Recently a client called and said fellow church members raised concerns about Feng Shui. Members thought it was a gimmick or witchcraft, and that anything other than prayer was evil.

I went over to discuss it with my clients and appreciated they brought it to my attention (taking an empowering approach). What I suggested is that seeking help outside ourselves is why we’ve been given the gift of reason. Just as we pray for health while seeing a physician, or pray for strength while advising with an attorney… so prayer supplements our actions to make life better.

My intent is not to debate the distinction between religion and spirituality; both rely on faith. And while there are different methods of Feng Shui, it is for the most part considered to be a spiritual (or metaphysical) practice. However, geomancy Feng Shui (also known as classic or traditional Feng Shui) dates back thousands of years and is considered the most scientific approach. It tickles me that it’s thought of as New Age.

While I agree that imaginary money or relationship corners subject credible Feng Shui practitioners to scrutiny, it’s the nature of discovery. Feng Shui is holistic, and a change in one corner (or room) affects all of them.

To date, there is still no conventionally-accepted Western scientific validation for Feng Shui theories and practices, although some studies are underway. One study shows that babies migrate (in a crib) toward their natural sleeping direction, but are trained otherwise. If you have sleep problems, that’s something to explore.

Physicians once believed that bleeding people extracted the illness from the body, and we’re all thankful that education and practice (they do call a medical office a practice) prove otherwise. People are drawn to Feng Shui or they aren’t, and I wish more people practiced ‘do unto others’… accept not judge!