Did geomancer's BAD ADVICE kill our daughter?

The following news came out in the New Paper recently:

First News

Sick girl dies after move to 'perfect' home. Parents blame fengshui master

Did geomancer's BAD ADVICE kill our daughter?

DESPERATE to save their dying daughter, two parents turned to a fengshui master for help. By Maureen Koh

11 June 2007

DESPERATE to save their dying daughter, two parents turned to a fengshui master for help.

They hoped that by changing the 'luck' of the family, their young child might miraculously recover from her illness.

Following the geomancer's advice, they sold their four-room Woodlands flat in 2005 and spent nearly $10,000 over six months to rent flats in places such as Jurong and Bukit Batok, hoping to change their daughter's luck.

They also changed the Chinese characters of all their names.

In all, they paid $4,000 to the geomancer.

But last year, the girl died just four days short of her 6th birthday.

Now, her parents want to sue the geomancer, but have been told that a lawsuit could be futile.

There has been no precedent that would hold someone liable for practising an art or belief that cannot be proven scientifically.

The couple have asked that they not be named fully. They also declined to identify the girl's illness.

Their lawyer told The New Paper on Sunday: 'As fengshui practice hinges very much on belief, it would take a lot to prove any hint of a malpractice.

'It is not like there is a book of authority on the subject that one could refer to for verification.'

It seems the Lims are not the only ones who want to haul their fengshui master to court.

A Singapore businesswoman also wants to sue the same geomancer, claiming she went bankrupt because of his advice.

Full article: http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,132758,00.html

Second News

HARD TO SUE, SAY LAWYERS

IT may be an uphill task to sue a fengshui master unless the victims can prove their misfortune is due to the bad advice. 11 June 2007

IT may be an uphill task to sue a fengshui master unless the victims can prove their misfortune is due to the bad advice.

Lawyer Loo Eng Teck, from Harry Elias Partnership, said: 'One of the issues the court will look at is whether the families are able to prove that their damages were caused by following the advice of the geomancer. This would be the hardest part to prove in a court of law.'

Veteran lawyer Amolat Singh added that, unlike accountants, doctors and lawyers, geomancers are not regulated by any board.

'As such, there are no objective ways of measuring if one's interpretation is right or wrong,' Mr Singh said. He once had a client who changed his name twice in three months for fengshui purposes.

There may be recourse if claimants can prove that they have been misled into paying for the geomancer's services.

Veteran lawyerPeter Low said it may be prudent to set up a body to regulate and accreditate the practitioners.

But, at the end of the day, it is most importantly, a case of 'buyers beware'.

Mr Singh said: 'They can offer advice but you're the one acting on it.'

Third News

Fengshui masters trying to clean up industry

UPSET with what they think are the bad apples among them, a few renowned fengshui masters here have formed an association to set a professional code of practice. 11 June 2007

UPSET with what they think are the bad apples among them, a few renowned fengshui masters here have formed an association to set a professional code of practice.

Geomancer Tan Khoon Yong, who is one of three vice-presidents of the two-year-old International Feng Shui Association (IFSA), said: 'One of the association's main objectives is to forge the standard of the profession by approving accreditation only to those who have passed the stringent checks imposed by our committee.'

Agreeing with him was MrVincent Koh, who founded the Singapore Feng Shui Centre in 1997.

He has been teaching Basic Science of Feng Shui at Singapore Polytechnic since 1998.

STRICT PROCESS

Mr Koh, 59, the IFSA's honorary treasurer, said: 'The selection process is conducted strictly; different grades are awarded depending on the practitioner's experience.'

But, until the young IFSA gains a firmer foothold in Singapore, the fengshui masters felt that the public should take note of some basic tips when seeking fengshui consultations.

Start by doing your research. MrKoh said: 'A good practitioner does not go around saying he is good. Ask for referrals.'

It may not be necessary to pay top dollar for consultation, but be wary of those who charge 'reasonable fees', for you can end up paying more for 'supposed necessary auspicious items', MrTan cautioned.

Geomancer Adelina Pang, 40, also an IFSA member, said: 'Giving the practice a bad name are the ones who sell all kinds of things. Fengshui is not just about selling auspicious items.'

Also, fengshui masters are no psychics or magicians.

Mr Koh said: 'The geomancer must visit the premise that's to be assessed.'

Mr Tan added: 'And his job does not stop there.

'He has to visit again after the recommended work is completed to ensure that everything is aligned accordingly.'

When clients approach Mr Koh with a health issue, his first question is always: Have you consulted a doctor?

He said: 'In life-threatening situations, I tell my clients honestly there is nothing I can do to prolong the person's life.

'I can only help to reduce his suffering by working on the fengshui elements of his home.'

Regards
Alvin Chua

Disclaimer: The copyright of these articles are owned by SPH or its licensors. No part or parts hereof are my original intellectual properties and are published here solely for personal, non-commercial purpose. Removal request of any of the above published intellectual property can be sent to me shall there be any conflict legally.

Giant Metal Calabash

The calabash (Hu Lu) has always been the best cure for the Sickness Star 2 Black in Flying Stars Feng Shui. So it was a pleasant surprise to me to notice the giant metal containers outside many Chinese herbal shops are shaped like calabash. I have always seen such containers outside the shops and they are filled with cooling herbal tea for passer-by to purchase and have a quick drink to quench their thirst and also relieve from excessive heat energy in the body. But it always escaped my mind that the containers are actually giant calabash filled with healing beverage. This may have increased the health properties of the tea in them tremendously.

Regards
Alvin Chua

Surayud Courts Feng Shui Fortunes

The following article was first published on Friday April 20, 2007 on Bangkok Post's website:

Workers install reflective road studs, or cat's eyes, on the access road to Government House. The work was carried out simultaneously with the re-arrangement of the area's landscape, reportedly to conform to feng shui principles to improve the government's fortunes. — SAROT MEKSOPHAWANNAKUL

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's staff have had Government House re-arranged, seemingly to conform with feng shui principles and lift the government's waning fortunes. Workers on Tuesday installed a fountain outside the Violet Room _ the prime minister's office.

Potted plants carrying auspicious names were brought in and put on the stairs to the back entrance of the government's headquarters and in other places around the building.

