From our Winter 2015/2016 issue. Be the first to read the next issue of Positive Life in print – Subscribe.
By Amanda Collins
Finding out your personal Feng Shui element can allow you to bring things in to your environment that will feed you to thrive and help you to position yourself in directions that will improve flow. Essence Colors are colours that feed you. For example, if you’re a number 9, then your element is fire. Wood is the element that feeds fire, so bringing in little amounts of red/sunlight, red colors and wood or plants will help support you in your home – red because it represents the fire element. Your essence colours also help to support your energy and are the best colours for things that touch your body, such as clothing, bed sheets, even the colour of your car. Also bring in wood and green colours, as these represent wood – which feeds the fire!
Your Personal Best Direction is your best location for prosperity and great fame and it’s recommended to have your back face this direction for productivity. When setting up your desk both at home or in the office, position yourself with your back to this direction. In your living room and dining room again position your back to these directions and you will be constantly supported while sitting. If you want to improve sleep, put the headboard of your bed facing the best sleeping direction.
Calculating the Male Trigram
1. Subtract 1 from the birth year if born between January 1st and February 5th.
2. Add all the digits of your birth year until it reduces to a single number.
3. Subtract this single number from 11. The result is your Trigram number.
4. If the result is 5, the gua becomes 2. (i.e., a man born on 1/23/1978 would use 1977 – see rule #1, 1+9+7+7=24, 2+4=6, 11-6=5, 5 becomes 2)
Calculating the Female Trigram
1. Steps one and two are the same as above.
3. Add 4 to this single number. The result is your Trigram number.
4. If the result is 5, the gua becomes 8. (i.e., a woman born on 1/23/1978 would use 1977, 1+9+7+7=24, 2+4=6, 6+4=10, 1+0=1)
Your Number is 1 and Your Element is Water
- You are flexible, yet focused and determined. You’re empathetic, artistic and given to deep thought but tend to worry too much and may be overly sensitive.
- Essence Colours: Black, indigo or dark blue
- Colours that feed you: Gold, silver and grey.
- Element that feeds you: Metal
- Water’s shape: Wavy and curvy patterns
- Water material: Metal fountains, aquariums and pools
- Personal Best direction: Southeast
- Best location for sleeping: North
Your Number is 2 and Element is Earth
- Your are a very strong care-givers and can be a great leader but with Earthly intentions.
- Essence Colours: Terra-cotta, yellow, browns and beiges
- Colours that feed you: Red and purple.
- Element that feeds you: Fire
- Earth’s shape: Square, low objects associated with the feeling of stability
- Earth’s material: Large scale furnishings, sand, clay, ceramics, marble, granite, river rocks, crystals, adobe brick and stucco.
- Personal Best direction: Northeast
- Best location for sleeping: West
Your Number is 3 and Element is Wood
- Your are usually even-tempered but you can have sudden outbursts. You like to be moving and hate a job where you have to sit still for long. You are enthusiastic and can be loud at times.
- Essence Colours: Greens – but the color is not as effective the element.
- Colours that feed you: Black and blue
- Element that feeds you: Water
- Wood’s shape: Rectangular, columns, patterns vertical or horizontal
- Wood material: Trees, plants and fresh flowers
- Personal Best direction: South
- Best location for sleeping: East
Your Number is 4 and Your Element is Wood
- Your are insightful and often driven but, like the wind’s direction, you can change your mind abruptly and often. You tend to be creative and artistic.
- Essence Colours: Greens – but the color is not as effective the element.
- Colours that feed you: Black and blue
- Element that feeds you: Water
- Wood’s shape: Rectangular, columns, patterns vertical or horizontal
- Wood material: Trees, plants and fresh flowers
- Personal Best direction: North
- Best location for sleeping: Southeast
Your Number is 6 and Your Element is Metal
- You are a natural born leader and authority figure. However, you can be headstrong with very strong masculine energy.
- Essence Colours: White, gold, silver, copper, reflective colors and pastels
- Colours that feed you: Earth tones, Browns, Yellows, Cream
- Element that feeds you: Earth
- Metal’s shape: Oval, arches and round as when metal contracts
- Metal objects or material: Rod iron, steel and copper any objects made of metal
- Metal’s texture: Smooth, as are the surfaces of metal when formed or heated
- Personal Best direction: West
- Best location for sleeping: Northwest
Your Number is 7 and Your Element is Metal
- You are artistic, creative, sociable and talkative.
- Essence Colours: White, gold, silver, copper, reflective colors and pastels
- Colours that feed you: Earth tones, Browns, Yellows, Cream
- Element that feeds you: Earth
- Metal’s shape: Oval, arches and round as when metal contracts
- Metal objects or material: Rod iron, steel and copper any objects made of metal
- Metal’s texture: Smooth, as are the surfaces of metal when formed or heated
- Personal Best direction: Northwest
- Best location for sleeping: Southwest
Your Number is 8 and Your Element is Earth
- You are very stable; however, you can be stubborn. You are very youthful.
- Essence Colours: Terra-cotta, yellow, browns and beiges
- Colours that feed you: Red and purple
- Element that feeds you: Fire
- Earth’s shape: Square, low objects associated with the feeling of stability
- Earth’s material: Large scale furnishings, sand, clay, ceramics, marble, granite, river rocks, crystals, adobe brick and stucco
- Personal Best direction: Southwest
- Best location for sleeping: Northeast
Your Number is 9 and Your Element is Fire
- You are extremely active, sometimes to the point of being ill or burning yourself out. You are very passionate however; and you can be hot tempered.
- Essence Colours: Reddish like a flame, reds and purples, burgundy, cranberry
- Colours that feed you: Green
- Element that feeds you: Wood
- Fire’s shapes: Triangles, pyramids and tall pointed shapes
- Fire material: Candle, the color red, full spectrum lighting, candles, lamps and night-light
- Personal Best direction: East
- Best location for sleeping: South
