Applying the Feng Shui Five Elements to Your Home

By Erica Sofrina- Author of Small Changes, Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World.

Bringing nature into our homes is a key component of the teachings of Feng Shui. The goal is to have all of the five elements of fire, earth, metal, water and wood balanced in every room of of our living space. By studying the Feng Shui Five Elements theory we can gain valuable insights as to why our lives are out of balance by looking at the elemental imbalances in our homes.

I have worked with many clients to improve their young children’s sleeping habits (see my article- Is Your Child Sleeping) along with teens who were suddenly out of control. The culprit is often found in the elemental imbalances in their bedrooms. By bringing these into balance the child or teen comes back into balance as well. Clients think I have worked magic but I am merely applying these ancient, tried and true principles (also used in Chinese medicine) to physical environments. (See my article on Teen’s Rooms)

The five elements can also be used in a powerful way to heal health issues (see my article – the Power of Color), and to assist in personal growth. If we find we are staying ‘too small’ in our lives, our environment will often reflect too little of the wood element. We would want to both wear and bring into our living space objects and colors that reflect this element as shown in the chart below.

Please see the list on the next page of what the elements mean and what we experience when we have too much or too little of them in our lives and take advantage of my free offer to send you information about working with the elements at the end of this article.

If you are feeling over expanded and overwhelmed, you are experiencing too much of the wood element. In this instance you would benefit by bringing into your living space objects and colors that represent the element that cuts wood, which is metal. An example of too much of the wood element might be found in an all-green bedroom with floral prints and wooden furniture. What you thought would be soothing actually feels overwhelming.

The metal element is represented by white and cream colors, pastels, circular shapes, rocks and stones and metal. By changing the floral bedspread to a pastel or cream color and accessorizing with whites and pastels, you will begin to bring the room back into elemental balance.

Below is a Five Elements Map that will show you how they work together to balance each other.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Mercedes P.

11:27AM PDT on May 24, 2012

I will try to use all the 5 elements in my home. Right now it is overly metal and water. Thank you!

send a green star

Jennifer C.

12:14AM PDT on Apr 8, 2012

Great tips. Thanks.

Amy H.

3:16AM PDT on Sep 17, 2011

Once again, fabulous information. I have been all over web articles and read more books about this wonderful art form than I can count! I do know there are different schools of thought in the approach to this way of enhancing the way we live, and find this one the easiest to incorporate in my own home. Thank you!

Don S.

2:57AM PDT on May 25, 2011

very interesting article .would like more articles like this one ,people spend good money to learn this.

Deborah F.

8:55AM PDT on May 6, 2011

Compass feng shui didn't work for me. this sounds more my style.

Sherlizz L.

12:13PM PDT on Apr 29, 2011

I think it's all in the mind... We bringe balance into ANYTHING from the inside out. Not by a hocus pocus and abracadabra of placing certain objects and more. If I walk along the beach, and find pretty stones/rocks bring them to my home with the idea they will radiate peace, they will. Of course Feng Shui home may all LOOK nice and all, but to me there's they look also artificial. A truly balanced and feelgood home is when the warmth from inside of us radiates out into everything that's in that home. And there are homes that may look pretty choatic but at the same time feel very peaceful and like a warm embrace, where visitors feel RIGHT at home... my idea....

Melanie C.

2:07PM PDT on Apr 22, 2011

Very interesting article! I wish that I could figure out how I can do this on my own. I will keep reading to learn more. Thanks for sharing!

Erica S.

3:34PM PDT on Apr 20, 2011

Dear Derryl,
You clearly do not realize that there are different schools of Feng Shui.. Compass School Feng Shui which is what you practice uses the Compass, but Form School Feng Shui which is what I have studied and taught for many years uses what is called Front Door Bagua to determine the energy centers. In Form School Feng Shui rocks and stones are considered the metal element. In Compass School they are considered the earth element. I do not appreciate you saying that my teachings are dangerous or wrong. There are many schools of Feng Shui of which Compass School is just one of them.

Darryl D.

3:26PM PDT on Apr 20, 2011

Your maps are dangerous and may be doing harm. Real feng shui utilizes a compass to determine which direction your home faces in conjunction with the age of the structure to create maps unique to the space.

Some areas need cures and some don't, depnding on what the map indicates. Further, your element suggestions are not correct,eg rocks are actually earth, mirrors are as neutral as windows.
Feng shui helps balance a space that might support energy that would allow to more effectively carry out intentions you may have but it doesn't make things actually happen and you have a duty to let people know about this.

Your suggestions are quick incorrect fixes that are karmically damaging and are not real feng shui.

Shannon H.

2:10PM PDT on Mar 31, 2011

thanks!