According to one report, all pictures of former prime ministers have been removed from the building. It is not known where the pictures have been stored.

The prime minister's staff sought advice from a feng shui master in the hope that this could help the government survive until the end of the year.

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of positioning buildings, furniture and objects to achieve harmony with the environment and gain prosperity.

Gen Surayud's predecessors are also known to have turned to feng shui masters for advice and adjusted their workplace in one way or another to improve their fortunes.

During the term of former prime minister Chatichai Choonhavan, a new, larger spirit house was put up on the premises of Government House under the close supervision of Thanpuying Boonruen, Gen Chatichai's wife.

She also had a large pane of glass installed near the staircase leading to Gen Chatichai's office to dispel bad luck, though the Chatichai administration was eventually overthrown in a coup by a group of military leaders who formed the National Peace-keeping Council.

The Thai Rak Thai party had resorted to the same philosophy to improve its fortunes.

Late last year, the then ruling party installed statues of the singha, a mythical animal, at the entrance of its former headquarters on Phetchaburi road.

Recently, the party moved to a new office building on Rama III road in Bang Kho Laem district. The new location is also believed to conform to feng shui principles.


All rights of the above article belongs to © Copyright The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2007

Who Uses Feng Shui Nowadays?

Long gone are the days when Feng Shui was the talk among superstitious housewives in the marketplace. The art has now a different genre of audience and they are taking it to a much higher and professional level, reminiscing the old days when Feng Shui was championed by the Emperors of ancient China and not a mediocre practice among the populace. The list below will serve as an eye-opener for skeptics of Feng Shui and show how many people out there are actually using it as an extra edge in their ventures. I doubt these people and organisations are ignorant enough to apply something that has no functional value. So here are the people and organisations that have used Feng Shui in their life and buildings:

Individuals:

Bill Clinton

Harry E. Sloan (Chief Executive of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.)

Merrill Lynch

Tommy Hilfiger

Emanuel Ungaro

Donna Karen

Madonna

Boy George

David Duchovny

Gillian Anderson

Cher

Brooke Shields

Sharon Stone

Cybil Shepherd

Eric Clapton

Shirley MacLaine

Andie McDowell

Patricia Arquette

Fran Drescher

Sarah Jessica-Parker

Mariah Carey

Ricky Martin

Courtney Cox

Lisa Kudrow

Kevin Spacey

Johnny Depp

George Clooney

Oprah Winfrey

Ellen Degeneres

Steven Speilberg

Donald Trump (Riverside West and Trump Towers. Afterwards he appeared on Dateline NBC vowing to use Feng Shui in all future projects.) A quote from him: "I don't have to believe in Feng Shui. I do it because it makes me money."

Companies:

Aristocrat Leisure (Australia)

British Airways

British Telecom

Coca-Cola

CBS TV Studios

Citibank

Charles Schwab

Chase Manhattan Bank

Cathay Pacific

Conde Nast Publishing

Ripley's Believe It or Not (Head Office in Orlando, Florida)

News Corp.

Proctor & Gamble

Hewlett-Packard

Ford Motors

Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation

Hong Kong Disneyland

Los Angeles Zoo

Taipei Railway Station

Taiwan's Taipei 101 tower, the tallest skyscraper in the world

Marks and Spencer (U.K.)

Virgin Airways (U.K.)

The Body Shop

Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong)

Macquarie Bank (Australia)

Mortgage Choice (Australia)

JeansWest (Australia)

Grey Global Group (a marketing communications organization in Australia)

Sydney's Willoughby council (Australia)

Hiscocks Insurance

Guam International Airport

Morgan Stanley

Mandarin Oriental Hotel (Hong Kong)

Hyatt Hotels

Motorola

Universal Studios

TD Waterhouse

Panasonic

Kellogg's

Sony

Shell

Singapore Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort

Singapore Raffles Hotel

German autobahn rest stops have been designed using feng shui principles to help calm and rejuvenate motorists.

Beirut gas station utilizes feng shui to harness cosmic energy. Feng shui principles are to be added at all Medco's new gas stations.

Then it might surprise you to know that many Fortune 500 companies are using Feng Shui.

Burbank Police Department invited Feng Shui consultants to take part in a panel discussion regarding how Feng Shui applications might be used.

Former president Bill Clinton is said to have had the White House "feng shuied," and progressive school administrators and city officials have given a nod to the practice as well.

Regards
Alvin Chua

Money Lock and People Lock

Also know as the Imprisoned Star or rapped Star in the central palace. Avoid such a house at all cost. Some Masters teaches that only Money Lock can be released. People Lock has no cures. But I have included all the cures I can find here.

Money Lock

Activate the timely 9ws instead. Make sure no 5 and 2 there.

Make sure there is direct route (can see each other) from 8ws in the center to wherever the 5ws is located. Remove walls or obstacles in-between. If this can’t be done, place a water feature (externally if possible) where the 5ws is and also in the central palace. Make sure the circulating water can be seen and heard. Open main entrance at 5ws if possible.

Another solution is to activate the 5ws (represents a Wang number in this period) with the fire element. This is the only time you can add fire to the 5ws.

Another solution is to try your best to allow the front palace to reach the center of the house so that Qi can flow freely. If there is a body of water, virtual water (roadway) or a wide-open space at the facing side of the house, the Water Star is released. The central part of the house must be opened to all directions.

People Lock

Place a water feature (externally if possible) where the 5ms is and also in the central palace.

Regards
Alvin Chua

What is Dao?

The closest word that best describes its meaning would be the word ‘Nature’. Literally, it is the Chinese word for ‘way’ or ‘path’. However, to use ‘Nature’ alone as an equivalence of Dao will be extremely limiting to our view and comprehension of it for it is much more then Nature. Dao is the natural flow and balance of everything. It is all that is and the substance that the whole universe is made of, as said in the Daodejing 道德经,

“The Dao gave birth to One, the One gave birth to Two, the Two gave birth to Three,

and from the Three everything was conceived.”

It is omnipresent, omnipotent and the subtle law that all things follow. It is formless yet it exists in all that have forms. It has no beginning and no end. Its very nature is spontaneity and thus does not interfere with the world. But through it everything is created and accomplished. This is why in the beginning line of the Daodejing, it is said that the Dao that can be described is not Dao because the real Dao’s all-pervading nature cannot be captured in mere words. Only through one’s own direct experiences can the Dao be understood and felt.

