For the average Feng Shui consultation, there might initially be a dozen recommendations related to using the Elements (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal).  These elements are meant to enhance the positive or diminish the negative flying star energies in a home or business location.

For those initial element recommendations, most will be long term. By long term, I mean good for decades, with exceptions only once every few years.  We have eight basic directions to adjust annually. Some directions will need the same element year after year almost without exception, and other areas might need a different element practically every single year.

Using my own home as an example, my living room will need the metal element until the year 2124. Not exaggerating.  However, the location of my front door might need a different element just about every year.  In 2025, I only had to make one annual change and it was in my bedroom. Most of the time, each household or business will need to make at least a few important changes.

I also heard from a couple of regular Update clients, who were surprised that they needed to change hardly anything.  Was it a waste of my time and their money to have ordered an update?  Absolutely not.  Please allow me to elaborate.

Firstly, it is very common for the same element to address different issues. For example, the annual 6 metal star in any location follows the annual 7 metal star the previous year.  Both the 6 and 7 stars are metal and water is used for both when circumstances indicate that is needed. While the 6 and 7 stars are both metal, they are quite different in their potential impact.

Water might be used to weaken the 7 star if we want to diminish its inclination to attract theft, deception, betrayal or injury.  We might also use water with the 7 metal to diminish chances for problems with the mouth, teeth, jaw, lips or breasts.

The annual stars follow a descending order pattern, so the annual 6 metal will always follow the annual 7 metal in any direction. The 6 metal star is associated with power struggles or arguments.  Here is an instance where water could be needed in the same direction for two years in a row, but for different reasons. 

This is just one example, where the remedy remains the same, but for a slightly-to-significantly different reasons which I want to alert the client about. It’s also possible that the dosage of the element might need to be different, depending on how these energies manifest. Because we have unique destinies and multiple feng shui influences happening at the same time, one year you might be immune to the annual star and another not. It’s important to be aware of what you are being exposed to.

Here is another example: The annual 4 Wood star can attract unwanted sexual energy, infidelity or romantic disappointments.  In the case of a married couple, we might want to weaken the 4 Wood energy with fire when it occupies the bedroom.  The following year, the 4 Wood is followed by the 3 Wood. This 3 Wood star can attract gossip, bickering or legal issues.  For two years in a row, we may need the FIRE element as a remedy to reduce a Wood star, but for different reasons.  To be alerted of the changing nature of the yearly stars can give you advance warning and the ability to increase your remedy if its warranted.

We happen to be living in an age where the metal element is needed in specific areas long term in most homes because of the permanent and annual 5 stars. This 5 star can activate any of the other eight stars, but once we subdue it with metal, this variety of annual stars can remain more dormant or have a mild influence instead of a severe influence.

Each year there are revolving directions which can be deemed accident-prone. Even if my client has no plans to remodel, repair or landscape their own property, it’s still helpful to be aware of these directions in case a neighbor on any side of your own space starts their own project. What goes on in your immediate exterior environment can affect you and there are counter-measures you can apply, even after the neighbor starts.

Houses go in and out of cycles called “Locked Phases” which are discussed in my update reports. One of the main remedies for a Locked Phase, to release energy that could undermine health or finances, is with the presence of circulating water.  This is another example where a water feature in one location for a specific reason can also do double duty as a remedy for the entire house or building when it comes to the Locked Phase.

One situation which happens to some, but not all structures, is a cycle where the annual star in each direction matches one of the permanent stars in each direction.  I refer to this metaphorically as eight rooms where there are three people in each and two of them are identical twins. It will intensify both positive and negative spaces.  These end up being annual updates which mostly resemble the initial consultation without any big changes.  But the significance is there as it always coincides with an annual locked phase.

It’s true that some annual cycles are more consequential than others.  When negative annual influences enter areas you dwell in a lot, it will be more of a problem than the years when more of the annual influences are positive.  And yet, even if there is only one thing to physically change, the knowledge and preparedness you can gain from each annual update can be very valuable.

Author: Kartar Diamond

Company: Feng Shui Solutions ®

From the Feng Shui Theory Blog Series