Feng shui seeks harmony in Ozarks work environments

by Christine Ballew-Gonzales

SBJ Contributing Writer

Jeanie Compas doesn't answer the query "Is there a doctor in the house" she is the doctor of the house.

Compas is one of only two feng shui practitioners in Springfield. Compas' Seminole D?cor co-worker, Sharon Cates, is the other. The two are certified in the ancient Chinese art of feng shui (pronounced fung schway), which literally means "wind and water" in Chinese, Compas said.

The practice of feng shui is the Chinese art of "putting yourself in harmony with nature, going back to your roots," Compas said. "Everything in our environment affects us one way or another."

Feng shui, which was brought to the United States about 40 years ago, is making its way into corporate offices and board rooms as companies look for ways to improve their performance, Compas said.

"It's a very individual art," she said. "It's also a science, and it's also a philosophy, because it's about being in harmony with your surroundings. It's about creating a sacred space in an office, because that's where we spend a lot of time."

Feng shui is not a New Age, hocus-pocus proposition or dogma, Compas said. Her growing client base recognizes that these practices have distinct personal and commercial benefits, she said.

Compas usually spends an hour or two with businesspeople who are having their office spaces evaluated. Careful probing into the building's history, as well as the company's story, yields information that a feng shui practitioner can use to figure out where the business might be stuck.

Once the consultation is complete, Compas uses a small octagon-shaped tool, called a bagua, to assess the energy in each room.

Energy blocks, trapped energy and negative energy can prevent a business from reaching its full potential, and feng shui addresses these issues with appropriate remedies, Compas said.

Common energy sappers are computers, fax machines and fluorescent lights, which emit electromagnetic energy even when they are turned off. Cellular phones and pagers can also drain the energy of employees, she added.

Clutter can pose an energy problem for businesses, Compas said, for more reasons than one might think. "Clutter is a very important issue in feng shui," she said. "When you have lots of clutter, there's no place for new blessings to come in."

Clearing clutter is usually a top priority for a business that is experiencing a lack of progress toward its goals, Compas said.

Plants and uplifting artwork are also used strategically in an office setting to change and enhance the energy within a business.

Creative fields have special feng shui issues, but many can be addressed quite simply, Compas said.

Desks should never be in direct alignment with a door, and the creative corner (as determined by the bagua) should not be located against a wall.

However, Compas cautions that if a certain office arrangement is working for a business, a feng shui once-over might not yield major changes.

"I have an 'if its not broke, don't fix it' attitude," Compas said. "But sometimes minor changes can improve even an already successful business. Sometimes people get instant results, and other times it might take a little longer before they see results."

Depending on the goals of the business, feng shui cures can lead the business to new and better clients, increased sales and enhanced office harmony, Compas said.

"It's just a way of honoring your environment," Compas said. "We've lost touch with the messages our bodies are sending us. This puts us back in touch with our intuition. Take what serves you, and leave the rest."

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