Cecil Lee

Dear Toni, Thanks for sharing your insights. Indeed you have a point to say that it may have to do with magnetic field. Let's hope someone can feedback on their findings or non-findings:) Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Jojo, Thanks for your question. For those who are now sure what 9-Star Ki is, let me elaborate further 1. 9-Star Ki and Personal Flying Star Feng Shui is basically one and the same. 2. 9-Star Ki is widely practised in Japan. This is where the Japanese must have learned the Flying Star Feng Shui and applied it in a holistic way in their country. The next popular destination is UK and US where this is equally practised in both countries. Essentially both are one and the same. 3. 9-Star Ki uses the Luo Shu grid of 9 squares. It is also incorporated into `personal' Feng Shui. For a change, those who are keen to learn 9-Star Ki can get books e.g. Author ====== Jon Sandifer (I hope I spelt his name correctly) Simon Brown In my opinion, Jon Sandifer's books are a considered quite old but do give an essence of the holistic approach to 9-Star Ki. Simon Brown's books are modern i.e. have easy to understand graphics and well organised. There are many more authors on 9-Star Ki and their followers. I believe, many of the members of the Feng Shui Society in UK have members practising 9-Star Ki. As I mentioned, 9-Star Ki in my opinion can be broadly classified under " Personal Flying Star Theory ". Although it can still be used at looking at houses. Matching 9-Star Ki/Flying Star Theory is the Ba Zhi Feng Shui which Robert is currently putting into this website. A famous Feng Shui Master mentioned that it is advisable to practice Flying Star or Ba Zhi Feng Shui but not both because it gets complicated if one is doing it manually to interlink and provide cross references. However, with our current research and highly integrated computerised tools, we will be able to interlink both for great effectiveness. Both tools: Flying Star and Ba Zhi Feng Shui when put together will offer exciting possibilities. By the way, one can generally say that Ba Zhi Feng Shui is a higher but of equal status with Flying Star Theory. Ba Zhi Feng Shui can be considered a higher form of Eight House Theory. 4. Sorry to side track the issue. There are several methods of looking at auspicious dates by the Chinese. Currently, at this website, it is based on the five elements concept to deduce the auspicious and inauspicious dates. In computer language, this is akin to running assembly language or machine language which is considered the closest you can get to the `machine' itself. 5. More simplistic methods includes using the Luo Pan to deduce e.g. the best direction to avoid for travelling at a specific time. Derek Walters in his richly illustrated book " Feng Shui " had worked out a western compass and also teach simple reading method on the use of a western compass. By the way, if anyone is keen to learn proper Feng Shui using the five elements concept, one should get hold of his "classic" Feng Shui Handbook. I believe this is available at amazon.com or barnesandnobles.com Although his book is written sometime back, it is in my opinion a class in itself especially for an English title. 6. One way of checking out auspicious dates is to use the Luo pan as shown in Derek Walter's " Feng Shui " book. Or you can check out the Auspicious / Inauspicious program on this site. 7. Usually, it should apply more for an individual than the breadwinner. For example, if the person who is travelling should be the one `looked' at than say the breadwinner. Warmest Regards Cecil

Dear Jane, Most users are aware to avoid digging up the earth especially at the East. This is based on the " Tai Su " or Grand Duke Theory. Grand Duke actually refers to the `gravitational pull' of the largest planet circing the Sun i.e. Jupiter. Did you dig earth at the East side of the house. if so, one way to neutralise this is to use `metal'. For example, if it is possible place the car between the digging and the house. For water beds, frankly this is not mentioned in traditional Feng Shui. Personally, I do not see any problems. For the following reasons: 1. One Feng Shui concept is that if you do not see it is not a threat. 2. More importantly, it is more important not to sleep on a circular bed. This is inauspicious in Feng Shui. In my opinion, presently, to-date, I have not heard nor read of any ill effects on the use of water beds. Since you have slept on it for quite sometime without any effects, it should be ok to continue sleeping on one. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, I am sorry, currently this version of the forum program does not have this feature. Currently the lastest version is customisable especially with Robert's skill but I understand the new version is "buggy." We want to wait for the new version of the forum to have all it's bugs fixed and evaluate it. There are a few alternatives we are exploring:- 1. To dump all the past messages into another site and add a search engine. So that users can do a simple or advanced search. This is because, the messages in this forum currently very huge numbering more than 1,601 messages alone in the Free Advise Forum. 2. At a later date, add a 2nd, 3rd or 4th volume under the 101 Feng Shui Tips electronic book for easy download and reference. There are quite alot to be done and for Para 2, it will not be so soon as the messages need to be complied and re-edited. The present `solution' is to do a Search for a specific word or words. It usually lists not less than 10 or more messages with the same topic. The present forum Search feature allows a Basic or Advance Searh feature. Warmest Regards, Cecil P.S. This `new' forum started on 30th December 1998. Most of the older forum messages from previous the forum board and an earlier forum board no longer exists.

