The Fire element I give and I take
In Feng Shui, Fire stands for the south, high summer and noon, for enthusiasm and warmth of heart. Its colours are red, pink and sunshine yellow, its forms pointed and flame-like. In a room, I use Fire sparingly as an accent.
- Compass directionSouthHigh summer, Midday
- Strengthened byWoodweakened by Earth
- Fire years6 or 7as the last digit
What does the Fire element stand for?
- Compass direction
- South
- Season
- High summer
- Time of day
- Midday
- Planet
- Mars
- Yin organ
- Heart, small intestine
- Yang organ
- Circulation
- Body
- Metabolism, blood vessels, sweat, tongue, speech
My Feng Shui student Frauke also made a video about Fire. The text, images and voice are hers.
Wood fulfils itself and its growth in Fire. Fire needs Wood to exist. It completes the idea that Wood has grown and sells the product developed “with Wood”.
Fire types are performers, enthusiastic salespeople, people of grand and impressive gestures: “Money is no object!” Often more appearance than substance, they love splendour, fast cars and expensive homes. They are magicians who can enchant people. Quick thinkers. They have charisma and are often beautiful people.
They live from the heart and inspire through warmth. They are sociable, adore love and are the lucky children of the phases of change. They have vision and foresight, passion and enthusiasm, can “burn” for something, and are sensual, spontaneous, erotic and impulsive.
Fire is youth, laughter, growing up, heat, light, desire and eroticism.
Strengthening and moderating Fire
Fire is strengthened by Wood, weakened by Earth and extinguished by Water. It is the only phase of change that can be extinguished; all the other elements exist in the earth. At best, Fire and Water produce steam as new energy. But if Fire goes out completely, it cannot be awakened again.
Too little Fire
No drive, doubt, disinterest, indifference, listlessness. Wood then supports Fire.
Too much Fire
Frenzy, jealousy, obsession, fanaticism, nervousness. Earth then moderates Fire.
In its negative expression, boundaries often go unrecognised and people burn themselves. Stress, haste, moodiness, nervousness, confusion. Fire people like to start many things and finish none: the next project is already waiting. Fire is eccentric, greedy, addictive, “must have”, often self-centred.
Fire in a room: colours, forms and materials
I always use Fire sparingly, preferably as an accent, because it is so “regal” and demands attention.
Colours
Pink, red, light blue (azure like a summer sky), golden yellow, sunshine yellow, maize yellow. Use signal colours sparingly! I explain where more red is appropriate under red and other Feng Shui colours.
Forms
Sharp angles, flames: pointed roofs, distinctive mountain peaks, church spires, a picture of the sun, jagged mountains, steppe, savannah, desert, shimmering heat, candles, torches, crowns, pictures of lions and volcanoes, southern scenes, fireplaces, pyramids.
Materials
Chemical products made through the heat of fire, such as plastics, PVC flooring and synthetic carpets, but also leather, animal hides, leather furniture, pelts on the floor and blankets of pure new wool.
Light as Fire
Light belongs to Fire too. “Light (the Fire element), Metal and Water: that works!”, I wrote about lights in a restaurant.
Fire in the kitchen
The cooker is the Fire of the house. I explain where it should stand in the Feng Shui kitchen.
Fire, light and sun
In Feng Shui, Fire is Yang at its height: light, sun and visibility. In Spain or Italy, the sun (Yang) is more intense than here in the north. The Garden of the Sun on Mallorca shows what this looks like in a garden.
In the course of the year, fire burns on the darkest day. In a Hamburg garden I designed, a fire is lit before a Buddha at the winter solstice, in its own winter-solstice fire pit.
Buildings and occupations associated with Fire
Building uses
Management schools, leadership training, motivational schools, jewellery, fashion, furnaces, cookers, hospitality, dressage, palaces, large estates, impressive penthouses. Pointed towers also belong to Fire. At Erfurt Cathedral, they shape the whole appearance.
Occupations
Stars, sales trainers, coaches, designers, fashion, jewellery, pyrotechnicians, firefighters, chemists, animal husbandry (especially horses), occupations involving leather and animals, animal trainers, doing great things professionally.
Personality: the Yang and Yin sides of Fire
Yang qualities
Opening hearts and inspiring enthusiasm, in love with love, flirtation, eroticism, charisma, beautiful people, charismatic leaders, extroverted, stirring, spontaneous, action, fast sports, drive, vision, enthusiasm, everything on a grand scale, emotional, lacking objectivity, easily enthused, new ideas, leadership. Fire means spirit, intelligence, the ability to “see”, ego, big projects, reaching out, expressing oneself, self-presentation, finding a personal way to address someone, the stage.
Yin qualities
Warmth of the hearth, warmth of heart, less extroverted, compassion and love, warm-hearted, bringing people together, accepting others as equals, wearing one’s heart on one’s sleeve, truth, willingness to engage with differences, body warmth, cuddling, energy.
Fire in the Chinese horoscope
Snake (Yin Fire) and Horse (Yang Fire) are the two Fire animals. Fire years end in 6 or 7. In 2026, both come together: it is the Year of the Fire Horse. I explain why the year often has a different element from the animal in the five elements overview. In the Chinese horoscope, element and animal always come as a pair; more on this under Chinese astrology. Only Bazi reveals how much Fire you bring and which elements you lack.
Fire, but how much?
How much Fire a room can take depends on its direction and use. I measure this on site, travelling in the Feng Shui motorhome through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I explain how it works under Feng Shui consultation.