On alignment and human design, with Irene McKenna

Today with the beauty of Irene McKenna’s words and message, we talk human design strategy!

Finally, a human design episode.

It’s my great pleasure to welcome Irene.

But first a couple words on the evolution and revolution that is a map, an energetic blueprint, or a chart based precisely on the moment a birth takes life…

The moment a consciousness says, YES, I’m ready, and I’m here…

While it’s true that we’re psychological phenomena expressing DNA, we often shrug away the immense power of our esoteric contexts. Our soul calling.

Or, that’s my paraphrasing of astrologer Steven Forrest in an exposition of evolutionary astrology, a collision between ancient metaphysics and modern psychological astrology:

So much of psychology—and again I don't really for a second mean to sound like I'm negative about it—it's just that it becomes so much more powerful when we put it in the context of these ancient truths and these larger truths.

It was the great Jungian psychologist James Hillman, after all, who said that the soul has a code. And—like an acorn destined for the oak tree—this code is inborn.

An acorn does not have to say, ‘I intend to become an oak tree'. Natural intelligence intends that every living thing become the highest form of itself and designs us accordingly.

―Sonya Renee Taylor, The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love

Without getting too mystical about it…

Equity as divine alignment is both worldly and spiritual. We can’t see the holistic point of view in the fight for justice on the ground if we deny ourselves as part in a whole—and this includes a whole cosmic universe.

So I am grateful for systems like Human Design…

A system that combines ancient wisdoms like astrology, the chakra system, the Chinese I-Ching, and the Jewish Kabbalah with quantum physics…

For while it can be fun to joke around about our types and our strategies, the underlying depth is one of spiritual service.

Irene McKenna said it beautifully when she said we’re here to be who we truly are.

We’re here to be who we were born to be.

Like the acorn born to be the tree.

Or, in my case, a 2-4 splenic projector.

Were it not for honoring my human design strategy, I wouldn’t have waited for the invitations…

Like the invitation to accept, for instance, a fully-remote full-time job as a writer…



When assuredly some part of me in the past never truly imagined or believed I could support myself as a writer.

Meet Irene

What if success didn’t require self-sacrifice? 

What if the secret wasn’t doing more—but aligning deeper?

I’m Irene, Alignment Specialist for high-achieving women who are done hustling for a version of success that doesn’t feel like their own.

I work with leaders who are ready to stop abandoning their truth and start magnetizing everything they desire—by shifting their frequency, not their to-do list.

Because here’s what I know: frequency trumps everything. When you calibrate to your truth, life begins to bend in your favor. Business grows. Relationships deepen. Opportunities find you.

I help my clients hack the Law of Attraction through energetic alignment—so they create success that feels like freedom in every area of their lives.

This isn’t about striving. It’s about syncing with the version of you who already has it all.

If you're ready to stop performing your life and start living it—let’s connect.

Read, listen, or watch the podcast episode

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Highlights from the Episode

Irene’s journey into human design began…

My journey into human design actually began with a journey into coaching. And that was kind of around that 38 to 40, where I was a physical therapist. That's what I had gone into, and I went into physical therapy because that's what the "good daughter" would do. That's what my parents were pushing me towards, and so that's what I chose. I still remember being at a college fair and saying, "I want to major in psychology and minor in physical therapy." They're like, you can't minor in physical therapy. That's what you have to do. So like the good daughter—which makes sense now that I understand my human design chart—that's what I did.

It was a job I am grateful for it... and it never filled my soul. Like it just, it was such a drain on my energy, which is why I was at this point—both my kids were were young—I had kind of lost myself in that whole thing. Because now my kids were calling me into this version of me I didn't know how to be.

Whhaaaat is Human Design?

 Well, human design is a system of self-awareness. It comes from ancient wisdoms like astrology, the chakra system, the Chinese I- Ching, the Jewish Kabbalah, combined with quantum physics to give you this energetic blueprint. If you think of the electrical map of your house. It's kind of your personal energetic blueprint.



You know, if we think 1987, personal growth was not a big thing. And I mean still today in humanity, most of us are operating in what we call our "not-self," which is basically just out of alignment so to speak with this energetic map.

Experiment and Accept the Invitation

You don't have to believe in human design. Just experiment with it. Look at the times, oh you know—what are the times as a splenic projector that I followed that whisper? And what are the times that I did not? What happens when I am invited into something, versus the times I just try to push my insights in? And what were the responses that I received ? And just start looking at those. Because it's not a religion, it's not a dogma, it's not a set of rules on who you are. It's an experiment that you're invited into if you choose to go on it.

Purpose is not what we do, it's who we be.

―Irene McKenna

Keep in touch with Irene

I highly recommend connecting with Irene McKenna for human design anything! Consulting, 1-on-1 work, group classes and programs and special invites, you name it. Or just to look at your human design chart!

You can:

• Run your human design chart and get the cheat codes (:

• Join her group on Facebook, where Irene teaches soul-aligned human design strategy for business and life. Here she breaks down the human design chart so that it’s easier to understand and apply!

