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Monaco: living in harmony with nature and wealth

2011-08-09 11:14

Who: Nicky Fraser
What: Aromatherapy and Feng Shui Consultations
Web: http://www.fengshui-monaco.org
Contact: +377 93 15 91 69

English-born Nicky Fraser has been a Feng Shui consultant for ten years. She has also worked for perfumiers Fragonard, based in Grasse, teaching people from all over the world the value of aromatherapy. She is the author of three books on natural cosmetics and is currently writing a volume on the Feng Shui of Monaco

Nicky Fraser says she has often been accused of living in a fantasy world, which, when we meet her, is understandable. Dressed in characteristically bright colours and accompanied by her energetic boxer, Chi-ki (or 'Cheeky'), she cuts something of an eccentric figure as she walks her beloved pet along the beach at Cap d'Ail.

"It's the smog" she suddenly says. "The electric smog. They have to get rid of it - and they will one day". I look around, bemused. The view out across the sparkling Mediterranean seems as clear as ever. 'Smog', she repeats. 'Just think of all that conflicting energy. If people had proper cabling in their homes - and they can afford it - they'd see that they wouldn't need wi-fi'.  This is part of Nicky's latest campaign, to persuade the inhabitants of Monaco to abandon the ubiquitous wireless connections in order to help direct their life-force more effectively.



'The Chinese call it 'chi' - energy. And when I'm working with a client I have to make sure that the flow is right. If you're not careful it can flow right through a building. You have to channel it somehow, in order to bring wealth and prosperity.'

It was a trip to Malaysia and Singapore that first fired Nicky's imagination. 'It was there that Chinese author and feng shui practitioner Evelyn Lip introduced me to the influences of geomancy on people and the environment. Feng shui literally means 'wind and water'. It's the belief that natural elements have to be taken into consideration before siting a building, as this influences the person's fortunes or luck.'

Nicky knows all about controlling the living environment in order to enhance the prospects of its inhabitants, and for her it's clear that Monaco itself is the ideal place to put this ancient Eastern philosophy into practice. 'Monaco's geography is perfect,' she enthuses. 'You have the mountains behind, like protecting arms, and the sea - that is wealth - flowing in. The palace on the right and Italy on the left, and the whole thing meets right at the prosperous centre of things. The Monte Carlo casino.'

So Feng Shui is not just limited to interior spaces? She points to the fountain in front of the casino. 'Not at all. That's the Ming Tang', she says, 'the place where the 'chi' gathers, before entering the casino. You don't want somehere entirely flat - you need an incline, and we have that here. Because getting the energy to the centre is crucial.'

And she practises what she preaches. A Monaco resident for many years, Nicky Fraser now lives on a middle floor in the centre of the Principality. It's this centrality that is crucial - and best for business. Her client list is remarkable. From banks to boutiques, and from Brazilian ranches to boats, Nicky has travelled the world, making suggestions that have dramatically changed the lives of those who live and work there.

Some of the time, her feng shui expertise seems like plain common sense. When a local bank manager wanted her to look at his office, the first thing Nicky did was to turn his desk around so that the panoramic view of the sea was behind him. 'That way, the energy does not disperse. It comes in to the room, and his clients could see that he was prosperous because they could see the sea flowing in.'

At other times it is more of a spiritual, other-worldly connection. Last August she did a consultation for a working farm in Brazil owned by a Swiss banker, producing its own cattle, brown sugar and fish. 'It was a challenge, because for the first time I had to use the southern hemispehere school of Feng Shui.' For this client, the ming-tang was the swimming pool. Nicky instructed him to drain it and tile the number '8' the number of prosperity, on the floor of the pool. The result was an almost instantaneous change in the owner's - and Nicky's - fortunes. It was their greatest financial success.

And boats? 'Well, they are by nature not fixed, so one starts by applying compass readings when it is in harbour and not moving. Based on the principle that North represents the start of the journey and South the completion of that journey, it's possible to arrange things within the boat to bring the maximum good fortune. You should also always have a guardian statue of some kind - like a goddess of the sea. That always helps.'

Like her other area of expertise, aromatherapy, feng shui is often considered an alternative science. I wondered how seriously people took these ideas. 'Well, just look at aromatherapy', she replies. 'Only a few years ago no-one believed in essential oils. Now, in every hotel, the masseurs use essential oils. In fact they've become luxury items, much in demand.' And with the rise of China as the world's financial giant, she is certain that even more interest will begin to be shown.

When she went to work for Fragonard, the world-famous perfumiers in Grasse,  Nicky was asked whether she was a Buddhist. She isn't, even though feng shui has its roots in Buddhism. 'It's more common sense than Alice in Wonderland', she says. 'If you want to feel positive, wear bright colours. I ask people why they have called me. They want financial success, a happy relationship. It's a very practical thing.'

You can find out more about Nicky Fraser's armoatherapy and feng shui consultations at her website http://www.fengshui-monaco.org

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