Does Feng Shui clash with my religion?

I do not see any clash between Feng Shui and your faith. You do not need to do anything that your faith or the Church prohibits. You do not need to worship or even recite any mantra. You do not need to follow any rituals.

I have received two mails.

The first is from a Christian lady. Her marriage is on rocks. Her husband is having an affair and may walk out on her any time. Can Feng Shui help? Will it clash with her faith?

The second is from a Muslim who has been following this column closely and wishes to make Feng Shui changes in his house. He has reservations, though, and wants some answers. His question: Idol worshipping is taboo in Islam. Can he incorporate Feng Shui changes in his house without Phoenix, Dragon and other Feng Shui cures?

No clash between religion and Feng Shui

However, Feng Shui doesn' t clash with other religions. I wrote to the Christian lady:

"Dear Angeline, I do not see any clash between Feng Shui and your faith. You do not need to do anything that your faith or the Church prohibits. You do not need to worship or even recite any mantra. You do not need to follow any rituals. In fact, even the most revered Laughing Buddha need not be worshipped. All you need to do is to place it to bring good luck. It is the same for my Feng Shui paintings , the Greedy Dragon of Ambition , the Phoenix, the Apex…or the Turtle, toad and Fuk Luk Sau. Of course, they are deities. There are scores of gods, worshipped by the Chinese. But you do not need to."

Feng Shui may clash with Islam

I have observed over the years that Feng Shui has more to do with the harmony of the elements, directions and colors. A bright bulb or a musical wind chime can trigger any sector. A round mirror, placed at just right spot can work like magic. And elements have always been a part of most of the religions. Also, the harmony between Yin and Yang. However, to the Muslim, I wrote:

"Feng Shui may clash with Islam unless the Feng Shui advice is restricted to directions, elements and colors. This will be incomplete advice." Feng Shui does clash with traditional Islamic beliefs. Though original injunction was not to worship `graven images` which progressed to destruction of icons worshiped by followers of other religions and later restricted displaying any image, portrait, picture, photograph, painting, statues and sculptures in Muslim houses and business places."

All religions mention elements

But not with the Hindus, the Parsi, the Sikhs, the Jains…(Of course, it is not possible for me, or any scholar, to seriously discuss this issue with reference to all the religions on the face of the earth.) The Hindus talk of 5 tattvas, Purush and Prakriti (Masculine and Feminine, Siva and Shakti) and do not see any clash between Hinduism and Feng Shui. In fact, as Vaastu Shastra, Feng Shui is an inevitable part of Hinduism. Fire, a masculine element is balanced by water a feminine element. Hindus worship both each morning with prayers to flowing water and the day's first rays of sunlight.

Zoroastrianism, again, is based on a never-ending battle between good and evil. In their temples they worship Fire. The holy Fire burns eternally. Three thousand years ago the prophet Zoroaster taught his disciples to regard the elements Earth, Fire, and Water as symbols of Ahura Mazda, the supreme Lord of Creation. Parsis do not see any clash between Feng Shui and Zoroastrianism.

Even the Mesopotamian writings dating to about 3000 B.C and even writing in the Babylonian context, elements have figure in a big way. They are called Hudor (water), Gaia (Earth), Hieron "a divine thing", Heile (fire) and Aer (air). The Greek classical elements too are fire, air, water, and earth. These elements were used by Hippocrates in describing the human body with an association with the four elements: phlegm (water), yellow bile (fire), black bile (earth), and blood (air). And of course, in Chinese Taoism there is a similar system, which includes metal and wood but excludes air. Different things in nature are associated with the five types. For example, the five major planets were named after the elements: Venus is metal, Jupiter is wood, Mercury is water, Mars is fire and Saturn is earth. Also the Moon represents Yin, the Sun represents Yang. Yin and Yang and the five elements are recurring themes in the I Ching, which is strongly related to Chinese cosmology and astrology.

The four elements (Fire, Water, Wood and Earth) are also known as the four directions of the compass: North, East, South and West. While Feng Shui is all about the elements and setting right their harmony the figurines, Feng Shui paintings and cures are employed to correct and enhance the impact in different sectors.

So, except for the followers of Islam, I do not see Feng Shui seriously clashing with any faith. Not even if you hang a painting of the Greedy Dragon of Ambition on the wall of your drawing room.

Note: The right of privacy is sacred for me. The names of the people mentioned in the diary are usually changed to protect the identity of my clients. The real names are mentioned with the consent of people mentioned.The picture accompanying the article is only for representational purpose.