Monday, March 30, 2009

Fuk, Lou & Sou




The Three Star Gods, Fuk, Luk, and Sau are very famous in Chinese culture. These three represents the gods of longevity, happiness, and rank. Although they are being referred to as god, they are not literally worshipped in the traditional way a religion will worship a God. The Three Star Gods are highly regarded and are very much considered auspicious by the Chinese all over the globe. All Feng Shui stores selling Feng Shui products will have the Three Star Gods.

In the popular Chinese trinity of deities, Fuk represents prosperity. It is known as the wealth and happiness god. Luk represents authority and is known as the God of affluence and rank. Sau is the god of longevity and health. The Three Star Gods are available as Feng Shui items and Feng Shui enhancers to attract prosperity, health, and wealth.

Being the Chinese deity of prosperity, happiness and wealth, Fuk is represented wearing a red robe and is a little taller than the other two Chinese deities. Fuk is placed on the right of Luk. Feng Shui remedies have it that ever twentieth day during the seventh lunar month, favors can be asked from Fuk and they will be soon granted. Fuk is known as one of the Feng Shui enhancers that will attract prosperity, happiness and wealth to come in the house or space where Fuk is placed.

On the other hand, Sau can be recognized by the bottle of nectar he is holding in his arms. Feng Shui stores say that he is carrying peach. But whatever item it is he is holding, that item symbolizes immortality. Being the Chinese deity of longevity and good health, Sau attracts good health. According to Feng Shui remedies, Sau prevents accidents and misfortune to those who reside in the space where Sau is placed.

Luk can be easily identified of the Chinese trinity of deities. He is at the center. If you go to Feng Shui shops, they will tell you that Luk is a symbol of a person’s ability to reap and achieve high rewards and man’s ability to improve oneself. Feng Shui remedies and Feng Shui enhancers suggest placing the three all together. Fuk, Luk and Sau when placed together at home, at your office cubicle, or place of business, the Three Star Gods can be very powerful in attracting prosperity, good health, and wealth.

To achieve the maximum attracting powers of the Three Star Gods, Feng Shui stores suggest that the Feng Shui items be placed in the living room or at the dining area. As Feng Shui enhancers, the three should also always be placed on a high table.

If you are a person who wants to have good health or who wishes to improve your health condition, acquire more wealth and be prosperous, or be happier, then Fuk Luk Sau will be excellent Feng Shui items for you.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Feng Shui of The House - Living Room




Living room or the family room is the busiest areas of the home. Check the bagua area of your living room or family room. Use the bagua in your living room just as you would use it on the entire house. Decorate them accordingly by using the right feng shui element colors. Go even further and find out the feng shui birth elements and kua numbers of your family members to create harmony for all.

First Step:

Sketch the living room including any closets, door and windows. Place a copy of the bagua over the sketch to determine placement of various elements and color.

Colors Use in Living Room:

The concept of color influencing mood isn't new. Different hues of yellow and other bright colors make us feel happy. Cool blues and lavenders bring calm and restful feelings. Living room should be decorated with warm colors, comforting accessories and soft fabrics.

The Position of Seating:

Look carefully at the room before deciding how to position the seating. Do not cluttered with furniture in the living room. Arrange the comfortable furniture to encourage conversation.

Plan enough seating for the family. Don't worry about guests or visitors. Figured out how much family seating is needed. Then decide what will fit without crowding the room:

(a) Bulky sofas or sharp-edged tables shouldn't hinder the circulation within the room. Place furniture in a square or octagonal shape.

(b) The main seating should be arranged to take advantage of available light and ventilation. Seating should be placed at right angles to the main windows. This arrangement allows one to enjoy the view while avoiding direct sunlight that will cause upholstery to fade.

(c) A small living room with only one sofa and recliners or wing-back chairs will look much larger than one with a matching sofa, love seat and armchairs.

(d) If you have a large living room, arrange two sofas across from each other for larger groups.

(e) If you only have one sofa, create a more intimate setting by placing two chairs diagonally across from the sofa. Seating should never be in a straight line.

(f) Don't push the furniture against the walls unless your living room is small. Arrange the seating in a horseshoe-shape so that everybody can feel comfortable.

(g) Don't place a piece furniture so that it's back is facing the entrance to the living room.

