A New School of Feng Shui? Pyramid Feng Shui

Wow, I found this on the net. Amazing. Read on...

In the early 1960s, armed with her degrees in both psychology and interior design, Nancilee Wydra started her pioneering research on the human condition in relation to the environment in both nature-based spaces and built spaces. Then, upon coming across an updated edition of E.J. Eitel's 1873 book on Feng Shui, she was inspired to merge her expertise about the person /place connection with this ancient Chinese practice.

After years of study and extensive travels, Nancilee Wydra created the Pyramid School of Feng Shui in 1989, and in 1991 she founded the Feng Shui Institute of America. FSIA was among the first professional certification schools in America to focus on a contemporary, Western approach to blend traditional Feng Shui tenets, Eastern philosophy, and the social/physical sciences. Listen to the May 3, 2007 interview with Nancilee Wydra.

Pyramid School committed to introducing cutting edge research and incorporating fields related to Feng Shui into its curriculum, with leading experts contributing to this commitment. It encompasses the major concepts shared by traditional Feng Shui schools, and it strives to synthesize this wisdom and knowledge and filter out the cultural and geographical tendencies. This approach to Feng Shui is especially attractive to Westerners, including Westernized Chinese.

Another distinguishing aspect of a Pyramid School practitioner from that of a traditional one is her Feng Shui recommendations are based on the design preferences of the client, and not on the rituals of Buddhism and Taoism. Also, the client's current symptoms, issues, and personality expressions take precedence over strict adherence to guidelines regarding what to do based the year, month, day, and hour the client is born. (For example, Classical Feng Shui, you need to sleep in a different direction when a new year approaches.)

Pyramid Feng Shui also includes leading edge tools based on scientific research. One of these tools is Archityping, which is a process for understanding a client's preferences for interior design that is based on subtle visual cues embedded in the environmental scenes. Archityping was developed by Beverly Payeff with research conducted at Harvard, MIT, and Bell Laboratories.

While the exploration and expansion of the person /place connection is the foundation of Pyramid School Feng Shui, there is a large emphasis on the interaction of micro and macro systems. This is the reason the "pyramid shape" was chosen to represent the school's approach to Feng Shui. Pyramid Feng Shui proposes that everything is built from a foundation and that the basic ingredients must be expressed before higher forms can result.

Errors In Computation Of Feng Shui And Astrological Years

Below is an article written by Dr Ong Hean Tatt and if what he wrote is true, it will shake the Feng Shui world! I have reproduced it here due to its importance and research value. You can find the article on his Gui Management website also.

Article FS08/2
ERRORS IN COMPUTATION OF FENG SHUI AND ASTROLOGICAL YEARS
2. ISSUE OF 20 YEARS YUN AND SATURN JUPITER CONJUNCTION
Prof. Dr. Ong Hean-Tatt 10th January 2008

Introduction
Most are using the wrong Yun Sign in areas like Xuan Kong, etc.!
As each Chinese New Year approaches, there would be a spate of forecasts about the coming year by both astrologers and Feng Shui masters. The forecasts can be conflicting or do not fit what eventually happened in the said year. There can be good reasons why this is so, which are generally that the current masters failed to take into account the "precession of the Equinoxes" in their dating methods!

Another important issue which creates date inaccuracies is the 20 years Yun used in San Yuan Feng Shui , which is due to the Jupiter Saturn conjunction, whose periodicity of 20 years is also the basis of the astrological Age of the Hebrews.

Saturn, the "Ancestral Temple" Planet
The Chinese astrology terms the beautiful ringed planet Saturn as the "Ancestral Temple" star. It makes one orbit around the Sun in 29.5 years. The conjunctions of Saturn with the other planets form important markers in astrological Time. The Saturn Jupiter conjunction is fundamental in the Chinese astrological period of the 20 years Yun: Jupiter has an orbit of 11.882 years. The conjunction of Saturn with Jupiter occurs every 19.84 years.

