Commonsense Approach
It's Pure Common Sense!
1. I have always trained my mind to ask this question: "Has common sense to do with this question?"
2. In my opinion, you would be pleasantly surprised to learn that many seemingly Feng Shui or even Grand Mother's tales are rooted in pure common sense!
3. Currently, I can think of so many issues that are related to pure commonsense. I am trying to move them to a specific section so that I can collate as many as possible.
4. The next time, you try to have a paradiym shift by asking the question: "It is just pure common sense?" You will be pleasantly surprised, when you figure out put-two and two together!
5. Every day life is also like that....
6. Even an ordinary Cow sense geomancer like me; will never take every thing for granted as pure Fung Sway! Only if on occassions; I can't link it to common sense; would I say YEAP! this is based on the "Art and Science of Feng Shui" (and not the wrong pronunciation of Fung Sway)
Buying a Home?: Bring family members along for viewing
Commonsense dictate that when we are house hunting; always bring our family member(s) along to view the home.
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Mirror Facing The Bed
Reference Forum Msg: http://forum.geomancy.net/phpforum/article.php?bid=2&fid=1&mid=24590&new=
FS Master- I'd like something cleared up that I am unsure of and hope you can help me. I know that is it considered bad to have a mirror facing your bed, but does this mean in all cases? What if the bed is not reflected from a seated position in the bed (or other perspectives)? What is a good way to remedy a reflected bed other than covering it? Thank you. =]
In my opinion, this concern of mirror facing our bed is very interesting as there are two different view points, here:
1. It started with some Feng Shui books, commenting that when we sleep, these books mentioned that "our spirit" will float and if our bed is facing the mirror or a tv screen that has highly reflective glass.. our spirit will get a shock when it sees it's own image! Perhaps, the spirit froze to death?
2. Another side of the argument is that what happens if - indeed when we sleep, our spirit really float and sees itself in a mirror... Perhaps, it is a blessing in disguise as now this spirit, can personally look at his/her appearance to check whether he/she is good enough to wander off! ie. nicely combed hair etc...
3. We are on this earth for such a short period of our life! So, having TV set facing us is to many of us advantages, in that we have our personal space, comfortably seated in our bed viewing wonderful pictures on our TV set!
4. So, why, because someone says that is not good to have a TV (or mirror) face us and just because of this "silly" argument, deprive us of having a TV set in our bedroom much less have to cover it every now and then.
5. Millions people, right now (different cultures) like you and me have a TV set in our bedroom. To be frank, personally I also have a >40 inches tv in my bedroom. How to cover it? Silly me?
6. We can look at it from another argument: Some of us are more sensitive person than others. For example, some of us can eat lots of hot chillies.. while some dare not even touch chillies! Some of us can even sleep with a room full of reflective glass akin to mirrors .. while some of us (silly people) reading too many of these Feng Shui books scare ourself to death by worrying whether mirror, here, there in our bedroom can harm us or not!
7. And in fact, many of new LCD tvs, hardly have any reflections at all!
Thus, if one were to analyse what I have written above, one can better understand the situation better. And if some one else spread this myth, please present the above logical series of arguments to them! One word " IT'S IN THE MIND, Dear! "
Can I install a bunk bed for my children's bedroom?
In Singapore and Hong Kong, it is very common in the 1960's to 1970's for many living in compact government housing flats which were often 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom flats. Here, the children were often crowded in a single bedroom.
To maximise space, many families purchased bunk-beds to house their children.
Many of such children have grown up and don't seem to have any adverse effects on their health!
http://www.geomancy.net/pictures/bunkbeds.gif"
Can I install a mirror at the dining area?
I saw that you mentioned certain group of people believe that by placing a full length mirror to reflect food on the dinner table means "double wealth"
1) Can you advise if the mirror place on the wall reflecting the dinner table and also reflect cupboard/computer/plant at the same time (these things are opp of the dinning table), is it ok esp the computer? Must we cover up the computer?
2) If sometime the dinner table also place books, newspaper or laptop when food is not place on it (non-meal time) and the mirror reflect on these, does it mean that is it better not to place the mirror then?
3) Is there particular shape for the mirror? Oval or rectangular type is better? Thank you very much
1. There is no major issue with rectangular or oval type of mirror. Circle mirrors are generally still ok.
2. Commonsense Feng Shui:
2.1. It is always not good to use two exact sized mirrors. As it symbolises a split.
2.2. Often if one stays at high floors; sometimes one single piece of mirror may not fit the lift;
2.3. Thus the contractor's workers would not be too free to walk up the stairs. Thus if really cannot have one piece than three pieces of mirrors.
