Cecil Lee

Dear Emily, Actually, it has more to do with "visual" sight or appearance than Feng Shui. For example, we can draw a parallel to the dining table. In Feng Shui, it is often mentioned by practitioners (including myself) avoid placing the dinning table facing the main door. The rationale is that while some of us are very tidy, but for practical reasons, for a family, we have the father, mother and children; often, the family members come back at different times. And for practical reasons, often, food is left on the table for the last person to eat. And if one often sees a dining table, it is usually (for many people) to have articles / food etc.. placed on it. What is "worse" symbollically is to have fork, knives on this table, facing the main door. It is symbolic of disharmony. For the shoe cabinet, so long as it is closed-up - not seen as in a transparent glass cabinet. To me, it is not a major issue - like do or die type of situation. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Cheng Teong, Personally, this looks like a non-issue Often, a home has to be lived in and not govern via "remote-control". Since, he did not even sign the purchase agreement, the house is simply not his Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Sophia, We often hear or read books on Feng Shui giving advice on grave concerns of shoe cabinets or shoes outside a main door. But frankly, in my opinion, this is considered "peanuts" Feng Shui or not a major issue. This is because, for practical reasons, many (many) people, rich or poor, have at least a shoe cabinet or shoes outside their main door. The only uncomfortable thing is to have a shoe cabinet built into a partition facing the main door. This is more of a personal feeling. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Sophia, Ideally, it is common to place the Fu Lu Shou in the living room. Often, it is placed on the display shelf or display table facing one's sofa in the living room. Here, the idea is that we can "look at it". Please take note that for the Chinese, placement of the figurine is based on the way we (Chinese) read a sentence in a Mandarin book. Thus, imagine that you are now facing the figurines: -the tallest figurine should be in the middle. - search for the old man usually in yellow robes holding a red peach. He should be on the left side of the tallest figurine. And the one that looks like holding a "fan" should be on the extreme right of the tallest figurine. For figurines, tryto AVOID: -Place them sharing the same wall as the toilet -Placing them facing the dining table - we do not want to eat while the "gods" droodle in saliva looking at the food. - Try not to face the main entrance door - we do not want to "employ" them to guard our door! The figurines can be placed facing or looking out of a window e.g. in the living room. For the smiling Buddha, many Chinese face the main door i.e. when one opens the main entrance door, one is "greeted" by the smiling Buddha as it "in no way seems to look like a guardian of the door. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Manu, Frankly, there are many other considerations. This includes the Flying Star numbers in each location of the home. As a precaution, it is best not to have too much water position, or fish tank(s) in the new home unless proper investigations is done e.g. using Flying Star to determine whether such a water position can create furtherimbalance. In a home, a major consideration is also the external shapes and forms of the home. Please refer to a recent forum message - posted today, on what to look out for a home or landed property e.g. the drainage of the home, etc...often, such factors have a higher weightage in the luck of a home. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, In my opinion, seems like we are just entering into Period 8, and often, any changes or trying to fly into the new period, may be slow going for now, given that, Period 8 is just "climbing" or starting and Period 7 influence is just waning. More likely, the effects (trying to change to a new period) often may take sometime i.e. two or more years to be effective. Frankly, I do not have a good feel of the tree in-front of your shophouse and if N2 or bright hall is facing the tree, then, it would be good to consider W2 since, it will kill three birds with just one stone i.e. not facing the tree, facing a yang pedestrian traffic and under Period 8, double 8's. Yes, I would think that W2, may be a good choice, provided, there is no lone lamp post or any sha qi at that direction. Because of your extensive renovation, plus other actions such as open ceremony, yang traffic, can change it to a new period - no problem to do so even if the roof is not removed. Good luck in your business! Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, The best solution is lots of activity at the double 8 sitting position (if possible). For example, in some homes, the living room area is situated here, Alternatively, or materialistically, one may hang a painting of a mountain with trees, at this location without water in the picture. Can't help if it falls into the toilet. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Kenneth, Yes, contrary to popular believe, a fish tank may not necessarily be good for everyone or in a home or in a specific location. Frankly, there are several key considerations in Feng Shui. For example, some of them may be "technical":- 1. What is your true element orstrength (Ba Zi) A weak fire person or a strong water person or a weak metal person? If one belongs to any of these elements, it is not very favourable to place water position inside the home. 2. Flying Star Feng Shui Under this compass school Feng Shui, each sector is said to have a combination of elements e.g. : Mountain star (MS) , Water star (WS), base star. (And even the yearly and monthly stars). Under the Flying Star Feng Shui, there are many various "rulesets", which I cannot possibly cover; them all. Just to give an idea:- A location that has the auspicious MS #8. Using a water position or placing a water position at this MS #8 sector does not do good. Since under Period 8, #8 is the current prosperity and #8 is associated with earth element. Using too much water e.g. a fish tank could invariably drown one's current prosperity luck. On the other hand, if there is a MS #9, and #9 represents the fire element, plus also #9 is also this period's future prosperity, it is not a good idea to use water position to drown this auspicious future prosperity #9! 3. Wait a minute... If all these sound too technical, and if one is unable to draw a proper Flying Star chart, then.... it is best not to have the water position. Since, a water position, may (could) be placed in perhaps another location more suited to it. Hmm.. don't want to sound cruel - but a cat at this stage is advantages.. since it is eyeing all the fishes! Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Jeanette, These should be the most important considerations (first):- 1. Sewerage pipe running below the home Try to check where the sewerage pipe / manhole runs in the home. Sometimes, it may run from the frontage towards the back of the home. In such a situation, check to see where possible, it does not run below a bedroom or the living room area. The best or (nice to have) is to have the sewerage system running from the backyard towards, the home. Here, often, toilets should be placed, first. 2. For a two storey home, try to work out the steps for the home. This is because, the number of steps have a significance. Please refer to the attached word document. 3. For the stair-case up to the second storey, it is preferred that there should at least be a turn or stair-case landing. 4. Drainage Under the water classics, it is OK to see water flowing into the home e.g. from a drainage outside the home. But at the backyard, it is best that we should not see water exit out of the home. Here, things like covering the drainage is important. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Boon Lee, No offence, here. Why not, proceed to do an academic study and take up a doctorate in Geomancy or Feng Shui. Here, one can then try to validate what was written about Feng Shui to see whether it works or not. At least, it kills two birds with one stone: Not only one could find out if Feng Shui is valid and at the same time, come out, by becoming a doctor i.e. others can call the person: Dr instead of just Mr / Ms / Mrs... Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Kenneth, In the past, I had actually written quite alot of guidelines and practises on the number of fishes and even the type of stand used a various locations. In general, one School of thought (Flying Star) use the numbers: 7 gold fishes represent metal element and 1 black gold fish represents water element. Thus often, one recommendation could be: 7 gold and 1 black. Since the probability of one of the 7 gold fish(es) dying is much greater than say 1 black, then even if the 7 gold fishes are or were reduced to 6, 6 still represents big metal. Hence, under the productive cycle, metal supports water. Well, frankly, the above talks often only about gold fishes or koi fishes (carps), it is rather ambigious on other types of fishes. Here, after reading this, it does not mean that you should feed "the cat" with the remaining i.e. 19 - 12 (TWELEVE) fishes nor is it advisable to turn them into "sardines" for that sandwich. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Jen, In a very recent reply, I mentioned that often, under the time dimension of Feng Shui i.e. the Flying Star Feng Shui; since it is based on time and numerology, a series of numbers are important for that period. Thus, under Period 7,where 7 = current prosperity, 8 = future prosperity and 9 = future, future prosperity. If an enhancement can be activated, when we are living in the period 1984 to 2003, then all these three numbers are very important. Under the present time period or Period 8, thus 8 becomes the current prosperity, 9 the future prosperity and since the NEXT number after 9 is 1 (note: there is no such thing as a TEN or 10). Thus, under time dimension in Feng Shui, we should if possible try to "activate" or enhance or avoid if possible #8, #9 or #1 being drowned or negated by other numbers. For example, #9 belongs to the fire element. And since this is our future prosperity element, a location that perhaps have #9 should have water avoided at this location. Since water can drown #9. Under Period 8, #7 becomes the past prosperity. And turned bad element. So why do we want to enhance our past prosperity? No exact value, here. Other than to neutralise it to reduce the problems this #7 brings along. Please note that under Period 7, the past prosperity is #6. Since this is a strong metal and no major bad repercussions from it, we do not need to deal with it - as what we have to deal with #7 (robbery or theft star - under Period 8). Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear David, Please see below:- This is because, firstly, many of the theories relate to : The Five elements concept. And this concept is not directly linked to the use of a compass. Even in the compass school of Feng Shui, there should not be a difference between the north and southern hemispheres. One of the main reasons is because, no matter where we are (especially up to as far as Australia or down under, the magnetic north is currently at the north pole. But however, many scientists are now ringing in alarm bells to say that the magnetic field is weakening in the last few decades and in the past, there was such thing as an entire swop of compass direction i.e. the north pole has the south compass field while the south pole has the north compass field. However, for now it seems thru our present life-time, our children's life time, this will not happen, as yet.

Dear Lynn, Yes, the productive cycle is often the easiest to understand. But for the destructive cycle, sometimes the term may be misleading. Actually, this cycle can also be considered as a "Wealth" cycle. For example: A strong water person: His best elements are : Wood, Fire andEarth. If one looks carefully at the destructive cycle: Water destroys Fire. Here, it simply means that Water is used to dowse fire to produce wealth. Thus, for a strong water person, his two best elements are: 1. Wood (green or brown) - most harmonious colour 2. Fire (red, purple or pink) - his wealth colour. For a weak water person: this is opposite: his best elements are: Metal and Water. His wealth element is still Fire element. But, here, he is too weak to take advantage of using water to destroy fire. Instead, he should strengthen his weak water (firstly with metal) and sometimes adding water to water. Only after doing so, he can use his water to destroy fire to create wealth. Thus in the above two examples of Strong Water vs Weak Water, no matter what, their wealth element is still Fire. The only difference is that one can directly use it, the other cannot (weak water). In a Feng Shui perspective, for a strong water person, the choice of colour for his/her study or work area can either be Metal (harmony) or Fire (wealth) or a combination of it -- subject to the balance of elements of the room under the Flying star Feng Shui. The rationale is simple: during the Chinese New Year, many younger persons bring along two mandarin oranges to visit their elders or friends. Here, in Cantonese, the mandarin oranges is called : KUM or for the Hokkien, it is KIM. The colour of mandarin oranges LOOKS LIKE GOLD. Thus, symbolically, we do not carry gold or give real gold but, we do exchange mandarin oranges. For westerners, if you do receive two mandarin oranges via a home visit, it is best to return or exchange it with two mandarin oranges once the visitors are leaving. Thus, the symbolic gesture is that when someone gives us oranges (gold), we should also return the kind favour. Dear Cecil, I understand of the productive and destructive cycles of the five elements but am not sure of the following coorelation: For eg., the Water element is produced by Metal, harmonised by Wood and destroyed by Earth. What is the effect of Fire to Water, though I understand that Water destroy Fire. I'm about to renovate my house soon. My living area is in the North which is the Water sector, can I place a orange coloured sofa which is a Fire Element? Is deep purple a colour of Fire or Water? Appreciate your soonest reply. Thanks! Regards, Lynn

