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There are times my friends asked me: If a person wants
to learn
fengshui ("FS"), should he learn under a tutor or by studying on
his own?
I usually answer this way: It depends on why they want to learn
fengshui. Generally the reasons are as follows:
-
They are interested in metaphysics and want to know more;
- They want to learn it so that they can have proper placement at
home;
- They want to use it to help others;
- They want to make a living with the skill.
If they are only interested in fengshui, and want to know more, then
there is no need to get a tutor. Especially when it is one's nature
to know more about this mystical topic. In this case, one only needs
to read related books. Then it can become a topic of conversation
during leisure times.
If they want to do some placement at home, then reading books alone
is not sufficient. This is similar to reading a lot of medical books.
Of course, one will come to possess some medical knowledge. However,
reading a lot of medical books only means one has a level of
understanding of medicine. It does not necessary mean one is has a
high level of medical skill, and can become a doctor. In this
analogy, one needs a distinguished teacher. Only then one can
transform the high level of medical knowledge to high levels of
medical skill and apply it to a patient.
There is a Chinese saying, "A long-time patient can become a good
doctor." There is some truths in this. But the real meaning is: due
to frequent illness and frequent visits to a doctor, one will know
one's own body better. One will know how to take care of oneself
and keep in good health. When one is sick, one may know which part of
the body is sick, and find a way to cure it. All this is focused
treatment for the individual and cannot be used to treat others.
The same principles apply to fengshui. If someone just wants to know
how to renovate his house, then he needs to consult a competent
teacher. First, he needs to know the likes and dislikes (in term of
fengshui) for all the family members. He can make a complete
fengshui placement, and operate by focusing on his family. Then, even
if they move to another place, he may still have know how to make his
choice.
But if one wants to study for the purpose of application, so that
they can help others, or seek a living out of it, then it is no
longer that simple. The question now is not as focused, but becomes
wide-ranging and extensive. This is because our target is not just
one person or a few persons. There must be coordination based on
different family set-ups and environments. So the difficulty
increases by multiples.
The circumstances of our learning is no longer like an 'armchair
quarterback.' We need to ask more, see more, practice more,
introspect more, grasp more. We cannot miss out on any one of these,
and we also need the frequent guidance of a distinguised and competent
teacher.
Ladies and Gentlemen: let's imagine the difference between a person
who is well versed in medical books and another medical student who
is under the guidance of a medical professor. This is the difference
between a medical doctor who has not done his internship and
another one who has finished it, between a newly qualified doctor and
an experienced doctor, between a household general practitioner and a
specialist. In this way you will picture what I am trying to say.
Then, on the topic of finding a good, competent, and distinguished
teacher...It is very much related to fate and depends on karma. One
cannot really try to force it to turn out the way we want. This is
true not only for the person who wants to learn, but also the
for the one who wants to teach. It all depends on fate.
Fate can start and fate can end. There are times when the
distinguished master may leave. There are times that the 'wise'
student may leave, too. This can happen even if they are relatives.
Since ancient times, a lot of great masters have had to wait until
they were old before they managed to find a disciple. There are also
great masters who never even found one disciple to pass on their
knowledge and skill.
In fact, in learning whatever kind of knowledge, the above situation
can occur. There is no exception in learning fengshui. I trust my
reader will understand and comprehend.
- Master Poh Wong
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