3 Observations About Living with Right Variables

When we come into the domain of variables, (the arrows show up on your Human Design chart) things take a turn for the nuanced. If you are new to Human Design, I would recommend starting with the basics of your type, profile, and centers. Once you have the foundation of your strategy and authority and have really felt into how these subtle energetics play out in your life, only thhheeennnn would I advise jumping into the variables. Plainly put, it’s best to get a feel for your own energy and learn how to be very discerning about what feels authentic in your system before you start adding more complexities into the mix.

I can tell you all about what it means to have left or right variables but if you’re not fully centered in what it feels like to live your unique experience then this additional information might leave you confused. But as always, I leave it up to your personal discernment because you and only you are the ultimate authority in your life.

The variables

I have three out of four variables facing right in my chart. Understanding what this means and how to use my receptivity has been quite the journey – and it’s something I learn more about all the time. That’s the nature of rightness, information and understanding builds like a snowball.

A Quick refresher on right variables

Right arrow variables are receptive in nature. That is the primary thing to understand about these and if you read that and think what does it even mean to be receptive – you’re not alone. The fact is, most things that are prioritized and valued in our society favor the left variable. Left arrows are active and strategic. Think of the left and right like the balance of yin and yang. One is focused on blazing the most direct trail while the other is interested in observing and intuiting the path ahead through signs and feelings.

If you have right variables it can be helpful to first validate the fact that you notice things other people don’t. It’s not because one is better than another, but rather there are different ways of viewing, prioritizing, and processing information. Think of it this way: People with left variable dominance are able to filter out information from their view to quickly assess the next step. If there were a whole bunch of puzzle pieces in front of the left variable dominant person, they may only see the corner pieces because that allows them to make a border and work from there. If you think of the same scenario with a person with right variable dominance, they may notice the colors or patterns on the pieces first and start to create similar clusters or jump around from section to section as they feel called. In both cases, the puzzle still gets completed but it’s a different strategy.

Observations from my right variables

As you can see from the image of my chart above, I have a right variable brain, body, and internal mind. My external mind is a left variable which I see as the ability to see the whole picture and zero in on a detail. It’s a bit like looking at a page in a book but seeing keywords highlighted in a different color.

For the most part, I am designed to take in information. The more I speak with other people who have right variables, the more excited I get. In a world that favors logic, strategy, and moving from point A to point B (which has MANY benefits don’t get me wrong!), being someone who sees things in a fluid manner can be challenging. So if nothing else, in sharing the observations I’ve gleaned through personal experience and observation – here are some tips that may help to validate your experience with right variables.

If something feels hard, let it be fun instead

While I love a structured plan, I also feel so much freedom in exploring other methods or simply following what feels exciting. Right variables are able to tune into the energy of a situation and navigate from there. For me, also being a Generator with a sacral authority, this can show up as allowing myself to literally feel my way through projects. If I have a task in front of me that doesn’t feel inspiring – but still needs to get done – I start to feel may way into each component of it. Simply noticing where my attention is going helps me to create a pathway forward. It is completely valid to start building a table by deciding to put on music and dance around the pieces first. Maybe the vantage point of being up dancing allows you to see the way the materials fit together so you can intuitively assemble the table instead of breaking your brain on very bad Ikea directions. It’s all about being open to alternative ways of viewing and doing. Try this and see what comes up for you.

As medicine for your right variables, consider this quote from Dr. Karyn Purvis: “Scientists have discovered that it takes approximately 400 repetitions to create new synapse in the brain, unless it is done in play, in which case it only takes 10 to 20.”

Is it MultiTasking? Or mind Knitting?

Ok so I don’t really keep up on the current sentiments on multitasking (is it good or bad?). But I have read a LOT from Ra Uru Hu, the founder of Human Design, about how Generators and 1st line profiles should not multitask. If you read my work, you know I am not a fan of taking anyone else’s word for it when it comes to your lived experience, so feel free to take it or leave it! The idea behind this is Generators are generally focused on mastering their craft and the 1st line seeks to build a really solid foundation. So this can mean moving slowly and intentionally to build a base of knowledge or comfort. I definitely do this when I am learning new things but I have a passive mind and brain that doesn’t really love taking things one step at a time. My mind works in a sphere and sometimes that means jumping from point A to T back to B then over to Q and in between. To some people this might seem like multitasking but to me it just feels like the most natural way to do things because right variables process information as if comes in. There isn’t really a strict order of prioritizing information, it all exists and I allow myself to follow the patterns and flow of where I feel most called to work.

Let’s take the example of working on a blog post. I may start by adding the broad headers for the post before I start writing but then pop between paragraphs as inspiration hits. I like to think of this like mind knitting. Many different threads are coming together and building out the full creation in 3D. I don’t know the experience of having a left variable mind/brain but I can imagine that working like this may be disorienting for someone who likes to strategically build sections in a logical slow. (If you’ve got thoughts on this, lemme know!)

When You’re Stuck, Get some Help

Now, this is advice for everyone generally. If you feel stuck, ask for help. This is always a good idea. Now, if you have lots of right variables this is even more true because sometimes you don’t know what you know or rather you know what you know but maybe not how to use it.

Think of right variables as being similar to sponges. They are designed to absorb. So let’s say you just read a whole book (or listened to one while out walking or commuting because —passive brain/mind—). You know that you learned a lot of information but you probably are not sure that you really get it if you have right variables. Why, you may ask? Well, if you don’t naturally prioritize information and file it in a way that clearly calls out “this is what is important” then you may not realize how much you actually absorbed of what you just read. Having someone else ask questions is just the trick for this. When someone else prompts you or gives the structure needed so you can condense and share information, you’ll realize just how much you do know. A very fun mind game, indeed.

As an example, a friend of mind with right variables mentioned they had just taken a class and it was a lot of information so not sure how much of it they really understood. I was super curious about the course so I started asking questions and just like that, they were able to produce paragraphs of text explaining the concepts in detail. They just needed some help wringing out the sponge! The right variables are designed to work in tandem with others. You can take information in at a high volume and just need to trust that when the timing is right, that info will be called to the surface.

Trust yourself

Above all, the best advice I have for anyone with right variables is to develop trust within yourself. Trust that the right thing will show up when you need it. Allow yourself to be led by your own energy. There is no such thing as perfect and deepening your relationship with yourself starts by simply getting curious. Notice what you notice and let the rest fill in with time.

If you’re interested in learning more about variables, click here.