The word ‘Dao’ was not uncommon before it was mentioned by Lao-zi in his book. However, its meanings were very different back then. Based on studies on the linguistic aspect and analysis of early texts, it is said that the shamans were the ones who started using the term and it was very much referring to the different phases of the lunar movement. To these ancients, the sun appeared constant everyday whereas the moon seemed to be the embodiment of change due to its waning and waxing. Thus the shamans gave equal importance to it in their rituals and beliefs. Under the influence of Confucianism, the Dao changed to imply a moral system that which people are supposed to abide in their daily conduct. It was with Lao-zi’s book that the Dao took on its new meanings as well as regaining back its previous arcane characteristic.

Written by Alvin Chua. All rights reserved. Copyright @. Not for commercial use of any kind.

How did Daoism came about?

How did Daoism came about?

Daoism actually has its roots in ancient shamanism. In any primitive community, the shamans and priests were the ones with great authority and possessed the ability to manipulate the elements of nature. These ancient wise men worshipped nature and spirits; divination and vaticination were then common too. This form of primitive religion gradually evolved into the worship of `Heaven', `God' and ancestors prevalent in the Yin and Zhou eras. In fact, almost all religions have their roots in such shamanistic practices. By the Spring and Autumn Warring States period, the archaic religion had undergone a metamorphosis that contributed to its more organized structure. The Hundred Schools emerged and competed with each other 百家争鸣. Different schools of thoughts emerged like the Huang Lao Daoists 黄老道, the Confucianists 儒家, the Mohists 墨家, the Yin-Yang Naturalists (Yin Yang Jia) 阴阳家 and also the Immortalists (Fang Xian Dao) 方仙道, all of them having strong influence on China's cultural history. With the introduction of Buddhism to China during the Eastern Han period, religious interest among the people turned into some form of delirium. Under these circumstances, the Huang-Lao tradition of thought (based on the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Lao Zi) was eventually fused with the different philosophies and gradually assimilated the traditional Shamanism, Immortalist alchemical techniques, Yin-Yang Jia’s duality concepts, etc. Thus, the earliest form of organized Daoism we all know had taken shape at this time.

Written by Alvin Chua. All rights reserved. Copyright @. Not for commercial use of any kind.

What is Daoism?

Below is an extract from a book on Daoism that I did not managed to finish writing. Nevertheless, I have put it up here to share the parts I have written. I will post most of them up in time to come.


What is Daoism?

Daoism is actually a collective term used to describe various religious movements and schools of thought that are native to China. We conveniently called them Daoism because the concept of Dao is a common theme present in all of them. Basically, it can be classified as two main categories, Philosophical Daoism (Dao Jia) 道家 and Religious Daoism (Dao Jiao) 道教. Philosophical Daoism would refer to the school of thought made popular by Lao-zi during the Spring and Autumn Period 春秋 to the Warring States Period 战国. Strictly speaking, Lao-zi 老子 and his later counterpart Zhuang-zi 庄子 did not call themselves Daoist. In fact, the label was unheard of until the Han 汉 Dynasty when Sima Qian 司马迁, the famous Chinese historian was faced with the challenge of categorizing philosophers of the classical period into various schools of thoughts. To facilitate his work, two new groups were created which is the Daoist because of their common idea of Dao, and the Legalist (Fa Jia) 法家.

Religious Daoism on the other hand is a religion that was established amidst the Eastern Han dynasty later on, which makes it more than 1800 years old. It is a religion that upholds the Dao as its highest belief as well as the possibility of attaining immortality through cultivation of the body and mind. To some Daoists, Philosophical Daoism is a thing of the past since it was almost completely substituted by the Daoist religion. Thus, after the Jin4 晋 dynasty, references to the term Dao Jia will actually refer to the Daoist religion, unless it is made clear that one is talking about the pre-Qin Philosophical Daoism. One important point to note here is that despite the classification we have above, we must remember that each part is essential to the whole to enable us to have a comprehensive understanding of Daoism. The stratification of Daoism into two major styles was actually more of the effort of scholars and historians so as to facilitate their work than literal occurrences. In fact, change is the only constant in the history of Daoism, making the diffentiation an overly simplified depiction. Discretion must be practiced in order to define Daoism accurately as it has the tendency to mean different things in the many dynasties prevalent in Chinese history. Another point to take note here is that Daoism is more of a way of life than just an occasional practice or worship. The reason being that philosophy, religion and life style have always been inseparable in the Asian context all this while.

The present facet of Daoism commonly practiced by worldwide Chinese communities is mainly of the religious nature but alas, most of its believers are ignorant to the underlying concepts and principles behind its rituals nowadays.

Written by Alvin Chua. All rights reserved. Copyright @. Not for commercial use of any kind.

Ba Zhai 4 Inauspicious Directions

四凶位：

絕命（破軍）

財運極差，多病損壽，凶則死亡，破財，失物，肺病，被劫，火災，離家出走，有外遇，好友成仇等（肅殺之神）：有殺傷力，忌作主房氣口，犯則易有手術，刀傷，車禍，賊劫 。

Chueh Ming means exhausted fate. In this location nothing will work out, financially you might suffer and you may face many incurable sicknesses. Accidents, loss of children, disharmony leading to family break up and loss in business are just a few of the problems you may face. This location is also called total loss location.

阳宅三要：破军不可当。黄肿病残伤。有子难延寿。女劳命不长。

五鬼（廉貞）

破財連連，健康甚差，容易招鬼，遊蕩，惡疾，好勇鬥狠，暴戾，吸毒等（威武之神）：指無端惹禍，但亦有轉禍為福之力，宜作廁所，士多，浴室，忌作主房。大門。廚房和主氣口。犯則意外多生。生癌手術等 。

Wu Gwei means five ghosts. This location represents total disharmony, lots of bickering amongst family members and disloyalty. Backstabbing, project failure, fire disasters, always running into losses are synonymous with this location. You may face employee retention problems there is also a possibility of robberies.

