I’m always learning something new in Human Design. Today, it is about the 4th line.

My family is filled with 4th lines (Opportunists), mostly on the body/subconscious level (second part of the profile). For example, my mom, brother, both my sons, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nephews (two of them), other brother-in-law, older sister and my cousin (her husband) all have a 4th line in their profile type. There is a mixture of profiles among them, as I mentioned, with 2/4 (7 total!) being the most common, followed by 4/6 and then 1/4 and finally 4/1.

Overall, I find the 4th line easy to get along with, especially the 2/4 version. Of course, that’s because I have a 2nd line and can understand anyone else who has a 2nd line. Up until, today, I hadn’t considered the 4th line much at all, but after reading a quote by Ra, I am finally seeing what I failed to see before.

Here is the quote:

The 4 has this extraordinary pressure on them to give the right foundation to the other. What so often happens with the not-self, and this is something that is historical, is that you have so many human beings that are influenced into movements, sects, whatever it may be, that is not, in fact, of any value to them. Because the force that is bringing them to it only cares that they embrace the foundation. Not necessarily that the foundation is good for them.

White Hats Doing Black Work

I had this discussion the other day with a friend of mine, talking about what it really means to be somebody who wears a white hat and does black work. These are the beings that I have absolutely no respect for, I watch them with a combination of horror and dismay. The emotional therapist who is working with an unemotional teenager; the ego motivator working with the undefined ego being and not knowing what they are doing, not knowing what their effect is going to be on the other; that not-self 4 who will constantly, through their own life, look for some kind of foundation to influence others with. That’s what they’re here for, after all.

Of course, they’re not correct, and they enter into whatever it is incorrectly and take on a foundation that isn’t necessarily of any value to them, let alone to anybody else. But it is their role in this life; it is the pressure that is there at the mystical level to influence the other with that foundation. And they have a gift: they can sell sand to desert people. They have a gift as long as they know them. We have an enormous confusion of spiritual, mystical and religious ways, there are so many of them out there. There are so many beings who have been brought to and held in mystical foundations that are of no value to them; none.

I’ve mentioned that story before. I remember the first time that I taught in Los Angeles. I had the people who organized it put an ad in one of these publications. It was one of these monthly publications that have about 800 pages, and 60 and 70 different entries on a page. It was unbelievable. I collapsed into hysterical laughter. There are so many different foundations that have been sold out there. And that the good shepherds—ah, bless their hearts, white hats, black souls—the good shepherds are out there holding them to it, reinforcing and maintaining their connection through their networking. When you think of opportunism in this way as a not-self, you can blame that mystical 4 for everything. You can lay every lump of crap you want on it, poor things. It’s not their fault, after all.

It’s a beautiful gift; I appreciate the good shepherd. I think that it’s a wonderful thing when the foundation is legitimate. And I’m not just saying, ok, this is Human Design—it’s not about that. That 4 that enters into its process correctly as itself will take on a foundation that is legitimate for it, a foundation that it can influence others with. There is the potential always for correctness. But what a pressure it is on them, what an enormous pressure. The community of Human Design—the moment I leave this plane, and sooner or later the bus is going to show up—when I leave this plane, it will be 4’s that will maintain the foundation. It isn’t to say that the other lines aren’t going to have their “this or that” with it, that’s not the point. It will be the 4’s that will say, “Well, this is the way it was done and we’re not going to change it.” And I’ll be very grateful if they do their job well, because there are already mad, crazy, stupid people out there who think that they know better than the Voice, and it’s outrageous. However, life is what it is.

But it’s really something to grasp; we need our good shepherds. We need, within the community of our work those that will have this influence, who will be able to influence others in a network of familiarity and bond them in this process. For the growth of Human Design anyway, it is only when people begin to experience the community of Human Design and what it means to be in a community with others who are aware, that the real transcendent value of this knowledge, far beyond what it does for any individual, will actually become evident. This will be on the back of the 4’s, and there is not a lot of time to set that foundation. There is about 120 years, something like that. It’s enough time. All the 4’s that are born before 2027, for as long as they live will carry what’s left of this whole mystical process, and this ability to bring their influence to others.

So, whenever you meet a 4 that’s interested in Human Design you make nice with them, do a very good job with them, teach them well, and give them a really good foundation. Whenever I have a 4 for a reading I always make sure I add little extras, just to make sure they grasp how profound this foundation is because it’s all they’re looking for in life, and it’s not conscious. If they’re going to operate correctly, they are going to resonate to precisely the right foundation for them to export; that’s their job. “

Here is what stands out to me the most:

“[t]hat not-self 4 who will constantly, through their own life, look for some kind of foundation to influence others with”.

