Chapter 2

Western Intellectual Heritage and the Holy Grail

In This Chapter

How our minds work

Our scientific legacy

A holistic universe

The relationship between nature and mathematics

A new world vision for the millennium: suggestions to implement global harmony

Pretend the universe is a car. We all know that a car is an intricate mechanism comprised of thousands of pieces, all functioning as parts of the whole. We know that it would be impossible to discern how the car operates by studying, say, a tire. Ironically, this is how most Western scientists study the universe. They focus on one spot or element, disregarding the interconnectedness of that which surrounds and/or encompasses it.

Yet, the big picture is now beginning to emerge. As modern scientists delve deeper into the celestial heavens and probe deeper into the infinitesimal, many are becoming aware of the unity of all things. The acceptance of universal wholeness will guide and enable us to define a new world vision—a vision that will change our fundamental moral, social, political, and religious order.

This chapter is about understanding how our minds work and how we have tuned in to nature’s truths. This chapter is about our intellectual heritage—how the Western world has become a culture of rational thinkers and how we are becoming a people of united reformers. What does this have to do with feng shui? Our Eastern neighbors have always favored the unity of all things. As you will come to learn, feng shui is about harnessing nature’s forces, which connect us all. Understanding and accepting this concept will lead you to better health, wealth, and relationships.

Mind Power 101

The human mind is a powerful tool. Using our minds, we have progressed from being a tribe of hunters and gatherers to a society overly dependent on our inventions and discoveries. Without such conveniences as telephones, computers, automobiles, or microwave ovens, we would feel lost, frustrated, and frazzled. The last 150 years alone have yielded mind-boggling advances in the fields of science, medicine, genetics, and technology, unequaled during any other time in the history of humankind. The endless stream of wonders continues still, each new development vastly increasing our knowledge and capabilities.

Using our minds, we have ushered in the Information Age: An age in which communication devices like the telephone, cellular phone, fax machine, and especially the computer, have connected people all over the world. An age in which ideas can flow freely, where walls of judgment are breaking down. Using our minds, we have collectively taken a step toward global integration and the unity of all peoples.

Twelve Percent of the Whole

Logic and reason are the bulwarks of Western thinking. But did you know that these abilities compose only 12 percent of our mind’s power? Considering the level of intellect, sophistication, and complexity needed to generate such far-reaching advances as satellites and space stations, this is truly remarkable. Yet it is a physiological fact.

The adult mind comprises two contingent but distinctly different components: the conscious mind (12 percent) and the subconscious mind (88 percent). Separating the realms is the critical area of the mind. Part conscious, part subconscious, the critical area accepts and rejects information based on knowns, units of communication that have been learned before.

Imagine that your mind is a computer. The input of information is tremendous. Files are constantly being made: Belief files, feeling files, habit files, and everything else that is a known are filed in your subconscious memory. If a computer encounters instructions or data that are totally foreign to its known programs, they are rejected. Likewise, if your mind receives information unknown to your frame of reference, it is immediately dismissed. For example, if we said you could derive nature’s truths by meditating, you would probably reject this idea, if you had an analytical, scientific way of thinking.

As a culture, we have learned to isolate, compartmentalize, and fragmentize information. Only in the West do we tend to separate such things as mind from body and faith from reason. Our separatist notion and the way we view the world stem from our linear scientific heritage. We are comfortable with taking a step-by-step, logical approach to problem solving. Everyday phrases like “Let’s be reasonable” and “This is not logical” are testament to our deeply ingrained thought process.

Faux Feng Shui and the Western Mind

The Western mind-set helped, in part, to create faux feng shui! The keen masterminds behind Black Sect and Life Aspirations feng shui (see Chapter 1 for a reminder of faux feng shui) understood that Westerners like things neat and orderly. Westerners need to break things down. Westerners need to label things. Hence, the creation of distinct components or life aspirations/stations of wealth, career, knowledge, and the like.

Remember the television commercial: “Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun”? Quick, was it McDonald’s or Burger King? Chances are, you had to think about it. The point is, the savvy production team hired by the owners of McDonald’s capitalized on the Western obsession with parts. Little emphasis was placed on the whole burger.

Continuing with our fast-food analogy, Westerners want things bigger-better-faster. We want things now-now-now. Borrowing a term from our friend and feng shui teacher and practitioner Cate Bramble, feng shui has become “McFeng shui.” Simply, most Westerners do not have the patience to fully understand a complicated concept. We want the Reader’s Digest version—only part of the story.

