The Art of the Master.

In the second part of our special investigations into Feng Shui, we speak to Susie Shaw, expert in her field and competent “problem buster” who shares some of the secrets with us that have helped her assist hundreds of businesses in improving their staff operations and overall profitability. The first time I met Susie Shaw I came away from our lunch time discussion struck by her sense of enthusiasm and overwhelming confidence in the principals of her art. A quiet and initially reserved individual, she was soon charming me with her easy going nature and balanced opinions. This wasn’t someone who wanted to force her theories and beliefs down my throat but neither did she want the basic principals of her practice to be misinterpreted.

After all - as she quickly reminded me - the mechanisms of Feng Shui are rooted in history and traditions that stretch back some 6000 years. This was no flighty series of ideas sketched out over a dinner table one evening by a group of imaginative young yuppies. This was a detailed and thoughtful practice which for many people is a way of life, taking years of study and dedication to successfully employ.

I soon realised that just like Feng Shui, there was nothing of the novice about Susie.

The business that Susie runs has been in operation now for over 8 years and has continued to grow at a regular rate since its relatively humble beginnings back in 1996. Throughout this time she has never advertised and relied almost entirely upon word of mouth for publicity. In fact she is a very private person who kindly put some time aside from work on her new book to tell me a little more about the phenomena that has changed her life and one that she feels fortunate enough to be able to share with those around her.

“I used to be a successful city worker. Business brain. Business ethics. Business driven. I participated in the “rat race” along with the millions of other people on the planet, initially content with my lot, although I never really felt I was contributing in a satisfying way to the world around me. However, after a while, a growing sense of dissatisfaction started to seep into my lifestyle that left me feeling drained and somewhat disillusioned.

“At the time I was working in a high tower block that had windows you couldn’t open and a cluttered layout which “spoke” of chaos and confusion whenever you set foot in it. One afternoon I happened upon a seminar in the local paper and decided to go and take a look. Little did I know that the experience would change my whole perception of life. Within a few months I was putting myself forward for any courses that I could find on the subject and travelled extensively abroad in an effort to widen my knowledge of Feng Shui.

“What I found appealing then and still like about Feng Shui today is that it encourages us to take the simplistic approach to space and shy away from the apparent need to “fill it” just for the sake of it. Space allows us to breathe and the more of it we have in our lives, the wider out horizons become.”

Naturally – just like anything in life – too much of a good thing can be just as bad as not enough and there are many cases where people with an enthusiasm for (but not the experience of) Feng Shui have made matters worse.
A director for one prominent British company took it upon himself to have a large fountain built in the grounds of the staff car park after hearing that running water promoted good Feng Shui. Dispensing with any kind of consultation and based simply upon an article he had read in a national newspaper on the subject, he authorised the construction to go ahead. One month after the fountain was erected, two separate accidents were said to have taken place in the car park (the first in some 30 years) and before the year was out, the entire structure was taken down again.

This is a clear example of why consultation with people like Susie Shaw is so important.

“You wouldn’t ask your gardener to perform major heart surgery just because he had first aid experience and then blame modern medicine when something went wrong. In the same way, you can’t dismiss Feng Shui simply because people without much experience attempt to implement it into their lives without firstly taking proper advice”.

There are many facets to Feng Shui (too many to be covered in this article) but one area that does have huge significance is colour. The principals of Feng Shui are associated with a system called the 5 elements. Each colour has a distinct association with a particular energy. Any Feng Shui consultant will generally take this into account when offering his or her recommendations.

“The use of colour in the workplace needs to be carefully considered and used in moderation. If too many colours are present in a room, the eye cannot distinguish one from the other and becomes blinded whilst a distinct absence of colour can create a depressing environment. Finding the right balance is quite an individual thing.

“Although black and blue are often used in businesses and are important in appropriate amounts, too much will diminish energy and cause a lack of clarity. Consequently, it is important to introduce other colours to balance the environment.”

As a brief guide, Susie has provided general pointers regarding the most common colours although it should be remembered that these are only guidelines since tones and individual requirements must also be considered.

Red and orange create intensity and have been shown to increase activity. However, too much can create an air of impatience, general anxiety and lead to violent behaviour.

Violet and purple are more calming colours and can also have the effect of producing drowsy office workers so once again, moderation is required.

Green is a colour associated with early morning and encourages people to become active and create new ideas.

Yellow is thought to stimulate social gatherings and is inspiring.

So you might have your colour scheme sorted, but what about desks. Did you know that in Feng Shui, even the shape of your desk can give a positive spin to your efforts at work?

“A desk that is too large may be impressive but can easily reduce your efficiency whilst a desk that is too small can lead to frustration.

“Rectangular desks are appropriate for commercial businesses where profits are the priority but curved, oval or round desks are much better for creativity and ideas. If you needs are both creative and materially focused then choosing a desk with defined, gentle lines, square edges and soft corners is a much better choice.

“Finally, the surface of your desk should not be too reflective. In general it should convey a feeling of organisation and calm (so be sure to rid yourself of all those annoying little post-it notes!) and it is also unwise to have a mirror placed behind your desk because the belief is that you will double your workload.

In her time offering advice to businesses which have included office based companies, restaurants and shops, Susie has gathered a host of entertaining stories, a couple of which she was only too happy to share with me.

“On one occasion I was called to a 300 year old house from within which a couple were running a Health and Fitness company. The owners believed that their business was doing well, without ever giving spectacular returns but they had read a little about the principals of Feng Shui and thought about getting someone in to give them advice on a new office layout they were considering.

“I accepted their invitation and on our first meeting together at the residence identified a number of improvements that could be made to their working environment. Within a couple of months of my initiatives being put into place, productivity increased, payments from long overdue invoices were settled in full and a considerable number of new contracts were also agreed.”

Admittedly, much of what Susie has to say about this particular example could be put down to common sense changes and tiny tweaks. Improved filing systems would lead to better administration and invoicing and a more open and spacious office could have provided the couple with a clearer sense of their environment. However, this only goes part of the way towards a full explanation and still leaves many questions on the subject unanswered.

“On another occasion I was called to help out the owner of an antiques’ business who had - over a very short period of time – seen her profits drop by 40%. To say she was alarmed would be an understatement. One thing I noticed very quickly was the atmosphere to the interior; an interior dominated by old paintings, dark colours and poor lighting. One example was a portrait of Lady Jane Grey in which she was about to be executed, that literally “overpowered” one wall of the shop.

“Without question the imagery was negative and had a “draining” effect as you entered the premises. The painting was just one of many items that I removed to less conspicuous areas of the shop in an effort to alter its atmosphere.

“Once again I have to report that within a few weeks of things changing, the owner reported an increase in profits that soon exceeded the income she was achieving prior to the 40% downturn.”

Of course there is more to Feng Shui than just profit and many companies approach Susie and similar practitioners to help them with matters that range from unusually high staff sickness to general employee satisfaction.

She also pointed out an interesting fact considering the approach of each gender to the philosophy of the ancient technique.

“Although it might seem an awful generalisation, in my own experience it tends to be women who are much more willing to accept the potential solutions Feng Shui has to offer and men who are the more sceptical. However, once the changes begin to bear fruit – whether it be materially or purely from a social aspect – they soon embrace the whole concept without question.”

Whilst for many people there will always remain an element of scepticism, the number of companies looking to Feng Shui as a means of improving relations with staff and increasing turnover is definitely on the rise.

As Susie said to me at the conclusion of our interview: “If it wasn’t working then more and more people wouldn’t be considering it”.

If you would like to know more about Susie Shaw and the variety of services she offers then she can be contacted via her website which is www.susieshaw.co.uk.