Dear Anon, This is a very interesting question: 1. I recalled one Australian Feng Shui practioner was doing an experiment (not so much of Qi) movement but rather how water is drained from a water pipe. She `found' that water drains from the water pipe, I forgot whether it is clock-wise or anti-clockwise. She `found' that this was difference from the North Hemisphere. I am not bring up the subject of the North or South debate but just my thoughts. If you were to ask me, my believe like others in the Feng Shui field is that the Feng Shui model plus Destiny models originating from the North Hemisphere (where China is) can be applied without modification in the Southern Hemisphere. This is because, the models are based on Yin and Yang and Five Elements concept and no one can at present provide an academic model to show differences in application in the Southern Hemisphere. Sorry for detracting on the issue. 2. Frankly, unless someone has done an actual experiment of the flow of Qi, I cannot comment on the academic methods or any results on it. But based on Feng Shui, it is said that Qi should not flow into the house and immediately flow out. It is best or ideal for it to meander in to the house. It need not necessarily be from the front door. Here, many FS Masters have indicated that the frontage of the house or the location where light comes in is another location for Qi coming into the house. It is difficult to measure the main entrance based on this frontage concept and this is why, many of us have resorted to measure the house based on the traditional model of the location of the main entrance door. For now, I cannot provide you with how Qi really flows into the house. Other than each of us imagine how it comes in and out. For those who can obtain a smoke bomb *Joke* or light up a charcoal stove can by all means experiment with it. Unfortunately if the house turns soothy... erh.. don't take my advise seriously. In fact, some Feng Shui masters have classified Qi into many sub-divisions. For example, some classified the Qi in a stale store room as suffocating Qi. Sometimes when I do an audit and enters a store room, it really feels suffocating. We can also experiment on the basis where, it is sometimes no point opening a window, if say the bedroom door is not opened especially if there is no gap below. Air or `Qi' cannot come in and go out. Since Qi is "invisible", and this is where non-believers of Feng Shui indeed have their field day in `condemming' FS. I leave it to each individual's opinion on this issue. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Ber, I had encountered the same situtation when I was young. I was living in an extended family and we had this passage way with rooms on each side of it. It so happens that me and my elder brother's room and my two cousins were directly opposite each other. I am not sure if this is a coincidence but we were always "fighting" with each other i.e. my cousins with me and my brother. Not sure if this is part of growing up or a coincidence in Feng Shui. In Feng Shui, it is mentioned that when two rooms have the doors directly opposite each other, the parties in each room are suppose to be a `loggerhead'. The above is the rationale why, the two doors should not (suppose) not to be opposite each other. Some Feng Shui practioners have mentioned placing a wind chime between the rooms as it is suppose to neuralise `sha qi'. This is one alternative provided, the rest of the Flying Star of the house checks out not to be unfavourable with having the wind chime at the location. Try as far as possible to avoid having a Metal wind chime at North West, West (Metal element location) or the NE and SW (devil's gate and SW = devil's back door). Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, We can look at it from two angles: 1. As you are aware, majority of the Chinese and overseas Chinese equate white with death. Here there are two camps: a. Those that are superstitious and have always believed that white furniture is not auspicious. b. The modern and trendy especially the young do not have this taboo. 2. With the above in mind, it is hard to answer you based on beliefs. 3. Under Feng Shui, there is also no taboo associated with colour white as inauspicious. Rather, white is equated with the Metal element. Therefore, if we are using the Five Elements relationship, we can check our personal suitability with white. 4. Another factor is the 33.3 percent rule. The furniture usually does not take up more than 33.3 percent of the living room and really has no impact on the home. On a commonsense approach, many married couples with children always avoid white furniture. It is understandable because, their newborns or the young could easily dirty the furniture. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Thanks for the information. I have not fully analysed the paragraph in details. As the animal sign (Horse: one of the 12 Chinese `Zodiac' Animals can be further analysed as either Yin or Yang and further sub-divided into the various elements. There may be some truth in it but I am currently too busy to look into it further. Here if anyone has the time, can check the element of the Horse and see if it is in harmony with the Fire element (Red) and incompatible with (Green) most likely a Dragon (East). Usually, we are looking at only the `Year' of birth element only and not all 4 birth dates i.e. Year, Month, Day and Time x 2 (stem and branch) of the Pillars of destiny. