Category Archives: Feng Shui

Feng Shui and Vasthu Sasthu 2

by T Selva and Henry Fong

This is part 2 of a 2 parts article that appeared in HomeFinder, a leading property magazine. If you had not see part 1 you can view it at Vasthu & Feng Shui 1.

What is the importance and effects of surrounding features such as mountains, rivers, buildings, roadways etc?

Mountain ranges are a strong source of life supporting qi. Water like lakes or rivers on the other hand is a good accumulator. Thus in Feng Shui, the preferred location of a home should be near the mountains and/or water.

The ideal location in Feng Shui is one that is supported by mountains at the back, lower protective mountain ranges on the left (known as the Dragon Side) and right (Tiger Side). There should be water or an open area known as Virtual Water in front and smaller hills (known as Table Mountain) in the distance.

It would be even better if the Dragon and Tiger extend and protect the site like the pincers of a crab! In this configuration, the mountains will not only bring qi but also serve to protect it from being blown away by the wind.

In a flatter terrain, one should look for unusual protrusion as this indicates the presence of strong qi. In the absence of such form, find a site that faces water.
In the urban environment, buildings take over the roles of mountains. While they are not a strong source of qi, they nevertheless serve to protect the site from strong winds, conserving qi in the area.

Roadways unfortunately are unlike rivers, they do not accumulate qi like waters do. However, they can still assist in dispersing or conserving qi depending on the configuration of the roadways.

When choosing a house, buyers should avoid purchasing close to places of worships, stadiums, function halls or any place that attracts large number of people. In Vasthu Sastra, having such a large gathering in front of the house is not good for the dweller.

Mountains can be located in the western and southern area of the house while rivers or water features can be located in the eastern and northern area of the housing scheme.

In terms of roads, a house should ideally have roads on all four sides of the house to allow even flow of energy.

T-junctions, pylon cables, cemetery, lamp post etc, what are they considered as and what are their effects?

In Feng Shui we believe that certain objects like high tension pylon cables and forms such as T-junction can generate Shas of Killing Energy that can negatively affect the occupants of a house. There are many types of Shas, for example stench from a nearby oxidation pond is called Sound Sha, light reflected from the windows or curtain wall of a nearby building is known as Light Sha, T or Y junctions generate Road Sha and cemetery or places of worship generate Yin Sha.

Some Shas have very dramatic names, for instance the lamp post directly in front of the main door is called Heart Piercing Shas while facing the gap between two buildings is called Heaven Chopping Shas. Shas are also found internally such as the overhead beam over one’s bed.

Since these Shas can affect us negatively in one way or another, avoiding them is crucial. In circumstances where they cannot be avoided, then a defence mechanism must be deployed. For example, if the main door is facing a lamp post directly, one can relocate the door especially if there is a more auspicious sector. Another method in to block the ‘sha’. An example is to build an additional pathway or plant trees between the sha and the house. There are also other more aggressive defence methods such as reflecting or bouncing back.

Houses located in the T and Y junctions are very inauspicious in Vasthu Sastra because the negative energy that flows on the road opposite the house will hit into the house directly. People staying in such a property will experience no peace of mind, faced with financial problems and terminal illness.

Both Feng Shui and Vasthu Sastra share the same views on this and through experience, many dwellers in such houses have suffered in silence. Developers do not take this into consideration because they want to maximize profits and this is why such houses appear in the most unfavourable places.

How do we select areas to place the main door, bedroom, kitchen etc?

In Li or formula based systems such as the Flying Star or Eight Mansions, a house is divided into sectors of varying quality. Quality of sectors in the Flying Star system are determined by examining the mountain, water and period star (expressed in numbers) in each sector which in turn is derived from the period and facing-direction of the house. Depending on the type of the stars in each sector, the qualities of each sector is then determined and classified. The classification can range from very good, average to very bad.

The same applies to the Eight Mansions system but instead of looking at the facing-direction, the auspicious and inauspicious sectors are derived based on the sitting-direction of the house and the interaction of the Kuas in the Pa Kua or known as the Eight Trigrams. Again, these sectors range from excellent to very bad and they are given names such as Sheng Qi, Fu Wei, Jue Meng etc to reflect the quality of the qi in each of these sectors.

Feng Shui tries to place the important or frequented areas such as the main door, kitchen, bedrooms, study and living areas in the good sectors. Other areas such as the toilet or store should be placed in bad sectors. The rationale is that the more time the occupants spend in these good or auspicious sectors, the more they will be influenced by the positive qi within. And since less time is spent in the toilet or store, one will be less affected by the inauspicious qi in these areas.

As opposed to Feng Shui, a dweller will be able to determine the direction and location of the main door, bedrooms, toilet and bathrooms by using an engineering compass. For example, couples should sleep in the south-west of the house, which is the most auspicious location in a property. Bathrooms and toilets must not be located in the north-east (spiritual quadrant) and south-west (prosperity quadrant).

