We are glad to announce that we have relocated to London! We now serve clients in not only Asia but also London and South East England.
It’s been our pleasure to serve our readers and customers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southern China and Southeast Asia. In the future, we will continue working with our partners to meet the growing demand of authentic Feng Shui advice in these regions. Our relocation to the UK is a great step forward to share the knowledge and practice of traditional Feng Shui to more people.
What does it mean to the readers of the blog? We will continue to publish articles to share Feng Shui knowledge. What’s more, we are developing a completely new online Feng Shui course with content that is unmatched by other Feng Shui tutors. More details will be available in the coming months.
According to traditional Feng Shui theories, Spring (the solar term Lichun) marks the beginning of a year. It’s time to have a look at how to get the best Feng Shui in the Year of the Ox.
The Bad Directions in 2021 Year of Ox
The Flying Stars change their whereabouts every year. This year, the Flying Star that represents disaster and illness is in the Southeast. If there is any construction site or building works outside your home in this direction, chances are the health and luck of your family may be affected. Similarly, having building works in the Southeast corner in your house is definitely not a good idea. What’s more, if the entrance door of your home is in this direction, we are afraid that there may be bad happenings. To cure, try putting six metal coins or a metal wind chime with six layers in this direction.
Another bad Flying Star, which also brings bad luck, is in the North. Again, avoid building works in this direction.
The Shui Puo direction, which means against the prevailing energy of the year, is in Southwest. This is definitely not a good location to have any building works.
A final bad direction I want to mention is the East. This is the San Sha direction. If your desk in the East of the office, your office life this year may be a bumpy journey to get through. You should also avoid moving furniture in the East (and building work is certainly bad too).
This seems to be a lot, right? Actually, the major problem is building work. In the past, Feng Shui practitioners seldom renovate their homes. They did good Feng Shui when move in and get the most of it. For this reason, these bad directions are not a big deal. In modern days context, do not carry out building works in these directions unless necessary. In that case, try putting the metal coins in the affected directions and try beginning the works in other directions first and gradually extend to other corners.
The Good Directions in 2021 Year of Ox
The prevailing Flying Star with the greatest power is in the West. Some Feng Shui practitioners believe that it is good to have the entrance door or desk in this direction in the house. This is true in many cases but the best advice is to check with a Feng Shui master, since the power of this Flying Star is so great that it may induce side effects if not properly triggered.
The Flying Star related to study and career is in the East. It would be great if your desk is placed here. Yet, as it is also the San Sha direction, make sure you don’t have too many works done here.
Hope the above helps! Wish you a very happy Year of the Ox!
Zodiac Signs are tools to achieve harmony in energy. How? Read this to find out.
In the last article I have briefly introduced the 12 Asian zodiac signs and their origin. This time, we shall see how they are used in the calendar system and why they are so important in Feng Shui and fortune telling.
Zodiac Signs in the Calendar
In the Feng Shui calendar system, there are 12 Earthly Branches (地支). Each Earthly Branch correspond to one of the 12 zodiac signs.
You probably know that this year (2020) is the Year of the Rat. This comes from the fact that this is a Zi year (子年) in the 12 Earthly Branch cycle. Whenever it is a Zi year, it is the Year of the Rat. The year after Zi must be Chou year (丑年), which is the Year of the Ox.
The Earthly Branches are also used to represent years. In the Gregorian calendar, there are 365 days in 12 months in a year. In the Feng Shui calendar, there are also 12 months, each represented by a Earthly Branch.
The Feng Shui calendar system is not the same as the lunar calendar that the so called “Lunar New Year” or “Chinese New Year” is based on. The lunar calendar is mainly based on the moon, a lunar month lasts for 29 to 30 days only.
On the other hand, in the Feng Shui calendar system, a month lasts for around 30 days. As seen from the earth, the sun moves around the earth and completes a cycle in a year. If we divide this orbit into 12 zones, each zone is a Feng Shui month.
The first month of a year in Feng Shui calendar, which begins in early February each year (usually the fourth day of February), is called the Yin month (寅月). Yin corresponds to the Tiger sign. The next month is Mou month (卯月), which corresponds to the Rabbit sign.
The 12 Earthly Branches and the corresponding 12 zodiac signs are also used in the next two lower levels of calendar and time system, i.e. day and hour.
There is a 12 Earthly Branch cycle of days, from Zi day (the Rat day) to Hai day (the Pig day). The 24 hours in a day are also represented by the 12 Earthly Branches, each consists of two hours. The Zi hours starts from 23:00 to 00:59 the next day, the Chou hours begins from 01:00 to 02:59. The Wu hours (午時) is from 11:00 to 12:59, it spans over the noon, this is why the word Wu (午) also means “noon” in Chinese.
