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Why I Practice Contemporary Western Feng Shui
by Stephanie Roberts

Traditional Chinese feng shui is based on compass directions. Based on gender and year of birth, each person has 4 "lucky" and 4 "unlucky" directions. Best choices for dwelling and furniture placement are determined based on these directions.

Another traditional practice is the "Flying Stars", which can be described as astrology of the home. A chart of "stars" or numbers is defined based on year of construction and facing direction. Some number combinations are good, some unlucky. Feng shui "cures" use the five elements to counteract, defuse, or correct unlucky star combinations. These star combinations change annually, and for the truly anal, monthly influences can be looked at as well.

While these methods have many centuries of practice behind them, they are also layered with superstitions that are meaningless to a western practitioner. The reason the number "4" is considered unlucky as a house number, for example, has to do with Chinese language synonyms. The idea that the kitchen is best placed in the south part of the home has its origins in a particular geographic location; this advice does not hold true for many other locations around the globe. (I live in a hot, dry location in Hawaii, and the last thing I want to have in the southern area of my home is a kitchen!).

If you are building a new house to spec, it makes sense to fine-tune facing direction and room location according to the compass. Most of us are not so lucky, and have to find ways to improve our situation in an existing residence. Which is where problems arise.

For example, placing your bed or desk so you sleep or work facing a "lucky" direction, without considering other influences, may result in awful feng shui within the room. These guidelines developed in a patriarchal culture; when you have two primary wage-earners in the home, whose lucky directions don't match, what do you do? (In ancient China, mismatched lucky directions wouldn't be a problem, because your spouse would have been chosen for you based on his/her astrology.)

Flying Star charts require a very precise and accurate compass reading, as well as discernment that in some cases the "facing direction" is NOT the same as the front door. If you don't know when your home was built, whether or not major renovations were ever done, or can't get an accurate compass reading (very common in city apartments), the Flying Star method is simply not available to you. And good luck figuring out what to do if you live in the Southern Hemisphere!: there's raging debate on whether to follow the classical arrangement of the stars or flip everything around backwards if you're "down under."

Contemporary Western feng shui (including, but not limited to the "Black Sect" method popular here in the US) is my umbrella term of choice for the modern versions of feng shui. This very accessible and flexible approach in many cases is better suited to a western audience and lifestyle.

Although it does not use the compass directions, instead placing the ba gua according to the location of the front door, it has a very solid foundation in ancient "form" school principles. Contemporary western feng shui focuses on creating a nourishing flow of "chi" (life force energy) through the home, and correcting intangible factors such as "predecessor chi". It puts strong emphasis on the client's intentions for change and growth, recognizing that we are powerfully connected to our environment on a quantum level.

Non-traditional "cures" are welcomed, so clients can choose feng shui accessories that suit their taste and the style of their decor, rather than using oriental objects and symbols (tortoises, bamboo flutes, etc.) that have no cultural significance for that user. Black Sect practitioners often recommend Buddhist meditations and rituals to accompany feng shui; I like to use these as a starting point for creating personalized meditations and rituals specific to my clients' situations and personality.

I don't believe one system is intrinsically better than the other, but they are different. I value the traditional practices, and incorporate them when I can. In addition to "flying stars", I often will look at the ba gua from both a front-door and a compass view, looking for areas of conflict or overlap that can be adjusted or made use of. I believe it is important to recognize the potential limitations of traditional practices, so that more flexible methods can be used if necessary or appropriate.

At the risk of sounding politically incorrect, I suggest we recognize also that traditional Chinese culture has a reverence for the voice of a "master" that our western self-help society doesn't share. Most western clients want to be active participants in the feng shui process, rather than simply being told what the traditional prescribed solution is. While money, romance, and health are perennial top issues, many clients today are also seeking feng shui help for "modern" concerns such as depression, stress, self-esteem, and uncertainty about their life path, all of which are can be addressed by the contemporary feng shui practices.

In spite of my deep respect for the traditional practice, I do have a strong personal preference for the flexibility and client-focused approach of contemporary western feng shui, which allows for a greater degree of collaboration and personalization.

I am greatly saddened by the negative attitudes of many traditional practitioners who insist that contemporary feng shui is a "fake" practice used by "charlatans" who are just out to make money from a gullible and uneducated public. We practitioners of the western styles of feng shui are guided by a sincere desire to assist our clients in achieving greater success and happiness in their lives. We practice the contemporary methods because we believe in their value and because we have experienced their power and effectiveness first-hand. Many of us have backgrounds in the helping professions, and recognize the value of adding client-centered feng shui to other treatment modalities.

At its best, contemporary western feng shui becomes a path for personal growth and self-transformation. It is a valuable tool in the quest for self-actualization and a deeper connection to Spirit. Yes, it is a different practice in many ways from the classical Chinese compass-oriented feng shui. Times have changed, and feng shui is changing, too. I, for one, see nothing wrong with that.

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To learn more of the feng shui principles I practice, order your copy of Fast Feng Shui: 9 Simple Principles for Transforming Your Life by Energizing Your Home today!

Copyright © 2002 by Stephanie Roberts

For more feng shui tips and information, visit http://www.fastfengshui.com. Permission is granted to reprint or circulate this article with the condition that both the copyright notice and this paragraph are included in their entirety, and that www.fastfengshui.com is cited as the original source.

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