Section One:  Geopathic Stress

Feng Shui is so much more than ‘placement’.  It embraces, encourages and inspires our on-going awareness of the environment around us, which includes creating a safe and healthy living space.

On a lighter, more aesthetic note, Feng Shui offers us insight on such things as, color, artwork, furniture placement and lighting … but the true responsibility involved in maintaining a healthy home goes much deeper than that.  Our vital physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being is directly connected to and dependent upon a strong and stable energy environment.  

While Feng Shui enables us to ‘manipulate’ the electromagnetic energy (or, ‘Ch’i’) that encapsulates us with our surroundings, it is only one part of the total equation.  Our commitment to our homes, our families and our selves revolves around our willingness to become aware of all the energy around us, favorable and unfavorable.

It is this awareness that empowers us, because it gently leads us out of our unconsciousness (fear, denial or ignorance).  And it reinforces that we are, at all times, involved in a continual exchange of energies on many levels.  It is ultimately up to us to be in tune with and mindful of what those energies are and how they are affecting us, positively or negatively.

Earth Energies ~

The earth is comprised of a geo-magnetic field that is a direct current (DC).  This energy pattern is one in which humans have adapted to and evolved with over the span of civilization.  When this natural flow of energy has been disturbed either by natural sources (such as earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and so on), or by man-made causes (such as drilling, digging and construction for developments, railroads, quarries, sewers, underground cables, and the like), there can be a disruption to the energy field, which can in turn ripple out and effect other life forms, including humans.  The intensity of the distortion and the amount of time one is exposed to it both contribute to the consequences it can have on one’s individual immune system.

When the earth’s magnetic field (which is a primarily positive polarity) has been disturbed then it can take on a negative polarity, which, as just stated, can have an adverse secondary effect to our physical constitution.  This stress to the earth’s energy field is known as geopathic stress (or, ‘earth-trauma’).

When our environment is either contributing to or causing that distress then the problem is amplified because we are living within a sick environment.  A sick environment is incapable of properly supporting us not only because it’s having an undesirable affect on our normal cellular process but, also, because it prevents those same cells from being able to repair themselves.  And, consequently, we are unable to adequately heal ourselves.

Our greatest ally in protecting ourselves from these unfavorable and unhealthy energy fields is, once again, our own awareness of them.  

Health risks associated with Geopathic Stress ~

Research indicates that there is a strong link between geopathic stress and various illnesses. (*) Generally speaking most of the individuals who had ill-health were either sitting or sleeping in a geopathically stressed area.  It was also noted that areas of greater geopathic intensity had a more rapid and profound effect on individuals spending time in these areas.  [However, it should also be noted that a person’s immune system is also a factor in how severely they are affected by GS.]

Health repercussions of geopathic stress vary, and range from milder conditions such as colds, flu, lack of energy, depression and insomnia, to infertility, Sudden Infant Death (SIDs), and various types of chronic diseases including Cancer.  

Detecting Geopathic Stress ~

One way to detect Geopathic Stress (‘GS’) is to look for environmental clues.  They can include:

~ Cracks in brickwork, foundation or plaster
~ Reoccurring electrical problems
~ A noticeable presence of ants, bees and wasps
~ Plants that thrive on GS include: ivy, mushrooms, mistletoe, foxgloves
~ Cats, owls, slugs and snails are also drawn to GS
~ Areas that have a high number of traffic accidents
~ A pronounced bickering between neighbors
~ Often, houses that have GS have difficulty selling

Perhaps the easiest and most effective way to detect GS is through dowsing.  (I use copper “L rods” which give me a particular signal when/if I cross over a line of GS.)  Contrary to popular belief, there is nothing ‘new age’ about dowsing, in fact, it has been around as long as Feng Shui (4,000+ years), maybe longer.  Dowsing is a useful tool that allows us to access information that is not openly available, and although it is similar to searching for water with a diving rod, the value contained in dowsing for energy lines has even greater meaning.

By now most people are familiar with the practices of acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology, shen and massage to release blocked energy within the human body.  Some muscles hold tension, which is the memory of the trauma.  Performing ‘earth acupuncture’ to release blocked and distorted energy (which has been identified through dowsing) accomplishes for the earth what the above-mentioned practices can do for the body, and often offers a permanent treatment.

