Natures, elements and the way they interact with our environment are at the foundation of Feng Shui. They are also at the centre of Chinese philosophy and culture. There are five elements, earth wood, fire, metal & water. These elements relate to the environment in which we live and have been studied by Feng Shui Masters for thousands of years. The elements work both separately and together to produce either a positive or negative effect. The elements also represent the cycles of nature, one which generates growth and one which destroys it.

If we look at the generative cycle it would be: WOOD burns therefore creating FIRE, which then leaves behind it ASH which nourishes the EARTH.
EARTH compresses over time and creates METAL. METAL when melted will flow like WATER. WATER sustains growth which nourished WOOD and so it goes on.

The destructive cycle can get more complex depending on the interaction of the elements.
Knowing how to apply Feng Shui principles, working with the elements to create harmony in the environment is something that can only be obtained with professional training. This is of course only one aspect taken into account when doing an analysis of a building. Other aspects also have to be taken into account

The Elements are associated with the seasons of the year as follows:

Winter	Spring	Summer	Autumn	All seasons
Water	Wood	Fire	Metal	Earth

The Environment

Feng Shui analysis divides our environment into 9 segments based on compass directions.
The eight directions N, NE, NW, S, SE, SW, E, W and the centre are each related to one of the five elements.