Glossary III — Variable & Advanced Arrows In the Variable system, Arrows are directional indicators—left-pointing, right-pointing, or neutral—calculated from
Glossary III — Variable & Advanced
Arrows
In the Variable system, Arrows are directional indicators—left-pointing, right-pointing, or neutral—calculated from the relationship between the Color (from the Design Sun) and the Tone (from the Design Earth). A left arrow indicates movement toward the past, while a right arrow points toward the future; an arrow of equal value yields a neutral, centered orientation. The Personality Sun/Earth pair produces an Inner Arrow, and the Design Sun/Earth pair produces an Outer Arrow, both of which are essential in deriving Determination, View, and Cognition. These arrows reveal the fundamental direction in which a person processes life, digests experience, and engages with information.
Determination
Determination describes the mode through which a person metabolizes and digests the world, and is derived from the Inner Arrow of the Variable chart. A left arrow produces Observer Determination—a passive, witnessing mode in which one simply receives and contemplates experience—whereas a right arrow yields Manifestor Determination, an active mode in which one applies force, initiates, and shapes experience directly. This is distinct from Human Design Type; Determination speaks specifically to the digestive and perceptual quality of the being rather than to auric mechanics. Correctly identifying one's Determination is foundational to applying the PHS in daily life.
Environment
Environment, within the Variable/PHS framework, refers to the specific kind of physical and social setting in which a person thrives, correctly digests, and operates at full capacity. There are six Environments—Caves, Markets, Kitchens, Mountains, Valleys, and Shores—each calculated from the Color of the Personality Sun. The Environment is not aspirational or idealized; it is a mechanical requirement, and a person living in the wrong environment will experience distortion in digestion, motivation, and cognition regardless of how "well" they eat or live. Honoring the Environment is considered the single most important practical application of the PHS.
Motivation
Motivation identifies the underlying "why" that drives a person's behavior and shapes the way they are moved through life. There are seven Motivations in the Variable system—Hope, Fear, Desire, Need, Guilt, Innocence, and Responsibility—each derived from the Inner Standing Position calculated between the Personality Sun and Earth. Each Motivation carries its own characteristic pattern of distortion and clarity; for example, Hope moves toward pleasure, while Fear moves away from pain, and Guilt is rooted in self-criticism. Recognizing one's Motivation allows a person to disengage from mechanical distortion and to align their inner driver with their true nature.
View
View is the perceptual lens through which a person experiences life and is determined by the Outer Arrow of the Variable chart. A left-pointing Outer Arrow produces a Personal View—a subjective, individualistic perspective in which one sees the world through the lens of personal likes, dislikes, and preferences. A right-pointing Outer Arrow yields a Planetary View, a more objective, collective orientation in which a person perceives situations through a wider, more universal frame. View works in conjunction with Cognition to establish how information is taken in, processed, and acted upon.
Cognition
Cognition refers to the specific sensory-perceptual channel through which a person is designed to take in and process information, and it is derived from the Inner Arrow combined with the digestional tone. There are seven Cognitions—Smell, Taste, Touch, Sound, Light, Feeling, and a seventh form variously called Possibility or Outer Vision—each representing a distinct mode of perceiving. A person can only truly be reached, instructed, and informed through their specific Cognition; information delivered through an incompatible sense is filtered out or distorts. Correctly identifying one's Cognition is essential in education, parenting, healing, and any form of meaningful communication.
Color
Color is one of the six levels of activation within the Hexagram system of the I Ching, on which Human Design is based, and each gate is divided into six Colors (1 through 6). In the Variable calculation, the Color of the Design Sun is used together with the Tone of the Design Earth to determine the Outer Arrow. Color also plays a role in determining Environment, as the Color of the Personality Sun selects which of the six Environments a person requires. Each Color carries its own thematic quality, representing a specific stage in the alchemical process of transformation.
Tone
Tone is the sub-division of Color within the I Ching/Human Design framework, with six Tones existing within each of the six Colors, yielding a total of thirty-six Tones. In the Variable calculation, the Tone of the Design Earth is paired with the Color of the Design Sun to calculate the Outer Arrow, while the Personality Sun and Earth contribute their own Tones to the Inner Standing Position. Tone refines the meaning of Color and gives it an additional layer of specificity in both the Rave Mandala chart and the Variable system. Each Tone represents a particular mode of expression and a particular stage in the developmental process of its parent Color.
Base
The Base is the foundational calculation in the Variable system, derived from the Color and Tone of the Personality Sun, and it serves as the anchor point for the entire PHS chart. The Base itself becomes the Personality Sun position, the Base-plus-one becomes the Personality Earth position, and these two values generate the Inner Arrow and Inner Standing Position. In this way, the Base is the seed from which Determination, Motivation, and the Inner-Arrow-derived cognitional data all emerge. Without a correctly calculated Base, none of the Variable's interpretive layers can be applied.
PHS (Primary Health System)
The Primary Health System is Ra Uru Hu's advanced application of the Human Design system, integrating the mechanical elements of Type, Strategy, Inner Authority, and the Variable (Environment, Motivation, View, Cognition, and Determination) into a cohesive framework for well-being. PHS operates on the principle that health is not merely physical but is a consequence of living in alignment with one's design, particularly through correct Environment and Digestion. Introduced later in the development of the BodyGraph, PHS is considered the deeper, applied layer of the knowledge and is most effective when combined with a solid understanding of the foundational chart. Its purpose is to support individuals in making decisions that are correct for their unique mechanics rather than following generalized health or lifestyle prescriptions.