight and supreme knowledge. CHECK. The group as a whole is elitist, with an elite “inner circle” at the core. CHECK. I googled some more. I found other helpful articles. I began to feel uncomfortable with the evidence supporting my query.

No one wants to believe they’re in a cult. No one wants to believe they could fall into a cult-like community. There is so much shame wrapped up into the label “cult” because society tends to assume that the person who fell victim must be stupid and naive. “Pffff that could never happen to me,” you tell yourself as you binge watch the gazillionth cult docuseries on Netflix. You gape in wonder at how someone could possibly walk into a situation so blindly.

But here’s the thing with cults — you don’t know you’re in one until it’s too late. It becomes your entire life and sole world view. When something becomes a belief, it is incredibly hard to see things objectively because everything is filtered through it. Questioning your beliefs means having to renegotiate who you think you are and how you believe the world works. It can disrupt your entire identity; it can disrupt your entire life.

Human Design does not check off everything on the list I found in that article. But it checked off a damn lot, enough to make me pause and open my eyes, even if just a sliver, to the potential harm of the “radical” message of this community.

To cut straight to the point:

Do I believe that Human Design is a full-blown cult? No.

There are many people who find Human Design who have a healthy and balanced relationship to this system. It remains a practical tool which can help someone in understanding themselves and how they are different from others.

However.

Is there cult-like behavior within Human Design? Yes.

Are there sectors of Human Design which feel religious and dogmatic? Yes.

Have I perpetuated some of the cultish behavior and beliefs within the Human Design community? Yes.

It has been a slow unraveling. For a long time, I was hovering on that edge: I still wanted to believe Human Design was the ultimate system of truth. But the seeds of doubt had been planted and I gradually began to move away from this system. I am still untangling all of the beliefs I adopted without question, and one by one, I’ve been challenging them, and slowly letting go of what no longer serves me. And with this process, I feel like I am finding myself again. I feel like my world is opening up in ways I didn’t allow it to before. I finally began to be honest with myself, asking “does this way of living actually work for me?” The answer, as much as I didn’t want to admit it, was no.

This is an article I’ve wanted to write for a long time. I’ve alluded to it before, but now it’s time to lay it all out on the table. Buckle up, grab a beverage, because I already know this is going to be a long one (4000 words and a 20 minute read). Without further ado, here are some of the primary red flags of the Cult-Like Behavior within Human Design.

Absolutism

“Human Design is a mechanical absolute” — how many times have you heard this statement? I’ve heard it hundreds, often spewed out by leaders and “experts” within this community. This black and white mentality, which leaves no room for nuance and shades of gray, has religious undertones where students or followers cannot question the teachings of “god.” It suppresses critical thought and ironically, encourages individuals to outsource their authority to a system which claims it is “the law.”

Absolutism is not healthy, in any form. Whilst the mechanics of Human Design provide a lens to which we can view the world from, it only provides a singular lens — there are many lenses you could use and each would show a different version of reality that appears to be true. Each have evidence to support why that particular frame of reference is “correct” or “right.” Be wise about which one’s you choose; as soon as you believe something is an “absolute,” it’s incredibly difficult to break free from that mentality. Remaining open to other sources of information and keeping a healthy dose of skepticism is important to hold when you approach any new system or alternative modality of thought.

Many people join cults because they believe they’re being offered solid, absolute answers for questions such as good vs. evil, religion, the meaning of life, politics, etc. Many cult leaders promote messages that are simple and seem to make sense, the exact opposite of what we’re often provided with in typical, everyday life. New members are often found when individuals crave these answers and then are promised a simple life by someone who seems to have it all figured out.

— ‘10 Things to Know about the Psychology of Cults’

Charismatic leader

Another common response to why Human Design cannot possibly be a cult is because the founder is dead. I beg to differ: there are plenty of examples of thriving cults without a leader who is currently alive. Look at any fundamentalist religious group, or consider the fact that even though an initial leader might be dead, new people rise up to fill that role.

In Human Design, there are many students who were very close to Ra Uru Hu (Robert Alan Krakower) who have stepped up to continue his legacy. They revere him as a saint, someone who could do no wrong as a messenger of “truth.”

Whilst I do not want to denigrate the value that Ra provided in sharing this information with the collective, he was a human. He was not a god. He was incredibly charismatic and had a background in sales and media. He was funny and had dozens of anecdotes; he was brash and unapologetic, not caring for political correctness or self-soothing language. Listening to his lectures feels like you’re part of some secret society with access to “special” knowledge. He had a way of pulling you in.

