The five elements in feng shui are water, wood, fire, earth and metal. These five elements are used to describe the five ways energy moves. Water describes a downward movement of energy, wood is an expansive movement, fire illustrates upward movement, earth describes a horizontal movement, and metal is a compressing movement. Organizing the motion of energy is the goal of feng shui.
Water feeds wood, wood fuels fire, fire makes earth, earth creates metal, and metal holds water.
This wisdom can be used to attract the movement of energy or element that would better enhance a space. A cure is a remedy for a negative feng shui situation. It can enhance a space s energy, or it can neutralize or negate what is seen as negative energies within a space. The destructive cycle describes how the five energies, or five elements, diminish each other. Water douses fire, fire melts metal, metal chops wood, wood uproots earth and earth dams water.