阳宅三要：廉贞独火星。二子败家门。燥暴多凶恶。拖炝作健军。

六煞（文曲）

財運不好，災禍連連，多病，貪花戀酒，愛情反覆，意外受傷，離婚等（遊魂之神）：乃宅主桃花位，已婚主婚姻反覆，宜作廁所浴室，忌作主要房間或氣口，犯則人口不寧，夫妻紛爭 。

Liu Sha means six evils. This location brings forth lawsuits and relationship problems. Loss of money, promiscuity, health problems and argumentative problems are few of the problems which this location may bring. Your business will suffer and there is a possibility of untimely death.

阳宅三要：文曲润下水。颠狂不足言。军徒兼忤逆(disobedient children)。业祖败庄田。

禍害（祿存）

官災是非，財難積聚，爭執被騙，不好的加倍壞下去，離婚，撞車，吃得多變糖尿病，惡疾，手術，胃病，神經衰弱，性病等（禍害之神），宜作廁所浴室 。

Ho Hai means injury. You may sustain injury in the form of emotional pain, physical suffering and unexpected calamities. This location brings forth hassles, loss of work and loss of money. You might be always running into obstacles and nothing ever runs smoothly. The impact of all problems and loses in this direction is less compared to the ones listed above.

阳宅三要：阴土禄存星。人贱子不兴。零丁多带破。绝小二房荣。

Ba Zhai 4 Auspicious Directions

When learning Ba Zhai from different sources, the interpretation of the meaning of the Auspicious Directions always differs. So I decided to look through the ancient scriptures for their true meanings. I have compiled the common interpretations followed by the exact texts from the scriptures so that everyone can make a comparison. It is not complete at the moment but this is what I have done so far. It is not a easy task since some of the old Chinese words used in the ancient scriptures are not in use nowadays and thus not available in any dictionary.

四吉位：

生氣（貪狼）

財運好，健康話力充沛，移民，旅行，進步（生氣之神）；生生不息之意，利男性名聲，忌做廁所浴室，否則會引起失職，多病痛，女性小心小產。

主富贵多子。

Sheng qi basically indicates life giving force. Sheng qi direction can be used to attain wealth luck and authority. It also ensures business success. This location can be used to gain political power, business success, wealth luck and fame. It can be used for business men, entrepreneurs and politicians. This direction can also be helpful in attaining children and leading a healthy life. This area is good for wealth.

金光斗临经：人命合得此吉方吉向。又逢贪狼生旺之神修造。定生五子。大旺赀财。催官贵显。百庆交集。

阳宅三要：贪狼家道隆。五子更英雄。文艺多端立。精专百事通。

延年（武曲）

財運好，健康延年益壽，官運，中標，考試，升職，轉業或開業（明喜之神）；主和諧，主壽，利外交事務，忌作廁所浴室，犯則口舌官非，家宅不寧 。

Yen Nien means longevity. This location can be especially used for relationships, for harmony between husband and wife. This direction ensures good networking skills and enables a person to acquire wealth through his inter-personal skills, can be used for PR, marketing managers, human resource managers and personnel. It promotes goodwill and harmony amongst family/staff members. So if family disharmony is your problem this is the direction to use.

阳宅三要：阳金武曲星。豪杰出二门。武雄仁慈孝。精专百物能。

天醫（巨門）

財運好，疾病痊癒，貴人扶持，求醫，貿易，止夜啼（財富之神）；主健康，主富行婦女，旺財，忍作廁所浴室，犯則多主頑疾 。

Tien Yi means heavenly or celestial doctor. This direction can be used to cure illness. It also pertains to making a person wealthy. This direction enables a person to have the talent in curing sickness and blesses the person with healing powers, can be used by doctors, healers. Using this direction also ensures that people always help you out and that you lead a healthy and long life. If health is your concern then this is the direction to use.

金光斗临经：人命合得宅之床房灶向者。生三子致中富。创造则人财旺相。修改则除病免祸。

阳宅三要：阳土巨门星。人财家道兴。功名三教显。医卜性聪明。

伏位（左輔）

如沒有巒頭上之沖煞，主財運小吉，運氣中等，健康如常，尤其是在衣食，慶典，地位，婚嫁方面；但如果有巒頭上之沖煞，凶起來比其他位置更凶，好的變成壞的，例如婚姻不成，沒有衣食，小產流產，慶典變紛爭，工作壓力大等。（抱喜之神）主平靜，利主管，有鎮壓之力，宜飭神位，主管位，忌作廁所浴室，犯則令人心煩意亂，不安於位 。

Fu wei means lying down position. It is for general prosperity, can be used for personal development and studies. It promotes clear thinking and increases a person’s ability to concentrate on his/her work. A person using this direction will never face problems. It is a good direction for maintaining one's position and taking administrative decisions can be used for administrative managers, analysts, research and development managers and personnel.

阳宅三要：伏令二木星。逐势达时荣。见吉多逢吉。逢凶必见凶。

Written by Alvin Chua. All rights reserved. Copyright @. Not for commercial use of any kind.

Grandmaster Yap's Ba Zhai Feng Shui

The following is a compilation of the methods used by Yap Cheng Hai of Malaysia. His Ba Zhai method is different from what is commonly taught by other masters but he's had more than 50 years of experience and findings to support his style. Thus, I feel that there's must be something of value to learn from it:

Main door of house should FACE Ming Gua auspicious directions. Shift or tilt the main entrance to face the good directions if required to ensure the entry of only the auspicious Qi. Ancient feng shui masters did not have to tilt the angle of their doors and it was because town planning was unheard of those days. They could therefore build their homes according to their respective auspicious feng shui alignments. Hence the haphazard streets and layout in some old towns and villages in China. Another case in point: The Yaps visited a Master Leaw in his home in Ganzhai, China, not too long ago. The 85-year-old feng shui master, who is a direct descendant of one of the two disciples of Yang Su Chong, had his door tilted in the early 1990s to tap his most auspicious direction. This is significant because feng shui is here today because of Yang Su Chong, an imperial astronomer and librarian.

The position of the kitchen and direction of the stove is the second most important aspect of a home, after that of the main door. Kitchen is to be located in your Ming Gua inauspicious locations with the stove pointing towards your auspicious directions. The kitchen door must face an auspicious direction. What is the direction of the stove, you may ask. The direction is deemed to be the controls of the stove or the fire mouth, which is where the flame of the stove is controlled. Also, watch out for the directions that should be avoided each year. You will need to be careful when shifting a stove which, in feng shui, is considered a major project. An alternative to moving the stove would be to use a portable stove for that year.