There are many who practice Human Design and have a balanced perception of Ra, without taking everything he said so literally. But there are thousands within this community who believe that anything Ra said is the absolute law and cannot be challenged. This is a hallmark sign of cults.

There is absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability. The leader is the ultimate authority and is always right. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or receiving validation. No other process of discovery is seen to be acceptable or credible. The group leader is never wrong. If there is a problem it is always someone else’s fault.

— Anastasia Sommerville-Wong

Prophecy and Conspiracy

I’ll admit I’ve fully indulged in the 2027 prophecy. I’ve written about it dozens of times and I’ve even hosted masterclasses on the topic. Whilst the evidence is compelling and it can offer an understanding of the current crises and potential direction the world is heading, it is just a theory. We cannot validate it as the definitive truth.

There are many components surrounding the 2027 prophecy that are pure speculation. For example, the coming of “the raves” — children with extra-special abilities that transcend “individual consciousness” — is a theory we cannot prove will happen. Yet, people within Human Design are convinced of these creatures being born post 2027, and that only people with specific designs or born on specific dates will be able to conceive such children.

Ra even went so far to say the world will end in 1300 years. It’s a classic doomsday story, and one that could be completely made up. After all, how many prophecies and end-of-the-world predictions have we had over the course of a human lifetime? Countless. Whenever Ra would lecture about 2027, the only solution he provided was strategy and authority and following Human Design. This is a classic case of presenting a “problem” where the cult says they have the only “solution.”

If your group insists the end of the world is near, you are in a cult! Cults thrive on conspiracy theories, catastrophic thinking, and persecution complexes.

— Anastasia Sommerville-Wong

Elitism

There is an undeniable thread of elitism that runs through the “radical” Human Design community. We perceive those who are not involved in HD as “homogenized” and “not-self.” We think we know better than other people’s lived experience. We think we are “right” and morally superior, above the lowly humans (or muggles) who don’t have access to this special knowledge. In truth, most are just so wrapped up in their own delusions of grandeur, of being part of the chosen “4% of the 4%,” that they cannot see they don’t know any better that anyone else around them.

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Hierarchical thinking is incredibly dangerous. I mean, you could literally think about the ways humans have justified horrific acts of violence through the perceived hierarchy of race. If you believe in a hierarchy, you are likely going to treat those beneath you through subtle (or not so subtle) ways of demeaning their value as a human being. You don’t see them clearly: you see others through your distorted lens of superiority, categorizing them as “less than” or even sub-human.

I know this well because I’ve been there. At some point, I just had to pull my own head out of my ass and get real with myself. Having a superiority complex serves no one and segregates you from sincere human connection. You can acknowledge that you are special as long as you can acknowledge everyone around you is too. Everyone deserves to be treated with basic human respect. When you become sensitive enough, you can whiff elitism on an individual from a mile away. It’s the ultimate repellent to keep people out of your life.

Language

We tend to forget how much language can instill particular beliefs and influence an individual’s thought processes. It is often used in cults as a form of brainwashing.

Anyone who comes to Human Design knows that learning the language can be initially overwhelming. There are all these phrases and sayings, “follow your strategy and authority” or “wait for the invitation as a Projector,” that are repeated over and over again, to the point where you eventually accept them as fact.

In the more hardcore Human Design spaces, using the “correct” language is deemed of the utmost importance. Deferring from the language and wording that Ra used — or god-forbid, coming up with your own language — is seem as blasphemy. The keynotes hold certain “frequencies” that can’t be transmitted when changing the words from the original source material. I call this bullshit.

The language can eventually become so embedded in your psyche it’s hard to differentiate between what is fact versus what are just indoctrinated beliefs and regurgitated phrases. It is interesting to note that in the beginning of Human Design, this specific language and keynotes didn’t exist — before the concepts of Type, Authority, or Profile, there was just two modes: “to do” or “to wait.”

A friend recently lent me the book ‘Human Design Revealed,’ which was written by two early followers of the system called Chaitanyo and Zeno. They purport that Human Design diverted significantly from it’s origins as soon as Ra started coming up with specific language, phrases, and keynotes. As I was skimming through the book, I realized how boring and unsexy the basics of Human Design really are. There are no simple solutions given. There are no “do this and X will follow.” The authors focus on awareness as the only gift of this system. They do not believe in the laws of Type or Aura — they tell you to figure your life out for yourself.

