June 18, 2021
Feng Shui: Metaphysics or Religion?
Is Feng Shui a Religion?
It is neither Science but is somehow different from Religion either
If we are to look at the basic definitions of what a religion means, Yale University Press pulished an article where Religion is defined as a social-cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual elements.
There is no scholarly consensus on what precisely constitutes a religion.
To discuss this on our Feng Shui Magazine serves to provide a deep dive into Feng Shui from a perspective that many people failed to understand. The following few points would make us understand what Feng Shui is:-
- a) The basic answer is that, Feng Shui is neither religion nor Science. It is an ancient practice. Religion had a lot to do with you believing in it for it to happen, but Feng Shui effects are real regardless of whether you believe in it or not, despite there is a need of some faith to put Feng Shui to use for it to work. Metaphorically, you do not have to believe in an airplane for it to fly, as it will fly anyway, but it takes one to purchase a ticket and board the flight in the first place.
- b) Feng Shui can still be closely linked to religion for the following reasons:-
– There are Yin & Yang philosophies that prioritizes the “middle path” and balance of everything
– There are supernatural elements in Feng Shui due to the concepts of Yin and Yang, and how bad Feng Shui can bring in spirits and evil things, where in these cases, supernatural elements exists and requires the assistant of a competent religious and Feng Shui master to overcome. This element of Good Energies and Bad energies are elements of spiritual power.
Faith, in addition to experience has been considered a source of religious beliefs. Hence Feng Shui is somewhat religious, but its existence and applications is mutually exclusive of whether you believe in it for Feng Shui to works or not; for it works anyway. Just like while some people don’t believe in the supernatural such as ghosts and spirits, but there are many who had experienced it. If the Feng Shui is bad, it will continuously affect one regardless of whether he or she believes in it. Experience leads to Faith eventually. People who knew and experienced real genuine Feng Shui will understand this. Sceptics will then ask, how do you prove Feng Shui? And this brings us to the next topic of discussion.
Can we Prove Feng Shui?
Yes. But it is not so direct. – Master Tham Kuen Wei
Coming from a scholarly and intellectual background, having published technical papers on journals, how do we scientifically prove something in the first place? In Science and Technology, these are proven via publications in journal articles which forms the basis of judgment of a specific community. Experts in Medical journals would review new findings and adopt the “replication” of such experiments to identify the validity and usability of such findings. Yet, asking whether there is such a way as to scientifically prove whether Feng Shui exist, would be like asking a question of how do you prove how deep do you love someone, or how do you prove that human beings are capable of having a “thoughts”. Can you scientifically prove a person is thinking about someone right now? These are a few points to consider. Yet, just because you can’t scientifically prove these, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Just like the academic publishing community, or the religious community who have their holy texts and books, structure and beliefs, Feng Shui is not mutually exclusive to these. For over 4000 years, we had seen the accounts of not just our clients, but people regardless of religion, culture and social class who witnessed real changes in their life due to Feng Shui. The string of cases of these people who witnessed change are part of those would be able to prove the existence of Feng Shui. Writing this article is not meant to make someone believe in Feng Shui, but rather clarify and reaffirm genuine Feng Shui practitioners and users that Feng Shui is very real, and one should not be closed minded to immediately negate the importance of Feng Shui. Feng Shui survives over 4,000 years* (Cambridge, 2004) and had been practiced widely until today. Emerging earlier than most cultural and religious practice, Feng Shui is not a religion, but an ancient practice that had survived and expanded internationally including being implemented by personalities including Donald Trump (Guardian (2005) & New York Times (2005), Hong Kong Billionnaires Li Ka Shing, Tan Sri’ Lim Goh Tong* (The Star, 2008), Tan Sri’ Lee Kim Yew* (The Edge, 2014), Tan Sri’ Francis (The Star, 2017), Tan Sri’ Francis Lau Tuang Nguang (2017), Tan Sri’ Teo Soo Cheng* (The Edge, 2014) or corporations such as Disney, the New York Transportation Authority and Genting Casino Group. As according to The Star, 12th Feb 2017 on an interview with Tan Sri’ Francis Lau, the tycoon of Leong Hup Group Berhad, he said “Although our office is over 20 years old, its feng shui is good. This is why our business can grow from RM100mil to over RM5.5bil. I am happy and comfortable here,” says Francis, the youngest of the Lau brothers. In his home, feng shui elements are dominant. Greeting guests with a clear pool of soft-flowing water in the centre, the broad and bright interior of the house appears to usher in the “chi” or luck through the main entrance. Francis’ wife Puan Sri Wong Kee Choo tells Sunday Star: “This house was renovated according to feng shui principles. There is a sense of harmony and peace. Visitors feel good and comfortable in our home.”
Note: One should decide for him and herself on what Feng Shui is, and shouldn’t judge others for what others believe in or had experienced with Feng Shui. There had been some jokers who without understand Feng Shui, claims it being superstitious. If Feng Shui is superstitious, one can say that all religions in the world are superstitious. Can you prove Karma exist? Can you prove that God exist? For those who aren’t shallow minded and willing to try, you may be surprised to understand how Feng Shui can really help one’s destiny.