(h) Make sure that the guest of honor can see the front door if you have guests.


Tables

(a) Do not place a large or sharp-cornered table in the middle of a small room. A round table will allow chi to flow freely around the room.

(b) If you entertain on a regular basis, use a set of nesting tables that can be easily stored.

(c) Each seat should have an available table surface for plates or glasses.

(d) Keep the coffee table neat, especially if it is in the center of the room.

This area is a minor health area that should be kept clear of clutter to promote well-being.

Do & Don’t in Living Room

(a) The living room should be lit with plenty of light and pleasantly decorated.

(b) Try to avoid placing exercise equipment or office furniture in the living room.

(c) Incorporate live plants into your room to encourage good chi and health.

(d) Fish aquarium is thought to promote luck, prosperity, harmony and peace.

(e) If you have a fireplace, make it the focal point of the room instead of a TV or other electronic equipment.

(f) Use a mirror over an unused fireplace to make a small room seem larger.

(g) Place any electronic equipment in one piece of furniture. For instance, an armoire-style entertainment center is the perfect way to conceal equipment when not in use.

(h) If you have a home entertainment system, play soothing music that will filter throughout the house and spread positive chi.

(i) It is unfavorable to use dried flowers or have dying flowers in one's home. Always keep fresh cut flowers and real plants in your home to encourage good chi.

(j) Hide your entertainment equipment in an armoire.

Feng Shui of The House - Main Entrance

The Main Entrance

The main entrance of a house is called "the mouth of Chi" in feng shui. This is how your house absorbs essential Chi, or energy. When a house has enough good Chi coming in and the flow of Chi is harmonious throughout the space, then the house is able to support good health and well-being for people living in it.

Colors

It is also wise to strengthen with right feng shui colors so that the house has the strength to hold the good energy that comes in. Knowing that your seating direction is North, you can use the appropriate colors for the feng shui element of the North, which are blue and black colors.

Paint your back door in any of the Water or Metal colors (Metal creates Water in the interaction of the five feng shui elements), or paint a feature wall in the back of your house in these feng shui colors. you may display art with Water or Metal feng shui element energy.

It is best to focus on the right feng shui colors and adjustments only after you have defined the Bagua, or the feng shui energy map of your space.

Staircase Facing Main Door

When a staircase is facing the main door directly, the feng shui energy rushes up quickly to either the lower, or the higher floor, thus leaving the main floor without feng shui energy nourishment.

This is a very general feng shui statement as there are different variations of a staircase facing the main door, thus creating different feng shui set-ups.

The feng shui case of a big foyer with many architectural features and the staircase far from the main door will be very different from a feng shui case of a small foyer with stairs closely facing the main door.

In case of a big foyer with a staircase further from the door, the energy can settle in and nourish the space, gradually and harmoniously finding its way to other areas of the house. When the foyer is small, though, and the staircase is facing the main door directly, the energy takes a rushed and fragmented quality, being forced to quickly rush up or down the stairs.

The feng shui cures in these cases are:


(i) Focused on creating a feng shui set-up at the main door that will slow down the energy and guide it to all areas of the main floor. This can be achieved with strategically placed art, specific colors, a big plant or a vase of flowers, specific pieces of furniture or mirrors (please note that mirrors should never face the entrance directly, as this pushes the energy away instead of drawing it in.)

(ii) The feng shui cures will be specific for each space, and if your floor plan has staircases too close to the main door, it is always wise to seek the advice of a professional feng shui consultant who will chart the flow of energy and give you helpful recommendations to improve the flow of Chi.

To summarize, the staircase facing the main door presents a similar feng shui challenge to a back door aligned with the main door. In both cases, the Chi is forced to leave the space quickly and is not given the opportunity to settle in and harmoniously nourish your home.

Main Door in Line with the Back Door

Let's see why the direct alignment of two or more doors doors (both interior and exterior) is considered bad feng shui. As feng shui is all about creating a balanced and harmonious flow of energy in your home, the direct alignment of two or more doors will create a harsh quality of feng shui energy resembling Sha Chi.

Imagine Chi, or energy, as water flowing into your space. You will see that water will rush very fast through the two or more directly aligned doors without actually slowing down and nourishing the space.

