The Speech That Never Happened: A Projector’s Lesson in the Ajna Centre
As a Self-Projected Projector with a Defined Head and Ajna, I once believed my mental clarity was a gift to the world. I prided myself on being decisive, insightful, and always having the right words at the right time. I was always surrounded by people who made me feel whole. But in my Not-Self state, I didn’t realize how my certainty could overwhelm those who processed life differently, until one fateful church activity gathering.
The Pressure of Certainty
The event was filled with excitement; families, including mine, were arriving with high expectations, the energy buzzing with anticipation. Among the attendees was my younger sister, a sweet and open-hearted Generator with an Undefined Ajna. As people settled in, I turned to her and, without hesitation, declared:
“You’ll give the welcome speech. Just say a few words, smile, and keep it simple.”
She stared at me, her face a canvas of uncertainty. I saw hesitation, but my mind brushed past it.
“Go on,” I encouraged, my voice firm. “It’s not that hard.”
Then it happened; her lip quivered, her shoulders tensed, and suddenly, tears streamed down her face. She was crying. Over a speech.
Irritation bubbled inside me. Why was she making this so difficult? My mind, in its Defined Ajna certainty, could not comprehend why she wasn’t immediately stepping into the role I had assigned her. To me, it was logical. To her, it was overwhelming.
The Ajna Center in Action
At the time, I didn’t understand the deep mechanics of the Defined and Undefined Ajna Center.
My Defined Ajna thrives on structure, on clear, consistent thought patterns. I see connections, I process concepts with ease, and I naturally assume that if something makes sense to me, it should make sense to everyone else.
But my sister? With her Undefined Ajna, she didn’t experience that same mental certainty. She wasn’t designed to hold onto fixed ideas. Instead, she was absorbing the mental energy of those around her, especially mine. And here I was, flooding her with my certainty, demanding that she produce clarity she simply didn’t have.
The Breaking Point
Realising that she was in no state to speak, I quickly took over and delivered the welcome speech myself. It went well. People clapped. The event carried on. But my sister? She didn’t have a good day. She withdrew, feeling unseen and pressured; she was hurt, while I, oblivious, chalked it up to her just being too sensitive.
It wasn’t until years later, through my deep dive into Human Design, that I saw the moment for what it was: a textbook case of a Not-Self Defined Ajna trying to impose certainty onto an Undefined Ajna. I had unknowingly triggered one of her biggest fears, being called out to prove something she wasn’t sure about.
The Shift to Alignment
Looking back, I now see how my mind was running my life. In my Not-Self behaviour, I relied on my mental certainty to control situations rather than tuning into my Self-Projected Authority. My words were meant to be an authentic expression of my truth, not a tool to dictate outcomes.
If I could rewrite that moment, I wouldn’t have commanded her. I would have asked: “Do you want to say something?” And if she hesitated, I would have honoured that, knowing her strength wasn’t in immediate answers (using words), but in responding (humming) her way through life.
Now, as I guide others in their Human Design journey, I remind them: Your mind is a beautiful tool, but it is not your Authority. When you release control from your mind and align with your true Strategy and Authority, life flows, not through force, but through recognition and invitation, as a Projector.
And sometimes, the wisest thing an Undefined Ajna can say is absolutely nothing at all.
