Understanding the Nine Body Centers

Noble Sciences charts document the activity in energy centers at key points in time (up to three months before and after birth) in order to see which energy centers come into play at key developmental moments. Each energy center represents certain aspects of the human experience, or characteristics of being human. You will notice that seven of the centers correspond to the seven main Hindu Chakras. In addition to these seven, there are two other key energy centers, the splenic center and the self-center.

The centers can also be grouped into different types:

Now we will look in detail at each of the nine centers.

The Nine Centers

The Crown Center
The Crown Center (Head) carries pressure to comprehend and make sense out of things, i.e., the fuel to conceptualize. It is where mental activity begins. Energy activates the Crown Center in three ways: in a cycle, in a pulse, or in a focused way. These three forms of energy activation are instrumental in determining how energy movement is processed, perceived, and filtered by individuals. The Root Center is the other Pressure Center that has similar ways of activating energy: As above, so below. When the Crown Center is colored in (defined) the person feels mental pressure to grasp and understand things in a certain way. A colored in Crown Center moves the individual to seek answers. When the Crown Center is not colored in, the person feels inspiration and ideas from all different directions. That person lives in the questions, i.e., asks more questions than can be answered.

The Ajna Center
The Ajna Center serves as a very important hub that transforms cognitive information into comprehension. The Ajna Center grounds ideas in reality by assisting us in creating meaning. Located in the Ajna Center are the hypothalamus, pituitary, and other autonomic nervous system structures. The Ajna Center, along with the Crown Center , functions to help us interpret information. We often make decisions based on this Center. The Ajna Center in its optimal functioning works in concert with the Sacral Center to interpret information from the individual’s “gut” feelings. It has the unique capacity to transform the information from pure “gut” instinct into higher octave cognitive information – it gives it deeper and nuanced meaning. It is this capacity that differentiates humans from other species. The Ajna Center is one of three Awareness Centers (the others being the Splenic and the Solar Plexus Centers ).

The Throat Center
The Throat Center when colored in facilitates self- expression either in words or in action, or in both. The Throat Center is important in determining someone’s way of being (the five Types) as well as the way they communicate. It is the most complex of all Centers. When the Throat Center is colored in and connects to any Motor Center directly or indirectly, it makes the person a Manifestor. When the Throat Center is colored in along with the Sacral Center and it connects to a Motor Center (defined above), the person is a Manifesting Generator, i.e., they can make things happen. When the Throat Center is uncolored, it indicates an openness to speak or act under the influence of the context of the situation. The Throat Center is crucial in our capacity to communicate and to take action in the world. The Throat Center is a very complex and strong determiner of how a person speaks and acts.

The Self Center
The Self Center contains the core of our identity, the magnetic force field that holds us together in time and space. The eight Gates in this Center set the roles and perspectives in the way humans orient themselves in life. There are eight Gates in the Self Center each having a different Lower Trigram of an I-Ching Hexagram. Only two Upper Trigrams of I-Ching Hexagrams are represented in the Self Center. The I-Ching Hexagrams fall primarily in the degrees of eight different Astrological Signs and give an indication of the Self-Orientation or Roles an individual expresses in their life. Each lower trigram has a double Hexagram in the energetic body. The Self Center when colored in shows that the individual has a sense of self-identity that is more defined than it is in someone whose Self Center is uncolored. Two double Trigram Hexagrams are in the Self Center, Hexagram 1 (Heaven/Heaven) “The Creative” is in the astrological sign of Scorpio () and Hexagram 2 (Earth/Earth) “The Receptive” is in the astrological sign of Taurus ( ) .

The Sacral Center
The Sacral Center is a primary source of energy within us, empowering life itself. The Sacral Center generates the genetic imperative for reproduction, intimacy, and nurturing of the species. Within this center resides the Life Force energy also known in esoteric circles as Kundalini energy. It drives for survival. It also interacts with cognitive understanding giving us intelligence to interpret instincts. The Sacral Center coordinates with the Ajna Center in its optimal functioning so information transforms from pure “gut” instinct into higher octave cognitive information. It is this capacity of integration between the Sacral and the Ajna Centers that makes humans unique among those on Earth. It is from the Sacral Center that we feel “gut” feelings and respond to things instinctively. It responds to internal as well as to external stimuli. When colored in it is easier to know your “gut” responses. When not colored in, it may take more time to get clarity on your unique instinctive responses. The double Trigram Hexagram 29, Water/Water “The Abysmal” is in the astrological sign of Leo ().

The Root Center
The Root Center is both a Motor and a Fuel Center. It processes the movement of energy through you. Its energies set in motion the way your body feels pressure. The Root Center activates energy. Like the Crown Center three kinds of energy originate in the Root Center determining the way the energy moves and is processed and perceived: cyclic, pulsating, or focused energy are possible. Again, “as above, so below.” When this center is colored in you may feel internal motivational pressure that causes you stress if not acted upon. When uncolored you may feel unmotivated unless something external triggers you. The Root Center energy is the adrenalized energy that is essential for all areas of activity in our life, grounding us in our foundation. Two double Trigram Hexagrams are present in the Root Center: Mountain/Mountain Hexagram 52 "Keeping Still" is in the astrological sign of Cancer ( ) and Hexagram 58 Lake/Lake “The Joyous” is in the astrological sign of Capricorn ( ).

