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K'an-yu :: Feng Shui Elements

The Feng Shui elements have a strong role to play for balancing the Chi of a space or home.

In order to implement the spiritual techniques of getting a positive Chi flow in your Feng Shui home, you must be able to see how the concepts of yin and yang, the five elements, and the overall concept of Feng Shui relate to your home and each item in your home - things like your computer, your potted plant, your fish tank, your favorite pillow, your orange vase, and so on - are all made of the Feng Shui elements and have either yin or yang energies contained in them.

Each Feng Shui element has unique properties.

Water as in trickling fountain, can signal networking, communication, professional opportunities and wealth, while running sink or toilet water that is just wasting water may signal loss of money or poor health.

Wood promotes development and creative energies. You can use wooden objects to promote motivation, inspiration and passion without overwhelming your home.

Since Metal elements are transmitters or conduct energy, introduction of metal can generate attention and transmit energy to that area.

Various types of metals are considered very precious for their associations with health - for example, many people wear copper bracelets. But if one uses too much metal in a space, it may attract too much energy which can be quite destructive.

The Earth itself has solidity and permanence to it, and the element of earth appropriately represents these qualities of stability, permanence, and home. This can be necessary in a space that is too full of movement.

The element of Fire is considered the most powerful of all five elements and represents energy and passion.

Though the properties of Feng Shui elements individually are important, what is more important is the positive or destructive effect that each element can have on one another. If you have a room that lacks the wood element, for example, only using a wooden Feng Shui decorating would not suffice.

You will have to supply some water element as well, because water is what enables wood to grow. Why? Because the compatibility of elements depends upon the Cycles of elements.

There are five Feng Shui Elements.

Earth

The earth element can be an extremely powerful Feng Shui tool when used correctly. In the home, pottery, ceramics, terra cotta - anything clay, is suitable for adding earth energy to your spaces that need an earth enhancement.

Jade is another perfect material for a decorative piece. For example, if you place a small jade statue between you and your computer, it's a symbol of good luck. Not only that but it protects you from the fire (electricity) emitted by the machine and also provides you provides earth luck.

Another way to add an earth element enhancement to your home is to place a rock, or even a large boulder near a main door. Placing living plants in beautiful clay pots and adding statues, small or large, in strategic places will also help you practice good Feng Shui.

There are many ways to use Feng Shui to enhance your home or work environment. But in order for us to maintain access to those options we all need to do our part in protecting the earth we've been given.

After all, it is our home. It's easy to become greedy and use up its valuable resources without giving back and replenishing but restraint must be exercised in order to preserve the earth.

The study of Feng Shui teaches us how to best use the earth's resources and the importance of harmony and balance between all matter, from the largest to the smallest.

Water

Due to its association with prosperity, water element is frequently used for Feng Shui in the home. Outdoors, water can be stored in pools, ponds or displayed as fountains. Indoors, it can take the form of small inside-fountains, fish tanks and large bowls. The key thing in all of these applications is to keep the water clean, fresh, and moving. Fish in the fish tank help the water to circulate

The word "fish" in Mandarin Chinese is pronounced the same way as "excess". That's why rearing fish in water is the most effective way to bring you wealth, even an excess of wealth flowing in.

The location of your aquarium is also very important; according to the Feng Shui Bagua out of the four sectors of your house, the front and the back have the most major impact on your wealth.

The sector at the back of the house, where the bedrooms usually are, that should be kept peaceful and quiet. Since a fish tank symbolizes flow and movement, and therefore the flow of chi, it's recommended to place the aquarium in the front sector near the front door.

Fire

Fire is a powerful element. It's discovery alone changed human life changed forever. Just think about the times you sat in front of a fireplace or campfire.

There's something captivating about the way the flames crackle and pop and their tongues reach for more oxygen. And if you're like most people, you probably just automatically started staring at it. That's how hypnotic it is.

The fire element is a symbol of energy and passion. It is associated with the southern direction and often makes us think of summer and vivid red colors. Fire is also considered masculine and brings up images of volcanoes, all types of lights, wood burning stoves, and even cooking ovens.

The dragon, which is important in Chinese mythology, is also a symbol of fire.

Of all the five elements, fire has the most yang energy. Too much fire element in a room or a house can stimulate the Chi (life force) resulting in anger, impatience, impulsiveness, ambition and burnout.

This is the reason we don't need much Chi in the bedroom, because it is the place for resting. It's also why you want to keep the fire element enhancements balanced in other environments as well.

Fire also affects digestion so to keep the body in optimal health you need to have proper balance with the element of fire through the food that we eat.

Despite its volatility, you should not be afraid of fire elements. The key is balancing it. If there is not enough fire or Chi in the room you may experience, lethargy, coldness, lack of motivation and dullness.

To counteract that, you need to utilize the other four Feng Shui elements: water, earth, wood and metal. For example if the dominating element in your home is fire, introduce the controlling element of water into your environment and highlight with metal and earth, being careful not to use too much wood.

