The Power of Feng Shui for Your Life

The Power of Feng Shui for Your Life i

The Power of Feng Shui for Your Life Living a Fulfilled Life Marsha Cheung Golangco iii

Philippine Copyright 2007 by Marsha Cheung Golangco Edited and Printed by: Jazmin A. Jocson and Trixie J. Villaraza 9 Don Doroteo St. Don Enrique Hts., Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City 1119 Philippines Cover Design by Arnel Medina Illustrations by Wilbert Bautista Author s Logo by Cedric Cheng iv

Dedication To all the Empowered Women in the World and especially My late mother, Cheung Lee Sui Yee for her courage, generosity and strength and My late mother - in - law, Agnes Uy Golangco for her grace, beauty and compassion v

Thank You... To my Husband Eric and my children Madeline, Elaine and Wesley -- they are the foundations of my success To the Cheung Family in Hong Kong and my ancestors from China who gave me my life To the Landmark Education -- an extraordinary global transformation educational program about life -- their out of the box philosophy in life continues to inspire me; and especially Landmark Forum Leader Brian Regnier, who continues to coach me to unleash my pioneer spirit; The Power and Contribution Classmates for their commitment to the world -- each one of us has our own unique, and yet connected, promise to the world To the General Members and Fellow Board Members of the Diablo Valley Chinese Cultural Association in California -- for their commitment as pillars in promoting the Chinese culture To my fellow Board Members of the Home Builders Association Women s Council of Northern California -- for their indomitable leadership causing transformation To my Book Team -- Mrs. Jazmin A. Jocson and Trixie J. Villaraza -- for their expertise in making this book a reality To my Graphic Artists -- Arnel Medina for the book cover that attracts positive energy; special thanks to my cousin Winnie in sharing her materials leading to the creation of the book cover; Wilbert Bautista for producing clear and simple illustrations; and Cedric Cheng for the author s logo Special acknowledgements to my cousin Wendy and her late husband T.S. Lo who welcomed me in their lives and who gave me the opportunity to look at their profound way of living. vii

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Foreword I am eager to share with you the Ancient wisdom of Feng Shui that can be applied powerfully and effectively in your modern-day living. My knowledge came from my traditional Chinese family in Hong Kong. Feng Shui has been a natural part of my life since childhood. Feng Shui and My Family I grew up in Hong Kong in our family home at number 8 MacDonnell Road in a family involved in real estate development. There, I was introduced quite naturally into the old Chinese discipline of Feng Shui. My father, the late Master Cheung Yuk Kai, was the eldest son of Cheung Chuk Shan, patriarch of the Cheung Chuk Shan Family in Hong Kong. He grew up in a beautiful small village called Xinhui, 50 miles south of Guangzhou, in the province of Guangdong in China. People who lived there were known to have the innate talent and knowledge of Feng Shui. My father brought along that knowledge with him when he went to Hong Kong after the Second World War, and integrated this ancient Chinese wisdom into his work as a land developer and builder. As he settled down in Hong Kong after 1949, he used his Feng Shui knowledge wisely, designing and constructing quality buildings to ensure harmony and prosperity for his home-buyers. When I was a little girl, I used to follow my father to his construction projects. I was accustomed to seeing my father with a Luo pan (an ancient Chinese compass) together with some Feng Shui experts as they ix

checked out building locations. I was very curious and asked him what it was all about. He said something about checking out the land for favorable Feng Shui. I still didn t understand, and so, he explained that Feng shui means wind and water. He explained that good Feng Shui puts one in the most desirable environment to grow and make life successful. My father used the analogy of growing a tree from a seed. Imagine a seed. How should you take care of it? How do you provide the best possible environment for it to grow and prosper? If it is in a favorable and desirable environment, that is, it is planted on good soil, it is watered and given plenty of sunlight and care, it would most likely grow into a robust tree and bear fruit. In a similar manner, if you live in a favorable and desirable environment you will be strengthened, you will be productive and prosper. The whole point of Feng Shui is to create a favorable environment so that your life would be successful. My father s motto in life was unity and harmony as a source of success. His teachings of Feng Shui had carried me through thick and thin, for better or for worse. I found myself overcoming many challenges throughout the years, but these did not stop me. I was able to achieve and accomplish much, regardless of the circumstances. When I encountered difficulties, I applied Feng Shui wisdom to make the situation better. On the other hand, when I encountered favorable situations, I maximized the potential and harnessed the benefits. Feng Shui helped me to heighten the awareness of the infinite possibilities in the universe. It calms my heart and clears my mind, uniting my body, mind and spirit. x

I was able to make wise choices in achieving fulfillment in my life. Throughout the various stages of my life, I continuously and consciously create favorable environments, both external and internal, generating the positive, beneficial life force for me to grow and prosper. In this book, it is my desire to share my Feng Shui knowledge and wisdom with you for the transformation of your life. xi

