The second line in Human Design is dubbed the Hermit. 2^nd line people need quiet or down time to integrate things they have learned or experiences they have had. Since the 2^nd line is projected, others pick up on this and naturally offer out invitations to the Hermit. “Hey, come out to the movies with us or Hi, want to go for a cup of coffee.” My mentor Karen Parker would talk about how the 2^nd line thinks they are hiding out in their apartment, and no one can see them. Yet to others, it is more like they are in their apartment alone, the lights are all on, the shades are up for any passerby to see them. So, the rest of us see them and we invite them out.

 

Now the 2^nd line comes in a variety of flavors because the profile consists of two lines. So, the line in addition to the 2^nd line will add to that flavor of action or expression. Most of the time, 2^nd lines have a natural balance of getting their alone time and being invited out. However, I have noticed two examples of the reluctant Hermit.

 

 

The first occurs in the 2-4, when they have been overscheduled or overextended themselves to too many or too frequent invitations.   At this point the walls can go up, they start throwing out boundaries in perhaps a desperate attempt to go into the cave and shut the door for a while until they fill up the empty alone time shelf. They become the reluctant Hermit shutting down invitations left and right.

 

The second type of reluctant Hermit that I have noticed is the 6-2. Now you probably know the 6^th line has 3 life stages. The second stage is from age 28-51 and the 6^th line is up on the roof. At 51 they are scheduled to come off the roof and step into the role model phase for the last third of their life. But at this point, some 6-2’s become the reluctant Hermit. Life on the roof, the stepped back vibe of observing life, the opportunities for alone time feels so good that they really don’t want to get back in the action. I some cases this results in the 6-2 to be pulled off the roof at some point by life’s events a bit after the scheduled coming off the roof at their Kiron return.

The point of this observation is about awareness. A micro strategy for any 2^nd line is to assess from time to time, “Are they getting the alone time they need or are they stuck in their cave?” From this point of awareness, they can act to either lower or raise barriers and accept or decline new invitations to get back into balance with their energy and their profile.

So, the question for today is … “Do you have any reluctant Hermits in your circle at this time and if so, how can you invite them into balance or even just gently make them aware?”

Note – The Hermit Tarot card from The Enchanted Forest Deck, by Lunaea Weatherstone

I often refer to the Profile in Human Design as the seasoning of a design. The salt and pepper and spices that flavor it. All the aspects in a chart have characteristics or architypes. Gates for example represent things like having opinions (17), capturing detail (62), or emotionally connecting to spirit (55). Centers represent things like how you see/feel about yourself (G/Self), how you value your worth (Heart/Will) or how you get things started (Root). Channels, for example, represent things like saying yes and pushing thru (29-46) or contemplating and having an experience (36-35). Yet all of these aspects in a design are flavored by the profile. A third line design is going to flavor all these characteristics with experimentation. So getting to know your profile is an important step in understanding your design because it is going to frequently come into play in how you navigate the world.

Each profile is made up of 2 lines that come from the Sun and Earth gates in a design. I like the representation below in order to understand the evolution of the profile lines.

6
5             Outward Focus
4
————–
3
2              Inward Focus
1

If we start at the bottom with the first line, we have the most inwardly focused energy. The metaphor I see in my mind is someone looking down at their feet or belly. They are trying to find foundation on where they stand or where they are going to stand.

Continuing the metaphor, as we move up the lines the tilt of the head is rising. Line 2 is still inwardly focus but more aware of the others out there. That is why it manifests as the hermit, having alone time but also being aware of the others and accepting invitations to get called out.

Line 3 is still inwardly focused on the experiment or experience. But most experiments/experiences involve the other so there is even more awareness here. How does it turn out with the other?

When we get to line 4, now we are outward looking. The 4th line is the opportunist and the opportunity is thru the network. Scanning your network for 4th lines is imperative to harvest the opportunities.

The 5th line is fully looking out and is projected. I often think of the old fashion Grand opening lights in the sky. There is a projected magnetism from 5th lines that draw others in. It is like they are standing in a spotlight, energetically.

