Feng Shui elements that neutralize, enhance, or weaken the chi in a physical environment.
Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood are known as the Chinese elements utilized in Feng Shui. The five Feng Shui elements produce and destroy each others energies in a continual cycle. Balance and harmony is created in the home when the elements are correctly placed in the home according to their attributes. If the elements are placed inaccurately it can destroy or lessen the chi.
Each element has a colour, direction and number associated with it.
Element--Colour--Number--Direction
• Fire Element--Red/Purple--9--South
• Earth Element--Brown/Beige--2,5,8--Southwest
• Metal Element--Grey/Reflective--6,7--West
• Water Element--Blue/Black--1--North
• Wood Element--Green--3,4--East
The elements have a productive and destructive cycle. You must utilize the five elements with caution.
Productive Cycle
Water---Wood---Fire---Earth---Metal
Water feeds wood for it to grow. Wood feeds fire which produces Earth. Earth creates metal and Metal holds Water. The cycle continues.
To use the productive cycle you are able to use the element before and after the main element you are bringing into the room. For example, if you are to bring wood into the home you may add water because it feeds the wood and/or add fire because it is created by fire. The destructive cycle will show which elements do not work well together.
Destructive Cycle
Water---Fire---Metal---Wood---Earth
Water douses fire. Fire melts metal. Metal cuts down the wood. Wood clogs the earth. Earth muddies the waters. The destructive cycle is used in Feng Shui to lessen energy.
For example, if a room is filled with a great deal of new age metallic objects and streamlined furniture, you would add some fire like a fireplace or some red throw pillows on the couch to cut down the metal energies.
Five Elements Sketch
1. Sketch the interior perimeter of your home. Use a scaled drawing if possible. Photocopy a minimum of 10 sketches for future use.
2. Design a simple symbol for each of the five elements.
Chinese Five Element Symbol Options
Fire Element: red flames
Water Element: blue wavy lines
Wood Element: green tree
Metal Element: silver/white bucket
Earth Element: brown oval
3. Go to each room and place a symbol on the scaled drawing for each object. The couch may be 4 fires while the red pillow is a 1 fire... Try and make everything to scale to get a true picture of the five elements in the home.
4. Are the Feng Shui five elements balanced or are their irregularities.
Look at each individual room and the home as a whole.
5. Three options are available to balance the five elements. Bring in the missing element. Remove an element or bring in an element that will lessen a dominant element...
6. Try and memorize the five elements destructive and productive cycle or place the diagram on a small piece of paper for easy reference.
The Chinese five elements are often overlooked in Feng Shui practices. Try and incorporate them to find balance and give the chi the ability to flow effortlessly through your home or office space.
Each of the five Feng Shui elements are important to bring balance to the home. The finest way to bring one of the elements in to the home is in their natural state. For example if you need more wood, a tree would be the best cure. Second best would be a wood table or artwork with a forest scene. Try to buy things native to your community as they will bring you better quality chi.