The Saturn Jupiter conjunction is the basis of the Chinese astrological 'Yun'. Feng Shui and astrology practitioners should understand the astronomy of their arts.

Jupiter Saturn Conjunction as Basis of Yun of 20 Years Duration
Each San Yuan period of 180 years will have 9 Yuns, with 3 successive Yuns forming the 60 years Yuan. If a Jupiter Saturn conjunction occurs at one point on the orbit around the Sun, it will return to this same point 60 years later, forming the Yuan era of 60 years. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd conjunctions will occur at 3 different points along the orbit. The point of the 1st conjunction will also be that of the 4th and 7th conjunctions, while the point of the 2nd conjunction will also be that of the 5th and 8th conjunctions, while the 3rd, 6th and 9th conjunctions will be at the same point. This yields the auspicious 1-4-7, 2-5-8 and 3-6-9 Parent Strings combinations in San Yuan Feng Shui forecasts.

Hebrews add One Jupiter-Saturn Cycle every 2,000 Years
By convention, since Emperor Yao's time circa 2405 BC, the Yun starting from 2004 is supposed to be Yun 8. However, the Jupiter Saturn conjunction is not exactly 20 years but 19.84 years. The difference is insignificant in the short term but will build up into a serious difference every 2,000 years. The Hebrews will adjust for this discrepancy by adding an extra Jupiter Saturn Age or cycle every 2,000 years. But the Chinese had not done this since Yao's time.

Need for Adjustments of Yuns in Feng Shui and Astrology
In the over 4,000 years since Yao, the Jupiter Saturn conjunction will jump at least 2 cycles - meaning what is now taken as Period 8 is actually Period 1! We note that about every 2,000 years, the Jupiter Saturn conjunction will jump one Yun cycle. Coincidentally, every 2,000 years the precession of the equinoxes will also cause the Zodiac sign to shift one sign. That is, every 2,000 years there will be a need to shift one Yun sign and also one Zodiac sign.

Did Feng Shui originate from China? Or Korea?

The following article highlights the latest debate between the mainland China and its neighbor, South Korea. Each claiming Feng Shui to have originated from their homeland.

韩中争论“风水地理说”
DECEMBER 18, 2007 05:25　河宗大 (orionha@donga.com)

　　中国言论有关“韩国风水地理世界文化遗产登记申请说”的报道一经登出，韩中两国的网民之间便掀起了“风水本山争论”。

　　中国的网民们向政府表示：“韩国先前是抢走中国的端午节，而现在又要抢走风水地理说。”对此，韩国的网民们反驳道，“在中国本土上很难寻到风水地理说，而在韩国无论是居住、坟庙，就连选举文化中都渗透着风水地理说。”

　　然而这只是争论而已，目前发现韩、中两国政府都没有将风水地理说，登记到世界无形文化遗产的计划。

“本山”反驳“元祖”主张

　　中国的网民们高喊着中国是风水地理说的远祖。风水地理说是从中国的伏羲氏开始传承下来的，现已有约1万年历史。他们还认为风水说是到明朝时期才传到韩国的。

　　另一方面，韩国的网民们反驳道：“韩国的风水说早在三国时期就有文献记载。目前，中国的风水家也是在韩国学习风水说，从韩国引进经典。”

由于政府没有登记计划，只是“白费力气的争论”

　　此前，金洋网等中国言论最近报道：“韩国从2003年开始，就在国立中央博物馆的主导下联合数十个机关促进了风水地理说的世界遗产登记工作，将会在明年内结束登记工作。”

　　但在国立中央博物馆和文化财厅确认后发现这并不是事实。

　　文化财厅计划明年仅对朝鲜时期的王陵和南海岸的恐龙化石申请登记文化遗产，至于风水地理说的申请是绝对不在计划之中的。

　　然而，据了解中国的风水专家们根据韩国要促进登记的传闻，于去年6月9日组织了“中国风水文化世界遗产申请筹备委员会”。

　　另外，南京大学也计划设立风水培训班，并授予风水师资格证。

　　但是，中国建设部对此否定道：“我们尊重在民间研究风水文化，但风水师资格证的公开认证是很困难的。”