Lastly, the 6th line goes through it’s life cycle, from looking inward the first 28 years, to looking outward from 28 to 51, and then coming off the roof and looking on to what’s next after 51.

So it is important to understand the view of life that each line has,  as described above, to understand the potential direction and impact the profile line will create.

Here are some key notes for each line.
1. The 1st line is foundational, looking or digging for information to feel comfortable with what you are doing or going to do.
2. The 2nd line needs down time to process or integrate what you have studied or experienced. Because of the down time, the 2nd line needs to hermit or have quiet time to process.
3. The 3rd line is experimental or experiential. There is no straight line thru life. You need to try things out and see what works and what does not. You have never failed even though the world may judge you for some of your experiments did not turn out so well.
4. The 4th line is foundational through the network. Your friends, family, people you work with, your job or what you do and where you live are all part of your foundation. Your network provides the opportunity so if any of the network items mentioned are changing or coming to an end, you may feel uncomfortable until the new foundation is built.
5. The 5th line is projected energy and is magnetic. People are drawn to 5th lines. But the 5th line has a natural complexity to it. Because of the complexity, a 5th line person takes much longer to truly  get to know. This can result in the 5th line feeling projected on and you may want to escape the projection.
6. The 6th line has 3 life stages. 0 to 28 years it is experimental and inwardly focused. Around 28, the 6th line goes up on the roof and becomes observational. Watching others out in the world and how they navigate it. At ~51, the Chiron return, the 6th line comes off the roof and steps into the Role Model phase where you move forward with things that are of value to them.

Every profile is made up of 2 lines. So it is the blend of both the lines that truly shape the profile.
In this image you can see where the profile comes from in the chart. For this chart, the 2nd line, the small 2, is present in the personality Sun and Earth gates, 27.2 and 28.2. On the design side is the 4th line in the Sun and Earth, 41.4 and 31.4. Thus this design has a 2-4 profile. To learn more about profiles you can check out the podcasts here.

I often describe the profile in Human Design as the salt and pepper. It is like seasoning in cooking. Sometimes you’re going to taste it strongly and other times not as much, but it will categorically affect everything you do. For this reason I think your profile is extremely important to understand because it will put a slant or a spice on every decision, every relationship and in sum, how you show up in life.

Not only is your profile important for you to know, it’s also a big part of other people’s experience of you. For example, if you’re a 1-3 profile (like my wife), others may experience your energy as introverted, inwardly focused and possibly even self-absorbed. This is because the 1-3 has to always get foundation within themselves before they can do anything else and be present for others.

 

What is the profile? 

Each person’s profile consists of two lines. One comes from the sun and the other from the earth locations in the design. This sample chart has a 3-5 profile. The 3rd line is on the Personality sun and earth and the 5th line comes from the Design sun and earth. (circled)

 

 

 

 

Each line in Human Design has an orientation and specific characteristics. There are 6 lines in Human Design. When we look at the 1st line, it is very inwardly focused and as we move up to line 6, it is becoming more and more outwardly focused. So lines 1-3 have an inward, self focused view and lines 4-6 have an outward, or looking out towards others in their life. The diagram below illustrates the relationship of the 6 lines and gives their keynotes. (Special thanks to Rev. Ric from Healing Spirit Ministries for the next 2 images.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overview of the 6 lines.

