An Interview With Angel de Para, by Feng Shui Times
- How long
have you been practicing Feng Shui (professionally and personally)?
I have been involved in Feng Shui personally for over five years. When my involvement in Feng Shui first began, I had no interest in practicing it professionally since I was self-employed and owned/operated a successful aviation company. It all started one day when I did my first audit/consultation and that person referred my name to someone else - now, two and a half years later, I am practicing Feng Shui full-time with an average of 6-10 Feng Shui's weekly.
- How did
it all started? Where did you begin with Feng Shui and what exactly piqued
your interest in it?
It
all began years ago when my wife, accompanying a co-worker, visited a very
well known and famous astrologer/psychic. She came home in tears after hearing
she was destined to have a short life. In my efforts to comfort her, I learned
about different kinds of divination; intrigued on how a person could know
so much about you based on your date of birth. After six years of research
I became discouraged because although it is remarkable how a person's future
or destiny could be predicted, it still offered no solutions. Then one day
I came across a book on Feng Shui. I started looking for explanations to certain
patterns in our lives. For example, why did my wife have three car accidents,
why did her car get stolen and why did she get mugged all shortly after moving
into our house. Why were all these things happening to her and nothing was
happening to me? I was doing great - my business was blossoming and things
were going very smoothly. Authentic classical Feng Shui as taught by Grand
Master Yap Cheng Hai was the system that could accurately explain the reasons
why things were happening as they were.
- Which
Feng Shui Masters have you specifically studied with? And any other qualifications
you may have taken professionally or otherwise?
Although I have studied with several other world renown Feng Shui "teachers", I credit my education and knowledge of Feng Shui to who I feel has been my true Master and mentor, Grand Master Yap Cheng Hai. Among other achievements, I am a fourth level Feng Shui Mastery graduate and am a certified licensed instructor for the school. I am the Florida Representative and am a Fellow Associate Member of the Yap Cheng Hai Center of Excellence.
- What drives
you on? Many people might be content to study simple Feng Shui from books
but you have chosen to spend time and money studying this subject. Why?
My drive stems from my desire to help people and make a positive difference in my clients' lives and to ease my clients' suffering. If the subject of Feng Shui was so simple, we would all be Masters after reading a few books. There are simple Feng Shui books, i.e. in New Age Feng Shui, then there are authentic Feng Shui books referred to as classical text. This "classical text" has historical meaning and precedent and unless you study Feng Shui from a Master who belongs to a lineage who could unlock the secrets of the formulas in the hidden meaning of the classical text, the true essence of the text cannot be revealed.
- What is
the Feng Shui scene in U.S.A. like? How about your hometown in Miami?
New Age Feng Shui has been circulating and growing in popularity during the
last several years - it is only recently that an awareness of classical authentic
Feng Shui has begun to surface. When I first became aware and developed an
interest in "compass" (authentic) Feng Shui, I remember placing phone calls
all over the United States and locally, asking teachers of other schools of
Feng Shui if they knew of anybody in Miami or Florida who taught/practiced
it. The consistent answer was no. Now, several years later, the ratio is 80%
who practice "New Age Feng Shui" and 20% practicing classical Feng Shui. Thanks
to Grand Master Yap Cheng Hai and other Feng Shui masters bringing their teachings
to the State of Florida, the awareness and interest in classical Feng Shui
is steadily rising.
- Are there
any specific landmarks (natural or otherwise) in Miami that have special Feng
Shui significance?
Not in Miami. There are neighborhoods and areas which are branded with having either good or bad Feng Shui characteristics as can be explained by authentic Feng Shui only, however, there are no specific landmarks which have Feng Shui significance.
- There
are so many Feng Shui schools/branches now. What is the difference between
commercial and classical Feng Shui? Which one do you advocate?
Commercial Feng Shui, in my opinion, has one purpose - to sell products as "so called" cures. This is easy to understand because we live in a society that if we have a headache, we take a pill for our suffering. Therefore, if we are having a problem in our life as a result of bad Feng Shui, commercial Feng Shui will identify it and maybe through the use of superstition - sell cures. In my opinion, there is only one true school and that is Classical Feng Shui. This school involves the study of the environment and how its energies interact with a dwelling and which individual is best suited to take advantage of that situation. It is an art with many complexities which involves a firm grasp on how to apply Feng Shui theories and not merely recommending tangible cures.
- From your
experiences, what is the most common reaction when your students/clients are
exposed to classical Feng Shui?
Usually
first time students are overwhelmed, i.e., a lot of them are still under the
general impression that their finances are easily fixed by placing a plant
in the "so called" finance corner or they could enhance their relationship
corner by placing items in pairs, etc. Classical Feng Shui is much more mathematical
and scientifically based. When I go into a client's house, I like to confirm
my chart by asking specific questions about certain events which have happened
in the past. Usually, my clients interpret my instant knowledge of their personal
affairs as my being "psychic" because of its accuracy.
- As you
might know, the First Annual World Classical Feng Shui Conference 2002 will
be held in Cologne, Germany next March 8th - 11th. How do you think this event
will benefit the Feng Shui world?
I believe the conference is very much needed because it will expand the international exposure and awareness of authentic classical Feng Shui worldwide.
- Any last
words for our readers?
The growing popularity of Feng Shui is rising rapidly and therefore, the demand for Feng Shui Professionals is steadily increasing. We should honor the system that was set forth by our ancestors and should not tarnish its imagine and ensure its integrity.