London’s Chinese Feng Shui Consultants & Bazi Astrology Masters
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London’s Chinese Feng Shui Consultants & Bazi Astrology Masters
Master Angela Ang brings her Chinese Astrology skills to the Chinese New Year celebrations in Elephant Park. The Elephant & Castle area of London held many old memories as she used to train karate there. Would the newly revamped area have good form?
There is an old Buddhist parable talking of a group of blind men encountering an elephant:
A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable". So, they sought it out, and when they found it they groped about it.
The first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said, "This being is like a thick snake".
For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan.
As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk.
The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said the elephant, "is a wall".
Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope.
The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.
Each of them has a very different opinion of the elephant that reflects seeing just one side of it. This parable has something in common with the opinion of many Londoners who had seen just one side of Elephant & Castle.
“It is the craziest double roundabout!” exclaimed one Londoner.
“That’s a rough housing estate” declared another.
“Quite a bit of fast food but the shopping centre has seen better days” said others.
For me, I remember coming here often in the past to train in Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate. The area was run down and had become known for crime, so much so that after class, the karate students would walk as a group to the tube station to avoid any troubles.
Step forwards 12 years and it is all GONE! The karate dojo – gone! The whole housing estate – gone! The Coronet – gone! The shopping centre – gone! Even the antisocial behaviour that once set the tone of the area has gone!
Just as Buddha taught impermanence and reincarnation, those post war buildings that had become dilapidated have all gone, and now a bright, shiny and new Elephant & Castle has emerged. The brutalist former Heygate Estate is now Elephant Park, which has won 31 awards to date including a beautiful building award! How the belly of the beast has changed! There’s now two acres of green spaces with indie shops and restaurants, together with new accomodation.
Naturally when they said they would be throwing a party for Chinese New Year, I was intrigued. I’d stopped training there because the dojo relocated to East London when demolision work began, and I’d seen buildings sprinking up as I passed through in the years after, but this would be the first time I’d get to let my hair down there. I wouldn’t have the watchful gaze of many black belts but I would be watched by many as I would be giving Chinese astrology readings for guests, so I couldn’t say no.
It is fair to say that the whole Feng Shui of the area has changed! Gone are the worries about getting into a scuffle – now the worry is which place to choose to have the best dinner?
Although I had a really busy evening, with many people booking in advance for a free bazi Chinese astrology reading, I finally got to sample the tastes and flavours of the place.
Even as I was leaving to go home, the place was lighting up. DJs, specially concocted Chinese New Year cocktails, lion dancers and Chinese food would ensure the party would go on till late…
A big thanks to Elephant Park for inviting me over as part of your CNY celebrations. I was really impressed with just how much nicer it is. So it isn’t always the case that as the years go by, things get worse! I wish all at Elephant Park a happy and prosperous new year.