Feng Shui - More Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Where did you learn your Feng Shui?

I learnt this art purely from ancient books verified by practical feng shui audit for houses in various parts of the world. Most of the theoretical parts come from these valuable classics:

Yi Jing (I Ching)
Zang Shu (The Burial Book)
Qing Nang Jing (The Green Satchel Classic)
Tian Yu Jing (The Heavenly Jade Classic)
Han Long Jing (The Classic of Challenging the Dragon)
Yi Long Jing (The Classic of Spying the Dragon)
Qing Nang Xu (Preface to the Green Satchel Classic)
Qing Nang Ao Yu (Delving into the Green Satchel Classic)
Xuan Kong Mi Zhi (Secrets of Time and Space)
Xuan Ji Fu (Ode to Mysiticism)
Du Tian Bao Zhao Jing (A Treatise of Form and Formula)
Shen's Xuan Kong Xue (Master Shen's Time-Space Feng Shui School)
Zi Bai Jue (The Secret of the Purple and White Stars)
Fei Xing Fu (Ode to Flyign Stars)


Question: Some people say that you cannot learn Feng Shui without a Shifu. Is it true?

Without a Shifu it is much more difficult. The Great Master Yang Yun Song (Tang Dynasty), Jiang Da Hong (Ming-Qing Dynasty), and Shen Zhu Reng (Qing Dynasty) are undisputed greatest Feng Shui Masters. They all learnt from books and practices.


Question: Do you provide services to people who want to bury the dead in a fortunate grave site?

Yes. I will choose a site with good feng shui to bury the dead. There is nothing wrong for honoring the dead. But if you ask me whether a site with good feng shui will bring fortune to the descendants, my answer is that it is merely wishful thinking. People have to make their own fortunes with the ancestors' blessing.


Question: Is there a cure for every house with ill feng shui?

Is there a cure for all kinds of disease?


Question: I have seen feng shui masters tracing the energy in a house using the Luo Pan. How does it work?

The Luo Pan is an instrument to determine the sitting and facing of a site. Once this is done, the energy map can be drawn for the house. The audit will then be based on the energy map (star chart). If you see someone walking inside a house focusing on his Luo Pan pretending to be tracing the energy, he is not an authentic feng shui practitioner. This is merely a fraud.


Question: I live in the Southern Hemisphere. Can Classical Feng Shui be applied here in Australia?

Yes, without modifications. It appears that the Later Ba Gua, for example, must be modified. It appears that it does not make sense to have the Fire Palace in the South and the Water Palace in the North down under. Down under, the South is cold and the North is hot. It appears that the Fire Palace is to be located on the north while the Water Palace on the south. If you remember that energy comes from all over the Universe, and that our Sun is only a small part of it, then it does not matter where on earth you are, the same kind of energy comes from the same direction. In other words, the same method that we use in the Northern Hemisphere is also valid in the Southern Hemisphere.


Question: Is traditional feng shui still good today?

Yes and No, The principles are still good. The details are to be modified. Modern city planning and house designs are very much different from the ancient world. The principle that beauty is truth and truth beauty is universally and all-time valid.


Question: Is feng shui a science?

Not yet. The principles in feng shui are hypothesis that have not been verified by repeated experiments. Feng shui masters collected their own statistical data that cannot be viewed as conclusive. The superstitious outfit of corrupt feng shui drives away scientists from this probably scientific study.


Question: I know that anything dead has bad chi. What is the effect of dried flowers, silk flowers, or plastic flowers?

Not anything dead has bad chi. If your house or your furniture are made of wood, then there are too many dead objects in your house. Do they create sha chi? Of course not. Then why bother about dried flowers? As long as they are beautiful it does not matter whether they are dried flowers, silk flowers or plastic flowers. What is beautiful is a source of sheng chi. Living flowers have one more ingredient - that of life and are more suitable. The elemental significance of dried flowers is weak. Therefore they are rather neutral in Feng Shui considerations.

Feng Shui - Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Is there a wealth corner in every house?

Yes. In every house there is a position that if appropriately decorated can improve the wealth luck of the people living in the house. It is where the star responsible for wealth dwells. An accurate measurement has to be taken to locate the wealth corner. The Feng Shui Principle : "Mountain is responsible for health and water for wealth" refers to the "mountain star" and "water star" in the "flying star chart". In the seventh period (1984-2003) the dominating star is 7. Where the water star (facing star) 7 resides is the wealth corner. Where the facing star #8 resides is a secondary wealth corner. In fact, there are two wealth corners instead of just one.


Question: Is there a simple way to locate the wealth corner of a house?

No. There are some "simple ways" to define the wealth corner. Don't be fooled by the "simple is good" maxim. These simple ways can be harmful:Wrong concept #1 - When you enter a house, the right hand corner on the other end of the house is the wealth corner. Sheng chi entering a house goes in the clockwise direction until it reaches the furthermost corner and stays there. Therefore this is the wealth corner.Wrong concept #2 - In the New Age Ba Gua, the wealth station is one of the eight life stations.




Question: Is Feng Shui related to religion?

No. Feng Shui has no religious background. Some "Feng Shui masters" claim to have learnt Feng Shui from a Buddhist monk. This is not creditable. A real Buddhist is prohibited to practice Feng Shui and all kinds of fortune telling. Feng Shui is an unconventional science that has theoretical results supported by unverified statistical data. The task of Feng Shui students in the future is to integrate Feng Shui into conventional science. To claim that there is a more powerful transcendental part of Feng Shui is nothing more than deceitful marketing.


Question: Can Feng Shui be practiced without using a Luo Pan?

Yes and no. Using a Luo Pan is fine. Using an accurate compass serves the same purpose. Practicing Feng Shui without an instrument to measure the sitting and facing is not the way.


Question: Can Feng Shui be learnt without a 'shifu'(Feng Shui master who teaches this art)?

Why not? But then you will have to study all kinds of Feng Shui books in the world, scrutinize them one by one, accept the good ones and reject the bad ones. It will take tens of years to accomplish something. The greatest masters in the history of Feng Shui did not learn Feng Shui from a shifu but from books.


Question: Are mirrors (convex, concave and plain) powerful weapons to kill sha chi?

No. A mirror can only reflect light falling onto its surface. It can do nothing to whatever kinds of chi that escape this small surface. To say that mirrors can absorb, concentrate or disperse sha chi is only wishful thinking.


Question: Can Feng Shui bring you wealth?

Feng Shui can create a harmonious environment that improves a person's health, the clarity of mind and alertness. In this way the person has the energy and wisdom to deal with a lot of things including making money. Good Feng Shui does not bring you wealth if you do not go for it but it should give you the necessary urge to seek fame and fortune.


Question: Are toilets harmful (to health, wealth and marriage)?

A toilet in ancient China is a dirty place. Germs multiply there and cause health problems. When someone is sick, money has to be spent and a lot of money making opportunities are missed. It also has a bad effect on the relationship between family members particularly the husband and the wife. Therefore it should be located at a remote position. In today's houses unless you do not flush the toilets and maintain them in clean and hygienic condition, toilets do not contribute any harmful effects. Some of the ancient Feng Shui rules have to be revised. It is irresponsible teaching that flushing the toilet flushes out the wealth.


Question: My indoor plants wither and die. Is this bad Feng Shui?

Yes. If you put your house plant in a place with fresh air, sunshine, right humidity and temperature, free from harmful radiation (sha chi), there is no reason why it will not grow well. What is bad for a plant is also bad for you. Find out the cause and do something to cure the house.


Question: The fish in my aquarium died. Has it sacrificed for me?

