In a world that constantly demands more—more movement, more doing, more producing—what if the real wisdom is in doing less?
This month, I had the gift of sitting down with Dr. Jennifer Rochlis to talk about stillness and silence through the lens of Human Design. And, beautifully, this message lined up with the Animals’ Message for May: Stillness.
As spring bursts open with growth and activity, the animals and our own energetic blueprints remind us: Now is also a time to pause.
🌟 What Is Human Design?
If you're new to Human Design, here’s a quick intro: it's a powerful synthesis of astrology, the I Ching, quantum physics, and the chakra system. As Jennifer describes it:
“Human Design is a system, a tool… it’s a snapshot of all the human archetypes of energy that we experience.”
Based on your birth time, place, and date, Human Design maps out how you're designed to use energy and how you best show up in the world.
🎶 The Five Human Design Types (Explained Like a Concert)
Jennifer offered the best analogy to help make sense of the five types:
Manifestors (9%) are the initiators — “Let’s do a concert!”
Generators (36%) are the builders — “I’ll book the venue and hire the band!”
Manifesting Generators (33%) are efficient doers — “Let’s fast-track this and skip what’s not needed.”
Projectors (20%) are the guides — “Let me direct everyone so the performance shines.”
Reflectors (1%) are the audience — they absorb and reflect back how the whole experience is going.
It’s a team effort—and every type plays a role.
🧘♀️ Stillness, Type by Type
Each type experiences stillness in a different way. Here’s what Jennifer had to say:
✴️ Manifestors
Stillness = recharging.
It helps them reset and hear their inner voice again. It’s how they reclaim their agency.
✴️ Generators
Stillness = discernment.
We (yes, I’m a Generator!) can struggle with slowing down, but we need it to hear our true sacral “yes” or “no.” I find that walking meditation helps—moving my body clears the noise so I can actually feel my truth.
✴️ Manifesting Generators
Stillness = alignment check.
Since they move fast and often skip steps, pauses help them recalibrate: Am I still aligned? Am I on the right track?
✴️ Projectors
Stillness = restoration.
Jennifer is a Projector, and she said it best: “We’re incredibly sensitive to others’ energy.” Silence helps them release what’s not theirs and reconnect to their inner wisdom.
✴️ Reflectors
Stillness = survival.
They absorb everything. They need quiet space to sort out what’s theirs and what’s just being sampled from others.
🧠 The Nervous System Connection
Jennifer made a beautiful connection between stillness and our nervous system.
Stillness helps us return to homeostasis—that balanced place between fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest. Without those moments of pause, we forget what balance even feels like.
That’s when chronic stress creeps in. That’s when burnout hits.
Stillness isn’t optional. It’s medicine.
🐊🐺🪶 Wisdom from the Animals
Of course, the animals are always speaking—if we’re quiet enough to listen.
This month’s messengers of stillness include:
Alligator: Integration
Raven: Magic in the silence
Wolf: The teacher of stillness
“We have experiences,” Jennifer said, “and when we have the ability to be still and integrate, we take the magic from those experiences.”
🐾 My Stillness Comes on Morning Walks (Thanks to Lukas)
Stillness doesn’t always mean sitting cross-legged in silence. For me, it’s walking with Lukas, my business-partner-dog—and a Reflector, no less.
He sets the pace. He decides when we stop. I follow.
It’s in that movement that my mind begins to quiet, and my gut starts to speak. Stillness through motion.
🧭 An Invitation: Find Your Stillness (With Your Animal)
So I’ll ask you:
Where does stillness find you—and who might lead you there?
Whether you’re a go-go-go Generator like me, or a sensitive Projector like Jennifer, stillness is part of your design. It’s how you reset. Reconnect. Integrate. Heal.
And here’s something else I’ve learned: our animals often know how to guide us there. They’re not caught in the noise. They don’t override instinct with “shoulds.” They move when it’s time to move and rest when it’s time to rest.
Take a walk with your dog, sit in the sun with your cat, watch the birds outside your window. Let them show you what your version of stillness might look like—especially now that you have a deeper understanding of how your Human Design type shapes your relationship with rest.
In this season of rapid growth and outward motion, don’t forget the quiet power of pause.
There’s wisdom—and magic—waiting in the stillness.
➕ Learn More About Your Human Design!
If you’d like to work with Dr. Jennifer Rochlis to understand your own Human Design chart - and your animal’s! - you can reach her via her website. Make sure to sign up for her emails too and follow her on Instagram.
I’d be grateful if you could press the ❤️ button at the top or bottom of this email. Not only do Lukas and I love hearing from you, pressing that little ❤️, makes it easier for other people to find me. Thank you for reading and spreading the word!
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