Are You Letting Fear Drive Your Decisions? A Deep Dive Into the Spleen Center
Have you ever felt a sudden hit of fear—like something’s off, but you can’t explain it? Or maybe you’ve stayed in a relationship, job, or situation far too long because the idea of letting go felt… unsafe?
These are the whispers (or screams) of the Spleen Center in Human Design. It’s our oldest awareness center, designed for survival. And for many of us, it’s running the show without us even realizing it.
The Spleen is all about intuition, timing, and survival in the now. It’s not a logic-based system. It doesn’t care about your five-year plan. It’s your primal knowing—your inner animal—sensing what’s healthy or dangerous, safe or threatening, moment by moment.
What Does It Mean to Have a Defined vs. Undefined Spleen?
If your Spleen is Defined, you have a consistent access to intuition. You’re wired for moment-by-moment instincts—when to go, when to stay, what’s healthy, what’s not. But just because the signal is always broadcasting doesn’t mean you’re always listening.
When the Spleen is Undefined, or Open, it’s more of a wide receiver—taking in and amplifying the fears and instincts of those around you. You might become highly attuned to others’ health or emotional states, but lose touch with your own inner clarity. And often, there’s a gripping fear of letting go—of relationships, habits, or environments—even when you know they’re not good for you.
The Shadows of the Spleen: Fear-Based Living
The Spleen Center houses the seven primal fears—fear of failure, fear of inadequacy, fear of the past repeating, fear of the future, fear of authority, fear of responsibility, and fear of death itself. These are not abstract philosophical fears. They live in the body. They contract our breath, freeze our decisions, and anchor us in situations that are long past their expiration date.
I’ve seen this again and again in my clients. We talk about indecision, overwhelm, anxiety… but underneath, it’s the Spleen quietly screaming “Don’t move, it’s not safe!”
Living In Alignment with the Spleen
When we’re in right-relationship with the Spleen, a different world opens up.
You know in your bones when something is wrong—and you trust it. You move when the moment is right. You feel free to let go, not because it’s comfortable, but because you’ve stopped letting fear run the show.
From Fear to Freedom: A Story from My Practice
One of my clients—let’s call her Anne—had an Undefined Spleen. She stayed in a toxic work environment for years, even though every part of her body was telling her to leave. “I kept thinking it was just fear of change,” she said. “But now I see—I was absorbing everyone else’s fear of scarcity, of being unwanted, of losing control. I was carrying fears that weren’t even mine.”
When she began to recognize that those gripping sensations weren’t actually her own—and started tuning into her Authority instead—something shifted. She left the job, started her own practice, and now helps others navigate similar transitions. The Spleen didn’t stop being loud—it just stopped being in charge.
You Can’t Think Your Way Into Safety—But You Can Align with It
That’s what the Spleen teaches us. You don’t have to “fix” your fear. You just have to stop letting it lead.
Bold truth: Most of us are letting ancient survival patterns make modern-day decisions.
Bolder truth: You can change that.
And that’s exactly what we explore in Awakening And Human Design—a 9-week journey, one center at a time, into your unique energetic blueprint.
Together with my colleague Pali Summerland, we devote an entire week to each center. You’ll learn the mechanics, the metaphysics, and the embodied wisdom that helps you (and your clients) live more freely, authentically, and on purpose.
Whether you’re a coach, therapist, or simply someone devoted to your own evolution, this program will radically change the way you see yourself—and others.
Want to go deeper?
Ready to move beyond feeling helpless and gain a deeper understanding of fear through Human Design? You are meant to thrive, and understanding this part of your design will help you do that.
We go live April 29, you want to be here.
Learn More and Register Here:
