As fung shui and Chinese medicine are considered part of Chinese metaphysics, they share certain principles and philosophies. For instance, Chinese medicine focuses on the balance of yin and yang energy within an individual; any imbalance will manifest itself as symptoms of illness. Fung shui considers the yin/yang balance within one's environment; an imbalance will manifest itself as symptoms affecting the people who live or work in that environment. Chinese medicine and fung shui also share the balance of the five elements, or wu xing. Basically, wood, fire, earth, metal and water not only regulate growth and change within the natural world, they also govern the physical, spiritual and emotional realities of individuals. These elements are not simply material substances, but also dynamic qualities and energies within the universe. In traditional Chinese medicine and fung shui, organs, tissues, bodily fluids and the senses are governed by one of the five elements. For instance, fire rules the heart and blood vessels, so any imbalance of fire energy within the body or an environment will be reflected in these organs first. As far as fung shui is concerned, any imbalance within your environment may be the result of using too much of a certain element - in terms of colours or the actual element itself. For instance, excessive wood energy may be the result of there being too much green or too many indoor plants in a bedroom.