A Letter Advocating for the True Knowledge of Feng Shui

I recently read an article that has a Feng Shui title. This article, like most out there in the Internet superhighway, left me feeling defeated and disappointed.

It seems, these days, we use the term “Feng Shui” so loosely on everything: Feng Shui Your Wallet, Feng Shui Your Wardrobe, Feng Shui Your Belly, that the true derivation of this beautiful, ancient art has completely lost its depth.

Instead of associating this knowledge as a lifestyle enhancement that sheds light to what is happening in our homes, Feng Shui has become a sort of new age gimmick, leaving many people confused and misguided.

The titles are definitely catchy, I’ll give you that. But these so-called Feng Shui “tips” are far from alignment from the authentic practice.

For those, like me, who have dedicated and devoted their work to Feng Shui (and I refuse to label it “Classical” or “Western” in this post), feel disheartened that this discipline has been boiled down to simply turning on your light bulbs, picking up your shoes, de-cluttering your closet, painting your front door red, sweeping your floors, or buying a Chinese money frog statute (to be honest, I find them quite unattractive and have never, in practice, recommended a frog as a cure or enhancement to my clients).

It is no wonder people are so confused about what Feng Shui really is.

In my opinion, the confusion stems from the use of the Internet – the accessibility and ease in spreading incorrect information, especially when authored by someone who is not qualified.

Yes, I have no doubt we all want to reach happiness. It is a goal us humans naturally want to achieve. We want to be happy, healthy, prosperous, and successful. And we may do whatever it takes to get us there, including using symbols and affirmations to remind us of our life goals. But writing articles, like this one, to promote feel-good agendas and calling it Feng Shui is not only outright incorrect, but it’s cheating. And to me, it disrespects the integrity of this ancient wisdom.

Don’t you think this 5,000 year-old practice is more than just putting the toilet lid down?

If you are ever curious about Feng Shui, the first step is to recognize that this knowledge can be traced back to the time of a man named Fu Xi when Chinese Cosmology was first recorded around 4500 BC. He is said to have either invented or expanded the Trigrams and the Early Heaven Bagua Arrangement, which is closely tied to the concept of Yin and Yang and the Chinese Five Elements — the Theory of Everything. With this as our foundation, we have the Chinese Five Elements as the framework to help us facilitate the workings of Qi in our environment and in our bodies (like you would in Traditional Chinese Medicine).
If you can at least appreciate that as the starting point, then I challenge you to look at these articles with a grain of salt and ask yourself: Is Feng Shui that superficial?

I promise you, it is not. On the other hand, it is a beautiful discipline that is a mixture of science, Chinese philosophy, astronomy, cosmology, and art.

I am fortunate to have an incredible Feng Shui teacher who mentors and helps me navigate through all areas of the discipline in Chinese Metaphysics. Through his teachings and my tutorship with Grand Master Raymond Lo, it has taught me that Feng Shui is definitely a lot more complicated and sophisticated than what most people believe it to be.

I don’t claim to be an expert. And I have made mistakes. But I have done my own independent research, studies, and due diligence to come to a firm conclusion that “New Age” Feng Shui is not Feng Shui at all.

But how do we get people to understand, appreciate, and embrace Feng Shui properly?

The key is: Education.

I represent the Raymond Lo School of Feng Shui & Destiny in the US. And that honor comes with a great responsibility to teach and uphold the integrity and backbone of this tradition. And so, I have seen firsthand how my students – from all walks of life – have come to make a commitment to learn Feng Shui properly, and finish the first step of their training with a new set of eyes and a deep appreciation, truly humbled and inspired by this knowledge.

So no, this article I’m addressing about is NOT Feng Shui. It’s only an article written to get volume and online traffic because it’s easy and it’s what everybody wants to hear. It is not genuine Feng Shui knowledge. And as I continue to work with clients and students that look to me and the school for guidance, it is my responsibility to do the right thing. And that is to always start with sharing the facts and foundation of Feng Shui.

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.” – Albert Einstein