By S. Danyelle Knight

If you watch television, listen to the radio or occasionally browse the aisles of your local bookstore, chances are you know of Feng Shui, though it may be difficult to grasp its application to your home. It is somewhat less likely that you have heard of Feng Shui’s distant cousin, Vastu, an Indian variation on the theme of environmental psychology that emanates from the ancient Vedic traditions. Whether or not you shrug off the exotic-sounding concepts or consider the ancient arts of placement worthy of delving deeper depends upon who you are, where you are and how much you’ve read up on the subject.

Truth is, Feng Shui has been given a bad rap by bogus coffeetable books, do-it-yourself practitioners and self-proclaimed gurus who may have good intentions, but who are not peddling the best information. The real deal requires no silly incantations, magical cures or incense-burning. Instead, the 2 related, oft-misunderstood sciences have at their core a simple, collective common sense shared by cultures the world over.

“It’s like the difference between the National Inquirer and the Washington Post,” says San Diego Feng Shui consultant Cathleen McCandless on the topic of quasi-Feng Shui consultants versus authentic masters. A former primary schoolteacher and scientific research consultant with the Smithsonian, USC and UC Berkeley, she is now “...on a quest to get the correct information out to the public about what Feng Shui really entails.”

McCandless has practiced traditional, compass-method Feng Shui for more than 12 years, a system that relies upon exacting calculations using a Chinese compass or Lo Pan. “It’s a beautiful, complicated system and it takes many years to master,” she says.

In addition to the need for rigorous study and adherence to ancient practice, McCandless also believes a primal intelligence undergirds the science of Feng Shui, making it accessible to everyone from Donald Trump to Donald next door.

Using the science

“People are practicing Feng Shui even if they don’t know it,” she says, illustrating her point with a simple scenario of dining at a restaurant. “If given the choice, people will generally choose to seat themselves so they are facing out into the space rather than putting their backs to the door.” Who would want to miss catching the server’s eye when she sashays through with the dessert cart?

In all seriousness, sitting, standing or sleeping with your back to the door was not just inconvenient during the days when Feng Shui emerged, it was potentially dangerous. If you were an emperor who didn’t “watch his back,” it was unlikely you would live long enough to have a dynasty named after you. So, what Feng Shui prescribes as unlucky, never sit or sleep with your back to the door, is not based upon superstition, but practical wisdom that ensured survival.

The Chinese words Feng Shui (pronounced “fong shway” in Mandarin) stand for wind and water, 2 of the 5 elements the science seeks to harmonize in order to bring about the positive flow of life energy or “chi.” Similarly, Vastu centers on correctly positioning sky, earth, water, fire and wind to achieve balance in physical structures. “Feng Shui is really the study of the environment and how it affects people,” says McCandless.

In India, city planners and architects bow to the recommendations of Vastu. The Chinese won’t buy a home or a business without consulting a Feng Shui practitioner. Here in the U.S., we may have been slow to come around to the notion of aligning our lives with the laws of nature, but money talks. From Donald Trump and Donna Karen to Merrill Lynch and Citibank, corporate America is taking Feng Shui to the bank.

“Big business is using Feng Shui because it works,” says McCandless, whose clientele includes Nike Corp., Loews Luxury Hotels and UC San Diego. Residential clients across the country seem equally convinced that Feng Shui works wonders, and according to McCandless, her clients are affluent, highly educated men and women who do not suffer fools gladly.

McCandless insists, “What I’m doing makes sense and it’s practical.” Many Southern California homeowners agree and have hired consultants to create habitats that are positively influencing their careers, finances and relationships. Homebuilders are doing the same, particularly in markets in which Asians are the majority buyers.

Feng Shui is one of the hottest home-design crazes in the Southland, with plenty of money to be made for those in the know.

Be aware

Though you may be considering an Eastern idea, don’t lose your Western pragmatism and good sense. Select a consultant the same way you would choose a plumber or architect: someone with good communication skills, a foundation in traditional Feng Shui and years of experience. Also, insist on at least 3 referrals before deciding.

H&O

S. Danyelle Knight is a regular contributor to Southern California Home and Outdoor Magazine.

SIDEBAR

Feng Shui beliefs

Faulty plumbing drains away your finances

Floating out there in the universe is the notion that open bathroom doors, sinks and toilets threaten to flush your finances down the drain. In reality, the only way this could happen is if you disposed of your paycheck in the toilet. So what’s the fact behind the fiction? Few home-maintenance issues are as destructive to your home and as costly to repair as faulty plumbing. If you ignore plumbing problems, you risk expensive-to-reverse damage to flooring, drywall and furnishings, as well as the potential for developing mold.

A crystal will not change your life

Crystals and wind chimes, mirrors and red paint have become popularized panaceas for a range of household ills. The goal of Feng Shui is to create a haven of comfort and relaxation unique to you and your family, not to follow fads or design trends. If the sound of wind chimes soothes you to sleep and red is your favorite color, then incorporating these elements into your home makes sense. According to McCandless, one of Feng Shui’s fundamental principles is to “live with what you love.” The rest: health, wealth and happiness, is sure to follow.

Sticky doors bring bad luck

It sounds like superstition, but few would doubt that household annoyances wear on our sanity. The daily aggravation over a sticky door or creaking floor, a leaky faucet or an uneven, front walkway creates unnecessary frustration which you pass on to your children, your spouse and the household cat. Resolve to correct these daily pitfalls, and it’s likely your luck around the house will improve.

Cathleen McCandless is a highly respected Feng Shui consultant, speaker, and teacher. Cathleen's clientele includes Nike, Intel, Honeywell, and Loews Corporation. She has been featured in publications such as Vogue Magazine, the New York Times and San Diego Home and Garden Magazine to name a few. Cathleen is available for residential, business, and industrial consultations, as well as lectures, workshops, and classes.