We have been under the influence of Gate 1, the gate of self-expression for the past couple of days. And my gosh, was this another one that took me a while to synthesize. It’s straight forward yet at the same time it’s abstract and holds so much complexity…basically the duality of the human experience after all, right?

But I did come across this quote from Rumi that hit the nail on the head for me:

“Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you.

Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.

Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.”

So what is Gate 1? The Gate of Self-Expression is the individual’s raw creative energy. It’s here to move, to process, make sense of life through unfiltered self-expression.

From Identity G Center to Throat

Starting in the Identity G Center—the hub for self, love, direction, identity, purpose, give & receive. The 1 Gate of Self-Expression is the creative energy of the self and universe looking to be expressed.

Which reaches towards the Throat—the center for voice, expression, communication & action. Where 8 Gate of Contribution finds ways to express that uniqueness with others.

Together they create the 1-8 Channel of Inspiration.

This is the creative life force of the universe, your inner truth moving through you. It’s looking to be transformed and channeled into many forms of expression as it navigates and makes sense of life along with your personal experiences.

As part of the Identity center, it is grounded in the direction of the now. What are you holding? What are you processing? Where are you feeling pulled to pour your energy? It simply seeks to create and be expressed regardless of it landing with others or not. It needs time alone to be in their process.

Yet the 1 without 8 might not know how to share, market their creativity with others.

Individual Knowing Circuit & Projected

This gate holds the capacity for creativity; this is a diamond in the rough, the potential, the seeds of creation. This is a portal into our inner worlds and depth yet the journey to unleash what’s on the other side is often accompanied by bouts of melancholy, emptiness and lots of uncertainty.

It’s part of the Individual Knowing Circuit after all, a mutative energy that’s here to hone their individual truth. The process is anything but predictable, it’s messy, impulsive & chaotic at times. It cannot be controlled, only supported. How many times have you stared at a blank page looking to create yet nothing comes? And when you least expect it, while on a walk, talking to a friend… an idea strikes. This is how this creative energy cycles; when everything aligns, inspiration finds it’s medium and comes pouring out.

The 1 is a projected energy, when it comes to sharing with others. It’s not here to concern itself about marketing or trying to find it’s audience. It probably doesn’t care much for it. In fact, when you allow your creative truth to be expressed unfiltered, you might pull in someone with gate 8 who’s able to market your creativity with others. You’re not here to strike a chord with everyone. Those who want more of your expression will recognize and invite these gifts.

Shadow Expressions

In the shadow expressions, the 1 might succumb to internal + external judgement, thinking their expressions are not “good enough” or feeling the pressure to create instead of supporting themselves through their pause. It may also pressure themselves to market (gate 8’s gift)

This gate is grounded in the expression of the individual. Those who dare to stand out, be different as long as it means they’re honouring their authenticity. They’re here to follow the beat of their own drum. This can also be seen in the tortured artist archetype. The melancholy of creation, the entropy of feeling empty along with bursts of inspiration.

Remember, energy is not static. We are not static! This is living energy in motion, just like the rest of our chart. Creativity goes through cycles, it’s relative to you, influenced by your environment and the collective. But when you’re able to make space for your truth in the now to be expressed, you have the capacity to influence and mutate those around you as a result.

Lesson of Gate of Self Expression

“Don’t compromise yourself – you’re all you have.” —John Grisham

This is perhaps one of biggest lessons from this gate, your individuality is your superpower. How you see the world, your experiences, your perceptive is unique to you and that’s exactly what the world needs. Your expression, your shadow and your light. What brings you joy, your fears, your wisdom and pain. When you channel that into creative outlets, not only are you able to process your experiences, but you also have the ability to help others tap into their truth and authenticity. Simply put, the courage to stand out and embrace what makes you, you, can inspire others to do the same.

“When happily absorbed in doing “your own thing,” you are not aware that you are attracting the attention of others. It is while you are being true to your creative process that what you are doing, and how you are doing it, has its greatest impact. As you exemplify new ways of expressing your authentic self, you empower others to consider new perspectives or new ways of being in the world. You may even change their creative direction.”—Ra Uru Hu & Lynda Bunnell

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you. Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion. Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.”—Rumi

Wisdom of Gate 1

The wisdom of Gate 1 is about surrendering and cultivating trust in your creative process. Honour your need to be alone, notice what you’re holding + what is trying to be expressed as you ground in your strategy & authority. Release any pressure & expectations, let the outcomes surprise you.

“This something is the creative process. In other words, your low energy means that something intangible is gestating inside you even though you cannot yet see it. Only when the state mutates to its expressive stage will you see what the process is about. These low times in your life are therefore very special times, and they generally require aloneness and withdrawal in order for the seeds sprouting inside you to germinate. The worst enemy at such times is interference from your own mind (or indeed someone else’s mind) wondering what is wrong with you.”— Richard Rudd

Share your reflections

I have Gate 1 active in my conscious Pluto but I’ve never felt like a “creative” person. Which might seem ironic since I love graphic design and did that for a living for the longest time.

But in my case, my creativity, my expression always had a “communal” influence. If I were to design/create something, it has to have a purpose, a use for others. Otherwise my creativity juice will fall flat…

Perhaps it’s the conditioning of what creativity should look like or maybe because my only channel is the 44-26 Channel of Surrender and the gates in my undefined throat are the 12 and 33. But and also, the way this energy is perceived from others, wasn’t something I “tried to do”.

A lot of my expression comes from processing + sharing what had an impact on me. Either through photography, hand lettering and now, human design and yoga.

I wanted to share this because I think creativity can be expressed in so many ways. Through your job, your relationship to others, how you problem solve, how you guide, respond, initiate etc. And depending on other parts of your design, it’ll influence how and when it shows up as well!

Do you have Gate 1 active? Or know someone who does? Would love to hear your reflections, simply hit reply to share.

PS. If you’re looking for some additional support in synthesizing the elements of your Human Design chart, book a 1:1 session or package here.