I don’t know if Human Design would have become so popular if the ideas of Type, Strategy, Authority, and Profile didn’t come into play. The language is part of the seduction of the knowledge, the desire to understand and find concrete answers. I think the truth is never that simple. Be wary of language and the ways it can be used to manipulate your thoughts and actions.

Feelings of shame and guilt

There was a point in my experiment where I developed an unhealthy sense of perfectionism when it came to “living my design.” I was hyperaware of my openness and “not-self” — these were categorized as “bad” and undesirable. I wanted to live as the “perfect Projector” because I sincerely believed something bad would happen to me if I didn’t follow my strategy and authority. I would feel guilty if I didn’t wait my emotional wave; I would feel guilty if I didn’t eat according to my indirect light determination. I was constantly stressed I was going into “transference,” a common insult used by those in Human Design to call people out when they say something they don’t agree with.

I’ll let you in on a secret: you’re not going to die if you don’t follow your strategy and authority.

After all, there are billions of people in the world who have no idea what Human Design is and seem to be doing just fine.

I had a moment a few months ago where I was looking out at the “homogenized, not-self” people in my life and realized — they actually look happy. They actually seem to be enjoying themselves. And it really made me question, why do we think deconditoning is a painful and arduous journey? Why do we think that suffering and being miserable is “part of the process?” Why are so many people who are into the “radical” version of Human Design deeply depressed, stagnant, and financially unstable?

There is am implied sense of guilt and shame when you don’t follow “the rules” of your design. When internalized, this becomes an unhealthy psychological complex that can affect how you feel and how you interact with the world. If you find yourself in this space, please have some compassion and grace for yourself. You are not doing anything “wrong.” You are not “bad” if you do not live according to your Human Design. We are here to feel empowered to be ourselves; try to let go of the rules and the ways you are gripping so tightly to this system. If Human Design is doing more harm than good in your life, step away and hit the pause button. Then you can determine whether this system is actually valuable for you. (It might not be, and that’s okay.)

Studying through “approved” sources only

Many people who find Human Design discover it through popular sources such as Jenna Zoe or Erin Claire Jones, who provide a more “palatable” version of this system. Often, those who offer alternative versions of Human Design run teacher trainings or courses. The people in the hardcore community shame these individuals through labeling them as “Pop Human Design” or “mind-candy.” Essentially, they claim they do not teach “real” Human Design because they do not adhere strictly to the “source material” (the information and lectures Ra gave whilst he was alive).

Technically, Jovian and IHDS are the only “approved” places where one can get an education in Human Design. Learning from anyone who shares a different view on the system is discouraged and/or shamed.

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There is also a deep lack of critical analysis when it comes to the claims Ra made in his lectures, often presented as “scientific fact.” One of the most dangerous parts of this system — IMO — is when he teaches about health and “determination.” Ra claims that certain diets and specific environments are the most healthy for an individual based on their design, ranging from diets which include eating only one food at a time, and for others only eating at night. He claims that not eating “correctly” according to your determination as a child has affected the development of your brain, and that only eating according to his theory will allow you to “differentiate” your consciousness.

Ra was not a scientist. He also was only one person. To get all of your information about a system or body of knowledge from a singular person cuts you off from different perspectives and alternative views, which might actually be more accurate, healthy, or practical for an individual.

Group leaders will encourage you to check things out but they will steer you only in the direction of ‘approved’ sources, which defend the doctrine of the group. They will create the impression that these sources have wider recognition, acceptance and authority than they in fact do... Equally, group leaders will create the impression that certain other sources of information, which do not necessarily support their teachings, are unreliable or false.

— Anastasia Sommerville-Wong

“Us vs Them” Mentality

Using the language of the “not-self,” Human Design perpetuates an “us vs them” mentality, where those who do not follow the system are “othered” and deemed as “bad.” Gradually, this can lead to separating yourself from loved ones and those who “don’t get it,” where your inner circle begins to be strictly made up of people who are also into Human Design.

Cults can make one’s life turn incredibly insular; your entire life can start to revolve around the cult. This can affect your relationships, your job, how you decide to spend your free time, to what information you choose to consume. There is a lack of identifying with anything outside of the cult, meaning you might abandon old interests and hobbies in favor of devoting your time and energy to the cult.

