The Elements of the 9 Star Ki

In clearing I use various aspects to focus the work. Though it is possible to do a general clearing (Is there anything to clear for you?), a clearing with focus goes deeper. It's like the difference between running a dust cloth over a bookshelf and taking each book out and dusting it individually.

For general purposes I like to use the elements of the 9 Star Ki as a focus. This ancient system of energy archetypes describes the phases that all life cycles through, so it provides a good all-around approach to clearing. 

Here is a brief description of the energy of the various elements:

Water (winter)
The beginning and the end. Stillness, rest, gestation. Deep time, ancestry. The unknown. Fear. Flow

Wood (spring)
Birth. Growth. Action. Ideas. Planning. Anger. Change. Systems and paths. Breaking out. Breaking through. Focus. Thrust. Making manifest.

Fire (summer)
Joy. Love. Heart connection. Pleasure. Socializing. Being seen. Exposure. Completion. Anxiety. Appreciation. Play.

Earth (harvest)
Grounding. Structure. Security. Home. Comfort. Boundaries. Sympathy. Care. Work. Sweetness. Endurance.

Metal (autumn)
Refinement. Sensitivity. Order. Grief. Loss. Awareness. Spirituality. Authority. Righteousness. Grace. Style. Beauty. Forgiveness.

Outside of clearing, these elements can be used to gain perspective on a person's energy.