Dear Anon, In my opinion, often, this type of an issue has more to do with the "commonsense approach" than Feng Shui. The rationale has to do with our "individual" sensitivity level. Some of us are very sensitive to our environment. And "any moving object" can scare some, while no issue with others. Or if one is in "deep thoughts". For example, imagine a person in deep thoughts, walking down the steps of stairs, some people may "suddenly" realise a figure down below at the steps. But frankly, this is a poor excuse, given that often if the mirror is not a whole piece, we humans can easily identify that it is ourselves. (Without adding insult to injury). In the discovery channel, it was found that only "intelligent" animals, do recognise the image in a mirror as theirs. In one of the episode, they placed a gorilla facing a mirror. The gorilla seems to recognise his image in the mirror, made some faces in it. While other animals e.g. cats or dogs simply think that there is another dog or cat "inside the mirror". Actually, this is a totally different issue. For us humans, has therefore to do more with as mentioned above, are either in deep thoughts are very sensitive to our environment. Otherwise, frankly, if you love to place it at the location, well go for it Since, the issue has more to do with "shock" of discovering an image while walking down steps. And, perhaps for the minority, touch-wood, fall down from the stairs etc.. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, In my opinon, as a Feng Shui practitioner and for many users, we normally categorise people who give such as advise as: similar to "the idea that you stay here, we don't" and "you own it we don't. Frankly, in my opinion, I personally find such sayings highly irresponsible. This is because, there are so wide interpretations of numerology - to some, it may seem bad numbers to others it may seem good. Often I encountered practitioners even advising their clients e.g. to close-up the entire master-bedroom toilet! Imagine, some one who just comes to the home for a few hours, provide such an advise, he/she will move on, but we are stuck with such an advise! If I were you, I will still keep the handphone number - as mentioned above, numerology does not have a fixed formula to say whether it is good or bad. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Sophia, The concept, if it cannot be seen, it no longer is a threat. Most importantly, I can understand that since the pipe runs the length from floor to the ceiling, it is very difficult to mask or hide. Given this, a pot of plant placing it between the pipe and the main door is OK. Alternatively, if you have a grille gate, the grille gate can have a cover along this length.Please seeattached illustration for what I meant by this. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, I believe the idea has to do with the numerology based on Flying Star Feng Shui. For example, when we were at the period 1984 to 2003, based on the Flying Star numerology; #7 is suppose to be our Current wealth in that period (thus is suppose to be very auspicious under that period). while #8 at the time is suppose to be the Future wealth period. (again for 1984 to 2003.) while #9 is the future, future wealth prosperity. Also auspicious Actually, all these have to do more with the interpretation of the Luo Shu grid or flying stars in relation to especially the numerology of a home / apartment or office. But can one recall that in the past (1984 to 2003) is #7 really that favourable for each individual? Does it mean that if one plays lottery, does #7 come out most of the time during that period? YES/NO? Most likely, #7 comes out roughly much the same chance as any other numbers in that period. Therefore, in my opinon, what was mentioned for numbers #8 #9 and #1 has more to do with the interpretation of or the use of the 9x9 luo shu grid for the apartment/home/office. Under Period 8 of flying star: 2004 to 2023, #8 is now the current prosperity sector #9 is the future prosperity sector while because after #9, it flys to #1 #1 is the next, future, future prosperity numbers. Thus for enhancements, a Feng Shui practitioner may try to tap:- a. #8 either depending on whether it is a mountain or water star try to activate this sector b. #9 also not to drown this sector since #9 is a fire element. And it is (our future - prosperity) c. while #1 is equally important, because it is the future, future prosperity. Therefore, I hope that you do not have the misunderstanding after attending the lecture that a combination of e.g. 189 or 198 or 891 etc... can become "lottery" lucky numbers. Far from this. He speaks more of these numbers being auspicious because of the Flying Star Feng Shui or Luo Shu grid. And therefore in GENERAL, one may consider such numbers "lucky". But whether it strikes lottery is another question. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Bernie/Ann, There are some resources on the type of ba gua mirrors under the attachment picture. Try to check out the conference: Photo Tours of Interest (with Pictures). Do a SEARCH for the key words as found in this attachment. A ba gua (pa kua mirror) should not be anyhow placed inside a home. For example, it should not be placed inside a home facing inwards into any of our rooms, living / dining, bedrooms. Or for any purpose, it is not ideal to place it inside the home. If you do a search of the above resource, you can find that a proper type of ba gua mirror (depending on it's shape and mirror and wordings or door gods have different purpose.) For example, a ba gua mirror with door god on it often is meant to be placed above the main door for "protection" from e.g. evil spirits. The chief purpose of ba gua mirrors are: ONE - some are hang to protect the home from evil spirits. Often the mirrors have flat mirrors or have a picture of a "lion" / kirin or a Chinese god on it. (Pictures of these can be found in the above attachment links). Majority of the time, some Chinese simply hang just a YELLOW charm to ward off eviland/or with a simple flat round mirror withthis. TWO - some are hung above a window or door to neutralise against sha qi or poison arrows e.g. a lamp post slicing into a window or main door. Often, the convex type of mirror is used here. THREE - The concave mirror is often used e.g. to "suck wealth from the surrounding" and or placed outside of the locationthat has a missing corner (outside) of the house. For example, the top-down view shows a missing corner at the East sector. A mirror is placedoutside the home facing the east. Warmest Regards, Cecil

I forgot the attachment, here goes...

Dear Janna, 1. Thank you very much for the sketch. It truly makes your message very clear. The location on top of the pyramid, where a flag pole could most likely be placed should not be a threat, since if a pole is placed there, it does not seem to slice directly into the kitchen. On the Flying star Feng Shui, side, the pyramid can be considered as a mountain. Hopefully, this sector can accept a mountain e.g. if there are good distinctive mountain star like MS#8 at the sector. But it would be less favourable if this sector has water star(s) e.g. WS #1 ... Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Hoa Luong, Yes, under Shapes and Forms Feng Shui, it is really not a good idea to have a fireplace located in the centrepoint of the home. Where possible, a fire-place should often have one of it's walls next to an external wall. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Dinesh, What you had mentioned seems OK. Often for screens, it is important that it is placed parallel to your door as opposed to placing it 90 degrees "cutting into it". Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Cindy, 1. Since the current wealth sector is the water star #8, try to locate this sector in your home. This sector should be activated especially if it is in the living room or a clear space location. 2. Sometimes, it may not be all that best to simply locate the "wealth sector". As I mentioned that one of the key success factors is to "Fix-the-leaks, first". 3. Here, if you have sectors like a double #7 e.g. in the living room and if the current wealth location is not in this sector, perhaps, the water position can be used at this alternative spot, instead of activating your wealth sector. This is because, such leaks are considered more serious than enhancing a sector, first. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, If all things remain constant:- Either 1: Your daughter's ba zi does not match your mother-in-law. But I would rather suspect the "jealous" syndrome or there is a better description for this. In fact, frankly, in my opinion, it is very common for children. For example, often, we hear of one having only one child. And for the child, he/she feels that he/she is the "centre" of his/her family's entire world i.e. in terms of love, affection and "pampering" for some. But, suddenly, we are expecting another 2nd child. Perhaps, after giving birth, "less" attention or rather the 1st child felt that less attention was spent on him/her etc.... Perhaps, your mother-in-law, could perhaps, feel that more importantly, she no longer takes centerstage in your home and with your new born daughter, maybe she felt jealous. Therefore, I sincerely believe that this could most likely be the cause of the friction of your mother-in-law with your daughter. Perhaps, you can discuss with your husband and see how best to "smoothen" the relationship. However, I can understand your situation: it takes two hands to clap. Most of all, it is not easy to take care of a child at this period, let alone, handle more issues. Try to have strength and most of all take care! Warmest Regards, Cecil