Human Design Academy by Ra Uru Hu: Family

Human Design Academy by Ra Uru Hu: Family

Human Design Academy by Ra Uru Hu: The Power of Family 37/40 and Gate 37
Human Design is a groundbreaking system that brings together elements of astrology, the I Ching, Kabbalah, the chakra system, and quantum physics to provide a comprehensive blueprint of how we are designed to interact with the world. At the heart of Human Design lies the concept of energy dynamics, which influences everything from relationships to personal purpose and health.
In this article, we will delve into the meaning and depth of Family 37/40, specifically focusing on Gate 37, as explained by Ra Uru Hu, the founder of the Human Design system. These gates are foundational in understanding how family dynamics and emotional connections play out in the Human Design chart.
The Context of Human Design: A Quick Overview
Before we dive into the specifics of Gate 37 and the Family 37/40, it’s essential to understand the basic structure of Human Design. Each individual has a body graph — a visual representation of their energetic makeup. Within the body graph, there are 64 gates (derived from the I Ching), and these gates are connected by channels that represent how energy flows between different aspects of the self.
In Ra Uru Hu's original teachings, each gate has a specific theme and purpose. Some gates are about awareness, others about creativity or transformation. Gates can also be linked to particular types of relationships — personal, familial, or societal.
Family 37/40: A Unique Emotional Connection
In Human Design, Gate 37 is located in the Emotional Solar Plexus and is associated with the family theme. It’s deeply tied to emotional bonding, compassion, and nurturing relationships. However, as Ra Uru Hu emphasized in his teachings, Gate 37 doesn’t simply symbolize family in the way we traditionally understand it — rather, it represents the sacred bond between family members that transcends societal norms.
Family 37/40 is seen as a dynamic of unity and emotional resilience. Gate 37 is part of the channel 37-40, known as the Channel of Community, and it is directly connected to Gate 40, located in the Root Center. This channel plays a significant role in understanding how individuals within a family unit work together to create an emotionally cohesive environment. This unity can take many forms, from small familial gatherings to larger community-based relationships.
The energy of this family dynamic is about emotional support and mutual nurturing. Gate 37 brings the energy of compassion, kindness, and a deep, emotional connection that can transform families into powerful support systems. However, Ra Uru Hu also described how, when misunderstood or misapplied, the energies of this gate could lead to emotional dependency, causing individuals to become too reliant on their familial bonds for emotional fulfillment.
Gate 37: The Gate of Friendship, Harmony, and Emotional Reciprocity
Gate 37, also known as the Gate of Friendship, holds a deeply humanistic quality in the design system. Its core energy revolves around the concepts of harmony and reciprocity, a mutual exchange of emotional warmth and care. According to Ra Uru Hu’s teachings, Gate 37 individuals are often at the center of family or community dynamics, acting as the mediators, the peacekeepers, or the ones who maintain the emotional equilibrium within relationships.
People with Gate 37 defined in their charts often possess an innate ability to bring others together through their emotional energy. Ra Uru Hu noted that these individuals carry an inner emotional clarity that makes them excellent at recognizing when others are out of sync and helping to restore balance. They can be the ones who heal emotional rifts and ensure that emotional connections within the family remain intact, even in challenging circumstances.
However, Ra Uru Hu also warned that when the energy of Gate 37 is not honored or is misused, it can create imbalance and instability. When a person with Gate 37 is not emotionally recognized or understood by their family, they can feel isolated or alienated, which can lead to deep emotional turmoil. Gate 37 calls for a sense of emotional responsibility in relationships, and its energy requires that all parties involved be willing to contribute and maintain balance.
Gate 40: The Gate of Aloneness and Rest
Gate 40, in the Root Center, is the complementary force to Gate 37 in the Family 37/40 dynamic. Ra Uru Hu described Gate 40 as the energy of aloneness or solitude. This might sound paradoxical when viewed alongside Gate 37's emphasis on emotional unity and connection. However, the two gates work together in a balanced relationship: Gate 40 brings the energy of needing space, rest, and moments of individual retreat, while Gate 37 brings the energy of emotional intimacy, togetherness, and community.
For a family to thrive under the influence of Family 37/40, it is essential that both needs are recognized and respected. Ra Uru Hu explained that individuals with Gate 40 in their chart may need regular emotional space to reflect, restore their energy, and maintain emotional clarity. They are deeply aware of their emotional boundaries and may struggle to stay emotionally engaged if they are not given the time and space they need to recharge.
At the same time, the individual with Gate 37 offers the support and companionship necessary to ensure that the larger family unit remains connected, strong, and harmonious. Ra Uru Hu observed that when these energies are understood and respected, a family can create a dynamic where both unity and solitude are balanced and honored, creating a space where every individual’s emotional needs are met.
Ra Uru Hu’s Vision: The Need for Emotional Awareness in Families
One of the core messages of Ra Uru Hu’s teachings was the importance of emotional awareness and how the energies of different gates within the family structure can either strengthen or undermine relationships. In the case of Family 37/40, the emotional dynamics are at the heart of a harmonious family system.
Ra Uru Hu often stressed that families — just like any community — must evolve with the needs of the individuals involved. Family 37/40 offers a model of emotional support and balance, but it requires careful navigation. For families to fully honor the energy of Gate 37 and Gate 40, each individual must be willing to do the inner work of understanding their own emotional needs, as well as the needs of those they are connected to.
Ra’s teachings also emphasized the importance of personal autonomy. While emotional bonds in family life are essential, the energy of Gate 40 reminds us that everyone within the family must also maintain their personal space and autonomy in order to fully function and contribute to the collective harmony.
Conclusion: The Sacred Bond of Family 37/40
Family 37/40 is a powerful emotional design that creates a beautiful and harmonious dynamic of mutual support, emotional equilibrium, and deep connection. At the same time, it requires a delicate balance between togetherness and individuality, with each member of the family offering both emotional support and the freedom to rest and recharge.
Through the teachings of Ra Uru Hu, we come to understand that the essence of Family 37/40 is about a sacred emotional bond, one that transcends conventional family structures and instead focuses on the mutual emotional nourishment and respect needed for each individual to thrive.
As we explore the energies of Gate 37 and Gate 40, we can begin to deepen our understanding of what it means to live and grow in a family dynamic that is both nurturing and restorative — a system where emotional balance and personal autonomy can coexist.