The Five Elements in Feng Shui Practice are Wood, Fire, Earth, Water, Metal.


Wood is: Intuition.
Yang=tree, Yin=flower
Sense: Vision & seeing (Odin hung from a tree to get wisdom.)
Ch’i Qualities: Trust, openness, receptive, inner guidance, progressive in thought and action, flexibility, expansion, cooperation, continual new growth.
Symbols: Wooden furniture & accessories wood paneling, siding, roofing, decks, kitchen cabinets, wicker, bamboo, picture frames.  Indoor & outdoor plants & flowers, (silk, plastic, dried) Art depicting landscapes, gardens, pants, flowers, carvings Floral prints, upholstery, draperies, linens, natural fiber, hemp, flax, rayon.
Shapes: Columns, tree trunk, beams, pedestals, poles, stripes.
Colors: Green and blue spectrum
Excess: Over-expansive, overwhelming, Type A behavior
Lack: Bonsai: undergrown, lack of trust, skeptical, scientific, stunted growth

Fire is: Emotional
Yang=blazing fire, Yin=oil lamp.
Sense: Touch. Digestion.
Ch’i Qualities: Dynamic vitality, enthusiasm, excitement, decisiveness, assertiveness, creativity, originality, leadership, motivation, emotional balance. Ancient fire ceremonies, gathering around a hearth, Acupuncture (touch). TV is our current “fire”.
Symbols: All lighting, electricity, oil, candles, sunlight, fireplaces.  Things from animals: fur, leather, bone, feathers, wool.  Pets & wildlife, Art depicting people, animals, fish, butterflies, sunshine, light, fire.
Shapes: Triangles, pyramids, cones, stars, diamonds.
Colors: The color red & red spectrum, Heat, movement.
Excess: Aggression, anger, impatience, impulsive, overly ambitious.  Burn out, crash and burn. 
Lack: Lack of enthusiasm, lethargic, dull, cold, unmotivated. Lack-luster, cool as a cucumber.

Earth is: Physical
Yang=planet, Yin=mother
Sense: Taste (Ancient  Masters tasted the earth to see if it could produce crops
Ch’i Qualities: Fertility, practicality, stability, sensuality, being grounded, organized.
Symbols: Adobe, brick tile, ceramics, earthenware, pottery, soil.  Art depicting landscapes, deserts, fields, meadows, grids.
Shapes: Square, rectangles, long, flat surfaces.
Colors: Yellow, earth tones
Excess: Overly disciplined, anal, serious, conservative.
Lack: Spacey, ungrounded, disconnected, lacking stability, shaky, barren.

Water is: Spiritual
Yang=ocean, Yin= ponds, lakes
Sense: Hearing
Ch’i Qualities: Mystical, meditative, relaxed, calm, flowing, trusting the higher order, synchronistic. Water takes on the shape of its container. (like our soul which has no shape only the shape of our body) Water always seeks its lowest level.
Symbols: Streams, rivers, pools, fountains, water features. Reflective surfaces, cut crystal, mirrors, glass. Art depicting waterscapes.
Shapes: Asymmetrical, flowing, free-form, movement, natural forms.
Colors: Black, dark blue, charcoal gray, midnight blue, indigo,
Excess: No structure, passive, inconsistent, “wishy-washy”, yin.
Lack: Anxiety, inability to handle stress, need to dominate, lack of flow, disconnected to spirit, dry, combustible.

Metal is: Mental
Yang=scaffolding, Yin=gemstone
Sense: Smell (Human skeleton is metal. Epitome of strength & endurance)
Ch’i Qualities: Mental clarity, determination, concentration, perseverance, wit, brilliant even during hardship or failure. Connective, quick, networks, communicates.
Symbols: All types of metals, stainless steel, copper, silver, gold, brass, iron, aluminum, pewter.  All rocks and stones, marble, granite, flagstone, concrete, all natural crystals, rocks and gemstones.  Art depicting metal or stone, sculptures of metal or stone.  Floral prints, upholstery, draperies, linens, natural fiber, hemp, flax, rayon.
Shapes: Circles, ovals, arches.
Colors: White and light pastels
Excess: Rigid, unable to compromise, fixed, stuck, sharp tongue, isolated.
Lack: Weak, indecisive, procrastination, dull, cloudy, foggy, unclear, indeterminate, non-specific, spineless.

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The Five Elements in Feng Shui Practice

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