The Importance of the Earthly Branches and Zodiac Signs
The Earthly Branches are important, not only because they represent the time but also because they are related to the natural cycle of energy change.
In a day, midnight is when the sun is right below the ground, down at the bottom. At noon, the sun is up on top of the sky, directly above us. The sun’s energy as felt by people should be the weakest and the strongest respectively. The magnitude of the solar energy changes from one extreme to another in the hours between midnight and noon. So the solar energy gradually increases from midnight (Zi hours) to noon (Wu hours), then diminishes from noon (Wu hours) to midnight (Zi hours). This cycle repeats everyday.
The same goes for the energy change in a year. Zi month is around December in the Northern Hemisphere. It is almost the end of Winter, an absolutely cold time.
On the other hand, Wu month is around June, in the Northern Hemisphere, which is in summertime. The 12 Earthly Branches represents the change of solar energy in a year, as felt on the earth.
The birth chart of a person, in the form of Bazi, consists of four Earthly Branches and four Heavenly Stems (天干). We can tell if a person’s energy is balanced by checking the Earthly Branches and Heavenly Stems.
Then how about Zodiac Signs? As they are the signs of the Earthly Branches, Feng Shui masters could use them to restore balance of a person’s energy. For example, if the Fire element is favourable to a person, he may consider wearing a horse-shaped pendant (horse equals to the Wu Earthly Branch) on a necklace to increase his level of “Fire” energy.
Likewise, the zodiac signs could also be used in a house to improvement the Feng Shui. Of course, expert advice by a Feng Shui master is need when doing so.
Now you know why Zodiac Signs are not only important in Asian culture but also significant in Feng Shui and fortune-telling. They are tools to achieve harmony in energy.
Introduce the origin of the 12 zodiac signs in Asian culture and the variations in different countries.
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2020 is the Year of the Rat. Rat is one of the 12 Asian zodiac signs. Do you know what these zodiac signs mean?
In this series, I shall introduce the original and meaning of the zodiac signs.
Origin of Zodiac Signs
Records of zodiac signs could be found in ancient Chinese Feng Shui and astrology writings. There is no definite answer as to who invented this system and when did it first appear. What we know is that this system could be traced back to at least 5000 years ago, or even earlier.
Some people suggested that Chinese zodiac signs may be imported from ancient Buddhism writings. There are other researches that identified the 12 zodiacs in Babylon astrology as the origin of the Chinese ones.
There is also an interesting story about a race among animals. The Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝), who is the first and greatest God, would like to use animal names to represent years. He decided to have a running race among animals, the first 12 who finished were chosen, in ascending order-
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig
(Interestingly the cat is not among the 12 zodiac signs. According to one version of this story, the cat was tricked by the rat so it missed this grand event. That’s why cats hate rats so much and already want to catch them…)
Zodiac Signs in Asian Culture
The 12 zodiac signs could also be found in other Asian traditions. It is commonly recognised that the zodiac signs, together with other cultural elements, were exported from ancient China to many Asian countries.
As the cultures are different in various countries, some animals also varies. For example-
In Vietnam, buffalo replaced ox and cat replaced rabbit.
In Japan, the last animal is boar instead of pig.
In Thai, a mysterious monster, Naga, replaced dragon.
How are these signs used in calendar systems? How do they affect us? We’ll see in the coming articles.
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Doormat and rug are commonly used in interior design. They serve both functional and aesthetically purposes. A good looking doormat or rug could help to keep your house clean and make it beautiful.
Yet, do you know doormat and rug could also bring bad effects in Feng Shui?
The effects of mats and rugs mainly come from the shape and colour. We shall examine these two factors one by one, but before that, let’s know a little more about Flying Star Feng Shui.
The Bad Feng Shui Flying Stars
Some shapes and colours could contribute to bad Feng Shui that could affect health. It is all related to the Five Elements (WuXing) attribute of the Flying Stars.
According to traditional Feng Shui theories, there are some bad Flying Stars that could affect people if they are located in some critical locations in a house, e.g. the main entrance, kitchen, toilet and bedroom.
These bad Flying Stars belong to the Earth element. If there is any stuff belonging to the Earth element that is co-located with these Flying Stars, the power of these bad boys could be magnified.
In addition, stuff of the Fire element could also have similar effect, since the Fire element generates Earth element.
