Mark Ainley has the coolest Web site. Simple, clear and concise, it is designed (by Spin the Moose Media) in three sections: Clear Space (about feng shui), Clear Body Mind (a one-brain system based on the ancient belief that body and mind are connected) and Clear Spirit (the inspirational and meditative effect of music).
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| Mark Ainley applies the ancient Chinese art of feng shui in practical ways to suit modern times, arranging one's surroundings to free energy and expand awareness. |
I meet Mark on the eve of his return to Canada. He has enjoyed an amazing two weeks in Tokyo, lecturing and consulting on the beneficial effects of feng shui on home and working environments, as well as introducing an interpretation of facial structure to understand and improve interpersonal relationships. "The slant of a forehead, for example, reflects the way we process information."
There is of course a lot more to it, but Mark has already moved on. It seems that he has been kept so busy that "I could have stayed two months, my schedule booked solid every day." Instead, he will be back in April.
Now living in Vancouver, he was born in Montreal to an English father and Hungarian mother. This city served him well, he says: "The Anglo-Franco tensions have helped me understand the divisive East-West nature of feng shui."
By the age of 5, Mark had already decided he had lived in Egypt in a former life. "My parents were teachers who always had nice things around -- books, music, art, chess." He followed an instinctual interest in hypnosis, Alexander Technique and metaphysics in general, while choosing English literature and academic music studies at university. "I didn't really have the technique to play; I just wanted to understand."
He came to Japan in 1992 after graduating. "My sister was here, working for a computer company. In '96, Mark moved on to London, involved in psychedelic trance music. Returning to Tokyo two years later, he developed an underground following at DJ Solitaire. "My classical background and knowledge of spiritual, psychological and sacred space brings a metaphysical dimension to my electronic work."
He became interested in feng shui (pronounced "foong shway" and meaning wind-water) after picking up a book in his London roommate's flat. This explained an ancient Chinese system-based map ("bagua") based on compass readings for the successful and healthy siting of buildings. It also spelled out how interior spaces should be decorated and furnished for maximum comfort, health, development and prosperity.
However, traditional teachings to the letter always left unanswered questions in his mind. As for Western feng shui, he imagined that simply to be a weakened form of the original. It was only when he met with Rhea Peake (Web site www.enviromancy.com) after returning to Canada in 1999 that he received the wakeup call. "All she said was, China's homes were built according to the compass; ours aren't."
Mark thinks the Chinese approach to feng shui far too literal. "Following rules laid down hundreds of years ago means there's no evolution. The air's got stale, and it's time to open the door. 'Chi' is universal energy, available to anyone anywhere. We can cultivate it in ways that are applicable and practical in the present time."
The night before he had been in a restaurant, offering advice. "I said, take that spiky plant out; it's overbearing and threatening, not welcoming." He also counseled a client who had a picture of her mother hanging in her bedroom. "How romantic is that?" Everything has its own energetic story, he says, affecting us in a positive or negative way.
He recalled a student who was totally depressed while in Vancouver. "I asked if her room was blue. Yes, she said, all of it. Mirrors? Yes. Bed under the window? Yes." Mark gave her some tips, but fears it might not have been easy in a home-stay situation.
Having thought about every room on a deep level, Mark's own environment is very colorful. The living room is green, lavender and red, "though you can only see one color from any one angle." The entry (the travel area) is white. His bedroom is turning terra cotta. As for the kitchen, he's pondering. "It's my career area and it should be a bit more colorful, like my career!"
Energy, he continues, naturally affects you as soon as you enter any room. Round tables tend to make that energy spin ("No wonder King Arthur's Round Table didn't last long!"), so again a balance is required. "But take it easy, enjoy the process as much as the result. Feng shui should be used to support your life, not as a form of imprisonment. It's the story of the 21st century: technology provides tools for our use; we should not allow them to use us."
Mark is returning home with various commissions and to continue a nine-month training in core awareness, which is about reading and using energy neutrally. "We have abdicated choice and freedom. Another wakeup call."
Bright as a button, talking ten to the dozen, Mark covers subjects as diverse as the British philosopher Alan Watts' thoughts on the rape of the environment ("we are apples on an apple tree"), Harry Potter ("a born wizard but not necessarily the best"), the aftereffects of 9/11 on North Americans ("withdrawn, reluctant to spend money") and neon lights in Japanese offices ("cost-effective, reducing depth perception so staff see only the surface of things." )
Book now for consultations in Japan next spring. Mark's planner is filling fast.