The five elements of Feng Shui furnishing

The five elements theory has its roots in the ancient Chinese view of the universe. According to this doctrine, the sequence of all natural phenomena with their connections and modes of action is regulated by the five basic elements. This means that an element can be assigned to every thing in the world. Fire, metal, earth, wood and water are a further differentiation of the Yin and Yang energies, which try to describe the duality of our world and still find their good place today in Chinese sciences, especially in medicine.

You can find each of the five individual elements daily in its environment in shapes, colors, patterns, taste, food, properties, materials, cardinal points, etc. It is assumed that all five elements must be in harmony with one another in order to achieve an optimal flow of energy guarantee that they can control, nourish or even destroy each other. If you understand the relationship between the five elements, you will understand how Feng Shui harmony can be achieved in a living room.

The cycle of elements determines the success in the application of Feng Shui teaching, because there is a productive and a destructive interplay between the elements. The productive is called the creation cycle and the negative – the cycle of destruction. The aim of Feng Shui is to recognize and remedy the inhibiting factors in the cycle of elements in the design and furnishing of living spaces.

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The cycle of elements describes how they merge and change. So the wood feeds the fire and the fire the earth. Metal is extracted from earth and its minerals invigorate the water. In turn, it feeds the trees from which wood is made, etc. The system is normally balanced. But sometimes imbalances arise because the elements also control each other. For example, wood controls the earth, the earth controls the water, the water controls the fire, the fire controls the metal and the metal controls the wood.
In every room there should be a balance between the forces of the five elements. With the help of the shapes, colors, patterns, materials and objects that match each element, you can achieve harmony in the furnishing.

The element wood is stimulated by plants, fresh flowers, wooden figures, green fabrics as well as by tall, rising, branched and cylindrical shapes. With its green and light blue colors, it goes best in the dining room and bedroom. The fire element is stimulated by pictures in red tones, candles, red lamps and stars. The matching shapes are pointed, sharp-edged and star-shaped and the right room because of the red and orange color – the kitchen. Decorations made of clay and ceramics, stones and brown floors strengthen the earth element. The colors are ocher and yellow, which are very suitable for decorating the living room. The earth energy also strengthen all flat, rectangular, checkered and low forms. The element metal, which symbolizes success, is stimulated by all objects made of metal as well as by curved, silver and white picture frames. The matching shapes are round, dome-shaped and curved. In the home office, the colors of metal energy – white and silver are excellent. The bathroom corresponds to the water energy and thus the colors blue and black. All objects made of glass reinforce this energy, which is the symbol for communication, ideas and art. Therefore, the water energy should also be balanced in the study. WaterbRuns, water decorations, blue pictures and wavy shapes are of great help here.