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Feng Shui to harmonize
By Ashwin Raman
Published:
Thursday, February 20, 2003
This Friday at the Atwood Theater, students and faculty will get the chance to learn and experience the ancient Chinese philosophy of balance and harmony, otherwise known as Feng Shui.
Certified Feng Shui consultant, Jan Gembol, will conduct this session on Feng Shui at the theater from 12-12:50 p.m.
"Feng Shui looks at the way chi (life energy) is balanced and flowing through one's living environment," Gembol said.
She explained that the life energy (chi) is vital to one's health, happiness and prosperity. According to the Feng Shui Society's Web site, it describes the chi as moving like the wind but often getting trapped and stagnant like water.
The role of a Feng Shui consultant is to release the chi from being trapped and to let it flow freely. Gembol also adds that Feng Shui is quickly finding its way into western culture.
"Five years ago when I first got interested in Feng Shui, there was very little known about it in our country," Gembol said. "Now, almost everyone I meet has at least heard of Feng Shui, (and) many have read a book about it and have begun to practice it in their home or work environment."
Gembol first started practicing this ancient art three years ago in a training program offered by Carole Hyder. Since then, Hyder has begun to run the "Wind and Water School of Feng Shui" which is certified by the state of Minnesota.
The school, however, wasn't certified when Gembol trained there. She then went on to complete her training a year ago and has since become a certified Feng Shui consultant.
Gembol, who works as a counselor at the SCSU Counseling, Career and Academic Support Center, initially went for the training for her own personal use and also to use it in her counseling work with her students.
As for this session on Friday, Gembol says it will focus on the concept of "bagua." The "bagua" is a tool used in Feng Shui and literally means eight sides. It is a map that is used to divide space (a room, a house, a desk or other areas), says Gembol, into nine equal areas.
Each area then corresponds to an aspect of an individual's life, which Gembol explains as one's career, knowledge, family, wealth, fame, partnership, children, helpful people and health.
"When you look at what is going on in each space, you might get an idea of what is going on in the person's life in relation to that aspect and vice versa," Gembol said.
She added that an example would be if someone were single but would like to be in a relationship, it is important to see what kind of energy there is in the partnership area of the person's home and if necessary, some adjustments can be made to balance the energy.
This is not the first time Gembol has conducted a session on campus. She also offered an introductory session last semester which was held in the Voyageur room in Atwood.
"It was very well attended - over 60 people crowded into the Voyageur room," she said.
She also said that feedback about the information was very positive and people started asking for more, which is why the SCSU Health & Wellness committee, who are co-sponsoring the event, wanted her to do another show. She even recalls an event where a psychology professor brought his experimental psychology class and gave them an assignment in which they had to design an experiment that would test the effectiveness of Feng Shui.
"They came up with some very creative and interesting experiments," said Pat Thielman, office manager of the Women's Center and part of the Health and Wellness committee, agrees that the first Feng Shui session was a big success.
"Jan wowed the audience and people were so intrigued by the concept of Feng Shui, that in the evaluation they asked for another session," Theilman said.
She also added that the Voyageur room only provided standing room and so the decision was made to move this upcoming Feng Shui presentation to a larger area to accommodate more people.
There will be no admission fee for the event.
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