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The title of this article will certainly surprise many and stir up some controversy and resentment. But I need a few minutes of your time to explain this conclusion that I have come to. Based on their actions, their books, their websites, and their direct comments to me, I have been completely mystified as to why a whole major segment of the Feng Shui consultant population has no desire to actually practice or even familiarize them selves with traditional Feng Shui! My conclusion comes after nearly two decades of observing this very peculiar mind-set of select practitioners. You would think that anyone who claims to love the concept of Feng Shui and call themselves a consultant in this field, would make it their business to learn as much about the subject as possible. A friend of mine in Australia couldn’t get enough information on her own continent back in the early 1990’s so she made numerous trips to Hong Kong to seek out a number of teachers. That is dedication and commitment! There are many different schools and branches of traditional Feng Shui, such as some which focus on land and the natural environment compared to others which focus on architecture, the built environment. There are schools which focus on the individual and their personal compatibility with their spaces as well. Without getting too technical for the lay person reading this article, there is so much material to study and apply, that a person can spend years learning these theories and applications. I have studied with a half dozen different teachers myself and each school had something unique to offer. And yet, the majority of those who practice the New Age versions of Feng Shui seem to have little interest in delving deeper into this profound and vast body of knowledge. For example, there are New Age schools which don’t even bother using a compass to define the actual orientation of a house or the directional boundaries within a floor plan. The compass is the essential tool of the trade and yet I have heard many bizarre excuses as to why they think the compass is arcane or irrelevant in modern times. The sad truth is that the initial wave of interest in Feng Shui, throughout the western world, was brought to us less than thirty years ago by a person who was not even taken seriously amongst the modern day Feng Shui masters in China. Prior to the Internet, in the early 1990’s practically the only books available in English were a one-size-fits-all approach that was an almost unrecognizable version of Feng Shui, but the unassuming westerner had no idea this was the case. While not appearing initially to be just a marketing gimmick, it certainly became one on a hugely successful level, spawning more and more books and perpetuating more misconceptions. An actual Feng Shui cult was born! Nowadays, not only do we have to wade through all the ancient myths and superstitions, but a whole bunch of new hocus pocus has been added to the heap as well. Fast forward all these years and classical, traditional Feng Shui has actually made some headway. There have been really good teachers and schools established with comprehensive curriculums to offer, both in the United States and other countries. And yet, many of the New Age practitioners refuse to advance their knowledge. They function like a middle school drop-out who doesn’t see the value of higher education because they managed to get a job without it. I know this sounds critical, but my three hour intro students leave class with more traditional Feng Shui theory under their belts than some characters who have written books and who charge hundreds of dollars an hour for their services. You may even wonder if the total amount of information they possess can fill one slim book and you would be correct to assume that there is a lot of extraneous material being published in the name of Feng Shui. With chapters on space clearing and de-cluttering and gemology and meditation, the average consumer ends up not even knowing what they are entitled to receive in a Feng Shui evaluation. The most popular New Age school teaches its adherents that “intention is 90% of the cure.” There is a disproportionate emphasis on meditation and positive thinking and affirmations. As a meditation practitioner myself, I can say: All good stuff-just not Feng Shui; call it something else. In comparison, if I were a surgeon and a local nutrition counselor was trying to pass themselves off as a surgeon, I would be more than offended. I would want to report them to someone. And here is the kicker: when presented with the opportunity and invitation to learn traditional Feng Shui, most of these New Agers claim they can solve all their clients’ problems with meditation or “intentions.” Ironically, (and somewhat hypocritically) they teach their clients prayers and meditations, along with the ritual placement of placebos that are supposed to change the energy of a room (as long as they infuse intention into the object). Well, if 90% of the process is intention, then why bother with any symbolic gestures pretending to be Feng Shui remedies? If one can meditate away their leg pain, then why bother hanging flutes to exposed beams? If it’s all about intention, then why insist your client pay you in a red envelope? Why hang a Ba-gua mirror over your doorway if any danger can be averted through the power of the mind? These are just a few of the Chinese folk remedies that the New Agers prescribe, and yet they seem so reluctant to actually learn about Five Element Theory which pervades all of Chinese metaphysics as well as Chinese medicine. Just call yourself a meditation teacher or a Positive Thinking Coach and drop the Feng Shui label. This reminds me of someone I once knew who ate junk food, but prayed over his meal before eating it, pretending this was going to transform the sugar and fat with some special healing qualities after consumption. All I can say is that we live in a three dimensional world, very few people can transcend it, and there is both beauty and wonder in living within the principles of this earthly existence. In fact, even within the realm of meditation practices, we pay attention to both time and space, like traditional Feng Shui. For example, many meditations are to be started on the full moon or new moon and done for 40 consecutive days for optimal results. Meditating in the morning yields a different result than in the evening. And meditating on an empty stomach is more conducive than right after a meal. Should we ignore our bodies, our natural cycles and the cycles of time and nature? Of course not! Even in meditation practice, it’s not a free-for-all; there are guidelines for a reason. There are some interesting parallels between Feng Shui and meditation and they can be practiced in a complementary way, of course. One approach works from the inside out and the other works from the outside in. Working with the laws of nature, not in spite of them, is the real practice of Feng Shui. And so, I can only conclude that many New Age practitioners don’t really believe in the power and usefulness of authentic Feng Shui since so few of them continue their studies. They become defensive at the suggestion that there is more for them to learn and almost react as if their religion is being attacked. Unlike the days of old when the teachings were guarded secrets and one had to be chosen by their teacher to be deemed worthy of instruction, there is no excuse now. There is so much information readily available to anyone who wants to learn, if they were only interested. Kartar Diamond has studied Feng Shui extensively since 1992, with voluminous case study experience from thousands of clients. For more information regarding Kartar's credentials and the services she offers, go to www.FengShuiSolutions.net Kartar Diamond is also the author of Feng Shui for Skeptics: Real Solutions Without Superstition, The Feng Shui Matrix: Another Way to Inherit the Earth and The Feng Shui Continuum: A Blueprint for Balanced Living
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feng shui, New Age Schools, placebos, Black Hat School, BTB School, traditional Feng Shui, compass, time and direction, folk remedies, Form School,
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