The Five Elements: Water
Photo by Mourad Saadi on Unsplash
The five element system is a very insightful feng shui tool. It can help us evaluate when things are out of balance in our lives, and gives us ways to correct those imbalances when necessary. If you haven’t read our introduction to the five elements, we recommend starting there to get a better idea of what the five elements are and why they are important.
Today, we’re going to dive into the water element (pun intended). It’s an especially appropriate time of year to talk about water because in the northern hemisphere we’re currently in the thick of winter, which is the season associated with the water element. Water is also associated with the color black, deep emotions, and a cold and quiet energy.
Qualities of water
Water energy shows up mainly in two different ways. Water can be still and deep, like a lake or pond, or it can be dynamic and flowing, like a river. The still aspect of water points to its connection to wisdom, intuition, and introspection. The more dynamic side of water is related to how you interact with the world, especially in terms of social connections and opportunities.
Adding the water element to your space
If you are feeling isolated and would like to increase your opportunities and social interactions, it can be helpful to add the water element to your home. Incorporating water is also great if you want to connect to your inner wisdom and gain clarity around your purpose.
You can add water through various design elements, like color, shape, and material. Black, dark grey, and dark blue are the colors associated with water in feng shui, so you may want to try painting a wall one of those colors. You can also start with a smaller dose of color in a throw pillow or a piece of furniture. To incorporate water through materials, you can include actual water in the form of a fountain or fish tank, or a mirror which is reflective like still water. Wavy shapes also represent water, and a great way to incorporate wavy shapes is through artwork or other decorative items.
Too much water
If you are overwhelmed with social engagements, or feel like you’re spread too thin, you might have more moving water than you need. Also if you are feeling too quiet, a little isolated you may have a little to much still water energy. You might need to balance your energy out. You can introduce the earth element, which blocks and contains water (like a riverbank), or wood, which takes up water (think of a growing tree). We’ll talk more about earth and wood in future blog posts; here’s a chart and blog post to get you started in the meantime.
How do you see the water element showing up in your life? Do you feel like you have too much water, or too little? What’s one step you can take to balance the water element in your space?