Kieron

Thanks for your comments, Glyn. How do I activate a mountain star? What sort of object would be appropriate for the star I described in my previous message? Also, why does the report not mention activating water stars? Thanks. --Joe

Dear Cecil and Robert, I have completed my Flying Star report. (Many thanks for helping sort out the problems.) Background info: My main door faces west (270), but the best direction for my main door is north. The house was built in period 3. According to the report, my door falls in the Misfortune/Sickness sector. 20-Year Star element is 5 Earth. Mountain star = 8, Water star = 3. My confusion is this: While the report indicates misfortune/sickness, the combination of Earth 8 and Wood 3 weakens the earth element, making this location more auspicious. Does this mean that misfortune/sickness is neutralized? Can I or should I activate mountain star? If yes, do you have any recommendations what I might use? I am weak Fire, by the way. Sorry if the questions seem repetitive. I'm trying very hard to make sense of this. Thanks for your patience. Glyn, I would welcome your input also! Sincerely, Joe

Dear Cecil, Please settle a friendly dispute I am having with a friend. Does qi enter a house through doors AND windows, or just doors? If it does enter through windows, then do windows need to be open to allow qi to enter? You see, we live in a cold climate where 3/4 of the year, the windows are shut. That's why this question occurred to us. Thank you for your advice. --Joe

Hello Anonymous, If I may contribute something to this discussion... I was reminded of something I saw the other day. It was a large, thriving liquor business with a rather strange shape. The building was mainly triangular, with a very long, sharp-looking corner aiming across the street. I looked across the street and sure enough, the building directly in the path of this pointing triangle was boarded up and vacant. If that isn't a poison arrow, I don't know what is! Hope this discussion clarifies matters for you. Good luck! :o) --Joe

Greetings! I am considering remodeling my kitchen sometime in the next year. I have several questions. My house is a west-facing house, and the kitchen is in the northeast corner. 1. Will Grand Duke be offended if changes are made? I understand that Grand Duke is in the east at this time. Will Grand Duke change position? 2. We are thinking of building what is called an "island" (except that one end of the island would be attached to a wall. Since this would appear to "point" toward the center of the kitchen, is this a bad idea? 3. We are thinking of placing the sink and refrigerator on one side of the kitchen. The stove would be placed approximately opposite them on the "island", in order to use space efficiently. Is it inauspicious to place these kitchen appliances (water and fire) in such a way? Thanks for your advice. Sincerely, Joe

Dear Cecil, In my house there is a staircase leading up to 3 bedrooms and 1 bath. I have heard conflicting ideas whether to keep the doors shut or open. One door is always shut because the individual in that room prefers privacy. However, I want qi to be able to circulate freely throughout the house. I also understand that depending on one's death disaster etc. lines, one may want to keep certain places closed. But just for the purpose of assisting qi to circulate, what is your advice? Thank you. By the way, I have been offline for awhile and just returned. The site looks better every time I log on! :o) --Joe

I can recommend a book for those interested in learning which foods are yin or yang, with an analysis of the 5 elements. "Between Heaven and Earth," by Harriet Beinfield (not sure of the spelling of author's last name). This book may not be available outside the US, however. Hope this helps. --Joe

Dear Cecil, Since the wall appears to "cut off" the foot of the bed, thereby "cutting off" my toes, then what can I do? There's no other place for the bed. Any suggestions are appreciated. --Joe

Dear Cecil, When sha is generated by an object, how does the sha radiate (for lack of a better word)? Does it radiate at an angle? For example, in my bedroom, one wall projects like this: _______________________ | | | | | |__ | | | | | | | door bed | ___ ____________________ As you can see, the wall projects toward the foot of my bed. I sleep on the side furthest from this projection. There is no other place where the bed will fit. In the last 6 months I have had minor but troublesome problems with my feet and toes, often enough to make me wonder if the wall is causing sha. My question: does sha move along the wall and radiate in the same direction, or does it begin where the walls converge into the corner (see above)? Hope this makes sense. What cures, if any? --Joe

Dear Cecil, I read your book "Applied Feng Shui Made Easy" and noticed that you describe Yang Feng Shui and Yin Feng Shui. My question: in general, is FS traditionally done for gravesites or tombs of deceased ancestors? I ask because I wonder if FS could be applied to caring for gravesites of relatives. By this I mean keeping the space neat and clean, etc. Or is it better to avoid Yin FS altogether? Thanks. --Joe

The scary thing is that with "fast food" FS, magazines, talk shows, etc., tell you do this for luck, never do that, etc., without explaining the 5 elements and balance. Before I discovered this site, I had read a magazine article about how to use FS to improve my wealth, health, etc., using metal and mirrors. I was all set to start doing this, but then I was told about Geomancy.com and I'm very grateful I didn't use metal, wind chimes or mirrors!!! I wonder if, as we grow knowledgeable about traditional FS, should we attempt to explain that "cure-all" or "one-size-fits-all" approach doesn't work? For example, a magazine says do this and that... should we write to the magazine and try to explain, or let uninformed readers deal with the consequences of fast food FS? Does anyone have thoughts on this? --Joe

