"Why Moving Furniture Makes You Happy"
Feng Shui Expert Michael Morten Neumayr Explains The Science of Living in Harmony
Do you feel tired? Weak? Powerless? Have you felt this way for awhile? First, let's ask some questions: Have you just moved? Did you buy new furniture, or rearrange the living room?
"Oh no," you think: "They're going to start with that Feng Shui nonsense! It's all just a gimmick."
Maybe you are right, maybe not.
"It is not fake," says Michael Morten Neumayr during a lecture at a Bayreuth furniture store Schautz. Neumayr is not only a top Designer, but for the last eight years, he has been a passionate advocate of Feng Shui. And that's how everything started. He moved into a castle: "And all of a sudden everything went wrong."
After a year and a half of bad luck and various difficulties, he hired a Feng Shui expert. "He looked at the floor plan, and by doing that, he read all my problems," says the 34 year old.
"It's not a joke!"
The expert changed the furniture arrangement in the castle, and Neumayr changed his life. And all over sudden fate was good again to the Salzburg, Austria native. In 1997 he completed an international degree in Feng Shui. Business for Munich-based Michael Morten Neumayr Design is going well. Very well, actually. Companies such as BMW, Siemens, and Saturn are his clients. His services include consulting, design and interior architecture, all following the rules of Feng Shui. The result: successful businesses, content employees, and fewer missed days caused by employees calling in sick. With good Feng Shui, good fortune follows, in life and in business: Neumayr can prove it. Simply, and in a way that looks fabulous.
His lecture in Bayreuth was called "East meets West." East because the doctrine of Feng Shui was developed about 5000 years ago in China's Taoist monasteries. It was secret knowledge, and anyone caught spreading the powerful information outside the Chinese Imperial Court was punished with death. "The sovereigns were afraid of the power," Neumayr explains.
The Western part of the lecture refers to the increasing fascination with far eastern philosophy, particularly the elements that are based on practical logic, and not inexplicable mysticism. The East meets the West. 150 guests attended the invitation-only event sponsored by the furniture store Schautz.
Energy Has to Flow
Feng Shui means Wind and Water. Yin and Yang, the Female and Male Power. Feng Shui is the art and science of creating harmony between the Yin and Yang within the body, home, office or any other environment, so that Chi, life energy, can flow. It is vital to have good Chi in order to be healthy and successful, says Neumayr. "The Chi is as terribly lazy as we human beings are-- it doesn't want to make any detours. Therefore we have to guide it."
"Far eastern ideas from strange countries are bogus, right? Western attitudes are too narrow-minded!" says the designer.
Western society encourages constant activity; relentless effort to make progress and succeed. This mindset, to Neumayr's way of thinking, is harmful. "Anyone who only goes full throttle, will blow his engine in the end. It is equally as important to switch off one's intellect, rest, listen to one's instincts, and let the subconscious speak."
Still not convinced? Think about the dual principle in physics. The opposite nature of positive and negative impulses creates current.
This belief can be seen in the architecture of the last 50 years. The architecture of 50 years ago is often aggressive, rough, off-center. The Emperial Schoenbrunn Castle in Vienna is classical architecture "with the best Feng Shui." Or the Semper Opera House in Dresden. But also the modern BMW skyscraper in Munich, says Neumayr, "I am not surprised that BMW is as successful as it is." The buildings have harmony, and inside are consistent with flowing shapes. After all, the house should be a second skin. One should want to crawl inside.
There are some things that anyone can do to furnish a home in keeping with Feng Shui principles that will result in comfort and good fortune. These are some Feng Shui basics. First, "Clean up, throw away and de-clutter," advises the 34 year old. Get rid the old so that the new can move in.
Plants are important, with rounded leaves, as are indoor fountains and fish tanks. Soft and rough furniture surfaces should be balanced, the couch in the living room should be facing the door, and the office desk shouldn't have a glass table top-- you'd be missing a solid base to work on. Little islands of light create moods. Round light fixtures are always good. On the contrary, fluorescent lighting will kill any atmosphere."
Out With The Television
"The television should be banned from the bedroom because of it has an extraordinarily strong electro-magnetic field," says Neumayr. In any case, the bedroom is a classical Yin-room. Relaxation is created by whites, pastel green or blue. No red walls or red linens." As he says this, Neumayr makes a comment referring to the infamous "red light" districts. "Without getting into sordid details: There is a reason why those settings use such an energy-boosting color."
Additionally, Fire and Water don't like each other. Therefore sink and stove should not be right next to each other in the kitchen.
That's all well and good, you might say now, and who is going to buy me new appliances and furniture? "Good Feng Shui doesn't have anything to do with cost. Even expensive, gorgeous design can be bad." On the other hand, the most modest student housing can follow the highest Feng Shui principles. Also, such New Age staples as chimes and mandalas do not appeal to everyone and are not necessary, says Neumayr. "Listen to your instincts. Do you feel happy at home? If so, then everything is all right!"
Contact USA:
neumayr design
569. N. Rossmore Ave #307
Los Angeles, CA, 90004
Tel: 323 369 78 88
Fax: 323 957 21 68
Email: laoffice@neumayrdesign.com
Contact Germany:
Neumayr design
Frauenstrasse 20
D- 80469 München
Tel:+49 89 260 83 88
Fax:+49 89 260 93 88
Email: bettina@neumayrdesign.com