Friends, understand that classical feng shui is the study of qi, the holistic, pervasive, and uniting force underlying everyone and everything. You’ll learn all about qi in Chapter 4, but for now understand that qi is not like a pet dog. Qi cannot be commanded and taught to separate into different sociological factions. Wealth qi, over here. Sit and stay. Career qi, over here. Sit and stay. Remember, feng shui is the study of time (heaven qi) and space (earth qi). Each dwelling’s space is different, born into different times. Actually, you may have more than one area within your home or office that promotes prosperity and promotion!

The study of classical feng shui will not only free us, allowing for alterations in the way of seeing and thinking, but also help us grow, develop, progress, and succeed. It will help us become more holistic, shedding our separatist ways.

In Search of the Holy Grail

Before we move on to presenting scientific evidence and theories about a holistic universe, it’s worth understanding from where our rational and separatist mind-set derives.

Since ancient times, philosophers and scientists have searched for the Holy Grail of Knowledge: the origin, structure, and order of the universe. With each new discovery, myths were dispelled and replaced by new “truths,” which often carried over into successive centuries, becoming firmly rooted in our collective consciousness. Over the past 2,500 years, there has been an impressive roster of individuals whose scientific discoveries or philosophical ideas changed the way we view the world. Here is a brief overview of those who have helped to form our rational, separatist mind-set:

The Greek Age: The ancient Greeks considered the study of science a noble pursuit. It was not inspired by religion, which at the time was polytheistic—a belief in or worship of more than one god. Science that presents a rational and orderly view of the cosmos developed in ancient Greece around the sixth century B.C.E. with Thales of Miletus. A seafaring and trading people, the Greeks developed an acute sense of time and space, their observations giving birth to the fields of astronomy and geometry. We can credit Pythagoras (560–500 B.C.E.) and Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.) with instituting scientific methods based on logic and reason. These methods of deductive and inductive reasoning still play a role today in scientific thinking.

The Newtonian Age: English physicist Sir Isaac Newton’s (1642–1727) universe was black and white, void of gray. Now called classical or mechanical physics, Newton’s belief was that simple and permanent mechanical laws that could be understood by careful observation and experimentation governed the universe. Based on the Greeks’ deductive and inductive methodology, Newton explained his theories using mathematics. He maintained that we are separate from nature and, thus, are able to observe the world objectively. Although Newton sought to reconcile his deep religious convictions with science, his ideas set the stage for a break between science and religion, or physics and metaphysics (philosophy).

The Enlightenment Age: Coined by German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804), the term “enlightenment” took God out of the scientific equation, viewing natural phenomena entirely as a mechanical scheme. Kant sought to bring together two divergent philosophical ideas developed during the seventeenth century—the notion that knowledge is derived from observation and experience and not theory (empiricism) and the notion that knowledge is derived from reasoning (rationalism). According to Kant, the concepts of time and space cannot be fully understood using sensory perception. Because of these limitations, the physical world must be studied using a rational system like mathematics. Other enlightened philosophers include Denis Diderot (1713–1784), Julien Offra de la Mettrie (1709–1751), and David Hume (1711–1761).

The Darwinian Age: The split between science and religion was fully realized with British naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Postulated in his book, On the Origin of the Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (1859), Darwin’s groundbreaking and controversial theory of evolution and natural selection caused much discord between the scientific and religious factions. The schism deeply impacted the Western mind-set.

The preceding examples demonstrate how we have learned to rationalize, separate, and isolate information as a means of understanding the totality of the universe and its inhabitants. As a result, we have effectively disengaged, separating science, religion, mind, and body into distinct and fortified camps—a mind-set that would be shattered with twentieth-century science.

United We Stand

The discoveries made by twentieth-century physicists have rocked the scientific world, crushing long-held traditional views spearheaded by Newtonian mechanics. A unified world picture is emerging that no longer reduces nature (and human nature) to a series of isolated parts. Modern scientists now view the cosmos as a web of interconnected and interrelated events. As you’ll soon learn, many modern scientists believe in the existence of God or a Higher Power to which we are connected. The new scientific paradigm—the whole is the sum of its parts—is replacing the common ideology—the parts are the means to the whole.

Although these two ideologies may sound alike, they really are not. The distinction may be subtle but, nonetheless, is significant. We are speaking of ways of thinking, considering, and perceiving the world. Remember the car at the beginning of this chapter? Today, when we look at it, we see more than just a set of tires, a carburetor, or a fuel tank. We see all these things and more: a means of transportation, a status symbol, and a product of a powerful worldwide industry. When we drive this car on a highway, we are involved in more than going from point A to point B; we are using a vast and vital, well-connected national and interstate road system upon which the economic health of our nation depends. When we consider our nation, we do not stop at borders. We belong to a community of nations, diverse peoples all sharing the same planet.