Section Two:  Electromagnetic Radiation

As previously mentioned, energy is all around us, and it is our responsibility to be aware of the nature and repercussions of that energy.  And while technology has offered us the gift of convenience (via: computers, cell phones, and microwave ovens), it also has given us the dilemma of increased exposure to varying levels of radiation as well.

Research shows that the background levels of microwave radiation have increased two million times in the past 75 years. (**)  A startling statistic that many people would feel more comfortable tuning out, but in this case, ignorance is not bliss because it perpetuates a continued state of denial that can lead to unnecessary health problems in future years.

As opposed to taking a passive approach to electromagnetic radiation we have the opportunity and fortitude to take an active, informed stand.  And a large part of that empowerment comes through knowledge, increased consciousness and, again, our mindfulness of the environment that surrounds and supports us.

How supportive is your environment?

Externally:
~  Is your home sited near power transformers/high tension wires?  If so, how close are
    they?  And have you had the radiation level checked?
~  Where is the meter box located at your home?  Is there a room (internally) that
    shares a wall with it?  (For instance, does the head of your bed lean up against the
    same wall?)  Also, be mindful of walls that contain internal wiring.

Internally:
~  How many electrical appliances are in use within your home and workplace?
    What types of appliances are they?  How much time do you spend around them?
    (IE: Eight hours a day behind a computer, etc…)
~  Do you have electrical equipment around or on your bed?  For instance, a clock
    radio or lamp on a nearby night table, electric blanket, water bed, etc.
~  Do you use a cell phone?  How often?

Red Flags:
~  Do you and/or your family members have consistent health problems, or have you received medical attention for your health problems but don’t show signs of improvement?  

Preventative Maintenance:
~  Monitor your time behind a computer, or use a LCD screen or laptop computer that
    allows you to unplug it and work off the battery.
~  Keep clock radios, lamps, even baby monitors a safe distance (18”) away.  
    Get rid of your electric blankets and waterbed, if possible. Use an extra layer of
    non-electric blankets for warmth. (FYI: Often it’s not enough to just turn them
    off, they need to be unplugged.)  Also, opt for a battery operated alarm clock.
~  Use cell phones for emergencies only, not as your primary phone or use a head-set.
~  Do away with your microwave oven or at least leave the room while it’s in use.
~  Be mindful of the placement of beds, cribs, seating areas and the proximity to
    outlets and electronics.  Also, know which walls contain internal wiring.
~  Some appliances contain higher levels of radiation.  They include: hairdryers,
    electric shavers, electric can openers, vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, power
    saws.  Limit (or eliminate) your exposure to them.
~  Do your research … what is the history of your house and the previous occupants?  
    Specifically in houses near power lines, did anyone experience related-health
    problems?

Symptoms:
~  From cell phones: headaches, a ringing in the ears (no pun intended), tingling in
    your hands and arms.
~  From computers:  Tingling in your hands or arms, feeling depleted or exhausted.

For Your Information:
~  (For women) Be careful of your exposure to computers and microwave ovens as they
     are believed to increase the risk of breast cancer.  
~  Research shows that a person’s head can absorb as much as 60% of the radiation
    emitted from cell phones.  
~  Studies also show an increase in cervical Cancer in (American) policemen as the
    result of regular use of radar guns.

You be the judge ~

It may interest you to know that in many cases the safety tests done on electrical appliances have been conducted and paid for by the manufacturers themselves …  many whom do not want you to know the potential health hazards associated with their product(s).  

The good news is, as public awareness increases (as it has in many other countries), there is an increasing pressure on manufacturers to conform to higher/tighter standards for fear of risking a decline in sales.

Remember, no one has your best interest in mind with regards to your vital health and well-being as much as you do ~ so choose to stay conscious and aware.

As a general practice, my residential and commercial clients receive complimentary testing for harmful geopathic stress lines and electromagnetic radiation levels.  I also teach classes on ‘Environmental Awareness’, which includes learning how to dowse and perform earth acupuncture.  

Author’s Note:  My sincere gratitude goes to two colleagues: Eric Dowsett, author of  the book, The Moment That Matters, (Australia), and Rob Gray, Founder, The Feng Shui Academy (UK), for their knowledge, support and training in this essential but relatively unacknowledged field.

(*)  “Finding the cause of stress”, An article published by The Dulwich Health Society, an organization in the United Kingdom which is dedicated to informing the public about the existence and dangers of geopathic stress.  (#7, 1994 Newsletter)  

(**)  The Moment That Matters, Eric Dowsett