Rectangle Wood –
The first element of the important 5 elements in Feng Shui
Wood is related to flexibility, kindness, and healing. It represents growth and progress. You might need to bring in more wood energy if you want to create more growth or a new beginning in some area of your life.
Wood is connected to green, blue, and teal. These can all be beautiful and healing color choices for walls as well as curtains. Another great way to introduce the wood element is through healthy green plants.
This shape represents the full energy of wood and of upward growth and the number three and four, with the number three being more auspicious. The rectangle represents movement. Add this shape when you have too much metal or earth energy or when you desire more growth and protection. This is the shape of success for the 9 and 1 kua.
Qualities : Expansive
Vitality : upward
Shape : Colunar, rectangular
Colours: Green and Blue
Season : Spring
Areas: Family, wealth
Square – Earth
Earth is related to overall well-being, self-nourishment, and boundaries. It is stable, grounding, and reliable. You may need more earth if you are feeling ungrounded or anxious, or if you want to focus on self care or creating stronger boundaries. Adding more earth is also helpful if you want to work on being more caring and generous towards others.
To enhance the earth element with color, add earth tones, like yellow, orange, or brown. There are many ways to do this, depending on your decor and style preferences. It can be as subtle as adding a brown rug in your bedroom to ground your space, or as bold as an earthy yellow statement couch in your living room. You can also start with something smaller, like a brown terracotta flower pot.
This is the element of earth and the number two. Squares are solid and grounding. They are beneficial for adding the energy that benefits relationships and the family. Add this energy when you are feeling like there is too much movement in your life. This is the wealth and success shape for the 8, 2 and 5 kua.
Qualities : Grounded, Self-care, stable
Shape : Flat, square
Colours: Brown, yellow and orange
Season : Transitions between the seasons
Areas: Health, knowledge, partnerships
Triangle – Fire
Fire represents fame, inspiration, and our visibility. It’s also related to our passion and emotional expression. Keeping your emotions inside and swallowing your feelings may be signs that you need more fire energy.
To add fire through color, go for reds and fiery oranges. If you’re comfortable with these colors (or if you’re not, and you want to challenge yourself!), you can look for a red chair or table for a bold pop of color. For something a little more subdued, try a throw blanket on your couch, or artwork with fiery colors. You may want to keep these colors out of any rooms where you intend to relax and be refreshed, though, as they can be very intense and stimulating!
This is the shape of the element of fire and the number nine. This shape should be used sparingly, but it signifies success and upward movement – especially when the points are up. Look for this shape to add more success and increased energy, but use this sparingly as it is the element of fire and too much fire can burn down the house! This is the shape of success for the 3 kua.
Qualities : Passion, illuminating, brilliant
Shape : triangular, pointy
Colours: Red
Season : Summer
Areas: Fame
Wave – Water
Water is associated with wisdom, social life, and career. It is both deep and still, like the ocean, and dynamic and flowing, like a river. Water helps us make connections with others, and can also deepen our wisdom, insight, and intuition. You may want to add more water to your home if you want to increase your social connections, or enhance your intuition.
Water element colors are black and midnight blue. While such dark colors might be overwhelming in some spaces, they can be beautiful and impactful as an accent wall. You can also introduce them in smaller ways in throw pillows, artwork, or picture frames.
The wave shape signifies water and is very auspicious! It’s represented by the number one. The curvilinear shape symbolizes the fluidity of the water element and its ability to transport and transform. This is one of the shapes least seen in home and office settings. Too much wavy shapes can create depression and too little can create a lack of opportunity and growth. This is the shape of success for the 4 kua.
Qualities : Downward, flowing, shifting
Shape : wavy, curvy
Colours: Black
Season : Winter
Areas: Carrier
Round – Metal
Metal is related to beauty, joy, and efficiency. It is cold, rational, rigid, and unwavering. Metal is also connected to speech, and how we are able to speak up for ourselves and what is right. If you don’t have enough metal, you may have a hard time articulating your thoughts or finding your voice.
To activate metal qualities through color, bring in white, grays, and metallic colors. White or light gray walls are an effective way to introduce the metal element, and they are also a great neutral backdrop for artwork and other decor. There are also a lot of fun metallic decor options, like chairs for your kitchen or office, that can be a stylish way to add more metal to your home. If you want to add metal on a smaller scale, look for metallic planters or bookends, or small metal sculptures.
This shape is considered the most auspicious as it is the shape of heaven and the element of gold, or metal, and the numbers six and seven, with six being the most auspicious. Metal shapes help to keep too much wood (often found in homes) from overtaking the energy of a home. Many homes have wood floors and wood furniture. Employing round shapes helps to control excess wood – which can increase tensions in the family. A small round table or round objects can help keep wood from becoming oppressive. This is the shape of success for the 6 and 7 kua.
Qualities : Efficient, precise, beauty
Shape : Circular, spherical
Colours: White, metallics
Season : Autumn
Areas: Helpful people, children