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Contents PART I: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FENG SHUI... 1 Five Important Factors for Success... 3 What is Feng Shui?... 4 How Feng Shui was Used... 4 Acquiring and Developing your own Feng Shui Power... 5 Feng Shui Application in Home and Life... 6 PART II: PART III: SIX IMPORTANT STEPS FOR POSITIVE LIFE TRANSFORMATION... 7 Step 1: Remove the Clutter... 9 Step 2: Clean - Up... 12 Step 3: Organize Space... 13 Step 4: Proper Placement of Objects as in Furniture, Fixtures and Home Accessories...15 Step 5: The Proper Use of Colors... 17 Step 6: Energy Empowerment with Auspicious Objects...21 EIGHT LIFE SITUATIONS IN RELATION TO THE EIGHT DOMAINS OF THE HOUSE... 23 Chapter 1: Career / Business - The Front Entrance... 25 Chapter 2: Socialization / Recreation - The Living Room...30 Chapter 3: Self - Cultivation - The Home Office / Library... 35 Chapter 4: Health - Dining Room...38 Chapter 5: Wealth - Kitchen... 42 Chapter 6: Fame / Reputation - Family Room...47 Chapter 7: Love / Marriage - Master s Bedroom... 49 Chapter 8: Children/Family - Secondary Bedrooms...53 The Baqua Model and The Center of the House... 55 PART IV: CONTINUITY OF SUCCESS... 57 A. Honor Your Ancestors... 59 B. Honor Your Living Environment: Living in Harmony with Nature... 60 PART V: FENG SHUI IN ACTION: A SUCCESS STORY... 63 A Life Transformed... 65 Transforming Destiny with Feng Shui... 65 Turning Negatives into Positives... 68 Making Wise Choices... 68 How I Got Into Feng Shui Consulting Work... 69 In Conclusion... 70 Appendix 1: Quality Check Your Physical Environment...73 Appendix 2: Quality Check Your Life...75 xiii

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Part I The Significance of Feng Shui 1

Five Important Factors For Success There is an ancient wise saying that gave us good advice. It says that there are five important factors in bringing success into our lives. These are: 1. Destiny 2. Luck 3. Feng Shui 4. Doing good deeds 5. Education As a human being, we can consciously do our best to make ourselves knowledgeable and useful by studying and learning new things. We can also do beneficial deeds for ourselves and others and keep on contributing to the world. However, as human beings, we have no control over our destiny or our luck -- good or bad. We are born with certain life paths, and physical and mental characteristics, and also our emotional beings. We would not be able to alter ourselves drastically. For example, if you were born a female, you cannot be a male physically. Although, you can behave like one. During our life spans, we recognize that there is a mix of good, bad and mediocre years. As mortals, we have to accept the fact that we have to die one day. Feng Shui is a mystical and yet practical system that can effectively create a favorable environment for us to grow and prosper, leading to a fulfilled life. On one hand, it checks the quality of our physical environment, the structure to provide our physical well-being. On the other hand, it quality-checks our everyday life situation to give a clear picture of how we are doing. 3

What kind of a life do you want to live? What is the quality of our life? What will make our life fulfilled? Perhaps, Feng Shui will give us an opening for the fulfillment of our life. What is Feng Shui? Feng Shui is an ancient philosophy which originated in China over 4,000 years ago. It is based on the idea that a universal life force or energy called Chi affects people positively or negatively depending on their physical state and surroundings. The field of Feng Shui honors the Chi. It is the energy that exists in all living matter and that which binds us together in this universe. It is the utmost interest of Feng Shui to provide the beneficial Chi that helps to sustain life and to deflect the harmful ones. How Feng Shui Was Used Centuries ago, Feng Shui was used exclusively by the emperors, royal families, nobility and the upper class in society. Feng Shui masters were consulted primarily to ensure the prosperity, harmony and longevity of the emperor and his empire. In the past it was a wellkept secret and only those belonging to the elite class of people could afford to apply such a practice into their everyday activities. There are two types of applications of Feng Shui. Feng Shui, when applied to the dead, is called Yin Feng Shui and when applied to the 4

living is called Yang Feng Shui. The latter will be the focus of this book. We will look at how one can live in a favorable environment that results in a happy and successful life. The power of Feng Shui for one s life means quality checking, not only the physical environment, but also the different aspects of a person s life to check if they are balanced, harmonious and favorable to the person s physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and financial state where every domain contributes something. This is a diverse network working together in unison, creating a harmonious environment. Such is the essence of a powerful life. It is my intention to help everyone acquire such power to have the awareness of their own environment, be it external as in their physical world, or internal, as in their own lives. Acquiring And Developing Your Own Feng Shui Power From my own experience, Feng Shui is a natural wisdom acquired early on through family and cultural exposure. If you are not born into it, you can acquire or develop it within you through conscious awareness and practice. It is a very complex system of knowledge, a never-ending lifetime study. While you are practicing it, you acquire more experience and gain more wisdom conscious learning and absorption through the being. Through this you can gain the truth and the essence of life. You also learn that everything changes and the truth is the key, because through it you can learn to adapt to the changes. Thus, you do not resist change you learn to accept it and deal with it. You also learn to generate positive changes or attitude and deflect the negative ones. 5

