The feng shui elements are one of the main foundations that feng shui is built upon. The five elements dictate how objects and furniture should be distributed and placed precisely around our home to attract the right type of energy we desire. Luck in wealth, love, family, careers, health, fame, children and education can all be achieved through correct use of the feng shui elements in your home, it’s a core concept and should be fully understood to benefit from it’s efforts. Each element has specific colors and location in your home associated with them and we’ll get to those a little later but first, let’s break down rights and wrongs of using the elements in your home.

The Productive and Destructive Cycle of Elements

Productive Cycle

The feng shui elements – water, wood, fire, earth and metal – can be arranged in a cycle where each element is used to create the next in the cycle. By using the correct locations, objects and directions, feng shui takes account of the elemental relationships and can use one element to assist or boost the another, bring greater energy for the life area they’re placed in.

The productive cycle is as follows:

Water > produces > wood > makes > fire > produces > earth > creates > metal > makes > water and so on.

Example:

Out of all the feng shui elements, water is the strongest representative of your wealth energy, which is located in the southeast area of your home or space. Water related items should feature in your wealth area to energize it and attract more of it. In the productive cycle, metal is the elements that makes water and so metal objects can also be placed in the area to boost the wealth area. Water is the main element and so be sure it isn’t overpowered too much by the metal.

Destructive Cycle

In the same way, if a destructive relationship of feng shui elements exists in the same location, this can bring about negative results which will harm your good intentions for the area. Most of the time, people unknowingly already have conflicting elements in the wrong locations which is why their wealth, career or any other area of life is suffering.

The destructive cycle is as follows:

Wood > devours > earth > destroys > water > extinguishes > fire > consumes > metal > demolishes > wood and so on.

Example:

As mentioned above your wealth corners main element is water. Earth destroys water in the destructive cycle shown above and so having any objects related to earth would devastate the positive effects of your water element, therefore your wealth. Things like ceramic pots, pictures of land or globes etc and will need to be removed before good wealth energy can flow freely into your life, unrestricted by the earth element.

Elemental Properties

For your reference, note the following relationships each element has with colors, locations (according to the bagua map) and objects in your home:

Wood – Green shades – East – Paper, Plants, Furniture, Pictures of Wood etc

Water – Blue or Black shades – North – Fountains, Aquariums, Pictures of Water etc

Fire – Red shades – South – Bright lights, Fireplaces, Candles, Pictures of Fire

Metal – Metallic colors, Gold, Silver, White – West – Coins, Jewelry, Wind chimes, Pictures of Metal etc

Earth – Brown shades – Center – Pots, Flowers, Ceramics, Globes, Pictures of Earth etc

Knowledge of the feng shui elements and their cycles help you too utilize the energy you need, and can balance out the destructive energy you don’t. Balance is the always the key when using the elements, they can even be used to correct any existing elemental and location problem you have in your home.

Sometimes, structural things like fireplaces can’t simply be moved. They’d naturally represent fire and if they’re in the wrong location for that particular element, you can use water based objects to destroy the fires negative effects and again, balance out the energy. A firm understanding of the feng shui elements and how they work will be key to help you benefit from all the great things that feng shui can bring you and your family. Wealth, health and happiness can soon be all yours when you combine all of your feng shui knowledge to build a life-time of well being and good fortune!

Lin Mai is a feng shui enthusiast and author. Visit Way to Feng Shui to start using feng shui elements to bring you all you desire!

Most people have heard of feng shui as something that Chinese people do to their houses, but most are unsure as to exactly what it is. In many respects it is employing practical design applications and making environments more pleasant to live in.

Feng Shui is thousands of years old and has evolved over time to meet the requirements of the population and their current level of thinking.

The version that has migrated to the western world is mostly concerned with people quests to make their living space more harmonious.

It is believed that the Taoists developed Feng Shui in their efforts to greater understand nature and relationship with it. However you don’t need to embrace Taoism to enjoy the benefits of Feng Shui.