The main door can be located in any of the eight compass directions (north, south, east west, south-east, north-east and north-west) except south-west which is regarded as on inauspicious entry. This is because the subtle positive energy that enters into the house through the northeast should settle in the south-west and if there is any opening like a door, the energy will escape and will not benefit the dwellers.

What part do symbols play?

There are many schools of Feng Shui and some make very extensive use of symbols. For example the deity Guan Gong protects the household, the turtle provides support, the horse represents success etc.

Others such as the classical Flying Star and Eight Mansions system make very moderate use of them. In fact in these systems, the potent ingredient is not the symbols but rather the elements that make up the symbols.

Illustrating an example from the Eight Mansions system, a house that sits north, the Sheng Qi (wood element) wandering star occupies the SE sector. In the Pa Kua, the element of SE is wood. In this case, the wandering star is assisted by the sector. A practitioner would introduce more wood and water, where appropriate, in this area to further enhance this sector. Depending on the circumstances, these wood and water elements can be real plants, a water fountain or items of the colours green and blue.

To illustrate another example, this time from the Flying Star system, let’s assume the stars 2 and 5 occupy a certain sector. Both the stars 2 and 5 are earth based and are inauspicious in the current period. In the cycle of the five elements, metal exhaust earth and a practitioner would introduce a metal object to neutralise the inauspicious energy. This metal object can be a pendulum clock, copper tooling art, copper vase, ancient Chinese coins or simply a metallic ornament.

From ancient times, symbols are regarded as powerful products to avert negative energy in Vasthu Sastra. In metaphysics and prehistoric studies, symbols are regarded as visible signs of an invisible reality. Symbols act like keys that help an individual to attract a particular energy pattern he or she needs. Such patterns can be related to love, money, relationship, unity, studies, mental power, health, safety, spirituality and peace of mind. How to choose a symbol? When a symbol is in sight, one must feel a need to wear or carry it. Among the auspicious symbols include the swastika, anchor, cross, fish, bells and arrow.

So there, a quick look at two of the very profound practices of Feng Shui and Vasthu Sastra and how the earthly elements are perceived under each discipline. This concludes our two part series of Feng Shul vs Vasthu Sastra.

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Feng Shui and Vasthu Sasthu 1

by T Selva and Henry Fong

This is part 1 of a 2 parts article that appeared in HomeFinder, a leading property magazine. HomeFinder suggested to T Selva, a well known Vasthu expert and I to author a comparison between Vasthu and Feng Shui for the benefits of their reader and metaphysics enthusiast. This is the result of the collaboration.

Why is Vasthu Sastra and Feng Shui important when constructing, choosing or occupying a property?

According to the ancient study of Vasthu Sastra, when building, staying or working in a building or property, one has to be in tune with the five elements – ether, air, fire, water and earth – which influence our environment. Only when we are in harmony with these natural forces will we enjoy wealth and happiness. Failure to do so can bring misery and misfortune.

Theory of the five elements has it that they are present in every atom of the universe and they need to be present in abundance within the home to make it vibrant and filled with positive energy. A critical study of fundamental Indian beliefs states that the elements have an interactive influence on all dwellers of a house. Our body comprises the same five elements in the form of the five senses – hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell.

According to Vasthu Sastra, if a property is built according to the five elements, the internal energy currents in the bodies of those living there will be in tune with the universal energy, thus resulting in good health, wealth and happiness for those residents. Just like feng shui, the underlying principle of Vasthu is to live in harmony with our environment so that the energy surrounding us works for us rather than against us. It is based on the arrangements and balancing of the five elements in their proper order and proportions.

Feng Shui on the other hand is a Chinese meta-physics study that looks at how mankind is affected positively or negatively by the environment. The environment is not limited to nearby geographical features such as mountains and rivers but also astronomical forces exerted by the planets.

Ideally we want to be located in on area where life supporting ‘qi’ gathers. Feng Shui and its many rules (with regards to soil quality, mountains and rivers etc.) can help you find such a location.

The ‘qi’ or energy distribution within a house can be determined by the orientation and completion date. Having the places such as main door, bedroom, kitchen and living room in the good sectors can affect our fortune. In this case, Feng Shui can help you determine the ideal orientation of the house as well as adjust the main door facing and bed directions for example to match the birth charts of the occupants. When the occupants are in harmony with the house, they can then expect better luck.

The importance of the orientation (facing or sitting) of the house and how it affects the quality of the house.

After choosing a house, it is important for the dweller to check the ideal designation of rooms and activities. Rooms that are not in tune with the five elements of Vasthu Sastra will bring misery to the occupants. For instance, south-east is the fire corner in a house and this is where the kitchen should be located, not ideal for a couple’s room. If they choose to make it their bedroom, then they will constantly be in disagreements, evoke anger and engage in quarrels.

