A product’s life cycle is something akin to the four stages that are studied in Chinese metaphysics: birth, growth, prime and decline. The product’s life cycle is the timeline since an item is designed until it reaches the end of its life.

Nowadays, products have shorter life cycles, not just because generally people don’t invest as much in the quality of materials compared to how quick they need to circulate the items, but also because people have adopted behaviours where objects are almost disposable. In the past, when you bought living room furniture, it was for life. Nowadays, that is unthinkable. However, more and more individuals are concerned with the planet’s sustainability and durability of products, and tend to favour pieces and materials that last longer and are environmentally friendly. But where does a product’s life cycle tie with Feng Shui?

HARMONY IN THE PIECES

Although products have a more less defined “use date”, it is possible to make a product longer, based on Feng Shui. What lies behind this is the Cycle of the Five Elements. So, if the materials, the colours and the shapes that make up an object are in harmony, that object will last longer than if the materials, colours and shapes that make it up were not in harmony. A round, plastic white colour tends to last less than a square, plastic, white table. In the first case, we have a material that represents the Fire element, and a shape and colour that represent Metal. In the second case, we have a material that represents the Fire element, a shape that represents Earth and a colour from the Metal element, where Fire fuels Earth and this feeds Metal, instead of having a situation where Fire is fusing Metal.

In my book Change your Home Enrich your Life you will find the features of each element with regard to colours, materials, shapes, and other, to select better pieces, as well as creating harmony in them and, as a result, your home and your life!