Why statues and amulets don’t help in Feng Shui
A while ago, I heard someone say that she had to hang horseshoes in the West and put a small pot filled with money next to the house’s entrance to stimulate wealth. She asked me if this was right. Well, if you know me a little bit, you know I’m quite spontaneously. But when I hear such things, I freeze.
Really? Did you get that advice? It took her at least a minute to cough up the first sound again. I asked her if she had improved her financial situation since that pot of money. Her answer was no.
Money frogs
I still get the creeps when I see people getting ‘Feng Shui advice’ like placing money frogs, bells above the door and red wallets to get good Feng Shui.
I admit, me too, I started with this ‘New Age’ version of feng shui. Because I didn’t know any better. And because my by then Feng Shui ‘master’ told me that this was feng shui… I believed her.
Chinese Restaurant
My minimalistic flat turned all of a sudden into a Chinese restaurant. Because I wanted more balance and flow in my life. Thus, I made a wealth vase, I bought myself a mini-boat and stuffed it up with goldbars, coins and mini-cristals. An (ugly) money-frog was given a place next to the entrance, a Wu Lu accompanied me beside my bed so as to improve my health, six coins hung from a red cord were stuck at the inside of my bankdocument, six others were lying under my doormat, two pieces of rose quartz in the shape of a heart lay in my relationship corner and were accompanied by two mandarin ducks to attract good luck. The three Gods Fuk Luk Shau were also given a place to bring me more luck and wealth.
And then….nothing happened. The only thing for sure was that I had more work dusting them all off. My flat wasn’t ‘me’ anymore, it had lost my style. And as a highly visually sensitive person I was annoyed by all these visual stimulae. I couldn’t find any rest anymore.
Classical Feng Shui
When my next Feng Shui master told me that I could throw it all away into the dustbin I felt deeply relieved. Instead, he taught me what real Feng Shui was.
He taught me how to recognize and create the Chi-flow, how to read the ‘landscape’ and to study all surrounding factors (such as streets, water, other buildings, lampposts, et cetera) and its effect on my life.
I learned how to analyze in what life-aspects my flat supported me and where not. I learned why some houses can make you happy and why others not. He talked about feng shui formulae and taught me how to read the Luo Pan (Chinese compass) – an essential tool for giving professional feng shui advice. And I learned a great deal more through my further studies in Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Hongkong and India.
More flow in my life
By understanding and using this knowledge, more flow came into my life. I felt a lot better, slept better, had more energy, I understood why some events came (or not) along in my life, I became more conscious, it became clear where I wanted to head to, the right teachers and mentors came in my path, I got more clients. In short, flow came into my life. And this without money pots or money frogs in my home!
Understand the influence of your environment on you
This is exactly what the classical, authentic Feng Shui is about: to understand your surroundings and its influence on you. Plus tapping into the chi-flow in and around your house, so as to let more flow come into your life. None of the classic Feng Shui texts I have studied mentioned any of those statues or lucky symbols…
