As a contributor of Feng Shui articles to a number of e-zines and on-line forums, I also get sent articles written by others on this topic. I have to admit to being shocked at the kinds of things that are being written and the poor quality of information being published. Frankly, much of it is an embarrassment to me as a serious Feng Shui practitioner.

Now, before you assume that I am writing this just to promote my own articles or to put down other authors, please take a moment and hear me out. I have dedicated over thirty years of my life to educating the public about this natural science and I am known amongst many as a consultant who has had the courage to expose many of the myths and superstitions that abound in this greatly misunderstood predictive art. I have even had individuals tell me to my face that they were “making stuff up” in regards to Feng Shui.

Websites which publish any kind of article are not able to vouch for the accuracy of the information, so it is really a “Buyer Beware” mentality that must be maintained by readers looking for quality information. Within the world of Feng Shui Schools and styles, there are many different theories and approaches. I am not interested in policing the web for the content of every article, but I would like to help the general public regarding what to look for and how to spot a “fake” Feng Shui article.

It seems that there are quite a few authors who are not even Feng Shui consultants, and who have little or no training in this field. For example, one man wrote an article about how important it is to keep windows clean for good Feng Shui. This is, of course, common sense and not a revelation into the mysteries of how energy flows. And at the end of his article, we see that this author has a window washing business, so he is really just out to create another angle in marketing his window washing business. I see this all too often: people writing about some service, trinket or knick-knack that they are selling on the internet and hoping to bring some special attention to it by claiming it is a Feng Shui remedy.

I suppose if I were in the business of selling refrigerators, I could claim that these make wonderful “metal” remedies for the home. Yes, it’s as bad and blatant as that. And then of course there are all the relationship coaches, who don’t know anything about Feng Shui, but they are willing to tell you that you can spice up your love life with some hokey, romance placebo, always directing you to their website and services for something entirely different.

Here are just a few quick tips to help you spot a Fake Feng Shui article:

• Author is not a Feng Shui practitioner.
• Author is attempting to sell you something, more than deliver information.
• Author makes bold general statements about what is good or bad Feng Shui, which cannot possibly apply to every home or business.
• Author tells you these techniques are “so easy, even a child can do it.” (The reason this is a red flag is because Feng Shui is actually rather complex and serious practitioners study for years.)

• Author tries to convince you that you can apply the theories meant for living spaces to such things as your car, your wardrobe, your hairstyle, your business logo, or things that have nothing to do with architecture, interiors or landscapes.

How to recognize an article that might give you some good information:

• Author practices traditional Feng Shui, which takes into account the orientation of the building and the timing of when it was built. (This is often stated in the article).
• Author is not trying to sell you stuff.

• Author is cautious about making claims of what works and what doesn’t work.
• Author gives specific examples. For instance, beware of a simple statement such as “a North facing house is unlucky.” This is too general to be true. But if the author stated, “A North facing house that was built between 1984-2004 could cause the occupants legal problems” that is an example of combining timing and direction.

• Author dispenses specifics regarding time, direction, birth dates, and natural cycles. In fact, there are some good technical articles being posted by authors who know how to combine Chinese Astrology with Feng Shui.

This is just a smattering of telltale signs for separating fact from fiction. If you ever read an article and wonder if the information in it is accurate or not, you can certainly contact me for some feedback. I have studied many branches of Feng Shui and I know what works, what doesn’t work and what is clearly outside the scope of this practice.

Author: Kartar Diamond
Company: Feng Shui Solutions ®
From the Myths and Misinformation Blog Series