Tai Sui 2008

The following will apply starting from 4 February 2008

A Feng Shui Shop with Bad Feng Shui

A Feng Shui consultation shop opened across the street opposite my workplace around 3 months ago. It’s called Jin Tong Zi (Golden Boy) Feng Shui and Astrology Centre and it is located along some shop houses. I was surprised at why the Feng Shui master chose to have his shop directly next to a vacant and worn-out shop house with broken roof and creepers along its sides. In Luan Tou Feng Shui, we call it Po Lan Wu 破烂屋 and it is known to gather a lot of Yin energy, hence a excellent habitat for snakes, insects and other creepy crawlies. Such vacant house is considered a Sha and best to avoid having your shop or home near one since the strong Yin energy can make people sickly and auspicious energy cannot accumulate also. Thus I reckoned that the shop could last long in business.

True enough, today I saw the shop emptied. The master probably has moved out last night after months of losses through rental costs and lack of income. I hardly see any one walking into the shop. I really wonder what kind of training he had to have such a oversight.

Regards
Alvin Chua

Where Do I Take The Measurement Of The Facing?

Here are some of the methods used by different masters:

Method 1: Find the center spot of the house using the floor plan. Stand in the center of the house and face the same direction as the house faces. Take the measurement from here.

Method 2: Stand in the center of the house, draw an imaginary line from the center of the house to the center of the main door to take the reading.

Method 3: Stand at the center of the facing side and take the measurement from here.

For a landed property, this is done standing along the façade of the house outside.

For an apartment unit, stand near along the inner side of the wall of the facing side (there’s no way you can stand outside!). In Hong Kong, some masters even go to the extent of sticking the Luo Pan out of the window to reduce magnetic influences from metallic objects inside the unit!

Another variation is to take the measurement of the facing side on the ground level. Those who use this method believe that measurements taken indoors are never accurate due to the metal framework within the walls. They also claim through experience that all units above ground level will have the same Qi field as the ground floor.

There is also the difference of practitioners who only take only one reading at the center and those who take multiple reading along the same wall / side and take the average. The disadvantage of taking one single reading only is that you can never know if there is a bundle of power cables or the city’s pipeline running subterranean right beneath your feet when you read your Luo Pan, thus the risk of inaccuracy. A practitioner also mentioned that “we look for a clean compass reading, rather than magnetic distortion.” But still some practitioners think otherwise.

Method 4: Stand at center of main entrance and face outside. This is used by practitioners who take the door facing as the house facing. Some schools even go to the extent of placing the Luo Pan against the door for measurement.

In situations where measuring the facing proves to be difficult, we can take the reading of the sitting direction of the house instead.

Finally, the way the Luo Pan is held also is another factor of consideration. Most modern practitioners just hold it naturally but those from some traditional lineages insist that the Luo Pan must be touching the navel or Dan Tian (the acupuncture point two inches below the navel). The Dan Tian is regarded as the centre of the human body and is connected to the Heaven energy and the Earth energy. Thus, reading done this way will yield the most accurate reading. The Luo Pan is so sensitive that you can try holding it at different level of your body, standing at the same spot but the reading can deviate a lot.