Feng Shui Application in Home & Life This book will give simple and easy to follow Feng Shui techniques that you can use immediately. You don t need to understand or believe in them, all you need to do is to follow the way and it will do the work for you. Trust your own instinct and intuition, for this is your own personal power that will be unleashed in a new realm of possibilities. There are different stages of learning Feng Shui. The power of Feng Shui is in the ability to adjust and improve on a situation. Common Feng Shui terms used to describe situations are favorable or unfavorable, desirable or undesirable, positive or negative, auspicious or inauspicious. The first step is to identify all these qualities, and the next step is to improve on them. In real life, there is no perfect environment. It takes some intentional creative design to adjust the living environment to be in harmony with our surroundings. We are all connected to each other through the earth and atmosphere; we all share the ground we walk on and the air we breathe in. Therefore, the flow of the Chi and the quality of the flow are of primary concern. For example, living in a cluttered or unclean environment is definitely unfavorable and negative, undesirable and inauspicious. We, therefore, improve and remedy this situation by simply cleaning up and removing all the clutter so that the positive energy Chi can move freely. 6

Part II Six Important Steps For Positive Life Transformation 7

STEP 1: Remove the Clutter There are simple and practical steps to follow in applying the principles of Feng Shui in order to effect favorable changes. The common adverse situation in our living environment is clutter. We simply collect too many material belongings and are not willing to letgo of them. As a result, our space is occupied with too many things, taking away the life of the space and also limiting the flow of the Chi. Too many objects in our space create obstacles in life; it is just like carrying too much emotional baggage with us. Too many obstacles in our life create unpleasant thoughts and negative feelings, which will affect our health, and hinder our abilities to live an effective and productive life. Over periods of time, it is natural for one to accumulate material goods. They occupy space and collect dust over time when they become old; they generate stagnant energies which will pollute the flow of the positive Chi. There is a need from time to time to dispose of anything that is no longer useful or valuable. These can be donated and shared with other people. Keep what you want to keep because of monetary or sentimental values. There is no need to display everything at once. Store them and display them on a rotational basis such as based on the seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) or themes (Christmas, Easter, New Year). 9

Some family heirlooms can be kept to avoid the risk of being stolen or given away by mistake, so that they may later be passed on to future generations. The best way to preserve and honor ancestral things is to donate them to museums and heritage centers where they can be in a place of honor. This way, ancestors will be honored and appreciated. I have a friend whose ancestral grandfather was a historical figure and recipient of many medals of Honor during his time. After he passed away, the family he left behind kept the mementoes under lock and key for the longest time until my friend decided to donate them to the National Library where they are now on display for the public to see, pay respect to, and appreciate. To remedy the clutter in our environment, the first step is to clear up. This means to take away anything that is no longer useful or valuable to us. For example, the old magazines and books in your living room, the old pots and pans in your kitchen; the old clothes in your closet, all the junk piling up in your storage. Take a good look inside every room in your house. Start from the entrance and then walk through the house, room by room, and collect all the useless items that are occupying that space for a long time. If you decide to keep something that is of value to you, make sure you clean them and they don t collect dust. Clearing out and cleaning up should also include your exterior environment, which are the front and back yards. Make sure your yards are cleared of unwanted objects such as junk cars and old appliances. You need to clip all the dead branches and uproot dead plants to allow new growth. In places where there is overgrowth of vegetation, you need to clear out, trim and remove unhealthy ones. In barren places, place fresh plants to remedy the lack of growth. And be sure to prune all vines that are winding their way into or around other plants 10

or objects or the structure of the house, as this represents entanglements in your own life. Do not ever let vines grow to attach themselves to the house. The basic steps of clearing out and cleaning up of our physical environment are in accordance with the powerful concept of awareness in our own life. By being aware of the situations of our physical environment, we become aware of the situations in our life. We can now make changes to improve our life situations by improving our physical environment. By removing the clutter in our living environment, we naturally clear up the garbage in our own lives messy situations whether they involve our personal relationships, financial aspects or health concerns. Let us start a powerful transformation by providing ourselves a clean and clear space to live in. 11

STEP 2: Clean-up A clean space speaks of a clean life. Get rid of germs, dust and toxins. Promote a healthy house by getting rid of toxic materials and dirty matters. Daily mopping and vacuuming is a must though it is hard to accomplish with our busy lives. At best, clean the spaces where we eat and sleep. Rooms and walls should be given a fresh coat of paint annually, if possible. In the kitchen, clean-up the dirty dishes and throw away the garbage daily. In the bedroom, make the beds daily and wash sheets regularly. In much the same way, we not only clean up our surroundings but we should clean up our body and mind and promote self-health as well. By keeping our body and mind healthy and clean, we harness good energy. The following are some general tips on achieving a healthier lifestyle. Maintain a clean body DON T: smoke, take prohibited drugs, over-drink alcohol, over-eat or eat unhealthy food, etc. Breathe clean air. Drink clean water. Take daily baths before going to bed, preferably use aromatic scents. Avoid pollution in the environment such as traffic noise and jams. Avoid living close to freeways or major streets. Detoxify your body of chemicals and toxins that make you sick; drinking green tea everyday will help. Exercise and meditate (such as Tai Chi and Yoga) 12

