Get to know the Chinese geomancer Patrick Lim Fernandez

With all our curiosity towards the art and practice of feng shui, now the tables have turned—and I had the opportunity to ask Fernandez more about his craft.

How, or when did your profession start? Does feng shui have to come from family, or can it be learnt by anyone?

Patrick Lim Fernandez (PLF): The most common thing when it comes to the bulk of Chinese ancient art is that it is learnt from a mentor or a master. That's how it gets passed on and that's why you see a lot of families which continuously practise the art because it is common for parents to pass it down to their children. Other times, it gets passed on to the younger generation through older sifus or teachers. For me, it's my late sister Princess and my mum, Baby. I have learnt it over the years since my sister and I were kids and we we're helping out with mum's business throughout the years. We also bequeath partnerships with other feng shui masters. Interestingly, in the West, Chinese geomancy is being adapted more. It's being taught in universities through a feng shui for architecture course, one that I know of is being taught by an Italian.

PLF: Being a Chinese geomancer isn't my only expertise, so to speak. I took a corporate path in finance, real estate, and data; mostly in the US like HSBC and Capital One. I've been there for almost 25 years, going back and forth from California to Manila. All of this actually turned out well because, in feng shui, the number one question is about money. So I was able to provide both financial and feng shui advice. The next query is about their homes, so I apply my real estate aspect then. And on the data side, feng shui is really all about numbers and data. Thus, I utilise the data to be able to do analysis.

See also: Chinese New Year 2023: Feng shui tips for new homeowners

What are your major challenges in feng shui?

PLF: One is when people don't have an open mind and when they've made their decision even before knowing anything about it. It's really hard to change someone's mind, and it's fine because we know it's hard to open up. But what we tell them is, 'you don't have to believe in the sun to get a sunburn'. Some people believe that the Earth is flat, but they can still travel around the world. We want them to believe in it, the energies we're trying to understand because they're a part of it. The second is, people know a little bit more about it. There is this saying that 'a little knowledge is a dangerous thing' wherein someone knows little and all of a sudden they're an expert who misleads with false information. Feng shui is a practice in that you really take the time to study and learn. Unfortunately, there are a lot of fake experts whose backgrounds and motives are unclear. So what we do is, try to elevate conversations and educate. We prove that feng shui is a part of a very long tradition and doesn't conflict with Western influence, it actually combines well with it.

Read more: Chinese New Year 2023: The hidden symbolism and legendary origins of turnip cake and nian gao

How do you deal with criticism or discrimination?

PLF: Fortunately, the ones who've come to the shop over the years are the ones that willingly come to us. So rather than us trying to solicit business, our visitors are already open-minded with all their specific questions or concerns in hand. We're grateful that we haven't been part of that kind of issue with our guests open to the concept of feng shui. There's less convincing, they are familiar with how it works and they know about the basics in advance, and our help just follows through; we answer with advice on how can they move forward, look to the future, and such.

Read also: Chinese New Year 2023: A guide to the symbolism behind festive decorations

Why is it better to consult with a feng shui expert? What are the advantages?

PLF: People know what their year is and what to look for in the Chinese zodiac. But feng shui is much more extensive than that. There are multiple signs and elements under one person in particular, which only someone who has mastered the craft can be able to explain further. It's dynamic, never static, everyone has their own imprint. So understanding that we can give timely advice and guidance which is accurate to what they want to focus on: their career if getting married is a good time if expansion is a good idea for this year and certain things like that.

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