• Visit her website, irenemckenna.com
  
  
• Connect with Irene on LinkedIn
  

Irene's Midlife Rebirth Story

As shared on the podcast. Originally posted in her Facebook group, shortened for length.

At 38, the voices started getting louder.

I’d get the kids to bed, collapse on the couch, and numb out with whatever show didn’t require too much thought. Just a soft landing for the exhaustion. Then I'd trudge up to bed, depleted, only to do it all again tomorrow.

The grind.

The monotony.

The quiet ache that whispered:

"This can’t be all there is."

At 40, a friend handed me a copy of The Secret, and I dove in headfirst. Over the next five years, I ping-ponged between trying to “do” the art of allowing while simultaneously doing all the things to build a life and business that actually felt good.

Looking back now, I can see the perfect timing of it all—my Uranus opposition was roaring through my chart, calling me into a mid-life reckoning.

(If only someone had told me what a sacred and initiatory season that really is. It’s not a crisis. It’s a rebirth.)

I invested in the coaches.

I enrolled in the programs.

I healed the patterns and peeled back layers of who I thought I had to be.

I emerged from my chrysalis a new woman—clearer, wiser, yet… still stuck.

Still trying to force it.

Still trying to push forward.

Still trying to manifest through vision boards and journaling and surrendering harder than anyone had ever surrendered before.

…

But here's the magic:

Once I started aligning my frequency not with what I wanted, but with who I was here to be—everything changed.



Clients shifted.

Opportunities shifted.

I shifted.

Because what you desire doesn’t respond to what you’re doing.

It responds to who you’re being.

And your frequency? That’s not a mindset thing.

It’s an embodiment thing.

It’s an alignment thing.

See you next time on the Equitable Wellness podcast,

p.s. My profound reverence always for Akimi Lounsberry, a fellow projector with splenic authority, who first introduced me to human design ;) Also a shout-out to Christina Miller, another splenic projector friend whom I’ve met in the online world. I’ll quickly plug that I’m sure Christina is your go-to for OBM and social media management in the spiritual entrepreneur space! An astrology buff with a beautiful newsletter, she is someone I can imagine on a future plant-based power podcast and make it a group pod…

Full Podcast Transcript

Shayna Grajo (00:00)

Welcome everyone back to the Equitable Wellness podcast. Today I am so excited to introduce a human design specialist to the stage for a human design episode. And I have my notes on my phone that I'm reading. Let me preface that this episode is not a debate on the legitimacy of human design or its effectiveness.

This episode is for people who wholeheartedly and enthusiastically embrace, if not are open to their human design for strategy, for alignment, for attunement and magic and flow. So for those who are ready for Irene's insights into human design for business and life, just you wait for this great episode on alignment as what tunes your frequency.

And as always, thank you for watching the podcast on YouTube and Substack. You can subscribe to the Substack to get future episodes dropped right to your inbox. And for anyone listening on your favorite podcast player, thank you also. If you prefer to read, a full transcript will be available on my website blog, shaynagrajo.com, link in the notes.

So normally this podcast touches on equitable practices in the health and wellness space, such as how spas, retreat centers, holistic practitioners, and luxury services incorporate collective liberation. But because I love human design and I know a good amount of you fans in my audience are also human design lovers. This particular podcast is getting more into holistic marketing and equity as divine alignment, a liberation we all long for.

So before I introduce my wonderful guest, I will introduce myself. I am your host, Shayna Grajo, and I am a writer and content marketer in health and wellness, with a background as a licensed massage therapist, yoga instructor, and former journalist. I will now introduce myself, The Human Design way, as a 2-4 projector with splenic authority. Today, we are joined by Irene McKenna, and I will read her amazing bio because

I love the energy and the touch that she's put into her bio. I'm Irene, Alignment Specialist for high achieving women who are done hustling for a version of success that doesn't feel like their own. I work with leaders who are ready to stop abandoning their truth and start magnetizing everything they desire— by shifting their frequency, not their to-do list. Because here's what I know.

Frequency trumps everything. When you calibrate to your truth, life begins to bend in your favor. Business grows. Relationships deepen. Opportunities find you. I help my clients hack the Law of Attraction through energetic alignment— so they create success that feels like freedom in every area of their lives. This isn't about striving. It's about syncing with the version of you who already has it all.

If you're ready to stop performing your life and start living it, let's connect. Okay, so that was the bio. Irene, tell us where you're calling in from.

Irene McKenna (03:31)

So yeah, I'm in Western New York in the United States over on the Great Lakes, so on Lake Ontario. So we're just kind of moving into the warmer weather right now, which I'm loving.

Shayna Grajo (03:44)

Yes, you were saying before our call that when you were dropping off your son to school, it's already muggy there.

Irene (03:51)

It is, it is muggy. Yesterday I think we were, so we're Fahrenheit so I don't know the conversions, but we were like 90, 95 degrees yesterday and today we're like at 65. So it's that time of year where there's kind of a lot of up and down but but very muggy today. Still beautiful to go out and walk the dog this morning so that was a great way to start my day.

Shayna Grajo (04:02)

Okay.