In Feng Shui however, the orientation determines the quality of the house as well as the auspicious and inauspicious sectors within the house. In the Flying Star system for example, houses built during period 8 (between 2004 and 2024) facing SW1, NW2, NW3, NE1, SE2 and SE3 are given the name ‘Prosperous Mountain, Prosperous Water’ These houses are good for wealth and health and especially so if they are backed by mountains and faces water. Houses facing S2, S3, W2, W3 and E1 are given the name ‘Double Facing’. These houses are good for money but not so great for health and relationships. The quality of these houses is increased if there is water in front of the house and mountain in the distance.

Houses that face S1, W1, N2, N3, E2 and E3 are called ‘Double Sitting’ houses. They are good for health and relationship but unfortunately not so great for wealth. The quality of these houses is increased if there is water at the back of the house and mountain further back.

At the other end are less desirable houses with names like ‘Locked’, ‘Reverse Mountain, Reverse Water’ and the ‘Fu Fan Yin’ charts.

Does the quality of a dwelling change over time?

In Vasthu, an analysis on the house owner’s astrology is done to determine the direction that is favourable for him or her. Following this, the individual will have to choose the appropriate house, recommended based on the person’s horoscope. This direction is permanent for the house owner and it does not change from time to time.

Unlike Vasthu, quality of the dwelling change from time to time in Feng Shui. Take the Flying Star example again and assuming the house is built in period 7 (between 1984 and 2004). During this period the star number 7 is current and considered to be very auspicious.

Moving forward to period 8 and assuming the house remains untouched i.e. the same with no renovation whatsoever. This time, the advent of time into Period 8 has changed the Feng Shui for the dweller. What was once the auspicious star number 7, it has now become absolutely inauspicious. Such changes are not only felt in the sectors but also affect the quality of the entire house in some cases.

For example an NW1 facing house built in period 7 and dubbed the ‘Prosperous Mountain, Prosperous’ house (good for money and health) becomes a ‘Locked’ house (bad for wealth) in Period 8.

Even in the Eight Mansions system, where the ‘qi’ quality of each sector does not change, it is still somewhat affected by time too. Take for instance a house with its main door facing the ‘Sheng Qi’ direction. The element of this ‘qi’ is then wood. During the wood and water years, occupants of this house can expect better luck as wood assists and water produces Sheng Qi’. But the occupants will find themselves less supported when time is forwarded to metal years because in Feng Shui’s theory, wood is controlled by metal.

How important is it to select the right date for renovation and moving?

It is important in Vasthu Sastra to choose an auspicious date and time before construction, renovation or moving into a new home. Such activities should not simply be carried out merely based on one’s convenience because unfavourable periods can cause delays and obstructions which in turn have bad effects on the work and house owner. After the auspicious date and time have been determined, the owner should perform prayers and rituals before moving in or starting work.

The ancient Chinese believe that the movement of the planets has an effect on things that happen on earth. For thousands of years the Chinese (and other cultures well) have recorded the movements and try to relate them to events on earth.

Out of these recorded data come formulas that help us to determine auspicious or inauspicious days. The Chinese believe that performing a task on an auspicious day will ensure a smooth progress and success while doing it on the “wrong” day can bring obstacles and failures.

Examples of the inauspicious days include year and month breaker day as well as the 4 Departure and 4 Distinct Days. In fact there are even days called Master Killing Days where the practitioner should not practice Feng Shui! On the other hand auspicious days include Yearly Virtuous Days, Yearly Wealth Days etc.

Most date selection techniques in Feng Shui take the sitting or facing of the building into consideration. A famous Grandmaster by the name of Dong even came out with a 12-day formula called the Build-Divest cycle that tells us what we can or cannot do on any day.

In some systems of Feng Shui, date selection such as Xuan Kong Da Gua, the right date and time can mean the difference between tremendous success and the ordinary achievements.

What kind of challenges will a dweller experience if he or she does not follow these ancient knowledge?

In the practice of Vasthu Sastra, it is all about conscious living. Those who follow the ancient principles can be assured that they will be blessed with health, prosperity, peace, happiness and joy. Those who do not follow the knowledge can still live but in whatever task they undertake, they will face various challenges before achieving their goals, which could have been done smoothly if they have been in balance with the environment.

Like it or not we face challenges in life. Feng Shui is a way for a dweller to use the environment to support his endeavour and improve his life path. With good Feng Shui you can expect ‘help’ in the areas of wealth, health and relationships.

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Different Schools of Feng Shui

by Master Francis Leyau

There are numerous schools of Feng Shui which deal only with landscapes, directions and locations.

