General Help

Dear Anon, Generally, if one does not want to go further into `Professional Feng Shui' e.g. using the Flying Star to analyse the birth chart of the house: 1. The Main Entrance Door & windows at the frontage of the house The Main Entrance Door is the most important door to be `protected' from poison arrows. Where possible, the edge of a building should not be aimed at the main entrance door. The best `test' is to stand at the main entrance and take alook at the area. There should not be a lone lamp post slicing thru the main door (like a knife slicing through butter) i.e. tangent to it or perpendicular to it. You should also stand inside the house looking out of the wi…

Dear Carina, Please see below:- This is classified under the Eight House Theory. Under the Eight House Theory, there are four good and four bad sectors. The key essence of the Eight house is: 1. How suitable the house is to the person. Here, you can have excellent Flying Star but it need not necessary mean that it is the most suitable house to the person. 2. Best to sleep in a good sector i.e. bedroom is at a good sector. Here, since we sleep more than 6 or more hours, it is best to sleep in a good sector. 3. Other uses include sitting or facing a good direction. This is secondary to Para 1 and 2. Many of us would love to `squeeze' more out of every conceivable `theor…

Dear Daniel, The key ingredient to the shop is the store-front. Pay more attention to the frontage of the fruit shop. As you did not mention the type of store, e.g. one at a Government Housing Block or an upmarket store. If it is at a Housing block, check the demography e.g. is it a new or old housing estate. The best trend is to have an inviting front e.g. open area at the front to display and extend the fruits out to the corridor (if this is permitted). As fruits themselves are colourful and bright, do remember to keep the store clean and bright e.g. white walls. Wishing you sucess in your venture! Warmets Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, More importantly, the purpose is to correct any odd shaped room to be a square or rectangle room. As square and rectangle are considered the best shape rather than a room with odd corners. Frankly, the issue of whether it is a separate room is less important or really not a issue. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Let me explain: Usually the main concern is the main entrance door or a window. A good example is Evelyn Lip's story in one of her books Geomancy. She wrote that the owners of a house faced calamity and even a FS Master could not find the problem. Only at a later stage where the Master stood at the door and looked out (during low tide) and saw a profile or figurine that looks like a toad or frog with its mouth opened facing the house. Here, he placed some objects to symbolically represent flies to mean that the mouth is full. From what we can learn here is to avoid letting objects with open mouth e.g. face the main door if we can. It is better to take the pre…

Dear Anon, This area has more to do with beliefs by some people or from advise provided by practitioners. The rationale for some people who do not view roosters is that: Roosters seems `picky' or combative. Quite often some get hold of two roosters to fight and wager on bets. And some consider the characteristics of roosters as `sharp' tongued. Thus, due to this symbolism, roosters (symbols) are considered not favourable in the home. As I mentioned, this area has more to do with beliefs than Feng Shui. Personally, I find placing a rooster figurine no harm. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, It is `reserved' for members who have a religion or have statutes of `gods' or `deities'. For example, the Fu Lu Shou figurines should not:- 1. Directly face a toilet 2. On the same wall as the toilet. 3. Placed inside a bedroom. The chief consideration here is to give utmost `respect' to these "gods". In a bedroom is like changing clothes in full view of the `gods'. So far, I do not see the same rationale for applying auspicious symbols. However, I have yet to see anyone pasting an auspicious symbol inside the toilet door or facing a toilet bowl. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. Before the `globalisation' of Feng Shui, Hong Kong Feng Shui Masters tend to advise on the use of fish tanks to neutralise Sha Qi. For example, if there there is a lone lamp post outside the window, they would advise their clients to place a fish tank (in a broad sense, water element) to neutralise the lone lamp post. 2. Taiwan Feng Shui Masters usually advise the use of plants. So in the `past', the advice coming from a FS Master from Taiwan would be `different' from Hong Kong. If you were to ask a FS Master from Taiwan, your answer would be `Yes' it is ok to place plants in the home. 3. Like taking food, it is best to moderate and not over eat. You have …

Dear Sunny, I have covered the `topic' plants in an earlier message. The main consideration is if one is really a plant lover, why not have plants in the house and even outside the bathroom. Bear in mind that one should not trip over it in darkness. And if one's house is large. Plants need care e.g. water and occassional sunlight. One must be prepared to bring them out for sunlight once a while (if they need sunlight). Is just like keeping a pet. If one is a pet lover, would take great pains to look after it (with or without monetary rewards consideration). But if one places a plant in the hope that wealth is accumulated. Or neglect the plants. Is this logical? Whatever w…

Dear Lakmun, 1. For a preliminary analysis, you can generate a free Eight House report at www.geomancy-online.com 2. The other alternative is to look up and get the services of a Feng Shui practitioner, to conduct a `worry' free audit. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Kevin, 1. Under Feng Shui, the advise would still to have a frontage facing the street. However, the frontage can have a main door but opens inwards towards the `balcony' area. (Where possible the main door should not be in the line of sight of the balcony or back view. Thus one can still position the living room area towards the `back' of the house. Please see below:- This is usually not the norm. But at least if the main door is available this side of the house, it can usually open towards the living room facing the good view. However, you may need to be careful of the placement of the toilet. Best to have one side share an external wall. Avoid having the toile…

Dear Lysa, 1. As a `beginner' to Feng Shui, I suggest you take your time to `digest' all the various forms of Feng Shui. 2.The main consideration is that most of the time, most of us do not really need Feng Shui to enhance our lives (contrary to what some may think). 3. Some of the questions one can ask if one really (or desperately need Feng Shui is):- For self: 3.1. Does one or a family member falls sick often? 3.2. Does accidents or misfortune occur? Usually, if the answer is No for both 3.1 and 3.2, one do not really need Feng Shui. As these are no longer `life threatening' situations and if one can live without Feng Shui for so long, why not live without it. Many …

