The Metal Element

Guest User July 8, 2020

Today we’re going over the metal element, and how to add it to your home if it’s nourishing for you. If you’re not sure which element nourishes you the most, check out my quiz here. I have a lot of metal characteristics so it’s an element that I like talking about. Metal is related to the completion and helpful people areas of the bagua. It has the qualities of righteousness and contraction, and is related to joy.

Metal is also connected to the mouth, so if someone talks too much they might have too much of the metal element. On the other hand, if you have a hard time speaking up for yourself, you might need more metal. Putting your voice out there is like ringing a bell, which is why the helpful people area is connected to metal. In order for people to know how to help and support you, you need to communicate your needs.

The metal element is related to white, gray, and metallic colors. I love to bring the metal element into my home with white flowers. Metal is also associated with circular shapes. You can look for metal element colors and circular patterns in rugs, wallpaper, and other decor. Metal objects also represent this element; metal Buddhas can be a great way to add metal to your space. Another way to invite the metal element is through sound. Metal chimes and singing bowls, as well as white crystal singing bowls, can both invoke the metal element and help to clear space.

That’s all the elements! Which one did you add to your home? Have you noticed any shifts? If you want to learn more about the five elements and examples of how to add them to your home, you can check out my book, 108 Ways to Create Holistic Spaces.

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui and Crystals

Anjie Cho July 5, 2020

Photo by Franco Antonio Giovanella on Unsplash

I really appreciate your podcast and all the work you are doing. I would love to hear your opinion about the use of crystals in Feng Shui. They seem an integral part of the practice, but I find them personally difficult to use as many are mined in deadly conditions in one of the world’s poorest countries.

- Christine T.

Hi Christine,

Thank you for your question, and thank you for listening to our podcast! First, natural crystals are actually not an integral part of feng shui. That’s a common misconception. If you look at any older feng shui books, you won’t see any crystals, except maybe jade since that was often used in Asia. A lot of feng shui practitioners do use crystals, but they’re not necessary. The use of crystals in feng shui is part of a modern version of feng shui that’s been adapted to make it relevant for the current time.

We do talk a lot about using feng shui crystal balls in BTB feng shui, which is the school of feng shui that I practice and teach. In the BTB tradition, these faceted crystal balls are very important, but they’re also not necessary. There’s always something else you could use as an adjustment instead. Feng shui is about shifting the energy in your environment. You can use many different tools, including natural crystals or crystal balls, but they’re not a must. If you’re working with a consultant, they’ll be able to give you adjustments that are appropriate for you and customized to what you’re working on, as well as substitutions if required.

In terms of the mining industry, that’s a really important thing to think about. Especially because crystals are used as a healing tool, it’s important to think about where they come from. I find that as I’m teaching more and becoming more available to the public, I have a responsibility to educate myself because what I show and model publicly has an impact. While in many areas of my life I’ve taken the time to consider the ethics involved with where things come from, I haven’t researched that much about natural crystals, so I’m really grateful that you’ve brought this to my attention.

I don’t have a great answer about the mining industry because I’m not a gemstone expert, but I think it’s an important conversation and I’m going to reach out to my colleagues who are gemstone experts to see how they address it. If this aspect of crystals does make you uncomfortable, remember that you don’t have to work with them to practice feng shui.

We all have to do the best we can and continually wake up to see more of the suffering in the world and the ways we can lessen it. Since I’m talking publicly, it’s especially important for me to up the ante and take responsibility for what I am sharing with the world.

Thanks again for your question and for bringing this to my attention!

by Anjie Cho

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday". We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui questions!

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

The Water Element

Guest User July 1, 2020

If you took my five element quiz and the idea of swimming in a deep, cool, dark lake sounds really appealing, you’re nourished by the water element. Water is also related to the career area of the bagua, and the qualities of fluidity, wisdom, and intelligence. Still water (think of a lake) represents wisdom. Moving water (think of a flowing river) represents your social network and how you interact with the world.

If you’re lucky enough to have a window that looks out over a body of water, you already have the water element in your home. Water is really healing for me, so I love living near water and being able to see water from my home. I also use mirrors to reflect the water outside and bring more views of water into my life. Hanging a mirror that reflects water over your bed, desk, or stove is a great way to assist with positive cash flow and bring more wealth into your life.

If you don’t have a view of water, you can always paint or buy an image of water, or artwork that includes watery colors. The water element is related to the color black, as well as very dark blue and dark charcoal gray. To create your own watery image, you can get a canvas and paint it with those colors. In other traditions and schools of feng shui, water is related to the color blue, but in BTB feng shui (the school of feng shui that I practice), blue is actually related to the wood element.

You can also bring in water with wavy patterns (make sure the waves have soft curves if you want to invite more water; zigzags with sharp corners relate to the fire element). Mirrors are also a great way to incorporate the water element into your home, because they have the same reflective quality of still water. Before we had mirrors, humans would have looked at their reflections in bodies of water.

Adding a fountain or aquarium with actual water is another way to add the water element to your home. Just make sure that you take care of these objects and clean them regularly. If your fountain is flowing dirty water, it’s distributing qi, or energy, that is polluted rather than life-affirming. The goal is to have clean, healthy, vibrant energy in our spaces.

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design Feng Shui certification program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. To get on the list about it, sign up at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com.

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