When practicing Feng Shui, the objective is to improve the flow of Chi (energy). Sometimes the layout of your home or your furnishings and décor conflicts or impedes the Chi. There are many ways or “cures” to fix these situations. Colors and “elements”, among other things, can be used as cures if a conflicting color or element is present.

There is a creative cycle among the elements and a destructive cycle.  The creative cycle works like this:  Wood feeds Fire, Fire makes Earth, Earth makes Metal, Metal holds Water and Water feeds Wood. In the practice of Feng Shui you use the creative cycle to support the element of the area of the bagua you are working in.  If you are working on the Fame and Reputation area, the element is Fire, the color is Red and the shape is pointed or triangular.  Wood feeds fire so tall plants, wooden furniture, rectangular or columnar candles and the color green would all serve to support and empower the fire. 

The destructive cycle works like this: Wood pierces Earth, Earth dams Water, Water extinguishes Fire, Fire melts Metal and Metal chops Wood.  The destructive cycle is used to negate a conflicting element in an area of the bagua.

Let’s say you have mapped out your home and your family room falls in the Happy Family area. The element in Happy Family is wood, color is green and shape is columnar or rectangular.  In the middle of your family room sits a large white sofa and easy chair that you absolutely love.  White is the color of metal.  Metal chops wood in the destructive cycle.  So to cure this issue, add some candles and the color red for fire.  Fire melts metal.  A beautiful throw with some red in it on the white sofa would work well.

This is an intentional, intuitive practice so the smallest amount of a color or element with intention added does the trick.  You can even use colored construction paper cut it the shapes of the elements and tape them to the wall behind the furniture as cures.  You don’t have to buy new furniture or paint walls to reap the rewards of practicing Feng Shui it’s all about intention.

The following is an example of how you can use the cycles as cures in an Entry. (I am assuming the entry falls in the middle (Career) section of the front of the house for this example.)  If you want to “energize” the career aspect of your life, look at your entry. Let’s say the entry way into your house is done in beautiful terra cotta tile and the walls are painted in earth tones. The element of the career section is water, the color is black and the shape is undulating or free form.  But the square tiles and the earth tone colors exactly represent the element of Earth. But, in the destructive cycle, Earth dams Water. Not good.

So we want to add the elements of water because it is the element of the career area and metal because metal supports water in the creative cycle.  A great cure would be the addition of a fountain with a metal bowl or base.  A fountain is wonderful in an entry because the motion of water invites in and moves Chi. Water is also a symbol of prosperity, a nice thing to invite in to your home.  You might want to add a black rug or a picture that has water in it to empower the water aspect.   To negate the earth aspect, bring in the element of wood which pierces earth in the destructive cycle.  A tall plant, paintings or pictures in wooden frames and the color green are all easy representations of wood. The fountain pictured above represents water, metal and wood and would be a perfect cure in this scenario.

I hope you are starting to get a feel for how much fun the practice of Feng Shui can be.  It really allows you to use your creativity and imagination.

Namaste’

Watch for the next article: Feng Shui Made Easy- Prosperity, The Power Corner of the Bagua