In the 1970’s there was a surge of interest in Chinese culture. Martial arts movies had made their mark with Bruce Lee becoming a house hold name and Chinese food became commonplace.

The main reasons to use Feng Shui are:

To make your home more peaceful. To create an environment which is a sanctuary from our hectic lives. Using the right colours can immediately have a calming effect. Modern studies have clearly shown that pale green and blue are relaxing and are now universally used in hospitals.

To make your home more livable. Feng Shui dictates that the energy must be able to flow freely otherwise there are points of stagnation and disturbance. e.g. cluttered spaces, untidy shelves, art works displayed in a way that causes some negative emotional reaction.

In some spaces we are not able to pin point the problem, we just have a feeling that the energy is not right. In other spaces the moment you enter you can feel a sense of calm. Take note of the difference in these spaces. The light, the flow of air, the background noise levels, colours and design.

The Chinese idea of energy is expressed as Chi Or Qi (same pronouncement) The symbol for Chi literally means Air. They describe good chi or bad chi, just as the goal of Acupuncture is to encourage the flow of Chi through a sick or injured to restore heath, the purpose of Feng Shui is to encourage the harmonious flow of Chi to ensure calm and wellbeing within a home or business.

Owners of commercial buildings have spent millions in Hong Kong and China to ensure good prosperity is bestowed upon the building. A western interpretation is that good clever design, has a relaxing positive effect on those working in a building which reduces stress, thereby increasing productivity.

Many building s will include a water feature, in truth there are few people who do not feel a little more peaceful when in the vicinity or water which is gently flowing.

And now for your free information on Feng Shui go to http://www.livingwellpublications.com/hobbies/fengshui/

For my regular blog on many aspects of health plus many fun and interesting topics. go to http://livingwellpublications.com/blog/

The first step to healing your home and creating a haven and a sanctuary for you and your family is clearing any negative energy that may be preventing the warm, welcoming atmosphere you want in your home.

Negative energy, like the kind created by a heated argument, an illness, or a period of depression, can build up in your home, and get in the way of creating the warm, loving atmosphere you want.

You know how people say, “If these walls could speak?”. Well, they do, in a way. Each room holds the energy of all the memories that took place there–unless they’ve been cleared. Once they are cleared, you will have made room for all the loving memories you want to create, and that energy is what will welcome you when you come home!

To maximize your own results, it would be best to clean your house first and clear as much clutter as you can. Also, just before you start, take a few minutes to think through and get clear on your intention for the house and the results you expect. You might even want to write it down.

Preparing Yourself…

(1) Take a saltwater bath to clear your own energy

(2) Drink a full glass of water just before you start the clearing process

Preparing Your Home…

(1) Light an aromatherapy candle in every room of the house and keep them lit throughout the process.

(2) Open a window in every room. If it’s incredibly cold, just crack the windows! Even that will help the energy disperse.

Healing Your Home…

(1) Do an energy work exercise, holding the vision for the sanctuary you want to create in your home. As you do the energy exercise, dedicate your home to the intention you have chosen (peace, harmony, creativity, spiritual growth, etc). This exercise will harmonize you with your home.

(2) Mist every room, using water that has an essential oil added to it. Lemon, sage, cedarwood–any one or all of these oils could be used. As you mist each room, keep your overall purpose in mind. You might even say a brief prayer of dedication.

(3) Light a stick of sage incense to help clear and purify each room, repeating your dedication prayer.

(4) Get a bowl of salt and sprinkle a little salt in every corner.

(5) Create sound by clapping into every corner of the room to help dissipate the stuck energy there. You can repeat your prayer with each of these energy-clearing techniques.

If some of the negative energy in your home is because of arguments or relationship stress, request a journal exercise for finding the memories and beliefs that need to heal. Go to http://www.istheresomethingmore.com, complete the form at the bottom of the home page and leave a note in the comments section requesting the exercise and mentioning which article you read. Jeanine Byers Hoag is a certified healing practitioner, life purpose analyst and the author of The Life That’s Waiting for You, which offers a simple system for identifying your life purpose and crafting a life that fulfills it.