STEP 3: Organize Space Organization is a process of creating order and harmony in a space. When a space is full of objects that are scattered all over, it generates scattered energies that affect the physical stability and balance of a person. As a result, a person is less focused mentally and more agitated emotionally. To better manage one s life, setting priorities and scheduling one s time are effective tools in organization. In Feng Shui, the act of organizing a given space, whether it s a garage, a desk or a closet, harmonizes that space and helps to organize a person s thoughts or emotions as well. Here are some simple Feng Shui methods in organization: Put things away when not in use either in drawers or in storage. Arrange actively-used items into groups. They can be grouped by function, size, color, or by their order of importance. Place items in their proper places with actively-used items in an area where they are easily accessible and the least-used items in less accessible areas. Put things in order where they belong. Books, for example, should be in the library or home office; food in the kitchen; clean clothes in the closet; dirty clothes in the laundry. Organization helps clean up and keeps a space uncluttered. Placing things in order eliminates scattered energy. People can be more focused, and when they are, they can acquire clarity of mind and make wise choices. Disorganized space creates scattered energies and cause 13

mental and emotional disharmony. I was once requested by my sick neighbor to come and take her blood pressure reading. As I entered the bedroom, I was met by disarray empty and dirty soft drink bottles stacked in plastic cases from floor to ceiling; old newspapers piled up in one corner of the room. There was no place to sit on as the chairs were filled with dirty clothes hanging on the back and arm rests. Her bedroom was a mess. No wonder her blood pressure was elevated! 14

STEP 4: Proper Placement of Furniture, Fixtures & Home Accessories For the best Feng Shui effect, furniture, especially beds, sofas and office desks should not be placed at the entrance of the room as they become obstacles upon entry into the room. Ideally, they should be placed away from the door. That is, not next to the door and not in front of the door. This is because there are too many disturbances at the point of entry to the room. Placing yourself in this area of disturbance will greatly affect the quality of your peace and harmony while you are sleeping and the clarity of your mind while you are working. Never sit with your back to an opening, such as a door or a window, because you are in a very vulnerable situation where you are not aware of the happenings behind your back. In this arrangement, you cannot fully concentrate on your work since your back is not protected. A solid wall is preferred. The best place to place an office desk or a bed is at the corner diagonally across the door where it is away from the area of disturbance. Place the furniture against a solid wall for support and protection. Align the furniture along the walls so that the energy flows smoother and hence, gives a more stable environment for better concentration at your place of work, as well as a more serene resting environment for sleeping when at home. Also, beware of not sitting, or sleeping, underneath overhead exposed beams, ceiling fans, or heavy light fixtures, as you put yourself in an unsafe situation. Sharp wall corners or pointed 15

objects facing in your direction are also considered particularly harmful, as they generate the dangerous chi going your way and will eventually affect your overall well-being. 16

STEP 5: The Proper Use of Colors Colors and color combinations are very important factors in enhancing the Feng Shui of a space. The proper use of colors helps to harmonize the dynamics of an area and results in a positive mood and attitude for the people who reside there. There is a traditional color system you can follow. Each color is associated with a certain meaning that will affect people emotionally. The most auspicious color is red and a combination of red and gold. Red symbolizes happiness, warmth and power. Many people wear red to festive events such as celebrating a New Year, birthdays and other special occasions. Red envelopes with money enclosed are usually given to children and relatives during these happy occasions. Red is very often used in Feng Shui to stimulate the flow of the positive Chi. This may explain why some homeowners prefer to paint their front doors red, believing that it will bring good luck to them. Gold or yellow, resembling the color of the sun, is the color of longevity and royalty. It is a traditional imperial color for the emperors and the royal family members. Orange-gold is also a common color used by Buddhist monks. The combination of red and gold are used extensively to create prosperity. Green is the color of nature and signifies youth, growth and freshness. Jade is the most precious gem in the Chinese culture because of its green color and smooth texture. Green is a favorable Feng Shui color used to create vitality for health and opportunities in business. For ex- 17

ample, green fortune plants placed at the entrance of a business establishment or an office help to generate positive Chi. White is traditionally a Chinese funeral color, which symbolizes sickness, death and sorrow. Black on the other hand is the funeral color from the western influence and has an association with darkness and misfortune. In Feng Shui, both white and black colors will take away the power from a place, rendering a weaker Chi level in that space. A place that is too white or black can be remedied by adding red, yellow or green colors. A combination of the colors red, green and yellow is considered to be the most powerful color combination. On the other hand, both white and black are considered as inauspicious colors and any of their color combinations. There is a traditional Feng Shui way of color usage according to the Five Element Theory influencing the dynamics of the exterior and interior or the home. Below is the chart. FIVE ELEMENTS Water Wood Fire Earth Metal DIRECTION North East South Southwest Northeast West BEST COLORS Black, Blue and White Green and Blue Red and Green Yellowand Red White and Yellow WORST COLORS Green and Yellow Red and White Yellow,Blue and Black Green and White Red, Blue and Black 18

