Ultimate Guide To The 5 Elements of Feng Shui

The 5 elements of Feng Shui consist of the 5 natural elements of the world. The 5 elements are earth, water, fire, wood and metal.

In Chinese culture, the 5 elements of Feng Shui also have a strong religious connotation. It is believed that everything in nature has a life force or energy. These energies are known as the chi.

Ancient Chinese believed that the shape of your home determined how the chi would flow into it. By adapting your home renovation according to this principle, you could bring good luck and fortune into your life. You could also ward off bad luck and misfortune from your life by carefully curating your home interior design.

In this article we will talk about 5 elements of Feng Shui, how to use them in your home, and how to get rid of negative energy caused by these 5 elements in your life.

What are the characteristics of each element?

They are the basic things that all living things are made of: fire, earth, water, metal, and wood. These elements are energetic characteristics that influence how we feel. 

Each element represents a unique kind of chi, or type of energy. When we talk about the Five Elements, we think about how energy influences us. When you hear the word chi, you are thinking about the energetic quality of things. 

Sometimes, you will feel happy, energetic, and fresh when you enter a room. This can be affected by the chi from the things inside that room.

On the other hand, you can also feel weak, low, and sad when you enter the room. It is because of the negative energy in that room.

That’s how Feng Shui works. It affects the energy in your surroundings, and affects your vibrations at the same time.

The 5 elements of Feng Shui represent specific kinds of chi, or more precisely, a quality or a characteristic that we can identify. When we find a thing, try to feel and identify the vibrations of it. 

Furthermore, these are the energies that will be produced by the Feng Shui elements.

Fire Element

Fire element is moving energetically and positively. It also will give you the feeling of warmth, excitement and some energy shifting.

Fire, water, and earth are elements that create movement and transformation. They are like the energy of fire and water.

This element is described as being warm and kind to very hot and passionate. Red and orange are the colors that represent fire. These are the elements that are in the earth, and they are important.

Earth Element

The Earth element represents stability and grounded energy. The energy from the earth element is also nourishing and dependable. They all have beautiful shapes, such as square or rectangular.

Metal Element

The metal element represents strong, dynamic and durable. If you want to strengthen the energy in your room, you can try to put things with metal elements in it.

Wood Element

The wood element is often referred to as solid wood. It is also associated with a certain type of power.

Wood is like the element that is always growing and moving forward in energy. It is like the energy that is always working upwards.

Water Element

The water element is very strong and it supports all life forms. Representing depth, wisdom and longevity, water can offer cool energy, but it can also be dark at the same time.

How do the 5 elements relate to your surroundings?

You can use the following methods to determine how 5 elements relate to your surroundings.

1. Colors that represent each of the five elements

Many Feng Shui experts today associate different colors with different elements. It’s generally accepted that colors represent one of the five elements in the way that water, fire, and water represent the metal element.

All the things in your house are representing different elements. So you can use objects that you find in the world to determine which of the Five elements they are associated with.

• Metals: white, silver and gray
• Wood: light green, or something that looks like wood
• Water: blue and black
• Fire: red, pink, or orange
• Earth: yellow or brown 

If an object is made of something that is similar to one of the Five Elements, it indicates something that is associated with the water element. 

For example if something is made from wood, it indicates that wood is energy attracting.

Colors can be attached to almost anything—your walls, your pillow cases, and so on. A Feng Shui expert says that colors reflect the energy that our eyes are able to sense. It means that colors influence us in different ways depending on how we see things. 

It also matters when we see certain colors. When we see certain colors or certain objects with dominant colors, we feel certain emotions.

2. Materials that represent each of the five elements

It’s pretty easy to do; just look for patterns in the objects you see and figure out which element that they represent. It’s as simple as that. The element of the object is based on the material that it is made from.

That’s why water represents the water element. It creates some water energy. If your desk is made of wood, it will bring you a wood vibe and energy. We can use more metal to cure the problem of flying stars. 

Metals are very strong and can give you a lot of strength. So choose something that’s made from that material and place it in the parts where you need to strengthen the energy.

Some Feng Shui experts said that they generally agree that electronics are associated with fire as well. They produce heat and need electricity to work.

3. Shapes that represent each of the five elements

Shapes also represent the five elements. Here are some more ways that different shapes and colors are associated with different elements.

• Metal: round wood, or round shaped things
• Water: water that flows from a round or square of water
• Wood: rectangular wood, or round wood
• Fire: triangular shape, rectangular shape
• Earth: round wood

Concluding words

Looking to understand the relationship between Feng Shui and the 5 elements? Learn more about our home Fengshui consultation services to find out how we can improve the natural surrounding energy of your home to create a harmonious environment for you and your loved ones.