For three decades, feng shui master Clarence Lau has shared his extensive knowledge of feng shui’s traditional principles to a multitude of homeowners and businesses to promote good health and fortune.

The idea is to bring positive flow of energy into your residence or business to benefit your well-being, said Lau, 62, of Kahala.

Health is paramount, the affable consultant added, noting that without good health there is no good fortune.

Lau has used a “luo pan,” or compass, to calibrate the layout of properties for thousands of people in Hawaii, Canada and the West Coast for 31 years. Combined with a person’s birth date as well as birth time, he gives recommendations on how an individual can achieve “chi,” or life force energy, within the home or work space.

Feng shui, which translates to “wind” and “water,” is the circulation of time and space, Lau said. The idea is to enhance chi in your house to flow positively to benefit your well-being. Feng shui has a lot to do with nature, he added.

Some of Lau’s recommendations might involve repositioning furniture, plants, photos and paintings to enhance the space or adding a water feature such as a fountain near the entrance of the property.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Lau moved to Hawaii where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

His interest in feng shui piqued when he returned to Hong Kong after graduating in the early 1980s.

Lau recalled a visit to his aunt’s house while feng shui master Paul Leung gave her a consultation using the compass. Intrigued, Lau asked to be his student.

Leung replied, “I can only take a student who is diligent and humble.”

He taught Lau the authentic principles of feng shui with the use of the intricate compass. Leung mentored him for two years during which Lau studied and visited various sites that included banks, stores and restaurants and cemeteries.

Lau eventually moved to San Francisco where he lived for a couple of years before relocating to Hawaii in 1995.

“I believe Hawaii has the best feng shui in the world,” he said, adding that the scenic landscape with supportive mountain ranges and waters surrounding the islands is harmonious. “That’s why so many visitors around the world want to come over here.”

The aloha spirit is very good, Lau said as he flashed the shaka sign.

His schedule is typically packed in the first two months of the year as many call him to set up a consultation to prepare for Chinese New Year. People generally contact him once a year because feng shui is based on the lunar calendar.

To maintain his health, Lau mainly eats fish and vegetables. At the end of a busy day filled with back-to-back consultations, he takes a 30-minute nap at home to recharge. When time allows, Lau goes walking around his neighborhood for exercise.

In addition to Hawaii, he has clients in Canada, Seattle, California, Las Vegas and Portland, Ore.

Some clients whose children were toddlers at their initial feng shui consultation contact him to set up additional appointments for their sons or daughters who are now grown. Once they try it, they want to continue the consultations once a year, Lau said.

Real estate agents and architects are among his clientele who often seek his advice for their offices as well as their own homes.

Real estate agent Cherie Dang of Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties said, “He’s a personable guy and what he does helps people.”

For three years Dang has turned to Lau for recommendations for her apartment in Kakaako. It’s all about the flow of the chi so there is no stagnation in your life to achieve what you want, whether it be health or fortune, she said.

People might put something in their home but do not realize the position could block the flow of chi, essentially blocking good things from happening in their lives, she added.

Lau recalled how another real estate agent contacted him after a house she tried to sell did not receive any offers for almost a year. After a consultation with Lau, the house closed escrow in two months.

Ben Woo, chairman of Benjamin Woo Architects, has consulted with Lau once a year for the past decade for his office, which recently moved to downtown Honolulu. Woo also schedules consultations for his home in Kaimuki.

Lau doesn’t push you to buy any products, he said. “Based on his findings, he’ll recommend what is best to encourage good health and minimize accidents.”

“The focus is not only keeping our office healthy, which is one of the main things, but to prosper,” Woo added.

Lau said he enjoys helping people through feng shui.

His key advice to everyone: Be positive. People go through ups and downs in their lives, but it is important to maintain a positive outlook because it attracts positive energy, both in the home and workplace, he said.

MEET THE MASTER

To schedule a consultation, call Clarence Lau at 226-3098 or email 2263098@gmail.com.