In using this, you can consciously use the color scheme to generate positive energy. For example, we can place a green plant, representing the wood element, in the east corner of the house to welcome the positive, beneficial Chi. This will improve the dynamics of the physical environment. Here are Some Examples of a Traditional Color Scheme that Empowers the Environment Red - Happiness; Good Luck; Nobility White - Mourning; Purity; Cleanliness Green - Life; Youth; Growth; Money (Western Influence) Black - Money; Mourning (Western Influence) Blue - Sadness; Mourning; Scholars Yellow - Imperial Color; Bright and Cheerful Purple - Royal Family EXAMPLES OF FAVORABLE AND UNFAVORABLE GIFTS Favorable Candies Food Baskets Evergreen Plants Lamps Crystals Paintings with Good Meanings Red Envelopes with Money Gift Certificates Unfavorable Clocks Candles White Flowers Knives Guns Sharp Objects Lanterns Wreaths 19

These examples and other Feng Shui techniques have been used by the Chinese people for centuries to adjust their physical environment to come into harmony with nature. Combining art and science, the essence is in the proper placement of objects and the proper utilization of colors and other specifics, to channel the Chi to a person, building and/or surroundings. 20

STEP 6: Energy Empowerment with Auspicious Objects Placement of auspicious and spiritual objects, such as art pieces with positive meanings, precious stones, crystals and plants help to attract the positive, auspicious, beneficial Chi and deflect the negative, inauspicious and harmful Chi. This stabilizes a space, creating balance and harmony. Some Examples of Auspicious Objects: Turtles / Crane - for longevity Goldfish - abundance Flowers - harmony Horses - health and vitality Dragon and Tiger - power Swans/Birds - good relationships/love Gold coins/bullion - wealth Flowers - beauty Peony flower - prosperity Green plants with broad leaves - life energy Sailboat - safe travel Placing family pictures with ancestors are also encouraged because it shows the continuous love from our ancestors and it honors their contribution to our life. 21

We can deflect negative energy by wearing or using precious stones and metals like platinum, gold, jade, ruby, pearls and emeralds, for these will give us natural power for beauty and protection. In summary, transformation naturally occurs after you apply all these steps to create a favorable environment for yourself, resulting in creating a positive impact on your life. 22

Part III Eight Life Situations in Relation to the Eight Domains of the House 23

CHAPTER 1: Career / Business The Front Entrance When consulting Feng Shui principles for matters concerning career and business, it is best to call attention to the front entrance of the house. Its location is of primary consideration. These are the major examples: Ideally, the front entrance should be facing south. It should not be at a Cross-section or T-section as these areas are places of disturbance with scattered energies. The front of the house should be higher than the street, and not lower. It is like starting out on a higher level in life -- symbolizing life in a better position. 25

It should overlook pleasant views such as parks or natural environment or pleasant-looking structures with minimal pointed corners like roof corners or power lines It should not be blocked by buildings or hills or big trees because these signify blockages in life. It should face the street rather than the side or back of the garage. After considering the location of a house s front entrance, attention should be given to the pathway that leads to the actual door. The front yard should have beautiful landscaping together with trees, flowers, a green lawn, and a pathway leading from the street to the entrance. A curved and wide walkway is preferred. The pathway should not be narrow and straight because it will be like a straight line that leads negative Chi inside. In cases like these, the remedy 26

should be placing stones or plants to create a curved design that will channel positive Chi. Put a water fountain and lamps on the doors and columns of the fence. The Front Door Red or green are auspicious colors for the front door. The door should be solid. Double doors are preferred to single doors because single doors constrict the flow of Chi. However, remember that too many doors create scattered energy. 27

The front door should be wide to welcome energy. However, a narrow, single door or tight entrances like in apartments can be remedied with side lamps, a decorative mirror or artwork on the wall, a console with crystals and / or flowers or even an aquarium. The front door should not face the back door or windows as it creates a path channeling the harmful negative energy and makes it cut through the house, disturb the peace and harmony and separate the household and family. To remedy such a situation, hang a large lamp in the middle of the path, or use window cov ers to block the flow; or place a round table with a flower ar rangement in the middle; or a decorative area rug or a tiled floor pattern. 28

The foyer, which is the area between the front door and the living room, should always be well-lighted, bright and inviting and not small and cluttered. It should not create a bottleneck situation that constricts the flow of positive energy. Remedy the situation by putting lights, perhaps a chandelier, and / or a decorative mirror to brighten up the place. 29

CHAPTER 2: Socialization / Recreation - The Living Room The Living Room is the area of the house which represents socialization / recreation. Ideally, it should be located at the right side of the Front Entrance. The direction should be in the south east. The Living Room is a place for entertaining, receiving guests and building friendships. It is like the showcase of the house. The room should at best exude the feel of love and warmth, rather than hostility and disagreements. Therefore, the most auspicious color for the Living Room is green, red or blue. 30

When arranging your Living Room, here are some guidelines to consider: The room should be welcoming, with a display of nice furniture and fixtures which showcase the accomplishments of the family. This is where you can display the finer things crystals and fine artwork. The furniture should be aligned with the wall, and not at an angle. The sitting area should have the person s back against a wall and not against an open space. 31

If the couch is against the window and there is no option to reorganize the furniture, the window can be covered with curtains, plants or a decorative lamp. 32