2.4 Again under commonsense Feng Shui; many dining tables does not have a courtesy board below the table. Thus, if one has a full lenght mirror; and if some lady or ladies were to seat "improperly" say with their legs wide open... little boys or even some men would find it tempting to look "inside"...
3. Some say.. the illustrations in the attachment tells a million words... TRUE or FALSE?
These are futher considerations:
1. By the way the "certain group of people" you mentioned are:-
1.1. Mainly, the Cantonese dialect group. The idea here is, yes, the mirror would reflect bountiful food.
1.2. The other group I am afraid especially especially for those new condominiums are the Interior Designers (IDs)... as often, there are not much work needed; thus some ID's would often recommend the placement of large mirror(s) to make the living area looks larger.. In addition, they often say that it would be good to place a partition. It is all about marketing and in my opinion; one way of getting more work from the apartment/unit.
1.3. From a Flying Star Feng Shui perspective; geomancers would give reason that a mirror at a strategic location can even be positive e.g. reflect good "star numbers". While placing mirrors at the wrong sectors are detrimental.
1.4. Mirrors are often said to help "carry" qi further e.g. some consider it ok to have it at the staircase area but some give negative comments on it.
2. Frankly, don't be ridicious. Why?
2.1. Are you staying in a lived in house or a sterile environment?
2.2. Therefore, what is so insanely wrong with computers, plants, books... etc...
2.3. A crime to have them that one need to cover them up?
3. Therefore, don't be ridicious and start to cover the computer, books etc.. etc.. might as well take down or cover the mirror right?
4. There are many other commonsense considerations... no point for me to go on and on this subject matter. But seriously, many of us have lots of gagets and items in a home.
5. If you feel that some of these gadets are in the wrong place; I would gladly take them off your hands e.g. Ipad 2, Iphone 4 or (soon 5) or why don't you donate them to the poor? If it makes you feel better?
6. The morale of the story: "Don't end up like the dog's, please, lah!"
Walk-in closet
"Dear Master Cecil, I've search around about FS on walk-in closet, but not much information on this. Will you be able to advise whether is it good to have a Walk-in closet in a master bedroom link to the attached bathroom?"
Some Interior Decorators refer to the closet as a wardrope. It does not really matter what it is called.
A closet should be large enough to walk inside to store clothes on two or three sides.
In Singapore, many of such closets are often also linked directly to an attached bedroom toilet.
These are some considerations:
1. In my opinion, it has more to do with Commonsense or cow-sense. Why?
2. Usually or often, how many close the attached bathroom door.
3. Often a bathroom has limited ventilation points or windows. Often, either the window(s) are closed or slightly left open. As many feel that opening too wide or dare not fully open the louvres (if any).
4. If the toilet is widely used by many family members: husband and wife; for young children.. and often if the toilet is WET most of the time.. JUST imagine commonsense says that quite alot of moisture or humidity could enter into the walk-in-wardrope or you call it closet (whatever).
5. Please ponder over Para 4. Doesn't this relate more to commonsense?
6. Thus, if one keeps lots of expensive bags e.g. L. Vutton or designer bags in the walk-in-closet; say Siaonara or Good Bye to them!
7. Sometimes even clothings or linen could turn mouldy... again due to high humidity as moisture for the wet toilet is evident.
8. Of course, for some; they keep their toilet dry and/or install a ventilation fan; this may or might help.
9. In addition, if one always closes the toilet bowl and the toilet bowl faces the toilet door; and if the toilet door is often kept open; whenever someone flushes the toilet "micro-droplet" of germs may just fly fast and furious and deposit on to clothings or materials in the walk-in-closet (wardrope - whatever).
10. Therefore, with a little imagination; frankly such things don't need to be pinned onto Feng Shui. 11. In my opinion; usually 50 percent or more of the time; such things can be explained using commonsense = cowsense. And perhaps; some naive people simply place the blame on Fung Sway.
11. In the attachment, below; the toilet has tiny or small ventilation area to the outside.
12. And if the toilet is always wet; then moisture or humidity would flow into the confined space of the walk-in-wardrope since; especially if the toilet door is not air-tight and/or it is often opened most of the time.
Staircase facing a toilet, bad?
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Corners Are Usually Dead Qi Area
1. In all rooms (including bedrooms) if we do not turn on the fan or air-con to circulate air; then it is best not to place a bed-head between the corner of the bedroom.
