Feng Shui Elements

Whether you are a beginner and just starting along the path to Feng Shui or have already begun the journey and have a bit of knowledge, you should understand the importance of the five elements of Feng Shui. Each of the five elements - water, metal, wood, fire and earth - has a significant role in determining the textures, colors, and other elements of decor in your home to provide a positive, balanced flow of energy. Additionally, Feng Shui also relies on the Yin-Yang theory, in which everything in the universe consist of two opposing, but deeply interconnected forces - Yin, the feminine, passive energy, and and Yang, the masculine, active energy. feng shui elements

Understanding the elemental characteristics of these elements will allow you to use them in all aspects of your life. In fact, you can use the most appealing principles of each of these elements to create your own personal Feng Shui game plan to achieve harmony in all areas of your life. Here are a few highlights of each element:

  • FIRE - The fire element is utilized when you want more passion and energy. It is a hot bundle of energy ready to explode, and is the source of Yang energy. Do not overuse.
  • WOOD - The wood elements is utilized when you want to be more creative. It invokes practicality and ambition.
  • EARTH - The earth element is utilized when you want to be more relaxed. It reflects Mother Nature and comfort.
  • METAL - The metal element is utilized when you want to be more successful in your career. It is about clean lines and living.
  • WATER - The water elements is utilized when you want to be clearer in your efforts to get your points across. It reflects expressiveness and creativity and is the source of Yin enegy.

Most of us are a combination of elements, not a single element, with one dominant element providing the overriding force of our Feng Shui. It is very unusual for anyone to only fall into only one particular element. The makeup of these elements is a reflection of our personalities, and is therefore unique to only us. When we employ the principles of Feng Shui decorating in our homes, the result is a decor that fits our elements and matches with our personality.

As we grow and change our Feng Shui elements will change with us. We may retain the core elements as we do our core personalities, but they will shift and get fine tuned as we progress on our journey through life. Quite obviously the design styles we use will change to keep pace, for example, we may acquire more sophisticated tastes and therefore employ clean lines and colors.

Using the Feng Shui tools of BaGua and the Feng Shui compass can assist us in determining our five elements. We can also get a hint of our five elements based on our overall personality. Those of us that favor a bit of disorganization or take comfort in things more messy we fall within the earth element. The neat freaks among us land in the metal element, and favor clean lines and simplicity. Where do you fall?

Using these tools should give you a good idea of where you fall. However, if you are still confused and don't know exactly where you stand in the scheme of things, ask your close family and friends for their opinion. Their perspectives might shed some light on determining your Feng Shui decorating element. Using these methods to determine your Feng Shui elements should reveal that there are one or two elements that truly standout.