Yeah, yeah, wonderful. So I want to start our exploration of you, what you bring, your background for all of us listeners and readers and viewers ⁓ with a wonderful post that you shared recently in your private Facebook group. ⁓ And the group is about human design strategy.

And I'm going to, again, read this post, at least the highlights of this really nice post. So this is what I read the other night, and then we can get into more about this. You said, at 38, the voices started getting louder. I'd get the kids to bed, collapse on the couch, and numb out with whatever show didn't require too much thought.

just a soft landing for the exhaustion. Then I'd trudge up to bed depleted only to do it again tomorrow. The grind, the monotony, the quiet ache that whispered: "This can't be all there is." At 40, a friend handed me a copy of The Secret and I dove in headfirst. Over the next five years, I ping ponged between trying to "do"

the art of allowing, "do" in air quotes, while simultaneously doing all the things to build a life and business that actually felt good. Looking back now, I can see the perfect timing of it all— My Uranus opposition was roaring through my chart, calling me into a midlife reckoning. (If only someone had told me what a sacred and initiatory season that really is.)

It's not a crisis, it's a rebirth. I invested in the coaches. I enrolled in the programs. I healed the patterns and peeled back layers of who I thought I had to be. I emerged from my chrysalis a new woman— clearer, wiser, yet... still stuck. Still trying to force it, still trying to push forward. Still trying to manifest through vision boards and journaling and surrendering.

harder than anyone had ever surrendered before. And then the post continues. And the conclusion is, But here's the magic: Once I started aligning my frequency not with what I wanted, but with who I was here to be— everything changed. Clients shifted. Opportunities shifted. I shifted.

Because what you desire doesn't respond to what you're doing. It responds to who you're being. And your frequency? That's not a mindset thing. It's an embodiment thing. It's an alignment thing.

⁓ so juicy. ⁓ This beckons my question from this past and your rebirth. Tell me how you got into human design.

Irene (07:28)

My journey into human design actually began with a journey into coaching and that was kind of around that 38 to 40 where I

I was a physical therapist and that's what I had gone into and I went into physical therapy because that's what the good daughter would do. That's what my parents were pushing me towards and so that's what I chose. I still remember being at a college fair and saying, I want to major in psychology and minor in physical therapy. They're like, you can't minor in physical therapy. That's what you have to do. So like the good daughter, which makes sense now that I understand my human design chart, that's what I did.

it was a job I am grateful for it and it never filled my soul like it just it was such a drain on my energy which is why I was at this point both my kids were were young I had kind of lost myself in that whole thing because now

my kids were calling me into this version of me I didn't know how to be and all of the parts of me that were trying to "do" it, parenting in this case, as I had been parented just didn't feel right. And so it was kind of this big upheaval in my life. So my first step was into coaching. And I still remember, I said, I would love to just help people like meet their goals. And then health coaching pops up in my feed. I'm like, okay. So I started with health coaching and quickly

shifted over into parent coaching, which is probably because what I needed, I needed to learn for myself. And that's what I started out with in this journey. And then at one point I was at a retreat and a friend of mine mentioned human design and what is what is that? And so she ⁓ I quickly signed up to have a reading with her and the information fascinated me.

Shayna Grajo (09:10)

Okay.

Irene (09:19)

but I didn't know what to do with it. And we go back to the "doing" and then I had a reading for my kids and again it made me understand so much about them but I didn't know what to do with it. And so it just kind of step by step and then I connected with somebody who did human design who was in a program and I was like, mm-hmm, that's what I want to do. So I studied, I joined HD school and studied human design which then led me to wanting to add EFT. So I'm also an EFT practitioner.

combining the two. And then I studied with another human design mentor and then I just kept building on it through all of this learning but what it came down to is how do I break down this big system into tangible easy ways to bring it into my clients' life. So I was using it as a tool with my clients to

understand their patterns, understand how they relate in their relationships. As an EFT practitioner, I did a lot of trauma, so understanding beneath the behaviors, beneath the beliefs, beneath the patterns there's this map that helps me to see

why you may have developed this pattern after this experience. And if we can see that, it gives me a very clear path to how we strategically decondition that part. So my journey into human design was both in myself and my life, but using it with clients and just seeing the opportunities it afforded for deep personal understanding.

Shayna Grajo (10:56)

Wow, thank you for the comprehensive overview of coaching as a starting point and working with the emotional freedom technique ⁓ after your prior training ⁓ to work with others through trauma and conditioned responses and patterns that might play out. My understanding of human design, and correct me because, you know, I...

Your definition of human design is probably more in tune. But my understanding of these kinds of blueprints, if you will, ⁓ as with maybe astrology, for instance, is to show what a life in its happiest form, most balanced form, kind of takes on before there's these kind of societal

identifications of go to physical therapy school or you know or whatever or you know do the house wifing thing or kind of whatever maybe a different narrative is besides the soul narrative. ⁓ Would you say that's kind of accurate?

