The story begins across the road from my father’s veterinary hospital. In the quiet neighbourhood, plans were unfolding that would soon disrupt the delicate balance of energies around us. I noticed a group of workers preparing to break ground for a new Burger King outlet, right in the Southeast direction.
But there was something unsettling about their timing. It was the year 2024, the year of the Dragon, when Grand Duke Jupiter, the powerful guardian, resided in the Southeast 1. Digging in that direction during this time was asking for trouble—an invisible line that should not be crossed.
On our property, the vet nurse Themba lived in a small apartment adjacent to the practice, in the South West location of the building, but he was also sleeping in the South East location of his bedroom & his main entrance to his home was with a West facing Door, which was afflicted by the 5 Deadly Yellow for the year 2024. I Sensing the impending disturbance, I approached him with a warning. “Themba, I need you to stay at the Cresta practice for a while,” I said. “This construction could affect you in ways you don’t see.”
Themba just laughed, brushing off my concerns. “I don’t believe in all that Feng Shui stuff,” he said, waving a hand dismissively. It wasn’t surprising; many don’t understand the silent forces that flow through the earth, until they experience them first-hand.
The next morning, the digging began. The mechanical clatter of excavators broke the stillness, churning up the soil, unaware they were disturbing more than just dirt. That same day, Themba’s body reacted violently—he began to swell, his skin tight and bloated as if he’d been stung by a thousand invisible bees. He could barely breathe, let alone walk.
I urged him again, “Can I please move you to an apartment at our other practice in Cresta? He refused! Or at least can I move you away from the Southeast corner of your room? There’s a 2 annual Sickness Star there, and with the digging disturbing Grand Duke Jupiter, it’s dangerous.” But he remained unconvinced, and his condition worsened.
Within days, it was clear this was no ordinary illness. Themba had to be rushed to the hospital, where he was treated intensively for two long weeks. Despite the best efforts of doctors, his symptoms persisted. His heart strained, his breath laboured—he couldn’t manage even a few steps without collapsing. The doctors were baffled, and I knew then that this was no mere coincidence; it was a manifestation of energies that had been disturbed.
During that same period, from the 8th of September through the 8th of October—the Month of the Rooster—construction continued, and they even began to landscape in the West of our building, another area ruled by the Grand Duke for the month. The characteristic of the 5 is that it is disturber or you sleep on it , it will cause the blood to clot & it causes inflammation in the body leading to blood clots &heart attacks & swelling of the body. It wasn’t just Themba who felt the effects. My father, Dr. Bouloutis, who worked at the vet practice, began experiencing similar symptoms. His legs swelled, painful and heavy, as if they had turned to lead.
It was a powerful reminder of the unseen forces that lie beneath our feet, currents of energy that the Chinese have respected for centuries. Grand Duke Jupiter, the ancient guardian of the Southeast, had been disturbed, and even though the workers meant no harm, the consequences were swift and severe. It was a lesson in reverence—a message that the land must be treated with respect, for it holds energies that can heal or harm, depending on how we tread.
Fortunately, Themba’s body responded to treatment, and after two harrowing weeks, he began to recover. It wasn’t easy, but eventually, the swelling subsided, and he could breathe freely again. My father, too, found relief, though it took careful adjustments and rest.
As I reflect on this incident, I see it as a story that teaches more than just the technicalities of Feng Shui. It’s about understanding the power of the land and acknowledging that not all forces can be seen or measured. It is a subtle, yet profound energy that shapes our lives in ways we cannot always predict.
Even if we don’t believe, even if we don’t understand, the land speaks—and it demands respect. We can learn much from those who have long honoured its power, and perhaps, in doing so, we’ll find a little more harmony in our own lives.