In feng shui, the totality is what is stressed—a rich totality composed of a harmonious unity of parts. This is opposed to a collection of distinct and singular parts (the eight life aspirations/stations) joining together to form a loose federation. So, as scientists continue to search for “pure truth,” feng shui helps to provide an alternate path, if you will—new frames of reference to our collective consciousness.

Scientific Holistic Theories

Two influential and revolutionary scientific theories surfaced during the twentieth century that played a leading role in changing how scientists understand the world. On a larger scale, the discoveries enabled us to see the big picture, a holistic reality.

Theories of relativity: Postulated by German physicist Albert Einstein (1879–1955), these theories state that mass is nothing more than a different manifestation of energy. It means that the book you’re now reading and the chair you are sitting in are forms of energy at rest. Also, Einstein understood that space and time were not separate entities, but are connected to form a fourth dimension called space-time.

Quantum physics: Formulated in the 1920s by Niels Bohr (1885–1962), Max Planck (1858–1947), and Werner Heisenberg (1901–1976), among others, quantum physics is the study of subatomic particles such as electrons and atoms. In a nutshell, quantum theory reveals the unity of all things. It shows that we cannot use isolation as a method to gain knowledge of the whole.

If these theories seem like old hat to you, ideas that have lost their power and passion, consider the following theories of which many people are not yet aware.

Theoretical Holistic Theories

Perhaps the most exciting theories cannot be fully scientifically proven. Nevertheless, they cause us to broaden our minds, raising us to new levels of understanding, wisdom, and insight. Here is a short description of the work generated by three innovative and progressive Western scientists.

David Bohm (1917–1992): Based in part on his work concerning the behavior of electrons, theoretical physicist David Bohm believed the universe can be likened to a hologram in which each part of the image contains the entire picture. He believed the universe is “an undivided and unbroken whole” and that there exists a hidden primary reality (the quantum potential) that provides information to the totality of humankind and its environment. Bohm’s beliefs give a scientific explanation to the phenomenon of synchronicity—a pattern of correlated coincidences (thoughts, objects, numbers, and/or events) linked together to form a theme of meaning to the observer.

Rupert Sheldrake (1942– ): Biologist Rupert Sheldrake claims that the development and evolution of an organism and human consciousness is guided by a holistic force that he calls the morphic field. Specifically, the morphic field is a phenomenon of nature whereby if a form or thought occurs in nature, it is likely to repeat again in another species; and if a thought occurs, it is likely to be thought again by another person. In nature, the spiral shape of conch shells, hurricanes, and galaxies are examples. In human nature, the independent and almost simultaneous “discovery” of calculus in 1675 by English mathematician and philosopher Sir Isaac Newton (1642–1727) and German mathematician and philosopher Gottfried Leibniz (1646–1716) is an example of humankind tapping into the morphic field.

Andrew Newberg (1967– ): Neuroscientist Andrew Newberg believes he can prove that a Higher Power exists by the way the brain functions during states of deep concentration, meditation, and prayer. In these states the “line” that separates the self from the world disappears, producing the effect of a mystical union with God (or the Sea of Consciousness, a Higher Power). The question remains: Is God an illusion produced by the brain’s activity, or has God wired our brain to experience a holistic reality? These mysteries and many other studies about the convergence of science and religion are being funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Indeed, the notion of a holistic world order is quite profound and worthy of more study. Please see Appendix C for a list of Bohm’s, Sheldrake’s, and Newberg’s thought-provoking works. Also, see Chapter 11 in The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the I Ching (Alpha Books, 2002). Here, we give a detailed account of David Bohm’s ideas as they relate to the Yijing, a book of divination developed at the end of the second millennium B.C.E.

In the meantime, if we can accept their ideas, it means we are able to draw from an infinite well of potential and possibilities. This is the hallmark of feng shui—to harness nature’s well (qi) to better our existence.

Nature Speaks Mathematics, Too

Scientists use mathematics to help explain what we cannot understand using sensory perception. Somehow, this man-made abstraction magically conforms to nature’s truths. Put another way, somehow we conform to mathematical principles in the universe. Whether we do it on a conscious or subconscious level is not known, but we’ve stumbled on mathematical patterns in nature that continue to perplex and inspire, propelling us to new levels of understanding about ourselves and the world in which we live.

Although modern scientists understand that mathematics is the language of the universe, the ancient Chinese understood that mathematics was the language of the gods—that the pantheon of ancestors in heaven “spoke” to their descendants using numbers. The Chinese used the numeric information made apparent in the celestial heavens to improve their well-being. Eventually, their astute knowledge of the cosmos evolved into a system of feng shui called Flying Star, the subject of Part 4.

