Hi, I’m Antonella Diana, Ph. D.
As an anthropologist specializing in place, dwelling, and material culture, an Asian Studies scholar, a certified Feng Shui consultant, speaker, and holistic wellbeing mentor, I bring a unique blend of disciplines to support others lead more fulfilling lives.
MY MISSION
I’m dedicated to helping people cultivate sustainable happiness by aligning their spaces with the cosmic order.
I believe that our environments shape us, and in turn, how we shape them influences our lives. When space, humans, and the Cosmos are in harmony, balance and fulfilment follow naturally.
By merging anthropology, Feng Shui, and holistic wellbeing practices from Asia’s wisdom traditions, I guide individuals in transforming their homes and businesses into places of harmony and belonging, reflecting their socio-cultural identity and values.
My approach empowers residents to flourish in every aspect of life—love, health, work, career, finances, and relationships.
How it all Started
Unyielding adventurer and truth seeker, since a very young age I have been fascinated by how ’we’ can live more meaningful and fulfilling lives by learning from the wisdom of ‘other’ cultures, particularly those of Asia.
This curiosity led me from my homeland of Sardinia, Italy, to a world of first-hand explorations. My journey began with a study trip to China at 21, while pursuing my Asian Studies degree at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
My Journey as an Anthropologist
During a transformative stay in Laos in 2000, I discovered my calling as an anthropologist and scholar of Asian cultures. This led me to complete a doctorate in socio-cultural anthropology at the Australian National University, training under outstanding scholars of Asia, notably professor Andrew Kipnis and professor Nicholas Tapp.
Driven by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, for twenty-five years, I engaged in scholarly research and teaching at numerous universities and consulting in Asia and Europe.
Fully immersed in the lives of various communities in China and mainland Southeast Asia, I explored how living spaces relate to cosmology and identity making, the tension between space and place through urbanisation, and the dynamics of state power and ethnicity across national borders.
Embracing the Spirituality Path.
At the same time, deep inside I cultivated strong attraction to spiritual traditions and psycho-physical wellbeing practices as a form of healing. My time in Asia allowed me to learn from monks, shamans and masters and to explore Taoist, Theravada Buddhist, animist, Tantra and Yoga paths.
During breaks from academia, which I experienced as moments of life crisis, I trained as a Yoga teacher in the Sivananda Vedanta, viniyoga and yin yoga styles. Since 2014, I have been teaching Yoga and Tantra.
Life Watershed
For two decades, I juggled two parallel lives—one devoted to science, the other centered on spirituality. These two lives seemed incompatible.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point, making me question the materialist perspective of science as the sole path to human welfare. Additionally, that period of suspension of all ‘normal’ activities gave me the chance to look within and listen to my true ‘calling’: to unite science and spirituality for the wellbeing of humanity.
In a key moment, I left the academic world to launch a new holistic project aiming to guide others live happy lives by harmonizing their living and working spaces with the source of all existence, the Absolute.
Engaging with Feng Shui and Place-Making
My love for creating joyful places took root early on, influenced by my father’s construction expertise. At eight, I took pleasure in fashioning small huts from wooden fruit crates, complete with wooden plank roofs, disposable toilets, and plastic sinks. My little nests were a source of delight as I welcomed my siblings and friends into my cosy creations! This passion for crafting happy and harmonious environments has remained an underlying force throughout my life as I moved across continents.
I first encountered Feng Shui during the 1990s while I was a student at the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. There, I embarked on a voyage to comprehend the principles of Feng Shui, culminating in my dissertation exploring the intricate interplay between living spaces, cosmology, and the identity of a Tai ethnic community in southwestern China. My journey continued as I explored the renaissance of Feng Shui in modern Chinese society and its adaptation in the cultural landscapes of Europe and North America.
My recent academic work focused on the profound spatial and urban transformations occurring in China since the 2000s. This research garnered recognition from the European Commission for Research Excellence and received support through a Marie Curie Fellowship grant.
Furthermore, I received immersive training in both classical and contemporary Feng Shui methodologies under masters in both China and Europe. I owe much of my learning to master Simon Brown. This training established me as an international Feng Shui consultant, dedicated to bringing harmony to spaces across the globe.
I have cultivated a deep passion for Asian artifacts and architecture, with a particular fondness for Indochinese interior design and Chinese porcelain. I seamlessly blend this passion with my innate aesthetic sense to create personalized, unique spaces for my clients.
Where Culture, Cats and Creativity Meet
When I’m not involved in place-making practices, I consult for international cooperation agencies and teach yoga. I love exploring the cultural wonders of Asia and Europe, spending time with my two gorgeous cats, Kali and Visnu, at home in Sardinia, Italy, and experimenting with vegetarian, gluten-free recipes. Dancing and mantra chanting are my favorite ways to awaken the divine within. I am also passionate about learning new languages — Sanskrit may be the new venture.
If my journey resonates with you and my mission piques your interest, I invite you to join me on a transformative path.
MY CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Education
- Doctoral Degree in Anthropology with a focus on Asian cultures and societies, the Australian National University.
- Graduate Diploma in Arts focused on Anthropology, the Australian National University.
- BA in Asian Studies with a specialization in Chinese language and culture, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
Feng Shui training and certification
- Feng Shui certification under master Simon Brown and further refined skills under master Howard Choy and several Feng Shui masters in both rural and urban China.
Fieldwork Experience
- Extensive ethnographic fieldwork in China, mainland Southeast Asia, and India over twenty years.
- Training with masters, monks, and shamans in the study of cosmology, religious rituals, and building practices across Asia.
Research and publications
- Investigated how individuals and communities in China adapt domestic and urban spaces to preserve cultural identities amidst changing policies.
- Extensive research on topics of vernacular architecture and cosmology, trans-regional and cross-border socio-economic networks, ethnicity, nation-building, migration, gender roles, governance and politics of China and mainland Southeast Asia.
- Articles published in high profile academic journals. These include: ‘The Dialectics of Space and Place in China’s South-Western Periphery’ published in the European Journal of East Asian Studies, 2022 Vol 21 (3), and “Centralizzando i margini, marginalizzando il centro. L’urbanizzazione come dispositivo di governo nella frontiera sud-occidentale dello Yunnan [Centralising the margins, marginalising the centre. Urbanisation as a governing technology along the Yunnan southwestern frontier” published in Sinosfere, 2020, N. 11.
Academic Positions
- Marie Curie Research Fellow, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy (2019-2022).
- Marie Curie Research Fellow, University of Sassari, Italy (2018).
- Lecturer of Chinese Language, University of Sassari, Italy (2017-2018).
- Research Fellow, The International Institute for Asian Studies, Leiden (2012-2013).
- Honorary Research Fellow, The University of Hong Kong (2011-2012).
- Assistant Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2010-2011).
Awards/Fellowships/Grants
- Marie Curie Plus One Fellowship. Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (2021).
- Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship. European Commission. Project title: URBAN_CHINA. “Urbanization in China’s Southwestern Borderlands. The case of Jinghong, Xishuangbanna” (2017).
- Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Seal of Excellence. European Commission (2017).
- Research Fellowship at the International Institute for Asian Studies, Leiden, The Netherlands (2012-2013).
- Best PhD dissertation of the College of Asia and the Pacific 2009, The Australian National University (2010).
- PhD Vice-Chancellor Scholarship, The Australian National University (2004-2009).
- The Australian National University PhD Scholarship, The Australian National University (2004-2009).