Fall and Feng Shui

Yin and Yang of Fall

In Feng Shui the fall season is a transition into yin (feminine) from the yang (masculine) summer months. We observe trees dropping their leaves as we move into colder, darker days. Yin energy in introspective, colder, slower, and selfless. The fall season is a perfect time to look inward and to slow down.

We aim to balance yin and yang within ourselves and our homes to live in harmony and peace. We do this by balancing the five elements, metal, earth, fire, water, and wood. Fall is governed by the metal element. Metal is primarily a yin element. Like all elements it can be both yin and yang. It is yang when it is white and symbolized as a weapon, it is yin when it is silver and symbolized as a kettle. Those two symbols are perfect examples of one element’s ability to embody both yin and yang.

The metal element is associated with communication, contraction, inspiration, completion, creativity, and strength. When metal element is balanced you are able to communicate effectively, complete projects, feel supported by helpful people, release what no longer serves you, and organize your life and goals. When metal is unbalanced you may have difficulty completing tasks, feel uninspired, be critical of self and others, lack support, feel scattered, disorganized, too busy and overcommitted.

How can you balance metal in your daily life this fall

• Rest, go to bed early, get enough sleep (yin)

• Finish incomplete tasks (yang, be careful to not overwork) - household, work, personal

• Organize your finances (yang)

• Clean out/declutter, release what no longer serves you (yin) - closet, limiting beliefs (!!), junk drawer

• Eat warm, nourishing, seasonal foods (yin/yang)

• Self reflect (yin) - journal, meditate

• Walk in nature, connect to earth element, observe the leaves (yin, even better if you do it without listening to anything)

Feng Shui and Metal

There are two guas of the Bagua map that are governed by metal, children and creativity, and helpful people and travel. When you place the Bagua map from your front door, the children and creativity gua, I like to call this the legacy gua, is located in the middle right side of your home. The helpful people and travel gua is located in the bottom right side of the home (for me this is the location of my front door, it might be for you too).

Activate Metal

If you are looking to activate your metal element - you are looking to complete projects, boost creativity, feel inspired, connect with your legacy (children or personal), invite helpful people into your life, travel often, connect with your support system (work, personal, family, ancestors, spiritual) - you can add metal or earth elements. Earth element enhances and supports metal element in the constructive cycle.

• Bring in metal elements - silver, gold, platinum, shiny objects, the colors white, light grey, and metallic.

• Bring in earth element - stones, ceramics, baskets, heavy objects, the colors yellow, dark/muted orange, brown, pink.

• Add a metal wind chime to the front of your house in the helpful people and travel area.

• Add a metal bell or singing bowl to the children and creativity or the helpful people and travel area of your desk and ring it whenever you are calling in inspiration or clarity.

Add decorative metal pieces to your home (especially supportive in the two metal guas - helpful poeple and travel and children and creativity)

• Round mirrors - the circle is the shape associated with metal

• White or grey textiles, pillows, blankets

• White flowers

• Metalic accents - vases, bowls, trinkets

Add decorative earth pieces to your home (especially supportive in the two metal guas - helpful poeple and travel and children and creativity)

• Stones, crystals

• Heavy objects, or objects that look heavy

• Ceramics or basket containers

• Earth toned textiles, pillows, blankets

Balance Overactive Metal

If you are looking to balance your metal element - you are too busy, you feel scattered, disorganized and uninspired, you lack support (friends, family, spiritual), you are unable to travel or worse have terrible luck when traveling, or you critical of self and others, are disconnected with your legacy (children, work, finances, personal) - you can remove metal or add fire element. Fire is destructive of metal in the destructive cycle so by adding more fire you in turn dampen metal.

• Remove excess metal, survey your surrounding and let go of items that are too bold, plentiful, or overpowering

• Bring fire elements - triangle shapes, bright lighting, actual fire, the colors red, bright orange, and hot pink

Add decorative fire pieces to your home

• Candles

• Red flowers

• Enhanced lighting (change any dead bulbs)

• Fire tone textiles, pillows, blankets