The fire element, which is often associated with the color red, is a great accent color.

You can use red cushions or paint around the rooms that need more Chi flowing in. Candles are also are an excellent way to use fire as an enhancement. When there are people to watch them, they can be lit to introduce the actual element into the space.

If there are small children or pets around or even a lot of flowing fabrics, it's better to not light them. In those cases, display candles in red, purple, or other yang colors. Another idea is to use red light bulbs, lampshades or night lights where possible.

But then there is a note of caution, if the fire can keep us warm, give us energy and cook our food, it can also burn down our houses. The fire element in the wrong locations can trigger accidents, miscarriages, divorces, and other undesirable events.

When used correctly though, the fire element can bring money and fame and help with relationships. It takes a great deal of Feng Shui study to determine where best to apply the fire element.

Wood

Wood element is extensively used to correct the living spaces that are considered bad spaces with regards to the flow of Chi energy - a stairway that leads down to the front door of a house, for example.

According to Feng Shui it may mean that all the energy, such as wealth and prosperity, can run right out through the main entrance and is obviously considered inauspicious for the inhabitants of the home. Some practitioners may recommend using something wooden to rectify such situations.

Actually, instead of a wooden table or other piece of furniture or art object, it's best to use a live plant to enhance the space with the wood element. Sometimes we pretty much have to use inanimate wooden objects, but since the most powerful Chi is in the living, it's more desirable to include plants when possible.

An excellent remedy is to place the largest plant that will fit comfortably in the space at the bottom of the stairs. This same principle holds true if you want to correct the spaces that have doors that are in a straight line and allow the chi to travel in straight line only.

But when you place a living cure in between them, it will keep the Chi flowing and circulating in your home or office.

Green plants help in the flow of Chi.

In addition to absorbing the Chi and keeping it in the house, living plants will also be pleasing to the eye. Anyone coming into the house will feel welcome because there is such a beautiful entryway. As you go out the front door, you will have a positive memory of leaving because of the living, breathing energy you walk by on your way out.

Wood Element Personalities

People born under the auspices of the wood element possess a multitude of characteristics. For starters, they value their ethics, have high morals, and possess a good deal of self-confidence.

These people also have a keen eye for understanding the intrinsic value of things and varied interests.

In addition, wood element personalities have capacity to do things on a grand scale. Their progressiveness and generosity enables them to take on large projects, long-term or sizable developments, and expensive scientific studies - all of which are often collective ventures.

They also know how to share whatever rewards they reap by collective effort and how to find support and financing whenever they have the need. Wood repseents growth and development

Though wonderful people overall, those born under the wood element also suffer from shortcomings.

These include a tendency to bite off more than they can chew, not finishing what they start if they spread their resources too thin, and drifting from one project to another without satisfactory results when plans for that project go sour.

Because of this, it's always best for wood persons to partner up with people who can help them in their endeavors. This helps to keep them on track.

Metal

Metal is associated with money and perhaps the most frequent form that the element is used in is Chinese coins. These coins are round with a square cut in the center. This makes it easy to tie several together with red ribbon or thread. People often place a group of three connected coins in their cash drawers, appointment books, or with their business records. They are considered especially auspicious for attracting wealth.

Metal wind chimes help us in more than one way. Yes, they provide the element, but the musical sounds they make soothe us and make our environment more pleasant. You can hang them outside on the porch or patio, or near a window that you frequently open to let in air.

The flow of energy between five elementsThe various elements all interact together and have a hierarchy. The compatibility of elements with each other is determined by their cycles, which can be either destructive or constructive.

Metal can harm earth; think about digging in the ground with a shovel for example. Keep in mind however, that all things connected to Feng Shui are related with balance and harmony. As an example, if you have a room that suffers from too much wood energy or influence, then placing metal in strategic places will help tone down the wood.

Don't make the mistake of thinking of one element as being better than another. Elements are neither bad nor good in themselves. As with the concept of yin and yang, Chi, and the other related components of Feng Shui, their interactions create positive or negative atmospheres or feelings.

Each element is present in the universe and in our bodies. Elements are also found in our food.

Foods rich in metal

Foods like tofu, rice, raw onions, garlic, radish, turnip, kohlrabi, cinnamon, mint, rosemary, scallions, cloves, fennel, anise, dill, mustard greens, horseradish, mustard, basil, nutmeg are considered metal foods. These foods have a dispersing effect and promote energy circulation.

They mostly benefit sluggish, damp, lethargic, and cold people. Like the metal food there are metal people; these people love minimalism and are organized, clean, and contained. They live simply or in a regal way.

Metal colors are white and all metallic shades: gold, silver, chrome, brass, and bronze. The associated direction is west, and its organs are the lungs, skin, and hair. Past, future and aesthetics are the values associated with metal.

The things we have discussed are only a few of the physical aspects of Feng Shui. Over the years so much has been added to Feng Shui that it has become difficult for people to separate the chaff from the grain.