The Splenic Center
The Splenic Center functions in the body to alert us to conditions both internal and external as they affect our health. It operates as an awareness center. The Splenic Center joins with other key centers that work together to create the feeling /instinct /mind and body /instinct /mind axes of awareness; the centers are the Sacral Center , the Mind (the Ajna & the Crown Centers ), the Splenic Center, and the Solar Plexus Center . The Splenic Center, the body/instinct/mind axis, attunes one’s awareness to what affects health as it is modulated by instinct and cognition. When integrated, health is optimized. When colored in it is easier to feel spontaneous because the body instinct gives more reliable information in each moment than when the Splenic Center is not colored in. Someone with an uncolored Splenic Center is likely to be highly sensitive and to pick up in their own body what others feel. This “open” Splenic Center often shows that someone is highly empathic. All Hexagrams/Gates of the Splenic Center have the same lower trigram (Wind ) . The double Trigram Hexagram 57 Wind/Wind “The Gentle” is in the astrological sign of Libra ().

The Solar Plexus Center
The Solar Plexus Center activates energy in a wave or cyclic pattern and is both an awareness center and a motor center. The Solar Plexus Center, the center of emotions or feelings, joins with other key centers that work together to create the feeling /instinct /mind and body /instinct /mind axes of awareness; the centers are the Sacral Center , the Mind (the Ajna & the Crown Centers ), the Splenic Center , and the Solar Plexus Center. While both of these axes are important, it is the feeling /instinct /mind axis that attunes one’s awareness to what affects feelings, i.e., emotions as modulated by instinct and cognition. When integrated, emotions are balanced and expression is optimized. The Solar Plexus Center has impact on all people, regardless of whether it is colored in because of the nature of human consciousness and of human nature at this time in our evolution. However, when the Solar Plexus is colored in, emotional cycles and the intensity of feelings may be stronger physiologically. They may also be more difficult for the individual to modulate cognitively than when the Solar Plexus is not colored in. All Gates in the Solar Plexus Center except for Hexagram/Gate 6 have the same Lower Trigram with the double Trigram Hexagram in the Solar Plexus being Hexagram 30 (Fire/Fire) “Clinging Fire” in the astrological sign of Aquarius ().

The Heart Center
The Heart Center is the only Center of strong motivating action that has no direct access to the Sacral Center ; it is a Center that bridges the World of Biological Form and functions primarily in the body chemistry and through the autonomic nervous system. Although it has access to conscious modulation, it operates automatically beneath any level of awareness for most people, most of the time on the biological level. It is a Center of Ego and Will Power. It gives one Dominion (control) over oneself and one's life. In addition, it controls the inflow of the resource Oxygen into the heart itself. When the Heart Center is colored in, the intention to take charge and to manage resources for one’s self and others is strong; it may lead to promising more than can be delivered. When the Heart Center is uncolored the use of one’s inner and outer resources carries challenges because even minor “promises” are taken in so deeply that they can create internal pressure that may undermine one’s sense of one’s own value. The double Trigram Hexagram 51 (Thunder/Thunder ) “The Arousing” is in the astrological sign of Aries ( ) .

When looking at a chart, it is important to observe which centers are colored in or defined across the six-month snapshot. Some centers may be defined three months prior to birth but switch to being undefined after birth. Noting these patterns of changing definitions allows for a deeper understanding of the personal make up of the individual or day being analyzed. When centers “turn on and off” they tell us what layer(s) of functioning are affected: mental, spiritual, emotional, or physical.

About the Author

Eleanor Haspel-Portner, Ph.D., clinical psychologist (License #:Psy5297) and master coach, passionately synthesizes clinical applications with esoteric wisdom and scientific discovery. Her Ph.D. from The University of Chicago, Department of Comparative Human Development, uniquely qualifies Eleanor to integrate Social Sciences Research (psychology, biology, anthropology, sociology) with a wide array of esoteric studies.

Eleanor helps people transform their lives using the principles and tools she developed and statistically validated (cf. www.noblesciences.com). Throughout thirty-five years of private practice work as a clinical psychologist and master coach, Eleanor worked with thousands of individuals, couples, and groups to synthesize life experiences in practical ways for living healthy, successful, and creatively fulfilling lives. Eleanor founded the Multidimensional Human Design System™ and Noble Sciences Sacred Synthesis™ Tools. She is currently the only individual qualified to decode the Multidimensional Human Design System™ of analysis that she developed and tested.

Eleanor, an extensively published author, remains an active member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association, American Psychotherapy Association, International Coach Federation, the Relationship Coaching Institute, Southern California Society for Clinical Hypnosis, and the Reiki Alliance.  

Contact Eleanor at: ehp@noblesciences.com (310) 230-7787