Headboard of bed should point to Ming Gua auspicious directions.

Always sit FACING your Ming Gua auspicious directions.

Bedroom should be located in your Ming Gua auspicious sectors.

Toilet should not be located in your Ming Gua auspicious sectors.

It is alright to renovate the Tai Sui area if you have yet to move in. To offset the Tai Sui, you may consider putting something metallic.

If your children are rebellious, and you want them to listen to you, activate the Yan Nian direction. The ideal would be to locate the child in a room at the parent’s Yan Nian location. If this is not possible, an alternative would be to use a room in the child’s own Yan Nian location. In both cases, the child should sleep with his head pointing to his own Yan Nian direction. For example, it the father is Kan Gua (Gua number 1) and the child is Zhen Gua (Gua number 3), the child should sleep in the room located in the South (the father’s Yan Nian location) with his head pointing to SE (his own Yan Nian direction).

To assist in studies, the main point to consider is the location of the study table and the direction of the study table. In this case, we will want to activate either the Fu Wei or Sheng Qi direction. For example, if the student is a Kun Gua (gua number 2), then his Fu Wei direction is SW and his Sheng Qi direction is NE. Have the desk at the SW room in the SW location of the room and facing either NE or SW. An additional consideration is to look at the fl ying stars of the house. The 1 White star is generally considered the scholarly star. As such, if you are able to face the 1 white star and that direction coincides with the your auspicious direction, this will also contribute to the scholarly success of the person. The 1 White star is at the East in 2006.

Certain masters would determine the facing of a condominium from the balcony, basically standing at the balcony door looking outwards. We have found that this is not necessarily correct. In most cases we would use the actual entrance door of your condominium, standing inside the unit and measuring outwards. Why measure outwards? This is the direction the Qi is coming from. I would usually consider the apartment entrance as the main facing and my case histories have proven me to be correct. The entrance to the respective condo or apartment unit is considered its main door. So, this is where the owner should tap his auspicious direction. On the other hand, while the common entrance to the condo or apartment project is not important to the individual unit owners or dwellers, it is important to the developer. As for the feng shui for a whole floor, consider for a moment: Is everyone on the same floor enjoying the same good fortune or suffering the same bad luck? I heavily doubt that this would be the case. “In our opinion and experience, the balcony door does not qualify as the main door. This is taking into consideration that the doorway is defined by the action of entering and exiting a property, and in the process, bringing in the qi from outside the property,” say the Yaps. One can’t possibly walk in through the balcony door, nor can one exit from the balcony door to leave the unit.

I am sure that in every floor there is a mix of both good and bad. This could be more a case of whether the apartment is suitable for the occupants rather than the feng shui of an entire floor. Yes, there is a methodology to choose the best floor and from there, the best unit, but ultimately I am more concerned about your main entrance and master bedroom. Only after these major aspects are put right would I consider looking at the floor and the unit location, which I consider to be more of a fine tuning effort.

The first bit of advice I can provide you is to forget about buying numbers. Some people have the luck and some do not. In your case, I suspect that you do not as you have yet to strike any numbers. So, the first step to wealth is to save the money that you spend on buying numbers.

The notion of house Gua is basically incorrect. I am sure there are people who will argue about this point but they don’t have 50 years of accumulated data on this matter. Let us look at the matter properly; feng shui consists of the heavenly or cosmic trinity of Heaven, Earth and Man. Feng shui is a potential, which can only be activated by the human qi. The house is passive and hence cannot have a Gua. Also, from another angle, this would mean that a person who is an E Gua should only use a N-S oriented house and a W Gua person should only use a NE-SW oriented house. This will limit the choice of houses a person can buy. The lamppost opposite you will affect you only if you have a door facing it. As your door is facing SE, the lamppost should not affect you. If you are still worried, you can hang up a Ba Gua mirror with a convex surface on the front of your house pointing back towards the lamppost.

Basic Guide for Water Placement Based on Ba Zhai

Place water in good areas. For example, the best direction and location for a Kun (No 2) Gua person is in the northeast. Based on this school of feng shui, the best place for an aquarium is in the northeast sector of the house.

Colours have a very minimal effect. I would say that if the rest of your feng shui is correct, having the right colour is not too important. On the other hand, if your feng shui is generally wrong, then every little bit helps where ease of mind is concerned. In other words, if you get your room location and bed direction right, don’t worry about the colour.

You should put the crystal in a location that is auspicious for you. What is auspicious depends on your Life Gua.

Feng shui is definitely not a religion. In fact, anybody can learn and implement feng shui for himself. It is about tapping the qi, a universal cosmic energy, for a person's well being. Feng shui is also about location and direction. Thus, if something claims to be feng shui but does not have anything to do with location and direction, then it is most probably not feng shui. The art is derived from the ancient Chinese Ba Gua or eight trigrams, which dates back some 6,000 years ago. Feng shui has no bearing with religion. It is similar to the Taoist philosophy, which has its roots in China much earlier than Buddhism, in that everything is cyclical and everything will revert to the tao or nothingness. The link between feng shui and Taoism is very obvious. The scholars in ancient days were all Taoists and you could say that the Taoists practised feng shui. As the general population became more educated, feng shui spread as a form of knowledge and broke free from Taoism.

Grandmaster Yap Cheng Hai puts it aptly: "Heaven Luck is the boat given to you by God. Earth Luck is the wind that fills the sails and the currents of the ocean. Man Luck is the way in which you use the wind and the currents to steer your boat."

According YCH a few hundred years ago books were written by feng shui masters during the Ching dinasty with false information to confuse the masses to spoil their own feng shui.

A Non-believer

I remember many years ago a story that was shared by my fellow classmates when I was learning under my Daoist teacher. My teacher had a best friend that he first knew when he was in the army. While my teacher is a Daoist master, his best friend was a firm believer of science and he never accepted the former's religious practices. One day, the friend made a visit to my teacher's home and saw the altar in the house. He queried the teacher about the many amulets he saw on the altar and my teacher explained that some of these amulets are actually home to spirits that he kept. Claiming his faith in science and not spirits, the best friend wanted proof and requested to bring one of the amulets home and see what happens. My teacher was reluctant but obliged, allowing him to take a spirit with him back. Before leaving, my teacher cautioned the friend that he will definitely return it before the next day.