It is especially important to avoid a direct alignment of the front door with the back door. The reason you want to avoid this situation is because all good feng shui energy coming through the main door will easily escape through the back door without having a chance to circulate and nourish your home. Take this into consideration when you plan to renovate or remodel your home.

Your house needs good energy just like you need good quality air. It is important to be aware of the quality of feng shui energy created by your floor plan, and see what you can do to create better energy.

Here are some practical feng shui tips:
(i) Place a round table in the direct pathway of energy. This will redirect the energy and slow it down. A vase with fresh flowers on the table will improve the energy even further.

(ii) Work with color to change the relationship between doors. Choose the right feng shui color for the area and strengthen one door more than the other. This will change the relationship between the two directly aligned doors and slow down the energy.

(iii) Place a plant with a strong presence in the direct pathway of energy. The feng shui use of a plant, ideally tall and wide, in a visually strong pot, will achieve the similar effect of redirecting the energy.

(iv) Reposition the existing furniture pieces to create a redirection of flow. If there is enough space in between the directly aligned doors, create a nice grouping, or a conversation area in the direct pathway. Ground the energy even more with a colorful rug.

You need to do redirect and soften the harsh energy flow created by two or more directly aligned doors. Improving the feng shui energy in your home with items appropriate for your decor and lifestyle is the best and most powerful application of feng shui.

Zodiac Sign - Monthly Forecast (April)

27/3/2009 to 24/4/2009
Third Month of the Lunar Calendar

RAT

Mixed luck is indicated and you may experience losses due to unexpected changes and unstable wealth. Benefactors or suitability of location help save the situation. Listen to opposite sex of partner to avoid losses.

OX

Bad luck is indicated, so be prepared for the worst. Emotion is also at its lows and you are prone to disagreements with friends or colleagues. Practice endurance and harmony as things will turn out well in the end. Look out for injuries and bloodshed when outdoors.

TIGER
Luck rebounds with aid from benefactors and opportunities for promotions. Even though there are gossips behind your back, your good luck neutralizes them.

RABBIT
There is good luck but lurks within auspice. Keep a clear mind to face sudden adverse changes. Much entertainment is indicated. Friends may need your help but do not dragged into squabbles or stand guarantee to avoid losses.

DRAGON
Mixed luck is indicated, so take early precaution. Be careful with investments and refrain from gambling. Normal health is indicated. Those without partners will meet their right choices. For those in love, it will be a right time to tie up the knot. For those married, should watch out for extra marital affairs.

SNAKE
Luck continues its downhill trip and things do not work out. Wealth and career are at their lows and you have to be on the alert on the home safety ground. Do not carry out renovations or move house at this time. Ensure doors and windows are locked to prevent theft.

HORSE
Excellent luck is indicated and you enjoy a happy time with family members. Marriage of relatives, birthdays or “full moon” parties improve happiness and family luck. Short distance travel is good for partners.

GOAT
Keep away from wine and women to ensure peace in this month. Take good care of health and vitality during the setting up of business. Dull and restless married life is indicated.

MONKEY

Good luck returns this month but be careful with health. Improvement in career improves wealth. Careful investment brings profit but bad human relations are indicated. Although it is a good time for relationship but those single may not meet suitable partners.

ROOSTER
Luck slides downhill this month and obstructions are indicated. Health too declines, so look out foe influenza. Watch out for road accidents, injuries and bloodshed. Take care of finance and ensure home safety.

DOG

Good luck returns and opportunities bring you joy. Good wealth is indicated. Grab the opportunities to execute your plans. Partnerships with friends and relatives bring excellent results and new romances develop fast. Just look out for trouble caused by malefactors.

PIG
Luck falls and development stops. You may face difficult situation. Talk less to avoid letting out secrets of yourself. This is a time with much gossips and disputes. You are likely to suffer losses. Wealth look bleak and ailments are frequent this month. Seek early treatment.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Feng Shui of Marriage




For centuries, Feng Shui has served as a guiding light to many, showing the way to success, health, and happiness, at home, workplace or place of business. Even in the manner people perceive love and relationships, Feng Shui items are held today as they have been used and trusted for many years.

