Feb 9-11, 2007
Our senses inform us of the elements of place. Feng shui enlightens our relationship to space and our constant need for harmony with our environment. What we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch communicates either vitality and calm or discord and chaos. Many people naturally drawn to feng shui have been distracted by fashion, style, or irrelevant aspects of interior design. Though fascinating and popular, these current trends and magical charms are not likely to satisfy our sense of balance or negate powerful environmental hazards.
To make effective changes that endure the test of time, we must understand our homes as vital organisms—living mirrors of our own bodies—made up of interconnected cells, organs and systems that breathe, contract, expand and pulse vitality through our every day lives. Both health and disease are mirrored in our environments; every aspect of our dwellings supports or diminishes our vitality and wellbeing.
This workshop will explore the correlation between feng shui and our overall physical and mental health. We will look closely at the relationships between our environments and cancer, autoimmune disease, depression, and chronic fatigue, as well as between our environments and tranquility, expansiveness, creativity, and joy.
Specific examples of house and room shapes and furniture styles will be seen from the perspectives of the Five Transformations, the theoretical foundation for all Chinese thought used widely in acupuncture, herbal medicine, and geomancy. A deeper understanding of each area of our homes will ensure that both beginners and practitioners will gain invaluable perspectives that can help us create peaceful, healthy homes. Guests are invited to bring pictures and designs of their own spaces so that we can learn from real-life situations.
William Spear, returning to Rowe for his fifth visit, has long been regarded as a most personable and accessible teacher of spiritual studies and human potential. His first book, Feng Shui Made Easy, published in 1996, is now in its twelfth printing and has been translated into fourteen languages. Bill’s warmth, humor, insight, and practical experience make him an ideal teacher for this unique course. He is the founder and director of the Fortunate Blessings Foundation, a non-profit, global relief agency active in Southeast Asia.
“Feng Shui Made Easy is the most user-friendly book on the subject.”
—The New York Times
“Spear is the feng shui man in the West.”
—Hugh Pearman, architectural editor of The Times, London.
“William Spear’s teachings are juicy, not dry.”
—Luisa de Castro