If the couch is not against a solid wall and has open space behind it, place a console table directly behind the couch. There shouldn t be exposed beams and hanging lights directly above the couch or chair. 33

Power corner: The most auspicious part of the Living Room is the farthest diagonal corner to the entrance of the room. It is more popularly known as the Kitty Corner. The traditional Feng Shui placement in this corner should be something of importance or value. An expensive or priceless family heirloom or other auspicious objects such as an antique grandfather clock, crystals or a decorative standing lamp are appropriate. Remember, however, that this area should not be over-crowded and should remain simple. 34

CHAPTER 3: Self-Cultivation - Home Office / Library In modern living, home offices are getting popular. It is a place for continuous growth, acquiring knowledge and wisdom to tackle the challenges of life. A home office or library is ideally located at the lower left side of the house, in a southwest direction. The most auspicious color for it is yellow and red. In arranging the furniture in a home office, remember: The person behind the desk must have a solid wall against his back. 35

It is better to have recessed lights on the wall behind the desk rather than a window. Do not place the desk against a window or next to an entry as these are areas of disturbance. To remedy, put curtains for the window or rearrange the furniture altogether. Do not place a desk directly in front of a door as this creates a negative arrow directly pointing at you. If this is unavoidable, we can remedy this by placing a lamp or a crystal on the desk facing the door. If a door is directly behind you, install a mirror in front of you but not directly facing you. Place books, clock, desk lamp, computer, stationery set and telephone on the right hand side of the desk. It is ideal to hang a painting or a picture of hills or mountains behind you to signify support of ideas and protection. 36

Place an aquarium in front of the desk for good luck. Should flowers be used, place them on the east corner of the desk. Do not clutter. 37

CHAPTER 4: Health - Dining Room Looking after the well-being of the mind, body and spirit leads us to focus on the Dining Room, which ideally, should be in the middle left side of the house. The general direction is to the west and it is most auspicious if the walls are done in yellow or white. The Dining Room is a safe haven to promote the total health aspects of a person. The key of this area is to promote good energy and vitality to succeed and accomplish goals. It ensures the intention of having people physically fit and mentally strong. It also ensures emotional stability and makes people spiritually enriched. 38

Here are some Feng Shui principles that will guard your health and promote your well-being: Eat well you cannot go wrong with healthy and natural foods. Avoid harmful substances like alcohol, smoking, foods that are toxic and may cause allergies Exercise regularly Meditate allow time for relaxation and some quiet moments alone. Always wash your hands and freshen up before eating so you can promote good health while enjoying the food and the company. In arranging the Dining Room, remember what s favorable and unfavorable: Favorable The Dining Room has to be spacious. Use a dining table that is coordinated with the dining room, meaning, the table should follow the shape of the room and should align with the walls. The table is preferred to have no sharp edges because this disturbs the connectedness and unity of the family. 39

An oval table is preferred for a rectangular room, however, rectangular tables may also be used if an oval is not available. A round table is preferred for a square room. However, if a round table is not available, a square table may also be used. Always place plenty of fruits and/or flowers (real or artificial) on the center of the table as this signifies abundance and beauty. The table should be well-lighted with a chandelier. Place a buffet table on one wall of the room. Place a large pot of big-leaf plants for good luck 40

Unfavorable The Dining Room should not be located next to a bedroom or a bathroom. L-shaped or odd-shaped dining rooms are not favorable. You should not be exposed when eating because this causes disturbance. Remedy for an exposed dining area: cover with screens or tall plants so you can eat in a stable and peaceful environment. 41

CHAPTER 5: Wealth - Kitchen In a house, the Kitchen is known as the wealth area as it is the source of all abundance. It is ideally located at the upper left corner of the house, facing the northwest direction. Its auspicious color is yellow or red. Because it is a place for the preparation of food, the kitchen area should be bright, clean and organized. It should be well-ventilated and with ample lighting. The flow of the room should be easy and without clutter as obstacles signify blockage to wealth. Do not have a path that cuts through across the kitchen. 42

Grease and dirty dishes signify contamination to the creation of wealth. Stock up the pantry with essentials and never have empty shelves as these signify poverty and lack of resources. Make your kitchen decorative and functional to generate prosperity. Display fruits, flowers, vegetables, plants and decorative items. Countertops should preferably have rounded corners. Here are some things to remember regarding the Kitchen and its being the wealth area of your home: Do not cook while upset or angry as you will be transferring negative energy to the food. While cooking, make sure that you are in a happy and loving disposition. The kitchen should not be located next to a toilet as it contaminates the purity of the food. Do not have a path that cuts through across the kitchen. The cooking stove should not directly face a sink. If it does, remedy the situation by covering either the sink or the stove when not in use. 43

Do not cook with your back to the door. In case you do, the remedy is to put a decorative tile or something reflective on the wall above the stove top or what is known as the backsplash. The kitchen should not be exposed to the front door or to too many open spaces as it will not accumulate the wealth energies. 44