Bedroom is the most important and sacred place in a house. It is the place where everyone retreat to have a good night rest and sleep. It should be peaceful,comforting and relaxing. Your feng shui bedroom should place much emphasis on the design structure of the bedroom as well as the decorations in the bedroom. Therefore it is very important to have a good feng shui bedroom that encourages good chi, otherwise you will create unnecessary problems affecting your daily life.

Here are 5 tips to have a good feng shui bedroom :

1)Avoid having a window behind your bed

Proper planning is essential in deciding your feng shui bedroom. A window behind a bed signifies a bad feng shui bedroom. This arrangement makes a sleeping person vulnerable to yin spirit formation. Common sense comes into play again. Cold air from the night affects a person’s sleep and this in turn make a person grumpy and snappy.

2)Use calm, soothing warm colors for your feng shui bedroom

A good feng shui bedroom uses soft pastels in shades of beige, green, blue and yellow which are are ideal for a tranquil and peaceful sleep. Stay away from bright colours such as red or orange as they will keep you from enjoying deep sleep.

3)Never put any living plants or aquariums in your feng shui bedroom

Common sense does play a part in designing your feng shui bedroom. Flowers will compete with you for oxygen during the night and water from the fish tanks can cause moisture and dampness to your bedroom furniture. Your plants and aquariums should be placed outside the bedroom to prevent you from having health and wealth problems.

4)Keep your feng shui bedroom neat and airy

Open up the windows in your bedroom during the day. This is to allow good ‘chi’ or energy to flow freely around your bedroom. You should also ensure that your bedroom is free of clutter and well maintained. This is part of a good feng shui bedroom habit which will help to dispel stagnant ‘chi’ that may cause health and money related problems.

5)Avoid having exposed overhead beams over your bed

Exposed overhead beams represent knives cutting across the bed, sending ’sha chi’ or killing energy to the sleeping person. Exposed overhead beams represent a harmful and hazardous feng shui bedroom as it will cause family disharmony and incessant quarrels. The effect will be more potent if the overhead beams are structural.

You should implement these few simple feng shui bedroom tips to your bedroom and you will start to see small significant improvement over your life almost immediately. The 5 feng shui bedroom tips are only a small part of a larger collection of feng shui bedroom tips, to read more go to http://www.resourcesecrets.com/fengshui-bedroom.htm

In today’s era of open concept offices and cubicle farms, introducing some Feng Shui for the Office Desk concepts to the office will keep the energy flowing positively around you, so that your mind will be clear and you will have good fortune in your work. Feng Shui for the Office Desk is the ancient Chinese art of harmony and energy flow and that affects you and your physical environment, so follow these tips and tricks to ensure the energy flows:

- Position the desk so that you have clear sight of the door, with the wall at your back. This allows you to see who enters your office, and gives you the security and protection of the wall.

- Keep the area in front of your desk clear, to allow for freedom of movement of both people and energy.

- Try not to put your desk next to, or directly opposite the door, as these positions disrupt the direct path of the energy flow into the room.

- Do not face the desk directly towards a wall, as it acts as a barrier to the energy.

- If in a cubicle, try to arrange your workspace so that you do not look straight out into a hallway, or a stairwell, storage rooms, closets, elevators, escalators, or toilets.

- Enhance your creativity by placing your computer in the North or West area of your desk.

- Increase your business and/or career success by placing an aquarium or tabletop fountain in the North, East, or Southeast area of your desk.

- Placing a metal safe in either the North or Northwest corner of your office will symbolize the security and prosperity of a business.

- Have a good balance of opposites in your office area: light and dark colors, hard and soft cushions on chairs, etc.

