INTRODUCTION

‘What pronunciation is correct’ is one of the most asked questions, and the answer is, “Do you want to speak Mandarin or Cantonese?”

• Mandarin Chinese: fung schway
• Cantonese Chinese: feng shoe-y (almost fen as the “g” is very soft)

Both dialects mean the same thing: feng – wind, shui – water.

This ancient art can be traced back thousands of years. It was a practice of the Bon People, a nomadic tribe, who left Tibet and travelled throughout Asia exchanging colloquial wisdom. By the time they arrived in China, they had left behind what became Vastu in India, and quite possibly, Wabi Saba in Japan. All are different, yet all are based on the same vision – life-enhancing environments.

The Chinese were the first to formalize the practice. Superstition and folklore were (and still are) paramount in China and therefore became infused in the teachings of feng shui.

FENG SHUI TODAY

Feng shui is a guidance to enliven or course-direct health, happiness, prosperity and truly all areas of life. Through colour, furnishings, placement, texture, symbology, earth and nature elements, and much, much more, it is an all-encompassing practice of creating life-enhancing and business-confident, harmonious environments.

Feng shui is not interior decorating – and yet, in the most mundane, simplistic form, it can be. Remedies are anything from rearranging furniture to remodelling to hanging a crystal or wind chime. Remedies are also mystical, ceremonial and, at times, illogical.

The transcendental aspect of feng shui is its true power. Consider this: we can’t see or prove gravity, we can’t see or prove electricity, we can’t see or prove magnetism, yet we do see and can prove the effects and resonance of the power of each. So it is with feng shui.                                                                                                           ^Top

THREE PRIMARY PHASES

• Prevention

• Enhancement

• Cure

CONSULTATION

Each practitioner will incorporate her/his influence, background, knowledge and traditions into their version of feng shui, so it is imperative that you get what you want and what you ask for in a consultation. If you are not comfortable with what you have been told, ask for clarity or an alternate suggestion. You are going to live/work in that space, not the consultant. When you are told an area needs change, it absolutely needs to be changed – that is not in question. It is the ‘how’ that you must be happy with in order to elicit the most benefit.

Scheduling an appointment to have a space feng shuied begins with a brief telephone conversation about the space and the reason for a consultation. The motive can be absolutely anything – fine tuning, correcting a disparity, creating a brand new, 'green' building, or even reversing a detrimental challenge to life.

Once on-site, the session is a minimum two-hour survey and discussion on the personal expressions of décor, architectural features, position of furnishings, objects, etc., both inside and outside. The land itself may offer guidance as well.

The changes, deletions and/or additions are about your comfort level and clarity on what you will initiate. The process and end result are all about you taking on the advice and guidance offered during the consultation. Some shifts may be done in the moment, but the majority are completed over a recommended period of time.

Space clearing is a practice of literally clearing out the energetic imprints of previous occupants by releasing their emotional attachments and cleansing any negative situations that may have occurred. Nearly all native cultures have a version of this – from a priest blessing to incense burning to a housewarming party – as the new occupants want a fresh start in their new space and they are taking steps to increase the positive flow of energy to enhance their new beginning.

When someone occupies a space for any period of time, they naturally leave behind their energy – or energetic imprint if it was a long time or a significant period in their life. Over time, their energy permeates the land, walls, floors, ceilings and even the furnishings. This happens automatically, and it can also be done by laying claim to the object or space.

In other situations, some people are incapable of letting go of the past and in some form or fashion continuously revisit their previous homes or businesses creating a disturbance in the energy. This can be done just by emotionally reliving a situation in their mind, not letting go when they die (sometimes considered haunting), or if three had been an extremely unhealthy situation such as bankruptcy, divorce, abuse.

Additionally, the energy of the home or building maybe stagnant as certain areas or rooms were rarely used. And if someone was extremely ill or incapacitated, they may have ‘used up’ all of the energy in that space leaving it not strong enough to sustain an new occupant or its purposeful use for example stocking fresh food.

