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Do you believe in magic or luck? No? Okay, maybe we should rephrase. Do you believe in Feng Shui?
Living in Malaysia with a sizeable Chinese ethnic community; you are likely not a stranger to the idea of this concept. Comments like "Your house's Feng Shui is not good!" or "Your bed should be facing the East for luck!" might be some that you've heard before in conversations.
Commonly discussed or brought up near Chinese New Year; this 'living' concept or philosophy has been embraced by many to help improve their home and surrounding for a better... Feng Shui. Benefits include better harmony as well as well-being overall in your home.
Wait, What is Feng Shui?
By definition according to many sources; Feng Shui, also known as "Chinese Geomancy", is a traditional practice as well as the art of arranging (or relocating) furniture, buildings and space so that your home can achieve a sense of balance.
Literally, translating to "Wind & Water", Feng Shui has its roots in Taoism with the end goal to create a good environment. Feng Shui is commonly followed by homeowners as well as business tycoons in order to allow luck, prosperity and peace in their living and working space. In fact, according to followers of the practice, using Feng Shui to improve their homes helps to balance the positive (yin) and negative (yang) energies, commonly referred to as 'Chi'.
For many who seek to improve the flow of Chi or balance it in their spaces, Feng Shui experts may suggest adding a piece of ornament or item (usually relating to the Chinese elements: Wood, Water, Fire, Earth and Metal) in their space. Depending on what an individual wants to focus on at a point in their life, a colour co-related to the 5 elements is suggested to be added.
Whenever applicable, items are also usually suggested to be more strategically placed, and best to be moved away from the door or windows as Chi is believed to be able to enter and exit through these openings too.
Why Do Some People Believe in Feng Shui
Aside from trying to boost the look and energy of their surrounding space, those who practice Feng Shui believe that when used right, it does bring overall auspicious energies to the area. This doesn't just apply to an individual's home but also influences them in their career and relationships.
For example, many locations such as cemeteries and shopping malls in Malaysia have been believed to have taken the advice of a Feng Shui master regarding when and where to strategically place them.
Remember that the other known name of Feng Shui is "Chinese Geomancy", hence it is plausible why many have consulted Feng Shui masters for advice on positioning and constructing their business projects. After all, Feng Shui masters are those who have studied this philosophy and how it works. To many, Feng Shui brings a balanced state of mind.
In fact, when it comes to businesses, the usual benefits that owners can reap from Feng Shui are "more customers, less volatile numbers and a smooth-sailing journey" in their endeavours.
And you know what? Especially in Asian projects be it in Malaysia or China; buildings and projects with Feng Shui applied have been prosperous thus far.
Why Do Some People Not Believe in Feng Shui
Simply put, Feng Shui is essentially a way of understanding placements for items and objects. The goal is to balance the 'positives' and 'negatives' of an area.
However, many have questioned Feng Shui on its reliability to improve life. After all, change starts within an individual and is not to be blamed on external factors.
For example, have you had a stagnant career journey? Hard-core 'believers' or superstitious relatives may advise you to apply Feng Shui in your home (read: rearranging your furniture). If you're someone who tends to be less spiritual and does not read between the lines, the thought of applying Feng Shui rules to your home does sound absurd.
Perhaps it's also the way that people, who follow its practices, carry themselves. Maybe in some people's eyes, Feng Shui is believed and practised blindly without reading more into it. Especially for those who have taken their first piece of advice on Feng Shui might have gotten into this scenario:
"I feel unlucky this year."
"Maybe it's because your home's Feng Shui isn't good."
".... what?"
It's understandable to feel as if you're being preached to follow a "philosophy" that seems "brainwashing" without logic explained. At the same time, it feels illogical to follow a philosophy without understanding its root.
Simply put; it's easy to mock something that you don't understand.
In truth, if you break it down in a simpler sense and look past all of Feng Shui's fancy jargon; the practice actually aims to help improve your interior space so that you would enjoy living in it, which does contribute to elevating your mood.
Not only that; Feng Shui also looks into where a building should be placed. For example, you wouldn't add a cemetery beside a shopping mall as it'll feel eerie for mall-goers. Or, you wouldn't want to add a stove near a door as this would potentially obstruct anyone using the doorway while you cook.
Advice on Feng Shui moving forward
Our stance on Feng Shui is neutral. However, we will help to draw a line here.
Followers of Feng Shui, there's nothing wrong with using Feng Shui to improve your home. As an outsider looking from a more logical perspective, Feng Shui is really just a way to help balance our home's interior so that our living quarters feel more livable, thus improving our mood and mental state overall.
But perhaps we should also make sure we understand how Feng Shui helps logically before we preach it to others, thus saving our energy from trying to explain something we can't understand fully.
And to those of us who mock Feng Shui too easily; maybe from this article today, we get to understand a little more about the roots of Feng Shui. As an ancient philosophy; there's definitely a reason why Feng Shui remains popular, respected and still practised after a thousand years.