The theory of the five elements underlies all branches of Chinese divinatory practice. Starting from astrological forecasts and ending with oracles’ predictions – everywhere knowledge of the creative and destructive cycles of the five elements, the interaction of the elements with each other, generating positive favorable energy or negative negative energy, gave strength to this practice.
In Feng Shui, element attributes affect each of the eight compass sectors. Each of the four cardinal and four additional directions corresponds to a certain element. Therefore, the simplest method of creating good Feng Shui is to awaken the energy of the elements that control each of the compass sectors. Understanding the attributes of the elements — a requirement.
Feng Shui theory claims that everything in the universe has elusive energies that are elemental in nature. The seasons, colors, shapes, directions of energy flows and even numbers have their elemental equivalents. Attributes and associations of elements should be learned by heart, because many of the proposed methods for diagnosing Feng Shui and the “means” recommended in this book of Feng Shui conceal the use of element theory. A number of advanced Feng Shui techniques are also based on five elements, which are called synonym in Chinese.
The use of elemental therapy in Feng Shui is very effective. But this therapy is delicate, and the amount of any element presented contributes to the delicate balance. Never forget that Feng Shui is built on balance and harmony and the excess of any single element is unfavorable. Regardless of everything else, excess water always drowns, and excess fire always burns.
Five Elements
When using elements in Feng Shui, great skill is required. In addition to the proportions and sizes, the elements presented must take into account various other factors. Season, season, room colors, shapes present in the surrounding space. When analyzing Feng Shui, this should always be taken into account.
Fire
High Yang element. This is an extremely powerful element, but it does not exist by itself. It must be created. Unlike other elements, fire cannot be stocked. Fiery energy gives success in public life, brings fame, recognition and brilliant achievements to those who successfully activate it. But fire must always be controlled. Excessive fiery energy can be fatal. Fire is associated with the south.
Water
This is the energy of wealth in Feng Shui. Like fire, water is an incredibly powerful element that can get out of hand. The energy of water moves down, so when water overflows, it leads to innumerable disasters and losses. Water energy brings prosperity. If you awaken this energy correctly and in proportion to the energies of other elements, while achieving a favorable equilibrium, the energy of water will bring you such wealth that you did not even count on . Water is identified with the north.
Earth
Fundamental energy, the heart of Feng Shui lies in it.Connection to earthly luck brings harmony and great family happiness, which is usually associated with the efforts of the hostess-parent. An element of land dominates the southwest, northeast, and central sector of the home.
Tree
This energy carries growth, expansion and promotion. A tree is a direction of the east and southeast. His energies bring good fortune and material success. Like the branches of a tree, luck increasingly grows outward, as the tree is the only living element. The energy of the tree also gives great success to the descendants of families and is especially beneficial for sons.
Metal
This energy brings good luck to the influential and socially beneficial people whom the Chinese call celestial people. Metal is an element of the west and northwest. It symbolizes the power of heaven and the power of the master-father. Metal is always associated with gold and silver; it has dense energy that flows inward. If you successfully connected to the favorable energy of the metal, you will become a powerful and very influential person. If you want to awaken the good fortune of good people, one of the most effective methods is to hang a miniature golden bell in the northwest corner of your home.
Other attributes of the five elements
WOOD
Season of the year – spring
Direction – east / northeast
Color – green
Shape – rectangular
Energy – outward
Numbers – 3.4
WATER
Season of the year – winter
Direction – north
Color – blue / black
Shape – wavy
Energy – downward
Numbers – 1
FIRE
Season of the year – summer
Direction – south
Color – red
Shape – triangular
Energy – Ascending
Numbers – 9
METAL
Season of the year – Autumn
Direction – West / Northwest
Color – White
Shape – Round
Energy – Inward
Numbers – 6.7
EARTH Season of the
year – Off season
Direction – Southwest / Northeast
Color – ocher
Shape – square
Energy – direction towards the
Number – 2.5.8
Correspondence of elements to the corners of the house
In the best case, the use of element theory to improve Feng Shui of any house or room begins with the identification of the corners of the house or room. This procedure can be done for the whole house at once or limited to separate rooms. It can even be done for any work (writing) and dining table. The scope of Feng Shui methods is determined by where you draw the border of your space. Thus, when you say, say, about the south, this direction can be understood as the southern wall of your room, house, land, city or the whole country. The effect of diverging circles. This is because in Feng Shui, no direction in itself makes sense in isolation from other directions.
Southeast is powered by tree energy
East is powered by tree energy
Northeast is powered by earth energy
South is powered by fire energy
North is powered by water energy
Southwest is powered by earth energy
West is powered by metal energy
Northwest is powered by metal energy
A simple way applying elemental therapy to your home is to use the right colors and color combinations for different angles and rooms.