Irene (12:00)

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

I would say that's accurate. Yes, I think there's what we "do," but our true purpose is who we came to be. And this is where, in my case human design, is that map to who I came here to be before, yes, my relationships, my experiences, know, past patterns that, you know, my parents modeled to me. So before all of those layers came on, there's this

Shayna Grajo (12:39)

Yes.

Irene (12:42)

energetic blueprint so to speak of yes how I

step into that aligned version of myself at its highest vibration. So to live out my purpose is to embody the full expression of who I came here to be at the highest expression of that energetic potential. Because yes, everything's a potential and there's no right or wrong to wherever you are on that potential, but when you have a ⁓ map, you can set your GPS so to speak so that I can say like, ⁓ this is how I'm operating

For example, using the physical therapy, like, I have a totally open will center, which means proving my worth and value through what I do is a big part of what I came here to understand. And when I can see that and I see, I'm falling into that pattern again, is that how I want to operate? Now that I know that there's another way.

If that makes sense.

Shayna Grajo (13:52)

Yeah, and we can get, I guess, later on into more of the details on how you work with your clients, in your programs, and in your one-on-one services in aligning to the map for people. But let's just take it, let's just assume. I mean, okay, it might be the fair question to just go ahead and ask, what is human design? I mean,

Irene (14:07)

Yep.

Shayna Grajo (14:18)

For anyone who might be listening who's never heard of it, this is an alien term. ⁓ I know that you've referenced the body graph as kind an alien chart. ⁓ But go ahead and tell us, like it is, what is human design? Where did come from?

Irene (14:20)

Sure.

Yes.

Yes.

Yeah. So

Yes, well, human design is a system of self-awareness. It comes from ancient wisdoms like astrology, the chakra system, the Chinese I- Ching, the Jewish Kabbalah, combined with quantum physics to give you this energetic blueprint. If you think of the...

you the electrical map of your house. It's kind of your personal energetic blueprint. And it was a system downloaded in 1987 by a man named Ra Uru Hu who received this system over the course of eight days where he said the voice took over and spoke to him and gave him this system. And then it became his mission to then share the system, which he resisted at first, but to get the system out. And what this system

came to do is, you know, if we think 1987, personal growth was not a big thing. And and I mean still today in humanity most of us are operating in what we call our "not-self," which is basically just out of alignment so to speak with this energetic map. And so the system came to help people see like

this is who you are not. Like to take that lower frequency energy and move you into a baseline frequency of who you are. And when we do that it's like we're cutting through the energetic resistance of trying to figure it out all on our own with behavior patterns and belief systems that

may increase the resistance that we experience in our relationships, in our careers, in our life, and resistance only being if we look at Law of Attraction like the contrast more of what I don't want. Like I don't want this, you know, hustle and grind, but what I'm told in society is like that's how I have to get ahead. And so this helps us get back to the root of moving through and dancing with

Universal energy, with the divine, whatever that reference is for you, versus trying to figure it out all on our own. To get out of our head,

which was never designed to make decisions, but back into our body. So human design can be that strategic ⁓ system to help you, to give you a strategy for getting back into your body, for making decisions, for moving through life, so you're not having to try to figure it all in your mind.

Shayna Grajo (17:08)

Okay, sounds good. This is the point in the episode where I want to shout out my dear other splenic projector friends out there who... they know who they are. Akimi is the first to have introduced me to human design. And I think that was in 2021 maybe when I first heard of this term and this system. And then my buddy,

Christina over in Bali, who's another splenic projector. Wonderful people.  Again, some of the people I know who will be listening. um So yeah, there's kind of a range of people who are maybe brand new to human design or maybe it's already part of their strategy. um My buddy ⁓ Christina, definitely incorporates being a projector in her business as an online business manager and social media.

manager for spiritual entrepreneurs. And the people who follow it love it, right? The people, I think, you know, feel an extra relationship or maybe another bonding level of trust in knowing somebody's design or knowing somebody's motivations. And there's always more to know. um But why don't you go ahead and just walk us through, let's say that one person listening is

Irene (18:24)

Mm-hmm.

Shayna Grajo (18:33)

a business owner of some kind, they have a personal brand, or they are working and a part of life anyway, and want to know how to use their human design strategy, keyword strategy, to market and sell differently. ⁓ More in that alignment and that ⁓ not pushing against who they came here to be, is that how you phrase it? I do love. ⁓

Irene (18:45)

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yep.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Shayna Grajo (19:03)

And so we can talk about the human design types and their strategies. And then maybe if you want to run through common mistakes you might see per type and the antidote.

Irene (19:08)

Sure.

Sure.

So just to backtrack a little, so when you put your birth information into the system, for those that aren't that familiar, out pops like what I said, is like this alien roadmap. And in that, based on the planetary activations, it gives you certain energetic potentials that you're here to explore, to master, to teach. And in that, there's five different types. And your type is like the character that you're, I'm sorry, the role that you're here to play in this life.

Shayna Grajo (19:33)

It's cool.

