The 6 Determination Types (or “Digestion Types”)
Human Design Determination (also called Digestion in the context of the Primary Health System or PHS) refers to how your body is designed to take in and process life, primarily through food, but also through information and experiences.
What is Determination in Human Design?
In Human Design, Determination is part of your PHS (Primary Health System), which focuses on how to support your body and brain for optimal functioning. Specifically, Determination refers to:
The most aligned way your body digests food
How your brain digests information
How you can enhance physical and mental clarity
Why It Matters
Your Determination is about nourishment, but not just in the traditional dietary sense. It’s about finding the correct conditions for intake—what, how, when, and even in what environment you eat and absorb information. When aligned with your Determination, you support your cognitive potential, emotional clarity, and even decision-making.
How It’s Calculated
Determination is derived from your Design Date (88 days before your birth) and is related to your Body’s Perspective and Cognition, which are subconscious parts of your chart.
It comes from:
Your Design Sun/Earth’s “Tone” (there are 6 Tones)
Each Tone has a Left or Right Orientation (Fixed Left or Fixed Right)
This gives 12 types of Determination in total.
Practical Meaning
Your Determination doesn’t tell you what diet to eat (e.g., keto, vegan). Instead, it guides you toward:
-The condition in which your food is best processed
-The mental state/environment where learning and clarity occur most easily
-The way your body optimally receives nourishment and energy
Example
Let’s say your Determination is “3 – Thirst: Right Fixed – Cold”:
Your body functions better when you eat cold or room temperature foods.Even mentally, you might “digest” ideas better when you’re cool and calm. Hot food or overheated environments might dull your mental clarity
Here are the 12 Determination styles
Color 1 – Appetite
Left Fixed – Consecutive
Best to eat one food at a time, finishing it fully before moving on (e.g., all carrots, then all potatoes).
Simplicity supports digestive clarity.
Right Fixed – Alternating
Best to eat mixed foods or alternate bites (e.g., carrot, potato, carrot).
Your digestion prefers variety within meals.
Color 2 – Taste
Left Fixed – Open Taste
You enjoy trying new foods if they taste good.
Open to variety and experimentation in taste.
Right Fixed – Closed Taste
You are selective and intuitive about taste.
Often know in advance if you’ll dislike a food.
Color 3 – Thirst
Left Fixed – Hot
Best to eat hot or warm foods/drinks (including spicy foods).
Warm food provides comfort and support for digestion.
Right Fixed – Cold
Best to eat cold or room temperature foods/drinks.
Hot food can feel too intense for your system.
Color 4 – Touch
Left Fixed – Calm
Best to eat alone or with calm company.
Avoid heated discussions or intense energy while eating.
Right Fixed – Nervous
Best to eat while moving or multitasking (walking, doing something else).
Sitting still while eating can be uncomfortable or disruptive.
Color 5 – Sound
Left Fixed – High Sound
Best to eat in noisy or stimulating environments (TV, radio, restaurants).
Your digestion thrives in auditory stimulation.
Right Fixed – Low Sound
Best to eat in quiet places, with low background noise or in silence.
Too much noise can disturb digestion.
Color 6 – Light
Left Fixed – Direct
Best to eat in the daytime, especially in direct light.
Eating in the dark is not beneficial for your system.
Right Fixed – Indirect
Best to eat after sunset or during the day in indirect light.
Eating in direct sunlight is not ideal for digestion.
Why Determination Matters
When you’re eating in alignment with your Determination:
- Your brain functions better
- Your intuition sharpens
- Your body absorbs nutrients more efficiently
- You feel more grounded, alert, and alive
It’s not about dieting or nutrition trends—it’s about how your body’s sensory system is designed to function optimally.
✨ Determination and Deconditioning
- It becomes most impactful after your Saturn Return (~28–30 years old).
- You don’t need to perfect it overnight. Even 5–10% improvement in alignment can shift your energy, mood, clarity, and health.
- It’s part of a bigger chain: Determination → Cognition → Environment → Perspective → Motivation