Over the past two or three years Feng Shui has been much publicised, some would say hyped. Can it really change people’s lives or is it just a bunch of celebs shifting their furniture around? Kenny D’Cruz is a Feng Shui consultant and offered to provide a brief introduction for N16 readers:

Feng Shui can put you into the driving seat of your life, with the best of natural luck and creative power behind you. Areas of stress are released and life areas you may wish to change are stimulated, creating health, wealth and happiness for all involved. It is like external acupuncture, gently stimulating your environmental meridian lines, rather than those of your physical body.

Based on the ancient Chinese I-Ching, the placement of furniture, art, mirrors, colour, natural things such as plants, water, crystals and light are used to harmonise the energy flow in our homes and workplaces, and thus the different areas of our lives. Your own style can be enhanced, marking use of your favourite things, without turning your environment into an Oriental bazaar.

You can stimulate your wealth, relationships, career / life path, creativity, projects, or any other area in your life. First, your consultant may re-balance the past, setting you free from any parts of your history, belief systems and life expectations that no longer serve you. Your environmental changes irrespective of magnitude, will help you live in a re-written present, as the old passes and the new brings out the best in you, towards a future of abundance and dreams come true.

We decided to present Kenny with a challenge. Cath and Lisa share a house in Watermint Quay. We asked him to visit them and do his best. Lisa reports:

Cath and I have lived in the same house for a couple of years and have known each other since college. Both of us have fairly hectic lives, with work taking up far too much of our precious social time. We both have quite stressful jobs; Cath works for a busy Housing Association and I am a microbiologist at a local hospital.

After several glasses of wine, Tim’s (N16 editor) passing remark about roping in some unsuspecting victims (sorry, volunteers) for an article on Feng Shui seemed like an incredibly good idea. In the cold light of Saturday morning, we felt apprehensive and, frankly, scared, as we awaited the Feng Shui experience. In strolled a laid back Kenny D’Cruz, into whose hands we’d placed our humble lifestyles.

After a brief tour of the house we spoke separately to Kenny in our own rooms. His amiable nature made it extremely easy to discuss our past, present and aspirations for the future; the good, the bad and the ugly! Very therapeutic! Kenny had brought our profiles with him. Based on Chinese horoscopes and our elemental signs, they were uncannily accurate as the only information he had about either of us was our first names and dates of birth.

Kenny’s business partner, Kris, arrived later and they managed to transform our living room from an unattended dumping ground for dead plants and oall manner of junk, into a cosy place that has a far more together feel to it. The kitchen, hallway, bathroom and even the toilet were rearranged in some way to help us to achieve our goals of spending more time together as a household. This should aid our creativity – and boost our financial situation.

Cath didn’t have time to stick around while Kenny and Kris rearranged her room but was given a comprehensive list of suggestions which she may read and act upon – if she slows down long enough! The lack of space in this room also made it difficult to alter anything with three people in there!

My room is larger than Cath’s and I was able to spend longer trying to sort my life (and room) out. Following our earlier discussion, the first thing to go was the solitary chair that dominated the relationship area of my room – that explains a lot! This was replaced by a low table with pairs of items placed on it to promote togetherness and stability.

After some other pieces of furniture had been shifted around, the room definitely had a different feel to it. Whether coincidental or not, I have certainly slept more soundly since the layout of mirrors, lights and shelves has been altered. Now all that remains to be seen is what effect this will have on my embarrassingly unfortunate love life. Watch this space…

Whether Feng Shui really is just a New Age fad or not, we really can’t say. Kenny approached the whole thing with such a sense of humour and a complete common-sense approach, that both of us found ourselves wondering if the concept was so far fetched after all.