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Glyn, Thanks for pointing out the Britannica.com does not only depend on advertiser support. Advertiser support is a `flawed' model as in my opinion, does not work anymore in today's internet. Studies have shown that only revenue goes to the top 8 or 9 sites. But again, these sites looks good on the surface but are not `healthy'. Fortunately, some of these companies are heavy weights with lots of money to "throw away" or I consider `misusing their shareholder's funds' akin to "borrowing time" akin to robbing Peter to pay Paul through almalgamations etc.. None of the heavy weights have yet to cover their expenses. We will always try to provide the forum free. What I believe is that the reports are optional, no one is `forced' to get them if they do not want to. Currently, the members for the geomancy-online is ever growing, we will always consider what is viable to be given free and what is not. Thanks very much for your support and understanding. As one accountant to another, we all live in a realistic world:) Warmest Regards, Cecil P.S. Like yourself, I am also an accountant by training and using my available funds to support the websites. At the same time, Robert also utilizes his available and even his company's resources into the many wonderful programs on this site.

Dear Anon, These are three alternatives which can be used in combination:- 1. Where possible use trees. I am not sure whether it is feasible for the trees to be planted outside the house. 2. Door painted `red'. This is where Fire is used to destroy metal (cannon ball/cannon which is comprised on metal) resulting in wealth creation. Caution: I do not know the person's element and strength and direction the door is facing so, this is a very general statement). 3. Can hang the Ba Gua mirror above the door. Other good alternatives:- 4. Tilting the main entrance door to one of the auspicious locations for the owner. (Strongly recommended) 5. Or use a convex door to deflect sha qi. Other `milder' cures that can be used in conjunction to the the above (but these are the least effective against such a strong `opponent':- 6. The semi circular carpet or a pond semi circular away from the house but directly in the path of the cannon. (Provided this is feasible). The cures are in the assumption that the cannon is tangent or directly aimed at the main entrance door. If it is not, then you do not need to considere more `drastic' measures such as tilting the door. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Tam, A warm welcome to you:) If you need assistance in determining the centre of your house, you can attached it as a file and sent it to one of the conferences in this forum specifically for attachment of files. 1. Ideally, when taking the compass directions do remember always to take a reading outside the house. 2. Even if one has a Luopan, it is best to `invest' in a reasonably good compass with "mass" to take the readings. As the reading is the most important factor in correctly getting the direction of the house. This is because using only the compass on the Luopan may not be that accurate. For those who are `into' Feng Shui, I suggest getting a good and reliable but affordable compass such as the sample shown at this site: http://www.geomancy.net/fs/recommendcompass.htm For more information on the two methods I proposed: (1.) Cecil's compass method (2.) Surveyor's method; Go to this url: http://www.geomancy.net/fs/cecilcompass.htm Without fail, I will always use both method (1.) and (2.) to ensure that proper readings are taken. Alternatively, if one is really not sure but wants a reliable reading, can try to contact a professional surveyor's firm to do the proper reading for you. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Kris, It is best that you superimpose the Eight House Template which is available at either: 1. Manual method: http://www.geomancy.net/fs/house1.htm (with detailed instructions on how to do a survey). 2. Computerised method: Free computerised Eight House at www.geomancy-online.com My advise is that you should try out the above to check your auspicious and inauspicious sectors. After doing so, see which location is closer to your best auspicious intangible force. If it is an inauspcious intangible force, and if the room is between two compass directions e.g. NE or N (as an example), it is best to sleep closer to the least bad influence i.e. NE = death or disaster line while North is your irritation sector, best to sleep closer to this line. As for whether SW is the romance sector, this site does not normally practise this concept as it is too general a concept to be applied i.e. other concepts are applied first. After doing the above and if you still need assitance, please let me know. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Joe, Glad to hear from you!:) 1. An alternative for closing the door is to keep the location bright. Under the Eight House Theory, it is best to concentrate on two primary locations: a. The bedroom (especially the master bedroom) b. The main entrance door. Overally, so long as the location is kept bright (natural lighting is the best) where the curtains are not too thick nor closed all the time. If one party likes privacy, and closes the door, the rest can leave their door open as you have mentioned to allow Qi to circulate. The other point is that if under the Flying Star Theory and so long as there is no 2 star (sickness) or 5 star (misfortune); between the two theories, Flying Star is more important in ranking. Wishing you and your family, Health, Wealth and Prosperity:) Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Ber, Please see below:- Usually, it is adviseable to have the stove facing almost directly the entrance door: 1. Especially if the knobs are facing the door. Where possible get a stove with the knobs should facing the `air'/ceiling. 2. The best location for such a kitchen is where it is located at the South compass point. This is because, South represents the Fire element and even with the stove facing the door, enough `heat' is still retained in the house. The worst position is to have the Kitchen at the North where one may `truely' exhaust the heat from the kitchen. 3. The other option is avoid having the main entrance door opened unless necessary. Other than these, there is really much you can do other than to change the position of the stove. So long there is a gap between the stove and the basin: this is acceptable. Ideally it should be six inches but as you have mentioned, there are many homes with such a configuration. 1. You need not worry as there is a few centimetres gap between the two. 2. One good solution is to place the crockery or drying receptacle between the two. This can symbollically act as a barrier between the two. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Ber It is ok to sleep on the floor mattress for both the mum and child. There is no evidence to provide otherwise. When sleeping on the floor, it is preferred to sleep on `wood' e.g. paquet flooring. It is not based on FS but wood or wood panels will ensure that when one wakes up or stepping on the floor, the slab of tile is not `cold'. As I mentioned in an earlier message, many Japanese are sleeping on the floor especially on wooden plank floors. Warmest Regards, Cecil Dear cecil, My baby and I are sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Will this affect our health or luck? Can I still do so?? Thanks

Dear Anon, Thanks for your suggestion. My comments are as follows:- 1. We will always provide free advise in this forum. 2. As the reports are optional, it would depend on the bandwidth usage. 3. Look at Britannica.com, the website crashed on the first day of launch as it is unable to cope. 4. The days of getting advertisers to sponor a site is `flawed'. Look at Yahoo.com or other popular sites with advertising support. They have never been able to earn enough revenues for their expenditure. If you calculate properly, they are now drawing on share holder's reserves. Even Amazon.com has not yet made enough to cover their expenses. These sites are not based on sound economic principles. Can some of these site which `look' good on the surface survive long term e.g. 5, 10 years from now. We have to be realistic and all sites must be based on sound or "self-financing". This is the assurance that a well managed site can survive. It is in my opinion that we must always plan ahead not just for tommorrow but for the next 5 to 10 years of existence on the internet. Those who do not have the proper vision and using other people's (shareholder's) fund to live for today and not tommorrow will not be there in the next few years. I always believe in providing sound policies that work. Even for relatively simple things like a `Flame' free forum and other areas within this forum. Thank you for your understanding and continued support. Warmest Regards, Cecil P.S. For general interest, I tried to login to the Britannica.com site again today... and this is what I get... TO OUR VISITORS The recent launch of the free Britannica.com site, designed to be the most trusted source of information, learning and knowledge on the Internet, has created such an enormous volume of traffic that the company?s servers have experienced a temporary slowdown. We apologize to everyone who has been unable to access Britannica.com. The tremendous response to Britannica.com has created a tidal wave of activity on our site, and we are working hard to make the site available as quickly as possible. In many ways, we have truly been victims of our own success. We knew that the site would attract a significant number of users in its first day of operation, but we had no idea that this volume of traffic would be achieved so quickly. In spite of the problems that we are experiencing, we are encouraged by the high demand for Britannica.com, and believe that you will soon find the site to be the best source for information on the Internet. Once again, I am truly sorry that we have not been able to provide access to our site for all of our visitors. We will have the technical problems resolved shortly, and look forward to welcoming you back to your new home on the Internet at Britannica.com. Sincerely, Don Yannias CEO Britannica.com Inc.