Human Design likes to claim that it is the ONLY system which works, and that all other modalities, systems, or teachings, are irrelevant, false, or “seven-centered.” Many people, myself included, ditch all other practices we were into before — from yoga, to meditation, to even traditional talk-therapy — because they no longer fit into our world view alongside Human Design.

This “us vs them” mentality, which is the same as “good” vs “evil,” “right” vs “wrong,” “saints” vs “sinners,” is the same tactic used by any fundamentalist religious group in order to instill fear and keep your consciousness in a state of duality. You cannot just categorize an entire group of people as “not-self” because they don’t know Human Design. There are many individuals I have met who seem more in tune with themselves than those who claim to be the most radical and deep into their experiment.

Awareness, at the end of the day, is non-dual. If the goal of Human Design is to put you into the place of the passenger — aka, the observer, the witness — then these dualistic labels should cease to be relevant. I no longer see people through this lens of separation — I understand we are all doing the best we can, finding the methods of living which work for us. Who’s to say you know any more than the person sitting next to you at the cafe? Or someone walking down the street? I believe there is something to learn from everyone’s lived experience, no matter their personal beliefs or chosen worldview.

Shaming those who leave the system

When I began to go deeper into my studies of “traditional” Human Design, I discovered there were certain authors and individuals who were outcasted for leaving (or changing) the original system.

These people include:

• Richard Rudd, founder of the Gene Keys

• Karen Curry Parker, who created Quantum Human Design

• Jenna Zoe, who changed the language and keynotes

• Chaitanyo and Zeno, who founded Zen Human Design

• Chetan Parkyn, founder of Evolutionary Human Design

• John Martin, who focused on cognition as one’s inner authority

and countless more…

In the “radical” Human Design community, these people are often shamed, made fun of, and dismissed as illegitimate, even often alluded to as “stupid.” Leaders of Human Design Facebook Groups, or commenters on the Reddit page, will attempt to steer newcomers away from engaging with alternative sources, labeling them as “incorrect” or plain wrong.

I first discovered Human Design through Jenna Zoe who was a guest on a podcast in 2018. I found much of what she shared fascinating, and could easily identify myself in what she was saying about elements of my design. At some point, however, I learned that we weren’t supposed to trust Jenna Zoe and that most of what she shared was a “spiritualized” version of the system.

As I’ve been pulling apart my relationship to Human Design, I went back and re-listened to old workshops I had purchased from her and played some episodes of her podcast. It was illuminating to realize I still resonated with her take on the system, and that in many respects, it seems far more practical and grounded in the real world in comparison to the radical community. I felt uplifted and empowered; not broken down and defeated, convinced in the mantra of “no choice.”

Human Design, at it’s core, is supposed to be a tool for self-empowerment. Whilst I may have made a pretty convincing argument here on all the flaws of Human Design through the cult-like behavior it can perpetuate, this is only one slice of the story. It is based on my own experience within this community and the observations I have made of others in the same space. There are plenty of people who have not had this experience. There are plenty of people who have used Human Design in an individualized, personal way, who have not gotten caught up in the culture of the hardcore, radical community.

I am someone who tends to swing from extremes and then wants to burn everything down when I find it doesn’t work. Maybe this is the anarchist in me, who dives head first into an experience and then wants to rebel against it when I eventually discover the cracks.

The truth probably lies somewhere in between. Most things in life are not all good or all bad — there’s infinite layers and gradients and diverging experiences that often change over time. Personally, I am in my healing phase right now, and that requires stepping away from most of the information of this system. Perhaps at some point I will find my middle ground, taking what resonates and leaving the rest.

Often, these systems, modalities, or ways of living feel good initially. At some point, however, they can go sour. I am not denying that Human Design has helped me significantly in understanding who I am, alongside meeting some of the most incredible people within this community. But eventually it became a limitation, a dogmatic set of rules, an internalized bucket of shame.

I think it is important for everyone to be able to ask themselves hard questions: what are the beliefs that currently run my life? Who or what is my authority? Does this way of living actually work for me? How does it feel in my body? Has it improved my life? Do I feel happy within myself? Is there a way I can engage with this system that feels healthy and practical for me?

These are questions only you can answer; they often take time to unpack. I offer solidarity to anyone who has had a similar experience over the last several years and hope we can rediscover who we are beyond any system, modality, or esoteric teaching which claims to know “the truth”. May you continue to exist in the colorful and complex space of the in-between.