Is my house under the attack of sha chi? Do I continue to replace the dead fish so that another live one will sacrifice for me?The fish did not sacrifice for you. It died because the environment is unsuitable. Find out the cause and make the necessary corrections. We install a fish tank because we need the water element to promote wealth luck. We do not use the fish to "absorb" the sha chi and die for us.


Question: Some Feng Shui masters say that when the needle in the Luo Pan is unstable in a house, the house is haunted. He will have to drive away the evil spirit and bless the house. Is this true?

The needle in the Luo Pan is unstable because the electro-magnetic field in the house is not stable. It may be due to the fluctuating strength of the electric current in cables nearby or some unknown source of magnetic instability. In fact, the Luo Pan reading inside a house is never accurate nowadays especially in high rise buildings. Feng Shui practitioners using the Luo Pan to "trace" the energy inside a house is just fooling his clients. The Luo Pan is only used to find the sitting and facing of a building. It is to be used outdoors where it is free from electro-magnetic interference. Anyone who moves around inside the house holding the Luo Pan in hand is just acting.


Question: Can you tell me in which direction (clockwise or anti-clockwise) should the Tai Ji (better known as the "yin-yang" in the west) rotate?

In some books it is clockwise while in some others it is anti-clockwise.The Tai Ji is in fact three dimensional. It is a sphere, not a circle. If it is clockwise on one side, it will be anti-clockwise on the other. It is like a pair of fish connected head to tail and tail to head. In the space, we should not have the sense of up and down. Therefore it does not matter whether it rotates clockwise or anti-clockwise, vertically or horizontally placed. Do not consider the invention of the reverse ba gua as a great discovery. On the other hand, it is not necessary to make a fuss about nothing.

Question: Is there a career corner in a house?

Some say it is the northern section of the house while others say that the section containing the entrance is responsible for career success.We must take the entire house into consideration, not just a section of the house. If the stars responsible for wisdom and determination are well used, there will be success in studies for students and career for a grown up. The North (Water Palace in the Hou Tien Ba Gua) does contribute to wisdom but there are other considerations. The entrance to a house has unparalleled importance. It is not just responsible for career success.


Question: Can Feng Shui save a broken marriage or a business from bankruptcy?

Yes and no. If the form and stars are all but a mess, no matter what is done with the intention to cure, it will be a futile effort. Some places are just beyond our capability to correct. The only solution is to move to a suitable place. If we can turn a place into one that is in harmony, full of energy and love, the intended results can be expected.


Question: What are Heaven Luck, Earth Luck and Man Luck?

In modern language it is simply Time, Space and Event.At a certain time there are happenings in the Universe that affect every individual. In the large there are stars born and destroyed. In the small the assigned value of the time variable produces a certain functional value to a person's luck equation. We call this Heaven Luck.Different places in the Universe are subjected to different conditions. In a smaller scale, opportunities in different parts of the word are entirely different. If we take a more individualized scale, where a person is located may determine a lot of his life. This is Earth Luck. A simpler way of saying is that Feng Shui affects the well being of people.What a man does is the cause of some result. The decision made at a cross road determines the result. This is Man Luck.Heaven Luck is beyond our control. We have to live with it. Some people are just born lucky. Some have to work much harder to be recognized and rewarded. Earth Luck and Man Luck are what we can manage. If a person works hard and performs noble acts, with the help of feng shui, the achievement can be outstanding even if the Heaven Luck is not that satisfactory.

Feng Shui Colors

Using colors is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to shift the energy in your home based on Feng Shui theories. The colors you should use in Feng Shui should be based on the five elements including earth, fire, metal, water, and wood. Each of thee elements should be placed on specific areas in your home to map the entire space and bring out the beauty of color in your home. Below are the list of elements and their corresponding colors to help you know what colors you should use on specific areas of your house.

• Fire – represents passion and energy. Usually, the fire element is recommended in the northeast and the southwest portion of your house. You can use the colors red, pink, orange, purple, and yellow to represent the fire element.
• Earth – represents stability and nourishment. The earth tone can also be used on the northeast and the southwest portion of the entire space but it is recommended that you place earth colors at the center of your home as well. Earth can be represented by the colors light yellow and beige.
• Metal – brings out precision and clarity. The metal element should be used on the Northern areas of your home or office. You can use the colors gray and white to represent this element.
• Water – helps bring out freshness, ease, and abundance. Water is actually the Feng Shui element for the North but you can use it on the east and southeast portion of your house as well. Colors that represent the water element are blue and black.
• Wood – represents vitality and health. The wood element can also bring out wealth and abundance. Usually, the wood element is used on the south, east, and the southeast portion of the house. Colors that represent the wood element are brown and green.

Feng Shui and Mirrors

Frequently, Feng Shui practitioners in America utilize mirrors as a cure. We consistently see mirrors being used upon the recommendation of a prior “master.” According to one web site, “Mirrors are known to be the aspirin of Feng Shui” (Although I tend to think of them as placebos). What do these mirrors do and how do they affect the Feng Shui in a house or business?

Let me first start out with saying that 168 Feng Shui Advisors recommends the use of mirrors as a bathroom tool to comb your hair by. Beyond that, mirrors only serve a visual or artistic effect. Mirrors have been misrepresented as a Feng Shui “cure” by a lot of practitioners. Here in this country, these practitioners claim that mirrors will reflect negative Chi and spirits. Have you ever tried to reflect heat with a mirror, or perhaps x-rays? Mirrors only reflect light, a narrow area of the energetic spectrum. Chi, defined as “life energy,” flows around and through each of us, is not diverted by a four inch, eight edged mirror.

Mirrors have a useful nature. They can be used to hide pillars, to expand the appearance of a room, and to be used in a piece of art. A small restaurant in Monterey Park, California, which we frequent, uses mirrors to hide the support pillars of the restaurant. Without the mirrors, the pillars would divide the room and make the restaurant appear smaller. While this is an architectural remedy, but has nothing to do with the chi of the building. It can be said that from a Feng Shui perspective, it does create a better environment. After all, Feng Shui is about creating a more comfortable and supportive environment. Let me clarify, while mirrors might be recommended as a visual change, they are not a remedy against bad chi.

Traditional Feng Shui utilizes only the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water as remedies to energetic issues in a house or building. Mirrors do not play any part as a remedy. Often you will see mirrored baguas opposing each other on two houses that face each other. Sometimes there will be a bagua feud - the bigger bagua wins. This is not Feng Shui, but rather superstition mixed with egotism. Traditional Feng Shui does not subscribe to mysticism, superstition, or religion.
So how did mirrors get mixed into Feng Shui concepts? It is very likely that one of two things (or perhaps both) created this belief in mirrors. First, in the Middle Ages, mirrors were made of polished brass. A master would suggest that you need a mirror in a certain area. It was not the mirror, but rather the brass (metal element) that would create the remedy.

Another very likely misunderstanding is a very well known Feng Shui book title: “Eight House Mirror Theory.” This book says nothing about mirrors as a remedy, but rather, it infers that after performing calculations based on the eight directions, you will have the answer before you as clear as a mirror. Again, people who knew about this book, but did not know or understand its contents probably took the title as a literal recommendation.

Mirrors as stated above, can create an architectural or artistic effect, but are not to be mixed with Feng Shui remedies. If you are looking for a Feng Shui practitioner, be wary of those who prescribe mirrors as a solution to your Feng Shui woes.

The Fish Factor

We frequently get questions about fish and their effect in Feng Shui. This is a Feng Shui topic that has a lot of misunderstanding, primarily because there is some basis for what is discussed, but also there is a lot of misunderstanding.

