Focusing on Feng Shui phenomenon in Indonesia

Focusing on Feng Shui phenomenon in Indonesia

By Mauro Rahardjo

BANDUNG (JP): For almost a decade, Feng Shui has been
extensively known across Indonesia. Indonesian people have
recently become aware of this ancient practice, and perceptions
of Feng Shui varies.

This article describes Feng Shui from my point of view after
many years of professional Feng Shui consultation and
architectural design based on Feng Shui.

It should be understood that the perception among the people
has not stopped at what Feng Shui is. Furthermore, a conflicting
attitude has arisen between those who can accept Feng Shui and
those who are against it.

When a discussion on Feng Shui begins, someone may frown at it
while others are pleased. Some would love to discuss it for hours
while others may suggest stopping such nonsense talk. Most
conflicting attitudes among the people arise from two possible
reasons: religious belief and of rationality.

Some people defend their attitudes against Feng Shui based on
their religious belief; they view Feng Shui as mystical advice
and believe Feng Shui masters act against God's will.

However, those who accept Feng Shui do not consider it affects
their faith in God. Feng Shui is just a phenomenon which is
globally widespread, and there is no worry about it.

In 1995, the church at Bojong invited me to talk on Feng Shui.
The tickets were sold-out and over 300 people seemed so anxious
to know what it was about. Later the meeting had been reported in
the Catholic magazine, Hidup. Among the interesting topics that
we discussed was whether believing in Feng Shui would betray
their belief in Christ. I realized the audience already had a
preconception that Feng Shui was a kind of religion, and that
explained why such question arose.

When answering such a question one must be careful, since it
is a sensitive matter. In one of the seminars, for instance, one
of my colleagues, Synolog Udin, mentioned that a house near a
mosque would be inauspicious. To my amazement, the audience, who
asked the question, suddenly stood up, voicing disagreement and
left the seminar. It is a very sensitive issue. When religious
belief was invited, a conflict could not be avoided.

On another occasion, when I was invited among Christian youths
where a Protestant priest was present; we discussed about belief
in Feng Shui. In conclusion, I found out that the objection of
these people was merely because they were thinking that Feng Shui
was only intended for becoming rich; and such thinking would be
immoral (?) and or against God's teachings.

Classical science

In spite of all the arguments, to me, Feng Shui is not
religion; it is a classical science, which may still be very
popular at this time because empirical evidence has strengthened
its existence. It was very hard to convince people that Feng Shui
is merely a science -- just like economics, sociology and other
human sciences, except that Feng Shui's interest are mixed among
astronomy, geography, architecture, and psychology.

Those who accept Feng Shui are not bothered whether Feng Shui
was mischievous or not. Life is easy going and they would not be
disturbed by such a phenomenon. For them, they speak with Feng
Shui master(s) or read articles and books on Feng Shui in order
to broaden their knowledge. Believers use this knowledge to
enhance their activities by applying Feng Shui principles and
philosophy in daily life.

Writings and publications on Feng Shui in Indonesia are
beginning to emerge in the past decade. Most of these
publications are in the form of serial articles in tabloids (such
as Bintang, Aura) and the daily newspaper (Business Indonesia)
presents Feng Shui in one corner. Recently, weekly magazines like
Femina, Cosmopolitan, and others also produce bonuses on Feng
Shui in the form of booklets. It must be mentioned, however, that
such writings have no authors and seems only translated from here
and there. Unfortunately, this has made the quality and
reliability of the writings questionable.

Gramedia, one of the biggest publishers in Indonesia, has
extensively published translated books on Feng Shui; particularly
those written by Malaysian, Lillian Too. Many writers also join
in, among others, Kang Hong Kian and Siao Sien Sien are the most
prolific authors who write every year on business matters and
coping with the year round. Others include Mas Dian from Semarang
and Suhu Bingo.

The contents of those Feng Shui books in Indonesian may be
placed in two categories. First, the one which deals with Feng
Shui principles, history and philosophy that forms the basic
science on Feng Shui and another which deals with some fortune-
telling.

Books on Feng Shui published in Indonesians may be influenced
by writings in English, which in ten years has already numbered
over 300 titles. Among so many books; there have been many
complaints among the readers. It is because no single Feng Shui
book is complete and most of all, because the contents are
confusing. Sometimes what has been written about some rules are
conflicting. Unfortunately these contradictions are found in the
same book.

Architecture

One result of such publications has been conflicts among
couples wanting to make alterations on their houses, quarreling
over the interpretation of the writings.

Architects' clients are those who want services from
architects in designing their buildings to comply with Feng Shui
rules. Since architects are not experts in Feng Shui, the clients
normally consult a Feng Shui master to check whether the
architect's design has fulfilled some Feng Shui requirements.

It is no wonder that when the architect's clients demand Feng
Shui to be considered in a project or building design, many
architects make a fuss.

Feng Shui is new to most architects -- Feng Shui is not taught
in schools of architecture while to immediately understand Feng
Shui is not possible.

It should be understood that such a decision by the clients
might only come after some arduous work on the part of the
architects. Just before the design is to be followed in
construction, the clients generally ask architects whether the
design is not against Feng Shui. As a result, architects consult
Feng Shui experts to find out the answers. In many cases, the
Feng Shui masters have different ideas, not in agreement with the
design. Designers were stuffed with "another" design idea and
more often they were compelled to make changes to the plan.

Amendment to design drafts which are nearly finished is not
easy for the designers to accept, not only due to the incurring
works that should be done for refining, but also because it may
involve changing design ideas and concepts that have been put
into the project.

On the other hand, the idea of incorporating Feng Shui in
design may only come to the clients' mind when it is too late.
So when the client communicated the idea, the designers are
stunned almost like stricken by an electric shock -- they
suddenly realize that most works that were already done are not
right and most work had to go and was wasted.

For architects, Feng Shui's principles are quite demanding
with many intricate rules to remember. This can be true when the
term is coined to Feng Shui's rules, which amount to over 600
points if collected altogether. Architects may find that the
situation will not be easy to include Feng Shui concept into the
design process. Some prefer to invite a Master of Feng Shui only
in later design stage.

Research and studies on Feng Shui are needed to have a good
understanding of the subject. There is no worry for Feng Shui
principles to be incorporated in the homes and offices as long as
Feng Shui followers change their attitudes toward a positive
stance in order to produce a successful and harmonious life.

The writer is director of Feng Shui School Indonesia.