Another element that may be bad in this context is Wood. If you have some basic ideas about the Five Elements theory, you may wonder why, as the Wood element depletes Earth.
Yes, in a sense Wood depletes Earth. Trees consume the nutrients in soil. However, wood could also penetrate into soil, which is seen as the Wood element adversely affecting Earth.
When doing Feng Shui, if we want to restrict the power of the Earth element, it is prudent to avoid the Wood element. Although Wood could overcome Earth, the vigorous battle between the two elements may cause undesirable effects. It is just like pouring water onto fire, the water may put out fire, but rapid release of smoke and steam, which are also harmful, may be resulted.
Shapes and Feng Shui
So, what are the shapes that could magnify the bad effects of the bad Flying Stars? The earthy shapes do, like square and rectangle.
Another shape that could add to the bad effects of the negative Flying Stars is triangle, which belong to the Fire element.
Since Wood could interact with Earth in an undesirable way, the long and narrow rectangular shape is not preferred too.
On the other hand, circle and shapes with curves and round corners are relatively safe.
Colours and Feng Shui
Similarly, colours of the Wood, Earth or Fire element could also build up the power of the bad Flying Stars. These colours are green (Wood), yellow and brown (Earth) and red, orange and purple (Fire).
On the other hand, white, grey, black, silver and gold are more preferred colours in respect of mats and rugs at home.
A Real Case
I have a friend who moved to a new apartment in 2012. He placed a lime-coloured rug in the living room. He chose this colour because it’s so refreshing.
Not long after he moved into his new home, his wife had started to develop eczema. Medical treatment was applied. At my advice he also removed the rug. The symptoms had finally improved.
The Take Away
I must stress that the above recommendations about shapes and colours could be considered together with an analysis of the natal Flying Star chart of the house. If a red rectangular rug is placed in the living room but there is no bad Flying Star in this location, bad effects may not be observed.
Yet, since most people do not have the ability to analyse Feng Shui by themselves, it is advisable to avoid the non-preferred shapes and colours.
In the case when you cannot completely avoid it, for example, the use of a rectangular rug under a rectangular tea table (it would be strange to use a circular rug here), at least stay away from the colours belonging to the Wood, Earth and Fire elements.
That’s all for this Patreon-only Feng Shui newsletter. See you next time, until then, stay health and happy!
Explaining the bad effects of roads in Feng Shui with a real case. Avoid residences with busy roads nearby!
We examined the nature of roads in Feng Shui in the last article. This time, let’s go into details of the bad effects of roads.
Pollution is Bad Feng Shui
The busier a road, the greater the noise that it brings. We all know that roads are sources of noise pollution. Roads with busy traffic are especially annoying.
Another by-product of vehicular traffic is exhaust gas. Needless to say, the exhaust is bad to health.
According to Feng Shui theories, noise and air pollution are “Sha”, i.e. bad Feng Shui. The presence of noise and bad air could cause bad Feng Shui that affects health. If the source of pollution is located in a direction where the bad flying stars are located, the consequences would be even worse.
A Real Case
I have came across a real case, in which a young guy lived in a housing estate in Hong Kong. There was a busy highway outside his building. This highway was very close to this gentleman’s home, just outside the windows of the living room, and this was where the bad Flying Stars located. He had absolutely no problem with making money after he moved into this home, but his health got worse over time. Two years later, he was diagnosed with cancer.
I think it could be fairly say that, even if the highway did not cause any Feng Shui problem, the noise and waste gas emitted by the vehicles had adversely affected the health of the occupants in this building. From Feng Shui point of view, the power of bad flying stars could add to the adverse effects and may contributed to the health problems faced by the occupants, if any.
Now you know, roads are usually not good for health from Feng Shui point of view. If possible, choose a residence that is not close to any busy roads.
Some say roads mean water and bring wealth in Feng Shui? Is it true? Let me tell you.
Many people, particularly Chinese, consider roads as good things in Feng Shui. Most of them think that roads could bring money, so it is good to have roads near home. Is it true? Let’s find out.
So why do modern people think that roads mean water? I guess the analogy comes from the fact that there are vehicles running on the road, just like boats moving in the water.
This is an unfortunate mistake. The power of water does not come from its ability to move objects. It’s the energy in the water that matters. Roads do not have the same energy, that’s why ancient Feng Shui masters did not regard roads the same as water.
Road Means Water?
In ancient times there was no motor vehicle. Transportation was done either by boat in the seas, rivers or canals or by vehicles drawn by horses. However, ancient Feng Shui books only mentioned the “real” water as a symbol of wealth. The Feng Shui measures implemented by the masters in the past were most related to “real” water, not vehicles or roads.