True enough, the best friend called the teacher in the middle of the night and begged him to take the amulet back. The friend was not able to sleep as he kept hallucinating that the walls are closing in on him. Other supernatural occurences happened too but I was not given the details. Nevertheless, the spirit definitely scared the hell out of this guy and nearly drive him insane. My teacher then made a fast trip down to the friend's house and collected his spirit 'friend' back. The best friend became an overnight believer of the spirit world and learned to respect my teacher's religious practices.

Regards
Alvin Chua

怎么知道犯了太岁？

俗语云：“太岁当头坐，无灾便是祸。”太岁指每年流年的地支，2007年为猪年，天干地支丁亥，亥就是本年太岁了，而与猪有刑、冲、破、害的生肖也称为犯太岁。「冲」亦分为「年冲」及「对冲」。 「年冲」即是指生肖之年，例如今年是蛇年，属蛇者即为年冲； 「对冲」即是指生肖之年再加上六年，「对冲」又叫「六冲」，即子午冲、丑未冲、寅申冲、卯酉冲、辰戌冲、巳亥冲；以辛巳蛇年为例，巳与亥为相冲，因此肖猪的人仕在辛巳蛇年，便是「对冲」，犯了太岁；凡是遇到「年冲」或「对冲」的生肖，都要到庙里拜太岁，才会诸事顺吉。
甚麼叫做刑太岁，刑太岁，又称「偏冲」，自己的出生年如与流年所属生肖相差三年，便是刑克，即与流年太岁「偏冲」。古语有云：太岁当头坐，无喜恐有祸。例如蛇年，肖蛇为太岁，肖猪为冲太岁，而肖猴和虎为「偏冲」太岁。但太岁有生肖太岁和方位太岁两种。
生肖太岁：生肖猪者今年是正犯太岁，犯太岁者应留心自身健康及家中老幼健康外，已婚者更防是
非多多，亦不应投机，因今年宜守不宜攻，万事三思而行。 冲太岁是指和太岁相沖的地支属相，二00六年和太岁丙戌相冲者首是辰属龙，属龙者于狗年沖太岁，辰戌相沖，为正沖。刑太岁为牛及羊,但比正冲太岁的龙及犯太岁的狗，刑剋耗损力较少。犯太岁及沖太岁，只表示该年转动及变动较多，而不一定为祸。风水玄学上有“一喜挡三煞”之说，故除应放松自己忧烦不安及缺乏自信的心情外，冲犯太岁者亦可考虑于当年筹办一些喜庆事宜，比如做生日、结婚、生儿育女、换车、买屋、置业、上契及多参与一些喜庆活动，都有助提升自己的运程。 冲犯太岁者，今年属龙之人，变动较多，但并非一定为凶。故此在工作上之变动、迁移、搬屋、以至转业等都可助因应流年要有变动反而有所突破。 趋吉避凶的方法 １.宜用红色以辟邪化煞； ２.不宜入医院探病 (正月更不要去探病,若探病记得向病人要红包!) ３.不宜参加白事.4、宜带太岁符 5、宜拜祭太岁 6、初一、十五宜食斋 (平时不要吃狗肉) 7、多参加喜庆之事8、记得初一、十五穿红内裤.喜欢搏彩的易友事先也记得查下红裤子,下注前手指摸下红内裤子后再下注,大吉!祝你一本万利!!9,家中养几只兔.10,多念观音经.方位太岁：俗语云：太岁头上动土。所以太岁方位是不能动的。今年2007太岁在西北方，所以今年凡是坐西北向东南的房子不能动土或动工，西北方不能动。同时如若今年犯太岁及冲太岁者，可在家中西北方放一件陶瓷的虎(虎与猪合)。

其實，太歲方位重要，然而太歲的對方更是不容忽視，犯之則稱『歲破』。例如今年戌年，戌方為太歲，辰方則為歲破方，犯之則稱犯歲破。一般擇日的原則是「太歲可坐不可向」，若宅之坐方為太歲方，選擇以坐方之年月日時，仍可稱吉。若選擇歲破方之方位動土或年月日時，則凶矣！例如今年坐辰山的就不宜遷移或是入宅。
注意：今年2007农历新年虽是在西历的二月十八日，但丁亥年其实是在农历二月四日已开始。因为习命术者是用立春来定每一年的开始的。切记。

Feng Shui For Casino?

Too be honest, you don't need feng shui to build a profitable casino at all. All casino are bound to make $$$ regardless of its good or bad feng shui. This is because it is an industry built on the exploitation of the human intrinsic greed. Therefore, the masters that are approached by casinos to feng shui their buildings are super lucky to get paid big bucks for minimal work. And here's another fact:

When it comes to vices, no one beats the Chinese. Think about this, any place in the world where you can find a Chinese community, you can 100% find prostitution and gambling activities. These two actitivies are inseparable parts of Chinese culture, trust me. Wherever we Chinese go, we bring them along. So as long as you can find a Chinese community in a particular country, build a casino there and it will guarantee to flourish. That's also why the integrated resorts in Singapore are bound to make $$$$ in the future, feng shuied or not. Just wait and see...

Regards
Alvin Chua

何谓五术？

黄帝平息战乱以后，命仓诘造字，将九天玄女所授天书内的各种秘术记载下来，此书就是后来被江湖人视若瑰宝的《金篆玉函》。黄帝留下来的秘籍，在周朝被姜太公在昆仑山得到，他利用秘籍上的方术助周伐纣，使周朝有八百年的统治。

战国时又传到鬼谷子--王禅老祖手中。他将秘术传给徒弟--苏秦、张仪、孙膑、庞涓，而使其徒成为当时赫赫有名的将相之才。到了汉朝，张良于黄石公处得秘籍，旺汉四百年。《金篆玉函》就这样在神奇的方式下一代一代的传承，到了三国时代传到诸葛亮手中，辅备夺得三分天下。两晋南北朝时期、隋、唐、五代，期间虽然也有得到《金篆玉函》者，但大都不全，如诸葛亮得到是道术，郭璞、杨筠松得到的是堪舆术（阴阳风水）。在宋朝得到《金篆玉函》的是一代鸿儒，著作等身的旷世学士朱熹。迨及明朝，刘基（字伯温）得到《金篆玉函》，助朱元璋创立大明江山，后全身而退。《金篆玉函》经过四千年的流传，期间内容有散佚增删，或有分歧而产生了很多流派。大致分为：命、卜、相、医、山，统称为玄学五术。

