He counts Chinese astrology as one of his areas of expertise, but Joey Yap has his feet planted firmly on the ground. The feng shui master, who runs a multi-million dollar consultancy and a training academy, is rational—scientific, even—about his profession and is quick to dispel the false impressions that dog it.
(More businesses, such as the Marina Bay Sands, are designing their buildings in accordance with feng shui principles.)
For one, Yap insists that Classical feng shui, the kind he practices, has nothing to do with where you place your furniture. “Classical feng shui is an art and science very separate from interior design,” he says. “Feng shui deals solely with qi and how it can trigger the right effect to achieve the desired outcome.”
Color, material and interior design choices do not generate or affect qi; only practitioners of the newer, ‘Pop’ strain of feng shui believe they will, Yap says. “No need to purchase expensive ornaments or objects,” he quips.
That more recent take on the art, according to Yap, is especially popular among Westerners. “In the west, the concept of feng shui focuses on the placement of objects in the property,” he says while adding that Classical feng shui has been gaining momentum in the west over the years.
From Home to Office
In Singapore’s cityscape of high-rise apartments, Yap says that certain changes may be limited due to structural or regulatory constraints. However, he alleges that small changes “can often lead to positive results”. If the Time and Man Luck factors are exploited (see below for details), property restrictions are much less significant to maintaining good feng shui.
“Everyone wants a good home to live in, one that has a conducive and comfortable environment,” Yap notes. “And if the environment is conducive feng shui-wise, it can enhance the quality of your life.”
Yap remarks that feng shui is starting to gain currency outside of the home as well. Businesses, too, are starting to design their offices in accordance with feng shui principles. Organisations, he explains, need more than the right kind of people; they need the right environment and culture to be propitious to their success. And that is where feng shui comes in.
Says Yap, “Similar to the home, feng shui in the workplace is designed with the organisation’s mission and short- and long-term objectives in mind. It can also be used to improve or alter the culture and environment of an organisation for the better.”
Feng Shui 101
There are four main factors to consider in feng shui: Environment, Building, Time and Residents.
Environment
The external environment and Landform (hills, mountains and waterways) surrounding the home is the first factor to consider in feng shui because natural features determine the quality of qi of a particular area.
Building
The Building factor refers to the efficacy of the structural design of a building on the property in receiving and retaining positive qi within the property. Yap usually works with architects to better use the space to receive and retain qi.
Time
To better harness positive qi, the Time factor must also be considered. You need to activate qi at the right time in order to benefit from its effects.
Residents
A property’s location and the qi tapped into it must be suitable for its occupants in terms of their goals; this is known as the Residents factor. The feng shui of a property will produce different outcomes for different people.
Cosmic Trinity
Earth Luck and Man Luck are two components that make up the Cosmic Trinity (the third being Heaven Luck). Feng shui constitutes the Earth Luck component while Man Luck refers to the actions and efforts taken by a person to effect change. By combining both components, you can achieve and maintain good feng shui—regardless of the type of property you live in.
Sha Qi
Literally, sha qi refers to “negative qi”, and homes that are not affected by them should be selected. Sha qi is a result of energies being focused by sharp corners, straight lines or narrow gaps, and can be curbed by not having a tree in front of your Main Door or a property right on top of a hill.
BaZi
BaZi, or Chinese astrology, can be applied towards assisting businesses in their human resource management. It can help an organisation hire the right people for the job as well as identify and maximise existing talent.
One Size Fits None
There is never a ‘one size fits all’ technique or approach in feng shui. It all depends on the different environments surrounding the property and no two are the same. Yap enthuses, “That’s why life as a feng shui consultant is never a boring one—I love my job!”
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Related Categories: Feng Shui, Interviews
Tags: classical feng shui, Feng Shui, feng shui for businesses, feng shui for homes, how to consider feng shui when selecting property, iProperty.com, iProperty.com expo, Joey Yap, Joey Yap Consulting Group, Qi
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