Water Means Money?
Even for water, it does not mean wealth all the time. In most occasions, water is related to money. However, Water is also a source of power, if it is used improperly, it would bring bad luck instead of fortune.
We have seen many real cases recorded in Feng Shui books written in hundreds or even thousands of years ago, in which bad happenings were brought by water found in the wrong place and in the wrong form.
I hope this article helps to explain why roads should not be considered as water in Feng Shui. In the next article, we shall discuss what roads actually mean in Feng Shui. In fact, roads could be quite bad in Feng Shui. Wonder how and why? I’ll explain in the next article!
Metal bells have been used by monks to treat prayers’ health problems. This article explains why and how you could do it at home.
Have you ever wondered why there are usually big bronze bells in temples in Japan and China? Apart from religious reasons, these bells could also be justified by Feng Shui theories. Let me tell you why.
Metal is Medicine for Many Feng Shui Problems
According to traditional Feng Shui theories, many bad Feng Shui issues are related to Earth, one of the five elements. For example, among the nine flying stars, the two bad stars have the Earth character.
Wood is the element that “attacks” the Earth element. Should we use Wood to combat Earth? The answer is no. When Wood meets Earth, it is similar to a war between two armies. The Wood may be strong enough to combat Earth but just like all wars, damage would be inevitably caused.
This is why the best treatment to the problems caused by these flying stars is to relieve instead of “attack” them. Earth produces Metal, says the traditional Feng Shui theories. Using metal is just like depleting the Earth element. For this reason, many Feng Shui masters suggest their clients use metal whenever Feng Shui problems arise.
Bronze Bells Could Treat Bad Feng Shui
Traditionally, temples were the place where many people pray for good health. As I mentioned in my last article, it would be difficult to do Feng Shui if the orientation and layout of the house was known. The monks wanted to help but they did not know the orientation and layout of the prayers’ houses. So, the monks placed large bronze bells in the temples, so that payers could ring these bells and get rid of their health problems.
Bronze bells in a temple
How to Use Metal in Modern Homes
If you encounter health problems, you should consult medical doctors. Yet, as an additional way to help, you could consider using metal. Try placing metal bells or wind chimes beside your bed, and make them sound frequently. If your health problem is caused by the flying stars of the Earth element, the power of the metal may improve the Feng Shui.
A true life example of a client making improvement in health condition just by making a small change at home. The rationale behind is explained.
You think Feng Shui is difficult to apply? Think again.
This is a recent case. My client who suffered from migraine for years that she could hardly have restful sleep. She consulted a few doctors, took medicine as instructed, yet the symptoms were not relieved.
She then turned to alternative treatments. She tried aroma therapy and acupuncture. She felt less painful but the problems could not be completely removed.
She was introduced by her friend who was my client. As she lived abroad and could not provide the basic information required, such as floor plans and the orientation of the house measured with a compass, I could not formally offer Feng Shui advices.
Small Changes to Living Environment
Nevertheless, I asked her to at least try to make some changes to her living space. She then moved her bed within her room, from beside the wall to the near the windows.
One month later, she texted me and said her migraine symptoms were much improved. If this could be considered as a success brought by Feng Shui, what actually helped her?
Feng Shui Brings Chi Improvement
Let me explain what difference a simple change in your home settings could bring to the Feng Shui of your home.
According to traditional Feng Shui theories, good and bad Chi (energy) could be found in different directions inside your home. We call these directions “mansions”. Some calculations are required to find out the whereabouts of the good and the bad, all based on measurements by using a compass.
If we could not use a compass, there is no way we accurately tell which mansion is good and which is bad. Yet, by relocating the furniture within your home, you may have moved the furniture from one mansion to another. If a health issue is related to a mansion with bad Chi, moving your bed to another mansion with relatively better Chi could help.
Besides, the orientation of a person lying on the bed also affects the health. Just like your house, your body’s orientation affects how you interacts with the energy in the environment. So, even if you cannot relocate your bed, say the bedroom is too small, try turning yourself 180 degrees, so that your feet (instead of your head) point to the headboard of the bed. This changes your body’s orientation when on bed, and may potentially improve the your Chi.
I would like to remind you that, no body can tell if such simple changes could solve health problems, unless an accurate measurement of the orientation of your home is obtained. Yet, if you suffer from health problems that could not be solved after medical treatment, it may worth to try to make small changes to your living space. Even if it does not work, you could reinstate everything.
