Color is one of the tools to practice the various principles of feng shui. Different colors represent the specific type of elements namely fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. And each element invokes different vibes. In this column, we'll emphasize the symbolism of the color green and apparently, its connection to the wood element.
Casually speaking, we directly associate green with nature. Do you ever notice when you want to feel relaxed and renewed? We often long to go to places with green scenery because it never fails to calm us and clear our minds off things that stress us. The vast trees and plants are relaxing for the eyes and good for the mind and body condition, scientifically and personally speaking.
The same goes in the context of feng shui. The color green symbolizes new life, renewal, and abundance in your life. Furthermore, it's designated as the color of the wood element, and the wood element per se is connected to compassion, flexibility, healing, and growth. What a powerful combination of metaphor, isn’t it?
That's why it's imperative to have this color present in your house to maximize the benefits of feng shui. But first thing first: you have to specify your intentions. For what purpose are you trying to incorporate green in your space? What kind of energy do you wish to enhance or create? What do you want to benefit from this color? It’s vital to identify what you need to plan accordingly and how to appropriately incorporate such green in your interior because warning: as much as it helps, too much could do more harm than good. And lack of it may not be effective. because after all, feng shui is all about balance.
On Why You Should Use Green
There are many ways to apply green to your aesthetic either through splashing it on your walls or in choosing your furniture and decorations. But among all, in-house living plants are the most common addition to the house interior when it comes to anything related to this color. In general, green accents bring life and positive energy to space more so a growing plant that embodies wood elements. Having plants also naturally cultivates compassion because these things require care and attention because who wants to display dead plants and attract its negative energy?
Thus, consider having in-house plants in any room except the bedroom because the energy of plants or wood represents growth and upward movement. On the other hand, during sleep, which happens normally in the bedroom, your energy goes down. So having green plants in the room would probably disrupt your good rest because of the contradicting energy it produces. Instead, incorporate green in your bedding or curtains to create a calming effect where you could relax and think properly. But if you insist on houseplants, the safest route is having artificial ones because it only has neutral energy which has little to no significant effect.
In the bathroom, which often only has a small space, you can paint any tone of green that resonates with you since feng shui has no specific suggestion when it comes to the color of this room; it's more on the location. Any green in the bathroom interior will still bring in the wood element and the latter would subsequently complement the water element.
The living room is an important part of the house because this is where people normally gather together, thus, adding green will attract harmony. In this room where the plants are commonly seen. You can also add green through artwork displays and much better if it’s in a nature theme.
Earthy green is the most recommended for the kitchen. Still, worry not because green in general promotes good digestion.
How To Get the Most Out of It: Remembering that Placement is The Key
Feng shui principles recommend greens in the rooms located in the east or southeast sector to fuel the wood element of this space. Each area in a bagua map represents a certain theme and the eastern side of the middle-left section of your house governs the family and health of your life so healthy green living plants are your top choice for more harmony with your loved ones and good physical and mental condition. Meanwhile, adding green in the southeast area of your house or the rear left corner will boost your wealth-producing potential. To mention, the color green is also associated with money so there’s it.
Your Choice of Undertones
Soft and lighter greens are perfect if you want to lighten up your room. This shade is often used to describe the first leaves of spring, thus, evoking the feeling of freshness. In addition, light green especially those with yellow undertones could stimulate creativity. So, if you’re feeling stuck and in need of a new idea or inspiration, you might want to give this tone of green a chance. Mild green creates a cool and calm atmosphere. Deep greens make the room feel soothing and relaxing. It's best if you want to stimulate concentration and deep thinking. Or have a combination of different shades of green according to your liking. Colors, after all, vary from person to person.
Feng Shui and Yourself
Although feng shui is most commonly applied to a living place, it is not limited to it. Colors are essentials in our everyday doings, may it be intentional usage or not. It influences the way we feel about ourselves. It has significant help on what vibe we want to project. And colors help convey to other people what kind of personality we have, or what we wanted to express. With this, you can also extend its purpose to your daily life through your clothes or accessories. So, if you’re feeling stuck or uninspired at the moment, go for the color green to feel good and positive. But also remember that no matter how the colors justify your feelings, everything still boils down to your choices.