What it Means to Be a Non-Sacral Manifestors in Human Design

If you’ve recently found out you are a Manifestor in Human Design, or are just starting to dig deeper into your design, you’ve probably heard the term “non-sacral” a lot! This blog post will help break down what this means in general and what it means specifically for Manifestors. This, so you can learn how to work with this kind of energy. 

What does it mean to be sacral?

There are nine different larger shapes in a Human design bodygraph, (triangles, squares and diamond), that are called centers. When we talk about the “sacral” or “sacral center” in Human Design, we’re talking about the center in the chart that is the second square from the bottom.

A person is considered “sacral" will have this square colored-in on their bodygraph instead of white. The center will usually be filled with the color red, but what color it is doesn’t matter, only if it is colored-in vs. white.

“Sacral” tends to be shorthand for defined sacral. Meaning that there is consistent energy coming out of that energy center for anyone who has that center colored in. Sacral energy is vital energy, life force energy, the energy of response, availability and sexuality. All Generators and Manifesting Generators are “sacral beings” and have a defined sacral center. 

Non-Sacral vs. Sacral

When the sacral center is white it means the bodygraph in question is considered “non-sacral.” Another way to say this is an “undefined sacral” or an “open sacral.” Meaning that the non-sacral person does not have consistent access to vital life force energy or the energy of response. All Manifestors, Projectors and Reflectors are considered non-sacral beings because they have an undefined or open sacral center.

An important thing to understand about this is the split of the population that is sacral vs. non-sacral. The world is approximately 70% sacral beings and 30% non-sacral beings. Non-Sacral Manifestor are an even smaller percentage within that 30% of the population (~8%). 

So what does it mean for you to be non-sacral vs. being sacral?

The biggest thing is consistent access to energy, but let’s go a little deeper. Sacral beings have consistent access to energy through their strategy of response. This means they wake up with the potential and the biological need to expend energy. Doing things that their sacral center responds to and that make them feel like they used their energy well. Performing the right things gives them energy and also uses their energy. Ideally, they wear it out by the end of the day to the point of feeling satisfied. When this happens, they can get a good night’s sleep. And also wake up and have more energy to spend doing things that their sacral responds too. 

Being non-sacral

Non-Sacrals on the other hand, means that your access to energy is not consistent. Even if you are doing something that you love. You won’t have day after day, week after week, all-day-long energy for it.

As a Manifestor, the way your energy works is in cycles of Creation and cycles of Rest. You will spend about 80% of your time in a rest cycle, preparing for that burst of energy. This Energy allows you to create something totally new for yourself, your family, or the collective. This time of high energy and creativity can last hours, days, weeks or occasionally, months. You are designed to rest a whole lot more than you initiate or create!

Common Patterns of the Undefined Sacral

Since so much of the population has a defined sacral, you are often being conditioned by their energy. When an undefined center comes into contact with a defined center, the undefined center absorbs the energy of the defined center and amplifies it. A common pattern for non-sacral beings is to amplify the life force, sexual and work energy of Generators and take it on as if it’s their own.

Non-sacral beings can overwork, overcommit and burn out. They can put a lot of pressure on themselves to work and not say no to others. They can repress their sexuality or take on conditioning about sexuality from what they pick up from others.

Often, they overcommit in the presence of sacral beings and then find themselves trying to do the work alone. Feeling overwhelmed, crashing and losing their confidence because they don’t have the energy to complete the work. All of these things contribute to what I call “sacral hangover”. This happens when you have borrowed too much of the sacral energy of others. Or maybe even relied too much on your own unstable sacral energy to get things done. Symptoms os this Sacral hangover can feel like:

• headaches
• fatigue
• bloating
• nausea
• sensitivity
• anger

Unhealthy undefined sacral patterns and sacral hangovers can happen even when you’re aware of this tendency. With practice you can learn how to do things differently! But it is confusing and frustrating before you understand what’s going on. Once you learn about your undefined sacral and how to use your energy correctly as a Manifestor, you can start to make tweaks that improve your experience. 

The Healthy Undefined Sacral 

On the other hand, a healthy undefined sacral center looks like understanding when enough is enough, plus you:

• are wise about when to stop and rest rather than continue to push forward past your limit.
• can feel the sacral energy around you and enjoy it, but not get overtaken by it.
• learn to step away and recharge when you need it
• can let the life force of others feed and inspire you.
• are comfortable with delegating and letting others step in and do the work.
• In terms of sexuality, you are free to explore any roles you like without getting stuck in one set way of being.

As Manifestors, this is what we are working toward so that we don’t get those “sacral hangover” symptoms!

Undefined vs. Completely Open Sacral 

One more technical thing to note is whether you have an undefined sacral, or a completely open sacral center. If your sacral center has no gates, (the colored lines coming off of it) then you have a completely open sacral. There are no activations connected to that center.

If you have any gates, whether they are red, black or red and black) then you have an undefined sacral.

While they are similar and what is true of the undefined sacral will also apply to those with a completely open sacral, the completely open sacral takes it to a whole other level. The completely open sacral can be completely unsure of what to use energy for. This often looks like being drawn to many different things, using up all your energy and getting overwhelmed by sheer exhaustion. It is easy for a completely open sacral to let this conditioning take over their decision-making, which can lead to extreme burnout and disconnection from your purpose. On the other hand, if you have a completely open sacral, you can grow a lot of wisdom about energy - what it is, who is using it well and who isn’t, etc. and you can learn to be highly discerning about how you use energy. 

If you are a “non-sacral” being just learning about your energy, (or just committing to mastering it) I am so thrilled for you! Living your life as a non-sacral and not understanding it can be very confusing in a world full of sacral energy. Now that you understand more about how your energy works, you can start to implement steps to honor your inconsistent energy more often. 

Would you like to learn how this works in the life of a Manifestor?

I recommend purchasing the Manifestor Masterclass #1, all about Creative and Rest Cycles. We go in depth about how to work with the energy when you have it as well as when you don’t. The goal is that you can master the flow of being a non-sacral being. You are not meant to work in the way that other people do. Remember, you create from an inner source and deep connection with the universe.