Feng Shui Facts and Tips
To the Chinese, Feng shui is extremely important. Feng shui is even more important than virtues and education. There is a popular saying: First is Destiny - Second is Luck - Third is Feng Shui - Fourth is Virtues, and - Fifth is Education.
Feng Shui
Feng shui was actually first used to determine the best sites for tombs. But then it was later used to site palaces, government buildings and monuments.
Royal Secret
When China was under imperial rule, feng shui was a royal secret. It was a highly guarded knowledge known only to a handful of astronomers and scientists. Feng shui consultants/masters and their families could be killed if they tried to steal this guarded secret of feng shui.
Meanings
"Feng" means wind and "Shui" means water in Chinese. Chi, or also spelled as Qi, refers to energy. It is carried and dispersed by wind and is retained by water (when it meets water). In feng shui, wind is also the transporter of Chi whereas the water is the accumulator of Chi.
Space Clearing
One of the most important steps to feng shui any room is to perform a Space Clearing procedure. It is believed that every environment could accumulate negative chi or energy (called sha chi) so it needs to be eliminated. That procedure will also make all other cures more effective.
Bagua Map
One of the most frequently asked questions about applying feng shui to a home is which method should people use for mapping their home using bagua compass;
There are two different methods of applying bagua to your home - the traditional method (defined after taking the compass reading of the main door) and the Western method (defined without taking into consideration the compass direction of your main door).
The South
The Chinese compass is always drawn facing south since this is the favoured direction for houses to face in parts of China. This does not affect the actual magnetic north-south directions.
Facing the Door
If you have a guest or visitor who does more than their fair share of the talking, then you can place them with their back facing the door. This is to reduce their dominance in the group.
Red is the Lucky Color
The color red is always thought to be the lucky color and people often use this color to activate an area. A large red-colored object emanates the element of fire and is not necessarily the ideal way to activate an area. Fire strengthen the Earth and there are earth-type energies responsible for accidents, arguments and sickness. Do not think that red color is always lucky because when it is placed in the wrong location or used excessively, it can cause serious harm.
Beware of Peach
Using the color peach in the bedroom is asking for trouble if you are married. In China, there is a well-known concept called 'Peach Blossom luck' meaning a wife or husband with roving eye. A married person may be drawn into adultery.
Gifts
Some gifts that most people think is beautiful but are actually considered inauspicious in feng shui, these gifts include clock or watch, sharp objects (like knife, scissors, chainsaw, letter opener, sword, etc), flowers with sharp thorns, shoes (because in Cantonese, the word shoes sounds like a sigh), and handkerchiefs (because it is used to wipe tears and sweat away and therefore suggests a lot of frustration and sadness).
- To solve this problem, you can ask for a coin or some change before you present the gift to the recipient. With this simple exchange, it symbolizes a ‘purchase’ instead of a ‘gift’.
Hyperactive Child
In Feng Shui, the area of the east with the energy of the rising sun in the morning is ideal for children's room. But if you have a hyperactive child who difficult to settle, then the west area with the setting sun at night is suitable for him. Other method is using more Yin colors such as blue or green in their room.
Wind Chimes
If you have been witness to someone who likes to spend a large amount of time in bed, you can place a feng shui wind chime in the center of his/her bedroom to uplift the person's chi. This idea can also be used when he or she is feeling stuck, depressed, suicidal or lazy and not feeling like he can achieve anything.
Water Fountain is equal to Good Feng Shui
Beautiful, clean, gently flowing water will improve your environment in numerous ways but when you incorrectly-placed this water fountain, it can also contribute to arguments, gossip, legal problems, sexual scandal and criminal activity.
Water Mouth
The location and direction of the water mouth (also known as the Wealth Spot) is considered by many feng shui expert to be the utmost important feng shui arrangement to attract money and wealthfor the occupants.
Tip For Speeding Up a House Sale
Go and take a red envelope and place a piece of metal from your kitchen, some earth from your garden and some wood from a skirting board. After that throw the envelope into a fast moving river.
Hang bamboo flutes on exposed beams to correct their negative influence
Some feng shui practitioners will suggest you to put bamboo flutes on your exposed beams in order to avoid the negative energies generated by the beams. But there are also some other feng shui masters who claim that there was no such thing as a Chinese bamboo flute like the ones you see today in ancient times. Flutes like that actually originated in Italy. The so-called lucky bamboo flute that people know is said to be a modern-day knick-knack. It is said that the only thing that can correct the downward energy of exposed beams is a false ceiling.
Feng Shui Car
Beside homes, apartments, buildings and swimming pools, Feng Shui can also be applied in our cars. When parking the car, it is always recommended to park it facing away from our home, rather than into the home. This is because a car directing at your home or you creates sha chi or poison arrow which is harmful.
Chinese Guardian Lions or Fu Lions (Lions of Buddha)
Chinese people often place Fu Lions or Chinese guardian lions in their home for protection. These lions are believed to be able to ward off evil spirits and bring luck and prosperity to the Chinese. But do you know that in actual fact there was no lion in China. At that time, lion came from India to China through spreading of Buddhism.
Dragon and Lion Dance
The Chinese traditional Lion and dragon dance performances are often seen by many people as an activity done for an entertainment in popular occasions such as Chinese New year, Wedding ceremony, business opening ceremony etc but beside that, the dragon and lion dances are actually performed as a ceremony to exorcise evil or harmful spirits and also to summon luck and fortune.
Before the dancing performance, the lion or the dragon will go through ‘eye opening’ ceremony where a special person will be chosen to dot the eyes of the lion or dragon with cinnabar, some schools even use the blood of a live rooster. This signifies giving life to the lion and the dragon.
The mirror on the lion’s forehead will be dotted first and then followed by the mouth, eyes, ears and the rest of its body. As for the dragon, its right eye will be dotted first before anything else.
Dragon Dance
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the longest dancing dragon in the world was 5,056 m from tail to nose. The dragon was supported by over 1,000 people with poles.
Lunar New Year or Tet
On New Year's Day in Vietnam (also called Tet in Vietnamese), the first visitor to their home is very important. They believe that if the first visitor is happy, rich and prestigious then their family will have good fortune that year. Because of this, sometimes Vietnamese people like to invite special guests that they feel will bring them good luck.