The San Yuan School happens to be the only school which includes the time dimension when assessing Feng Shui. This adds a three-dimensional effect and gives it depth thus making the school superior to others. The San Yuan School’s insistence on the time factor means that it places great importance on the changing forces of different periods, thereby incorporating the astrological aspects into it which allows a more accurate and minute prediction of the Feng Shui effects. Good times and bad times do not last forever but change as time goes by…

To gain an insight into the different schools of Feng Shui and the differences between the two major schools of Feng Shui known as the San Yuan (Xuan Kong) and the San He (Ba Zhai); please refer to the comparison chart below:

San Yuan (Xuan Kong)San He (Ba Zhai)
Feng Shui arrangement is based on the time dimension of 20 years (the length of 1 Yuan Period).Feng Shui arrangement is based on the East and West group of the inhabitants.
Direction of the building is obtained from the measurement of the main door.Direction of the building is measured from the centre of the house.
The house must firstly be in harmony with the universal and earth Qi of the reigning Period prior to the matching of the inhabitant’s Qi (obtained using the date of birth) to the house.Under this school the house must suit the inhabitants Qi (also based on his date of birth) but taking no account of the time cycle.
The chart of the house is divided into nine equal squares as shown below.9 palacesThe chart of the house is divided into eight sections as follows.8 sectors
The house orientation is adjusted to account for the new and upcoming reigning Periods.The good and bad directions for any chosen individual are the same throughout his life thus the house matches the occupant’s direction which is considered good permanently.
Good and bad directions change with time.Good and bad directions for each group (East and West) are fixed permanently.
The reading of the house can fall into any of the 24 sectors of 15o each.
When sleeping, the leg’s direction is considered as the facing direction.
The readings only fall into 8 sectors (cardinal direction) of 45o each.
When sleeping, the head is considered as the facing direction.

(Article kind courtesy of Master Francis Leyau, Central Academy of Feng Shui)

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Four Pillars and Me

by Master Peter Leung

I don’t even remember how many 4P charts or ZWDS charts I have spent hours staring at.

The past 10 years, I have focused my research mainly on personality analysis and health. Most of the time we don’t know who we are and we don’t know our loved ones. Through four pillars studies, I learned to accept the uniqueness of each individual, the natal 4P chart gives us the basic personalities and characters, the basic personality may be affected by the 10 year luck period and annual luck period. We may see people behave differently, or personalities change from time to time.

A lot of family feuds, divorces and human conflicts are often caused by misunderstandings and personal ego. A wife or husband may try to change the other into his/her mirror image; a mother may try to clone her kids into herself. We, as human, refuse to accept that we are born different. If we try to change others by force, we are looking for a fight, we can only try to understand others better, know ourselves better, change ourselves and accept others if we want to live in harmony.

Knowing our strengths will allow us to utilize them to benefit us in life. Knowing our weaknesses will allow us to work on them, to remind us of them, or to mask them.

Knowing our luck periods will allow us to make the right move at the right time and to lay low during bad luck periods, so we can save our ammunition for the coming good luck.

If we can find out what may be the organs that can most affect our individual health, it’s possible for us to look into preventive medicine at birth for each individual, or it’ll be easier for us to tackle illness by dealing with the organs that may be the root cause.

Knowing the different deities and their specific characteristics might help us to understand criminal behaviours and might help police investigations in crime or to prevent someone from committing a crime.

There are many, many different areas for us to use 4P knowledge, it should be used in a more positive ways to improve our life and society, not as a prediction of when we’re going to get rich etc.., if you are destined to be rich, you will be rich anyway.

We have spent far too much time trying to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of a chart, the useful god, the useful elements etc.., to me these are only one of the many layers of 4P. 90% of people get stuck in these aspects and get confused and give up learning 4P. It’s very important to learn all of these aspects, but it’s not everything in 4P.

I use the deities and the past luck periods to verify what is good and what is bad. If a deity is favourable certain areas of our life will be affected in a positive way, if it’s unfavourable, certain areas of our life will be affected in a negative way. Different deities represent different events. Learning the deities in details can help to understand 4P better.

There are many, many things we can see from a chart without looking into all those confused theories.

I have studied 4P for almost 30 years now, I’m still learning, I’m continually amazed by what I have learned.

Sharing knowledge is the only way to help others to learn, I’m grateful to a lot of 4P professionals who have shared their experiences and knowledge, that’s the only way to take 4P to the next level to benefit humankind.

(Article kind courtesy of Master Peter Leung)

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Are the benefits of Feng Shui only in the mind?

By Mario Najm

“Feng Shui is an outdated superstition and absolute nonsense! It’s a con that plays on the self-indulgence of a feeble-minded public with the aim of making its practitioners rich. Through subliminal suggestion, a gullible public believes their lives will improve if they spend a fortune on redecorating their homes,” I once heard a shrink say on the National Geographic Channel.

No doubt, such a statement would get anyone thinking. Especially me, since I had my house designed according to the most exacting Feng Shui principles possible. Here, I found myself faced with a dilemma. Had I fallen into the trap of self-suggesting that with Feng Shui my life would move along more smoothly or did Feng Shui actually yield results?

