How To Use Five Elements

Feng Shui Five Elements

One of the basic principles of feng shui is the principle of five elements. The five elements in feng shui are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. These feng shui elements interact between themselves in certain ways, generally defined as the Productive and Destructive cycles. Each feng shui element is represented by a specific color, and color is the easiest way to use the five elements principle to bring more harmony into your space with feng shui.

Color correspondence of each the five feng shui elements:

WOOD : Green, Brown
FIRE : Red, Strong Yellow, Orange, Purple, Pink
EARTH : Light Yellow. Sandy/Earthy, Light Brown
METAL : White, Gray
WATER : Blue, Black

Imagine the five feng shui elements as they exist in nature, and see how they interact. See wood for an actual tree, water as a river or rain, earth as soil, etc.

Example, how does wood interact with fire? Well, it is obvious, fire burns the wood, so you know to avoid a fire element in a feng shui area of the bagua that needs the Wood element.

How these elemental forces generate and regulate energy (chi) in nature, and by extension, in the human body and mind:

Generating Energy (Chi)
Each elemental force generates or creates the next element in a creative sequence.

For example:
Water generates wood. Rain nourishes a tree.
Wood generates fire. Burning wood generates fire.
Fire generates earth. Ash is created from the fire.
Earth generates metal. Metal is mined from the earth.
Metal generates water. Water condenses on metal.

This creative process is illustrated below:
Cycle of Generation


Based on Five Element Theory, each elemental force is also associated with another element which it is responsible for controlling or regulating,

For example:
Water controls fire. Water puts fire out.
Wood controls earth. Tree roots hold clods of earth.
Fire controls metal. Fire can melt metal.
Earth controls water. A pond holds water.
Metal controls wood. An ax cuts wood.