Regards

Alvin Chua

文昌位

Below are techniques taught in the book 智慧的泉源 – 文昌位 by 宋英成

宅向不管是透天厝或公寓、办公大楼以受气面最大为主。单位向是以大楼向为主。

度坐向是在房子的中心点。

[玄武低深坑，枉死好人丁]，后面没有靠，对人丁不利。

年命配卦与文昌位：

以命卦入中宫，飞至四巽星就是文昌位。

例如男命坤卦，坤入中宫飞至四巽星就是兑宫，正西方即是他的文昌位。

或例如女命震卦，震入中宫飞至四巽星就是乾宫，西北方即是她的文昌位。

宅卦文昌位：

以宅卦入中宫飞至四巽星就是文昌位。例如兑宅的文昌位就在西南方。

本命文昌位：

日干	甲	乙	丙	丁	戊	己	庚	辛	壬	癸
文昌	巳	午	申	酉	申	酉	亥	子	寅	卯
文曲	亥	子	寅	卯	寅	卯	巳	午	申	酉

在文昌位可摆放文昌笔。

厕所永远避免在宅卦文昌位。对读书不宜，工作升职也受阻碍。若有此问题，在厕门边挂一支洞萧和摆一盆黄金葛吸臭气。

卧房宜配合个人的命卦的四吉方。

书桌宜坐向本命卦的四吉方。

沙发不宜向屋内背向门，容易犯到小人。

泄气方：震宅，以宅卦入中宫飞至大门的位置。如开在坤门，而飞星至此方是九紫火。此位是泄气方因震木得生离火。这大门不宜开在坤位。

如果此位是克宅卦的五行，便称杀方，不宜开门、设厕所或为动位。

注∶此法据苏民峰说是伪法，不用为宜。

入门见梯：会破坏进门的气。

入伙没有择日可能会导致诡异现象。应找吉日补办一次入伙仪式。

在书桌上的文昌位（小太极）可放一笔架悬吊四支文昌笔来催动文昌。

如果水路从宅前右边流向左边，要开门在虎边以便收[水头水]。若开门在龙边则是[水尾水]，收不到财气。

Regards
Alvin Chua

To Play Tic-Tac-Toe Or Simply Eat The Pie?

Overlaying The Flying Stars Chart Over Your Floor Plan: Different Feng Shui Masters' Perspectives.

DIRECTIONAL QUADRANTS METHOD (ALSO KNOWN AS NINE GRID METHOD)
The method: The floor plan is equally divided into nine parts.
Use by:
1. Larry Sang (he uses the Pie Method also but only when locating personal directions and external features).
2. David Twicken

EIGHT PIE WEDGE METHOD
The method: The center point of the house is located; the eight compass directions are then overlaid.
Use by:
1. Joseph Yu
2. Vincent Koh
3. Raymond Lo
4. Dong Nong Zheng
5. Pak Hok Ming
6. Heluo (a.k.a. Roel Hill)

BLOCK SEGMENTATION METHOD
The method: The house is divided into nine parts but the walls of the house are taken into consideration. Thus each area will not be equal in size.
Reasons: Since Qi enters by doors and windows, and that it is blocked or guided by internal walls. It is a mistake to think that the theoretical lines of Qi are stronger boundaries than the physical walls already present.
Use by:
1. Eva Wong
2. Lillian Too
3. Joey Yap (he uses the Pie Method also but only when locating personal directions and external features).

One thing to note is that if the Sitting / Facing of the house is on a Tian Yuan Long (center Mountain within each trigrams, e.g. Qian Mountain); the sectors demarcated using one method will coincide with the other method more or less. However, if the Sitting / Facing falls on a Ren Yuan Long (e.g. Hai Mountain), the charts will be the same as the Tian Yuan Long chart and the sectors will most likely not coincide among the two methods. That means a bedroom maybe under the influence of a palace but another method will mean it is in another palace.

Regards Alvin Chua

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

Is the color of my main door or gate important?

Yes, the element of the color should match the directional element where the door or gate is located. Or else, the occupants will face health problems or general bad luck. The color used must also be suitable based on the Flying Stars chart. All these are applicable to the color of doormat also, if any.

Feng Shui is plain Superstition!

There have always been endless debate about whether Feng Shui is scientific or simply superstition. I think this phrase sums it all up:

" For a believer, no amount of evidence is required.
For a non-believer, no amount of evidence is adequate".

Which side of the fence you stand will be dependent on your personal experiences and convictions. Probing deeper, you realised that debate is actually not about whether Feng Shui is science or not but instead rooted in one's prejudice. Faced with a hardcore skeptic, laying out all possible explantions of Feng Shui from a scientific perspective will only get yourself being scoffed at. Period.

