This week, we’re basking in another favourite gate of mine, the 39 Gate of Provocation. This is my Design Sun so provoking has been a big theme all my life. And I mean, a RAX of Tension over here after all 🙋🏻‍♀️

Countless times I’ve unknowingly provoked people just by being in a room with them. I’ve also done so willingly when trying to connect—who knew that my love for puns and dropping them at random times were actually the unconscious part of me that was testing if their spirit was aligned to mine’s? 🤣…Now that I think of it, the people closest to me are the ones that can handle and dare I say love (& hate love) my sense of humour

So, what is Gate 39? This is what jumpstarts the individual Stream of Emoting. This gate provides the fuel to provoke the “right” spirit in life and in others. It seeks to feel something; to find, to awaken passion & connect.

A pressure to provoke a feeling, to emote. The gate of the provocateur, this energy seeks to provoke spirit and passion in themselves and others.

From Root to Solar Plexus

Starting in the Root—the center for momentum, life fuel, adrenaline, stress & pressure. Gate 39 is the pressure to provoke a feeling, a reaction to see who + what is right for you or not.

Moving towards the Solar Plexus—the emotional awareness and motor center, where 55 Gate of Spirit has the awareness of what mood, what spirit is correct for them along with who will match that frequency or not.

Together they form the 39-55 Channel of Emoting.

Individual + Projected Channel

The Gate of Provocation is part of the Individual circuit, empowerment to feel and see who’s correct for you or not. This energy is moody, impulsive and deeply melancholic. It seeks connection through emotions, there’s a pressure to feel something.

Yet the 39 without the 55 doesn’t always have the awareness of what or who it’s provoking or what mood, what spirit is for them.

Being aware of this energy is important, otherwise you could provoke, hurt others (even yourself) for the sake of. You have the potential of awakening others to their emotional truths but not everyone is prepared or has capacity for it. As a projected channel, recognition + invitation before moving this energy with others is important.

Shadow Expressions

Through provoking, you find the frequency, the tune you’re looking for. Provocation happens in many forms, the aura of the 39 is teasing, flirting, adding tension whether they’re aware of it or not.

Your mere presence and silence can trigger something in others. I’ve described this as an urge to poke, to stimulate + viceversa. This can show up as a pressure to crack a joke to test the energy in a room or by saying/doing something unexpected to see other’s reactions. Some may love it, some may not and this helps you discern who’s for you or not.

In the Shadow Expressions, this gate may be easily provoked/triggered by others, feeling trapped and stuck or provoking/hurting others because you’re unable to regulate emotionally.

Emotional Wave

The 39 is intrinsic to the individual emotional wave, operating in a unique pulse, moving through emotional highs and lows. If you’re in a good mood you may trigger that in others and if you’re in a low you may also provoke that.

Knowing when to be alone, when to be social is crucial since you need space for both as you move through periods of melancholy.

It’s important you have an outlet to express your mood, to safely process your feelings. This is an acoustic and musical gate, it hears the tone behind what is said. What role does music play in your life? In what ways do you support yourself through your emotional ups and downs?

Is your Solar Plexus defined or undefined?

Wisdom of Provocation

One of the Wisdom from the 39 is knowing who’s for you and who’s not. Who is in dissonance with your frequency and who is in resonance at the moment. Because not everyone is for you, just like you’re not for everyone. It might’ve taken some time to soften into this wisdom, in fact it might’ve been isolating in the past, how can you trust that the right people will gravitate towards you?

Along with your Strategy & Authority, this gate guides you towards what’s aligned. From places and towards relationships where your provocation, playfulness is welcomed, received + recognized.

I see this energy expressed through so many specialties; from therapists, coaches to comedians, lawyers, advertising, film and more.

“The same pressure that was provocative at a low frequency is also provocative at a higher frequency, but it is a matter of what you provoke. At the low frequency, fear provokes fear and anger provokes anger. At the higher frequency level of the 39th Gift, Dynamism can be contagious. Whenever you meet someone expressing their latent genius, it draws you in. In such a person’s presence you feel capable of so much more, and your horizons expand as you begin to breathe fully once again. You will be amazed at how prolific people of genius can be in terms of their creativity. They never seem to run out of energy, as though they are being driven by a force beyond themselves. This is the 39th Gift in action; it is about action and energy — it doesn’t wait but initiates, pushes, sparks and catalyses. A person living out the 39th Gift unleashes a tidal wave of creative activity wherever they go.” –Richard Rudd

Lesson of Gate 39

One of the lessons from the Gate of Provocation is in learning how to safely feel. The big, at times uncomfortable, and even confronting feelings.

With all this pressure to feel something yet not knowing how to safely hold and process these big emotions can create additional tension and dissonance in our being. This root pressure can lead to an impulse to binge, eat or get lost in excesses (alcohol, drugs). It can feel like a hunger that can’t be satiated through food since it’s hunger for the right spirit.

How can you support yourself through discomfort? How do you regulate your body and emotions? Who are the people you can lean on? How do you hold the pressure of your root energy? Is it defined or undefined?

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Exploring Further

And 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. Or want to learn more about the gates and centers, check out Coming Home.