General Help

Dear Geral, Ideally, rooms including bedrooms should be either rectangular or " square " shaped. Sorry, I am not sure what you meant by "Meat Cleaver". Do you mean that the L-shaped represent a `meat cleaver'. If one has an L-shaped room e.g. the living room "joined" to the dining room forming an `L' shape, the best situation is to place a `partition' dividing the rooms into `two rooms'. Similarly if your bedroom is `L' shaped, try to `partition' it e.g using a screen etc.. to create `two square/rectangular' shaped rooms. If your room is `odd' shaped e.g. a circular room, usually one can built cupboards and `change' the room into a square and rectularly shaped. Warmest Re…

Dear Joe, In general, we should consider Yin Feng Shui as having a different "ruleset". What I mean is that all (or most) books that you purchase are usually based on Yang Feng Shui. Yin rulesets are quite different from Yang Feng Shui. For example, the Feng Shui ruler has a measurement for the living (Yang FS) and a different set of measurement for the dead (Yin FS). In Yin FS, a FS practioner will usually do a FS assessment of the gravesite. For example, he/she will use a Chinese Luopan. Place it in the middle and even use a long string to get the correct measurements to check the alignment on the Chinese Luopan to ensure that he/she get the right ausicious direction fo…

Hi, This is a good question. In general, some of the ancient practises may not be applicable to certain countries or location. In China, e.g. in Beijing the Chinese usually have the main doors at the South cardinal point. The problem with having windows or doors at the North is because either of the cold winds from the North or the `yellow' dust at the North. We can understand that such situations do not apply to many people in the world. In our present situation, ideally, if you are living in a landed property, to safeguard your home, you should have a backdoor but with good set of locks or even an alarm sensor at the back of the house. More importantly, you should apply…

Hi, This is really a none issue under Traditional Feng Shui practise. You can consider the " role of tassels " generally under `customs or supersition ' and not Feng Shui. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Persephone, This is `too general' a theory to use. What you need to consider are: 1. You should use the Shapes and Form School of Feng Shui i.e. under the Four Symbolic Animals theory, make sure that the bed is in a `good' position. What is a good position? a. When you open the door to the bedroom, it is best that the bed is not seen directly. b. The `headrest' of the bed should have a proper backing of a `solid' wall and not placed against a window. c. You can make use of the free computerised Eight House module at www.geomancy-online.com to `draw' your Eight House Chart. Here, if you can sleep closer to an auspicious intangible force but bear in mind (give priorit…

Dear Hartono, Grateful if you can clarify further. Do you mean that your home has two set of stairs or is it the building that you live has two set of stairs. Usually, if it is the building, this could be due to fire regulations where many buildings have two set of stairs on both sides. For stairs in the home, (interior) of the home: 1. The stairs should not be located at the centre of the house. 2. The stairs should have a turn or landing and not be one long set of steps. 3. Where possible avoid spiral staircases. 4. The steps should not be directly seen from the main entrance door. 5. It is ok to have to sets of stairs in the house. This is acceptable especially if one …

Dear Ang, If one is using the Eight House theory, you should also consider what is the intangible force at the bedroom location. If the bedroom is an auspcious location, at least, this can in some ways `compensate' to a certain extend the death or disaster falling at the main entrance. If the death or disaster is at the main entrance, this implies that the house is not considered suitable for you. In general, you should not let the door open all the time. Only when you need to use the door, then you open it else, preferrably it should be closed. Do keep the location bright e.g. using neutral wall colours like `white'. These are the two things which you could do. Otherwise…

Dear Shawn, The first priority under the Eight House Theory is to try to sleep close to an auspicious intangible force if you can. For example if the intangible force in the sector of the bed for the Husband is his Prosperity sector and for the wife, her Irritation sector, in such a situation, the Husband sleeps closer to the intangible force location. He therefore, sleeps closer to this intangible line. While the wife sleeps further away i.e. using him as a `shield'. Only after the considering the above and if you have the luxury, sleep with the head facing a good direction (if you can). If this cannot be done, than priority should be given to the above. Sleeping with t…

Dear James, There are several factors with regards to a garage above the master bedroom: 1. The height of the garage in relation to the Master bedroom. Higher the better. 2. Nowadays, this is ranked low when compared to a house that meets proper Feng Shui concepts such as the Four Symbolic Animal Theory where the back of the house should have a solid backing and the front - clear space etc... What is also more important is the position of the toilet e.g. it should not be above the main entrace, or next to the main entrance. 3. After reading the above, a garage below a bedroom is thus of `low' priority. Why some FS books or authors say that it is inauspicious to have a ga…

Dear Fraser, The consensus amongst Feng Shui practioners is that there is no changes to the practise of Feng Shui in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. No one has thus far provided a valid and substantiated arguement to show that Feng Shui is practised differently in the Southern Hemisphere. Many who mentioned this may have a hidden agenda or some choose to "seek fame" in coming up with such an arguement. So far, these are not proven and majority to mentioned, I believe did not do any indept analysis. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Hi, A clock represents activity. If your kitchen is at the centre of the house: 1. Ideally, try to keep the centre-point of the house clear. This is because this is the location where all the intangible force merge or congregate. Best to keep this location neutral e.g no stove, water element etc... 2. Usually a pendulum clock is symbolic of the metal element especially the `metallic ticking sound'. Here a pendulum clock is akin to elements like a wind chime to enhance " the metal element ". 3. For a regular clock, it generally signify activity and the best locations are next to a TV set. A TV set also is considered an `activity'. 4. For a wall clock, avoid hanging it abov…