命

秘术中"命"是以时间、空间的磁场来判断人的命运的一种方法。其重要的方法有：

占星术--在占星术所包含的有《七政四余》、《紫薇斗数》、《五星术》。

干支术--以人出生时间，年月日时以天干地支排列成命，四柱中命的部分典籍最多，重要的古籍有：《果老星宗》、《星平会海》、《渊海子平》、《鬼谷遗文》、《孙膑遗书》、《三命通会》、《穷通宝鉴》（又名栏江纲）、《滴天髓》、《神峰通考》、《铁板神数》、《河洛理数》、《子平真全》、《子平粹言》……等等。

卜

所有数术玄学以卜术最为渊源流长，历史朝代中的军事家大多精通此术，汉朝的诸葛亮、唐朝的李淳风、宋朝的邵康节、明朝的刘伯温、清朝的曾国藩……诸术以卜派最为渊源流长，从古老的周易演化而来，如《梅花易数》、《纳甲断易》、《六壬神课》、《太乙神数》、《奇门遁甲》等数术学。有的门派在卜的这一部分还包括预言、克应占梦、测字解字、签贴、姓名学等方术。

相

相的部分包括两种；

人相――手相（玉掌）、面相（金面）、体相、摸骨、痣相等，代表著作有《观人于微》、《相理衡真》、《神相铁关刀》、《水镜神相》、《麻衣神相》、《金铰剪》等。

地相――地相就是古时的《堪舆术》，分为看门井灶的阳宅相法与看龙穴砂水向的阴宅相法，一般称为风水术。其主要的流派有《三元法》、《三合法》、《九星法》等。

医

秘术"医"包括三部分。

方剂--使用药物，根据表里、虚实、寒热，再应用古老的周易八卦来治疗各种疾病一种方法。

针灸--以《黄帝内经》、《难经》辩奇经八脉、穴道，用铜针刺穴道治疗疾病的方法。

灵疗--以催眠术、暗示法及集中精神意念，利用《祝由十三科》做药引来治疗疾病的方法。

山

山所包含的是修心养性、锻炼身体的秘术，"山"也是最深奥、最神秘的，也是最容易被人误解为"迷信"的一种。"山"所包含“玄典”、“养生”、“修密”三部分的修习：

“玄典”--一切可以修身养性的好书都可以用来修习，如《老子》、《庄子》、《列子》、《孙子》、《太公阴符经》、《黄帝内经》、《道臧》甚至《西游记》……等一切书籍都被拿来充实思想、参悟宇宙道理。

“养生”--追求健康长寿的吐纳法--气功。道家的炼丹法，称之为天丹、人丹、地丹。

“修密”--符咒法、压镇法、祈星法、武术等，利用运动以及精神、意念的统一来提高身心境界的方法。也有秘术门派将"山"分为仙、道、幻、灵、兵五种方法。而其范围不离上述三部分。

山是秘术中最不容易达到的境界，严格地说，它是凡人修仙道的工夫，是求超脱的形而上之追求，只有“命、卜、相、医”流在江湖凡尘济世了。山也因此时常被误以为是风水学。古人因得隐居于山中修炼故称“山”，并非指堪舆学中的“山”。山为五术最重要的秘术，而当中所用之其法都原自于道家，所以有一些习五术之道友称它为“道家五术”。道家不提倡宿命论，也深信“我命在我，不在天”之哲学，故以此五种以易经为范本的趋吉避凶方术来“知命”，然后“医命”。

How to know if someone is being put under a spell?

The following was taught by Master Xie Yuanjing of Taiwan:

如果想要知道一個人是否遭到下符或下降頭，有兩個很簡單的方法，第一個就是觀察眼珠正上方，如 果眼珠正上方出現一條黑線，通常就是中了降頭，如果出現一條灰線，通常就是中了符咒，如果出現一條紅線，通常就是被小鬼纏。

另一個方法，就是用米酒作測試。謝沅瑾表示，「米」具有潔淨作用，只要端著米酒到他人身前，如果是受到法術控制的，就會開始全身不舒服，如果強迫他喝米酒，則會出現十分激烈的反抗，如果有這樣的行為，通常就有理由去懷疑。

謝沅瑾表示，要解符咒或降頭，通常就是要用符解符，如果一般人沒有辦法自己用符解，可以試著用粗鹽、白米、榕樹葉，再加上白開水，然後喝下去﹔一 般而言，如果有中符或降頭，喝了這樣一碗水後就會開始不斷嘔吐，將體內毒素吐出，可以用來解除輕微的毒，如果沒有太多作用，就要求助法師。


Regards
Alvin Chua

Is Feng Shui a Daoist practice?

Is Feng Shui a Daoist practice?

No, Feng Shui exists much earlier then Daoism. Back then, the practice is not known as Feng Shui yet but as Kan1 Yu2.

But why is Feng Shui always associated with Daoism?

This is because both Daoism and the practice of Feng Shui are based on the same core concepts of Yin-Yang, the five elements, the Ba Gua, the He Tu and Luo Shu, and also the existence of Qi. They share the same philosophical roots that are derived from the Yi Jing (I-ching). The reason being the earliest practitioners of Kan Yu are the Fang Shi 方士 (experts of th esoteric formulas) of ancient China who also happens to be the predecessors of the Daoists. That is why Cate Bramble (a Certified Traditional Feng Shui consultant and affiliate with the American Feng Shui Institute) said:

"Daoists developing Feng Shui were the theoretical physicists of the ancient world — part mystics and part scientists, their keen observations of and hypotheses about nature are the closest thing the ancients had to modern scientific inquiry, surpassing the Greeks by a considerable margin."

Master Yap Cheng Hai also commented on this:

"Feng shui has no bearing with religion. It is similar to the Taoist philosophy, which has its roots in China much earlier than Buddhism, in that everything is cyclical and everything will revert to the Tao or nothingness.
The link between feng shui and Taoism is very obvious. The scholars in ancient days were all Taoists and you could say that the Taoists practised feng shui. As the general population became more educated, feng shui spread as a form of knowledge and broke free from Taoism."