1. Investigator(1) – The first line is a foundational investigator. This is a person who will ask a lot of questions. They have a need to have a solid understanding of the details before they can proceed. This need to understand provides an underlying feeling of comfort. When they understand it all, they are comfortable and when they don’t, there is the nagging drive to find out more. For example, if a 1st line is learning a new profession, they will get all the books, take as many courses as they can and feel they need to know it all before starting to take clients or customers. When planning a trip, they will be driven to investigate it in great detail, including ways to get there, what to do, places to stay, etc. The 1st line gathers all this information and applies it to themselves. How does this affect me? How does this change what I am going to do? Am I comfortable doing this now that I know all about it?
2. Hermit(2) – The second line is a hermit. However, there is a projected social aspect to this profile. So while there is a part of them that needs alone time, there is a part of this energy that projects out to other people and says ”Hey this person needs to be called out of their hiding!” Therefore the second line cannot be a successful hermit. There is an important aspect to this need for alone time. It is only in this alone time, only when they are allowed to draw within, that they can integrate the happenings around them. Whether this is to absorb and react to interpersonal dynamics or processing some new skill or information they have learned, they need some down time for integrating this into their being. So it is important for a 2nd line to take their alone time but accept some invitations too, as they are designed to have this balance of hermitting and going out.
3. Martyr(3) – The third line is an experimenter. Or we could also call it an experiencer. It is through experimentation and experiences that the 3rd line understands how the world works. They will try things many ways until they get it right. With each experiment, they take the results and apply it back to themselves. So for example: ”Well, I went to work on a rainy day without an umbrella, I was cold and wet all day and felt uncomfortable so I will always take an umbrella to work.” Time passes. ”Ok, I have carried this umbrella to work for 3 months and it has only rained twice and it is inconvenient to be hauling this around. I will only carry the umbrella when it looks like it’s going to rain.” Third lines may feel embarrassed or ridiculed by the failed experiments. Remember, this is how the 3rd line is designed to learn. They are designed to become experts at things so they can advise others and pass on what they have learned. There is no failure, it is just part of their experience on the planet.
4. Opportunist(4) – The fourth line is a social networker with a need for foundation. The 4th line desires the next thing to be lined up before it is ready or willing to move forward. This foundation is based around house, significant other, close friends and career. If it is moving on from a job, then they will typically want the offer letter in hand before they resign from their current job. In relationship, they will want at least prospects for a replacement before moving on. Fourth line people tend to get stuck in relationship for fear that the replacement won’t happen. When faced with the prospect of moving, they are likely to have the next place all lined up before moving out of the current one. As a 4th line profile most of the opportunities for jobs, friends, or significant others will come through their social network. This is how the energy revolves around the 4th line design.
5. Heretic(5) – The fifth line is a projective line and they have a projected field around them, meaning that the 5th line energy is outwardly expressed. This acts like a magnetic force that carries their energy out to people and can draw people in. But like a mirror this energy that is projected out can also be reflected back upon the 5th line by people they encounter. For example,if they have sexual energy in their chart they can be accused of flirting even if that is not on their mind. If they have the energy of opinions, they can be judged as opinionated without saying anything. If they have an undefined G center, people may say ”They don’t really know who they are” even though they may feel grounded. Because of this projection they will at times need alone or down time to get out of the field of projection. They need to take care of themselves and honor their need to be alone some of the time.
6. Role Model(6) – The sixth line lives out 3 different life stages. From birth to about 28.5 years the 6th line profile is prone to experimentation, (similar to a 3rd line profile). They take the results of the experimentation and experiences and try to internalize them. In an attempt to become wise, they sort through what works and what doesn’t work and how it has affected them. From age 28.5 to age 50 the 6th line withdraws. There is a realization that the experimentation didn’t really work and during this period of their life it is said that ‘they go up on the roof.” It is sort of an aloof observational period where they look outward at the world to figure out how things really do work. They observe how other people do things and use their examples of what works and what doesn’t work to figure out what works for the 6th line. Around age 50 the 6th line profile comes off the roof and moves into the role model phase of life. They have tried things the first 28 years and they observed things for the next 22 years, now they are wise and ready to step in the role of mentor or role model. This is a passive role model not aggressive. People will seek them out for their expertise, help and advice. The 6th line will get involved, only when they deem it to be a worthy cause for those who are asking as well as for 6th line themselves.

As I mentioned before, you have two lines, or unique energies, in your profile. It is a combination of these two lines that make up your complete profile. In the Energy and Keynote chart below you can see the pairings that make up the 12 different profiles in Human Design. If you understand your profile you can see how your seasoning is going to impact your life and you can become more aware of cause and affect, expression and reaction and use it to make more balanced decisions to maximize your life experience.

