Nine Centered: The New School of Human Design Podcast

Are you over-intellectualizing the Human Design System and approaching it with dogma? In this new podcast episode, we explore our relationship with the mind: how it shapes our sense of self, how we orient to the Human Design system, and how we connect with others. We discuss the pitfalls of mental over-intellectualization in the Human Design field and why embodiment is essential for real transformation. What you'll hear about in this episode: ♦️The Mind and Human DesignThe mind can distort truth when it leads our experiment.Dogmatic or black-and-white thinking can turn anything—even Human Design—into a cult-like experience. Embodiment is non-negotiable: without it, the system stays theoretical. ♦️ Returning to the BodyWe share personal experiences of becoming disembodied through spiritual overreach and finding their way back through Human Design and inner authority.True understanding arises from felt experience, not belief systems or external validation. ♦️ Practicing with IntegrityObserve first, then apply Human Design to what you’ve lived.Avoid mental witch hunts for mechanics; let truth reveal itself.Follow what your inner authority draws you to learn—nothing more.Transits and complex teachings should support awareness, not feed anxiety. ♦️Relationships Through a Nine-Centered LensRelate to others beyond their chart; avoid “guru” or superiority traps."Rules" (like sleeping separately) are experiments, not mandates—follow what actually works for your body and relationship. Love is not something conceptual or even mechanical. Embodiment builds honesty, empathy, and trust. ♦️Deconditioning, Truth, and EmbodimentThe system can either pull you deeper into your mind or anchor you in your body.Real growth comes through grounded awareness—being with your experiences, not bypassing them. Cults keep you mental; embodiment brings you home to yourself. ♦️AnnouncementsTeresa will be taking a few months off for maternity leave, but don’t worry—James will be hosting some incredible guests in her absence! You can look forward to hearing from some former NSHD students, offering a range of perspectives and insights. Analyst Training Enrollment — Enrollment is still open for the 2025–2026 Analyst Training cohort!Semester 1 has already begun, but if you’re ready to dive in and can catch up with the recordings, there’s still time to join us on this journey. Enrollment will officially close when Semester 2 begins in March 2026, so there's plenty of time to catch up and still get the live experience. ⁠⁠Apply here!⁠⁠Book sessions:⁠Teresa⁠⁠James⁠⁠Check out our team of Analysts⁠Follow us on Instagram:The New School of Human Design on IG // ⁠⁠⁠@newschoolofhumandesign⁠⁠⁠James Alexander on IG // ⁠⁠⁠@james_alexander_coaching⁠⁠⁠Teresa Brenneman on IG // ⁠⁠⁠@teresaabrenneman⁠⁠⁠Human Design, Deconditioning, Embodiment, Mindfulness, Somatics, Self-Trust, Relationships, Personal Growth, Nine-Centered Being, Inner Authority, Human Design Analyst

In this episode, we dive into the intricacies of Human Design composite charts—what happens when two charts merge to form a unique relational dynamic. What we explore:Composite “rhymes” like 9-0: Nowhere to Go and 8-1: Have Some Fun, and how different numbers of open centers shape relationship dynamics.The composite as a third entity—how new channels, authorities, and defined centers influence a partnership.The four types of channel connections (companionship, dominance, electromagnetics, and compromise) and how they create attraction, friction, or challenges.Navigating inner authority and communication in relationships, especially when partners process decisions and express themselves differently.Personal reflections and what we've learned from various relationshipsThe future of relationships as society shifts from the Cross of Planning to the Cross of the Sleeping Phoenix—toward sovereignty, individuality, and spirit-lifting loveInterested in Analyst Training? The next cohort begins September 29, 2025. Apply here!Book sessions: Teresa James Check out our team of AnalystsFollow us on Instagram:The New School of Human Design on IG // ⁠⁠@newschoolofhumandesign⁠⁠James Alexander on IG // ⁠⁠@james_alexander_coaching⁠⁠Teresa Brenneman on IG // ⁠⁠@teresaabrenneman⁠⁠