Fascinating Fibonacci and the Golden Ratio

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610 …

This sequence of numbers is called the Fibonacci Sequence, named after thirteenth-century mathematician Leonardo of Pisa, also known as Fibonacci. By charting a population of rabbits, Fibonacci stumbled upon a certain numeric pattern as a solution to a story problem: Each number in the series is the sum of the two previous numbers. For example, 3 + 5 = 8; 5 + 8 = 13; 8 + 13 = 21; and so on to infinity.

Pretty neat, but it gets even better. Dividing each number in the series by the one preceding it yields a ratio that stabilizes at 1.618034. For example, 2 ÷ 1 = 2; 3 ÷ 2 = 1.5; 1597 ÷ 987 = 1.618034; 4181 ÷ 2584 = 1.618034; and so on to infinity. This figure has come to be known as the Golden Ratio.

Big deal, you say? Okay, here’s the cool stuff. Fibonacci numbers and the Golden Ratio can be found in nature and our bodies, and have influenced art, architecture, and music. Fibonacci proportions can even be found in everyday items like playing cards, notepads, mirrors, windows, and credit cards. Simply, we are drawn to certain number proportions. Put another way, we, and our surroundings, conform to mathematical principles made manifest in the universe.

Here is a short list of things in which you can find Fibonacci numbers and the Golden Ratio:

On pinecones, artichokes, pineapples, and sunflowers, the bracts, petals, scales, and seeds, respectively, exemplify Fibonacci ratios. There are 5 steep and 8 gradual spirals on pinecones and artichokes. There are 8 and 13 gradual and 21 steep spirals on a pineapple. The head of a sunflower shows 55 rows of seeds revolving counterclockwise and 89 rows of seeds revolving clockwise.

We have Fibonacci fingers: 2 hands, each of which has 5 fingers broken into 3 parts of 2 knuckles. Our body and face conform to Fibonacci proportions.

On a piano keyboard, 13 keys comprise an octave (chromatic scale). These are broken down into 8 white keys and 5 black keys, which are divided into groups of 2 and 3 keys. Moreover, the pentatonic scale is made up of 5 keys, and the diatonic scale with 8 keys.

Fibonacci numbers and the Golden Ratio are manifestations of the innate harmony, symmetry, and balance in the universe. As we stated at the beginning of this section, whether consciously or subconsciously, we have tapped into and benefited by nature’s truth. Indeed, we are all part of a cosmic dance in which we affect and are affected by everyone and everything.

For more information about the Fibonacci Sequence, please see Trudi Hammel Garland’s inspiring book, Fascinating Fibonaccis: Mystery and Magic in Numbers (Dale Seymour Publications, 1987).

Other Profound Patterns

The Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio aren’t the only number series found in nature. Many other transcendental mathematical examples exist, but space restricts us from presenting them.

As we have mentioned, feng shui is a system of mathematical patterns in nature discovered by the ancient Chinese. In fact, four of feng shui’s fundamental principles correspond to numbers in the Fibonacci Sequence: taiji (1); yin and yang (2); heaven, earth, and human qi (3); five phases (5); and eight trigrams (8). Part 2 is devoted to learning the principles of these patterns.

A New World Vision for the Millennium

If we do discover a single unifying force or scientifically prove the existence of God or a Higher Power, how will that affect our everyday life? Will we lay down our warheads and use this knowledge constructively? Will we become united as citizens of planet Earth? Perhaps we earthlings should establish a new vision for the millennium, a set of principles that will unite us on a fundamental human level. These principles will heal cultural and racial tensions resulting from dogmas and superstitions of the past, as well as elevate our awareness so that we can create a harmonious and peaceful world.

If for no other reason, our common purpose of survival will force us to adopt a new world vision for the millennium. Our goals could include, but not be limited to …

An independent search for truth.

The harmony of science and religion.

The oneness of all belief systems.

Equality of men and women.

The elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty.

The abolition of prejudices.

Universal compulsory education.

A universal language.

The establishment of a world government.

The implementation of world harmony begins with you. Before we can hope to change our global frame of reference, we must each foster unity and harmony in our own home. We hope that you’ll set aside your rational mind-set and opt for a more holistic way of thinking. Feng shui is a powerful tool that can help do this.

In the next chapter, you’ll learn how the Chinese have always viewed the world as a holistic reality. Also, you’ll learn how feng shui developed.

The Least You Need to Know

Logic and reasoning constitute just 12 percent of our mind power; the other 88 percent is our subconscious.

Our logical, rational mind-set stems from the ancient Greeks.

With the advent of Einstein’s theories of relativity and quantum physics, modern science has begun to accept the “oneness” of all things.

Theoretical scientists like David Bohm, Rupert Sheldrake, and Andrew Newberg propose that the world is a holistic entity from which we can draw information.

Mathematics is the language of nature.

A set of principles must be developed to secure harmony on a human level.