How the Controlling cycle works
Everything in the universe is composed of these five basic forces whether human, animal, vegetable, mineral or abstract, including man and his destiny. They are everywhere! Everything that has ever happened or will happen to us is subject to their influence. As with everything else in the universe, these Elements, though seemingly chaotic and independent, are connected and can be best understood as phases of two constantly moving cycles: The Creative Cycle and The Controlling Cycle.
Use the Creative cycle when you want to increase the effect of an element
in a particular space. Each of the five elements (WATER, WOOD, FIRE, EARTH, METAL) is nourished, supported, or “fed” by one of the other elements. As each element feeds or nourishes the next in the Creative cycle, its own energy is reduced by the effort. For example, you can counteract the strong water energy in a bathroom by adding wood energy to the space (green towels, for example). This gives the water something to do (feeding wood), reduces its strength, and helps bring things back into balance. Here’s how the Reducing cycle works:
• Metal reduces earth
• Earth reduces fire
• Fire reduces wood
• Wood reduces water
• Water reduces metal
Use the Reducing cycle when you want a gentle way to bring a situation into better balance. It’s easy to remember the Reducing cycle if you know the Creative cycle; just keep in mind that when one element nourishes another one, its own energy is reduced by the effort.
When one element is very strong, you may need something stronger than the reducing effect to bring it back into balance. This is where the Controlling cycle comes in handy. The Controlling cycle works like this:
• Metal chops wood
• Wood breaks up earth (think of a new crop pushing up through
the soil, or of tree roots pushing down into the earth)
• Earth dams or muddies water
• Water puts out fire
• Fire melts metal
Make sure the controlling element is strong and supported. If you try
to put out a bonfire with a tea-cup full of water, the water will evaporate
without having much effect. Keep in mind that:
• Too much metal can overwhelm fire
• Too much fire evaporates water
• Too much water can wash earth away
• Too much earth can smother wood
• Too much wood can take the edge off metal
