The Everything Feng Shui Book

The Everything Feng Shui Book, by Katina Z. Jones, attempts to cover too much ground.

As the title suggests, this is an everything book, mixing Black Hat Sect (BSH), Compass School, and Intuitive Feng Shui, sometimes in confusing ways.

Since I’ve seen plagiarism in another “Everything…” book, I’m not sure if the author was attempting too much, or simply “borrowed” from too many sources.  (It’s sad when one book raises doubts about every book in a series.)

For example, Ms. Jones says she favors BHS Feng Shui for beginners, but she often uses compass directions for different areas of the bagua. Then she makes broad statements about Feng Shui–probably necessary when trying to accomplish so much with one book–that some of us might disagree with.

Ms. Jones’ advice ranges from common sense to eclectic as she talks about Feng Shui, room by room. Her enthusiasm for Feng Shui is evident, as she shares specific recommendations and her reasons behind them.

For example, in Chapter 6 : Dynamic Dining Rooms, she advises, “Those who sit in the northern chair while facing south balance yin stillness with yang passion and excitement, making it a wonderful place for an attractive older person to sit.”

Above all, Ms. Jones’ degree in metaphysics makes her a strong advocate for Intuitive Feng Shui.

For example, she suggests, “Sometimes your own helpful intentions can lead to intuitively perfect Feng Shui. In the Black Hat Sect of Feng Shui, feeling is everything–and your intuition is usually right on target.”

Black Hat students might disagree with that generalization; for some, Black Hat Sect (BHS) Feng Shui is very rule oriented, which makes it so easy to apply.

Ms. Jones starts by discussing the basics of Feng Shui, which is a difficult task to accomplish in less than 20 pages. Fortunately, at the end of the book–in the Take a Closer Look chapter–she has a chance to explain Feng Shui in a more traditional context.

The author addresses clutter in the second chapter. But, once again, she wanders into vague generalizations. She says, “Emotional hoarding is not limited to possessions; the same principles of Feng Shui clearing apply to the ‘clutter’ people pack into their bodies. It’s no accident that overweight people suffer from the same emotional issues as other types of hoarders.”

I’m not certain that she really meant to say that overweight people — as a general group — have emotional issues.  For example, that could be very hurtful to people with medical conditions that lead to weight gain.

But, as this book attempts to cover “everything,” there are many helpful recommendations.

In Chapter 3, Ms. Jones gives advice for people who are buying or selling a home, and starting with Chapter 4, she takes us on a room-by-room tour of a typical house, with Feng Shui advice for furnishings, their placement, and use.

Later, the author talks about landscaping, and using Feng Shui for business success.

This book tries to provide “something for everyone” on the subject of Feng Shui. All in all, I think that this book may have been rush to print, and the author was given a large task to accomplish in too little time and too few pages.

If you resonate to Intuitive Feng Shui, this may be a very useful book and perhaps even a favorite, whether you’re a beginner or a Feng Shui consultant. If you’re a more traditional practitioner, this book will probably give you greater insight into the Intuitive Feng Shui process.

In general, it’s not a book that I’d keep on my shelf.  You may feel differently.