In traditional Chinese Feng Shui, the only recommended solutions are the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. The water element strengthens wood qi. Fish have been confused to be a Feng Shui remedy, but this is not in itself true. What it is, is a combination of superstition and misunderstanding. In Feng Shui, the number 6 and 7 are used in the calculations of the trigrams and are representative of metal (6=Qian or hard metal, and 7= Dui or soft metal). Five Element theory says that metal strengthens water. Chinese folklore says that adding 6 gold fish and one black fish makes the water stronger. What this is trying to do is to strengthen the water effect with metal. Actually, the fish only add decoration to the tank. To really strengthen the water element, the tank should have the real metal element with the water.


Fish do add a couple of things though. One is beauty and the other is to add circulation to the water. Further, they are living creatures and they bring life to the environment. This is good Feng Shui, but it is not needed in a strict sense for the Water element to be effective. Personally, I like fish and if I were to add water to an area, I might add the fish, but for the beauty and serenity they bring, but not for the reason of strengthening the Water element. That is environmental Feng Shui, but not elemental Feng Shui. The water element will work with or without the fish, so long as it is kept clean and circulating. Avoid stagnant water. This becomes a “sha” (negative influence) and is not helpful.

Let me give you an example of how people apply fish to Feng Shui. There is a restaurant near our school that was “Feng Shui’d” by someone who knew only the folklore beliefs. All their remedies blatantly stood out. They have a giant (8 foot) fish tank at the entrance with 6 gold fish and 1 black fish. Nothing else in the tank! First, the poor gold fish have no environment to interact with and it appears very stark. This in itself is poorly applied Feng Shui. Second, all the other remedies stand out so much that they feel out of place. This is a not the way to resolve Feng Shui issues. Feng Shui is a natural science. Everything should appear natural. Properly applied, Feng Shui should be so natural that you don’t even notice that a Feng Shui master has been there, except for the feeling that the building is very comfortable. As an example, perhaps you need the Metal element in a room. By putting a beautiful bronze statue of a horse or perhaps a brass plate on the wall, you get the metal influence without it appearing out of place.

Lastly, everything in Feng Shui has an explanation. Feng Shui is based on logic and practical application. If in doubt about the information presented, question “why?” Also remember that Feng Shui properly applied, should appear natural and comfortable, both to people and to fish.

Feng Shui in Business

For years, a property management company enjoyed having a beautiful metal statue in their conference room. In fact, they frequently received compliments on it. But in trying to rearrange their office for functionality, they moved the statue to another area outside the conference room. About six months later, in a Feng Shui consultation, it was suggested that they needed the metal element inside the conference room to avoid money delays. When told this, the principals of the company were astonished. They thought back over the six months and realized that during that time without the statue in the conference room, money and clients were hard to come by. They quickly moved it back in. While metal is not always the correct solution, it was required in this case to minimize delays and create a warm and inviting area to greet clients. Feng Shui, properly applied, can greatly contribute to the growth of a business.

In one company, three offices were recommended as being ideal for storage, but harmful if used for offices. Not surprisingly, it was revealed to the Feng Shui practitioner that these offices consistently remained empty and the staff who had occupied them previously, had either quickly left the company after a short tenure or had developed serious illnesses. The hidden costs to a company of having undiscovered "critical" areas includes leaves of absence and increased sick time at work.

When utilizing space planning or considering an expansion, Feng Shui should be taken into account to minimize the negative effects of certain areas and to enhance other, more productive areas. Especially important are the entrances to the building and offices; the executive offices; the sales and marketing areas; and the conference rooms where important decisions and negotiations occur. Promoting good Chi in these areas can have a strong impact on the prosperity. Using Feng Shui principles in laying out office space, one can avoid common mistakes that lead to sales declines, unhappy employees and turnover. Some basic Feng Shui advice that business owners need be aware of is to:

1. Provide direct views to an entrance. - Don't face an employee with their back to the entrance of an office or cubicle.

2. Avoid placing an employee in the direct line of a door. - This lacks any sense of privacy and can create a feeling of always being watched. Additionally, it sets the employee directly in the rush of Chi. This can have negative effects on the health and productivity.

3. Lastly, utilize warm lighting (as opposed to glarish florescent lighting), if possible. - Lighting can change the entire atmosphere of a room. Keep it balanced though. Too bright and it can result in headaches and an irritated staff. To low and it can create a lull in the processing of work.

4. Maintain a pleasing environment to all the senses. - A consultation to a hospital revealed that the lobby had a foul odor. This resulted in people not wanting to utilize that hospital as their care provider. This may seem like common sense, but many times people are so used to their own environment, they miss how it effects their clients.

These simple environmental measures can have a direct results on sales, productivity and employee morale.

In addition to the environment, the balance of Chi (life energy) needs to be considered. Chi is specific to a building and orientation. A good example of this is when a successful restaurant moves and then goes out of business within a few months. Identifying a good Feng Shui location should be taken into account when relocating your business. A qualified practitioner can analyze the environment both inside and out and determine the orientation of the building. Using time proven calculations, the practitioner can make recommendations on whether the building would be supportive and if it is, how best to balance the Chi. When creating balanced Chi, traditional Feng Shui utilizes only the five natural elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water to create balanced environments.

Feng Shui can be fine tuned to the staff members. Key employees can be positioned in such a way that they are oriented to their most productive direction. Each person has an association with one of the eight directions. These directions can be either positive or less than favorable depending upon the individual. A qualified practitioner should be used to determine the advantageous direction for each person.

While strategy, keen business sense, strong goals, and excellent management can move a company forward, more and more businesses are utilizing Feng Shui to ensure that there are no roadblocks to creating the success that the company desires. Productive and harmonious environment can only support the employees and generate additional revenues from clients who, for reasons not readily apparent to them, enjoy returning to such a warm place of business.

Feng Shui in Retail Stores

The following are questions posed to 168 Feng Shui Advisors by a student writing a paper on Feng Shui.

1) What are your thoughts on FS in relation to retail stores?

Feng Shui works in any “built” environment. People are using this ancient science at home as well as at work. In a retail store, it can both increase sales and reduce money delays and business costs. It can also increase the popularity or traffic in a store.

2) Do businesses approach FS masters in the set up of a retail store?

Yes, frequently do retail stores utilize Feng Shui. Their specific motivations can be different, but usually they are seeking a way to increase business. When a store utilizes Feng Shui it creates a more welcoming environment that allows customers to feel relaxed and willing to spend their time and money.

3) Has there been an increase in the use of FS by retailers?

Yes, Feng Shui’s awareness and popularity is increasing significantly in the West.

4) How do you think FS benefits retailers?

* Increased sales
* Increased traffic
* Happier clients
* Higher productivity
* Employee retention
* Fewer delays
* Increasing the awareness of the company’s good name

5) How do you as a FS master help in the design in the layout of a retail store?

Feng Shui is used to first to choose the appropriate store location. There are both environmental and functional issues involved when analyzing the Feng Shui of a location. The orientation, the building, the timing, the owners, and the environment all play a significant part of the analysis. There are four types of buildings; those that are good for people, those that are good for money, those that are good for people and money, and those that are not favorable for either. When selecting a location, a Feng Shui practitioner will examine the surrounding environment and then utilizing a Chinese Lo P’an and age old calculations will determine the nature of the building and whether the occupants should move in. Ideally, you want a building that is favorable to both people and money. In the case where it is only good for one, you can enhance the other using either the Earth element or the Water element properly placed.

After examining the exterior environment, we look at the interior for areas that are critical and beneficial. Areas that are positive can be enhanced. Areas that are not favorable can be neutralized using an elemental solution. Key locations include the entrance, the location of the owner’s desk or office, the cash register, or the area that is used to complete the sale. These should be located in beneficial areas that favor the people and/or the money. Again, areas that either cannot be located to better positions can be remedied by using one of the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water). The interior environment has the most direct effect on the people working there.

