How to Use Feng Shui to Choose Jewellery

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese system that educates people on the energy of a space and how to arrange everything within it to bring good fortune and happiness.  The very name hints at the ideals behind the system ‘Feng’ meaning wind and ‘Shui’ meaning water.  You can also use Feng Shui to choose jewellery and that’s what we are going to have a look at here today.

Feng Shui basics

In Chinese culture, wind and water are associated with good health so good Feng Shui is associated with good fortune while bad Feng Shui means bad luck or misfortune.  The ideas of Feng Shui come from Taoist with its view of nature and the belief that everything is filled with ‘chi’ or energy.  In ancient times, the Chinese believed that the land itself could have an effect on the affairs of man, even the success or failure of an empire.

Yin and yang

At the heart of Feng Shui is the principle of yin and yang.  In this theory, the universe is composed of two opposing but deeply interconnected forced.  Yin is feminine and yang is masculine so the interaction between the two forces creates the essence of life and one cannot exist without the other.  It is shown by the black and white symbol known as the Tai Chi.

Yin is passive energy and when applied to the home, it represents the energy of relaxation, the calming effect of colours, soft music and the soothing sound of water.  Yang is active energy shown with strong and vibrant colours, bright lights and uplifting energy such as tall plants.  The ideal is to have a balance of the two to have a happy and balanced home.

The bagua or energy map

The bagua or energy map is a tool used to analyses a space and uses the symbols of the I Ching, the Chinese divination system which is also pivotal in Feng Shui.  There are eight areas of the home that apply to different areas of life as well as different elements and directions on the compass.  For example, the south-east is associated with money and wood while the north is associated with water and your career.

Using Feng Shui to choose jewellery

These are just a few basic principles of using Feng Shui around the home but you may be wondering how you can use Feng Shui to choose jewellery.  There are actually a few different ideas and methods to help you select pieces that have positive personal meanings and that will help with balancing your life – of course, I have no idea how true they are so please don’t assume they will work!  The Chinese have used these principles for centuries, so hopefully there is something to them but otherwise, you will at least have a beautiful piece of jewellery!

One approach is to pick jewellery based on your element.  You can find out about your element by looking up your star sign in the Chinese zodiac – each sign has an associated principle of either yin or yang as well as an element.  There are five – fire, earth, water, air and metal.

Fire jewellery

People with fire personalities are very ‘in the moment’ and positive, cheerful and affectionate.  They love to laugh and are creative and confident.  Fire jewellery uses gemstones that are in the red colour spectrum including pinks and purples.  If you feel that your fire personality traits are too dominant and want to calm them somewhat, you can balance fire stones earth ones.  However, if you want to boost your fire traits, then combined fire stones with wood ones.

Fire gemstones include:

• Amethyst
• Garnet
• Coral
• Ruby
• Rose quartz
• Red jasper
• Pink agate
• Rhodochrosite
• Pink and purple tourmaline
• Purple fluorite
• Purple sapphire

Earth jewellery

People with earth personalities are very trusting and authentic, people who will look after others and protect them, a little like the idea of Mother Nature.  They often put others before themselves and spend time with friends and family.  Security is very important and they are always polite and discreet in their dealings.  To feed earth personalities, you can combine earth stones with fire while to off-set those traits, pair earth with metal.

Earth gemstones include:

• Tiger’s eye
• Brown selenite
• Calcite
• Yellow jade
• Yellow jasper
• Yellow sapphire
• Golden yellow topaz
• Yellow tourmaline
• Sunstone
• Andalusite
• Amber
• Jasper
• Citrine

Metal jewellery

People with metal as their element are strong and resolute, single minded and fierce.  They keep their composure under stress and pressure and have an analytic and orderly mind.  They are also strongly opinionated yet remain cool when involved in a dispute.  To bring out these metal traits, combine earth stones with metal ones while to ease metal traits, combine water with metal stones.

Metal gemstones include:

• Moonstone
• White opal
• Obsidian
• Abalone
• Pearls
• White chalcedony
• Hematite
• Selenite
• Snow quartz
• Pyrite

Water jewellery

The water personalise is an inventive, perceptive and astute one who is prudent and can often mirror the behaviours of others.  They are reflective and have a contemplative nature, often needing little interaction with others and enjoying their own company.  Metal enhances water so if your water personalities need enhancing, combine these stones.  On the other hand, if you want to ease your water traits, then combine it with wood.

Water gemstones include:

• Black opal
• Sapphire
• Blue topaz
• Onyx
• Obsidian
• Black sapphire
• Black tourmaline
• Azurite
• Lapis lazuli
• Sodalite
• Blue quartz 
• Blue Aventurine

Wood Jewellery

Wood personalities are able to grow and change better than most and tend to be strong people, resourceful, determined and upward thinking.  They have a strong, positive mindset and are natural leaders who also have a sense of chivalry.  Their dreams are big and impressive but they also have a sensitive side.  To enhance those wood personalities, combine wood stones with water ones.  However, to calm your wood traits, combine wood with fire.