2. Here, if there is not much air-circulation; this is the dead qi area.
Plot at a T-junction
Reference: http://forum.geomancy.net/phpforum/article.php?bid=2&fid=6&mid=29792&new=
1. Always remember, a plot at a T-junction is at the mercy of "Commonsense" Feng Shui.
2. The test is: "Can a run-amok vehicle be able to slam into the property?" Yes or No? If Yes, then this is most likely as illustrated in the attachment a potential plot (in this case) a home facing a T-junction.
3. Block B is not considered at a T-junction. But Plot X is considered at a T-junction especially if the building or home is right at the T-junction. See attachment.
4. The assumption is that it is not a one-way street where traffic flows away from the T-junction. It also depends on which country one is in: a Right-Hand drive or Left-Hand drive.
Can Bad Fengshui Be Altered? Such as a home at a T-Junction
Reference: http://forum.geomancy.net/phpforum/article.php?bid=2&fid=1&mid=26501&new
My comments are as follows:-
1. Ideally, a house at a T-junction, should not have openings be it a window, direclty looking towards, the gate - to the road. If so, this is considered very bad Feng Shui.
2. Wooden gate should e.g. have overlapping e.g. wooden panels - do note that it can still let "air" in but physically one cannot direclty see it. This year, I had posted a picture of a home that is at this "T-junction" and this home actually belongs to a doctor.
3. Some "T-junctions" or connecting roads to the T-junctions are "busy" to very-busy. While others are less busy.. Of course, least busiest are much better than busy or fast moving "roads".
4. Look at it this way, from a practical point of view; many one off accidents do occur at main roads and where roads suddenly take a turn.
For example:- This link:-
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_travel/travel/travel_id_1/travel_site_65404/
Many years back, Montessori for Children (please see attachment) next to the blue target; throughout the years, the bungalow there had seen many especially "drunk" drivers that plow thru towards the home. And if the openings are in a straight row, imagine if a fast car - could literally plow thru into the inner sanctum of the home...
5. Although this is not a "T-junction"; once a while we do get stories of car(s) plowing towards such a home.
5.1 This is why, today no one wants to stay in this former home : now Montessori for Children. As it is a school; it will not be affected by drunkards smashing into this "home" - as after office or school hours, no one is in this school. As drunkards only venture after 12pm or later....
5.2 Thus in the above example, government has played a part in installing protective railings along Mountbatten road.. In the past, it was not that way. This example is about "reckless" endangerment of life - in a way.. some form of bad Feng Shui. The cure does not lie so much as to the direct sha qi but rather.. how do we avoid a drunkard.. plowing his/her ride direclty into a home.
7. Yes, in a way, some of these "T-junction" homes can have their bad Feng Shui REDUCED especially thru the facade of the building i.e. reposition of main door, fencing made of e.g. red bricks etc....
Can a Toilet Door face the main entrance door?
Reference: http://forum.geomancy.net/phpforum/article.php?bid=2&fid=6&mid=29797&new=
You wrote: "1. Can you tell me what it means from a feng shui apartment to have this type of floor plan, ie why we should close the bathroom door and what would happen if you don't. I'm concerned, but I don't want to be paranoid."
Reply: There are two considerations:
1.1. Commonsense or Cow-sense Feng Shui and "First Impressions Count"
1.1.1 Here, just imagine when we step into the home; visually if the toilet door is not closed; then our "first impression" is to see the wash basin + the mirror.
1.1.2 It is like the notion of asking someone not to place the dining table so close to the main entrance door. Again this is cow-sense. Some of us literally litter our dining table with lots of "rubbish" on it. And someone stepping into our home immediately gets to see this pile of "rubbish". Again it is more of the "first impressions count".
1.2. The will claim that a mirror facing the main door is no good. Again; there is this commonsense or cow-sense involved. Some of us come into a home and suddenly get to glimpse a shadow of a person in the mirror.
1.2. These are some of the "paranoid" I mentioned. Otherwise, what is there to be concerned about.
2. You said: "Also, I read that having a bathroom in the middle of the house is very bad. Would the bathroom in this floor plan be considered in the middle of the floor plan"
Reply: I can safely say based on eye-ball method: "Do chop off my head if this layout's toilet is at the center-point of the home".
3. Since you can't change to Option A and B; then no issue; just close the toilet door when not in use. For those who want to make a few cents; can always place a table and a small coin box that says " 10 cents to enter toilet".. how's that!