Any questions about feng shui so far? The basis of the i-ching’s predictive ability, as well as feng shui’s observational and planning utility, is the five phases pattern.

The earth elements guide the mixture of objects and the heaven element determines positioning (N,S,E,W)? Indeed, with the additional consideration of local presences, the position and behaviour of forests or mountains as well as rivers. They played a role and also imprinted the chi flow. An angry forest could taint a chi stream. The forest of suicides is still seen as putting a stain on the chi flowing through that area and is thought to attract those whose spirits are already poisoned. This would be one example of such an influence.

The wood phase corresponds to the season of spring, a period of swelling and growth. Wood being the “object” in nature that’s observed to do that. Summer is the phase of fire, a continuation of the activity found in the phase of wood, and a time of perhaps overabundance of energy. People are observed even in western culture to be more prone to hyperactivity during the summer. They have associated that with the phase of light we experience during the summer. They even reproduce this in the lab.

Yes, my energy goes up when it is a sunny day. The phase of earth correlates to the long summer. When the energy of early summer plays itself out things begin to moderate and find balance.

Autumn would be water? No, autumn is the season of metal, a time for cutting back and storing. Metal is observed to strengthen water. Mineral depleted water does not help us as much as mineral enriched water does. Even plants could be observed to observe a season of metal in the positive light, as the copper in their systems allows them to produce what they store in their roots for the winter. Metal would be all metal, even the iron in blood. The phase of water is the season of winter, the period of retreat and stillness, latency, until the generative cycle starts anew with wood. I think maybe it makes more sense then western alchemy does. What do you think?

Though metal shouldn’t be beside earth? It should be beside earth. It is naturally present in earth. Metal shouldn’t be beside wood, directly. It is better mediated through the influence of water, oxidation, which is the basis for all organic life processes on this planet, scientifically speaking. Earth then metal, then water, then wood, then fire, on the generative cycle. The destructive cycle if different.

Like a five sided rock/paper/scissors. Yes. You could even play a game of rock paper scissors using the destructive cycle, but it’s primary use was problem solving, recognizing when two influences were creating shar, negative chi, which serves as a chi depleting sink to the environment around it.

I suspect some card games use this principle. Magic the Gathering uses five elements, though not necessarily the Chinese.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~