The most well-known Feng Shui products that symbolize love and relationships are the Mandarin Ducks (Yuan-yuang). These affectionate creatures have been featured in many Feng Shui enhancers because of how perfectly they represent togetherness, fidelity, and love.


Mandarin Ducks

In the natural habitat, the male and female Mandarin Duck are always close together. It is very rarely to see one that is all alone. Chinese legend has it that if either one is separated from its mate, the Mandarin Duck will be devastated. It will yearn for its partner, and die from loneliness. The man and woman should loves and values its mates as in the same way as the Mandarin Duck.

In the realm of Feng Shui products, Mandarin Ducks are commonly used as Feng Shui cures for people who are single, searching for a partner, or are unlucky when it comes to love. Mandarin Ducks are still popular Feng Shui enhancers to have around the home for married couple as they strengthen the togetherness of the husband and wife. Mandarin ducks also help them achieve marital bliss.

Feng Shui Mandarin Ducks should be placed in the South West portion of the house, or the South West portion of the bedroom. This is the most effective feng shui remedies for love, devotion, marriage luck and fidelity. As traditional Feng Shui cures, the Mandarin Ducks allow its owner to emit a strong love chi. This can make you more lovable and more attractive to your potential partner. As for married couples, the strong love chi given by the Mandarin Ducks keeps them happy together and making them love each other more deeply.

The Mandarin Ducks come in rose quartz, jade, ceramics and others. Get one Mandarin Ducks may help to find a long lasting relationship for single and allow married couple to find true marital bliss. Feng Shui Mandarin Ducks is the beautiful symbols of devotion, fidelity, love, and affection.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Feng Shui Garden

Create a Perfect Feng Shui Garden

It is important to have a feng shui garden with healthy Yang energy and positive Chi. In feng shui, plants are said to represent the element of wood.

Although plants in feng shui are generally represent Yang energy, some plants are naturally Yin plants and grow in the shade. These includes ferns, hostas, hellebore and woodland cyclamen.

For indoor, place the feng shui plant in front of a sharp corner or angle that maybe throwing out cutting Chi. This will help reduce stress, anxiety, sleep disorders and arguments. Chi is always flows along a smooth wall or surface until it meets an angle where it creates turbulent energy at the point. Placing a feng shui plant in front of the angle will soften it.

Matching feng shui plants to your specific soil type and climatic conditions is also an important factor of getting the balance in the perfect feng shui garden. Make sure the soil is well aerated or turned over and avoid it becoming waterlogged or overruns with ants or other insects.

The most popular feng shui plants are plants with round, heart-shaped, thick and succulent leaves. Plants with flower and provided fruits are also favoured in feng shui.

(i) Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
The Jade plant is often known as money tree. This plant often can be seen in the entrance of the Chinese restaurant or store. Jade plants acan grown indoor or outdoor and are a popular feng shui cure.

Be careful not to overwater the jade plant as the succulent leaves soon will become yellow and start to rot. Place it on window sill in the wealth corner of a spare room.



(ii) The Money Plant (Philodendron scandens)
The money plant also symbolises great abundance. It is a popular indoor feng shui plant with round heart-shaped leaves. It is capable of groeing in dark corners and is said to purify the air.

(iii) Peace Lilies (Spathiphyllum Wallisii)
Peace lilies are (according to NASA) an effective way of cleasing the air, neutralising common pollutants such as formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is found in carpets, paints, wood varnishes and flame retardant material. It is said to irritate the throat, disturb sleep and causes headaches. It is a feng shui plant that does not like direct sunlight and needs a fair amount of water.

The flower stalks should be removed once turned to have a good feng shui. Place the peace lilies next to electrical and electronic appliances like television, computer, microwave and DVDs player as they help to reduce the positive ions surrounding these equipment.

(iv) Goosefoot Plant (Syngonium podophyllum)

Goosefoot is another feng shui which may has the ability to cleanse the air you breath. This plant has a distinctive leaf which changes from arrow shaped to a five lobed form as its matures. The fiev lobed shsped represents the five elements; water, fire, earth, wood and metal. It also provides the perfect balance of Yin Yang as the new leaves are shiny and the older ones are matt.

(v) Dwart Banana Plant (Musa cavendishii)
This feng shui plants have wonderful broad arching green leaves with purple or maroon blothces or stipes on them. Green is of the element wood which feeds fire (purple). So the complementary colours or elements make the dwart banana plant the ideal feng shui plant for the home.

