In a world that often glorifies hustle and constant striving, finding alignment and flow can feel out of reach. But what if success could look different? Amy Lea, a professional astrologer, human design analyst, and energy and nervous system practitioner, helps individuals and leaders design extraordinary lives and businesses with authenticity and ease. With a holistic approach, Amy blends the wisdom of astrology, human design, somatic practices, and strengths-based leadership to guide clients toward greater alignment and self-trust. Lea’s ethos is coherence over hustle, the belief that true success stems from inner alignment and sustainable flow rather than relentless striving and ineffective busyness.
Having faced the cycles of burnout and disconnection that accompany hustle culture, Lea found freedom through the transformative power of human design and astrology. These modalities became the foundation for a life built on alignment and coherence. Her work equips people with actionable insights and practical strategies to redefine success on their terms, creating lives and businesses that are not only sustainable but deeply enriching. Here, she shares this transformative practice and explains how human design can serve as a roadmap to uncover your unique potential, embrace your authentic self, and navigate life with greater clarity and purpose. Whether you’re seeking alignment in your personal life or striving to build a fulfilling business, this approach demonstrates that success begins with understanding and trusting yourself.
What is human design, and how can it create a blueprint for understanding ourselves?
Human design is a transformative system that blends ancient wisdom—like astrology and the I Ching—with modern sciences to create a detailed blueprint of who you are. It’s like having an instruction manual for your energy, decision-making, and purpose. By understanding your unique design, you gain clarity on how to show up as your most aligned self, whether in relationships, work, or personal growth.
For anyone starting their journey, I recommend exploring your human design chart through tools like the human design calculator.
Could you provide a brief description of the five human design types, and how we can determine ours?
There are five types in human design, each with its unique and special way of interacting with the world:
- Manifestors: Trailblazers and innovators who spark ideas and create momentum
- Generators: Energy sustainers here to thrive in work that feels personally satisfying and lights them up
- Manifesting Generators: Multifaceted and multi-passionate creators who balance innovation and energy
- Projectors: Guides and visionaries who excel in offering direction to others
- Reflectors: Judges and evaluators who are here to keep a pulse on our collective direction and the health of our communities
Discovering your type starts with your birth details, which you can input into a human design chart calculator and find out more about your profile
Each type has a unique way of engaging with the world:
- Manifestors are initiators, driven by their inner urges to bring change and innovation to the world.
- Generators and Manifesting Generators thrive when following their gut response and letting their body lead the way.
- Projectors are here to guide others when invited, offering insights to the people who truly see and value them.
- Reflectors find their anchoring and rhythm through the moon’s monthly cycle and by noticing the energy they sample and pick up on in their environment.
How do each of the types interact with energy and decision-making?
Each type has a unique way of engaging with the world that leads to alignment and correct decision making:
- Manifestors are initiators, driven by their inner urges.
- Generators and Manifesting Generators thrive when following what excites them.
- Projectors need invitations to shine, offering insights when the timing feels right.
- Reflectors rely on lunar cycles to gain clarity and align with their environment.
How can human design help us identify when we’re out of alignment?
Alignment in human design means living according to your strategy and authority. When you’re out of alignment, you’ll often feel your “not-self” theme: frustration, bitterness, anger, or disappointment. These feelings are like signposts guiding you back to your unique flow. When you are in alignment, you will experience more of your “true-self” theme: satisfaction, success, peace. or surprise.
Each type has a unique not-self and true-self theme:
- Manifestors are working with peace and anger as their markers of alignment. When you feel peaceful, it’s a sign you are on track. When you feel consistently angry, it’s a sign you are off track and an opportunity to change something.
- Generators and Manifesting Generators are working with satisfaction and frustration as their markets of alignment. When you feel satisfied and content, it’s a sign you are on track. When you feel consistently frustrated, it’s a sign you are off track and an opportunity to change something.
- Projectors are working with success and bitterness as their markers of alignment. When you feel successful in your day-to-day life and interactions, it’s a sign you are on track. When you feel consistently bitter, it’s a sign you are off track and an opportunity to change something.
- Reflectors are working with surprise and disappointment as their markers of alignment. When you feel surprised and delighted by life, it’s a sign you are on track. When you feel consistently disappointed, stagnant or stuck, it’s a sign you are off track and an opportunity to change something.
What does it mean to lean into “flow, not force,” and why is this especially important in 2025?
In human design, “flow, not force” is about aligning with the most efficient expression of your energy, reducing external resistance by following your strategy and authority, and learning to live from a place of heart+body coherence (the ultimate flow state). One of the biggest concepts in human design is that our species has evolved significantly in the last century, and we are no longer designed to make mental decisions or position our mind as the authority of our life. In human design, the body/form is the authority, and by following our strategy and authority, we all have the ability to unlock the wisdom of our body and align with what is true, correct, and easeful for us.
The mind is still an important part of who we are and is a wonderful tool for researching, conceptualizing, making sense of the world and forming opinions, but when it comes to making our most aligned decisions, they come through the body and form.
This is important in 2025 and beyond as themes of personal sovereignty, individuality, and empowerment will come to the forefront for our species, particularly from 2027 onwards. The ability to sift through information and mental noise and attune to what is true and right in your body, will be a game changer for so many. Knowing how you are uniquely designed to make decisions is the best way to ensure you are operating in alignment, even when the world gets loud or overwhelming.
How does one’s human design strategy and authority (decision-making style) play into the concept of flow?
Your strategy and authority are your personal compass, guiding you to make decisions that feel good and lead to alignment and flow. For example, as a Generator, responding to what excites you creates ease. For Projectors, waiting for invitations ensures you use your energy wisely.
Your strategy is your external guide, helping you interact with the world in ways that feel natural. For instance:
- Manifestors are designed to inform (keep the people around them in the loop) before they initiate, reducing resistance from the outside world.
- Generators and Manifesting Generators thrive by responding to what feels life giving and energizing for them, avoiding burnout and misaligned busyness.
- Projectors excel when they wait for recognition and invitations, ensuring their guidance is appreciated and they aren’t wasting energy on people and roles that aren’t right for them.
- Reflectors benefit from taking their time and waiting through a full lunar cycle to make big decisions, aligning with their unique rhythms.
Meanwhile, your authority is your inner decision-making tool, helping you determine what’s truly right for you. Whether it’s waiting for emotional clarity over time, trusting in the moment gut responses, listening out for instinctive and intuitive awareness, or speaking things through, your authority ensures your choices come from alignment rather than pressure or conditioning.