At one point or the other in our lives, we have all read or come across books that encourage us to practise positive thinking. Why? Because according to many respected authors and scientists, everything happens in the brain. In short, we have the power to create our own reality. Now, that’s a very powerful assertion. If the power is in our hands to shape our lives, where does that leave Feng Shui?

Granted, I personally tend to agree with the power of positive thinking, and yes, it does work – up to a point. Life is how we perceive it. Yet, certain challenges and surprises we face defy the very foundations of the power of positive thinking. So, is there anything that exists beyond our control? The answer is yes.

Look at it this way, if there’s a meteorite heading towards the earth, say about now, I doubt that through positive thinking I can prevent it from crashing and sending us into oblivion. For a simple reason: I am not ‘aware’ the meteorite exists. Can you control something you can’t see? This means, even though we can control a great part of our obvious reality, we can’t control all of it, because they are so many variables involved in our day-to-day existence.

In all my research, I found one main factor to be true about Feng Shui: it’s a science and not a superstition. Hence, it has a strong foundation. When the Chinese were perfecting Feng Shui in ancient times, half the population in the West lived in caves. The Chinese understood (and we still don’t know how) the earth’s energy grids and used this knowledge to build great cities and homes that were in harmony with nature. Of course, modern science scoffs this “superstition” and refrains from giving it scientific recognition.

Nevertheless, these scientists endorse the Hartmann grid. “It is a worldwide grid in accordance with the earth’s magnetic field, i.e. approximately N/S, E/W. There are considerable variations in the grid spacing dependent on local conditions and the degree of latitude. High voltage power lines and radio stations can affect the straightness of the grid lines!”

Science is now telling us what Feng Shui has been saying for thousands of years! Note the last line in the paragraph above. It reinforces what modern Feng Shui practitioners say: stay away from high voltage stations because they affect the Feng Shui in your home negatively! Coincidence? I think not.

Again, this same modern science mindset once poked fun at Chinese acupuncture and labelled it “unscientific” and “ineffective”. Today, it is widely accepted as a “genuine and alternative tool to surgery in many cases”. The same goes for the “aura”. Before aura cameras existed, the existence of auras was attributed to the metaphysical stories of the ancient world. Now, it’s an accepted part of science albeit with different definitions!

The point is this. Science always refutes ancient knowledge until it rediscovers aspects of it. Note the word: rediscovers. The ancients always knew somehow, but we still don’t. Nothing exists in a vacuum and once we understand that, we will not only understand Feng Shui, but also our lives and the world around us.

So, What do I think of the psychiatrist on National Geographic? Either he needs a shrink or his house has bad Feng Shui.
About the contributor

Mario Najm is a well-respected English-language author and gifted writer. Backed by years of writing experience, he has previously held senior positions in both the advertising and magazine industries. Silver, his first novel, caused a stir. He is currently working on his second hard-hitting and controversial book. Najm’s talented writing skills have been greatly sought after by many prestigious companies and individuals for a variety of writing jobs. He can be contacted via e-mail: mario.najm@yahoo.co.uk

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How to make an ordinary apartment extraordinary Through Feng Shui?

Author – Mario Najm

The home I share with my wife, Marie-Paule, son, Marlon, and family pet, Smokie, is innovative in its décor – at least that’s what everyone who has come to visit us claims. And the greatest part of this achievement is due to the meticulous and dedicated efforts of Feng Shui Master, Henry Fong.

Main Door
Main Door

The unit’s novelty is evident from the second you step out of the elevator and glimpse its beautifully carved wooden mahogany entrance.

Superb and harmonious Chinese-like lighting and ornaments complemented by stonework surround the main door’s frame to overcome what was once a boring, empty space with off-white walls.

After an intense study and 100s of e-mail going back and forth between Master Fong and me, we found the perfect formula to turn a mundane unit into a fully-fledged Feng Shui-compliant residence.

For many who have hired the services of a Feng Shui consultant, this is a very commonplace procedure.

Isn’t that how all Feng Shui experts work? Well, not really.

Master Fong resides in Malaysia and I in Lebanon. It’s no joke, we’re talking halfway across the globe here – different time zones, cultures and geography, etc. What a challenge it was for Master Fong, especially since he had to rely on only satellite images, pictures, and architectural floor plans!

Living Room
Living Room

So, what recommendations did Master Fong put forth to transform an ordinary-looking apartment into an extraordinary living space?

I’ll tell you, but first, let me acquaint you with the unit’s location.

Nestled in Rabweh on the outskirts of Beirut and surrounded by an expansive forest of pine trees, the apartment offers a breathtaking view of the entire city and the glistening Mediterranean Sea.

That in itself is a work of art.

Now, let’s take a guided tour of the unit.

Starting with the somewhat small corridor leading into the rest of the unit, you can’t miss the beautiful hand-crafted metal works that adorn the walls on all sides. Subtle lighting adds warmth to the entrance.

