5-Element Theory

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5-ELEMENT THEORY

There are 5 elements that you must become aware of in the practice of feng shui, (they are the same 5 elements as in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture). The 5 elements are EARTH, FIRE, WATER, WOOD, and METAL. Each element has a different quality to become familiar with.

FIRE symbolizes expansion, burning, bright light, and heat. It is associated with summer and the south, and it has an expansive, upward, outward and most yang energy. It represents the outgoing, generous, spiritual, and assertive emotions.

EARTH symbolizes the center, the middle line. It has a settled energy and it is associated with the periods between the seasons, a time of completeness. The directions are middle, southwest, and northeast. It has the stable, balanced energy of things beginning to settle. Balanced between yin and yang, the emotions associated with it are practicality, conservativeness, sympathy, thoughtfulness, and acceptance.

METAL represents maturity, contraction, and stability. It represents autumn and harvest time. The directions are northwest and west. The energy is one of contractions. The force is more yin. The emotions associated with metal are strength, independence, righteousness, intensity, and tenaciousness.

WATER is associated with all liquids from fog to sea, and the rotting and rebirth of everything. It is associated with winter and the north, neither which supports life. It is the time of hibernation, and the energy is dissolving, spreading, and seeping. It is most yin. The emotions associated with water are creativity, persuasiveness, desire, sensitivity, and attractiveness.

WOOD represents all living things, especially plants and trees, and is associated with spring, growth and activity. The directions are east and southeast. It has an upward and more yang energy. The emotions are idealism, competition, compassion, risk taking, and decision making.

Each one of these elements is associated with an area or areas of the Bagua

Water #1 Career Area—Kan

Earth #2 Relationship Area—Kun
#5 Health Center
#8 Knowledge & Self Cultivation Area—Gen/Ken

Wood #3 Family Area--Chen/Jen
#4 Wealth Area—Hsun

Metal #6 Helpful People Area—Chian/Chyan
#7 Children & Creativity Area—Dui/Twei

Fire #9 Fame & Reputation Area—Li

There are 3 elemental cycles that determine how the elements work together in your space, the productive, reductive, and destructive cycle.

Productive Cycle:
Fire nourishes & feeds Earth
Earth produces Metal
Metal stirs Water
Water feeds Wood
Wood strengthens Fire

Reductive Cycle:
Fire burns Wood
Wood sucks up Water
Water rusts Metal
Metal reduces Earth
Earth weakens Fire

Destructive Cycle:
Fire melts Metal
Metal chops Wood
Wood breaks up Earth
Earth blocks Water
Water extinguishes Fire

For more information on the 5 elements and how you can use them to create a positive environment, contact Empress Feng Shui.

For more information on any of the other Basic Feng Shui principles, please follow their links below:

The Bagua and the Bagua Map

Yin/Yang Theory

The 5 Elements

The 9 Questions