Mercury retrograde may have thrown delays, mishaps, and communication snags, yet we're finally back with another episode!In this episode, we continue our conversation from the previous episode to dive into our personal deconditioning stories. We explore the subtle yet powerful ways the mind pulls us off track—whether through distraction in view, transference in motivation, or the conditioned patterns stored in open centers. Teresa shares how her Desire motivation and Personal view can focus her like a “heat-seeking missile” when aligned, but lead to apathy or political overdrive when in distraction. James unpacks how his Guilt motivation and Survival view serve him when correct, but can also keep him stuck in “shoulds,” overgiving, or false hope.We also dig into the lived experience of our open centers—Teresa’s completely open Ego and Head, James’s undefined Spleen and Root—and how these areas have shaped self-worth, information processing, sense of safety, and relationship patterns. Our stories illuminate how deconditioning is not about erasing these patterns, but revisiting them with greater awareness each time they resurface. The next cohort of Analyst Training begins September 29, 2025. We will begin with Semester 1: Building the Story of the Conditioned Self, where students will learn how to excavate conditioning patterns with objectivity and compassion—preparing to spot them in themselves and others.To check out the full syllabus, click here.Follow us on Instagram:The New School of Human Design on IG // ⁠⁠@newschoolofhumandesign⁠⁠James Alexander on IG // ⁠⁠@james_alexander_coaching⁠⁠Teresa Brenneman on IG // ⁠⁠@teresaabrenneman⁠⁠

In this episode of Nine Centered, Teresa and James explore the deeply personal terrain of deconditioning through the lens of Primary Health System (PHS), Cognition, and Embodiment in Human Design.Drawing from their own lived experiences, they unpack how these elements have shaped their growth, health, and relationships, offering real-life examples and gentle guidance for those navigating their deconditioning process.What We Cover: PHS as a Portal to Somatic HealingNervous Touch (Teresa): How her need for stimulation shows up in meals, relationships, and learning—and how background café sounds became a surprising support for digestion and well-being.Low Sound (James): His journey from misidentifying his determination to understanding the relief of quieter environments and warm, full-bodied sounds.PHS & Trauma: Why PHS work often brings up childhood conditioning and how to meet it with patience and compassion.Observing Children: James reflects on how children naturally honor their determination when allowed the space to do so.Cognition as a Subtle Inner GuideFeeling Cognition (Teresa): Becoming more attuned to emotional undercurrents and how it supports intuitive perception.Touch Cognition (James): Exploring the layers of connection—from food to energetic boundaries—and the pain of disconnection.The Solar Plexus Connection: Both hosts tie their cognitions to the evolving role of the Solar Plexus in relationship, emotional awareness, and nervous system attunement. Embodiment & the Feminine Principle in DeconditioningWhy Embodiment Matters: Moving beyond mental understanding to felt experience: why deconditioning requires slowness, softness, and body awareness.Transference & Compassion: Naming the pull toward conditioned behaviors and how to discern between a mental loop and an embodied truth.The Feminine Lens: Surrender, flow, and receptivity as essential ingredients in this work, especially in a culture conditioned toward force and control.This episode brings awareness to the questions...Are you listening to your body—or trying to control the process?Can you trust your system to show you the way—without force?Analyst Training begins August 2025! ⁠Click here⁠ to find out more information and access the course syllabus________________________________________________Follow us on Instagram:The New School of Human Design on IG // ⁠⁠@newschoolofhumandesign⁠⁠James Alexander on IG // ⁠⁠@james_alexander_coaching⁠⁠Teresa Brenneman on IG // ⁠⁠@teresaabrenneman⁠⁠

In this episode, Teresa and James dive deep into the world of the 5th line. As a 5/1 with eight 5th line activations, James shares his personal experience of living in the projection field, while Teresa offers reflections from her perspective as someone close to that frequency.Together, they unpack the psychology, challenges, and potential of this powerful and often misunderstood archetype.What's discussed in this episode:The Nature of the Projection Field: 5th lines carry a natural aura of expectation. Teresa and James explore how this projection distorts identity, creates inner tension, and often leads to feelings of misunderstanding and loneliness.The Heretic and the Savior Complex: Why the 5th line is called “The Heretic,” and how projections can lead to disconnection, ego entanglement, and even public shaming when expectations aren’t met.2nd Line vs. 5th Line Projections: Teresa compares her 2nd line experience to James’s 5th line reality, revealing how both lines face different kinds of interference — especially in childhood — and how it impacts their sense of self and purpose.Living with the 5th line: James shares how being perceived as someone who “has it all together” makes it hard to receive support. He opens up about over-communication, reputational pressure, and what it means to manage expectations with strategy and authority.Work, Dating, and Autonomy: Why 5th lines thrive in roles that offer space and sovereignty — and why contracting or consulting may be ideal. In relationships, James reflects on how slow, intentional connections help cut through the fog of projection.Finding the 5th Line Family: What it's like to find "5th line family" in people who you build trust with and get close to*Analyst Training begins August 18, 2025! Click here to find out more information and access the course syllabus*Follow us on Instagram:The New School of Human Design on IG // ⁠@newschoolofhumandesign⁠James Alexander on IG // ⁠@james_alexander_coaching⁠Teresa Brenneman on IG // ⁠@teresaabrenneman⁠