Dear Anon, Please see below: 2. But if you are a strong fire person, then water would be a better alternative as it helps `cool' down the strong fire. If wood is used, it would further increase your strong fire resulting in health or competition at work. A small plant would normally make little impact. This should be ok. Generally, this is more towards `belief' than Feng Shui. It should normally be ok. This would be considered `inauspicious' in Feng Shui. On one hand, it does look like a overhead beam. The other (not FS), is to check how secure it is. Under Chinese beliefs, it is not so much of one wearing old clothes but rather, avoid wearing torn …

If you see the picture of the "paranomic view" of the picture, the dragons are on a high wall facing the road/street. The dragons are no where facing inwards the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. In the picture, there are also two Lions guarding the `huge' main door. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Eva, 1. This has more to do with `safety' then Feng Shui. But because of this, many Feng Shui practittioners (advise) that one should not have the bedroom above kitchen stove. (Especially if it is directly. As some may argue that it may `burn' a relationship.) 2. In my personal opinion, you are not using a business stove with very high flames and is not cooking at night. 3. If you have a smoke detector, all the better. More concern is the million to one chance of a kitchen catching fire and as fire travels upwards, this is the `cause for concern. ' Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. If the tree is in your property, the best recommendation is to simply trim it neatly. 2. Yes, especially if the tree comes too close to the window one can use a fork (which is a safer object than knife or blade). If a knife is used, it is preferred that one uses a butter knife (not so dangerous). 3. But the most effective, is to either trim it or if you do not own it but by the municipal, write to them to trim it. Or simply close the curtain (if you can). Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Eva, 1. Usually, this is quite common situation. Sometimes it can be a home, on other occasions it could be an office unit or even a shop premises. 2. For some Chinese, they would use a pair of Lions as shown in several photos under "Photo Tours of Interest". 3. While others place two pots of plants on each side of the entrance. 4. More importantly, if there are no poison arrows aimed at the main door, this situation is (although not 100 percent ideal) but is acceptable. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Glyn, Usually, the most important consideration is when one is moving in i.e. the date one moves into the house is the most important date to `note'. For changing of the hot plates, some over zealous people, may look at the dates but, in my opinion, it is not that important. All these falls under `Chinese beliefs and customs' rather then FS. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Please see below:- 1. Overall, we are only considering the Year of birth sign of the three persons. 2. In general, under the Year of birth, since the three persons, share the same `birth' sign, it is considered that (very generally again) that their characteristics are considered similar for e.g. a dog is faithful and loyal. 3. Like its `Western cousin' the Zodiac sign, it can filter down to the Month of birth, day of birth and time of birth which may be different for each of the three persons. 4. Another `School' of thought is based on balance. One should not have too many of the same element together. This does not mean that it is no good to have all `do…

Dear Anon, 1. The satellite dish is is a relatively new invention. 2. Frankly, more has to be looked into before proper comments can be made. 3. In my opinion, it is less concern if we term it a `poison arrow' by looking at it's design. Because the `most threatening' look is the centre receiver and it also depends on the design. Most of the time, the centre is circular and rounded (although) it is a `stick'. 4. More concern is the question of whether anything comes close to:- (1.) the "Dangers of underground water". http://www.geomancy.net/fs/under.htm (2.) Handphones, the danger of micro wave http://www.geomancy.net/fs/handphone.htm For certain models of Handphones, ju…

Dear Eva, 1. Overall, under the Eight House concept, this would imply that this is the least suitable house for the breadwinner (your husband). In terms of degree of suitablitly, disaster and death at the main entrance is considered the least suitable house under this theory. 2. It generally implies that even if the house has excellent Feng Shui, because the house and the breadwinner's Ba Zhi does not match, overall, if the house is excellent or even if there is a `cure' if needed under Flying Star, it would be `average'. However, one must also look at the influence in the bedroom of each family members. Where possible, the bed room should be an auspicious sector and (not…

Dear Debbie, Unfortunately, there are few books on History of Feng Shui:- 1. Dr Evelyn Lip For history, one of the few books are written by Dr Evelyn Lip. So far, she has written three books. You can try to find it out e.g. in the library or do a search at amazon.com 2. Dr Ong-Hean Tatt He wrote a good book on Feng Shui. See below ? For the serious reader or researcher who wants evidence that Feng Shui is for real! You can also check out:- Doctor Stephen Field's FengShui Gate You must visit this site especially if you are doing research on the origins of fengshui. Information for the most part available no where else in English, written and maintained …

Dear Anon, 1. Yes, this is a `strong' Chinese belief. 2. It is said that when one is pregnant, one should not move house or even change the bed position or any other furniture in the room. It is said that the consequence is to suffer a `miscarriage'. 3. I believe, in the past, there was no electricity and it could be (I am only guessing) that if one changes the position of furniture, and unwittingly, the wife (who is pregnant) may `accidentally ' bump into them or trip over them. Well, I am only guessing here of a `possible' senario. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Dylan, 1. As the cooking stove is considered an important part of the house i.e. providing fire and food, some Shapes and Form School believe that it is important not to have a beam above it. This is similar to having a beam above a person sitting e.g. at a seat. 2. Where possible, try to avoid it. Else, there is nothing much one can do here unless the ceiling is even (false ceiling). 2.1 But, a false ceiling is not recommended in a kitchen as it may catch fire. 2.2 If the ceiling beam is made of concrete, it is equally not practical to use two flutes as they are made of wood and may also catch fire. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, In my opinion, the soil should not be an issue especially under your condition. As there is a real need to keep the plants `alive'. Warmest Regards, Cecil