I met Genoa few months after my introduction to Human Design, just few weeks prior to Ra’s passing.  With friends’ excitement about his joining our local community, and further opportunities to learn from the renowned teacher, I was not particularly enthusiastic at first.  The way I heard about it sounded rather abstract, while I couldn’t imagine taking many years to learn.  It was through a kind invitation by Lasita and him that my path unfolded, as they became my neighbours and had me over for dinner, with a sincere curiosity about who I was growing up in Japan and then living in the states.  I remember how fluidly they carried conversations, from the mundane to the esoteric, and a comedy to a mystery.  I noticed that their expertise in Human Design was integrated with their appreciation for the nuances, and matched with their empathetic nature.  I felt relieved to be in their company, having just passed Saturn return, had a failed venture and seen relationships not lasting, being ready to reform my assumption about life.

I began participating in their local study groups where the beginners learnt to relate to one another in this new language.  Genoa hosted a type-specific group in which we saw contrasts amongst our commonalities.  Some of the concepts that had sounded even dogmatic at first, began to feel resonate with its fundamentally empowering undertone.  While the original texts by Ra were mostly beyond my comprehension at the time, thanks to Genoa’s insights on Human Design’s pictorial system and its connection to my native Japanese, I was guided to build my understanding effortlessly through the structure of the Bodygraph, a graphic catalogue of its internal logic.  He took moments to work with my pronunciations, and with Lasita sharing with me wonderful readings, my english started to take a turn. 

During my six-week stay with Genoa, after translating his PTL4 course into Japanese, I learnt about his creative exploration with human design framework and started to see Human Design as a medium that could encompass an ongoing inquiry of my own.  Since I was an art major my interest revolved around symbolisms and their effect on constructing our worldview.  Also with an inclination to philosophy and humanities, I believed in a potential of visual communications for a peaceful civilization, where individuals thrive with a sense of harmony within and with each other.  Through a frame of reference gifted by Human Design, I experienced liberation from imposed narratives, and a deep empowerment at a personal level.  My exploration continued as Genoa included me in his team to develop new educational materials.  Then a significant transmission for me came through while he mentored my process of searching for a graduate program.  Along with all the support, he showed to me clearly that however I might choose to pursue my life purpose, I would get to live it, as long as my awareness stayed with it.  That finally brought me to Strategy, though still a mystery, a practice I now remember to honour. 

Though I ended up not following through with the application, my higher education took place in becoming a regular participant of his weekly online study group ever since.  A small yet vibrant assembly of his former advanced students, now acclaimed professionals, exemplifies the synergy of complimentary characteristics of our Designs.  It has been an enlightening experience of how reorganization of ourselves, based on our individual novelties, generates new patterns that evolve into a harmonious whole.  The deep observation of our nature and its application to live in the beauty of diversity, is a practice that goes along with Permaculture, a lifestyle I follow in a little village at terraced rice fields in Shikoku, Japan.   Nature’s genius ways of holistic well being, when we let the surprises and lessons to take take over our living, help us to recognize ourselves as a vital part of the magnificence that is unfolding.  Human Design reflects to us this awareness, the privilege of being human.