Feng shui, which means wind and water, may be new to the Stutzmans, but the ancient art has been practiced since at least the fourth century B.C. It is a mixture of the mystical and the practical; a belief that powerful earth forces affect your life, and that by moving your desk, for example, you can be more properly aligned with them. Its age-old principles fit in nicely with New Age tenets. And when you throw in multicultural awareness and hard times, it’s no mystery why feng shui (pronounced “fung shway”) is increasingly popular here. To San Francisco feng shui guru Steven Post, who has seen interest grow from a “trickle to a torrent,” the assumption that people are affected by their surroundings is common sense. He says that van Gogh’s painting of his bedroom at Arles, for example, is a classic portrait of bad feng shui. “The bed is right next to the door, so you’re always wondering who is coming in.”
But for all feng shui’s promised powers to enhance their oneness with the universe, many people seek out feng shui experts to enhance their bottom line. When Wai-Lin Wong, a managing director of Hong Kong-based Peregrine Brokerage Inc., opened the firm’s New York branch earlier this year, she wanted to give herself a competitive edge. She hired New Yorker Sarah Rossbach, author of two books on feng shui, to survey the office. Rossbach told Wong to place the computer equipment, which transmits trading orders, in the far left of the office. That’s the wealth corner. Decoration is also important. A red painting promotes fame; a black silk print should help bring in money. Wong says the firm’s sales have been on target. “Feng shui enhances the working environment, which makes for a better team and … better business,” Wong says.
American companies are exploring the ancient way, too. A Motorola office in Phoenix, Ariz., features two waterfalls at the entrance thanks to the advice of the manager of its Asian-Pacific computer-chip company. Waterfalls are a traditional feng shui fix; they help bring money and create positive chi the life force.
Good chi isn’t cheap, though. Both Post and Rossbach charge $500 for a personal consultation, for example, and corporate clients can pay thousands more. But before doling out the fee for harmony, check the practitioner’s education and references. a history of charlatanism," Rossbach says. “That’s always a problem when something becomes trendy.” Post’s Geomancy Education Organization helps administer an accreditation program for practitioners, which he hopes will bring higher standards to the field.
Of course, there may be some forces that equal that of feng shui. When superagent Michael Ovitz, head of Los Angeles’s Creative Artists Agency, broke ground on his new headquarters, he brought in feng shui luminary Lin Yun of Berkeley, Calif., to anoint the site. Ovitz, however, did not follow Lin’s advice to install a waterfall and he’s had nothing but prosperity ever since. That either means feng shui is not all powerful, or Mike Ovitz is.
