The course that the Feng Shui market has taken is really interesting. I find that many students are confused and could not get results after attending many courses from various schools. It made me wanting to find out possible reasons why despite the fact they know but why keeping the same direction.
Taking the automotive industry for example, Diamler Benz has invented the electric car as early as 1963 capable of 85km per day while Honda had already a solution for hybrid in the 70’s.
Why these innovations are only seen in the millennium when the oil crisis has been a known factor for decades? The answer is because markets can be manipulated!
The reason is that in many governments, people with vested interests in oil & hence the status quo in bringing out these innovations.
In the same, the world of Feng Shui is no different. We see the mushrooming of courses and consultants because few celeb masters have decided to introduce this to the masses. Some have even decided to group up and form Feng Shui Bodies conferring to members title of Masters and Grand Masters.
I see similarities in both situations.If you look deeper, the human nature should be examined. It is usually very difficult to change habits or believe system from within. Our systems will always keep doing what we have been doing all these while is usually stronger. Social psychologist Robert Cialdini calls this as “commitment & consistency”, and believes that we are driven to remain consistent with our past decisions and actions, even when they are obviously wrong.
Another influencing factor is ‘social proof’, which refers to the safety in numbers and how we are influence by others. It simply means if what majority is doing and been doing all for long time then the resistance to change is going to be strong. Being collectively wrong is safer than being individually wrong.
I give one example, every schools practises 8 pie or 9 grid method of reading a house because the source of knowledge and mis intepretation is from the same sources he book by Shen Zhu Ren. Along the way each master or author with their innovative mind decides to lean towards 8 pie or 9 grid depending on the idosyncrocity of each individual. Some will take the middle path and say internal of the house use 9 grid while external use 8 pie method.
What ever it is both methods are flawed due to the misinterpretation from the classics especially this verse “qi comes from 8 directions”. The correct method is Compartment.
Recently, a Feng Shui student said that you need a solid back to support us, something I do not agree because this is what majority says and believe but look at billionaires offices, do they have a solid wall or window behind?
Feng Shui is Not Science and for a foreseeable future it won’t be either though some would like to “scientify” feng shui to make it more appealing especially to western readers. So it cannot be conducted like a university where somebody reads from books and practise a few years then finally bestow on himself Master so and so. Later they form a body and awards fellow member the title of Grand Master!
So readers, if you are serious about this subject it is time to be aware & be right than to be comfortable wrong among the plenty.
Feng Shui Consultant Malaysia 