Part 13: Compromise, Dominance & Companionship - The 3 Mechanics of Connection
Based on Ra Uru Hu’s “Understanding Our Design in Relationships” (1998)
“There are only three things that happen when two designs come together: someone dominates, someone compromises, or they walk side by side.”
— Ra Uru Hu
Introduction to Connection Mechanics
When two people enter a relationship, Human Design shows us not just what attracts us — but how the energy between us operates. This isn’t about personalities or emotions. It’s about mechanics.
Ra identified three primary ways designs interact:
-
Dominance
-
Compromise
-
Companionship
These three determine:
-
Who leads or influences whom
-
Where the power struggles happen
-
Where the ease, resistance, or chemistry lies
Understanding them is critical to creating lasting, correct, and respectful relationships.
1. Dominance – One Leads, One Follows
This occurs when one partner has a full channel defined that the other doesn’t have at all.
What It Feels Like:
-
The dominant partner’s energy sets the tone
-
The other partner may feel pulled, led, or even overwhelmed
-
There’s a strong sense of influence or direction
Ra emphasized:
“Dominance isn’t bad. It’s only dangerous when the one being dominated doesn’t understand what’s happening.”
This is particularly powerful in parent/child dynamics and in relationships where one partner is much more defined than the other.
Example:
If one partner has Channel 34-20 (Manifesting Generator), and the other doesn’t have any of it, the defined person leads with action and speed, while the other may struggle to keep up.
Correctness matters: If the relationship is correct by Strategy and Authority, dominance can feel supportive. If not, it can feel controlling.
2. Compromise – The Deepest Friction Point
This happens when both partners have the same channel — but only one of them has the full channel defined. The other only has one gate.
“Compromise is where the war is fought.”
— Ra Uru Hu
What It Feels Like:
-
The partner with the full channel dominates that area of life
-
The one with only a gate feels like their voice doesn’t count
-
There’s often tension, frustration, or rejection
This is the most challenging connection mechanic in relationships.
Why? Because the compromising partner:
-
Thinks they’re part of that energetic dynamic
-
Wants to contribute
-
But the other always seems to take the lead
Example:
Partner A has full Channel 43-23 (Individual Insight to Expression).
Partner B has only Gate 43.
Partner B may try to express insights, but Partner A’s channel overrides or outshines them every time.
This can breed resentment unless there is awareness and space given.
3. Companionship – Walking Side by Side
This occurs when both partners have the same full channel defined.
“Companionship is rare. It is the resonance of equals.”
— Ra Uru Hu
What It Feels Like:
-
The channel feels amplified and harmonious
-
There’s a sense of shared pace and rhythm
-
It can be a bonding factor in relationships
However, Ra warned that companionship does not guarantee love.
“You can walk together, talk together, and never touch each other’s hearts.”
Example:
Both partners have Channel 59-6 (Sexuality & Emotional Availability).
This can create intense bonding, but also emotional volatility if not processed correctly.
Relationship Dynamics & Patterns
When You Know Your Mechanics:
-
You stop blaming each other
-
You understand why you clash
-
You respect differences rather than trying to erase them
When dominance is understood, it becomes guidance, not control.
When compromise is respected, it becomes humility, not resentment.
When companionship is celebrated, it becomes collaboration, not co-dependency.
Why This Matters in Love
Most people unconsciously:
-
Fall in love with compromise (the thing they’re missing)
-
Feel safe with dominance (someone to lead them)
-
Stay with companionship (because it feels easy)
But only when your relationship is correct by Strategy & Authority will these mechanics support your growth instead of sabotage.
Ra’s mantra:
“Know the mechanics. Accept the mechanics. Then use your Authority.”
Compromise ≠ Compatibility
Ra emphasized this often:
“You will feel intense attraction to those who compromise you. But that doesn’t mean they’re correct for you.”
If you’re not emotionally aware, compromise can feel:
-
Diminishing
-
Invasive
-
Suffocating
But if the relationship is correct, it becomes:
-
A place of learning
-
A mirror for growth
Using Connection Charts
In professional Human Design readings, we look at connection charts (a combined chart of two people). This reveals:
-
Where each partner dominates, compromises, or walks in companionship
-
Which channels are bridged or left open
-
Where conflict, chemistry, and growth are mechanically set
This is not about blame — it’s about recognizing the inherent energy between two designs.
Summary of Part 13:
Mechanic | What It Means | Relational Impact |
---|---|---|
Dominance | One person has a channel the other doesn’t | One leads, one follows – can be supportive or overbearing |
Compromise | One has a full channel, the other only one gate | Creates friction, tension, and challenge — deepest place of conflict |
Companionship | Both share the same channel fully | Shared rhythm and flow — ease or neutrality |
-
Compromise is the hardest to navigate
-
Dominance can feel supportive or stifling
-
Companionship is beautiful but not enough on its own
-
All three exist in all relationships — what matters is awareness
-
Only Strategy and Authority can reveal if any relationship is correct
Live Your Design: Full CourseUse this code UUZ2ETUT to get 10% off
Rave ABC: Full Course74 Chapters + 74 PDF Files (English Subs)Use this code UUZ2ETUT to get 10% off
Blogger:Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:-------------------------------------------------------------
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
Use order code: AWABVJ
Blogger:
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:Understanding Our Design in Relationships - 1998========================================🤍🕊️🖤Blogger: (To read the article)Part 1: Introduction to the Mechanics of Relationships in Human - Learn more
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
=============================Blogger: (To read the article)
Part 2: The Four Types and How They Relate Energetically - Learn more
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
==============================Blogger: (To read the article)
Part 3: Strategy & Authority — The Foundation of Correct Relationships - Learn more
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
================================Blogger: (To read the article)
Part 4: Aura Mechanics: Openness, Resistance, and Bonding - Learn more
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
================================Blogger: (To read the article)
Part 5: Conditioning and the Role of the Undefined Centers in Relationships - Learn more
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
================================Blogger: (To read the article)
Part 6: The Dynamics of Definition and the Importance of Being You - Learn more
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
===============================Blogger: (To read the article)
Part 7: The Chemistry of Connection – Channels, Gates, and Attraction - Learn moreHuman Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
=============================Blogger: (To read the article)Part 8: Compromise & Dominance – The Hidden Power Struggles in Connection - Learn more
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
==============================Blogger: (To read the article)
Part 9: The Four Types in Relationship – Generators, Projectors, Manifestors, Reflectors - Learn more
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
==============================Part 10: Open Centers in Relationships – The Source of Pain and Transformation - Learn more
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
==============================
Gift:
Human Design Academy By Ra Uru Hu:
Part 2: The Four Types and How They Relate Energetically - Learn more
Part 3: Strategy & Authority — The Foundation of Correct Relationships - Learn more
Part 4: Aura Mechanics: Openness, Resistance, and Bonding - Learn more
Part 5: Conditioning and the Role of the Undefined Centers in Relationships - Learn more
Part 6: The Dynamics of Definition and the Importance of Being You - Learn more
Part 7: The Chemistry of Connection – Channels, Gates, and Attraction - Learn more
Part 9: The Four Types in Relationship – Generators, Projectors, Manifestors, Reflectors - Learn more