@pdworkin: I understood that all double-blind studies of homeopathy had failed to show any statistically significant correlation at all, which is to say that water doesn’t work as a cure for a disease, etc… This, sadly, does denigrate the idea that “like cures like” – scientifically (factually?) speaking, it doesn’t.
There’s a very interesting blog about the homeopathy experience here.
I’m agnostic on aromatherapy, as I know next to nothing about it. I’m agnostic on massage therapy, as I know next to nothing about it, although I know that a massage leaves me feeling good.
Feng Shui has a strong similarity to massage therapy in that it’s purely subjective in many ways, and any mystical explanations are surely bollocks. However, while it may not transform your life or make you rich, having a clean, tidy room has an effect on your mind – I hate a messy room, particularly a room for studying, and can’t study if the room’s a mess. Therefore, a tidy room is a successful room (for me, anyway). The same might be said of massage therapy – massage leaves you feeling good, and the physical contact (not to be underestimated – how great are hugs?) will likely have an effect.
Moreover, how you arrange your room will have an effect on you – something obvious by the natural light – if your desk looks out the window on to a park, expect to get distracted easily…