6) Has there been satisfied customers? How do they evaluate the success of FS?

Yes, of course! While Feng Shui may not change a business overnight, it can have effects within a couple of weeks. A restaurant that was on the verge of closing its doors (mainly due to the fact they had no parking available for their patrons), reported that after they applied the recommendations, their lunchtime business increased significantly. It was enough to save their business. So I would say that these business owners would give it high marks.

The best indicator of the success of Feng Shui is the referrals. Most of our business is based on referrals. When someone is satisfied with a service, they will tell others. This also pertains to your other questions as to how it is growing in the West.

7) What is the role of FS for a retail store design? How does it work in practice (e.g. Casino, clothing store)? Please give some examples.

I think that a lot of this has been answered by question 5. A specific example though would be a jewelry store we recently visited. They were looking to increase there clientele. They were in a satisfactory location and the resulting recommendations were minor. They needed some metal near the door to reduce delays. They utilized a nice wall clock that had a metal pendulum and chime. We suggested water in the Eastern part of the building to enhance prosperity. Here they utilized a small aquarium (no fish) with a pump that created the sound and movement of the water. Behind the counter they needed some metal. Here they moved their metal filing cabinets. Lastly, there were some beneficial areas that had good potential for money. We suggested that they negotiate their sales in that area to:

* Make the client feel good about the purchase.
* They realize a higher success rate completing their sales.

There are other examples too. One retail store location in a very successful area consistently is changing owners. New stores appear in that space every 6 to 12 months. The problem is that they have a decorative prism-shaped statue directly outside the store with the sharp edge pointing right into the business. This is an example of “metal sha.” Environmentally, it is creating an uncomfortable situation for the clients and the employees. Ideally the statue should be rotated to avoid pointing directly into the store.

You mentioned casinos. While we do not usually help casinos (they have enough success at taking peoples money), there is one good example of how environmental Feng Shui assisted a casino. A famous casino had difficulties when it first opened. To attract more visitors they erected a mountain in the front of the hotel and at the same time expanded their pools at the rear of the building. I do not know if this was upon the advice of a Feng Shui master or whether it was good luck, but it was the ideal remedy, for their specific location, to enhancing their business. Now they are quite successful. We are not saying that this is good in all cases, but it is an example of utilizing water and earth to assist the prosperity of a building.

How does the use of FS help in the success of a retail store?

In using Feng Shui, a retail store is energetically balanced, has an environment that is welcoming, and the occupants know where they are best positioned to make the sale. It can be the difference between walking into a very dark and disorienting store and walking into a warm, light, and organized store. One is forbidding and the other is inviting. This is a simplistic example, but it is meant to show the extremes. On a more subtle level, a similar feeling can effect the clients unconsciously when they walk into a store that has applied proper Feng Shui principles and one that has not.

9) Why has FS become more popular over the last 10 years in retail?

I would say as I mentioned before that it is because of the word of mouth. People are talking more and more about this. Many of our clients are based on referrals. I would also credit the media with getting the word out. People have access to more information, quicker than ever before. This web site is but one example of this. The news media, the print media, the electronic media are all spreading the word and people are utilizing Feng Shui and telling others of the positive results.

10) Why do you think Western culture has begun to adopt FS?

Just a year ago, it was nearly impossible to find a book on Feng Shui in the bookstore. Now it has it’s own section. It has moved beyond the new age awareness and is being utilized by mainstream businesses. There are now Western magazines devoted to Feng Shui. Most important though is the development of Feng Shui schools, such as the American Feng Shui Institute. People are seeking these schools out to learn more about this fascinating science.

Feng Shui is about creating comfortable environments that are supportive to people. The reason that more and more people are adopting Feng Shui is because people need more than ever to find comfort in a fast paced and often chaotic world. The home is truly a place to re-energize yourself. When a home has had Feng Shui principles applied, it can be a source of strength to the occupants. When a retail store has had proper Feng Shui principles applied, it can be a place where clients feel invited and welcome.

Shapes in Feng Shui

Feng Shui is a study of the environment; specifically the living spaces we call home or work. When we are at home, we need a restful environment. Many times though, homes are designed and built in a shape that is not conducive to rest. Rather, it stirs you up or it is unsettling. A well-designed house should allow the owner to enjoy a comfortable experience within the house.

Have you ever seen an unusual house with an odd design? How did the house make you feel? Were you confused or have a dizzy sensation? Did you get lost inside the home? Often in an effort to make a statement or to add a personal uniqueness, architects play with the shape of a house. Depending upon the design, these unique floor plans can have a significant effect on the people who occupy the home. In Feng Shui, shapes can have a profound effect on the Feng Shui within a home or building, thus helping or impairing the occupants and their well being.

One such case was a house where people entered at a right 45-degree turn. Without fail, everyone who entered that house tripped over his or her own feet. Another house was designed in a half circle. The house had circular walls and had almost triangular rooms. The owner of this home suffered from health and relationship problems.

The reason many Chinese restaurants use circular tables rather than square is that circles create unstable qi that is constantly circulating. Square tables create restful qi. People tend to linger longer at a square table. The same goes for a circular house. The qi is not still. It does not create a restful home. People do not tend to want to stay long in a circular home.

Triangular shaped homes and lots are not preferred either. There is an imbalance in this shape. One side is open and the other very closed. Inside the house, odd angles are created in the rooms. In Feng Shui, odd angles are not preferred, especially those that point at you. They direct the qi at you. Often this is called “poison arrows.” Also called “sha qi,” this is simply a flow of qi that is too strong. Just like sleeping directly under a ventilator, and awaking with a cramp, sha qi can affect your well being. Triangular rooms, homes, or lots can create a lot of these sha qi.

Alternatively, a square or rectangular house is ideal. These are stable and solid. People naturally feel at home. The qi can settle in a square room. The floor plan for a square or rectangular house is usually logical and easy to navigate. Whereas the floor plan of a triangular house is often confusing with 45-degree turns and oddly placed doors.

While the home shape is important, the lot that the building sits on is very significant. Triangular lots can restrict either the well being of the people or the financial success of the home. This is another area where a square or rectangular shape is very important. If the lot has a triangular shape, use bushes or a tree line to square off the lot.

When looking for a home or even selecting an office, try to find the home that is square, or rectangle and allows you to walk through it without getting confused. If you have a home with angles, try to block those angles using nice plants that cover the angle and block the sha qi. If you have a circular house, you can also use the plants to slow down the qi and to create lines within that feel more natural.

The next time you find yourself in an unusually shaped building, stop and notice the feeling you get from the building’s design. Are you confused? Do you know where to go? Do you have any sensations such as dizziness? Notice your environment and its effects on you. This is Feng Shui! Buildings designed with Feng Shui in mind, while perhaps architecturally plain, can promote one’s success and well being.

Wealth Gods

The concept of Wealth Gods is very Asian. China and India have multiple Wealth Gods, some of whom are worshipped as benevolent deities especially during the New Year festive season. This is also the best time for families to invite a Wealth God into their homes. Look for a figurine of a Wealth God you feel an affinity with and bring him into your home on an auspicious time and day using the Feng Shui Almanac as a guide.

There are many different wealth deities in the different Asian traditions. The Koreans and Thais have their wealth Buddhas. The Tibetans have their five Jambhala wealth gods. Chinese Taoists have several Wealth Gods and also regard the 8 Immortals and Laughing Buddha as auspicious beings whose presence in the home either on paintings or on decorative items attracts wealth luck. The most popular wealth Gods are the three star gods known as Fuk Luk Sau who signify wealth, health and longevity.