Quick links to an in-depth look at each profile

• 1-3 Profile
• 1-4 & 4-1 Profiles
• 2-4 Profile
• 2-5 & 5-2 Profiles
• 3-5 Profile
• 3-6 & 6-3 Profiles
• 4-6 Profile
• 5-1 Profile
• 6-2 Profile

The 1-4 & 4-1 profiles are steeped in foundation. For these personalities to function they require a foundational basis which they can rely on as they extend themselves outward to others. The difference in these two lines is the the orientation. The 1st line is oriented toward an inward foundation of information, while the 4th line is oriented toward the outward foundation of key aspects of life.

The 1st line is also known as the investigator. The investigator is driven to know detail. This is why a 1st line person often asks a lot of questions. Though investigating and asking questions the 1st line builds up a platform for which they can base their actions on. Most 1st lines who are going to work with people, whether one on one or as a teacher of many, will take multiple classes or workshops until they feel the foundation is complete. Part of this is to feel comfortable. They will often not reach their comfort level until their investigation has unearthed a deep amount of detail.

The 4th line is also known as the opportunist. The opportunity lies within the foundation of the 4th line persons network. It is through their network, that 4th lines will most often find a job, meet their significant other, find their house or their place to live. The foundation of the 4th line is their friends, their co-workers, their home, their family, their job and the groups they are a part of. Because of this 4th lines will often look to have a replacement lined up before moving on.   When they do move on from friends, job or location, they will likely hold fast to at least one of these other foundational pieces. For example. if they are moving to a new city, they will probably hold tight to old friends or family until they are settled in the new city and have begun to build a new group of friends.

So what is the difference between these two profiles? The difference is that the 1-4 will be more inwardly or self focused and a bit more driven to get details and or experience. The 4-1 will be more outwardly focused on interpersonal interaction with the investigation coming as second nature. The 4-1 would typically let the 1-4 ask the questions so they can benefit from the detailed information in the answer.

Here is a 1-4 and 4-1 chart.

The 2-5 and 5-2 profiles can add a magnetic and alluring quality  to ones personality. While this can draw others in, it can also create a heaviness or pressure that is associated with the 5th line projection. Ultimately the 2-5 and 5-2 will need to escape the pressure and get their alone time away form the energy. Lets look at the affects of these two lines.

As we said the 5th line is projective. It is inwardly projecting energy, yet the orientation of the 5th line is looking outward, watching and wanting to interact with others. The result of this inward projection and outward view creates a magnetic vortex and other people are drawn to see what it is about. But since it is a projection the qualities within the projection are not always real or substantial. There is the potential of interpretation by others that is an illusion. Others often make a quick assumption about what the 5th line person is really about. But this quick assessment lacks depth and over time there may come surprise or judgment when the 5th line person does not match the assumption. This interaction can create pressure on the 5th line and they will seek recluse from the projection so they won’t be judged.

The 2nd line is called the hermit. So with the 2nd line profile there is also a need to withdraw. But this need is fueled not by the pressure but by the need for alone time to assimilate. Anything a 2nd line encounters, whether it is knowledge, personal interactions, or physically mastering a new skill, the 2nd line needs down or alone time to integrate the new information or experience. But the 2nd line also produces a projection of energy going outward. Mixed with the inward orientation of the 2nd line, this energy acts like a beacon that others are drawn to call out. So try as they might the 2nd line will get invitations to come out and play.

Because of the interplay of the projections, the magnetic draw of others, the pressure to be alone and the need to assimilate, 2-5 & 5-2’s are social beings, but it can take time to get to know them. You need to peel the onion so to speak, to get deep into their skin.

Here are some charts of 2-5 & 5-2’s.

The6-3 and the 3-6 profiles are bound by a need to learn from experience. The profile is labeled the Role Model / Martyr or Martyr / Role Model depending on the which comes first. From an outsider they may see many failures from people with this profile but in reality nothing here is a failure for all experiences bring wisdom.