Hi, So far there is no evidence to say that a ceiling fan or light bulb is bad. One reason is because most ceiling fan or light bulb do not have `poison arrows'. Therefore in my personal opinion, both are generally ok. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Joe, Please read below:- ----- Original Message ----- From: Listmanager To: Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 8:28 AM Subject: west house Eight House is limited as it only takes the year of your birth, this means that many people will have the same type of kua as you. Thus, it is only able to give you a general reading of your 4 good and 4 bad directions. It does not take into account the stars in your home. Say for example, if the stars in your bedroom could have formed a good combination which overrules your Eight House. So far its uses is only generally to find a suitable home. This means it is best to find a home with the main door that falls in any of the 4 …

Hi, You can still use your backdoor. However, in Feng Shui, the frontage is equally important in the assessment of the house. The frontage is where this is generally the front of the house. The main door may not be at the front of the house. It can be at the side. The analysis here is to go into the home to see the natural lighting conditions. It would be ideal if natural light filters into the house. The house should thus not be totally dark all the time. (What I mean is that during day light hours, it should have some light going into the house. Many people in Singapore who live in " Government Housing Board Flats " would realise this: Light filters in most of the time…

Hi, I guess there would be an effect from these features especially in the construction of the `bulding' and the elements that go into them e.g. metal wheel etc... 1. Most of the time, these objects are far away from city areas or homes. 2. So far, I cannot recall any books on such features in Chinese books or no reference on them. For now, I am unable to comment on this subject matter. Perhaps, if I do come across any or users who are Dutch may like to share their experiences. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Randy, I just came across this message under the conference: Like to share your Experiences (in this forum): ---- cut and pasted message--- Dear forum members, I would like to share my feng shui nightmare with you. Since I want to warn other members not to install water features with out first doing a pillar of destiny chart and flying star chart. Last year I installed a water fountain outside my house and installed a fish tank inside and lots of other cures on the advise of the BTB feng shui consultant. And need less to say it was disastrous. I lost my job got involved in a accident and developed severe health problems and financial problems. So instead of removing …

Hi, As mentioned in a recent message, Chinese Astrology uses only the Year of birth of a person. Chinese Astrology based on just the Year of Birth although do give a general `profile' is less accurate than analysing `clashes' undertaken by the powerful Pillars of Destiny which analyses not only the year of birth but, month, day and if possible also the time element. A `small' horse figurine in the south should not pose any problem even if you are a mouse/rat unless, it is a warrior riding the horse with weapons such as a spear, or gun etc.. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Elizabeth, In a classroom, priority should be given to the Shapes and Form School of Feng Shui: 1. Usually a classroom is rectangular in shape. 2. Normally one side of the classroom has windows. The opposite side usually are the entry and exit points. 3. If the classrooms are airconditioned and there are blinds at the windows, it would still be best to arrange the tables tangent to the windows so as to avoid glare. If we use the above `formula', there is really not much we can change the placings of the tables (other than to avoid glare). The traditional placement of tables in uniform rows and columns is still the preferred method. As a teacher, one would have to sit…

Dear Marc, It is usually ok to have the kitchen with the open concept in modern times. If you had consulted a true traditional Master of the past, they may not approve of it. However, so long as there is `symbolism' e.g. as you mentioned a divider such as a serving counter. This is alreay symbolic of a kitchen environment. In the past, the kitchen can be quite dirty especially if one uses charcoal stoves etc... Nowadays, we have to be practical especially with modern equipment such as air ventilators above the stove; the use of microwave ovens. A conscious effect to use less oil in the kitchen. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Hi, This is an interesting question. I guess this is not based on Feng Shui but as you have mentioned many single portaits do use women as they are more `graceful' and since most of these vases are delicate, a portait of a women would be nice. The above is not my believes but a comment on your statement based on quite alot of vases and even hand painted plates I also own. I for one do not want to be labelled a Male C. Pig. However, I do have large vases at home that do have male figurines e.g. the legend of the Eight Immortals where pictures were drawn on the vase with them crossing the sea. These Eight Immortals have both a mix of male and female figurines. So, it may n…

Hi, The `secret' ingredient for Garden Feng Shui is always -> Plants/Trees. This is because with surrouding Plants/Trees, you get birds coming to the house. It is good to have birds around the house and this is considered auspicious. In general, it is equally good to have a bird feeder so long as: 1. It is not of an " odd " shaped that may represent a `monster', or any unknown figurine. 2. It does not have pointed arrows that point towards the main entrance door or a window of the house. 3. Any objects or figurines with open mouth pointing towards the house. I remembered reading one of Evelyn Lips book where there was this "frog" with an open mouth facing a rich man's…