What Is My Aura Type ... and What Does That Mean?

We're all about the aura these days. The term aura comes from Ancient Greek, meaning a breeze or breath and the concept we’re familiar with today was popularized by Charles Webster Leadbeater, a priest and mystic in the early 1900s. Today, the aura is everywhere – you can see it in pop culture, aura photography – and I wouldn’t be surprised if the next generation grows up being able to read auras just like we read books.

If you do any sort of energy healing work, meditation, or yoga, you’ve probably developed a certain sensitivity to your own aura and chakra system – and if not, and you’ve ever walked into a room and instantly felt uncomfortable or weird, you can sense auras too.

How does the aura work in Human Design?

In the Human Design system, there are 4 aura types. Depending on what your particular type is, you interact with the world around you in a very particular way. Oftentimes, our aura speaks before we do and is responsible for how other people perceive us. The first thing you learn in your Human Design chart is your “Type” which refers to your particular aura.

Manifestor

It may surprise you to learn that the Manifestor aura is described as “repelling” in Human Design. This is because the Manifestor aura is not about attracting opportunities/material goods, as much as it is a personal experience of creating the world around you. The Manifestor aura is designed to initiate new ideas, systems, and structures in the world – and the aura acts to clear the way, moving away everything you don’t have time for because you’re on a mission. With a Manifestor aura, you are a channel for divine wisdom and direction – you have to inform others of your plans and get them done because the world NEEDS whatever you feel called to create in the world. (p.s. this doesn’t mean you aren’t also a magical, magnetic being, your methods of manifestation are just not a one-size-fits-all kind of deal.)

Manifesting Generator and Generator

The Generator aura is large, enveloping and known to have an “embracing” sort of feel to it. The aura transmits the creative force generated from the Sacral which establishes an energy field of “availability” around them – this is what triggers their environment, people, etc to give them something to respond to. Think of this like a giant magnet that is drawing endless possibilities into your life. In a perfect Human Design world, the Manifesting Generator and Generator would wake up as a blank slate every day and see what shows up for them to respond to. An important note about the Generator aura is it will only fully dedicate itself to whatever it is presented with if it’s paired with a strong Sacral “uh-huh” response, otherwise it will remain closed. This is why when a Generator uses their minds to say yes or commit to things they really don’t want to do, they face a lot of resistance and can end up burnt out – they’re simply not magnetizing the right things into their reality and are being pushed to try again. The aura is the key to connecting the Generator to their own truth of who they are, what they love and value. For this aura type, being fully committed to things that spark joy help extend and expand their unique auric reach – which in turn will bring in new people, opportunities, situations to which they can respond. 

Projector

For the projector, the aura is focused and absorbing. This type is designed to deeply understand the people and world around them and in so doing, they create this beautiful dance with life. The Projector aura is deep and penetrating and can seem intense if the energy is not invited. Projectors live for giving advice and guidance – but if they spend their days doling out their thoughts and ideas to people who haven’t asked for their input, they seem energetically repelling to others. This aura type naturally emanates its wisdom and importance, if (BIG if) the Projector has gotten comfortable with waiting for the right opportunities, people, and situations to come into their lives. Learning to trust the magnetic properties of their auric field will lead to wonderful invitations where they can be truly acknowledged and appreciated. 

Reflector

Making up a mere 1% of the population, Reflectors have what is called a “sampling” aura. Unlike other types that have a set and consistent auric field that interacts with its environment in a predictable manner, the Reflector is here to try it all. This aura is unobtrusive and exists as a mirror to the other types. With this, Reflectors can sense if the other types are living authentically based on how they feel when they come into contact the others’ auric fields. The Reflector aura is a traffic signal for all other auras – signaling to them whether things are going well or there is a need to stop and reassess. Because of the beautiful reflective nature of this aura type, Reflectors are wonderful when it comes to guiding groups or mediating situations as they take in and amplify the energetic imprint of the people they surround themselves with. As a general rule of thumb, a happy and healthy Reflector means the collective is doing well while a disappointed/struggling Reflector means there is work to do. 

Want to Learn More About Types?

Check out my easy-peasy Human Design type guide for more info on the Aura types and tips to better understand your own and others! Get yours here!