In this episode, Teresa and James explore the coming shift from the Cross of Planning to the Cross of the Sleeping Phoenix, expected around 2027. They frame this as an evolutionary change in the background frequency that shapes society, technology, and spirituality.The Cross of Planning (current era)Gates 37 • 40 • 9 • 16Themes: community bargains, collectivism, marriage and religious contracts, rapid technological growth, push-and-pull between collective and tribal priorities.We are still in the First-Line phase that favors investigation, security seeking, and top-down authority.The Cross of the Sleeping Phoenix (post-2027)Gates 59 • 55 • 20 • 34Themes: individualism, self-sufficiency, embodiment, changing sexuality, and a somatic approach to healing.The cycle starts in a 6th line phase that highlights authenticity, role-model energy, and personal self-expression.Embodiment vs. DisembodimentExpect a widening gap between people committed to living in their bodies and those opting for increasingly virtual lives.Somatic awareness and nervous-system regulation become essential tools for healing in a tech-driven world.Evolving Gender and RelationshipsTraditional gender roles keep dissolving, pointing toward a more androgynous future.Partnerships shift from static “bargains” to fluid arrangements that honor differentiation and personal truth.New-Era TribalismClassic tribes held together by obligation are fading.Communities of shared interest and mutual self-reliance rise, supporting connection without codependencyOrganized religion, tightly linked to the Cross of Planning, continues to wane.Mysticism re-emerges through fresh channels (watch the 54-32) as seekers pursue direct experience outside formal institutions.Power and Conflict (34-20 channel)Potential spikes in aggression and geopolitical tension sit side-by-side with opportunities for bold, charismatic leadership.Navigating the NoiseRapid tech advances will blur fact and fiction.Teresa and James stress leaning on inner authority, embodied knowing, and honest community rather than doomsday narratives.Understanding these themes can help you prepare for social shifts, deepen personal embodiment practices, and anchor decisions in your own authority as the collective terrain changes.Follow us on InstagramThe New School of Human Design // ⁠@newschoolofhumandesign⁠James Alexander // ⁠@james_alexander_coaching⁠Teresa Brenneman // ⁠@teresaabrenneman⁠

In this episode, Teresa and James explore the often misunderstood concept of the Not-Self in Human Design, reframing it as a necessary and valuable part of the deconditioning process.Key Topics Covered:The Not-Self as IntegralThe Not-Self isn't separate from the True Self—it exists within both defined and undefined centers.Understanding the Not-Self is essential to understanding the Self.The Somatic Roots of the Not-SelfNot just a set of mental stories—the Not-Self is deeply connected to somatic experiences.Mental patterns often arise as protective mechanisms against difficult sensations.The Protective Nature of the Not-SelfThe Not-Self functions as a survival strategy shaped by culture, family, and early conditioning.Rather than being an enemy, it attempts to keep us safe.What True Deconditioning RequiresAwareness of mental patterns is just the starting point.Real transformation involves working with the body and nervous system.Embodiment practices help access and process the sensations that underlie conditioned behavior.Co-Regulation and Nervous System AwarenessDeconditioning is supported by co-regulation—between personality and design, and with others.The emerging solar plexus awareness is rooted in emotional and somatic intelligence.Reframing the Not-SelfIt’s not something to be ashamed of or eliminated.It's a universal part of the human experience and an ally in growth.Integration—not elimination—is the goal.Why Somatic Practices MatterSupport trauma processing and nervous system regulationFoster deeper body awareness and embodiment of designCreate space for the Not-Self to be met, understood, and integrated This course blends Human Design and somatic work to support the deconditioning journey at a deeper, more embodied level. Check out the syllabus and get more information hereThe New School of Human Design on IG // @newschoolofhumandesignJames Alexander on IG // @james_alexander_coachingTeresa Brenneman on IG // @teresaabrenneman

