Rating
This book has a whopping thirty-one chapters, and once you're past Chapter 7, each chapter has a brief quiz at the end. This unique format makes an already accessible book even more inviting. The quizzes also aid the reader in focusing on their particular situation. Wydra is unapologetically modern. She knows that modern Western living conditions are often a far cry from ancient China. Her "cures" feel very up-to-date and fitting with any décor. Her writing is clear and concise. For instance, see the list of color qualities on page 102. Here she says, "Black communicates individuality and uniqueness."
Wydra teaches a type of feng shui called Pyramid School. It doesn't appear to differ greatly from traditional entrance-based bagua schools such as Black Sect. She labels the guas slightly differently, but still the essence seems quite the same to me. A gua that is traditionally labeled Children, she labels Descendents. One that is traditionally called Knowledge, she calls Wisdom, etc.
Only occasionally are the drawings somewhat unclear. The drawings of secret arrows don't really show the path of the arrow very clearly (page 134.) On page 63, she says "Stay away from pure yellow inside cupboards or drawers," but doesn't give us a clue as to why.
Wydra is one of the very few writers to explain (on page 57) what happens when the entrance door to a room is directly next to a left or right wall. "If a room is entered on the left, the far left side becomes compromised so that the right-hand side of the room assumes the position of both the power and the relationship areas. Similarly, if the entrance to the room is on the far right, then the far left-hand corner acts as the position for both power and relationship.
On page 242 she says, "Crammed-full cabinets often represent an inability to change." This is valuable information.
Contemporary Books, Lincolnwood, IL, (800)-323-4900, ntcinternational@tribune.com, 0-8092-3168-9, 276 pages, drawings, paperback