Study
Study

The trick here was to keep the floor empty to make the space appear larger, so everything was hung on the walls, leaving enough room for easy moving and cleaning. The colour green dominates the walls to both re-define the area and add depth.

This colour scheme (green) runs across all the common areas of the home to give it a consistent aesthetic – kitchen, living and dining room, guest bedroom and bathroom. The colours were chosen according to Feng Shui recommendations and adhere to our birth dates and the overall energies in the unit.

The kitchen, as opposed to the entrance, is very spacious, practical, and well designed. From the stove and sink to the washing machine, dryer and dishwasher, everything has its place.

The kitchen took some time to perfect, because Master Fong asked us to switch the locations of the stove and wash hand basin to tap into the best energies for that sector. In short, nothing in the kitchen clashes with Feng Shui principles – nothing! Which is quite a feat.

All the appliances are placed on either side of the walls to leave ample room for moving around. There is also room for a practical and extendable wooden breakfast counter that also cleverly conceals the building’s service shaft.

To avoid cluster, the cooking gas (two 30-kilogram bottles) and cleaning gear are housed in two separate floor-to-ceiling cupboards on either side of the kitchen’s small balcony, which is curtain-glassed to prevent rain from flooding the area.

The living and dining rooms are the crowning jewels of the unit. Under the illumination of contemporary crystal chandeliers, a large and handcrafted bar fills what was once a vacant, monotonous wall and is complemented by a truly unique fireplace jotting out of the feature wall, which also dominates the midpoint of the room.

Again, all the elements are positioned in harmony to one another. A small Chinese fountain in the corner of the living room energizes the area and salt crystal lamps balance the flow.

A round, eight-seater dining table with its large overhanging mirror serves to make the dining room area appear larger and takes up just the right amount of space.

Wonderful and novel decorative pieces play their roles to perfection in every corner of the living area. The lighting throughout this sector of the unit is cleverly formulated and relies on dimmers to help set any type of mood we wish to experience.

The cherry on the cake in this part of the unit is the breathtaking view of the city and the sea we talked about earlier. Both the living room and balcony offer excellent views.

Fire Place
Fire Place

The exceptionally large curtain-glassed balcony is reached via the living room. Stunning stonework on the walls, including a large mosaic of the sun, gives the once unexciting balcony a certain magnetism. Green plants and an inviting bamboo seating arrangement with bamboo curtains to match add to the charm. Here, the bamboo and plants complement the energies.

The bedrooms all have a feature wall with different colors. The large master bedroom and its adjoining bathroom are dominated by the color blue. This room promises night after night of coziness and relaxation.

One of the rooms has been converted into a red-colored study. I’m a writer, you see, and Master Fong wanted to find the best room in which my creative juices could flow throughout the year.

The third room, or the “green” room as we now refer to it, was meant to serve as the guest bedroom, but my son took it over. Nevertheless, I can tell you this, its well-matched colors and décor beckons anyone to spend a restful night.

Our goal was to create a truly unique yet simple home that was within our budget. We started each project on a blank sheet of paper. Master Fong (who had to bear the bulk of the headache), my wife and I worked together to design and decorate every aspect of our home (dimensions, colors, tiles, fireplace, bar, etc) – right down to the smallest detail.

There you have it, if you have an ordinary-looking unit, I recommend that you get in touch with Master Fong and work with him to make it extraordinary.

As a friend of mine once stated: “Your home is a dictionary filled with definitions of good taste.”

About the contributor

Mario Najm is a well-respected English-language author and gifted writer. Backed by years of writing experience, he has previously held senior positions in both the advertising and magazine industries. Silver, his first novel, caused a stir. He is currently working on his second hard-hitting and controversial book. Najm’s talented writing skills have been greatly sought after by many prestigious companies and individuals for a variety of writing jobs. He can be contacted via e-mail: mario.najm@yahoo.co.uk

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Finding Love Through Feng Shui

Feng Shui at Work

Unfortunately, too many “Feng Shui Consultants” believe that the perfect approach to take in order to attract love and happy relationships is to adjust the living environment by re-placing images of Lone Figures with pictures and paintings of happy couples, by creating cosy seating arrangements, by removing televisions out of bedrooms. My favourite advise is the one which says to down-size from a king size bed to a queen size bed. By analysing some of the advice it is very obvious, these so-called “Feng Shui professionals” all have one thing in common: This is called wishful thinking.

The art and science of Feng Shui is based on a complicated set of calculations based on the year of construction of a home, ones personal supporting directions, an exact 15 degree Compass reading as well as the individual floor plan we are dealing with. Replacing images of “lone figures” with “pictures of happy couples” will not do the trick. As we are only working with the Five Elements Earth, Water, Wood, Metal and Fire you can decide for yourself – Pictures do not belong to either one of the Five Elements! This could be very easily be compared to a PLACEBO. Placebos have a big impact on the subconscious, though should not be confused with the subject of Feng Shui.