My favourite wealth god is Tsai Shen Yeh who is usually depicted offering an ingot of gold and stepping on or sitting on a fierce tiger. I have two particularly beautiful signature pieces, one standing and holding an ingot which I place near my SE front door, and the other dressed in green dragon robes and sitting on a tiger. I place this one directly facing my SE door. I have had both these wealth Gods for some time now.

Since I am a practising Buddhist who follows the Tibetan Gelugpa tradition, I also have what we describe as a Jambhala waterfall. The Tibetan Wealth Buddhas – Jambhalas – are unlike Taoist Wealth Gods in that they are consecrated and then placed on special altars where there is a flow of clean water falling on the crown of their heads. The belief is that Jambhala carries a mongoose (which looks like a Rat) which spews forth precious jewels that signify wealth. Placing the Jambhala in the home attracts a continuous stream of wealth luck.

Displaying wealth deities in the home, especially facing the main door, is believed to transform incoming chi into auspicious energy. They can also be placed in an elevated place (on a side board or table) in the dining or living room.

Chinese business people swear by their private wealth gods which they usually display in the inner sanctums of their offices, and these are usually placed behind them to symbolically “support’ them in their business endeavours. The consensus is that the larger the Wealth God, the more powerful they are. Fuk Luk Sau for instance is simply a must in many Chinese homes. These not only look after the material side of life for residents, they also afford general protection against bad people.

Chinese Wealth Gods

The Chinese differentiate between civilian and military Gods of Wealth. The most important of the Wealth Gods is Zhao Gong Ming. The civilian Gods of Wealth are Bi Gan and Fan Li, while the Warrior God of Wealth is Kuan Yu. Then there are the informal Gods of Wealth, Wu Lo Chai Shen and Li Shi Xian Guan and the God of Wealth associated with the three-legged-toad called Liu Hai.

Tsai Sheng Yeh

He is the most influential and popular Wealth God respected and worshipped by Chinese all over the world. Also known as Zhang Gong Ming, he is a powerful deity who brings good fortune and protection from disasters. He is described as being so benevolent and compassionate that he will answer all prayers and invocations made to him. He is like a wish-fulfilling jewel making the monetary wishes of his devotees come true.

Tsai Sheng Yeh is usually depicted riding a black tiger. Sometimes he is shown with a thick beard and a dark face. In his hand he holds a whip, although in recent times he has also been increasingly shown holding a gold ingot. Legends describe him as a former general of ancient China. Buddha appointed him as “Xuan Tan Zhen Jun” to take charge of the distribution of wealth and good fortune amongst the people. Since then he has been distributing the treasures of the earth, in the process bringing good fortune to those who invite him into their homes.His presence is said to ensure that businesses will be free of bad debts. Little wonder then that most businessmen usually have an image of Tsai Shen Yeh in their homes and also on their business premises.


Warrior God of Wealth

The famous Kuan Yu also known as Kuan Kung is one of the most popular Wealth God among businessmen. Kuan Kung’s presence not only protects, but also helps overcome the competition. If yours is a business threatened by many competitors, you need the fiercest of Kuan Kung images, the Nine-Dragon-robed Kuan Kung. Placed inside the home or business premise and directly facing the door, Kuan Kung does not just attract wealth luck, he also protects. In the times of the warring states, Kuan Kung was said to have been a righteous, faithful and brave general.

There are many outstanding images of Kuan Kung but the standing Kuan Kung and Kuan Kung on horseback are said to be the most suitable for businesspeople. The standing posture emphasizes his courage and tenacity in the midst of great odds and is thus suitable for business people who are going through hard times. The Kuan Kung on horseback brings speed and swiftness of response in tight situations. The Horse is a noble creature who has the power to help you overcome the competition. Kuan Kung should look fierce and his eyebrows are depicted turned upwards to accentuate the ferocity of his expression.

The way to choose a suitable figurine of Kuan Kung is to examine the expression on his face. The angrier and more ferocious he looks, the more effective he is in helping your business to turn around. As for size, the bigger and heavier he is, the more powerful will be his energy. Invite Kuan Kung into your home on an auspicious day that does not clash with your animal sign. Do not place Kuan Kung on the ground. He is best elevated facing the door from whichever wall gives him the best view of the entrance.

Civilian Gods of Wealth

There is Bi Gan whose provenance goes back to the Shang Dynasty. Bi Gan was the uncle of Emperor Zhou. He took charge of the Imperial finances and was known for his impartial distribution of the Emperor’s wealth amongst the people. Bi Gan was so popular that in time he came to be revered as a civilian wealth deity.

There is also Fan Li who was a distinguished politician, strategist and a profitable businessman. He was talented and wise, credited with helping the Emperor build and train the army. Fan Li retired and moved his family to the country where his ability with finances helped him to accumulate great wealth. He became very rich and distributed much of his wealth to the people. He soon became a legend for his philanthropy and over time came to be revered as a Wealth God.

Wealth Gods of the Five Directions

The five wealth gods come from five directions – East, West, South, North and the center. According to legend, when you invoke the blessings of the five Wealth Gods, collectively referred to as Wu Lo Chai Shen, no matter where you live or travel to, you will experience wealth luck. Businessmen like to receive Wu Lo Chai Shen on the 5th day of the Chinese New Year so if you are at a loss what to give to your friend, this is one of the best gifts possible. Bring him to visit your friend on the fifth day of New Year. It is believed that when you place Wu Lo Chai Shen on your altar and make offerings daily, your business will prosper with great speed. When you invite this Wealth God into your home he will help increase your income for the coming year.

Li Shi Xian Guan meanwhile, is the deity that accompanies the God of Wealth. “Li Shi” means profit from transactions. Amongst the Chinese, the custom is to stick his image on the inside of the entrance door of business premises to signify an abundance of profits.

Another Wealth God is Liu Hai whose nickname is “Hai Chan Zi”. The “Chan” here refers to the famous three-legged-toad whose mere presence is said to attract money. This toad is also said to cure poison on the body and strengthen the heart. In the old days, the toad was regarded as a precious source for curing sickness and bringing good fortune luck.

Legend describes Liu Hai as having used a string of coins to pull the 3 legged toad from the sea. This rare toad was believed to bring good fortune and money. Liu Hai tamed the toad causing it to sprinkle money each time he dangled coins in front of the toad. This way, Liu Hai helped many poor people and as a result, both Liu Hai and the toad have been immortalized as powerful and auspicious symbols of wealth.

Tibetan Wealth Buddhas
Legends of the Jhambala go back to the time of Shakyamuni Buddha

The story goes that Lama Atisha, a very revered high lama of the Gelugpa tradition, was walking in Bodhgaya when he encountered an old man dying of starvation. Moved by the old man’s suffering, Lama Atisha immediately cut his flesh to offer the old man. “How can I eat a monk’s flesh?” the old man shakes his head. Lama Atisha lay down, feeling sad and helpless when a white light suddenly appears before him. It is the Thousand-Armed Chenrezig, the Buddha of compassion who says to Atisha, “I will manifest as Jambhala, the Buddha of wealth to help suffering beings. I shall alleviate their poverty so they will not be distracted from practising the good heart.’

Jhambala (also spelt Dzambhala) is thus believed to be an emanation of Chenrezig, the Compassionate Buddha, manifesting as the wealth-giving Buddha. The Indian origin of the story of Jambhala is different and is reflected in the appearance of this deity. Over time there evolved not one but five wealth Jambhalas, each with his own mantra and practice to help eliminate poverty and create financial stability.

Of the five, I am familiar only with the practices of the White Jambhala and the Yellow Jambhala, both of whose practices I received through the great kindness of my precious guru. I have also been extremely fortunate indeed to receive the initiation to the White Jambala practice from Rinpoche.

Yellow Jambhala sits on a lotus, sun and moon disk. He holds a mongoose in his left hand and from its mouth spews forth precious jewels.