This is my sister and her husband in a nutshell. I will focus on my sister because I know her better, though. As a 1/4 she has always been social, always been one to navigate towards groups, always had people around her. She never cared what group it was, only that she was part of it. If new to a group, she would intentionally seek out others, befriend them, create a little “clan” and stick with them as long as possible. She pulled me into such a group when I lived near her. When I pulled away, she took it personally and she continues to try and pull me back, but it doesn’t work. She is “afflicted” with a desire to influence another and she doesn’t care particularly what the result is, just as long as she gets to influence. Take away that influence and she becomes restless, grumpy and sometimes mean/nasty. I’ve seen her influence in groups that suited her (teacher), and I’ve seen her influence in groups that didn’t (all drug related). She has a tendency to want to please the group to have more influence over it, so she typically does whatever everyone else does in the group, then, later, uses her role in the group to achieve something, and ethics and morals don’t really seem to matter to her (black work).

“[they] can sell sand to desert people”.

This part is so true! I’ve seen this trait especially with those whose personality part of their profile is 4: 4/1 and 4/6. My BIL, his son and my SIL fall into this category. They are masters of persuasion! My BIL is a 4/6 and a Manifestor. His ability to persuade those in his group is almost as high as my own husband’s (3/5 MG). Mostly, though, he is best when it is his idea he is seeking others to agree with – trademark of a Manifestor. His power over others comes in his certainty that he is right and will do it with or without their agreement. Yet he has learned that he must inform, first, and when he does, he easily persuades them into agreement.

My SIL is a 4/1 and her entire Beingness is about bringing people into her group, pulling them in with her magnetism and offering them what she can provide. Her persuasiveness comes with the library of knowledge and wealth of experience she has in her particular line of work. She built up her foundation and it is solid. Others recognize this and come to her. She doesn’t even have to try, they just come.

Both of these family members are following their strategy and authority. The only time I witness the not-self (white hats doing black work) is when someone refuses to be persuaded. My SIL turns into a lawyer, cross-examining you and making you feel wrong or somehow faulty for not seeing her rightness. My BIL just gets this blank look on his face and you can feel the strength of his repellant aura full-on.

I see this with my sister (1/4), also, but to a lesser degree. She is very convincing no matter what it is she is trying to sell. However, she doesn’t recognize this about herself and there is a huge lack of confidence. If her tactics don’t work and the Other doesn’t take the bait, she goes into full-on tantrum mode. I’ve seen her go through an entire range of emotions in her desperation to change my mind. She will go into rage, then blame, then tears, then passivity and “you’re right”, etc, all in an attempt to influence my decision. When it doesn’t work she will give up, but not without making sure I know how bad my decision is. The more drugs have become her life, the smaller her group and influence, and the more psychotic her tantrums as a result.

Overall, I don’t particularly enjoy the company of conscious 4th lines as much as unconscious ones. They are way to extroverted for my hermit side, exhausting me quickly. If I do not join their group the feeing is immediate rejection. My SIL becomes intolerable and tries to make me wrong or guilty (this is the SIL who lives in Costa Rica). I’m grateful that she accepted my need for alone time and even encouraged it at times (but only to the extent that I agreed to be part of her group). My BIL is hard to read (Manifestor) and the only time I don’t feel repelled by him is when I “join” him, whether as part of a group in agreement to his group’s “rules” or just in agreement with his ideas/intentions.

I can tolerate unconscious 4th lines like my sister (she’s a 1/4) but without the 2nd line to moderate their extroversion, they can demand way too much of me for too long. I have to retreat from them, also, in order to manage my energy levels. It can be hard not to fall victim to their persuasion, especially when they are an older sibling. My sister loves to make me feel guilty for needing to retreat into hermit mode. I spent much of my younger years struggling against her persuasive pull and my own need for alone time. Ultimately, I was/am able to say no and resist her, but she has never accepted my hermit side and remains highly critical of me.

The older I get, the less tolerant I am of those who try to pressure (influence) me from within a group. Groups can’t be avoided (I wish), but I can opt out, and I do. I only agree to be influenced in an attempt to mitigate the tension I feel from them while I am around them. I will “play” their social game for a short period and then retreat. I use to be more inclined to play along in my youth, but now, not so much. Thankfully, those 4’s I most associate with the most (2/4’s) accept me as I accept them. We have an “understanding”. 🙂