The cornerstone of classical feng shui is five-element theory. The five elements are earth, metal, water, wood, and fire. It is important to remember that the elements are names given to specific types of energy, or qi. The elements, alone or in combination, describe the state of virtually anything, from an object to a place to a person. None of the elements are good or bad. They are simply a means to classify everything that exists, whether a physical object or an unseen energy.
Earth is stable and steady. Metal is sharp and pointing forward. Water is liberal and spreading. Wood is growing and upwardly mobile. Fire is radiant and hot. An "element" in feng shui is the energy itself. The name, as in "fire", is the physical object that was selected by the ancient Chinese to represent that energy.
Nothing is static in this world. The five elements interact with each other in specific and defined ways.There are three cycles that describe this five element interaction.
The first is called the productive cycle. When elements are interacting in a productive or generating way, they help each other.
Earth produces metal (from the minerals in earth). Another way to say that is that the stong and stable enegy is a base that allows sharp and forward-pointing energy to emerge. Metal produces water (Physically, it helps to think of condensation.) From a position of being sharp and forward-pointing, energy can then spread out. Water produces wood, or is the essential ingredient for vegetation to grow. From the spreading, flowing energy, upward growth takes root. Wood produces fire, easy to physically visualize. The upward growth becomes hot and radiant. Fire, finally produces earth. Think of ash, or of a kiln that hardens clay into ceramics. The effect of the heat is to increase the stable and steady energy.
Feng shui uses this enhancing cycle. For instance, when it is desirable to increase a positive earth influence, either earth itself may be added to a space, or fire can be added, because it in turn will act to generate earth.
The second cycle is called the weakening cycle. Since water produces wood, the element or energy of water decreases as the element or energy of wood increases. This is akin to a parent. As you nourish your child, it takes some of your resources. In feng shui, if it is desired to somewhat lessen the influence of an element, the gentle way to do this is to add its "child".
The third cycle is the controlling cycle. Each element can also be thought of as a grandparent to one of the others. You simply skip one of the elements in the productive cycle to find which element acts on another in a controlling way. Fire creates earth which creates metal. Fire controls metal. The heat "melts" metal, or the forward pointing energy of metal. Simularly, earth controls water (picture a dam), or the stable energy stops the flowing energy. Metal controls wood, as in an axe. The sharply pointed energy can pierce the upwardly growing. Water controls fire, its spread and flow stopping the heat and radiance. Wood controls earth, holds it like roots do, extracting its nutrients. The upward thrust disrupts the stability of earth.
This cycle is more carefully used in feng shui. It is always advisable to make use of the other two cycles before resorting to the controlling cycle, since it is more harsh in its effects. If not used in a balanced way, it can destroy rather than simply control. When necessary to use the controlling cycle, balance should always be sought.