Dear Cecil, I studied your book "Applied Fung Shui Made Easy." I found that my kua is 1. My front door faces almost directly west. Since the house is a Metal house, and I am weak Fire, this house should be "wrong" for me. Also, according to the Eight House theory, the house is unsuitable because my front door occupies the Disaster line, my bedroom occupies the Death line, and my workroom (where I spend a lot of time) the Irritation line. Yet when I examined the house, before I knew much about FS, I liked what I saw and I felt that it was "right" for me. The rooms that are supposedly "bad" for me seem perfectly fine. I don't care to spend much time in one room that is supposedly "good" i.e., the room with Prosperity line. I think what I am wondering is, how strictly should the Eight House theory be followed? In past forum discussions, you and Robert reminded us to follow our instincts. May I have your thoughts on this? Thanks in advance. --Joe

Hi Cecil, From my limited understanding, my house would be considered a Metal house b/c the front door faces west. As I am a weak Fire, is this inauspicious for me? At the same time, the other person in the house is strong Water. Is living in a Metal house likely to strengthen his strong Water? What, if anything, can be done? Could we use Wood to balance both of us? Thank you. :o) --Joe

I'd like to contribute my experience with plants. I'm crazy about them... I have dozens of houseplants at any time. I think as a weak Fire, I like to keep them around me to nurture my Fire. Anyway... last year I was living in a small apartment which is known as a "studio" meaning it's all one room except for a separate bathroom. Naturally I had my plants. I remember that I would have the worst time getting to sleep. I would toss and turn until 1:00 in the morning, often after trying every natural sleep aid I could find. Now that I have bought my own home, I keep my plants in their own area. No plants in my bedroom and I sleep much much better. Then I found Geomancy.com and what do they recommend but to keep plants out of the bedroom. Interesting. :o) --Joe

Dear Cecil and Robert, A thought occurred to me the other day. According to my Pillars report, I am weak Fire. It is my understanding that Wood feeds my weak Fire, and that Wood element includes plants, trees, etc. I enjoy gardens and working in the soil. Would a career in gardening or landscaping be helpful to me as a weak Fire? Thank you in advance. --Joe

Cecil, You mentioned something about a blue roof being bad. Can you explain? A neighbor has shingles on her roof that are blue, so that the entire roof is blue. She has had a run of bad luck, i.e., falls, family troubles, etc. I wonder if there is a connection? Thanks. --Joe

If I may comment... I would remove the mirror entirely, or if that is not possible, cover it with a sheet or some cloth. When I first moved into my house, my partner hung a small mirror on the bedroom wall. We both slept poorly until I decided to remove it. We've slept much better since. :o) --Joe

Dear Cecil and Robert, Congratulations on the improved website! It looks great. I realize that my question may possibly be objectionable to some people, but let me assure you I mean no offense. I was curious about the "fine line" between FS and superstition. The reason I ask is b/c some Chinese-born friends dismiss certain FS cures or calculations as "Chinese superstition!" For example, they consider Grand Duke to be superstition, but agree that FS in general is good. Personally, I believe anything can be taken too far or too seriously. Please comment. Sincerely, --Joe

Cecil, You mentioned FS for the dead in your post. Just out of curiosity, how is FS done for the dead? Would that be keeping the grave or burial site clean? How would sha qi affect the dead? Thanks for indulging my interest. :o) --Joe

Dear Cecil or Robert This topic was posted a few weeks ago but there was no answer, and since I'm very interested in the subject, here goes again... Can we apply feng shui to gardens (both vegetable and flower)? Would this be the Shapes and Form? It has been mentioned in the forum that too many plants and/or trees create an excessively yin environment. What is meant by too many? If I have my vegetables in orderly rows, does this create yang or yin energy? Does the direction of my front door affect my garden plans? (It is west-facing) And finally, do red flowers attract chi? Thanks. :o)

Dear Cecil, I would be interested in learning more about this, also. Would this topic be included in Shapes & Form School? I love gardening and am curious if my vegetables and flowers are affecting the feng shui of my home.

One book I read recommended a way to increase qi in the kitchen by placing a small mirror behind the burners on the stove. The idea is to reflect the image of food cooking and heat being generated, in order to "double" these qualities (in other words, having enough food and heat). What is the position of traditional FS in regard to this idea? I believe it was another Black Hat/Black Sect book. Thanks... --Joe

Dear Cecil, Just to clarify for other users,I believe the Black Sect you mentioned is also known as the Black Hat School. Most books I have read follow this school, by laying a template (usually an octagon and what they call Ming Tang, or center) over the floor plan of the house. Thank you for explaining more about Black Hat/Black Sect. --Joe

Dear Cecil, Why is the staircase facing the bedroom considered inauspicious? I have the same situation as the person who asked the question about stairs. Is it because chi will "run down" the stairs and out of the bedroom? Besides the mirror you suggested, could I place a small round-leafed plant on or near where the staircase "turns"-- thereby catching the chi? Thanks for indulging my curiosity. :o) --Joe

I was given a bamboo plant by a co-worker who is learning feng shui also. We don't know what uses bamboo has other than flutes. Are the sharp, pointed leaves inauspicious? I would like to use the plant in the best way possible. Thanks in advance. :o) --Joe