Simply replacing images does not replace the need of a “Feng Shui Consultation” by an experienced “Feng Shui Consultant. A complete Feng Shui Reading will offer information if a home is good for people. If it is indeed “not so perfect for people” this could be one of the reasons why love is not as easy to achieve as one hopes for. This aspect plays an integral part which needs to be taken care of in order to be able to raise the chances of attract love.

Creating cosy seating arrangements are definitely an attractive interior design approach. Trying to make people believe and stating that single chairs send a message to prospective spouses to “Back Off” is a rather ridiculous statement. It has never crossed my mind before that anyone who has chairs situated in an angle to each other signals being ready for a relationship. Again, this also has nothing to do with the Feng Shui of a home.

Keeping television sets out of the bedroom is for sure a great idea since late night TV can indeed kill romance as well as magnetic interferences can stop you from having a rested good night sleep.

Downsizing from a King to a Queen bed also has nothing to do with Feng Shui. Many “Feng Shui Auditors” spread false information by giving advice that sleeping on an over-sized mattress does not promote intimacy, and instead by investing in a smaller, comfortable queen-sized bed it would easily help people to attract love and a good relationship. And as this explanation on Feng Shui remedies does not already offer enough irrational and false advice it is topped off by saying that if you simply can not make the change from a big king mattress to a small queen a person should also sleep on ‘patterned bed sheets’ in order to add some spice to their sex life. It is just out-right flabbergasting what kind of advice can be found on the internet and in most books. If sheets would have anything to do with the outcome of good sleep and good relationships in a bedroom the only thing we can suggest are the colours as they are related to the Five Elements Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal to be used in your bedroom after doing a “Feng Shui Audit” of your home.

Bio*: Michael Schnippering is Chief Executive Officer of Feng Shui at Work. Feng Shui at Work is an international company that provides Feng Shui Consultations worldwide.

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The Dreaded 2-5 Combo

The 2-5 or 5-2 combo is one of the more feared stars combination. Find out if it is really so fearful.

When Star 2 (aka Heavenly Doctor) is timely it signifies good health. It also signifies prosperity and wealth generate from property and land transactions. However when untimely it signify sickness.

When Star 5 is timely (during Period 5), it is beneficial and signifies high status and great wealth. However when untimely, it is highly inauspicious and signifies health problems, injuries, bankruptcy and even death.

In the current period 8, both star 2 and star 5 are not timely, their negative attribute surfaces and form a fearsome combination.

Star 2 represents the mother or oldest women in the household. Its element is earth and it also relates to the abdomen. When untimely it can bring illness especially to the women. Pregnant women especially (due to the abdomen) should be extra careful.

The general consensus is to avoid using the sector with the 2-5 stars combination for the main door, kitchen, bedrooms and other often used areas such as the living. Instead designate the sector/s for use as toilet or bath or as a store.

Both Star 2 and 5 are earth elements and a popular cure is to place metal in that sector to weaken the inauspicious earth energies. Earth produce metal and is weakened in the process.

The north west and west sectors (based on the Lou Shu) are associated with the metal element. Therefore if the 2-5 combo appears in the north west or west palaces, the negative characteristics of the 2-5 combo can be reduced by the Lou Shu elements of these sector. This is another example of metal weakening star 2 and 5.

Actually we should not be too fearful or paranoid of the the 2-5 combo. By itself it is not very harmful but when afflicted by external “Sha Qi” or agitators it can turn harmful. “Sha Qi” can be in the form of natural land form (e.g. rocky mountain) or man made structures (e.g. high tension cables or T junction). A good example of a agitator is a T junction directly in the from of the main door (or mouth of qi).

Nevertheless it is best to play it safe and avoid it wherever possible as ancient ancient text did suggest that the 5-2 and 2-5 combo can create widows and widowers!

While on the star 5, I would like to touch on the annual star 5. It depreciates the quality of the stars in any palace that it falls into. If possible you should avoid using that palace for important activities (e,g, bedroom) in that year.

More importantly you should avoid ground breaking or major renovation works in that sector. Violating it can result in life threatening events and financial losses.

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Feng Shui House Quality

There are eight cardinal directions namely north, south, east, west, north east, south east, south west and north west. Each of them span 45 degrees. While eight directions are sufficient resolution for some system of Feng Shui, most require more. Therefore each of the cardinal directions is further sub-divided into three sub span of 15 degrees. For example, from north, we get N1, N2 and N3. Eight cardinal directions sub-divided into three each giving a total of 24 facing directions. These 24 facing directions are also popularly known as the “24 Mountains”.

The house facing direction and the period of the house determines the chart pattern or “energy” chart of the house. This in turn determines the quality of the house. Some chart patterns are favourable. Some are not. Some are mixed while some have special characteristics.

The quality of a house differs depend on the period that it was built. For example a S2 facing house built in the current period of 8 has a different quality from one built in the previous period even though they have the same facing direction. An older house built in a previous period can change its period to the current one by undergoing a massive renovation.