Therefore, red or any shade of red is considered a good color for window curtains in the southern part of the house or on the southern wall of a particular room. This principle applies equally to carpets, bedspreads, pillow covers and wallpaper. Using the same analogy, refer to the table to find the appropriate colors for the rest of the house, and rely on these principles for selecting colors when decorating your home.
The awakening of the energy of good fortune of the angle can be achieved as a result of the correct placement of objects that symbolize the element corresponding to this corner. For instance,the energy of the south is “awakened” by a fireplace, of the south-west by a crystal; west — horseshoe; northwest – by air bells; north – a bowl of water; northeast — by a ceramic vessel; and southeast and east — a potted houseplant. These items are just recommendations.
The cycle of interaction of elements
energies of the elements do not remain static. They continuously interact with other objects in the environment. These objects emit the energies of all five elements. Thus, the interaction of elements in the atmosphere is dynamic and constantly changing. Some elements react to each other positively and, therefore, favorably – giving rise to a creative cycle. The interaction of other elements is unfavorable and gives rise to a destructive cycle.
When applying elemental analysis to the environment for Feng Shui purposes, it is necessary to pay attention to these harmonious and disharmonious cycles. Their effect is felt in the color combinations used in various corners of the room, in the use of materials (fabrics) and their compositions, as well as in the design of shapes and lines associated with the layout and interior decoration.
Color combinations
There are favorable and unfavorable color combinations.
Here are some not favorable combinations :
Red – Blue and Red -Black (very bad combination in the southern corner).
Red is metallic (a very poor combination in the western or northwest corner).
Green – yellow (extremely dangerous combination in the southwest and northeast).
Yellow – blue (extremely poor combination in the north).
Green is metallic (an extremely poor combination in the east and southeast). And now examples of some favorable combinations:
Green – red (a great combination in the south, good in the east and southeast during the winter months).
Red – yellow (a great combination in the southwest and northeast).
Yellow is metallic (a perfect combination in the west and northwest).
Metallic – blue (a great combination for the north).
Blue – green (a great combination in the east and southeast).
Combination of Forms
Favorable combinations include:
1. A triangle added to a square in the southwest and northeast.
2. A square added to the circle in the northwest and west.
3. The rectangle complementary to the triangle in the south.
4. A wavy surface complementing the rectangle in the southeast and east.
Creative cycle of elements
This cycle of elements demonstrates an endless cycle of creation. This is a harmonious interaction that is conducive to attracting beneficial sheng qi. One element gives rise to another in a circular flow of energy. This is the kind of harmony that we must create in our living space.
For Feng Shui purposes, the following attributes of the elements can be used from the creative cycle:
Water is good for the Tree, but the Tree devastates (depletes) Water
The tree is good for Fire, but the Fire devastates the Tree
Fire is good for the Earth, but the Earth devastates Fire The
earth is good for Metal, but Metal depletes Earth
Metal is good for Water, but Water depletes Metal
Here is an example of the constructive use of elements for accurate analysis:
To arouse the energy of a tree element in the southeast, water features (such as a fountain) can be introduced. This will add additional useful energy to the southeast. But in order to arouse the energy of the water element of the north, it is not necessary to introduce wooden features (vegetation) in the north, since the tree only draws water from the north and depletes it. As a result, there will be a weakening of the inherent energy of the north, despite the fact that both elements – water and wood – are not in disharmony.
It is much better to awaken the energy of water in the north by placing there a metal container symbolically filled with water. And all because metal generates water, while wood devastates it.
Destructive cycle of elements
This is the opposite of a creative cycle. Such a cycle demonstrates how fierce hostility of certain combinations of elements can lead to destruction. These are precisely the combinations of elements that should always be avoided.
The destructive cycle illustrates how one element can be hostile to another. Therefore, in practice, he assumes that placing metal traits in a wooden corner will be a disaster, as metal destroys wood. Consider, however, the effect of small metal on a large tree, here the destructive effect of metal on a tree is balanced by the size of the wooden element. With this interaction, the relationship between metal and wood goes to a higher level, since small metal (in the form of tools) can increase the value of wood (when it becomes furniture).
Or take the case of the interaction of fire with metal. It is believed that fire destroys metal, but is it possible to make jewelry and metal products in general without the heat of fire?
Now a case of fire and water. They say that water extinguishes fire and, therefore, is not suitable for fire, as a result of which both of these elements must be kept at a distance from each other. But if you think about the fact that fire turns water into steam – and under certain circumstances steam represents energy, then the relationship between fire and water is sometimes favorable.