The 3rd line as we know is experimental or experiential in nature. It slants this persons  personality to have an encounter and internalize the results. “How did that affect me?”. The 3rd line must try it to know it. People with the 3rd line cannot rely on the experience of someone else as they must have that experience to know it. The fullness gets lost in words. There is an inward focus so they can’t just watch anther do it and vicariously experience it for themselves. They need to  know it so they live it.

In addition with these profiles we have the 6th line that goes through the three life stages. In the first 28 years the 6th line behaves like a 3rd line. So in essence until age 28 we have a double 3rd line personality. Experiment & Experience. This profile has got to try it! At age 28 the 6th line realizes it is not actually a 3rd line and the orientation shifts. Instead of being internally or inward focused the 6th line becomes observational and watches how others experiment and experience. The 6th line continues to watch and build wisdom until about age 50 when they “come off the roof” and step into their Role Model stage. The Role Model is full of wisdom from experimenting and observing and will get involved when it is worthwhile to themselves and the others seeking guidance.

The difference between the 6-3 and the 3-6 is in the lead orientation. The 3-6 will be more inwardly focused on first impression while the 6-3 will have a more outward look. Both profiles will have outward and inward orientation and typically will start out life more inwardly focused and turn more outwardly as they mature especially after age 40. By age 40 the experimentation and experience has led to wisdom so its necessity diminishes.

Here is an example of a 6-3 and 3-6 chart.

The 6-2 profile is an interesting blend of personality energies. The 2nd line hermit in combination with the 6th line progression of life stages can lead to 3 distinct expressions in the life of a 6-2.To understand the stages lets focus on the progression of the the 6th line.

In the first 28 years or until Saturn returns the 6th line is introspective and experimental. Coupled with the the hermit of the 2nd line this can be quiet or reserved self experimenting individual. Though through their experimentation they may have burst of energetic expression or what might seem like explosions from their somewhat reserved personalities. The 2nd line hermit will keep pulling them into being alone, but the friends of the individual will call them out.  Overall there is an intensity to the inward focus with both the 2nd and 3rd lines being inward. But as the 6-2 approaches age 28 the 6th line will give up the experimentation and head for the roof.

From 28 to around 50 the 6th line is up on the roof. This is a more aloof time for the 6th line and they are no peering outward, looking at how other people do things. They are trying to learn about life through the results of others and then pulling in this wisdom and internalizing it. The roof can feel muted and less engaged. Again with the 2nd line they will want to be alone and be called out. Perhaps developing a cycle or rhythm or pattern or withdrawing then going out.

At 50 or around the return of Kyron the 6-2 is ready to come down off the roof and be the role model. Through the self experimentation of the younger years and the observation of the middle years the 6-2 has assembled a wealth of wisdom to be shared. But while the 6-2 is a social being they are reserved. The role model will not be preachy but come out when called upon. This can be a dilema to the 6-2 and those around them. They can seem aloof or not engaged. But in reality they are waiting for that call out when they can supply their role model wisdom for the benefit of themselves and others.

Here is an example of 6-2 chart.

Okay, some of you 5-1 profiles out there kind of like the title Heretic and some of you shiver at the idea of being burned at the stake. But no matter what your position on that title, the bottom line for you is that in this life time the lead aspects of your personality are projected, The 5th line is a projection that is magnetic, alluring, repelling and it is not real. The basis of the projection is your design energies, be they shock, opinions, correction, joy to life, etc.

But the projection is not you actively expressing your energies so they are up to interpretation of the receiver. Since this is perception is almost all non verbal it is likely to be inaccurate or incomplete. So the people you meet will often form opinions or impressions of you that in the long term don’t match the real you underneath that projected field. Because of this dance of perception, it can become heavy and you are driven to escape the spotlight and be alone.