White Jambhala sits on a snow lion, although some artists depict him sitting on a dragon and in his left hand there is also a mongoose that spits out precious diamonds and ornaments.

The other three Jambhalas are Black Jambhala who is depicted standing with a wrathful expression and surrounded by a ring of fire; Green Jambhala who is usually shown in tight embrace with his consort; and Red Jambhala who is shown with the head of an elephant. Some say that Red Jambala is indeed the Hindu God of Wealth, the popular Lord Ganesh. All five Jambalas carry the jewel-spouting mongoose in their left hand. It is this mongoose that causes wealth to flow into your home when you do the Jambhala practice with an altruistic motivation.

As everyone knows, when one is rich, it is easier to be unselfish and to develop an attitude of generosity. So the purpose of practising Jambhala is to eliminate the insecurity of worrying about money so that one is not distracted by poverty and lack of funds. The best way to request help from the Jambhalas is by making continuous water offerings to them. If possible, do also try to simultaneously recite the appropriate mantras, and then the practice will be extremely powerful.

Someone once explained to me that when Devadatta, the jealous cousin of Shakyamuni Buddha threw rocks at the Buddha, the Jambhalas were around and the rocks hit White and Yellow Jambhalas on their heads and hit Black Jambhala on the stomach. This is why White and Yellow Jambhalas feel bliss when water offering is poured on their heads. This eases their pain. For the same reason for Black Jambhala, water should be poured onto his stomach.

One way to invite Jambhala into your home is to look for a small image of White Jambhala and place under falling water in a six-level waterfall. Place this in the SW sector of your living room. If you do this on the first day of the New Year, you will be activating the most auspicious sector of that day.

Indian God of Wealth
Elephant-headed Lord Ganesh

In Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesh is the younger son of Shiva and Parvati. Several legends describe the origin of Lord Ganesh’s elephant head, the most popular of which relates how Parvati, when taking a bath, asked Ganesh to stand guard. When her husband Shiva wished to enter the bathroom, he was stopped by his son. Enraged, Shiva cut off Ganesh’s head. Distressed by her husband’s behavior, Parvati asked him to replace Ganesh’s head. Shiva did so with the head of the first living being he encountered, namely an elephant.

In the second legend, the origins of Ganesh’s elephant head relates how Parvati, admiring her son’s handsome looks, asked Saturn (Sani) to gaze at her son. She forgot that the effect of Sani’s glance was to burn the object he gazed at to ashes. In her distress, Parvati went to Brahma, who told her to replace Ganesh’s head with the first head she could find, which was an elephant. The sacred “Om” sign with which Ganesh is associated points to a third myth about his birth. According to this story, one day Parvati saw the “Om” sign, which she transformed into two elephants and from their intercourse emerged Ganesh. They then resumed the form of “Om”, but ever since, “Om” has become known as the sign of Ganesh.

The elephant-headed god Ganesh also known as Ganapati is worshipped extensively by the Hindus, especially by those in business. He is generally revered as the God of Wisdom as well as the Remover of Obstacles. His image in the home is consequently regarded as the presence of auspiciousness.

It is customary to begin cultural events by propitiating Ganesh, and older Sanskrit works invoked his name at their commencement. In the most common representations of Ganesh, he appears as a pot-bellied figure, usually yellow in colour. In his four hands, he holds a shell, a discus, a club and a water lily. His elephant head has only one tusk. Like most other Indian gods, he has a ‘vehicle’ - in his case a rat. This rat is usually shown at the foot of the God, although sometimes Ganesh sits astride the rat.

He is unquestionably the most lovable and mischievous of the deities with his protuberant belly and the twinkle in his eyes. There are many festive occasions on which Ganesh is honoured and he has an abiding presence in many Hindu households. There is no medium — stone, glass, cloth, paper, bamboo, wood, bronze, and numerous others — in which artists and craftspersons have not offered representations of Ganesh.

Lucky Superstitions 18 fun ways to win some money

All cultures have their fair share of superstitious beliefs. Some are grounded in ancient wisdoms while others are based on primitive interpretations of natural phenomenon. Irrespective of their origins, they are nevertheless interesting and the beliefs passed on to us by our grandmothers can sometimes work wonders. We collected 18 interesting WEALTH superstitions and rituals that are sure to get readers wondering. If you want to try them out what’s the harm?

(1) Wearing a jade ring on the little finger is said to bring you wealth. For males, wear on the left hand, and for females, wear on the right hand. The best is to look for rings that are made completely of jade. This can be expensive as it requires a very large piece of jade to carve out a ring, but you do not need to wear the best quality jade – something with a nice translucent green colour will do.

(2) Cut a length of green string 30cm long. Use a cotton knit string. Tie it 5 times round your little finger in a clockwise direction. For males, do this on your left finger and for females, do this on your right finger. Then make a knot. As you go about your daily activities note that when the knot gets wet, you should again repeat the exercise on the same finger with a new string. The Chinese, especially those of Cantonese origin, believe that by doing this, you are activating plenty of wealth luck.

(3) Every morning before you step out from the house, use a red pen and write the word for money on your right palm. (Chinese character - Cai). If this is too difficult, try writing the dollar sign. Do this every morning for fifteen days starting with the day of the new moon and it is believed you will receive a “windfall” within three days of the full moon. It is even more effective if you can use red cinnabar to do this. Or better yet, use a stamp which already has auspicious words on it.

(4) Here is a truly superstitious belief to generate wealth luck. You will need a red coloured wish fulfilling jewel and a money bank. Draw a hexagon star on a piece of paper, place the red jewel on the center of the hexagon, wrap it carefully, then place it under your pillow. Go to sleep. The next morning, place the red jewel in front of the money bank and put a coin inside the money bank. Then close your eyes and repeat your wish as many times as you can. Repeat this ritual for 15 days starting with the new moon.

All through the fifteen days of the waxing moon, by having the red jewel under your pillow and adding a coin each day, by the 15th night you will have completed the ritual to actualize your wish. When your wish has been accomplished, keep the red jewel and coins safely in a container, which should be kept hidden. When you run out of money, you can repeat this wealth-generating ritual. Remember, you must do this during the 15 day phase of the waxing moon!

(5) If you are winning some big money during a gambling session, the belief is that you should make sure you do NOT get up to wash your hands. And you should definitely not go to the toilet – better to hold on for as long as possible! In Cantonese, the word pee means “to let go of water”. To the Chinese, water always means money, so if you leave the gambling table to go to the toilet, it is like pouring your money down the drain.

(6) Gamblers also believe that it is a big NO NO to gamble against a pregnant woman. This is because the Chinese believe that expectant women are “carrying their good fortune inside their belly” and they also have an extra pairs of “eyes” to observe the whole scene. So pregnant women are said to bring good luck to gamblers.

If someone pregnant stands behind you while you are betting, it is believed that you will win. Never touch someone’s shoulders when he/she is busy gambling. Even a light tap on the shoulder is disastrous to a gambler, as they earnestly believe this will cause whatever good luck they have to evaporate. It is vital to observe this sensitivity if you keep the company of people who like to gamble.

(7) When you are gambling make sure there isn’t someone reading a book behind you or in front of you, because “book” sounds like “to lose” in Chinese.

(8) The Chinese believe that the SE is the wealth sector in any room you occupy, so it is important to identify this corner. Then make very sure NOT to put or paint the colour red anywhere within this wealth sector. If you do so, it will make it very difficult to obtain wealth luck.