Wood gemstones include:

• Emerald
• Peridot
• Green tourmaline
• Malachite
• Agate
• Green turquoise
• Green fluorite
• Chrysoberyl
• Green calcite
• Green jade
• Green jasper
• Green agate
• Green Aventurine
• Green sapphire
• Green quartz
• Green kunzite

22 Gemstones That Have Special Meaning in Feng Shui Jewellery

Another way to do it is to look at gemstones or crystals that have particular meaning in Feng Shui and use them to choose what you wear. Here are 22 of the most popular and what they are associated with.

Rock crystal

Rock crystal is actually a type of clear quartz that can have rainbow patterns within it that make it a pretty stone to wear.  In Feng Shui, clear crystals are used for their ability to hold and change light as well as to cleanse and purify.  They are used to clear any Bagua area that requires clearing.  The stones are often worn by people who are seeking to cleanse themselves and get rid of a negative feeling or emotion.  They can also be worn with other stones to purify them so layer well with heirloom or second-hand pieces to clean them of negativity from previous owners.

Jade

Jade is a popular stone in Feng Shui jewellery and is often carved into meaningful pendants as well as worn on bracelets and rings.  The stone is said to have a soothing purity to it that helps purify a person’s energy field in an accepting and loving way.  Jade is also a nourishing stone that supports the heart.  The stone is used to promote that feeling of harmony and balance as well as attracting wealth.  There are lots of different colours of jade and these can slightly alter the meaning of the stone.

Amethyst

The vibrant colour of amethyst hides the ability to cool and calm excessive emotions and also to help clear the mind of clutter.  It also boosts the immune system and can help the body heal problems with the respiratory tract and skin, according to experts.  Used around the house, it can help ease arguments and misunderstandings as well as helping with successful studies and learning.  The stronger the colour of the stone, the stronger it’s powers.

Lapis lazuli

Lapis lazuli is a rich blue stone that has been used in different cultures since ancient times.  It has a strong connection to cosmic wisdom and can help people with integrity and truthfulness.  It is also a water element stone that helps to purify lower energies in the body.  Wearing it can bring success due to a sense of unshakable inner balance and also that sparkle of inner gold helping bring riches and power.

Hematite

While not strictly speaking a crystal, hematite is often used in jewellery and has a place in Feng Shui.  This is a heavy and shiny mineral that has a high iron content and an inner red colour that isn’t often seen – it is too strong to easily break!  That inner iron and redness are why the stone are associated with blood and curing blood-related disorders.  It also has a cooling and calming effect due to its temperature when held and helps ground a person.

Citrine

Citrine harness the power of the sun and is considered a healing crystal for solar plexus issues.  It can also boost self-esteem and the flow of positive energy around the body.  It is said to help digestion and also to help you build physical endurance.  Due to its golden colour, it is also said to help bring wealth.

Tiger’s Eye

Tiger’s Eye is a protective stone that has great strengthening powers and also a grounding energy.  It can also help to balance and clear emotions, leaving you with a clear mind.  It helps protect against negative energies and dispels fears while promoting mental clarity.

Carnelian

The red and orange shades of carnelian make it an energy booster that helps increase the energy flow through a person or space.  But it does it in a happy, joyous way that brings feelings of warmth and protection.  Carnelian helps you with your courage and confidence and also has a positive inner power and sexual energy flow for women.  

Other popular Feng Shui jewellery stones

There are also a number of other popular gemstones used in beaded and costume jewellery that have their own Feng Shui meanings.  These include:

• Agate – boosts strength and longevity while attracting good luck and wealth
• Alexandrite – helps achieve success
• Amazonite – achieve clarity and trust, dispersing negative energy
• Emerald – wisdom and insight, healing physical and mental issues
• Fluorite – strength in times of change
• Garnet – promotes self-confidence and wealth
• Jet – offers protection and promotes honour
• Malachite – brings love at difficult times
• Moonstone – brings balance and helps alleviate fears
• Onyx – helps you control your emotions and get rid of negativity
• Peridot – heals mental and physical issues, boosts vitality
• Ruby – boosts self-confidence and dispels fears
• Sapphire – intuition and mental clarity
• Turquoise – helps you heal and dispel negative emotions

Conclusion

Choosing jewellery is a very personal thing and there’s no right and wrong way to do it.  But if you like meaning in your jewellery, then using Feng Shui to help you select stones isn’t a bad thing and who knows, maybe there are some extra benefits that just looking lovely!

In next month’s article, I’ll be looking in depth at what different gemstones mean according to Feng Shui and what Chinese culture say these stones can do for you.

Have you ever used Feng Shui to choose jewellery or around your home?  Do you think it helped in the way you hoped it would?