| Love it or hate it, not all Feng Shui is the same. | | | | would be overwhelmed by the forces that could be |
| Authentic Feng Shui | | | | unleashed. However, traditional practices can be used |
| It arose from the close study of natural forces, and | | | | with some success because of the grain of truth |
| manipulating the alchemy of the world around us to | | | | embedded in the embellishments. |
| create desired outcomes. Change can occur quickly | | | | Traditional feng shui often hangs on superstitions and |
| and explosively. It is a metaphysical science that | | | | legends as memory aids, leading to the generous use |
| requires a long and revered commitment to its study, | | | | of symbols as offerings and appeasements to |
| and shows a disdain for what passes today as feng | | | | numerous Daoist or Buddhist deities. A few true |
| shui. It does not use symbols. It studies the | | | | Masters straddle the disciplines of both authentic and |
| landscape, the heavens, the directions, the seasons, | | | | traditional feng shui, and will dispense their teachings |
| the flow of time and personal birth charts. | | | | to the appropriate level of the student or the client. |
| Yes, in the very beginning of human civilisation, this | | | | However, most of today's touted Masters are |
| artful knowledge quite likely began in agricultural | | | | responding to the hunger in Western culture has for |
| circumstances. Farmers the world over intimately | | | | their knowledge, and after initial caution, are now |
| came to know the conditions for successful harvests. | | | | responding enthusiastically to share what they can. |
| But in the ancient Chinese world, a systemised body | | | | Popular Feng Shui |
| of knowledge was beginning to be developed, using | | | | Because we have become confident in the use of |
| categorisations that can be directly compared with | | | | many ways to improve our health and our lives, we |
| many modern scientific categorisations. Science in | | | | believe that anything that improves our home or our |
| China did not suffer the suppressive effects that | | | | wellbeing can be thrown in under the banner of feng |
| science in Europe did for many centuries. | | | | shui. I'm talking about aromatherapy, music, color |
| Authentic feng shui is used by the very rich and very | | | | therapy, interior design. We think we can apply this |
| powerful. Because it works. Practitioners at this level | | | | art and discipline to anything to make it more pleasing |
| are secretive. You will not find them because they | | | | to us. Cars, Christmas trees, mobile phones, faces, |
| don't advertise themselves, or if they do, it is in a | | | | hairstyles, clothes, and so on. |
| very low key way. It is not easy to learn, because it | | | | Our stated intention is to make the energy flow |
| is not easy to find someone to teach you. Think of | | | | better, to make something feel more harmonious. |
| secret societies in our culture. | | | | Well, yes, that is good, but does it have to be called |
| Traditional Feng Shui | | | | Feng Shui? Is this the only discipline that has this |
| This is what has trickled through to the general | | | | goal? In our time and place, the term Feng Shui has |
| population, who were often unschooled, and who | | | | become synonymous with energy flow. How we |
| needed memory aids to remind them of guiding | | | | apply it is as a pale echo of the true power of |
| principles. The strength of the authentic Feng Shui | | | | authentic beginnings. |
| teachings is undoubtedly diluted, because people | | | | |