When people consult a Feng shui expert, it’s usually due to any of these four concerns—relationships, health, career and money. Of this quartet, however, it’s that last one—how to attract it, when will they have it, how much—that tend to be of most interest.
Patrick Rey Lim Fernandez, CEO of Yin & Yang Shop of Harmony, shared this observation with ANCX recently. And he knows whereof he speaks: he is a Feng shui master and has 18 years of experience working in the real estate, technology and finance sectors.
If you remember the Feng shui practitioner Princesse Lim Fernandez, that’s Patrick’s sister. When she passed away in 2019, he, along with his mother Arleen, took over the family enterprise of “promoting success in money and business luck.”
A graduate of Management Engineering with a master’s degree in business administration, Patrick quit a high-flying career at Wells Fargo in California to focus on his Feng shui practice. He knew it was the right thing to do. “I knew feng shui always resonated with me. It has always been part of my makeup,” he said. It also happened to be what’s written in his charts when he sought them for guidance.
From a real estate lens
His corporate background has been a definite advantage—it has allowed him to understand where his clients are coming from. His first corporate job back in the 90s was at Ayala Land. At that time, the company hired the expertise of geomancer Paul Lau for its One Roxas Triangle Tower, then one of the most expensive properties in the Philippines. It was thru this stint that Patrick got to look at Feng shui from a real estate lens. “How do you balance the construction side with the principles of yin and yang and lucky energies?” he recalled asking.
Patrick left his real estate job to take his MBA at UCLA in 1999, and eventually worked in technology and finance companies in the US, from Capital One to HSBC to Wells Fargo. “Thanks to Feng shui and hard work, I was able to get promoted more than 12 times in my different roles,” he tells ANCX. There were times he would turn to his sister Princess for advice if he needed to change jobs or what career path to take.
Now that he’s transitioned to doing Feng shui full-time, Patrick finds himself tapping on his corporate background for advice and recommendations to clients, especially on topics like climbing the corporate ladder, working with teams, how to handle critical conversations. On the money side: how to grow one’s finances, how to save, and where to invest depending on one’s risk profile.
He’s also able to incorporate his experience in real estate by providing recommendations with an architectural perspective. “It makes for a more productive conversation. Rather than just say, ‘Ito malas, change,’” says Patrick whose clients are either business owners or people working in companies that belong to the Fortune 500 list.
Prospects for 2022
According to Patrick, the prominent energy for the country and the region in the Year of the Water Tiger is work and career. The past couple of years may have been tough for many, but he is seeing some good energy as far as employment is concerned. “I think we’re trending in the right direction especially this coming year,” he said.
In terms of industries, the ones that would do better this year are those that involve water, among them hygiene and cleaning products. Supermarkets will also do well, and the hospitality industry is set to make a significant comeback. Metal-related industries such as machineries, mining, automobile, and banking and finance will do better than others. Property investment might not be as good in terms of returns, said Patrick.
The Water Tiger is connected with intelligence, so this year is a good time to expand one’s horizon, to learn and use what one has learned. Take classes, get a mentor. “This is the year to work smarter not harder. You can find creative ways to do your work, to expand your work, grow your business, expand your career. Definitely take advantage of that,” he advised.
Finally, since the tiger is also known for being a bold and adventurous animal, he warns against careless decisions. “The tiger kasi if they see an opportunity, they pounce on it,” said the Feng shui master. “So you should take calculated risks. List down the things that can and can’t go wrong. Based on that, make an informed assessment of how you can push the envelope where you’re okay with certain risks.” Still, between the conservative guy and the adventurous one, the latter will do better this year.