Here are the feng shui house quality for houses built in the current period of 8.

South (S2 & S3), west (W2 & W3), N1 and E1 facing houses are known as houses that prosper wealth (meaning career and wealth) but not necessarily descendants (meaning relationship and wealth). They are classified as mixed charts. The quality of such house is enhanced if there is water at the facing (signify wealth luck), followed by and mountain also at the facing side but at a distance (signify descendent luck).

double-facing-web

North (N2 & N3), east (E2 & E3), S1 and W1 facing houses are known as houses that prosper descendants (meaning relationship and health) but not necessarily wealth (meaning career and wealth). They are also classified as mixed charts. The quality of such house is enhance if there is water at the sitting (signify wealth luck), followed by and mountain also at the sitting side in the distance (signify descendent luck).

double-sitting-web

North west (NW2 & NW3), north east (NE1 & NE2), SW1 and SE3 facing houses are known as houses that prosper wealth and descendants. They are also known as Wang Shan Wang Shui or Prosper Mountain Prosper Water houses and are good for wealth (meaning career and wealth) or descendent luck (meaning relationship and health). Their quality is enhanced if there is water at the facing side and mountain at the sitting side.

prosper-mountain-prosper-water-web

In addition SW1 and NE1 facing houses have what is known as “Combination of 10” chart pattern. it is good for people matters (meaning relationship and health).

South west (SW2 & SW3), north east (NE2 & NE3), NW1 and NE3 facing houses are known as houses that DO NOT prosper wealth and descendants. They are also known as Shan Shan Xia Shui or Up Mountain Down Water houses and are not good for wealth (meaning career and wealth) and descendent luck (meaning relationship and health). But DO NOT despair. Their quality can be remedied if there is a mountain at the facing side and water at the sitting side.

up-mountain-down-water-web

NW1, NW2, NW3, SE1, SE2 and SE3 facing houses have what is known as prison or lock chart. The current prosperous chart is trapped in the middle and is considered in prison or lock. This does not augur well for wealth luck. The wealth star must be released to improve the wealth luck of the occupants. If you have such as house, you should get a Feng Shui Consultant to suggest ways to release ths imprisoned current wealth star.

In addition S1, S2, S3, N1, N2 and N3 facing houses have what is known as “He Tu” chart pattern. They are good for wealth matters (meaning career and wealth).

A matching land form in the surrounding is very important. They can enhance or depreciate the quality of the house. We learnt earlier that a S2 or S3 facing house is good for wealth. This is true if the facing has water. However if there is a mountain nearby at the facing side, the wealth quality of the house is depreciated. This is why a house with a Up Mountain Down Water Chart (e.g. SW2 & Sw3) which is considered having a bad chart pattern is quite acceptable if it has matching landforms i.e. mountain at facing and water at sitting.

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The 1-4 Combination

Star 1 is water. Star 4 is wood. The 1-4 combination represent an auspicious water “grow” wood interaction. In the current period 8, star 1 is prosperous and a 1-4 combination is also prosperous since the positive quality of star 1 rubs off on star 4.

Star 1 is yang while star 4 is yin. A yin-yang combination is preferred as the effect is stable and lasting. This is as opposed to a 1-3 combination. While star 3 is also wood like star 4 it is yang resulting in a yang-yang combination. A yang-yang (or yin-yin) combination is unstable and its positive effect is short-lived, unstable and can be easily compromised.

Star 1 is associated with intelligence and status. Star 4 is associated with education. A 1-4 (or 4-1) combination associated with success via education. In ancient China public exams were conducted a various levels and scholars were recruited into the civil service. Becoming a public official is a also a means to wealth and status.

What happens when both star 1 and 4 are out of timing?

Star 1 is also associated with the kidney and genitalia. Star 4 is also associated with the wind (Xun gua). Hence an out of timing 1-4 combo (example in period 2) is associated with a lack of desire to study (or failure to pass an exam) or a loss of status (demotion). It can also mean a lack of direction or drifting (like the wind) and excessive sex.

The 1-4 or 4-1 combination can be strengthen with the correct land form. For example an unpolluted lake outside the 4-1 sector or a beautiful wood-like mountain outside a 1-4 sector will help to boost the sector. Actually a structure that represents wood e.g. pagoda or tall thin apartment block outside the 4-1 sector will also help to enhance the combo.

On the contrary, an ugly mountain or a stagnant polluted lake outside can lead to drifting aimlessly and excessive sex and drinking.

What else can one do to improve the situation?

The situation can be enhanced if the 1-4 or 4-1 combo resides in the south-east (Xun Gua sector also Loshu star 4) or in the north (Kan Gua sector also Loshu star 1). Or if the combo meets other star 1 or 4 (e.g. Annual stars).

Note: Unlike Flying Stars, the Purple White system considers the 1-4 combo to be useful even when the stars are out of timing, for example in period 5, 6 or 7.

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