(v) Silver Waves or Silver Crown (Cotyledon undulata)
This feng shui plant has succulent, spoon-shaped leaves with wavy edges. It can grow indoors or outdoors. Keep the compost moist at all times but do not overwater. Chinese believe that the silver crown bestows good luck and fortune on all household members.

(vi) Golden Pothos (Scindapsus aureus) and Peperomias
Other feng shui plants to consider are golden pothos and peperomias which again are good at removing toxins from the air caused by cleaning products and modern furnishing made of synthetic materials.

Peperomias come in a huge variety of leaf colours, shaped and patterns. You can pick one that suits your feng shui colour scheme.

“All the above feng shui plants will filter the air, increase oxygen, improve humidity and energise your home or garden.”

Certain characteristics to the feng shui plants and their flowers:

(a) plum blossoms – pure
(b) bamboo – disciplined and strong
(c) orchids – reclusive
(d) chrysanthemums – pure
(e) magnolias – pure
(f) peonies – loving and harmonies

Colour of flowers:
(a) pink - relationship
(b) red - wealth
(c) blue - career
(d) yeloow, peace, orange - study, knowledge, health
(e) white, silver, magnolia, gold – for helpful friends, travel, creativity, children

Do not:

(i) Do not place thorny plants or spiky plants indoor. For example, a thorny cactus plant emits loads of cutting Chi and symbolically indicates a dry and hostile environment. Other spiky plants are snake plant, holly, mother-in-law’s tongue, certain palms, the agave, roses and yuccas.

(ii) Avoid artificial stunted plants such as bonsai. This is because their Chi has been stunted too.

(iii) Avoid plants that grow downwards such as weeping willows and spider plants. These plants will pull energy downwards and will make always in depress mood.

Feng Shui Five Elements

Feng Shui Five Elements

One of the basic principles of feng shui is the principle of five elements. The five elements in feng shui are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. These feng shui elements interact between themselves in certain ways, generally defined as the Productive and Destructive cycles. Each feng shui element is represented by a specific color, and color is the easiest way to use the five elements principle to bring more harmony into your space with feng shui.

Color correspondence of each the five feng shui elements:

WOOD : Green, Brown
FIRE : Red, Strong Yellow, Orange, Purple, Pink
EARTH : Light Yellow. Sandy/Earthy, Light Brown
METAL : White, Gray
WATER : Blue, Black



Imagine the five feng shui elements as they exist in nature, and see how they interact. See wood for an actual tree, water as a river or rain, earth as soil, etc.

Example, how does wood interact with fire? Well, it is obvious, fire burns the wood, so you know to avoid a fire element in a feng shui area of the bagua that needs the Wood element.

How these elemental forces generate and regulate energy (chi) in nature, and by extension, in the human body and mind:

Feng Shui Symbol

Feng Shui Symbols

Feng Shui history is fascinating and complex. It takes time to understand the differences between feng shui, especailly to separate the essential feng shui knowledge from the Chinese culturally.In order to create a happy feng shui home, you need to understand the basic feng shui concepts. The feng shui five elements theory, the feng shui yin yang theory, theory of Chi and Bagua applications are basic feng shui concepts.

Symbolic level of feng shui creates a lot of confusion about feng shui applications. Feng Shui Symbols have a rich, culturally specific history and meaning. Most of us are familiar with the look of many feng shui items such as Chinese coins tied with a red string, wind chimes, three legged toads, gods of wealth, etc.

In order for feng shui to work, you do not necessarily have to apply traditional Chinese feng shui symbols. You have to apply culturally specific symbols that resonate with you. Applying feng shui correctly does not imply you have to apply the culturally specific feng shui items that you may not understand or resonate with.

The reason symbolic level of feng shui works is because of the energy specific symbols bring into one's environment, as well as because of their connection with the subconscious level of your mind. The stronger your connection with these symbols, the more you like them, the more powerful they become for you.



