Feng shui, the 13th step

Feng SHUI was co-opted by the West at the same time that disco started to take hold, and some 35 years later, it's still rattling wind chimes. Now this quasi-mystical home improvement formula is getting a look from the world of rehab, where its unique blend of wishful thinking and Martha Stewart finickiness is seen as the promise of a more sustainable recovery.

This ancient Chinese philosophy is now being used to help modulate behavior, and feng shui advisors and consultants on both coasts have reported an increased interest in the services from individuals struggling with such addictions as narcotics, alcohol, sex, shopping and gambling. Consulting costs range from $300 an hour to $1,500 per 1,500 square feet.

Ken Lauher, who bills himself as a celebrity feng shui consultant in New York, has noticed a spike in calls from recovering addicts during the last several months, and Connie Spruill, director of education at the Feng Shui Institute of America near Columbus, Ohio, reports that 1 in 10 of her new clients is struggling with a predilection toward alcohol and drugs.

"I think it's the evolution of feng shui in America," said Sylvia Watson, co-manager of the Feng Shui Institute of America. "There has been a lot of success for people who need help with their career or a relationship, and it's only natural that people are starting to think about using feng shui in dealing with addictions."

Channeling esoteric notions of Taoist cosmology, feng shui is more than just glorified clutter clearing. Lauher, for one, takes a multi-pronged approach.

Using Chinese astrology and his clients' dates of birth as a guide, Lauher tries to determine if there is an imbalance that might be fueling the desire for liquor, painkillers or other substances. He works with clients using qi gong, a gentle exercise that can elevate a person's energy. He suggests morning and evening meditations -- and then he reconfigures the physical aspects of their home.

"I work with a lot of well-known people -- actors and actresses, singers and songwriters," he says without naming names. "But they are not coming to me to tell them how to position a couch or bed or to make their house look like a Chinese souvenir shop. They're coming to me to really change their energy in how they experience life."