belief | Spirituality Blog

By Juliana Abram

In our modern world, concern for the natural environment has been escalating on a global scale. Most people are now aware of the problems associated with the different type of wastes disposal, the greenhouse effect, depletion of the ozone layer, the dilemmas created for our wildlife due to the felling of our old forests and the dumping ground our oceans have become. It is becoming more widely accepted that should this assault on our environment continue then it will at the very least, compromise life as we know it and also undermine our attempts to improve conditions for the millions of other people ravaged by war, poverty, hunger and illness.

Whilst individuals and various cultures have varying attitudes toward the natural environment, more people are becoming aware of the importance of re-evaluating the way in which we view nature and in so doing, how we’re going to deal with it.

I was at a function recently and during one conversation I was stunned that the view espoused was that humanity was separate to nature. Also, that science can determine all aspects of nature having the ability, through scientific evaluation to predict and manipulate the environment with little or no consequential impact should science desire this to be the case.

Science generally encourages the belief that its current explanations of nature are the absolute truth. Western science is considered to describe physical reality with absolute precision – as a result, the ancient and traditional theories of other cultures such as Feng Shui, is ridiculed as being merely superstition. An authentic Feng Shui consultant encourages an attitude of respect and caution towards nature and would never make recommendations based on superstitious beliefs. As I’ve mentioned before – Feng Shui came about as the result of lengthy and committed study of nature by the Chinese.

Feng Shui has traditionally played the role of fine tuning the relationship between humanity and nature by allowing environmental modification only if it was considered to not disrupt natural balances and harmonies. Feng Shui encompasses the assessment of water courses to a given environment, soil stability and fertility, vegetation, aspect, animal life etc… It was a joy to work with a young couple recently that shared this view – wanting to build on 80 acres and showing due respect for the environment by taking extreme care with the placement of the home ensuring the most minimal change to the environment.

In Feng Shui, the environment is considered to be a highly intricate living whole and includes humanity. All parts of this whole are inherently connected and the balances between them are delicate to say the least, consequently harmony between all elements of nature must be protected. In Feng Shui the fundamental attitudes towards nature are respect and caution recognising that an interpretation/analysis of the natural forces at play within a given environment may change over time and in view of any new evidence. With all this in mind Feng Shui may be able to give us insight, possibly even solutions, to the environmental problems we are experiencing both at home and on a global scale.

About the Author: Juliana Abram is one of the leading Feng Shui consultants in Australia having been traditionally trained in Hong Kong by Chinese Feng Shui Master Raymond Lo. Juliana specialises in ‘Flying Star’ Feng Shui and the Four Pillars of destiny. Juliana runs her own Feng Shui consultancy ( see http://www.fengshuicentre.com.au ) and her own online Feng Shui store ( see http://www.fengshuishop.com.au ).

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Excerpt from: Feng Shui And The Environment

By Charles Chang

Feng Shui (pronounced as “fung schway”) literally translated means “wind and water.” It is an ancient Chinese art and science of placement and arranging objects and space within the environment so as to achieve harmony and balance. The object is promote and nurture the flow of good Chi (pronounced “chee”,) which is a Chinese word similar to “energy” in English.

Feng Shui is not simply a decorating style. In fact, it is a discipline with rules and guidelines that can be adapted to fit with many different decorating styles. Truly it is a belief system which combines many different religious, geographical, astrological, mathematical, and philosophical ideas, as well as aesthetic values.

The origins of the term Feng Shui have been said to come from the Jin Dynasty (265-420.) In the Burial Book written by Guo Pu, Chi rides the wind and stops at the boundary created by the water. Ancient Chinese believed in manipulating the Chi so that it was directed with purpose and not wasted. Since this art and science was based on the wind and water, the term Feng Shui was born.

Today, it is a widely held belief that all Feng Shui books were burned during the Qin dynasty (221 BC – 206 BC.) One of the most authoritative works on the subject was written by Huang Shi Gong and given to Zhang Liang during the latter part of the Qin dynasty. Later, in the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907,) Yang Yun Song and his disciples wrote several books on the subject. Those particular works are the most authoritative work used by all Feng Shui schools. Unfortunately, the books were very cryptic and used knowledge largely passed down through the oral tradition.

Feng Shui is also believed to be intuitive and derivable from our own common sense and our sense of what is natural in our environment. Eitel, a German Missionary in China in the latter half of the 19th century, wrote in his work, Feng-Shui, Or, The Rudiments Of Natural Science In China(1873), that the origin of Feng Shui is a belief system that is unique to the writings of Chu His and other writers from the Song dynasty (1126-1278.) Chu His is more well known for influencing Confucianism, and while his writings and commentaries may have become the foundation for Feng Shui, Feng Shui’s roots truly go back as far as original Chinese Philosophy.

By the mid 19th century, Feng Shui had become such a part of life that the Chinese government published all the materials necessary for use in the practice of Feng Shui. In fact, as English speaking settlers came to China in the mid 19th century, they had a difficult time adapting to the way of Feng Shui. Much like modern day contractors have to conform to building codes and other community rules and regulations, the English settlers had difficulties in construction and renovation because their design ideas did not conform to the Feng Shui principles, and were therefore rejected.

Further early introduction of Feng Shui to westerners did not go well either. When foreigners wanted to purchase land, and those foreigners were not welcome, they would be directed to land that did not lend itself to good Feng Shui. Early western writings on the subject of Feng Shui were equally as unkind. In 1885, one author wrote that “if any one wishes to see what a howling wilderness of erratic dogmatism the human mind can arrive, when speculation usurps the place of science, and theories are reverenced equally with facts, let him endeavour to fathom even the elementary principles of that abyss of insane vagaries, the science of Feng-Shui.”

Over the last few decades, many English books have been published on the topic of Feng Shui. They usually focus on interior design, decorating, architecture, or landscape design. Reception from English audiences has often been skeptical, particularly towards the use of crystals, wind chimes, fountains, and mirrored balls. Claims that Feng Shui can improve one’s life, finances, and relationships are dismissed by some as mythology and new age mysticism. Still, others in the west have adapted Feng Shui to their own lives and report overwhelming positive benefits.

About the Author: Charles Chang is a Feng Shui enthusiast and author. He enjoys helping others with feng shui tips through his articles and website. Visit http://www.feng-shui-pro.com for more information.

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Read more here: A Brief History Of Feng Shui