Five elements. The wood

                                                                            The    Wood 

        The element wood, represents every living tree on our planet, as well as bushes, grass, plants, veggies and fruits. But, it surely doesn’t stops there, anything made out of wood, also belongs to this list, as many items  also from wood, or related to wood, we might encounter in our everyday life.

If you want to give a boost to your health,  your wealth, or your family life is not as you desire it to be; you should examine closely the east and southeast corner of your house. 
Health, wealth, family life...these  expressions are richer than they seem at first sight, let me break down to you a bit.

Wood represent two different Feng Shui Corners, The Money and Growth , and The Health and Family corners.

-Health: besides your actual health, is also  related with all your relationships, including  those with your family , how healthy they are? Your mental state, Your stress level, The food you choose to eat, is it healthy ?  Your thoughts, are they healing or destroying you from the inside? The love for your family, and by it I don’t only  mean  your children and your husband, but all the people you love and care about, and those you are responsible for(as  your furry family)

-And wealth; is not only about the amount of money you own, the big your house is. It’s about the wealth of your soul to. The memories you had,  the experience you encountered along the way, the love you give and receive , the knowledge you can suck in if you are opened and ready to grow spiritually....So if your activating the Wealth Feng Shui Corner, obviously with items representing the wood element , you need to open your heart and soul to, not only your pockets.

         Down below you will find useful information, advices and tips, on how to decorate with the wood element; which items, colors and other decorations can help you achieve the harmony you deserve and desire.

• You can use  narrow, long,  high elements to incorporate wood in a room, even  better if that item is actually made from wood.
• Oval and oblong items.
• The colors associated with this element are all shades of green, and turquoise.
• Vertical lines on a fabric are also representing the wood. So be my guest and put  some cool shades on your windows.

• The Compass direction for wood is  east and southeast, but remember feng shui is all about harmony. You don’t need to have wood in abundance in this area, and beside it, nowhere else in your home. The elements have to be in harmony, in order to be able to give harmony. Make sure there is wood in this particular area, and limit the presence of Fire and Metal in the same time.
• Feng Shui corners Family and health and Money and Growth are  associated with this element, so if you  want a  better financial status, make sure to incorporate wood elements in the  southeast corner of your house, and for better health conditions you have to activate wood in the East corner.

• The materials and items you should work with, when increasing wood energy, are  obvious those made out of wood in the first place. So anything out of wood is your friend.

• Pictures, paintings from the woods, or a tree, the green nature are also welcome

• Everything green, and  anything blue,(  it’s s strengthened by water,  you can always use the representatives to the element that strengthens the actual element your working with.)
• Symbols representing the water element can be applied, to increase the power of the wood energy.
• Water will increase the power of wood, but have to be aware of the purpose of the room, in a bedroom, to much water will disturb your sleep, and the bathroom has many water features, you shouldn’t add more.
• Fire will burn the wood, so be careful with symbols and materials representing fire, even though fire can activate the energies, and it is said that red will bring you luck and increase money..... have to be really conscious about how much fire you let into the east and southeast corners of your home, if you have no choice, then add water elements to the room to lower the fire energy, and in the same time strengthen  the wood energy.

• You can shoot some pictures of the nature, and  add some wooden frames to it; a quick Feng Shui DIY you can apply anywhere on the wall.

• Use Natural materials, like bamboos, in your bathrooms, if they fall in the wood compass direction.  My bathrooms is in our Money and growth corner, which is not precisely a good fengshui, if I don’t use proper fengshui cures, our money would flush down the toilet, (please don’t take this to literally) To avoid the negative effects of our bath I chose brown floor tiles, and white tiles on the wall, with tiny sea creatures on it ( they’re almost invisible)  I placed some green turtles on a shelve, and choose a bamboo laundry basket. I strengthened the Earth, to give a good base, and then added some wood element decoration like the green turtle. Water is plenty to find, so I didn’t increase water presence.
• Plants, except cut flowers, Feng Shui doesn’t like cut flower, because your basically watching the death of a living being. Instead of cut roses, aim for planted flowers in pots, and keep them healthy and thriving. In case you really love a beautiful bouquet than make sure you only keep it while it’s still beautiful, as they begin to wilt, throw them out. It’s no longer pleasing for you if it’s wilted. 

• Activities like a long walk in nature will fulfill you with wood energy. Go into the woods, enjoy the magical  energy nature has.
• Your wooden floor, the fence of your house, all wood Energy. 

• The small baskets and bins, you can buy in any dollar store, of course, those made from cane.
• Your  wooden furniture, and your doors, also strengthen the energy of this element.
• Throw green pillows on your sofa, add a fluffy green blanket, it will light you up and fill your room with energy.
• Silk, cotton and linen are all organic natural fibers, so they can be used to incorporate the wood in a room.

   The green sheets, and the wooden night consoles add just the perfect amount of wood element to the bedroom.

-A house surrounded by a park, or  situated near a Forrest, or  plentiful  gardens,  predominantly shows characteristics belonging  to this element. 

-A mast, a pillar, a flagpole, they all, also belong here.

• A house built mostly out of wood, like a cabana, or the fence in front of it... all wood
• Oval, and  tall oblong buildings are refreshing for a creative and develop oriented way of life.
• The abundance of the wood element most be removed. You have sprawling plants, cut them out with axe, saw or gardening scissors ( metal ) if the abundance is inside your house than lower the wood energy levels with   fire. Install extra light sources, lights some candles, incense sticks, or use the red color to reduce the negative effects of the abundance of wood. Its abundance can cause  you to live in a dream world, you may get lost in our own creativity, or work. You can end up shutting everything and everyone out of your life, because you feel over energetic, constantly in search for new projects, ideas, and you lose sight of the real world. ( It’s ok to get lost in your creativity, but you need steady grounding to be able to come back every time.)
• On the other hand, the absence of wood in your environment can lead to the fear from obligation, and change, lack of orientation, and own opinion.  Integrate the wood element in your home, or office with flowers, plants, pictures of the green nature, and anything from the list above.
• It is the symbol for spring, use anything that reminds you of this season.
• It’s energy spreads everywhere, up to the sky, down to the roots ,  and any direction the branches stretch 
• It is represented by the planet Jupiter, being the giant of the planets, the symbol for abundance, great things, the growth, grace and generosity; represents the growing energy of the wood element the most.
• Among  the virtues of the wooden element I would highlight grace and generosity, and as for  it’s negative aspects the strong creativity, the one that takes you into your imagination, where you can get lost so easily.

 I hope you now have some kind of picture about this element as well.  3 down, 2 more to go. 

Once you know all five, you have the power to change your life from the ground. 

Observe the world around you, and never forget, practice makes the master. 🕉, Lara