Dear Users, For those who are new to this forum; recently, I have touched on briefly two concepts: 1. Fast Food Feng Shui and the dangers of it's indulgence. 2. The 33.3 percent "Rule". I have coined it the 33.3 percent Rule as it is quite easy to understand and follow. 2.1 For example, what is considered a `missing' corner or a protusion? When the floor area exceeds 33.3 percent of the entire area of a particular sector or room. 2.2 Where a water position is more than 33.3 percent of the size of the house. This is considered too yin for the house. Too much water is considered too yin. It can also be applied in a home. Where a fish tank should not take up more than 33.3 percent of a room. Or the combined fish tank plus plants do not `occupy' 33.3 percent. What is the " Customer Engineer " Concept? Here, if one is making an enhancement or "trying" out a cure without professional help, it is adviseable to do it a step at a time. For example, when an IBM Customer Engineer tries to resolve a problem, he takes out what he feels is a faulty `card'. He monitors the situation for a few days to a week and if the problem has been solved, this is ok. If not, he replaces another card and monitors again. Similiarly, if you are doing some enhancements on your own, avoid doing all at the same time. For example, do not enhance the garden, a certain room or more at the same time. If something happens, you may not be able to know what you had done wrong. It is good therefore that if you make an enhancement, try it for two weeks to a month. (Particularly for those who like to do enhancements on a frequent basis). Warmest Regards, Cecil

Hi Everyone, In my personal experience, I found that the Luo Pan is successfully used as a `ghost detector'. This is where the Luo Pan needle goes hay wire when it detects `spirts' closeby. I have also read instances where it is successfully used in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and other Far East countries. So far, I have not heard that it is `effectively' used to detect `spirits' other than these countries. I would like to find out from anyone who has either personally used the Luo Pan or heard of other practioners overseas who had successfully used the Luo Pan to detect `ghosts'. Currently, my personal opinion is that I am not sure if one can call `international' ghosts e.g. Christians etc... are scared of Chinese beliefs/customs. What I mean is that can a predominantly distinct country with other religions .. have `ghosts' that are `afraid' of the First Heaven Sequence Ba Gua or detectable by the Luo Pan. My intention is not for you to have such encounters but rather, if there are really no `spirits/ghosts' that are `afraid' nor detectable by the Luo Pan or the use of the Ba Gua, then, most likely the Ba Gua Symbol would most likely not be an effective `cure' in some instances overseas. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Thanks for your suggestion. It is indeed a coincidence as I was discussing with Robert early this week on the need to: 1. Copy out the forum messages into another website. And using a search engine like those used by other Search Programs. This would make it easier and faster to search for materials. I did not realise that the messages in the forum has grown and grown so fast. The above method is easier because it is the easiest to update the messages frequently into a data base. 2. I plan to come up with Volume 2 or 3 of the 101 Feng Shui Tips as Volume 1 was based on some of the earlier messages. These messages were `far back' in time. 3. I sincerely thank everyone for your support in making this forum, which I believe the largest resource materials on nearly every conceiveable topic and subject matter. Plus 100 percent Flame free:) 4. The popularity of this forum, the entire website, reports etc.. has grown tremendously that our ISP is charging us for extra bandwidth. We therefore had no choice but to ask users who had benefitted from our work to help us subsidise a token amount e.g. $1 (1 month) , $3 (9 months) to help us defry this cost. Personally, we would like to give everything free but it is not fair for me to absorb the huge extra bandwidth costs monthly in hosting the entire site. Many thanks to everyone for helping us to support our research. In order to do more, we need to balance what we can give free and what we can help to absorb. The economics is simple: if this is achieved, we will always be there to provide support. My hope is that with the further liberisation of ISP services in Singapore, the costs for hosting will hopefully go down (later next year) this will force my ISP to reduce the charges further. (Currently we have 3 ISPs and what a monopoly the have on pricing!) With your help, we will then be able to concentrate fully on further research and enhancements. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Further to my earlier reply: It is `acceptable' for flowers to be placed in the bedroom especially for those who are `recuperating' from an illness. This is inline with the common practise of giving flowers to those who are staying in a hospital bed especially after an operation. Hospitals are `more yin' environment especially the hospital bedrooms. Introducing some `Yang' into the rooms such as flowers will certainly brighten it. This can be introduced to a bedroom especially for those who are recovering e.g. from an operation or illness. This is more a common practise rather than `shoulder' it on Feng Shui. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon & all Users, You can modify your settings to allow the most recent messages to be shown rather than at at the bottom:- Step 1: At the top menus, Click on MORE Step 2: Click on Edit your Profile Step 3: Near to the bottom of your Profile; you should be able to see this sentence Reverse Topic Order Click the radio button for Yes instead of NO. ----- Done! ----- After following the above Step-by-Step instructions, you should now have the most recent messages `floating' on top. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon & all Users, You can modify your settings to allow the most recent messages to be shown rather than at at the bottom:- Step 1: At the top menus, Click on MORE Step 2: Click on Edit your Profile Step 3: Click on Reverse Topic Order ----- Done! ----- After following the above Step-by-Step instructions, you should now have the most recent messages `floating' on top. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Fraser, I believe Lillian Too as a different book on each of the topic you mentioned: One one landscaping and the other on `Water Dragon Classic' (an older book maybe there is a new version). Personally, I have not read both books so unable to provide any comments. Anyone care to comment or share with us your views if you have read any of these books. (I not sure sure the exact title..... but the titles should be around what I mentioned.) There may be new ones... as I am quite busy, did not have a look at any of them nor confirm what School are they practising. Perhaps, you can also try checking out Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles for these topics. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Ber, As the information is readily available under this report at www.geomancy-online.com : Five Element Cures (Wu Xing Zhi Liao) Unless you have further queries on it as the report shows all the various elements in relation to the element and its strength. Should you need further assistance on the report, do let me know. Warmes Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Our human feelings or sixth sense are "powerful tools". For certain situations, we should rely on the Flying Star e.g. to determine where the very inauspicious stars especially the 2 and 5 are and to locate auspicious and inasupicious locations. Plus to see if one can activate the mountain and water stars. Another equally powerful theory called Ba Zhi Feng Shui seeks to examine the house and `triangulate' positions to activate e.g. a water position so that this `triangle' is fully enhanced. Robert is working on this and as mentioned by him, it is best to wait for it to be ready. We appreciate that everyone waits for this to be completed and not ask questions first so that he can concentrate on it. As I mentioned earlier, unlike some of the users here who have read many messages and are familar with quite a diverse aspect of Feng Shui and Chinese beliefs. Many people, for example in Singapore have actually consulted FS practioners who provided them a `one time' with advise. This is a realistic situation. Since these people do not know Flying Star, after the consulation (which is essentially to look at the `health' of the house) later on, cannot always depend on advise on the Flying Star. Therefore, it is good to use your personal feelings to go about the placement of fresh flowers. Ideally, they could be used in the living room or dining room and even toliets (to liven it). Where possible best to avoid placing them in the bedroom. For some of us who are used to it, can continue to do so. There is really no hard and fast rule in the use of the different types of flowers. This is to make it easier for us to live or enjoy our surroundings. Our lives are relatively short and why do we always need to be constrainted by having to follow so many sets of rules. However, do take note that Flowers can be classified under the various elements based on: a. their colour b. their shape Again, flowers are considered secondary, if one believes that it gives you `confidence' to approach life e.g. wearing one on the blouse etc.. carry on.. by chosing your favourite colour. We can apply the 33.3 percent rule that if we are wearing a rose for example, it will have minimal or no impact on the individual. Contrast this with wearing a dress that covers our top part of our body. Warmest Regards Cecil