The Five Elements
The Five Element theory is the cornerstone of Chinese Medicine and is based on Taoism.
I read an article in Architectural Digest about Hong Kong’s iconic restaurant Jumbo. The article was about the recent demise (or maybe not…) of the restaurant. But what interested me was AD’s reference to the use of The Five Elements.
The Five Element theory is the cornerstone of Chinese Medicine and is based on Taoism. Everything on our Planet is a balance of nature’s five elements (Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire). The interaction between these elements and chi forms the foundational theory for achieving Feng Shui balance. Each element exists in a yin and yang form and governs a specific aspect of life.
Architectural Digest
“The restaurant’s exterior also made heavy use of green, yellow, and red, which are three of the five primary colors in traditional Chinese culture. Each color represents a direction and element: green (Wood and the east), yellow (Earth and the center), and red (Fire and the south). White represents Metal and the west whereas black represents Water and the north. Though these other colors weren’t heavily visible on Jumbo, it could be argued that the barge itself and the sea offered enough representation for these remaining hues, as it was believed that the proper balance of all colors provided harmony and peace in all directions.”
In Feng Shui we work with The Five Elements to balance the chi in a home or business. Often, we find that a certain element is lacking or in abundance in a home or business. The easiest way to adjust the imbalance is to add design elements that express specific elements to offset and compliment.
This process is part of the constructive and deconstructive cycles of the elements. The Five Elements each have a relationship to the other.
- Each element has another element that creates and nourishes it in the constructive cycle.
- In the deconstructive cycle, each element has one that controls and diminishes it.
Constructive Cycle, generates and creates
- Wood fuels Fire
- Fire (ashes) creates Earth
- Earth produces Metal
- Metal nourishes Water
- Water feeds Wood
Destructive Cycle, controlling
- Wood takes over Earth
- Fire melts Metal
- Earth dams/controls Water
- Metal cuts Wood
- Water puts out Fire
Balance the Elements of your home by using the cycles.
If you have an imbalance in The Five Elements, it can manifest in different ways. A home with an overabundance of Metal may have the occupants feeling tense, the space may feel cold, or too formal.
The following list is a guide on how the five elements manifest. This list is not all-inclusive. Use this as a reference when adding to or enhancing your home.
I love earth tones, and my house is full of dark, beautiful earth tones. And it works because I use the elements to balance each other. Using the Five Elements is not only color, but each Element also represents a shape. For instance, my walls are painted a deep brown in the Wealth corner of my home, my Family Room (back left corner, download your Bagua Map here).
What I did with my Family Room.
Here are a few things I did to balance my Family Room.
(1) Floor-to-ceiling fireplace representing the tall Wood Element and the Fire Element
(2) Triangular elements in pillows and blankets for the Fire Element and, of course, the fireplace.
(3) The Metal element is represented by crystals and decorative metal bowls.
(4) The Water element has been brought in with black accessories.
(5) The floor-to-ceiling windows look out to water and provide the much-needed light to offset the dark colors.
These are just some techniques we use in Feng Shui to balance energy flow in our spaces.
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