(Ooops spelled that wrong)

Ok - I work with a bunch of granola eating, Birkenstock wearing, liberal, Democrat, enviromentalists. (Yeah, I know, scary shit).

They are all freaked out on Feng Shui. They have gone through offices and common spaces and transformed them into what they believe will bring about better energy and aura. They have hung crystals (newage feng shui - nothing to do with traditional), rearranged furniture, bought stuff, thrown out stuff.

I finally spoke up (bad energy, ju ju, or whatever I didn't care) when they said we needed to burn sage (native american cleansing ritual) to cleanse the outgoing Presidents office.

There was a time when I respected these people, intelligent people with masters degrees and doctorates, but I don't know anymore.

They came through my office and said I needed to move my desk to the other wall and face my computer this way that the energy was trapped - I laughed my ass off and told them when I find my ancestral Chinese roots I might listen to them - until then I'm pretty certain my ancestors were Irish and I cant find any thing relating to Feng Shui there...

Here's a couple great sites I found trying to figure out if these people have lost it or not...
http://www.qi-whiz.com/matrix2.html
http://www.skepdic.com/fengshui.html

What are your thoughts?

If it really works for them, fine. However, if it doesn't work for you tell them to hop it, right quick. Meddling fools. Just another case of the seemingly intellingent (them) being swindled by new age hucksters.

I've bought into feng shui although my (Chinese) parents think it's bunk. It's too complicated for me to rearrange anything; I couldn't be bothered, and pros are pricey. Feng shui takes into account (house, office, etc.) direction, i.e., north, south, east, west and lunar birthdays. People who think they know it all from taking a few points from a book have a lot more to learn.

But burning stuff is new to me...BWAHAHAHAA

Anyhoo, on the topic of energy...ever gone into a home where it just didn't feel right? LIke you were uneasy? And other homes...they feels comforting? I think that is energy coming into play.

Yeah when these crackers (I can say that 'cause I'm white... ) started mixing Native American cultures with Ancient Chinese culture with the bastardized Amercanized version of Feng Shui I started to question it...

Alleged masters of Feng Shui are supposed to be able to detect metaphysical energies and give directions for their optimal flow - I can get behind this. But now in America you can take a friggin' online class and become a certified Feng Shui designer... that doesn't sit well with me (and probably not allot of true "Chinese" Feng Shui masters). The fact that they took and Ancient Chinese belief and added stuff and changed things to suite Americans (and website sales, I'm sure) gets my goat.

The one "certified" lady in the office just came through and I started stacking boxes in front of my office door. She asked what I was doing and I said I was blocking all of the energy and chi into my office so it doesn't escape and flow down the hall... she's a good sport and started laughing!

I've never really gotten into it, although I see where it could have its place. But I'm with Amanda on this one...people who read a book <and most likely not even all of it> who then call themselves "experts" annoy the crap out of me.

Yours sound like they're wannabe spiritualists, -=rex=-...yet another group that annoys me. As I read your post, I sat here thinking "PICK SOMETHING". You can't just mishmash all the neat things you've seen on Oprah together and call it Feng Shui, nor can you really expect that to do anything.

My personal feeling is if that's what you want to do in your own personal office, then more power to you. But to move into common areas and tell other people what to do with their own personal space is obnoxious, uncalled-for, and downright rude. Unless you're the owner of the company <which pretty much gives you the "do it my way" right>, keep your decorating taste, whatever that might be, to yourself.

Although if your outgoing President was a bad man, burning some sage might do some good.

Yeah, good call! I forgot to mention that the majority of these Feng Shui enthusiasts also visit a f**king tarot card reader on a semi-regular basis - FDLMAO, damn I wish they would throw some of that cash my way!!!

And again, I find myself thinking... PICK SOMETHING!

Sheesh. And I thought I had a mixture of beliefs...

Well its one thing to practice Feng Shui on yourself, and others willing to follow suit, but when you start going off the hilt and bastardizing what is a very complicated and methodical disicpline, thats when I dust off the bat and start clubbin skulls.

I have studied Feng Shui, not like most new age tree huggers have. My lessons came to me from parctice, and a roommate. Its one thing to see people go tot he book stare get the overpriced "how to" book and say they KNOW Feng Shui. Its another, when you see people live it. My old roommate was that, his family has lived it as long as they can remember. What he has learned was taught to him from his parents, he in turn practiced it in our apartment. God he had field day in living room. Three days of moving shit around, but after a few days of trying it on, it did grow on me. Did it help, hell I dunno, I am just an ignorant American, but the house always did feel a bit more relaxed.

Rex, tell those hippies to get a clue, and get off thier high horses. If that doesn't work I have a Louisville slugger and I am willing to travel.

The whole situation cracks me up. These people have masters degrees? It not that I don't believe it Feng Shui, I have a weird set of beliefs that include energy but that belief exists in a comfortable duality with my belief in science. I would never start walking round my office trying to enforce my beliefs on others.

I would have to say that is unconstitutional and you could sue for infringement on your rights. If we can't have nativity scenes up or stuff like that in our workplaces what gives a company the right to start enforcing Feng Shui.

Beleifs, faith, whatever. It's all the same stuff.

I remember an article, which attempted to debunk some of the "Professionals" by giving them the same space and decor and had them work their craft. If it really is a time proven science then the results should be the same (hell I'd even take similar) for every expert. What they got was 6 completely different results and a few hefty bills.

I cast my vote on the "Junk Science" side of the fence.

i think I'm right behind viper as far as this topic goes

I think it basically has a placebo effect. If you believe in it you will feel better - if you don't believe it's real, you laugh your ass of at the practitioners.

i read one of those wee handbooks one time, i can't say i believe in it but i suppose youse are right about the placebo effect thing