There should not be any overhead exposed beams in the kitchen ceiling. Lucky tip: Place on top of a counter a cookie jar that contains a red envelope at the bottom, with money to signify wealth. Family members are then encouraged to drop money in the jar everyday. This daily practice will promote prosperity. 45

CHAPTER 6: Fame / Reputation - Family Room A Family Room is where family members get together to play, relax, have fun and build relationships. It is a place to make one s self learn how to get along with family and people in the community. The Family Room is ideally placed towards the back of the house connecting with the garden, which acts as its back support. The direction is towards the north. The auspicious colors are black, blue or white. Because the Family Room intends to bring the members of the family together, it can be in the form of a secondary living room, or a patio, or any enclosed area where family members get close to one another. 47

IDEAL FAMILY ROOM LAYOUT It is good for the Family Room to be multi-generational. You can achieve this by having an Ancestor Altar where pictures of relatives who have passed away may be placed in order for the younger generation to pay their respects to them. However, displayed photos of living family members should not be mixed with the photos of the dead relatives on the ancestor altar. Religious items may also be placed on top of the ancestor altar, as well as flowers, candies or other forms of offerings. An aquarium in the room produces good luck. 48

CHAPTER 7: Love / Marriage - Master s Bedroom The Master s Bedroom is the domain to promote love, marriage and health. It is ideally located at the upper right corner of the house, in the Northeast direction. The auspicious colors for the room are the traditional yellow or red, or the more modern soft pastel shades like pink, lavender, and light green to promote warmth and intimacy. 49

The Master s Bedroom should have a love corner where love items like figurines of lovebirds, swans, etc. are to be displayed, perhaps with pictures of the couple. It is also best to use only one big mattress instead of two conjoined ones. Here are some more guidelines to consider for an auspicious Master s Bedroom: Do not display religious items or images. Do not display photos of other family members like parentsor in-laws. Do not let babies or children sleep with you in the room or on the same bed. Do not place mirrors in front, on the sides, behind or above the bed. Do not have a protruding corner point directly at the bed. To remedy this, round off the corner; or cover up with a plant or a table with decorative items on top. 50

Do not place sharp objects or plants with thorns as this can cause rifts and misunderstandings between the husband and the wife. Do not have overhead exposed beams, especially on top of the bed. A beam that is exposed vertically above the bed signifies division between husband and wife. A beam that is exposed horizontally above the bed signifies a risk on the health of the couple. Remove this if possible, orrearrange the room furniture. Another possible remedy is to paint the beam in a way that it will not be visible, or cover the beam with soft cloth. Or, use a canopy bed. It is also not advisable to have a fireplace inside the bedroom. 51

Do not place the headboard of the bed against a window. If it is unavoidable, it can be remedied by covering up the window with curtains or shades. Do not use blinds or shutters. IDEAL 52

CHAPTER 8: Children / Family - Secondary Bedrooms Secondary bedrooms are places where the children will grow healthy, mentally-alert and emotionally-stable so that they would grow up to be productive, responsible and beneficial adults. Therefore, secondary bedrooms should be peaceful and quiet with minimum disturbance. They are ideally located on the right side of the house, in the general direction of the East. Auspicious colors for these rooms are green or blue-green or anything that is stimulating but not overbearing, like the colors of the rainbow. Feng Shui tips to remember: Sleep with bed flushed to the side of the supportive wall. Those with babies may hang mobiles on the crib as they are good for stimulation, but avoid placing them directly on top of the child s head. Children who are older will need focus and guidance and thus will need a desk or study table that is placed in front of a window with a pleasant view so that the child will develop a sense of connection with nature and his environment as well; colors should be more solid and supportive. Desk or bed should preferably face the northeast direction, 53

in pursuit of education; painting the northeast wall into blue will enhance the power of acquiring knowledge and wisdom. The room should have a corner where photos of parents and family members may be put for the children to have a sense of connection with them and to feel their love. Do not place the bed directly across the door. Sharp corners of closets or doors should not point to the bed. In cases where this is unavoidable, this can be remedied by hanging a soft cloth or a decorative mobile to block the corner. Another alternative would be to place a tall stuffed toy by the corner. 54

The Baqua Model and the Center of the House Illustrated below is a well-known 8-sided Chinese symbol called the Baqua. Each facet of this octagon represents a domain in the house and the aspect of life, as mentioned in the previous chapters. These eight facets all come together to the center of the house as a power domain of Self, as the heart of a person. The center of the house should ideally be vibrant with power. Just like the heart of a person, it should be pure and filled with positive energy as it is the area that circulates power to the rest of the house. It should be bright and airy. 55

It can be the living room, the kitchen, the dining room, the family room or other desirable rooms in the house. It is a room which you can go to re-energize and have a calm moment. It can be an atrium or courtyard too, but it has to be vibrant with energy and landscaped, preferably with a water fountain. It should not be a barren and unattended space. It should not be polluted. It should not contain a toilet which contaminates the space and air. It should not be a storage room with lots of junk blocking the flow of good energy. It should not be a staircase posing as a big obstacle in the vital part of the house. 56