Ensuring your desk has the optimal Feng Shui for the Office Desk flow is difficult for cubicles, as often moving the desk is not an option, but you can still implement many of the same Feng Shui for the Office Desk concepts. Simply substitute the words “desk” each time you see “office”, and you’ll be able to implement feng shui easily at your office desk. Energy, or “chi” is one of the fundamental concepts in feng shui, and being able to increase the chi at your desk is important. More chi means greater prosperity and security for you, ensuring your success and happiness. Place an object in the wrong spot, and the chi is disrupted, and you will need to re-implement Feng Shui for the Office Desk at your office desk.

If you want to learn more free feng shui tips please visit our site which is free to the public. You’ll find the best tips on everything to do with feng shui

It is sometimes a trying and exhausting effort to implement feng shui in the apartment due to the layouts and the way the apartment itself is positioned. It is quite simple to break it down and divide your apartment up into spaces that are private as well as public. Public shares the spaces with others in the apartment that live there also or you entertain in these areas of your home and it is an imperative puzzle piece when putting feng shui in the apartment.

It then goes without saying that the single most important thing in this circumstance is that you apply feng shui in the apartment and especially in this private area of the bedroom. This will have the most impact on your in this way of speaking when you allow the flow of feng shui in the apartment.

It also goes without saying that the feng shui in the apartment needs to be flowing smoothly and as well as can be expected with the space and areas you are provided. It could be that you have a roommate and don’t have the option to transform the entire apartment into feng shui in the apartment and that is okay.

It is hard to deal with someone else but you can strengthen the energy of feng shui in the apartment by getting some lovely green vegetation such as plants and put them in the living room. Selecting a nice wind chime can also broaden the energy flowing through the apartment by also putting it in the living room or by the front door, wherever feng shui in the apartment dictates.

Most apartment dwellers and renters think that it is impossible to add the energy of putting feng shui in the apartment because they don’t own it and can’t physically make changes however feng shui is not about remodeling. It’s nice to have the flow running in the proper manner but this can’t always be the case and that is why you rearrange certain items and add color.

There is more to adding feng shui to the apartment then tearing down walls; subtle color on the walls maybe by use of a drape or other hangings can improve your wealth for example and requires no painting. For example, in the area of your home that you have the plants and bookcases, maybe adding some pencils and a pad of paper to encourage thoughts could help the feng shui in the apartment.

If you want to learn more feng shui tips for office please visit our site which is free to the public. You’ll find the best tips on everything to do with feng shui tips

Because of the current conditions of our economy, I felt that this would be an appropriate article to write that might be able to help you with your career prospects. I receive many emails from people that are either looking for work, starting a new business or wanting to change to a different job.

There are at least three sectors in your home that can apply to your career. The first one is pretty obvious – the North, being your career sector. The other two may or may not help you with this depending upon your individual needs. One is the NW which is the Mentors Sector and the other is the South which is your Fame and Recognition Sector.

For this article we are going to focus on the North part of your home or office, which is your Career Sector and should be activated properly. First, it needs to be said that if the North Sector of your house is a bedroom, activate the North corner of your Living Room instead.

Clear the Clutter. The first thing that you need to make sure of is that there is no clutter in this area. Remember, clutter is said to block the flow of positive chi, which we definitely do not want to happen in an area as important as this!

Choose Your Colors Wisely. The element for the North is water, so it is important that the colors in this area reflect that element. Water element colors are blue, hues of blue, black and gray. Look around the North part of your home or office … what colors are the most overwhelming there? If you have metallic colors there, such as bronze, white, silver and gold, this will also enhance the area because the Metal Element supports the Water Element. Do you have brown, beige or yellow colors in a large amount here? If so… see what you can do about changing that, because those are Earth Element colors which does not support the Water Element!

Object Placement in the North Sector. It is important what pictures and objects that you have in this sector as they are said to directly influence your career. If you have a lot of ceramic items in this area, move them to an Earth Element sector such as the NE, SW or your Good Luck Sector.

