The Head center and the Ajna center make up our “mind,” but with different functions. The Head center is under pressure to find our personal story and meaning of life.
The Ajna is an awareness center, and it’s receiving the pressure from the Head to think and conceptualize. Simultaneously, the Ajna has awareness about the information it's receiving from the Spleen and Solar Plexus, the other two awareness centers.
From a health standpoint, the Ajna is evaluating all this through our immune system and nervous system, as it tries to make sense of life.
The Mind vs Inner Authority
It’s amazing to be able to use our minds to think, organize, conceptualize, ponder, analyze, formulate opinions and ideas, etc.! The Ajna has an important job, but it’s not designed to take the wheel and drive the car, so to speak. If we only live our lives based on our thinking, we may get into a lot of trouble. This can create mental stress and anxiety because the Ajna isn’t equipped to guide our life.
Instead, our body has an internal GPS system, called our Inner Authority. Our Inner Authority can guide you to do and be your purpose in this lifetime, but only if you tune in and allow it to guide you. This means getting out of your mind , and into your body, for making your decisions in life.
About Gate 17 in Human Design
Name: The Gate of Opinions
Center: Ajna
Circuitry: Collective Logic
Gate Physiology: Right Eye (Occipital Cortex) / 3rd Eye
Ajna Physiology: Neocortex, Visual cortex, Anterior and Posterior Pituitary Glands
Amino Acid: Arginine
Gene Key Shadow: Opinionated/Self-Critical
Gene Keys Gift: Far-Sightedness
Gene Keys Siddhi: Omniscience
Archetype: the Discoverer
Gate 17's Inherent Energetic Traits
Gate 17 is how the mind is organized - the design of an organized being. This organization is first in the mind. It sees patterns rooted in facts, logic, and numbers, which are translated into symbols and images. It has the mental capacity to see the big picture and is skilled at finding solutions based on detailed knowledge. Every mind is organized in a specific way and comes with specific opinions.
Gate 17 is especially powerful when it connects to gate 62 (the Scientist), in which it passes along the images and patterns for gate 62 to translate, often giving them names.
Gate 17's Opinions
Gate 17 can be an excellent diplomat and debater. It’s not afraid of being opinionated. A big part of your purpose is to share your opinions of what's good for the Collective. You're here to be a thought leader with this gate.
However, the risk of the mind is following common opinions and then controlling the body so the body follows the mind, but it’s supposed to be the other way around. You must follow the body's Inner Authority in order to know how to serve the Collective.
The highest gift of gate 17 is Far-Sightedness, meaning to remain open to a broad spectrum of views about all aspects of life without attachment to a fixed opinion. Afterall, a fair debate hears all sides of any story.
Your opinion isn’t true as a blanket statement for everyone. Instead, it’s what you believe to be true based on how your mind is organized. But when you do share your opinion, it's important to recognize that other people may not share this opinion. Don’t let ego get involved in this.
Channel 17-62 and gate 17 are projected, so waiting for the invitation to share your opinion is ideal. Your insights and opinion can have more impact when it comes from an invitation. It can be really repelling if you’re sharing your uninvited opinion all the time.
The Pituitary Gland and the Right Eye
The Ajna center is associated with the anterior and posterior pituitary gland. Gate 17 is specifically linked to the the right eye, which is associated with the 3rd eye in a spiritual sense. It’s the visualization of what pattern is correct or not and creating a visual projection. Interestingly, gate 11 is associated with the left eye.
The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain, near the center of the head, which aligns with the position often associated with the 3rd eye. It's known as the “master gland” because of its role in regulating various hormonal functions in the body and serves as a connection to higher consciousness and spiritual awareness.
What does it feel like to have your 3rd eye open? Do you have any issues with your right eye, related to 3rd eye? Could that issue be connected to being narrow-minded and not seeing the whole scope of the issue and rather judging yourself or the other with opinions?
The HPA axis
The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is a complex system that regulates your response to stress, and it can be triggered by any type of stressor, including psychological, emotional, and lifestyle stressors.
Hypothalamus: When you encounter a stressful situation, the hypothalamus releases a hormone called corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH).
Side note: the hypothalamus receives signals from hormones throughout the body to control hunger, thirst, sleep, and mood! It's SO important!
Pituitary Gland: Located just below the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland receives the CRH signal and responds by releasing another hormone called adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into the bloodstream.
Adrenal Glands: These are small glands located on top of each kidney. When they receive the ACTH signal, they release the stress hormone cortisol into the bloodstream.
Cortisol is the body's main "stress hormone" because it helps your body respond to short-term stress by increasing energy levels, sharpening focus, and regulating various physiological processes. This narrow focus created by cortisol is the opposite of gate 17's gift of far-sightedness.
Chronic stress or dysregulation of the HPA axis can lead to health issues such as anxiety, depression, sleep problems, gut issues, and impaired immune function. In this chronic state of stress, it's difficult to tap into the 3rd eye and deeper consciousness. Therefore, it's essential to manage stress effectively to maintain a healthy balance in the HPA axis and overall well-being.
I always look at the undefined centers in a person's human design chart to see where not-self or conditioning may be triggering the HPA axis, especially an undefined Root Center and the Solar Plexus Center.
Tips to Support the Pituitary Gland via the HPA axis
It's helpful to know gate 17's biological connection as part of a deeper understanding of your health & human design, but it's essential to understand that all systems in the body are connected. Looking at gate 17's pituitary connection also requires you to understand how your Root Center (adrenal health) and Solar Plexus Center (nervous system) are functioning.
Here are tips to care for the Solar Plexus Center.
Follow Your Determination Diet Type
In addition to those three nutrition tips, also consider following your Primary Health System (PHS) Determination Diet type. This is a way of eating that supports your well-being.
Questions for Inquiry
Do you have gate 17? What is your healthy outlet for sharing your opinions? Do you notice the cortisol kick in when you get into your mind and the opinions take over?
I would love to hear from you.
Much love,
Kelly
Human Design Appointments
Moving from where you are now toward your highest, fullest potential requires long-term dedication to learning and experimenting with your human design. I've learned so much through the process of researching human design, observing myself and others, feeling the energetics in my body in real life, and repeating that cycle over and over.
I believe growth requires more than one appointment, which is why I offer an initial appointment (90 minutes) with a follow-up appointment (60 minutes).