Clear Englebert

Water—”Feng” (pronounced “fung”) is the Chinese word for wind and “Shui” (pronounced “shway”) means water. The moving wind is a form of energy, or “chi.” Water is a source of life and symbolizes abundance. Feng shui instructs us how to maximize the flow of prosperity, harmony, and health. Its roots go back six thousand years, but the general principles can be applied to modern situations.

Feng shui is the Chinese art of placement—where a building is placed within the landscape and how objects are placed within the building. According to feng shui principles, everything in and around the house creates or directs the flow of energy (chi)—from the slippers outside the door to the position of the beds, each item should be chosen and placed with care. 

Feng shui is a way of manipulating energy by the conscious placement of objects in our environment. The objects we control send out messages about how we would like our lives to work. Those messages are going out whether we intend them or not. Feng shui gives us a way to send the messages we want to send.

No, feng shui is not a religion. Clear considers feng shui “an art, like decorating…it may not be classified as a science in the modern sense, but it teaches us to consciously notice where our attention is being drawn and what symbols are around us. This is a cross-cultural belief.”

Clear follows the Form School, which he feels is best adapted for the West. Form School, sometimes called Landform, is the oldest kind of feng shui. It is distinct from Compass School feng shui, which uses astrology and numerology.

Not at all! While feng shui can help bring good fortune to you, it’s not about “luck.” Feng shui is about directing the flow of energy around you through the use of the objects around you. Energy is attention; when we pay attention and curate our space with intent, we can draw positive attention (energy) to us or reduce or eliminate negative energy, whether that is in the area of love, money, career, or any other aspect of your life. 

No. While mirrors and tassels may have applicable uses in feng shui remedies suggested by Clear, he specializes in offering multiple methods of improving the home’s energy in instances where aesthetics may be of primary concern to the homeowner, or for renters who may not have the freedom to paint or affix items to the walls or ceilings. Clear does not believe in using items that you do not understand or feel at home with.

Absolutely! Two kinds of solutions exist for feng shui problems: real ones and symbolic ones. Real solutions physically fix the problem and change the situation. When real solutions are impractical, symbolic solutions, ones that simply symbolize a change, can be very effective when properly implemented.

Feng shui is a language of symbols, and over the years of practice, I have devised many creative solutions that do not require breaking down walls or making other large-scale physical changes to the space. Instead, I recommend using objects placed strategically to effect change.