Irene (19:46)

the role of projector. I'm here to play the role of manifesting generator and when we understand how to play that role

we can move through life with more ease versus pushing against and trying to create everything like I said from the mind. So in those five types how you engage is different. So we'll start with our manifestor. And our manifestors are our initiators. They're like the fire starter. They're here to get the ball rolling. If we think of the creation process, like we're bringing something into the material world, the manifestor gets that urge to create

something that is here to evolve humanity or— I mean that's in the most aligned sense. So they get the urge to create.

So they started out. They're like the cheetah. They started out. Now our generators and our manifesting generators— which are a hybrid of the manifestor and the generator, but ultimately a generator type— they Respond. They have this gut level response to something in their external reality. So manifestors are, create something. Generators, manifesting generators respond to that. And that response is like uh-huh This is something that I'm excited to to take on. And they're our magnetic

Builders they're here that they have the sustainable energy to take something and then build it over the long term to bring it into Form on the 3d plane Now our projectors are beautiful projectors are our brilliant guides They'll see what's being created and they can see with efficiency like A to Z like they can see the whole system and so they are here to guide and and help that process

And then our reflectors, which is less than 1 % of the population, are here to reflect back the health and wellbeing of the community that they're in. So every type has a specific role. So when we look at business and marketing, it would be: Our manifestors are here to like boldly declare

like I created this program, are you in? Right here, I'm boldly declaring this. Our manifesting generators and generators, there's slight nuance between the two, but ultimately they're here to respond to a need that they see. So they might see somebody struggling with something and they are here to respond to that and take that on and create something in response to what they see as needed.

Our projectors are here to be experts, they are here to ⁓ showcase their brilliance, but in a way that draws others to them versus trying to force themselves to be seen and recognized.

So each one has a strategy. So manifestors, because they can be so bold, they are here to inform others before taking action, because otherwise it can be very jarring. So to cut through the resistance, informing others first helps to decrease the pushback they may receive.

Generator or yeah generators and manifesting generators their strategy is to wait to respond. So they may have an idea of something But then they they see it show up in their external reality and that gut response is going to tell them Uh-huh. This is for me to do versus trying to create something and then

They try to launch it and they get no response. It may not be that it was wrong. It could be the wrong timing. It could be the wrong communities. And then our projectors, their strategy is wait for the invitation. What the heck does that mean? So ultimately, projectors waiting for the invitation is for the big stuff, which is relationships,

job and career, and maybe moving. However, also, it's whenever they're increasing connection or giving guidance. Those are two times. Because projectors can see deeply what needs to be corrected or what can be done better, that can feel like judgment or criticism when it's not asked for.

And then reflectors whose energy is very fluid, their strategy is to wait 28 days to really understand before they make decisions. So some common mistakes would be for manifestors to ask for permission or to do what others tell them to do versus what their urges are.

For manifesting generators to generators, it might be pushing things out that they want to do without waiting to respond. For projectors, it might be giving advice when it's not asked for or pushing themselves into places to be seen and recognized.

versus just showcasing their brilliance. Reflectors, it's to not wait, to make quick decisions on things and then to have to navigate the disappointment that can come on the other side of that.

Shayna Grajo (25:17)

Thank you for the rundown on the human design types. ⁓ I think, again, you're very knowledgeable about all the parts of the chart of which it's very vast, and you're always educating yourself. You're in a training at this moment to go deeper into the life cycles and... ⁓

you know, many people kind of stop at the centers or the incarnation crosses and the gates, the channels and like, I mean, I'm not gonna lie. I'm only dabbling further because I found your work, right? But I really like kind of like the holistic view of these types. The ways that I've seen it also in the past, like when I've thought about like initiation, like not initiation tools, but ritual tools.

I like thinking of like manifestors as matches to initiate or strike. ⁓ And then generators are like gems, manifesting generators as well, ⁓ kind of like the amethyst and you these like magnifying amplifying energies. And then projectors are like the quartz, kind of. The kind of pacifier clear the vision that's being put into the project ⁓ by the

Irene (26:15)

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Shayna Grajo (26:38)

by the manifestors and the generators or maybe the selenite, kind of like this more clear energy. And then reflectors are mirrors in ritual tools. That's been the way I've like, yeah, well, thanks. And then what I also love about your work is that you really train and kind of delineate between

Irene (26:50)

Yeah, I love that. Yeah.

Shayna Grajo (27:05)

selling strategy versus messaging versus the flow of the sales and kind of how to put a business together. And so I think like that's really interesting for what you offer in helping different entrepreneurs tease out how the profile, how the archetype and human design energy works in many different parts of the sales funnel or the strategy in business. ⁓

Irene (27:15)

Mm-hmm.

Shayna Grajo (27:34)

We don't have the time to get through all of that today. you offer many days worth of trainings on all of it. But something, I don't know, you started talking about some of the common mistakes that the types make in their messaging or sales. But if somebody is making lots of decisions for misalignment, ⁓

Irene (27:37)

Yeah.

Shayna Grajo (27:56)

how does either their messaging or their client work, how does that shift the energy, their frequency? Oh, is that the doorbell? That's fine. But if people can notice when they're really out of alignment, what are the signs? And then how would they get back on track?

Irene (28:08)

I'm sorry. yes.

