Cathy Levy meets Muswell Hill ‘life doctor’ and feng shui consultant, Kenny D’Cruz and then waits for her first million and a house in the South of France.

Feng shui may no longer be this season’s buzz word but considering it’s been around for the past four thousand years, its longevity might suggest it’s going to hang around a little while longer. True, its profile may not be as visible now as it was in the late eighties through the mid-nineties, but feng shui has deep roots and a serious following to prove it’s no fad. In fact, this ancient art is still very much utilised by an increasing number of businesses, families and individuals who all employ feng shui consultants to work their magic and all swear by their results.

Kenny D’Cruz, a Muswell Hill resident, has worked as an international feng shui consultant for the past ten years, during which time he’s attracted a lot of attention. Television production companies are currently courting him for a ‘Life Doctor’ style series. Forget ‘Changing Rooms’, this is changing lives. “My clients want results, not prettiness,” he says when we meet in his bright and welcoming home.

To newcomers (myself included), the idea of moving furniture in order to mae you rich, or fall in love, seems a little hard to swallow. But Kenny assures me there is a science behind the jargon and you simply have to trust it. “Feng shui is like acupuncture with meridian lines. The two arts come from the same place and are just translated and expressed in different ways through life.” The key is to be able to understand this “code of life” he explains. Certainly worth a try. But as I discover, it’s not just about adding plants and crystals, or moving your sofa around. First, Kenny takes his clients through an in-depth discovery sessions (be prepared for some revealing, thought-provoking conversations) and only when he has a full picture of you, does the work truly begin.

Our conversation is peppered with snatches of his own life – how he came over to the UK in 1972, as a refugee from Uganda with a story that reads like something from an espionage thriller – it’s a dangerous beginning for a young boy, but Kenny is philosophical. In fact, he comes across as someone who knows an awful lot about life. He exudes warmth and compassion, clearly believing this is his purpose in life – helping people to find their own paths, their own direction.

So, having just moved house, I decide to give Kenny a go and invite him round for a consultation. He begins by preparing a personal profile for me based on the Chinese, Western and Nine Star Ki (feng shui) astrological charts. It’s ridiculously accurate, so that’s a good start. Sat on the floor in front of me, Kenny then begins the discovery session, asking me all sorts of delving questions from the kind of pregnancy my mother endured (was it easy of difficult?) to what exactly are my inner-most hopes and dreams. We talk for an hour or so about the key moments, infused with nuggets of wisdom from Kenny. It’s all very therapeutic, like talking to a doctor or counsellor, although he stresses that this is not his role and discourages dependency from clients. When he first tells me this, it sounds strange and unlikely, but afterwards I understand why. Kenny takes time to listen and provides support and advice that for many people is simply not available in their lives. However – and this is the crucial point – rather than making their decisions for them, Kenny believes in empowering his clients, so they feel capable to do so themselves.

Later, I talk to a couple of these clients and hear stories of businesses taking off, marriage proposals being accepted and fractious relationship turning sweet. So how is this all achieved, you ask? “By putting you in the driving seat of your life,” he says. Once he’s amassed all that information about you, he takes you through your home, room by room, discussing structure, colour, element, design and the placement of furniture, art, mirrors, plants and so on. “I consider the energy of the space, including electro-magnetic and earth energies, resolving past personal and environmental tension, promoting good health and abundant energy.” The best, bit, he says, is when after the consultations and work is done, he then throws away the notes he’s made about you. “Because it’s no longer who you are. As of now, your life has changed.”

The ideas he proffers for my flat are excellent and if crystals and water features arent’t your thing, he’ll work with you to suit your own style. But for Kenny, the feng shui is only part of the package. As well as being a holistic counsellor, a dowser and energetic healer, he is also a Reiki practitioner and a writer too. he’s recently completed what is hope will be a very important book, based on his own experiences about men growing up from boys, the world they face and the things they can and can’t talk about.

As for my feng shui experience, I’m still moving in an decorating, so no revolutionary changes to report just yet. A few minor hitches in the new flat though, have meant that Kenny’s offered to come back for a spot of ‘space clearing’ (ringing bells, sprinkling water and getting rid of bad energy). It’s a whole new world for me, but I, for one won’t be laughing when I get the keys to my new French villa.