Cecil Lee

Dear Pirkkala For a favourable placement of a fish tank, it is best to apply both the Shapes and Forms and Compass School : Flying Star Feng Shui Since your ba zi is a "strong fire" person, a fish tank is in general, favourable for you. However, as mentioned above: Shapes and Forms Feng Shui vs Flying Star Feng Shui Here, Shapes and Forms should be combined with Flying Star Feng Shui to look at the suitability of the placement of a water feature. Frankly, what you had mentioned i.e. best locations of fish tank e.g. at south-west etc... is considered "kindergarten type of Feng Shui". In the above senario, often, the most suitable location(s) for the fish tank is often in a location such as the living room. Next, since you mentioned that your home has been renovated in the mid 80's, this home is most likely a period 7 home. Next, chart out the natal chart of the home i.e. Period 7. Then determine each sector in particular the living room. These are often the consideration as to whether to place a fish tank in say the living room: 1. If there is a double 8 at a sector in the living room. Here, since the water star is #8, one can activate the water star, here 2. If there is only a mountain star #8, then placing a water feature here is no good, since water can overwhelm this auspicious mountain star. A mountain or solid object with mass should instead be placed, here. (Often, besides the various solid objects, sometimes, a FS practitioner may ask their clients to obtain several stones the size of an ostrich egg, paint it in gold and placed it at that location to activate the mountain star). Thus, in the above senario, if a mountain star should be activated but instead, we activate it with water, this sector becomes inauspicious! Since water will drown the earth or "erode" it. 3. As mentioned in several previous forum messages, #9, #1 are important numbers under this new Period. 4. Thus, even if the natal chart is a Period6 or Period 7 or Period 8 chart, for example, #9 plays an important signficance. For example, if there is a MS #9 at the living room and if one decide to place a fish tank at this sector (since 9 = fire), what one is doing is to extinguish one's future prosperity sector! What I wanted to show you above is that, instead of applying kindergarten Feng Shui where generally water could be placed at certain sectors, it is much better to apply Flying Star Feng Shui. Here, one would then not be at a loss, of what to do or what had generally happened - that bring bad luck. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Joan, A faster change would include the building having a new coat of paint from this year onwards. Here, both the building and the interior are in sync. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Joan, In my opinion, if the office premises is mid-sized or small, often, this may not be enough especially if the lower or office area is "quite-old". Often to be sure, additional activity like a celebration to bring in yang energy will be good. Furthermore, since we are just in the fringe of Period 8 (started this year), we should gradually see Period 7 waining, and Period 8 become stronger. For your office, often, even if it has flown to Period 8, it may take at least one year more to see the effects of Period 8. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Yes, in my opinion, often, a higher weightage goes to the owners who are staying in the home. For the occupants, it has more to do with their own bedroom, but as one knows, this is only one room as compared to an entire home. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Guest, Please visit this two links or previous forum messages for a better understanding of this topic: Discuss :: Free Advice (General Feng Shui) Part I - Facing direction of a home dated 4/22/2004 Part II - Facing direction of a home dated 4/22/2004 A short-cut to this link is to use the SEARCH feature in this forum and keying the words " Part I - Facing direction of a home ". Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Hoa, In my opinion, it is best to consider this house as "constructed" or "built" or completed in Period 7 as opposed to Period 6. (Please note all the past -tense). Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Based on your description, in my opinion, the mouth of the business would usually seem to be the main doors rather than the side door. However, how does the side door "side looks like?" For example, for a business, does this side of the building have significantly more brighter "displays?" Be it a window display or neon lights etc?? As opposed to say the main entrance side? For a business, one can often consider the "brighter" lit side as the mouth of the business since this has both high yang and displays. For example: The industry for which beauty is in is often based on "chemicals". And if chemicals are used, then it could be the "Fire element". If the materials used are like those from "The body shop" e.g. ingredients coming from the earth, then the raw materials or materials that make up cosmetics etc.. is the earth element. But for a School, often, a school is suppose to be a teaching organisation, then this suggests growth, enhancement, training, then, it can be considered as belonging to the wood element. In a specific department of the School, those performing sales or marketing the school can be considered as "fire element". If "beauty" suggests an element of healing or massage or soothing the human body, then, the act of performing this function e.g. a massage can be considered as a water element. But generally, if one goes purely by the word "SCHOOL", as in training or growth of people, then I would say that the school should belong to the wood element. For example, traditionally, especially in Singapore, one can see Singapore doctors placing a green cross badge on their vehicles to signify that they are a doctor. Since green signifies growth. And often doctors use either a more soothing green or blue signage vs a "bloody" red signage. For a school of this nature, thus the more harmonious elements would be: Metal i.e. white or gold Water blue or black and /or Wood green or brown. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Besides the Shapes and Forms Feng Shui, one should apply the Compass School of Feng Shui: Eight House and Flying star. For the Eight House, you can use the free report(s) at www.geomancy-online.com to generate them based on the dates of birth given. In fact, there are other reports, but some of them are paid ones such as Finding a good house report. If all these sound Greek, then, hmm.... either if you do enjoy self-help, please try to burn some midnite oil - or alternatively, you can seek professional help, when you have found what you think is a suitable house. These are the two approaches to take. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Christine, Please contact me privately at support@geomancy.net especially if you have not confirmed the layout plan or if it can be changed e.g. mirror of the original etc... In essence, main considerations will be: 1. Auspicious date and things to do for the ground breaking date & time. 2. Looking at the proposed layout plan etc.. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Hoa Luong, I reproduce the method for calculating the steps for the beneifit of some of the users, here:- --- Start --- Introduction: 1. In Feng Shui, there are two traditional methods of determining the number of steps. 2. The first method is a 3 number combination. Where the first two steps are Auspicious but the last step is inauspicious. METHOD 1 - THE THREE-STEP CYCLE ======== 3. Thus under the `Three-steps formula' step No. 1 (Auspicious), Step No. 2 (Inauspicious) while Step No. 3 is considered inauspicious. Usually this 3rd step is known as the `death' step. 3.1 Thus:- Following this method, one should be able to work out the number of steps:- 3.2 Auspicious steps are:- 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 3.3 Inauspicious steps:- No. 3 is the third step No. 6 is the following third step No. 9 is again the following third step No. 12 is again the following third step...etc... METHOD 2 - THE FOUR-STEP CYCLE =============================== 4. However, Method 1 should be used in combination with Method 2 below:- 4.1 What is the four-step cycle:- Step 1: Auspicious Step 2: Auspicious Step 3: Inauspicious Step 4: Inauspicious 4.2 How to calculate under this method: Step 1 is Auspicious Step 2 is Auspicious Step 3 is inauspicious Step 4 is also inauspicious 4.3 Next 4 steps:- ================= Step 5 is auspicious Step 6 is auspicious Step 7 is inauspicous Step 8 is inauspicious 4.4 Next 4 steps:- ================= Step 9 is auspicious Step 10 is auspicious Step 11 is inauspicous Step 12 is inauspicious 4.5 Next 4 steps:- ================= Step 13 is auspicious Step 14 is auspicious Step 16 is inauspicous Step 17 is inauspicious etc... 4.6 One can do similar calculations for 17 or more steps..... 5. After finding out the numbers for both Methods (1 and 2) we now derive the following sets of steps:- 5.1 Under Method 1: The Three-Step Method:- 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26 5.2 Under Method 2: The Four-Step Method:- 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 14, 17, 18, 21, 22, 25, 26 Thus we have to eliminate the following numbers which are considered inauspicious in either one of the above methods:- Number 4 - inauspicious under method 2 Number 6 - inauspicious under method 2 Number 8 - inauspicious under method 2 Number 11 - inauspicious under method 2 Number 16 - inauspicious under method 2 Number 18 - inauspicious under method 1 Number 19 - inauspicous under method 2 Number 20 - inauspicous under method 2 5.3 Thus the final result are the following numbers:- 1,2, 5, 10, 13, 14, 17, 22, 25, 26 etc... 6. Steps Landing Yes, the number of steps is important. Each step including the steps at landing is included as a count. --------- End ---------- As mentioned above, 6 and 18 steps are inauspicious under Method 1. For an already built home, - frankly - what can one really do? Not much really. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Ashwini, 1. Traditionally, for the Chinese, a better option with a staircase facing the main door is the placement of a convex bagua mirror. 2. Often the semi-circular mat is quite "mild" as compared a mild method to the above. 3. Another method is to add an optional grille gate as shown in the attached. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Mui Ling, We can draw a parallel to your question to the "purchase" of a car. For example, many aspire to buy a mercedes benz. And it is nice-to-have. But not necessary. Many can still go buy a car that can zoom us from A to B. Thus, it boils down to whether it is a "MUST" or "NICE-TO-HAVE". Frankly, often just selecting the auspicious move-in-date will do. The selection of a date for initial opening or ground breaking are in my opinion, nice-to-have. However, as we all know, there is relatively NO HARM in doing or performing more than just the date for moving-in. Nowadays, many clients expect more from their practitioners. Today, many clients would feel more comfortable if they have performed (nice-to-do) things like initial opening and ground breaking ceremonies. To do the ground breaking is really up-to you. As mentioned, it is often under the category "nice-to-have" rather than a "MUST". But since, the ground breaking is no harm, why not perform it, since you are "concerned" over this. Firstly, it does not cost much - nor much effort in doing so. I have attached a file for the Initial opening of door and on the day of move-in. As for the "ground breaking" : (Often the initial opening of door ceremony had been performed, earlier (at least a few days earlier). 1. At the appointed date and time, go to the home with some fruits. For those who pray, bring along incense and candles and pray at the centre of the living room. 2. Bring a small hammer (old or new is ok). Open the main door and often, afterwards,close to this location or in the living, saysomething like: "We seek permissionfrom all spiritswho dwellin this home to give way so that we can commence renovation of this home and apologise to all spirits who are affected." 3. After this knock three times on the ground (e.g.) any living room corner will do or at the centre of the living room. Butdo check where is the S-SW, this year. avoid knocking at the Grand Duke's sector, which is around the SW sector, this year. 4. For the Cantonese, they prefer to bring along5 types of fruits topray. Often the fruit to be avoided is the Pear. 5. Leave immediately after theritual. (For the incense / candles, please wait until they are extinguished before leaving home -- more for fire safety precaution). Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, In fact, it would be a better approach to apply the "holistic" approach to geomancy for wealth. For example, try to do a SEARCH for " Holy Trinity" of Luck to find out more about the approach to health, wealth and happiness by understanding: what is: Heaven Luck, Earth Luck and Human Luck Frankly, although the Eight House is an interesting subject that may seem to bring us "hope" of having a better future, but, in my opinion, it may not seem to be very practical. Other than to give one a sugar coated pill. Therefore, to agree with the idea that you may need to move to a southwest direction, is difficult to "swallow". It is like a lump of clay in my throat. This is because, often, even in a tiny country like Singapore, you see, once a while we get"silly" people who have the notion that they have to move or stay in the East instead of the West. But all of us know that this Eight House or 4 good /bad directions will definitely place each of us either in the EAST or WEST house. Or 50-50 percent. What if: 1. We are married? Does it mean that if suppose the husband is a WEST person, while the WIFE is an EAST person, because of the Eight House concept, they must "SEPARATE"? 2. What if they have children? So, does it mean that if all the children are WEST persons, the burden or responsibility of rearing all their "monsters" rest on the husband? What will society be like? In addition, we cannot be "blamed" if we are EAST group persons. This is because, for many east group persons, they often are favourable for NORTH and SOUTH. So, if one's excellent or prosperity is suppose to be North or South, and if we are currently e.g. staying in Singapore or Australia, does it mean that we must move to the South pole to work? So, if one is in the North e.g. Canada, does it mean that one has to move to North pole to work? Frankly, all this does not really make much sense. I would rather, that one fully grasp or understand the Holy Trinity of Luck, first. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Rebecca, The theme for the kitchen is where bothfire and water areused. In anykitchen, there will always be the water element versus thefireelement. Thekey essence is a good balance between yin and yang (water and fire)whichcan result in good fortune while the opposite can resultin amisfortune.Other aspects of kitchen Feng Shui includes the locationas wall asfacingof the stove. In addition, another element most commonlyfound in akitchenis the metal element such as cooking utensils. And thiselement isoftenused as a bridge between water and fire elements. In the kitchen the most importantconsideration is theposition of thekitchen and stove. In Feng Shui each compass direction isassociatedwith anelement. For example, the kitchen and stove should not belocated atnorthwhich is associated with the water element: water drownsfire. Anotherkeyimportant location to avoid is placing the kitchen andstove in thenorth-west or Heaven's gate. Here north-west alsorepresents the headof thehousehold i.e. father. The fridge and sink are important considerations alsobecause one shouldavoid placing them next to the stove as this can cause a conflict ofwaterversus fire. More importantly, the kitchen should be welllit andventilatedand preferably the person cooking can see the door. In fact, this and some of these notions are more important than to say that the stove and fridge is in my health sector. Here, we can only look at the Eight House for clues on this: If we do not spent time at this sector, we often are not "influnenced" by that sector. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Jo Jo, Currently, I have clients that have changed to Period 8 with "mixed-results". For example, I met a business client and after having changed to Period 8 (NW3) and because their office premises can place a large water feature at water star #8 and in the MD's room, which is directly at that opposite back, with a mountain #8. The MD mentioned that after the renovations, his sales improved greatly and even a division that did not do well, had a great change. However, for another client, who is running a child-care centre from a private landed home, (a smaller place) did not make major changes, had not improved. Thus, generally, it is more important that for a change to Period 8, often, a larger mass or location should see changes. But for smaller premises or even an apartment, sometimes, it may either have to depend on the larger (premises) or building or more should be done rather than e.g. re-painting. In your case, perhaps, try to add more yang qi into the home by: 1. Having an appropriate "celebration(s)" e.g. birthday celebration, new year celebration. 2. Burying of "ancient Chinese coins" is symbolic of placing wealth into the home. 3. If you are changing the floor tiles, you can follow the example in the attachment in burying coins at the main door area and also at corners of the living /dining of the home. And also use a format for the frontage of the main entrance. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Danielle, In my opinion, the method that you are currently using is often known as the "trip and fall" method. Touch wood! But, imagine, a one-time visitor or a new visitonr in your home - - visiting in the evening. Suddenly, there is a momentary power-outage. Because of the 'odd' or unusual placement of the furniture, the guest may perhaps, trip and fall! Again, this is like the stories we hear in the US, where someone blames the government for placing the lamp post at the wrong place - which resulted in a car "kissing-it". Best directions or facing best directions are considered as "nice-to-have". If can face a good direction - very good. If not, what the "heck!". More importantly, or higher weightge should go to the Shapes and Forms of the site, building, first. And interior furniture should equally be placed in (first choice) best Shapes and forms, then it is "nice" to have furniture especially, the work or the bed. Other furnitures are often less of a major consideration. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Mario, In my opinion, Feng Shui is not a cure all. To put logos in the right perspective:- 1. Ideally, if we are applying Geomancy, then a company signage or logo should preferably have three colours instead of one or two. Here, three stands for progress while one or two stands for death. 2. For a small business or sole proprietorship, the logo can be based on the Ba Zi of the owner. For example, if the owner is a weak water person, then, preferably, the company logo should have colours such as :- Metal (white or gold) Water (Blue black or grey). Since each element has a specific shape, i.e. metal = round and water wavy, for the company logo, perhaps, it could have something like a round shape and/or wavy design. These are the major considerationsunder Geomancy for a businesslogo. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Nancy, This year Grand Duke is located at SW and not South. While South is the location to avoid renovations. Thus, there is no issue facing South, this year. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Nancy, This year Grand Duke is located at SW and not South. While South is the location to avoid renovations. Thus, there is no issue facing South, this year. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, If you are in control of the direction your working chair is facing, you can try to optimize your sitting position to the "Excellent" or "Prosperity" sector. You should first generate a free Eight House chart or use any of the tables or charts provided to determine your Gua (Kua) number. A sample illustration, is attached. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Please see below:-

Dear Hoa Luong, Structural engineers or foundation experts are similar to doctors. In fact, many of them are certified in their profession. And given their professional accrediations, it is best to rely on their judgement. Surprisingly, sometimes, good quality wood may even lasts much longer than as mentioned the unexpected high expansion and contraction. It is best therefore to leave it to the professional competence of these people. In fact, often under building regulations, (touch wood) but should there be a structural problem in the future, these people, may be held accountable. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Deepak, Please see below:

Dear Tigger's Mom, Please see below:- However, if the plot of land is almost flat or level and if there is a view towards NE, than one can also arrange the home to become a NE facing home. Or alternatively, if the home so happens to have a double 8 at a specific sector, one can make this the busiest part of the home. What you can do is to do "zero base" Feng Shui, or work out the best placement of e.g. living room, main door, bedroom areas etc... i.e. several alternatives to see if one can further fine tune the layout to optimize on as many Feng Shui factors such as Eight House best directions (Ba Zhai) and also work on the Flying Star numbers: the purpose is to optimize on the layout plan for good measure. In addition, Shapes and Forms Feng Shui should also be taken into consideration. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Joan, To be more accurate, usually, the three components are looked at i.e. MS#, WS# and Base # to come to a better understanding of that specific sector. Warmest Regards, Cecil