Warm Regards
Alvin Chua

新的八宅派风水

作者: 刘立强

我的改运技术主要依靠风水来实施的，而我所用的风水是和八字结合的八宅派风水。

关 于八宅派风水，可说是流传最广的一门，但其危害也是最广最深的。很多人以杨公真传人自居，每见于此，我不觉失笑，杨公真传？反正杨公早就仙逝了，你爱怎么 说就怎么说，但流传的杨公其理论是非常粗浅的，可谓漏洞百出，故后学者多白首而不得灵验妙法。《八宅通书》、《阳宅三要》、《八宅周书》、《八宅明镜》为 古代八宅经典著作，立论相同，皆漏洞百出，致使后学者，错上传错，贻害甚广。

广为流传的八宅 派虽错误百出，但并非全部都错，其有周易八卦为根基轮廓，河图洛书为佐，其立论根基是正确的，只是在具体操作上走进了难以弥补的误区！根据八宅派的理论依 据--周易八卦、河图洛书，我创立了一套相对完善的改运技术，从2000年开始研究，到今年也7年多了，理论上已经基本成型，实践案例也多如牛毛，应验率 很高，而且见效极快，很多布局的朋友当天或第二天效果即可显现。因为我创立的改运技术和八宅派的立论根据基本相同，故而也算八宅派的一支。

八宅派的基本理论：八宅派按人出生的年份来划分出东西四命，讲究命宅相配，东四命人宜居东四宅，西四命人宜居西四宅，东四命人忌居西四宅，西四命人忌居东四宅。

　　八宅除讲究命宅相配的原因，是与游星有关，八宅游星共有八颗，有四颗是吉星，另有四颗是凶星，不论门、主、灶，都宜安在吉星内，忌安在凶星内，这吉凶是没有时间性限制的，只要布局下来，此宅便不论年期可居住下来。

按人出生的年份来划分出东西四命，同一年出生的人又何止千万，不可能这么多人命运都一样，适合的环境也不可能一样，这是八宅派不灵验的致命所在。

我创立的新八宅派的基本理论：按人出生的日子来划分东西四命，再配合八 宅游星的流年、流月运转等来进行环境调整，效果奇佳！为何要按人出生的日子来划分东西命呢？传统子平八字预测中以日干代表自己，实际上日干支只是代表自己 住的家，而不是真正的自己，但是可以理解成大自己，所以传统子平八字都用日干代表自己来预测。每当日干支受到冲合的时候家就要变了，搬家或装修、盖房等， 调阳宅风水主要是调自己住的地方，当然要找个代表自己家的来划分东西四命了，那就是日干支了，那么到底是用日干还日支来划分呢？这个就留给爱好者自己思考 吧，否则我都点破了，爱好者也学不深，养成思考的习惯是学习最好利器，这样才能学的深，理解的透。

传统八宅派用年来划分东西四命的理论源自古代以年干代表自己来进行预测的最初八字算命理论，当然也有可能以年干代表自己的八字算命理论是源于八宅派风水，总之他们的具体思路是一致的，他们都用年来代表自己。

阳宅三要阳宅法

许多人将“八宅明镜”与“阳宅三要”二者搅混在一起，虽然两者八宫九星的名词相同，翻卦掌的取法也相同，但用法上仍有很大的差异。“八宅明镜”是以人的 “年命”为主轴，所谓若专论山向而不论命者大凶，论命而不论山向者小凶，合命又合坐向者永福。可见重点在年命，不论安床、开门、灶、而、神位、书房等，都 要配合年命。但夫妻或子女东西四命不同者，配置上就有困难，若勉强以宅主为主，亦甚牵强不合理。其宅命的九星配置，是以宅坐山为伏位，由坐山翻卦，灶座须 压宅命或年命的凶位。

