In 2008, during the economic crisis, my family had no money for enough food. We had to share a single bowl of oatmeal.
I opened up to a friend. I was crying as I asked why some people seemed to have better opportunities when I worked just as hard, sometimes harder. I felt they had been born into circumstances that made success easier. Why was my family still struggling?
That was when she introduced me to Feng Shui. I wanted to understand what I could change in our lives.
I tried statues, lucky colors, lucky numbers, bracelets, and gemstones. If something promised luck, I was willing to try it. None of those things gave me the change I was looking for.
For a time, I sold lucky charms and gemstones too.
In February 2013, SunStar reported on our shop, Judith Jade Gemstones and Designs, at Parkmall in Mandaue City. We sold bracelets, necklaces, and other gemstone pieces alongside birth-chart readings. I believed those objects could help improve a person's luck. Read the original report.
I kept studying. As I learned from masters with deeper knowledge, my understanding of Feng Shui began to change. I started paying closer attention to how they studied a place: the land around it, its direction, and the positions of its entrance and rooms.
I came to understand Feng Shui through Qi, the traditional Chinese concept of energy. I believe that energy flows around and within us. That belief became the basis of my work.
I eventually stopped selling lucky charms and gemstones. I no longer believed they could do what I had expected of them. I needed the advice I gave to reflect what I had learned.
What I examine during a property assessment
When I assess a property today, I study its surroundings, direction, entrance, and layout through the methods I have learned.
The land outside matters to the assessment. I look at nearby roads, water, slopes, and buildings. Inside, I examine where people sleep, work, and cook. A floor plan helps me see how the rooms connect. Measurements and photographs help me understand what a recommendation would require.
Before you buy an object for luck
Ask the seller what the object is supposed to do and what supports that claim. If a claim concerns money, ask what would count as evidence that the object caused a change in income. Keep that question separate from liking its appearance or wanting it as a personal reminder.
You can enjoy a bracelet because you like wearing it. You can keep a gift because someone you love gave it to you. Those reasons are clear without a promise about future earnings.
I once sold objects because I believed they could help. I changed my practice when that belief changed. Anyone paying for my advice deserves to understand what I believe today and the reasons behind each recommendation.
Master JudithBaZi and classical Feng Shui consultant, author, and speaker. Read my story