Here are some ideas of items that you can place in this area that represent Career and/or the Water Element.

One of the best items you can have in this area would be photos or objects depicting water.

An aquarium, with fresh clean water is a great item to have here.

Water fountains are also said to be enhancers of this area.

A picture or figurine of an eagle in full flight is an excellent symbol of success, strength, power and authority. Always have an eagle flying or perched on a tree do not show one looking fierce and predatory.

Galloping horses represent success and your career taking off!

Because of their symbolism of wisdom, Elephants are good items to have in the Career Sector

A depiction of a turtle is an excellent object to have in your career sector. A live turtle is great as well.

Sailing ships are said to be very auspicious in the North to enhance your career. One that has its sails up is best. Stay away from representations of rowboats or pontoons. Sailing ships can be further enhanced by placing I-Ching coins and/or ingots on them.

Other Career Tips:

Bathroom in the North – If your bathroom is in the North Sector of your home, close the door to the toilet and keep it closed at all times. If this is a second bathroom, try to use it as infrequently as possible. Lillian Too suggests that placing a large boulder in your bathroom will help to press down on the bad chi caused by the toilet. If the bathroom does not take up the whole North Sector of your home, you may place items and decorate outside of the bathroom. Also, you can use the North corner of your Living room to activate your Career.

Bedroom in the North. If your bedroom is in the North Sector of your home, it is better to not do anything here to activate it. Use the North corner of your living room instead.

Dragon in the East. The dragon is one of the four Celestial Animals in Feng Shui and is the animal of the East. They can be placed almost anywhere in your home, but I would at least have one in the East. The dragon is considered “All Powerful” and is said to bring about wealth, prosperity, power, protection, great success, good luck and abundance. If you have a dragon that is holding or protecting a round object, that is said to be the Pearl of Life and symbolizes wisdom and great achievement. They do not belong in bedrooms or bathrooms.

Phoenix in the South. Placing a phoenix symbol in the south is said to symbolize opportunities that lead to success and prosperity. Do not display the phoenix AND dragon in this area, as they are for your SW sector. Roosters and Peacocks are also very appropriate for this area.

What is your KUA Number? Don’t forget about activating your Personal Development sector according to the PaKua for your KUA number in a room that you spend a lot of time in, such as a bedroom, living room or office.

Whether you are single and looking for a soul mate or happily married to your soul mate, I hope this article will be of help to you in your Feng Shui practice!

There are several different areas in your home that you can activate in order to improve relationships in this area. The first and most important is the Southwest sector of your home. You may also want to do some decorative enhancements in your bedroom – particularly in the Southwest corner of that room. The living room is also another place that you can activate. And last, but certainly not least – get a “double dip” by making sure the Romance Sector of your personal KUA number is covered as well.

Clear the Clutter. I can’t say this enough…. The first thing that you need to make sure of is that there is no clutter in this area. Remember, clutter is said to block the flow of positive chi, which we definitely do not want to happen in an area as important as this! A stagnated love life leads to unhappiness and possibly divorce – so make sure you have the clutter cleared in this area!

Choose Your Colors Wisely. The element for the Southwest is Big Earth, so it is important that the colors in this area reflect that element. Earth element colors are beige and yellow. You may also use pink and red in this area as well to spice it up a bit! Be careful not to use metal or wood colors in this sector – such as metallic, gold, silver, green or brown. If you do, use them sparingly and make sure that the item you are using has to do with romance if at all possible.

Object Placement in the Southwest Sector. It is important what pictures and objects that you have in this sector as they are said to directly influence your love life. If you have a lot of word or metal terms in this area, move them to a different sector such as the Northwest or West. In this area, try to stay with ceramic items as much as possible.

Here are some ideas of items that you can place in this area that represent Romance and/or the Earth Element.

One of the best items you can have in this area would be a depiction of a phoenix and dragon which are considered the celestial couple – able to overcome all odds together with their strength. They represent Yin and Yang – a perfect balance of harmony.