Some of the most popular Chinese feng shui symbols are:

Love & Marriage Feng Shui Symbols
Dragon and Phoenix
Mandarin Ducks
The Double Happiness Sign
Peony Flowers
Wealth Feng Shui Symbols
Gold Arrowana or Koi Fish
Chinese Coins
The Three Legged Toad
Golden Ingots
Sailing Ship
Good Fortune Feng Shui Symbols
Chi Lin, the Dragon Horse
Golden Cicada
The Red Bat
Health & Longevity Feng Shui Symbols
Sau, the God of Longevity
Lucky Bamboo
Wu-Lou, Gourd

What Is Feng Shui





What Is Feng Shui


"Feng" means "wind" and "shui" means "water". In Chinese culture gentle wind and clear water have always been associated with good harvest and good health, thus "good feng shui" came to mean good livelihood and fortune, while "bad feng shui" came to mean hardship and misfortune.

Feng Shui is based on the Taoist vision and understanding of nature, particularly on the idea that the land is alive and filled with Chi, or energy. The ancient Chinese believed that the land's energy could either make or break the kingdom, so to speak. The theories of yin and yang, as well as the five feng shui elements, are some of the basic aspects of a feng shui analysis that come from Taoism.

The main tools used in a feng shui analysis are the Compass and the Ba-Gua. The Ba-Gua is an octagonal grid containing the symbols of the I Ching, the ancient oracle on which Feng Shui is based. Knowing the Bagua of your home will help you understand the connection of specific feng shui areas of your home to specific areas of your life.
The feng shui compass, also called lo-pan, is used to access deeper information about a site or a building. It consists of bands of concentric rings arranged around the magnetic needle. "Lo" means "everything" and "pan" means "bowl", which can be interpreted as the key to the mysteries of the universe.

Feng Shui offers a variety of feng shui cures to improve your life. There are many ways you can improve the energy in your home with feng shui such as using feng shui of crystals, feng shui of fountains, feng shui use of colors, feng shui use of clocks etc.
Watch these FREE feng shui

Feng Shui History

Feng Shui History (Part I)

Feng Shui is an ancient art and science developed over thousand years ago in China. Feng Shui has a history of many thousands years, some say 2,000 years, some say 5,000 years. It is a complex body of knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space to assure the health and good fortune for people inhabiting it.

Feng shui was practiced since Tang Dynasty, where we can find early recordings about employing feng shui masters in selecting auspicious sites, as well as about feng shui texts being required reading for imperial exams (court of Emperor Hi Tsang, 888 A.D.)

One of the famous feng shui names recorded in the history of feng shui is Master Yang Yun Sang, who left a legacy of many classical feng shui texts and is considered the founder of the landscape school of feng shui.

Throughout his writing, Master Yang emphasized the importance of selecting an auspicious site that has dragon's energy, or dragon's breath, thus the careful examination of the shape of land formations - mountains, hills, valleys, as well as water formations and specifics. The vital energy, or Chi, contained in specific earth locations was described as finding the dragon and its lair, and natural formation where symbolic of animal shapes and energies, such as green dragon, white tiger, etc.

Three texts form the Master Yang's contribution to the foundations of feng shui, particularly the Form, or Landscape School of Feng Shui:

(i) Han Lung Ching - The Art of Rousing the Dragon
(ii) Ching Hang Ao Chih - Methods of Locating the Dragon's Lair
(iii) I Lung Ching - Canons Approximating Dragons


Feng Shui (Part II)


Almost a hundred years later, the Compass Feng Shui School (another feng shui school) gained strength and popularity. A Feng Shui Master by the name Wang Chih who developed his teachings during the Song Dynasty was the main influence in this feng shui school.

The Compass Feng Shui School calculations are based on the compass directions and the I-Ching trigrams arranged in the octagonal symbol of the BaGua.

Other feng shui theories employed by the Compass Feng Shui School of Thought are the Yin-Yang Theory, The Theory of Five Elements, the Lo-Shu Square, and other. The time dimension was first introduced by The Compass School Practitioners, to define the best timing for best energies in specific places.

Furthermore, the concept of the Kua number was introduced as a way to calculate the directions of most auspicious energies based on the client's date of birth.

In late nineteenth century, after a period of existence as two separate schools, the two feng shui schools (the Landscape or Form Feng Shui School, and the Compass Feng Shui School) merged, thus providing for a body of knowledge of unique depth and wisdom in reading the environmental energy patterns.