(9) It is believed that having a few grams of sea salt inside your wallet attracts wealth luck. The best is to place the salt inside a plastic bag, then put it in a secret compartment inside your wallet. You have to change the salt each month, otherwise it loses its potency. There are some who say the use of sea salt can also be extended to the house. Make your house attract wealth luck by having sea salt (placed inside a small plastic container) in all the corners of your house i.e. wherever two walls meet. Change the salt every ten days. You can also hang a bag of sea salt on the center of the main door, changing it once a month. This is said to attract wealth luck. (Maybe because salt attracts water?)

(10) Chinese gamblers are very superstitious. If they are on a winning streak, they will resent anything out of the ordinary suddenly happening, as they believe this will spoil their luck. So for instance, if they suddenly see a nun or monk approaching, they will stop gambling immediately. This superstitious belief is based on the assumption that the bald heads of monks and nuns symbolize “nothingness” and is a sign that any further gambling will lead to loss of money.

Using Colours in Feng Shui

Colours have a huge part to play in feng shui because each sector of the 8-sided pa kua is associated with a specific set of colours. Each one of the elements in 5-element theory is also associated with a set of colours, leaving feng shui practitioners plenty of room for creativity and originality when planning their homes, offices and even their wardrobes. Illustrated here is the Colour Pa Kua with each direction associated with a certain colour.

COLOURS IN HOME DÉCOR

When planning the colour scheme of your home, use the colour pa kua as a guide and try to use colours that blend harmoniously with the energies of each sector. To determine which parts of your home fall within which sector, stand in the middle of your home and use a compass. Or better still get a floor plan of your home to demarcate the sectors accurately. Then work with colours that either match the energies of the sector, or colours that produce the energy of the sector.

You probably don’t want your home ending up looking like IKEA or a kindergarten; so if you’re too conventional to go with full feature walls of colour, play with scatter cushions, sofa sets, curtains, paintings and rugs that feature predominantly a colour that’s auspicious for the sector you’re working with.

COLOURS YOU WEAR

When it comes to dressing for success, did you know that different colours bring different kinds of luck to individuals based on their Kua number? Colours you choose to don on a hot date may differ from those you wear for a corporate meet or job interview. Different colours bring out different qualities in you, and according to feng shui, this is determined by your Kua. To work out what colour does what for you, find your Kua number then use the table below.

SHAPES

Each of the 5 elements also has an assigned shape, and working with the same principles for your home and for yourself, you can work the same way you do with colours.

Patterns and Colour Combinations for Dressing

Stripes
1. Are extremely lucky when done in all shades or red and maroon
2. Are very unlucky when done in metallic colour or in white
3. Are very lucky when the background colour is blue or black.
4. White strips on blue are lucky; white stripes on gold or silver are bad.
5. Green stripes on darker green are excessive wood. Not good.
6. Green stripes on black or blue are excellent.
7. Green stripes on red denote success.

Wavy Lines
1. Balance well with blues and greens.
2. Also excellent against a white background.
3. Clashes with bright red and orange.
4. Mixes well with dots and circles.
5. Goes well with rectangular shapes.

Dots
1. Best done in metallic colours, gold, silver and white.
2. Very auspicious on a beige or earthy background.

Zig Zag Lines
1. Match well with orange, beige and browns.
2. Most auspicious on a background of green or brown.

Squares and Checks
1. Matches extremely well with red and yellow.
2. Matches well also with whites and metallic colours.
3. Very inauspicious on a blue or black background.
4. Not recommended in green or blue.

Shapes of Buildings Have Important Feng Shui Implications

Architecturally, the essence of every building form is a basic shape, which in feng shui can be associated with one of the five elements. These shapes are the square or cube, which represents the element of earth, the rectangle which signifies wood, the circle or sphere which suggests the metal element, the wave or curvilinear form which symbolizes water and the pyramid or triangle shape which always signifies the fire element.

The element of any building can thus be adduced to one of the five basic elements and using this information, it is possible to use these shapes to incorporate subtle yet effective feng shui harmony into buildings.

Triangle – Fire

The incorporation of intercrossing structural frames at the Bank of China building, in Hong Kong, with its pyramidal form suggests that the overall design concept portrays a triangular theme both in elevation and form. It is not a direct symbol of the pyramid, but the massing model the building adopts appears to be a direct adaptation of the pyramidal form. This translates into the element of fire. Although constructed out of glass, concrete and steel, the element energy of this building is dominantly fire.

For such a building the ideal sitting location should be South, the sector of fire. Thus the best orientation would be a North-South axis, with the building facing North and sitting South. Another alternative location would be for the building to sit East or Southeast, so the wood element would then feed the building’s fire element. This will enhance the luck of the building.

Element Shapes can also be used as a means of enhancing or exhausting certain sectors based on either Flying Star combinations or the 8 Mansions formula. For instance, if a particular sector is afflicted by a set of Flying Star combinations that require yin fire energy, instead of using yang fire such as lights, you can use the symbol of fire energy such as a triangular shaped pyramid.

Similarly, if the sector is South, such predominant features are excellent for enhancing fame and opportunity luck. The pyramid is a powerful symbol as it is the only symbol with a key central point around which all energy revolves, from base to apex.

Square - Earth

The square shaped building which signifies the earth element is an authoritative design with seeming dominance over the skies. This is considered an ideal shape for corporate offices and banks. The uniformity of the design describes a non-nonsense perception of the industry. It easily becomes a symbol of corporate stature.

With an earth element base, the ideal building material for this building would be solid earth-based materials such as granite and marble. These offer strong earth energy, which benefits the luck of the building.

The earth-based building can be exceptionally lucky during the period of 8 if it can tap the facing and sitting directions SW/NE – these are the two directions that are in sync with this building and also with the current period of 8. Sitting or facing Southwest or Northeast, the building then taps the earth elements as SW and NE are earth directions.

Circle - Metal

Circular shapes need not physically resemble a sphere. All that’s required is a suggestion of curves within the overall building concept. Circular buildings tend to offer a stable foundation design concept with semi-circular or circular design features integrated into the overall design. The use of glass and steel are beneficial here, as they provide earth and metal energy to enhance the luck of the building.

Such buildings are excellent sitting West or Northwest, so facing East and Southeast.

Curvelinear - Water

Similar to circular buildings form, curvilinear buildings adopt a prominent curve form that extends throughout the building design. This gives the powerful statement of a visual ‘wave’. Curvilinear building forms are efficient for creating the flow of speed. This concept is beneficial for buildings which want to create high people turnover such as shopping malls or exhibition centers. Avoid it for offices or residential usage.

The curvilinear form symbolizes the element of water, an element that is in constant movement. The use of curvilinear forms in public service arenas helps accentuate the concept of high turnover. In office or residential locations, it symbolizes constant turnover of tenants or residents, so is not advisable.

A good axis of orientation for a water element building is for it to face South and sit North. As for building materials, the water based element requires plenty of metal energy to strengthen the water element of the building. So a full steel-based “look” would be beneficial.

Rectangle - Wood

The most popular of high-rise building shapes is the rectangle. Symbolized by the element of wood, such buildings offer the perspective of stature. Rectangular-shaped buildings should not let glass and concrete dominate, but instead should incorporate wood or water element energy.

The use of blue-tinted glass which represents water energy is one idea. Using a “wood” look is another excellent idea. Orientation-wise, the best is for the building to sit East, Southeast or North.