So yeah, misalignment would feel, so let me take a step back. So there is, when we're building and growing, there is stepping out of our comfort zone. And so when we are in our...

stepping out of our comfort zone we are going to come across that discomfort in our body and this is where it's important to learn to differentiate between that discomfort of growth and misalignment.

So talking about misalignment, it's going to play out in several different ways. So misalignment can look like I push through and do something and then after it just feels like I expended all this energy like I'm pushing a boulder up a hill without the results. So misalignment can feel a lot of like...

pushing and forcing and grinding and hustling without the results, right? I may have some success, but it feels like it was at a big cost. And that's kind of repeated, like it just takes so much energy. And over time, it will lead to burnout. Like it will lead to a— whatever type you are— Consistently operating out of alignment

will lead you to burnout. And burnout can look like, for manifestors, not getting the urges. Just feeling kind of like stuck and powerless. For generators and manifesting generators, burnout— there can be this functional burnout where they can still do, but there's this like apathy. There's just this like, nothing lights them up.

For projectors, bitterness is a big set. It's like before you get to the actual physical burnout that can happen with projectors, what I've seen typically around age 40, you can get a lot of just bitterness at life, at what you're creating, why is this so hard? And then for reflectors, they can just struggle. So for them, it's not really burnout so much as it is just...

Just feeling off, like hypersensitive, constant feeling of disappointment in everything. And so misalignment really is...

we're always aligning to something. Let me say that. So misalignment doesn't mean anything more than, I'm not aligning to the highest frequency that I can. And so I'm trying to push into force, but I'm aligning to something. So I'm always attracting. So if I'm...

"out of alignment" so to speak, maybe I'm in alignment with scarcity and I'm attracting clients that can't afford to pay me. Maybe I'm in alignment with hustle and grind and so I keep attracting more reasons to hustle and grind, believing that's the only way forward. So I'm always aligned to something, the question is what do I want to be aligned to?

Shayna Grajo (31:36)

Alright, so then what does the alignment to the highest frequency look like?

Irene (31:43)

Yeah, so that may be

What I've seen in clients and in myself. It's getting the message where like, just signed this client out of nowhere and it was the easiest sale I ever had. It's opportunities coming. Alignment could look like— I think it was Gina connected us, and now we're having this conversation.

right? It is attracting in, so what we're doing is you're attracting in opportunities, experiences, or relationships that match the frequency that you're operating at. So you're attracting, always attracting, what is going to fulfill your purpose, which is to step into the highest version of who you are. So I'm either attracting things that are in quote unquote "alignment" with my purpose, or I'm attracting the lessons they're going to help me get me into alignment with my purpose.

Shayna Grajo (32:43)

That does back in the question of finding that purpose for each role or each character or each person. ⁓

Irene (32:54)

Yeah, and this is where differentiating

like purpose is not what we do. It's who we be. And this is where, so if we look at it from a human design perspective, like my energy, my conscious sun, 70 % of the energy I came here to embody is my life's work. And that's what I'm here to kind of shine and give to the world. And so my purpose is always is to move into the... ⁓

highest expression of these energetic potentials. Because within your chart, the gates are human archetypes of potential. And so they all have a spectrum of energy that you can operate up.

So for me, my conscious sun ⁓ is all about authenticity. And I can operate on any spectrum of authenticity. But what my purpose is to embody my full authenticity and shine that out to the world in whatever I do. We're often taught that purpose is what we do and we're searching for this purpose. But you could be a teacher or a doctor or a podcaster.

and your purpose is who you are being in what you are doing and the doing comes from following your strategy and authority.

Shayna Grajo (34:08)

Mmm. I love it. Such good, ⁓ if somebody's not clamoring to get the advice of their strategy, know. Yeah, no, it's delicious, all of this. ⁓ All right, so let's continue with the questions. ⁓ You often say,

And this is for people who maybe you have a website, you have a chart, right, that people can put in their information and download a unique chart for their own human design. And it'll, you actually write out really wonderful descriptions on the chart as well that are provided without other charts that don't give those lovely descriptions. um But let's say, people will find out their general human design and their strategy.

as their type. Why don't we talk about authority and the centers? ⁓ Because you often say, "Strategy leads, authority gives nuance, centers give context." So why don't you break that down for somebody new to human design and what that could mean as it applies to running a business.

Irene (35:21)

Mm-hmm.

Sure.

Yeah, so your strategy comes with your type. So each type has a strategy and that is again the role that you play. So your strategy is how you

engage with life. Okay so that's the foundation. So as a manifestor I'm following my urges, I'm initiating, my strategy is to inform to decrease that resistance that I receive when I do that. Then generators, manifesting generators, waiting to ⁓ respond, projectors waiting for the invitation, and reflectors waiting a lunar cycle. Underneath that is our authority and that's what helps us make aligned decisions. Getting into our

into our body and out of our head. So how does that give nuance? Because your authority will never trump your strategy. It works with it. So for example, you're as a splenic projector. So as I said before, as a projector, waiting for the invitation is really the big things, the big three: relationships, career, and location, but also giving guidance or increasing connection.