Display the double happiness symbol in the Southwest of your home, bedroom or living room. Double happiness jewel boxes are great here – just put a small photo of you and your loved one, a ring, a piece of jewelry or anything that symbolizes love in this beautiful box – or leave it empty if you wish.

Red, pink and/or white heart shaped candles are good in this area. You don’t necessarily have to burn the candles – just display them. Aromatherapy can also play a vital part in dispersing negative chi in this area.

Also, you may want to display a pink or red heart shaped crystal here as well. Try to find a painting or a photo of a romantic couple to place in this area. And don’t forget – if you are married – how about a wedding picture or an engagement photo here? If you kept the bride/groom figurine that may have been on top of your wedding cake you can use this too. You may also want to display your bridal bouquet in a plastic case here as well. Don’t box this stuff up and put it in the back of a closet somewhere – DISPLAY these symbols of your love where all can see!

Red or pink roses are also perfect for this area. You may use real ones or silk ones. I like silk because they last forever!

Lovebirds or Mandarin Ducks are said to mate for life – and are perfect relationship enhancers for this area.

If you are a lover of ceramics, the Southwest is a great place to display anything in twos. For example – two dogs or cats playing or in a loving stance – two elephants together – two of any animal representing a male and female relationship is great! Be very careful that you do not use things that have three in them as that can represent someone coming between you and your loved one.

Kwan Yin is representative of unconditional love and bodes well in the Romance Sector. After all, isn’t that what love is all about? Unconditional? How perfect a relationship can be when you each love one another despite each other’s faults and shortcomings!

The Chinese believe that the five elements, earth, wood, fire, metal and water are the forces of nature that make the earth what it is today. Both the Form and Compass Schools in Feng Shui hold these same beliefs and use the Five Elements Theory in their Feng Shui practices and interpretations.

These five elements have two different cycles in nature. One is Productive and the other is Destructive. In the productive cycle, fire produces earth, earth produces metal, metal produces water, water produces wood and wood produces fire. In the destructive cycle, wood destroys earth, earth destroys water, water destroys fire, fire destroys metal and metal destroys wood. The destructive cycle is not necessarily bad – it can be used as a cure for imbalance.

Each element is symbolized by color and material and can be found on your pakua in different directions.

Fire is represented by the color red. Candles and oil burners are good items to symbolize fire.

Earth is represented by brown and tan colors. Terra Cotta planters with potting soil, ceramics and rocks are excellent items to symbolize the earth element.

Metal is represented by white and silver and gold colors. Using metal objects made of copper, silver gold and bronze will enhance a metal sector.

Water is represented by blue hues and the color black. Water can be symbolized by aquariums, ponds or water fountains. It is important that the water is not still and stagnated but free flowing.

Wood is represented by the color green. Live plants, bushes or shrubs are excellent items to symbolize wood. Dead wood – such as furniture does not apply here – the wood must be living.

When deciding how to activate certain sectors, always use the breadwinner’s element to determine what to use and what not to use in excess in your home. For example, if the breadwinner’s element is wood, you don’t want a lot of metal elements/objects in your home because metal destroys wood. By the same token, you DO want to have plenty of water element symbols because water produces wood. Other members of the family can have their elements enhanced in their own personal spaces such as a bedroom or an office.

If there is a situation where there is an element in your home that you can’t get rid of – but is a bad element for the breadwinner, THEN you use the destructive cycle of the elements by placing whatever element will destroy the unwanted element in that area. Let’s say for example that you heat your home with a wood burning stove and the breadwinner’s element is metal. Since fire destroys metal – this is NOT good. So, if you cannot stop using the stove – then you need to find a cure that will destroy fire. The element that destroys fire is water. So, in this situation, you would put water element colors and objects on and around the wood burning stove in order to “downplay” the fire element.

Using the five elements of Feng Shui in the right way should bring a positive flow of chi into your home or office.