What is feng shui?
Is feng shui an ancient wisdom of environmental design? Is feng shui a Chinese cultural tradition or simply, a new-age phenomenon? Another important question is: Does feng shui have universal value?
Most people define feng shui based on their own exposure and understanding to the subject, whether they obtain it from books, the internet, feng shui teachers or through a school. Due to the vast variety of information on the subject, it is inevitable that the difference of opinions on feng shui surface. Even in China, throughout its long history, there has never been a shortage of debates between the pro and anti feng shui camps. Therefore, it is not surprising, that the same debate and arguments continue today in the West.
First, it is crucial to establish a common base defining the term feng shui. Only then, can we begin to have a meaningful discussion on feng shui. If there is no common agreement on the term, there is no basis for an argument.
I define the essence of feng shui as “the philosophy, science and art of environment design”. I strongly encourage all, to read the page “What is feng shui?” on the Blue Mountain Feng Shui Website. The basis of this blog is to share feng shui knowledge and further our understanding. Those who do not and cannot see feng shui as a universal concept might need to expand their knowledge of feng shui or open their hearts to widen their vision.
The second half of April, I was in Kiev, Ukraine for a 10-days visit, giving two levels of feng shui workshops. During this period, some students took me to visit a museum in a small village called Trypillia, 50 km south of Kiev, where Trypillian culture (5508-2750 BC) was first discovered in the year 1897. The museum was modest in size but the collections it housed were amazingly impressive. It was difficult to imagine that people in 7500-4750 years back in history could create such beautiful designs of pottery and vases, of which many included images of animals. As I was the only visitor, the old caretaker of the museum, full of warm energy, patiently explained the history and significance of the culture and artifacts. One interesting aspect about the culture in the Trypillian tradition was that approximately every 60 to 80 years, they would burn their cities down and relocate to a new place for reasons that still puzzle archaeologists. Toward the end of my visit, my attention was heightened when he mentioned that most of Trypillian settlements (cities) were on the right side (view from facing downstream) of the big Dnipro River. For those who are into feng shui, it’s an interesting point: Classical Chinese feng shui text stated that “land on the right-hand side of river was more auspicious”. Here we find the same pattern in Trypillian culture dating back 7500 years, on the opposite of side of the planet from China. True feng shui concepts are universal. As a matter of fact, if you take a look at the large cities in the world, with rivers running through the city, it will either sit on the right-side of river or the initial development of the city began on the right side of the river. In the traditional Form School feng shui teaching, there is a clear and good explanation for this. Here, I post it as a challenge to those who have studied feng shui for the explanation. Please send in your comments!
A good friend from St. Simons Island, Georgia, asked if there is a good way to help sell her house. She is anxious to move back to the NW and the fact her house is still on the market has bogged her down. With the current difficult climate in real estate, many people must also be anxious to find a way to sell their house quickly. Traditionally, for a new house, a builder or realtor will rent furniture or employ a staging service, allowing the buyer to visualize how they will live there. But both are costly options. To enhance the house in the information and energy levels, the least expensive way is by using living indoor plants; place an abundant number of plants in the house. If there are people still living in the house while on the market, it is advised to keep the house tidy and clean, and naturally, living plants will help too. However, there is another power and a hardly being recognized way to speed up the process of the sale. I told this charming lady to treat the house humanly—to say farewell to the house: “I love you, and thank you for accommodating me for all these years until now. I know you will be in good hands after I depart”. Is this idea too new-age for you? It doesn’t hurt to try. It might surprise you.
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