In this episode, James and Teresa delve into common misunderstandings within the Human Design system. They emphasize a nuanced approach, moving beyond simplistic interpretations to offer a more practical and embodied understanding.Strategy & Authority: Ra Uru Hu emphasized strategy and authority, but it’s not the whole picture. The mind and nervous system also play vital roles in decision-making, especially for emotional, ego, and mental authorities.Misapplication of Strategy: Strategy guides major life decisions — not every little task. Projectors, for example, only need invitations in key areas like relationships and career.Mind’s Role in Authority: The mind can hijack the decision-making process, especially for process-based authorities. Awareness of motivations and mental narratives is crucial.Sacral Sounds & Responses: All types make sacral sounds, not just Generators. Emotional authority can sometimes override sacral responses, leading to silence instead of sounds.Nervous System Regulation: It's important to be able to have nervous system flexibility to access inner authority. A dysregulated nervous system can interfere with clarity and decision-making.Transference & Functional Freeze: The mind can create false narratives to avoid discomfort, leading to apathy and disengagement. Awareness helps to shift these patterns.Awareness as the Key: Recognizing bodily cues and sensations can deepen understanding beyond standard Human Design signposts.Want to go even deeper? Sign up for our upcoming course Embodying Your Design starting May 19, 2025Embodying Your Design is the advanced beginner’s course James and Teresa wish they had when they started. Whether you’re new to the experiment or years in, this course will reconnect you to the core mechanics of your design — not just intellectually, but somatically. You’ll learn to trust your internal GPS beyond Strategy and Authority with practical, body-based guidance that makes the keynotes come alive. Step into your design with clarity, confidence, and embodied alignment. Join us and discover how to truly live your Human Design.For the course syllabus and all the other details click hereFollow NSHD on Instagram!

In this episode, Teresa and James dive into the world of psychic abilities—redefining them not as rare gifts, but as natural human capacities to tune into unseen frequencies and gather insight beyond logic. Through the lens of Human Design, they explore how our inner knowing speaks, and how we can learn to trust it.Rethinking the word "Psychic": Teresa and James unpack the stigma around psychic abilities, reframing them as intuitive tools accessible to everyoneHuman Design as a Map: How cognition and authority in Human Design can illuminate your unique intuitive style and help you trust those subtle hitsThe Mind vs. Inner Knowing: Teresa shares stories of splenic intuition and the mental resistance that often follows, especially for emotional authoritiesMental Chatter as a Signal: James explains how tracking the mind’s activity reveals our emotional clarity—or lack thereofIntuitive Truth in a Noisy World: How discernment and inner authority can cut through misinformation and lead to deeply aligned decisionsThe Trap of Seven-Centeredness: How fear-based, strategic thinking still dominates many spiritual spaces—and how true surrender requires letting go of controlThe Evolution of Connection: With the mutation of the Solar Plexus, Teresa and James explore the shift from codependence to interdependence, and the new ways tribes form around resonance, not samenessLimitations as Creative Fuel: Why boundaries and challenges aren’t obstacles but portals to innovation, evolution, and personal freedomIf you're just discovering the system or you're craving a grounded, embodied way to understand and experiment with your design, join our newest course: Embodying Your Design. This course is designed to help you move beyond the mental concepts and into real-life integrationClick here for the details!

In this inaugural episode of the Nine Centered podcast, Teresa Brenneman and James Alexander delve into the core principles of nine-centered consciousness, emphasizing differentiation, surrender, and embodied awarenessHow James and Teresa became friends and eventually began a professional collaborationThe creation of the New School of Human Design and their shared visionExploring nine-centered consciousnessThe concept of limitations and challenging the new-age narrative of limitless potential  The importance of recognizing trauma responses and differentiating them from inner authority Why somatic work is a crucial tool for integrating one's design and embodied awareness and surrender to the body's intelligence are key to navigating life's challengesHonesty, fulfillment, and the illusion of intentionThe New School of Human DesignAbout JamesAbout Teresa