PART IV Continuity of Success 57

A. Honor Your Ancestors Ancestors are people who gave us our lives -- they are people from the past who provided a supporting environment to ensure their descendants are in existence, doing well in their lives and continuing their heritage. It is important that we, the descendants, appreciate our ancestral efforts and remember our origins with a sense of gratitude. In Feng Shui, respecting and connecting with our ancestors may be achieved through setting up an ancestral altar in our home, ideally in a bright place or prominent position in the living room or in the family room. It should not be facing a toilet or in a dark place. The traditional ancestral altar can be very elaborate complete with photos or wooden plaques engraved with the names of the deceased, their birthdates with time, and their death dates with time. They are placed at the center back of a high table. A pair of fresh flower vases and candles are placed on both sides of the photos with an incense burner in the front. Two platters of fresh fruits such as apples and oranges are placed behind the incense burner on both sides. Such is the elaborate traditional placement to honor your ancestors. A modern place of honor can be simply a clean table with your ancestral photos, a table lamp and a vase of flowers, fresh or artificial. This is a simple way to guide an eternal light to continue the life source. This is a place where we can spend a quiet moment communicating with our ancestors. 59

B. Honor Your Living Environment -- Living in Harmony with Nature Our physical environment fuels our well-being, pushing all the necessary elements to sustain our lives. Things as simple as water to drink, air to breathe, food to eat, and materials to use. A favorable environment promotes vibrant development leading to a healthy and productive life. An unfavorable environment diminishes our potentials for proper growth and development. Conservation of natural resources including clean air and clean water ensures the continuity of life for future generations. When we disrespect our environment by wasting or using up natural resources indiscriminately, these destructive practices threaten the sustainability of our environment. Using natural resources wisely will help to sustain our planet Earth, preserving it for future use. Decades of uncontrollable waste have created critical global situations such as air and water pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), urban pollution directly or indirectly kills about 800,000 people worldwide each year. Deforestration continues to cause landslides in the globe, causing misery and suffering. Greenhouse effects caused by burning fossil fuel emitting carbon monoxide causes major environmental issues with rising temperatures. There is an increasing concern around the globe with the apparent climate changes and global warming caused by all these. The essence of Feng Shui is about living a life of balance and harmony with nature. In practice, Feng Shui is a total living of thinking green and living green. 60

There is a compatibility between modern green living and the ancient wisdom of Feng Shui. With the growing popularity of both green building and Feng Shui, it would be a powerful alliance to fulfill the intention of preserving a healthy planet Earth for future generations. Global Warming is now a reality and not just a myth. Feng Shui with the essence of living in harmony with nature is a powerful tool to address these major and essential issues. Now, as our life is transformed and empowered, we can be a leader to make a profound difference, having the power to contribute in the world, bringing continuity of success. 61

Part V Feng Shui in Action: A Success Story 63

A Life Transformed There is an ancient profound saying which goes, You are the product of your own environment. Indeed, the best testimony and most reliable example is a true-to-life situation. We have so far discussed the various Applications of Feng Shui for Life & Home, the Initial Steps toward Transformation and the Eight Important Life Situations where Feng Shui can be effectively applied. In this chapter, we will show you Feng Shui in Action what you may call a Case Study. This is a story of how Feng Shui principles were applied to overcome fears, difficulties and inadequacies, and turn them around to transform a life into one of fulfillment. Allow me to share my story with you. Transforming Destiny with Feng Shui I am the youngest daughter of my father, the late Cheung Yuk Kai and his first wife, the late Lee Sui Yee. I was born in the lunar year of the Ox, on the last day of the leap month of July. It was a date that was neither auspicious nor inauspicious. It was just another ordinary day... and another ordinary life. I was given a feminine name of Miu Chee, meaning magical flower with fragrance. However, I was neither expected to be extraordinary nor to excel in life on my own. As the youngest girl in a family of thirteen, I was not expected to become someone of importance only perhaps to marry one who is. I was delivered by my mother early in the morning without assistance 65

in the toilet at home. My humble and grisly beginning has been an insensitive story told over and over by our older relatives. I remember my mother and my aunts frequently added the remark after introducing me as the youngest daughter of the first wife and she was born in the toilet at home It was really because my mother did not have time to call for the midwife. Maybe I was too eager to be born or simply just too impatient to wait! When I was little, I was embarrassed by the story. To me it felt like I was unimportant, or was not cherished enough. From that time on, I knew life was not fair to me. This early conclusion was my perception of what life is as I grew up. I kept looking for evidence in my life to prove that point. First, as the youngest daughter, I was not given much attention. Perhaps because I was a quiet girl, or I was always told not to make any noise around adults, I was frequently left behind in the house while everyone went out to have fun. As I grew up, I realized that I was really blessed and I should not feel bad anymore and should appreciate what is provided for me by my parents because what they really wanted was to have me to be safe and well. That was my first realization. Despite my humble beginnings, I can maximize my potential and make use of what is given to me. So even though in our culture, males held the advantage and position of power, and there was neither demand nor great expectations from a little girl, much less one who was born in the toilet of the ancestral family home, I can still be an extraordinary person. This perception was strengthened by a story told by my mother about me when I was an infant. According to her, I was about six months old when robbers tried to kidnap me during a home invasion and my 66