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Background of Feng Shui in western culture |
Feng Shui is a colossal body of knowledge of labyrinthine complexity. Viewed fractally, there are patterns and rhythms that are evident at each facet – the principle of ch’i for instance, the flow of yin and yang, and the five energies. Feng Shui is part of the same family of knowledge that includes Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Shiatsu, Acupuncture, Kung Fu, Tai Ch’i, Macrobiotics, I Ching and Taoism. True practitioners and adherents can easily devote an entire lifetime to the research of a particular segment of a particular discipline. When Feng Shui was first revealed to westerners, initially through the book of the same name by Sarah Rossbach in 1983, it was shown in an overly simplified manner that caught the public imagination. Quickly claimed by the “new age” movement, it seemed to satisfy a hunger for reconnection with the environment. Many saw it as an esoteric form of interior design, while the majority of the public viewed Feng Shui as similar to spell casting for the granting of wishes, where the placement of certain items in certain positions would guarantee good fortune in a particular life area. Many of the charms for these spells include the ubiquitous wind chimes, water fountains, candles, Chinese coins, crystals, Buddha and dragon images and of course, mirrors. Place Psychology takes a common sense approach to Feng Shui. We concentrate on the form school approach, which deals specifically with the immediate impact of the natural and built environment on the occupants of the home, and on the users of and visitors to your workplace. We pay particular attention to your aesthetic requirements and to your practical restrictions. We believe that “truth” can be arrived at from more than one perspective, and we understand that many people find the traditional Chinese approach to Feng Shui a little bit frustrating, when it comes to justifying the decisions and choices that are deemed appropriate. Thus, we like to research more broadly, into disciplines like environmental psychology, ergonomics and bio-electrics, to find supporting evidence to back up our Feng Shui recommendations. We work best with clients who want to improve their homes and work spaces but who may be embarrassed by popular Feng Shui approaches. We pride ourselves on not recommending windchimes.
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Why Feng Shui your home?
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A home should be a haven, a shelter from the storms of life. It is here that your energy is renewed, so that when you go out to fight the next day’s “battles,” your best abilities and strengths are able to come forward. A home should be where the occupants relate kindly and nourishingly towards each other. A home can physically nourish you by creating a stress-free ambience, and provide physical pockets of quiet where you can cultivate your daydreams and goals. The physical layout of a home can strongly influence how people respond to each other, and if not designed well, can actually contribute to conflict and struggle within the household. The placement of furnishings and items can influence whether you feel vulnerable or feel confidently in control. Beware of “stunning” architectural features that may be subliminally threatening to your subconscious. While these features may be intellectually satisfying, they may be sending alarm signals to your survival instincts. This sets of an internal sense of conflict that can throw your judgment off centre. A Place Psychology home consultation identifies and mitigates those features in your home that may be damaging to the harmonious running of your household. We will also identify and recommend ways to enhance features that will help promote the nourishment of the occupants. While we acknowledge that there are many contributing factors to the daily dramas of life, we strongly believe that the home should provide a backdrop for the resolution of many of these stressors.
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Why Feng Shui your workplace?
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Research has actually shown that employees function more productively in pleasant surroundings than in unpleasant ones. Additionally, many office buildings have a “sick building syndrome” where the selections of fabrics, paints, solvents and the profusion of electrical equipment can become a health nightmare for most people, either fairly quickly or in the longer term, when the immune system finally wears down from overuse. At Place Psychology, we use the Integrated Interior Design © approach to our consultations, which means that we make sure that there are no subliminally threatening features in the work environment, plus we look at the electro-stress factors and the effect of synthetic products and chemicals used in the workplace. Finally, we make sure the result is aesthetically pleasing by making sure that our recommendations fit in with your sense of style and preferences.
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Which Feng Shui books do you recommend? |
Many available books on Feng Shui are criticised for simply restating what has already been written. In addition, there are many different “factions” within each school (i.e. Form School and Compass School), and the unwary reader is often confronted with contradictory information from different books, leading to a paralysis of confusion. For the serious student, these books are highly recommended as solid introductory texts to the Form School approach:
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Different approaches to Feng Shui |
Two broad approaches exist – the Form (or Landscape) School and the Compass School. In terms of difficulty and sophistication, the Compass school is the more intricate and complex, and involves many sophisticated measurements and calculations. Compass school measures the effect of energy flowing over time, and can be used in a predictive way. This is the most popular form of Feng Shui in Asia, and is frequently used by the Asian business community. Four Pillars, Flying Stars, and Purple Crepe Astrology are all specialist areas falling under the term of Compass School. Form School Feng Shui is considered quite basic and easy to learn, and is often used in conjunction with Compass School approaches. Place Psychology focuses predominantly on the Form School principles because these are most readily applicable to most households. Form School also has the most direct relevance for design professionals when building or renovating homes and workplaces. |
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