Mr. Tang, an old client, calls for an appointment for his new semi-detached house. I remember his current apartment which I audited almost two years back – the wife and son would fall ill every month or so. Clinic (and hospital) bills hit sky high. Looking at them today, the room change and stove relocation must have done some good. Mrs. Tang whom I remember as thin and frail now has a slight double chin. One year passed also marked the arrival of their second boy.

Feng Shui consulting sounds cool but it isn’t always a bed of roses – there is the occasional sleepless night. Just one day before, the mother of one client had just passed away. When the appointment was made a week before to audit their house, the mother was already 3 months into battling lung cancer, stage 4. Even the client had no choice but to be realistic with what Feng Shui could do. I remember looking at the BaZi chart and seeing wood, metal, metal, metal… I wanted to cross my fingers but then would it have made a difference? The news of her passing did catch me by surprise. But 3 seconds later I decided that the most practical thing to do was to focus on the living. For what else could be done.

Should a diviner be surprised at all? Are we allowed to? I remember my lecturer in counseling psychology say, ‘even counselors are human, no?’ And humans have feelings. But that one drop of emotional bias can ruin your divinatory technique, however high-tech it is. Divination is not only a good party trick, but a lighthouse for information. During one dinner with a few colleagues and fellow students, one of them sought help with the Feng Shui of her penthouse. Reading the hour against the day revealed that the outside of her main door was leaking – which she confirmed right away – and likely the cause of her problems. The ancestor grave of the husband was most likely flooded too, which was why the leak outside the main door kept recurring despite numerous fixes.

A few close friends benefit from my love of divination, and I am as equally delighted to oblige. Like when Ms. S asked, perhaps nonchalant, how much her revised increment would be. The number 3 came to mind, so I said ‘either 30 or 300 bucks’. Both of us decided that a 300 dollar increment on top of the current one would be impossible, so we shrugged it off. But two weeks later we are splurging at a favorite Japanese restaurant to celebrate.

Divination – once you’re ‘in the zone’ everything comes to life! Of course, I can also name you 5 people who are way ahead of me in this department…

Technically I should be feeling quite happy with myself, yet sometimes there are BaZi charts that have me seeing nothing. Blank. Maybe it’s just the annual summer flu. (Well, I hope it is…)

Like all other industries, Feng Shui consulting has its fair share of politics. Furthermore, this is a Fire element industry, which looks attractive and pretty on the outside, but inside everyone is fighting to outshine each other. For example, I was once ‘advised’ to move to another industry. But then I found out that the person who told me this had been telling other consultants the same thing – you’re not cut out for Feng Shui. Well, time will tell… 

Me, I just want to do something I enjoy, make my money, so that I can enjoy nice food with my friends. Other than that, it’s irrelevant to me. On and off, this job can also be quite lonely. So many things – the good, the bad, and the ugly – but no one to talk to. After all aren’t we paid for confidentiality? Or well that could just be me. But what a dilemma it is. And what a long way ahead. But perhaps that’s the good part? I’m too erratic to enjoy stability. I remember when I was 4 I thought to myself – I won’t be able to survive a 9 to 5 job. And many of you work 9 to 9! So this is where my fear of 9 to 5 has gotten me: Feng Shui consulting – and I can’t imagine doing anything else. 

Til next time.