An unusual article on the parallels between Feng Shui and the Brazilian religion Macumba. Written by our own editor Stella Yoke. It surprised me to see how, from a philosophical standpoint, there were distinct similarities even though, on a practical level, they are quite different.

Sallie Tsui Sien

Macumba

By Stella Yoke

Most readers of our webpage will already have a fairly clear idea about the basic principles of Feng Shui including, for example, the importance of recognising the existence of energies or qi and how to control them as well as the need to maintain a balance between the yin and yang elements in our lives. Fewer may know that these concepts play an important role in Macumba, the religion of Brazil.

Macumba developed in Brazil amongst the slave community which was brought to Brazil from Africa between the 16^th and 18^th centuries. Despite periodic government hostility, Macumba maintains a widespread acceptance and following throughout the country. It has nothing to do with voodoo or black magic but is a religion whose objective is to improve the living conditions of its adherents by teaching them to live in harmony with their surroundings. For its followers, Macumba is the central point of their lives and around which everything else revolves.

Macumba accepts the existence of unseen energies which, unless properly channelled, may do us good but may equally likely, do us harm. Unless these forces are properly controlled, life becomes something of a lottery in that it would be chance alone that would dictate which energy affected us most. It is essential to learn how to recognise the nature of the forces that surround us and how to live in harmony with them. The key to achieving this is to learn to observe and understand. This fundamental element in Macumba clearly has much in common with Feng Shui but it goes further than this.

Macumba teaches that all of us are surrounded by invisible forces and that these forces are also within us. These energies, whether good or bad, are everywhere and, to give them their due importance, they constitute the life of the world. The function of Macumba is to recognise these forces for what they are and then to work with them so that obstacles to progress are removed and full use is made of those energies that may help us. It is not part of the beliefs of Macumba that these energies can only be controlled through Macumba itself. Some people are just lucky and things will go right for them anyway. On the other hand, others will not enjoy such good fortune. All this would, however, be leaving an awful lot to chance and the idea of Macumba is that it is better to know what you are doing than just to trust to luck.

This element of Macumba touches on one that is crucial in Feng Shui and yet frequently misunderstood. For some, the mere fact of consulting a Feng Shui specialist and acting on their recommendations should be sufficient to guarantee a change in fortune. Nothing could be further from the truth and, in this respect, Macumba and Feng Shui view the world in similar terms. A Feng Shui consultation does not guarantee any such change in fortune; what it does do is allow you to maximise the beneficial effects of those energies that can help you and reduce or even eliminate those that can impede you. In the final analysis, however, it is up to the individual concerned to take advantage of the possibilities that are being offered. Macumba too offers no guarantees but shows its adherents what they may do to try and make their lives take a better course.

The belief in the existence of energy both within and outside ourselves presents a challenge in terms of acceptance for both Macumba and Feng Shui. How to make people believe in what they can’t see? How to persuade them that accepting this does not fall within the area of superstition? The irony of this situation is that virtually everyone will admit that they can enter a house for the first time and have the feeling that all is not well or conversely that this is a happy house. Nevertheless, they will have no explanation for why this is so. For followers of Macumba, the explanation is straightforward: they are in the presence of negative energies and the feeling of unease is brought about by their own positive forces struggling to maintain an equilibrium.

Keeping a proper balance between these internal forces is important in Macumba in which the existence of energies within ourselves as well as those outside is well recognised. There are two tendencies within all of us which can either complement each other or conflict with each other. Those who manage to keep these forces perfectly in balance are relatively rare. Macumba does not refer, as such, to yin and yang but the concept of balance and harmony is central to the beliefs of its followers. Even though the names are different, much is the same.

It was purely by chance that I came across information on Macumba. It was quite clear that there are considerable differences, for example with regard to the existence of holy ground and the frequent use of trances. Nevertheless, I was immediately struck by how, despite these differences, there was a strong similarity with regard to the more fundamental parts: what the world is and what individuals may do to make the most of it.

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