For the little everyday things, your authority would come into play. So you would be following that splenic authority, that in- the- moment whisper, that tells you something is correct for you.

For me as a manifesting generator, I always have that sacral response all the time for everything. that uh-huh or uh-uh. It could be like this morning I look in the fridge like what am I gonna grab to eat and I'm like ⁓ uh-huh like this is what I want. So that's but I'm an emotional authority so what does that mean? That means for anything bigger than that what do I want to eat? I'm waiting for clarity because I have this emotional wave that can affect how I understand

that gut response because if I'm in that high on my wave, as we say it, so like life is real good I'm feeling really high vibration here I might say yes to everything. But the next day that wave could be down, like a roller coaster, I see the world differently. And I'm like why did I say yes to that? So it gives nuance that for me I have my gut response that I want to wait to see, does that gut response stay the same over time?

So it gives nuance to that. So same with our manifestors, they get the urge, but if they're an emotional authority, they're gonna wanna wait.

to feel into that urge over the course of could be 24 hours, 48 hours, whatever is correct for them. So that's where your authority is going to give nuance. Now the reflectors, it's the same. Their strategy is to wait a 28 day cycle and their authority is to wait a 28 day cycle. Now underneath that is your definition of which the centers, the shapes in your chart based on the chakras, give their

Hubs of energy, themes of energy, and within each shape are numbers, and those are the gates. And whether they are colored in, they have a colored in line coming off of them, those are activated and when you have two gates on either side of that line activated they will color in the centers on both sides. And that is how you take in the world around you. It's how you express your energy, how you take in energy.

context because that will tell you— wherever you're colored in— that is what you came here to wrestle with, understand, master, possibly teach. Wherever you're open or white in your chart— whether it's a center or a line, a gate— that's what you hear it to become wise about, by sampling the energetic potentials around you. So it gives context in the sense that how you're going to express that

energy through your strategy and authority, how you're going to take in the energy from others, it gives you context.

Shayna Grajo (39:40)

Okay, yeah, now that makes it much clearer. ⁓ And then again, it's a lot to break down. mean, with the spectrum of people here, it's like if it's first time hearing human design, this might be a lot, but then for the people hungry for more, this is like, me more like,

Irene (39:53)

kid.

Yes, and the ones that it's early, like

Start by just understanding your type and strategy and authority. So those pieces, like just anything else I'm talking about beyond that, like those are the big, big things to understand, ⁓ to give you a start into exploring. Because, going back to your original statement, human design, you don't have to believe in human design, just experiment with it. Look at the times. ⁓ you know, what are the times— as a splenic projector,

What

are the times that I followed that whisper and what are the times that I did not? What happens when I am invited into something versus the times I just tried to push my insights in? And what were the responses that I received? And just start looking at those because it's not a religion, it's not a dogma, it's not a set of rules on who you are. It's an experiment that you're invited into if you choose to go on it.

Shayna Grajo (40:51)

Yeah, well, and that's the thing is that as somebody, me, who has liked human design, not a stranger to it, not an expert by any means, but deciding to go on the experiment of just being more human design minded for business strategy. ⁓ I mean, of course, more broadly, life strategy too, as you said, relationships and moves. ⁓ It is a broad life strategy.

In terms of being "strategic" about how to operate, ⁓ and again, like I only say this because I know a good portion of listeners and readers of mine too are in some way, shape and form a business owner of their own project ⁓ or their own passion. And so, you know, many of us have that perspective too of like, I'm putting something into the world. I have a body of work and

it would be nice to have this lens of an extra way to check in with how we're guiding the work or how we're directing it. ⁓ And so, yeah, I think a lot of people who are interested in human design already, they do tend to follow strategies by their type in business. And as you have pointed out, there's always more. There's all, know, there's, ⁓ yeah, I mean,

Irene (42:12)

Sure, there is, yes.

Shayna Grajo (42:16)

I could definitely review more your teachings on, ⁓ you gave a workshop specifically on messaging through the centers and how they were defined or not and how the defined centers could be a place more of teaching. And then the undefined centers can be more of a space of sharing perspectives on what has been observed or what has or hasn't worked out. ⁓ Maybe you have a better way of saying that.

Irene (42:25)

Thank

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, those are where you've gained wisdom.

So really sharing your, you know, your journey is where you can empathize with the struggle to. So as a projector, I know you have an undefined sacral center. So really speaking into learning to be sustainable with your energy and not push and force and do and work, you know.

regular schedule or feel like you've got to take on all of this work, but learning how to operate and be sustainable and be wise about rest and work.

Shayna Grajo (43:17)

yeah, that's still something I can always work on. Well, since you say that, what are the types that have certain centers defined automatically? Because I don't know that off the top of my head.

Irene (43:20)

It usually is, yes.

Sure. So manifestors and projectors will automatically have an undefined sacral.