As a result, both Daoists and Feng Shui practitioners alike find it easy to embrace each others’ beliefs and practices since ancient time. That is also why many Feng Shui masters happens to be a lineage carrier of some Daoist sects (especially in Asia). In fact, over the centuries ideas, concepts and terminologies have been borrowed from Daoism and incorporated into Feng Shui and vice versa. The author Lim Jian Qiang林健强 in his book [玄空风水科学检证] has mentioned:

“风水思想和理论的形成虽然比道教要早，但道教的思想和理论渗透到风水文化之中，为推动玄空风水的发展产生深远的影响，功不可没。”

“据学者考证，玄空风水中的“七星”、“九星”之名源出于道教。道教中应用的扶占、符箓、祝咒等，都在玄空风水文化活动中得到宽泛的运用。”

Lu Xun 鲁迅, the father of modern Chinese literature, once said: " The roots of China lie in Daoism 中国根柢全在道教." Delve into the history books and it is not difficult to see that almost everything Chinese has intimate links with Daoism.

However, do not be mistaken to think that one have to be a Daoist to practice and use Feng Shui. This is not necessary and definitely not my purpose here. But I need to make clear one thing: Please do not deny Daoism's role in the development of Feng Shui, for to do so is to deprive others of the chance to know Feng Shui comprehensive history. I know alot of teachers in an attempt to market Feng Shui to the masses always claim that "Feng Shui has absolute nothing to do with Daoism. Period. " . I feel that this is unjustifiable and uncalled-for.

Here's what Larry Sang's student P.K. Odle said in her Feng Shui Advantage's website:

"Classical Feng Shui is a science with the same roots as Acupuncture. Needles are used in Acupuncture to treat the energy patterns of the body, while Feng Shui uses the five elements to treat the invisible energies in your home / office. Unless your religious beliefs prevent you from visiting an Acupuncturist, there isn’t anything stopping you from using the science/art of Feng Shui to improve the energy patterns that are already affecting every area of your life."

Regards
Alvin Chua

Written by Alvin Chua. All rights reserved. Copyright @. Not for commercial use of any kind.

Can A Buddhist Practices Feng Shui?

Yes, why not? Qi affects us in everyway irregardless of our religious beliefs. Feng Shui works like acupuncture, it is the manipulation of the Qi in our immediate environment to cure our daily mundane ills. Its efficacy is not dependent on you believing it or not. A tribal villager may think that you are bullshiting him when you try to explain to him the existence of ultraviolet rays but it does not change the fact that he can get skin cancer if he is overexposed to the rays under the sun. However, please note that the Buddha is clear that such practices are not advocated for a Buddhist. I know that there are many Feng Shui Masters who promoted Feng Shui hand in hand alongside with their Buddhist practices and in turn hope that their apparent piety can rake in more Feng Shui audit deals fro them.

Regards
Alvin Chua

Feng Shui Master Or Just A Salesman?

A few days ago, I went to visit a local Feng Shui Master in Eastern Singapore who is quite famous since he is frequently featured in the Chinese newspapers. In fact, I was very excited about meeting him and listen to what's his comments on my house's floorplan., which is a free service provided by him. I have bought some of his audio cds before and thus thought that he's good but when he analyse my floorplan, I knew something was amiss. First, he used the facing of my main door to determine the House gua. He then commented that it is a very good house for me and my wife since we are both West Group based on Bazhai and my house is a West Group House. "Of course it's a auspicious house since I applied my Bazhai knowledge when purchasing this house ", I thought to myself. It was later in my further indepth study did I realised that the method of using the main door as a determinant of house facing is not recommended by many masters. And this guy here is using this method to analyse my house, what the hell? He then go on about how I can enchance my house with drastic renovation recommendation. From this moment onwards, I truly saw his true colors. This so-called master is simply just a salesman. Said that the main problem is that my main door faces the door of one of the bedrooms. And the only way is to change the position of the bedroom door. The other option will be to place a crystal boulder there, next to the door. He went on to recommend me the crystal boulders he's selling which ranges from $5000 to $10000. Gosh, no wonder these Feng Shui bastards are so filthy rich. A few thousands for a bloody rock?! He maybe able to con the layperson but not a fellow practioner. Classical Feng Shui doesn't use crystal in the first place except as a Earth element. .. To increase my wealth luck, he try to sell me his Buddhist vase which cost a few hundred bucks. Feng Shui has nothing to do with Buddhism. In fact, the Buddha is very clear in his teachings that Buddhists are to shun away from such practices. From this incident, I gathered that in Singapore, only the rich can afford to have Feng Shui consultation. I am really disappointed with the Feng Shui salesmen out there who simply want to con people's hard-earned money. Pui!


Regards Alvin Chua

Written by Alvin Chua. All rights reserved. Copyright @. Not for commercial use of any kind.

Who’s who in the Fengshui World?

Grand Master: Yap Cheng Hai 葉清海 (Malaysia)
Student: Lilian Too (Malaysia), CP Lim (Singapore), Adelina Pang (Singapore) , Joey Yap (Malaysia)

Master: Joseph Yu (Canada)
Student: Lynn Yap (Singapore), Joey Yap (Malaysia) , Heluo aka Roel Hill (The Netherlands), Kartar Diamond (United States)

Master: Philip Cheong (Malaysia)
Student: Joey Yap (Malaysia)

Master: Larry Sang (United States)
Student: Kartar Diamond (United States), Lorraine Wilcox (United States) , P.K. Odle (United States), Chris Shaul (United States).

Grand Master: Lum Kwok Hung 林國雄 (Hong Kong)
Student: Joey Yap (Malaysia), Leung Kim Ho梁劍豪 (Hong Kong)

Master: Raymond Lo (Hong Kong)
Student: Kartar Diamond (United States), Georgia Kiafi (Greece)

Grand Master: The late Ma Jen-chou (Ma Renzhou) 馬仁騶 (Hong Kong; departed in the 6th lunar month of 2005)
Student: Eva Wong, Yi Guanyin 尹冠英

This is just a rough guide and may not be accurate. Please inform me of any mistakes.