而阳宅三要则是提供较宽广的方向，较不重视年命，而是以房子的大门、主屋（主卧房）、灶位，三者之间的宫位生克论吉凶。九星的配置是由大门起伏位，大门不 论开在何方，永远是伏位，也就无所谓的吉与凶，其吉凶的产生，必须视主屋的灶位的配置而定。配置得当，一家大小不论东四命、西四命，皆能获福吉祥。而其灶 座的位置须压在吉方（以大门为伏位），这与东西四命、东西四宅，灶位须压凶方之最大不同。

阳宅三要门、主、灶。
一、门：是指宅的大门，若是大型的宅院、工厂、公务机关、有围墙围起来的，则是指围墙出入的总门。门乃进出之路，气口也，以小太极论之。房门、厨房门、厕所门等，所有的门皆有动气，故影响人生之祸福。因为风水重点论述吉与凶重于动、吉者动则吉上加吉、凶者动则凶祸更烈！

二、主：是指宅主居住的卧房。若是整座的公务机关，多厢房或多排层的宅院，大型工厂等，则是指最高大的主屋，或是行政中心之大楼，主管的办公室等。而有些派别则是以宅命，即是宅的坐山宫位为主。

三、灶：是指厨房的位置。不是仅以厨房的灶位而言之。

阳宅先看大门，次看主房门，有东四西四之分。而主房却无定位，高大者即是。只要门主相生，即以吉断，相克即以凶断，此看阳宅必然之理也。至于厨灶乃养生之 所，所关甚大，第一与门相生，其次与主相生。若仅仅以厨灶为重，直断祸福，轻去门主相克之理，亦非定论。须要门主灶三者，各得其所，门生主，主生灶，灶生 门，三者互生无克或相比和又合宅主之生命之福元，则人丁大寿，福寿双全。

因此阳宅的吉凶推论最简易的法则，莫如阳宅三要门主灶的相互比和，若此三个宫位五行是相同或相生，即可不必考虑宅主年命或游年等，此阳宅基本是能获福吉祥的。若是大门与主屋，或大门与灶位，其后天八卦之宫位五行呈相克者，此阳宅则易遭凶而不吉。

八宅派风水学书籍

八宅派风水学书籍：

经典古籍：《八宅明镜》、《阳宅三要》、《陽宅十書》、《陽宅撮要》、《陽宅集成》、《陽宅大全》、《陽宅愛眾篇》、《金光斗靈經》。

陳澤真著的《八宅明鏡詳解》

顧吾廬著的《八宅明鏡求好運》

張覺明著的《八宅明鏡精解》

白鹤鸣著的《易学易用八宅风水》

谢天诠著的《八宅风水十日通》

黄一凤著的《八宅造福周书》

苏民峰著的《家宅風水基本法》、《風水天書》、《風生水起：理氣篇》、《風生水起：巒頭篇》、《風生水起：例证篇》。

八宅明镜用法探讨

作者：罗林洪

八宅明镜的核心内容是以人出生的年命配成命宫，分东四命与西四命。论婚姻东四命找回东四命的人做妻子或丈夫，西四命的人找回西四命的人做丈夫或妻子，这样 做就能白头到老，永不分离云云……假如东四命找了西四命的，呵呵，你等着那一天，上法庭离婚或者妻子跟别人走了，落得个半路夫妻的结局。这种配婚法我经过 研究，可靠性十分有疑问，因为我托朋友从离婚庭中找来了二十多对离婚的男女，发现符合东四命配东四命，西四命配西四命的大半，足以证明了这种婚配法之荒 谬，我曾经就此法写在一台湾的网站，此“板主”马上反对，呵呵，尊重古人是对，但我们学习东西不能狼吞虎咽，不假思考，应以继承与批判的角度去看待古人的 文化遗产。

在这里我还顺道提出一个问题，就是夫妻年命天克地冲也并不见得是凶，我去年曾经与人择日，发现一对年老夫妻的年命是天克地冲，当时我十分奇怪， 就有意地问他们，你们婚姻有没有问题？答没有，我再问你们平时关系如何，答曰我们之间可以说是村里有名的模范夫妻，看着他们的恩爱样子，我相信他们的话。 所以说，如果命局里面没有婚姻不顺的信息，凭上面的八宅明镜的婚配法和古气的白马怕青牛等断语是根本站不住脚的。