And so they how they operate is not sustainable. Manifestors tend to be more of the cheetah. You know, like they're creating, they get that urge they're creating. They might work 12 hours a day for a few days, a week, a month, and then they are in a rest cycle where they're just like, no. Projectors, it is said ideally work about three hours a day. It's kind of what their energy can tolerate. Now, with that being said,

When it's being smart about that energy, when they are using their strategy correctly and they're invited in and they're doing something they're lit up about, they have the energy for it. However, it's also very important for them to make sure they're getting rest otherwise because they can be very efficient for that period of time. But then if they push and push and push long term without getting that rest, they can burn out.

Shayna Grajo (44:13)

Thank

Irene (44:34)

So manifesting generators and generators automatically have the sacral defined so they have that workforce life force energy to build long term. And then reflectors have no centers defined. They are undefined in all of the centers which is why their energy is in flow and they need those 28 days to understand the different ⁓ expressions of the energy over the lunar cycle.

Shayna Grajo (45:04)

Hmm. Yeah, I've only met one reflector in my life so far. I not I haven't obviously. Oh, it's pretty good. Yeah, I mean

Irene (45:09)

I've had two, two? Yeah, three, no three, I've had three, yeah. It's less than 1

% of the population, so yeah.

Shayna Grajo (45:19)

Yeah, but to my wonder if like your friend out there, if you're listening, you're so mysterious and undefined. ⁓ That said, I think I'm still also building my private library of knowing everyone's human design in my life, which if anyone's into it, I definitely encourage it because it adds for play, doesn't it? ⁓ All right, so.

Irene (45:23)

Yes, absolutely.

Sure.

Yes.

Shayna Grajo (45:46)

Honestly, Irene, it's been such a pleasure to have you introduce us to human design, introduce us to the fun in alignment in business, in reaching our higher frequencies, and having the Law of Attraction bring in the abundance and the flow um with less, I guess, impediment. um

I want to say I think we've covered everything. ⁓ Let me just ask a final question. Why don't you share an example of a client who started aligning with their human design, maybe around strategy or authority or however they did, and saw a tangible change in their life or business?

Irene (46:36)

Sure, so there's one one particular case came in mind she actually came to me ⁓

as teenager, which is fantastic. She's a projector. I find that projectors tend to... I tend to  attract a lot of projectors, but also human design can have the most impact on them because, you know, as humanity we don't really understand projectors. And so, having this information, I found, for all of my clients can just be transformational. But this particular one came with just intense ⁓ social anxiety related to a

lot of things. However, starting to bring in her human design and see that well a lot of that social anxiety came from her trying to force herself into friend groups that just weren't "correct" for her. Like nothing she was doing wrong but once she understood this and she stopped pushing in and she just started embodying her authentic self

she attracted in amazing friendships that saw her value and that she felt seen and recognized and just loved in these friend groups that now she can move through the other ones and the other ones actually want to be friends with her even more because as she raised her frequency and vibration because especially for projectors when

they're in that state of bitterness, which can be burnout, but it can also, it can be burnout from doing, but it can be burnout from trying to be seen and recognized. That bitterness is almost like a repellent.

And so when she raised her frequency through her authenticity, through understanding her design, she started attracting those friendships and relationships. So she got into the college that just is everything she wants it to be. She is attracting opportunities. She is, you know, one thing she did is she gave this talk that was just

complete alignment without me, you know instructing her she just felt this desire to give this talk and it was aligned with her design on so many levels not just type and strategy. She was invited to give this talk, gave this talk, was recognized and it has created shifts in other girls in her class after listening to her speak. So she had this impact by sharing

in an aligned way and was able to then impact others. So mean her life has just done a 180 by starting to understand how her energy "works" and and so she could stop forcing all of these things and allowing them to come to her.

Shayna Grajo (49:32)

I'm so that's beautiful. I feel like there is kind of like an age 16 to 18 where you know, I don't want to call them kids right but young people for whatever reason they kind of start gravitating to To find something right look to different information and to explore these possibilities whether it's

Irene (49:32)

⁓

Shayna Grajo (49:59)

spiritual or ⁓

Irene (50:02)

In the realm of child development,

the age, is it like 13 to 21 is like conscious.

self-consciousness, like who am I in the context of of the world and so they are exploring through their relationships where they kind of fit in and if they're trying to push themselves into relationships that are out of alignment they can be met with a lot of resistance and then believe that's something wrong with them so yeah totally

Shayna Grajo (50:39)

Cool. Well, again, thank you for everything. Thank you for sharing this example. And ⁓ before we leave, I will throw out there that if anyone's interested in following up with you, I do highly recommend consulting you for any human design anything. So listeners can run ⁓ your human design chart and get the cheat codes.

Irene (50:43)

Absolutely.

Shayna Grajo (51:07)

I'll put all these links in the notes. ⁓ You can also join Irene's Facebook group, where she teaches soul-aligned human design strategy for business and life, where she also breaks down the human design chart so that it's easier to understand and apply. You can visit her website and also connect with her on LinkedIn. And I'll make sure that the links are in the show notes for everything.

Alright, again, thank you again so much Irene for sharing your wisdom today and encouraging all of us to be the people we are here to be.

Irene (51:46)

Thank you. ...