A quick guide to Feng Shui and fortune of 12 zodiac signs in Year of Rat, and answers to a few frequently asked questions.
In the last two weeks I shared with my Facebook Page subscribers the Feng Shui guide and fortune forecast for the coming Year of Rat.
Some subscribers have asked follow-up questions. I would like to share the answers here as they are useful to all people. The Feng Shui guide and fortune forcast are also recap below for your handy reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When does the new year begin? On 1 Jan or first day of lunar new year?
A: For the purpose of Feng Shui and personal astrology, the answer is neither one. According to traditional Feng Shui theories, a new year begins in Spring, one of the 24 solar terms, which usually falls on 4 Feb every year. The Feng Shui and personal fortune forecasts should take effect on this day.
Q: If I was born after the lunar new year but before 4 Feb, what is my zodiac sign?
A: The prevailing zodiac sign changes on 4 Feb. For example, if a baby was born on 26 Jan 2020, although this is the second day of the lunar new year, Spring (for the purpose of Feng Shui) has not yet come. The zodiac sign of this baby should be Pig (2019) instead of Rat (2020). The same principle applies to other years when the lunar new year is before 4 Feb.
Q: My zodiac sign is Rat and this is the Year of Rat. Some people say this is not good. What should I do?
A: When your zodiac sign is the same as the year’s sign, it is called a year of natal sign return. It happens once every 12 years. Should you be afraid of it? Not necessarily. It may not be the best year for some people but there are also people who could be benefited from it, all depends on your personal Bazi or astro chart. As a Feng Shui practitioner, I usually recommend my clients to refrain from pursuing big plans. By being conservative, you have already avoided much troubles.
Q: There is a construction site outside my house, and it is located right at the corner with bad Feng Shui in this year. What should I do?
A: Bad Feng Shui energy is usually associated with Earth (one of the five natural elements). According to traditional Feng Shui theories, Metal could be used to reduce the effect of Earth (since Metal is a product of and consumes Earth). If you encounter any health problem and suspect that the construction site is the origin, you may place six metal coins or a wind chime with six layers or tubes in that direction.
In the coming Year of the Rat, East is the worst direction. A bad flying star will move to the East. This notorious flying star is related to disaster, disease and bad luck.
Another Bad Feng Shui Direction – South
In 2020, another bad flying star will occupy the Southern direction. The nature of this flying star is similar to the previously mentioned one but the magnitude of the bad energy is lower.
Do’s
If the main entrance is in the Eastern or Southern corner or facade of your house, you may place six or seven metal coins nearby. The bad energy belongs to the Earth element, metal could be used to reduce the impact of the bad flying star.
If the toilet, kitchen or bedroom in your house is in either one of these two bad Feng Shui corners, in the coming Year of the Rat you should place the metal coins in these places.
Don’ts
A new year deserves a facelift of your house but remember, avoid carrying out building works in these two bad Feng Shui directions.
If works are unavoidable, for example a repair of spalled concrete is needed, try to begin the works in other directions and gradually extend to the bad Feng Shui areas. You may also place six or seven metal coins in the working area to use metal to reduce the impact of the bad flying stars.
Next time, we shall begin to examine the do’s and don’ts of people of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs. Hopefully with good Feng Shui at home as well as good perfonal energy, your 2020 Year of the Rat will be a prosperous year!
Explains which direction has the best energy in Feng Shui in 2020 the Year of the Rat.
Welcome to 2020! As the Year of the Rat is coming soon, many people are eager to know how to boost their luck. Same as previous years, I shall explain what you should be aware of when doing Feng Shui in this year.
The Best Feng Shui Direction in 2020 Year of the Rat
According to traditional Feng Shui theory, there are nine flying stars that occupy the eight directions and the centre mansion. They change their locations every year. By knowing the whereabouts of the stars with good and bad energy, we know which directions are good and bad.
In 2020 the Year of the Rat, the direction where the star with the best energy occupies is Northwest.
Do’s
If the entrance of your house is in the Northwest corner or facade of your house, congratulations, it means that you have a chance of having a good year!
If your bedroom or study room is in the Northwest corner, it is also good Feng Shui.
Don’ts
Please note, however, that you should also check the natal chart of your house. If there are bad flying stars in this direction, you may have a mixed experience of good and bad luck in this year.
Besides, if the toilet is in this corner, the bad energy of the toilet may also be triggered. If this happens in your house, try placing six or seven metal coins in the toilet to reduce the effect of the bad energy.
In our next post, we shall examine the bad feng shui directions in 2020 the Year of the Rat and how you could deal with them.