Feng Shui Remedies and Applications

The San Yuan (Flying Stars) formula allows us to identify where the various intangible, directional afflicted energies are located. The most deadly afflicted force this year comes from the Northern direction. A good application to suppress this deadly force is to hang a six-rodded windchime on the Northern part of your home. The six-rodded windchime must be made of metal with the center medallion made of metal. It is also not recommended to do any renovations or diggings in the northern part of your home or property this year.
Two other afflicted forces, not as serious as the Northern force, are located in the South and Southeast. Renovations or diggings are also not recommended in that sector of your home or property for this year. The practice of Space Clearing and Purification is a good supplement to help enhance the energies within your home and it is used to help cleanse any stagnant or bad energies. There are many different rituals used for Space Clearing, the techniques vary from very complex rituals to very simple to implement rituals. Spring time is a great time to perform major Space Clearing within your home. Space Clearing rituals should be done during the morning hours to maximize on the Strong morning yang energies. A very easy practice to clear the energies and stagnant air is to open up all of your windows and doors to allow the yang energies into your home and to clear away all the stagnant energies that have accumulated throughout the winter months. Springtime is also a great time to clean up your closets, drawers, storage and get rid of any old items that you no longer use. This will make room for any new opportunities to enter into your home. A favorite of mine is to burn incense on a regular basis. It is the simplest ritual and is very effective. Sandalwood incense is best because it helps purify and cleanse the energies within your home not to mention that it also makes your home smell great!

Susan Chow

Three in a Photo and the Middle will Die

I found myself awake at 6am and in the office by 7.30am hoping to get some work done at least. A call came in just as I had sat down, my secretary had not come in and so I did the only thing I could do - answered the call. I assumed that it must have been an overseas call since it was much too early for the average Malaysian. 'Can I speak to Mr. Joey Yap, please?', a lady's pleasant voice on the phone greeted me. She sounded just a little surprised since she must have not thought anyone would have been there so early, much less to reach me personally. ' I don't mean to bother you Joey, but I wanted to let you know that I have sent in my question five times already and I still haven't gotten an answer'. 'Well Mrs. Tan, I get a large number of e-mails and sometimes, I may not be able to get around to answering them right away. But since you have me on the phone, why don't you tell me what the problem is'. I found out from her that her friend who is now a Feng Shui practitioner had come to have dinner at her home a couple of weeks ago. She had taken advantage of the situation and asked this person for free advice over dinner. Now she was a little worried over his comments about the Feng Shui of her home. In addition to asking her to renovate the house extensively (hers was a Period 7 house), her friend had also pointed to a family portrait that hung in the hall and said that this 'type' of photo was very bad Feng Shui. As there were three people in the picture, the one in the middle would surely die. 'I don't want my husband to die Joey!', she was naturally quite distraught and the emotions were quite apparent in her tone. Mrs. Tan had only one son and the family portrait was a simple one of their family. It would not have been so worse, she told me, if her friend hadn't ominously called three days later to warn her to take down the photo lest a tragedy befall the family. She laughed it off at that point but the worry had left her with sleepless nights. Her husband had declared the Feng Shui practitioner as a nutter and ignored it completely. Still it plagued her - after all, her husband knew nothing about Feng Shui and its effects. 'No wonder your husband is a skeptic Mrs. Tan - with such absurd ideas floating around about Feng Shui, I myself am starting to wonder where all of this is coming from', I was a little irritated with the nonsensical nature of the whole advice given. I explained further, 'If this theory was true in any way, then we would not need guns and bombs, all we need to do is to have two people stand next to your worst enemy and snap a picture of him or her. This person would be history before the photo was even developed if this theory was really so potent!' 'Professional photographers would be professional assassins - they would be out of a proper job'. 'Having said all of that Mrs. Tan, think back. Wasn't there at least ONE photo of three people where you were in the middle. Aren't you very much alive and calling me at 7.30am this Monday morning?' She paused for a moment on the phone…'yes', she said, 'you are right there Joey. Why did I never even think of that?!'. She sounded relieved by the end of it and asked me more about upcoming Feng Shui classes

Joey Yap

The Front Entrance and Foyer

Traveling from room to room in the following four chapters, you will create beauty and harmony, and you’ll also program your home to support you. As with every feng shui consultation, the best place to begin is the front entrance. Working your way through your home, you will find the most favorable recommendations for each room.

I encourage you to implement a few changes immediately. This will allow you to experience how shifting the energy transforms a room so that it looks and feels better. Taking action is the key.
Using your intuition, decide which areas require the most attention and begin with them. Take baby steps. Set out to improve one corner, table, or arrangement and work your way through the area. Revitalizing your space should be fun. For added pleasure, you can invite friends and family to partake in the feng shui activities. The point is to enjoy the process, whether it takes one month or one year.

The Front Entrance

The entrance to your home is considered the mouth of your dwellings, thus making it one of the most important factors for actively drawing in positive energy. In the same way you nourish your body with healthy food, you must fuel your surroundings with beneficial energy. The amount of healthy living energy you can bring in the front door makes a huge difference in the overall feng shui of your space. The question to ask is, “How can I encourage health, prosperity, abundance, and tranquility to appear in my life right now?”
The first step is to create a clear, open and beautiful entrance for energy to move through and to circulate in your home. When your entrance radiates positive energy, it opens the door to your destiny. Feng shui promotes the belief that your golden opportunities come in through the front door. Think of the door as your official welcoming committee. It is the threshold for all good things to come your way.

You should embellish the formal entrance since it is ordinarily seen from the street and maintains your public image. However, it is possible that you don’t use this entrance on a daily basis. The door you do use most frequently is significant in allowing the majority of the outside energy to flow inside the home. So, if you enter through an alternate door such as a laundry room, garage, or side door, you must evaluate and beautify it with the same verve as you would the formal entrance.

First Impressions

Your front entrance creates a first impression for you, for others, and for unlimited opportunities to come your way. It sets the intention for the rest of your home. Every time you drive up, you house either emanates an aura of success, abundance, and pride, or a feeling of disarray, laziness, and misfortune. When you are on a vacation and drive up to a hotel entrance, what immediately goes through your mind? You look at the maintenance of the building, landscaping, cars in the parking lot, and other indicators. You make dozens of evaluations instantaneously. You are either elated with your travel agent or massively disappointed. When the hotel driveway welcomes you with beautiful trees, colorful flowers, a grand water fountain, and a smiling doorman, you are content before you have even stepped into the lobby.
In the same way, your home must welcome you, your guests, and all of your opportunities with loving, open arms. Before these “opportunities” ring the doorbell, your goal is to flood them with beauty, happiness and comfort. While they wait for you to answer the door, give them multiple reasons to generate positive thoughts about you. Create a home that shimmers and stands out from the rest.

Entrance

Step outside your door. What do you see? Does the outside of your home emanate beauty? Notice the upkeep of the paint, roof, and landscaping. A home that is clean and well cares for leaves a lasting impression. The trees, shrubs, and flowers should be thriving and well trimmed. The path leading up to the home must be easily accessible. Clear away bicycles, trash, garbage bines, dead plants, newspapers, water bottles, and broken sprinklers.
Turn around to survey your street, neighbors, and community. Healthy energy must surround you. If freeway traffic is bombarding your ears or large oppressive buildings are looming above you, you must deflect their disturbing energy away from your home. Don’t allow unfinished projects in the yard to deplete you. Complete them so you can arrive home to comfort and ease. For just a moment, step outside yourself and judge your home. What kind of person would you say lives here?

Home Protection

In feng shui, you must regulate the type and speed of energy entering your home. You only want to invite nourishing energy inside. If your house has power, then everything within it has power.

Fifty percent of good feng shui relies on the amount of positive energy flowing into your home through doors and windows, while the other fifty percent is generated by the proper arrangement and specific energizers you supply within the environment.
Outside the front door are various types pf energy you need to assess. Certain kinds you want to encourage, and others you want to diffuse. Healthy energy should move easily, gently, and continuously into the home; harmful energy should be repelled, reflected and minimized. Feng shui offers potent solutions to protect your home in order to avoid misfortune, health problems, and missed opportunities.


Jayme Barrett