simple shui | the five elements

our world is a blend of five elements: water, wood, fire, earth, and metal.

turns out, we are also a compilation of these five elements.

when we walk into some spaces and instantly feel at ease + comfortable + relaxed, we are likely enveloped by a balance of all five. our nervous systems absorbing that diaphanous energy.

as mentioned here, elements can be expressed with color.

they also have symbolic ties to shapes, imagery, materials, and our 5 senses. crazy cool, right?

all of it combined makes shui a loquacious process with endless creative possibilities.

i constantly modify this table in our home.

always replete with the five elements.

that over-sized lamp happens to be a medley of fire (light), metal (the round shape // white color of the lamp shade), wood (the linen shade), and water (its glass base).

the books represent wood (paper) and earth (their square shapes). and each element is expressed in the kaleidoscope of spine colors.

the candles showcase fire (flickering flames), metal (the white wax // round shapes), and water (the glass containers).

the lemon tree itself represents wood. the rocks sitting atop its soil signify water (they are black) and metal (round shape).

the picture brings in the fire element (people represent fire) and the gold frame is a blend of metal (gold) and earth (square).

and that little babe orchid is wood, fire and wood (purple is a blend of fire/red and wood/blue), water (each blossomed shape has a watery quality to it) while the new buds are metal (round shape). all of it nestled in earth (the terracotta pot).

i could go on. . .

but it is a mind-full, isn’t it?

wander over to a favorite spot in your home. i suspect all the elements are there, feeding each other beautifully.

as for those spaces not quite coherent? a simple fix of elements may be all that’s needed. which is why shui is a genius approach to creating sacred space in your home.

over the coming months, we’ll expand your fluency in the five elements. because when we see our rooms and homes through the eyes of the elements, we open the door to a very symbolic framework that allows us immediate access to our most profound dreams.

xo