So 5th lines have this dilemma. The magnetic part of you wants the spotlight but after you have it for a while you need to get out. When you add in the driving need for change that also underlies the 5th line, we now have the Heretic. Someone who is calling for change yet we don’t  truly know who you are and what you stand for. You can see the duality here. Beauty and the Beast all in this one profile line.

With the second aspect of their profile being the 1st line, the Investigator, 5-1’s have a need for finding out the foundational details too. It is through the details that you can carry that projection forward. These details or skills that you achieve can help put foundation into the change that you are driven to make. In comparing the 1st lines of profiles  5-1 to a 1-3, the 5-1 will apply the investigation in a less consistent way. Typically the 1-3 is a fanatic about questions and detail where as the 5-1 will be investigative on a “need to know” basis.

Here are some charts of 5-1 profiles.

The 4-6 profile is the only profile within the Human Design system were both lines  go through 3 different life stages. These stages are divided into the first 28 years of life, from 28-50 and after 50.

At birth a person born in a 4-6 profile lives as if they were a 1-3 profile. They investigate and look for the foundation of the 1st line. They take to experimenting like a 3rd line person. They have an inward focus and take the results of their investigations and experiments and internalize them. For example, “I came up on a stranger rather brusquely in the park and I got punched in the eye.  Why did that happen to me?”

Unfortunately for the 4-6 the investigation and experimentation does not work very well. There is something about the geometry of the energy where the internalization of the experiences and investigations that does not sit right.

So at age 28 around the Saturn return, the 4-6 changes perspective. Instead of an inward focus they venture “up on the roof.” From the roof the 4-6 shifts their perspective to become observational, with a focus on the actions and experiences of others. Now they watch. They see the results of others actions and they take the results of these and  draw them back to themselves. “Ah, when that person approached an apparent stranger in the park slowly, with their hand out stretched, they were greeted warmly. Now I see how I could do that too” The 4-6 on the roof lives somewhat removed or aloof from 28 to age 50, watching and observing.

At 50 or when their Chiron returns, the 4-6 comes off the roof. They now have the wisdom of the first 28 years and how things don’t work so well and also how it is to be inwardly focused. They also have the experience of 28-50 and outwardly focused having watched how it all works. The 4-6 is ready to step into their role model hood. This is not a pushy role model. This is the wise woman on the hill. If she is asked or it is worth her while she will get involved and help out. People will seek out the role model for their perceived value.

Here is a sample of a 4-6 chart.

Someone with a  3-5 profile in Human Design is driven to take the results of their experiences and use those to project change and what they see as the Truth to the rest of the world.  In Human Design the 3rd line is called the Martyr and the 5th line is called the Heretic. What follows explains why this profile carries such heavy names.

The 3rd line profile is driven to experiment with certain things or put themselves in situations so they can have an experience from which they extract truths. This process has an inward or self focus.  As they go through it they are constantly internalizing what is revealed and how this impacts them.  After synthesizing the impact, they then share the results with world or at least their local community. Because society judges some experiments as failures the 3rd line carries the moniker of Martyr.

The 5th line kicks in to share the results of these experiments/experiences in a projected way. In a broadcast like a movie projector, they not only say “Here is what I learned”, but also add, “This is how you should change your behavior or yourself to benefit from the Truth I have discovered.” The 5th line is driven to create this change, often geared toward changing the behavior of others. This projection also carries an absoluteness to it, as in “I know this is right.”  However since this energy is projected, it needs to be invited. People don’t want change unless they are ready for it. If the prognostications of the 5th line are not invited then the 5th line person can feel the oppression of rejection or the insult of being ignored. This is why the 5th line carries the moniker of the Heretic.

The 3-5 profile can be one of the more difficult profiles to feel at harmony with the rest of humanity. Between the projection not always being invited and the experiments being judged, the 3-5 person can feel pressure from the world to withdraw to get out of the heat. Yet the 5th line is determined to make change and will push the 3-5 out there again, to project the way.

Here are some charts with 3-5 profiles.
Click on charts for lager view.

By contrast, here is a chart of a 5-1 profile. While the center definition of all three charts are the same, the energy here is very different.