• Release inappropriate attachments
• Cleanse and charge the present energy
• Have the new occupants appropriately lay claim to their new surroundings
• Create a partnership with the spiritual entities of the land and nature’s elements
• Establish a New Beginning in this new space, letting go of a personal past

The occupants are invited to participate in the ceremony to gain the most benefit, however, it is not absolutely necessary; positive intent may suffice.the most benefit^Top

DIVINING/DOWSING

This ancient art that has never gone out of practice regardless of the challenges set to dismiss it. It is a valuable tool used extensively in hands-on healing as well as feng shui. Generally done with a Y-shaped or L-shaped twig or rod, or a pendulum, it is used to:

• Detect geopathic stress
• Locate underground streams
• Identify negative and positive properties in previously owned items (houses, antiques, jewellery)
• Discover intolerances to food
• Find missing objects, etc.

The apparatus is used to help amplify the sensitivity to energy shifts and does not change the energetic affects of the area or item. Diving/dowsing is strictly an information gathering process.

There is a genuine interest in knowing about feng shui, and not everyone wants to learn it in detail. Talks are an excellent way to offer the fundamentals of how to use feng shui in daily life, whether it be at home or at work.

Feedback has always been positive and most attendees leave with a new vision of feng shui and its uses. Self-proclaimed "non-believers” have even commented on having a shift in attitude now that they realize feng shui isn’t ‘hippy stuff’!

In-home talks and business presentations offer a comfortable setting for a broad-spectrum introduction:

• A Bit of History/Defining Feng Shui
• Yin & Yang - Chi
• The 5 Elements - Tools
• Energetic Spatial Designation
• The Most Important Cures and Placements
• Q&A on Personal Homes/Offices

Ideas for talks & presentations:

• ‘Work-Life Balance’ seminar
• Family, friends, neighbours gather for a fun afternoon or evening
• Club, Organization meeting speaker
• Event speaker - Seminar or workshop segment presenter
• Estate Sales support tutorial
• Guest lecturer, e.g. interior design schools

Details are discussed to define and tailor the format, information, length, handouts, sales, costs, etc. at the time of booking.

Consider hosting your own fun-filled evening, or support your company’s staff with helpful information to create a calm environment.or support your company’s staff ^Top

• Reading you space to spot imbalances
• Increasing Abundance
• Enhancing Relationships
• Supporting Health and Overall Well-Being
• What to do to correct a disparity, prepare for a sale, buy a new space...

• How to Discover energy leaks and spot energy floods
• How to Create Cures and Remedies specific to your needs
• The Ancient Art of Placement that Enhances and Harmonizes Life
• Practical Solutions to Support You, your Family and/or your Clientele
• Transcendental Cures
• The 5 Elements Theory

• A Site Visit to apply what you have learned in a "real life" situation
• Class Assessment of Your Own Personal/Commercial Floor Plan
• Course Workbook

• Feng Shui Basics - 2-Days
• Feng Shui & Healing - 1-Day (Basics course is a prerequisite)
• Feng Shui to Buy/Sell Your Home - Half day Seminar
• Feng Shui for Estate Sales Agents - 1 Day

Begins with registration, greeting, and a full introduction of Feng Shui history, principals, tools and applications.

Breaks are taken at independent intervals to accommodate the comfort of students and the flow of the course.

Lunch is 1 to 1½ hours, again to accommodate students and course flow.

The afternoon is spent learning applications, remedies and enhancements to a variety of communal, structural, residential and/or commercial environments.

Day 2

The day begins at a home or building for a site walk-through. Students survey each room/area, sighting discourse and discussing appropriate measures to applying basic Feng Shui remedies.

Lunch is generally an hour.

The afternoon is spent reviewing Saturday’s lessons, the walk-through, Q&A, and for those wanting to participate, the class will assess individual students’ floor plans applying Feng Shui principles.