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Monday, July 22, 2013

Wood You? - Its Elemental Dear Bagua

If a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound?  I'm not sure.  However if a palm frond falls off your palm tree and hits the neighbor's garage it most definitely makes a sound.

I've had the pleasure of being in the garden on 2 occasions in the last month to hear the cracking and subsequent whoosh and crash of a 2 metre frond drop.  This morning as I looked up at my tree I was struck with something, perhaps you can relate.

Isn't it fascinating that plant life just does what it does?  Right now in the Southern Hemisphere I see new leaves opening on my trees, my lawn is covered in clover, my citrus trees are nearly done producing and the palm is dropping the seed branch which I think is Australia's version of snow.

The tree never questions its process, it just goes with its rhythm.  All it wants to be is a tree.  

You don't see the orange tree trying to emulate the bamboo, or the bamboo trying to be a hedge.  Plant life does its thing, its the plant its intended to be.


The element of wood in Feng Shui is that of growth.  Plant life of all kind have a foundation of roots to support the growth above the earth.  Just like in our literal life we sometimes need to cut or prune to allow new growth, or to clear so that growth is not stunted or all consuming.

Wood is 
  • intuition, 
  • it is what you see and what your don't see; as in the plant/tree reaches out above the earth while the roots are hidden in the earth therefore it holds trust; 
  • its an element of new growth, new skills, new projects. 
  • Wood embodies expansion.
  • trees have branches; our brains can branch out
  • trees have seeds; seeds are knowledge
  • the color green.
Wood is in Balance when we can trust the process and take reasonable risks; while open to guidance and open minded.

Too much wood can leave us feeling encumbered, and we can not keep up.
Taking to much on and consuming to much of the Earth.  We need to bring in the metal element to cut the wood.

Too little wood may be felt when we are not branching out; when we are keeping ourselves small. We need water in order to nourish Wood.


I invite you to consider where you are nurturing yourself for growth in all ways.  Physically, mentally and emotional nurturing to grow your tree of life.


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