今天的主题我重点放在风水上的思考。 八宅明镜里说以年命找命宫，分东四命与西四命，比如你是东四命应找东四命的房子，灶要坐煞朝吉，即是灶要在乾坤艮兑方位面向震巽坎离的方向，西四命亦是如 此。 前几天我看了一宅风水，女主人是丁亥命，命宫落在兑。灶在离宫，坐巽向乾，符合坐煞朝吉，房间在兑宫，阳台在乾，纳乾气，结果此女主人依然病魔缠身。 记得02年，我与一患病之人风水调理，将灶摆向其年命之天医位，结果无效。 这样的例子很多，用八宅明镜的方法去调理，我发现无效的多，是我的方法错误，还是其理论不合时宜呢？ 我的看法还是那一句：阴阳平衡才是风水的真谛！所以“易经”说“一阴一阳之谓道。

Tips on Finding a Good Feng Shui Consultant

The following are adapted and compiled from similar articles I found online. Hope everyone find it useful in their search for the right consultant.

1. Is he able to tell you the Feng Shui method he uses?
Most practitioners use the Eight House (Bazhai) or Flying Stars (Xuan Kong Fei Xing) method. They should also be well versed in the physical Forms aspects of your house internally and externally.

2. Does he know the Yin-Yang, Five Elements concepts very well?
All Feng Shui theories and remedies are based on this theory. Knowledge of this is necessary and it is a very basic requirement.

3. Is he knowledgeable in Chinese history and culture?
Anyone that has spent a good deal of time studying Feng Shui will definitely be reasonably good at these.

4. Is he professionally certified, or at least able to name his teacher or school?
Certificates can help verify authenticity of their knowledge but many old masters do not issue certificates also. Thus, ask about the background of his teacher or school.

5 How long and to what level did he train with his master?

6. Is he affiliated with any professional Feng Shui associations?
It will be better if he is. One needs to fit certain criteria before being accepted as a member of such professional bodies.

7. Is he able to provide any client testimonials?
If not, go online and do a search on him. Some famous masters are known to provide bad service and the clients actually share their experiences on Internet forums.

8. Does he have a reasonable quality of life?
Otherwise, it is unlikely that he or she will be able to help you since his knowledge is not helping himself.

9. Are you comfortable talking to him?
He should be sincere in helping you and you should have confidence in his abilities. The reason being he is potentially the person you will turn to for future consultation for other aspects if you find he is good in what he does.

10. Does he use a traditional Luopan (Chinese compass)?
No traditionally trained practitioners do Feng Shui without it.

11. Does he ask for the following details?
1. The birth dates of the occupants.
2. The date the building was built and date of any major renovations.
3. A proportional floor plan.

12. Does he go on-site to actually see the building?
Externally Forms have to be assessed and measurements have to be taken on-site. These cannot be done using a floor plan. Advice can be given based on the floor plan but it is very limited and can be inaccurate.

13. Is he willing and able to explain the logic behind his advice and remedies?
There is no such thing as "it's a secret" or "you wouldn't understand". You are paying good money and you are entitled to know why a certain action/remedy/advice is given to you. Their answers should satisfy your queries, making you feel confident about their skills. By the way, don’t expect every problem to have a remedy, especially for apartments. Sometimes, the only way is to move out.

14. How long does he take to audit your house on-site?
A thorough Feng Shui audit should take at least 1-2 hours. Nothing can be achieved in less than an hour. I myself take 2 hours to do an on-site audit and a 1-2 weeks after that to do up the report. A famous practitioner did it in 45 minutes but she does return for a second review.

15. Does he provide a report after the consultation?
This is necessary as there will be too many things for you to note down on the actual audit day. A report will summarized everything and acts as a guide for you to follow. This should be included in the package and shouldn’t be at an additional cost.

16. Does he suggest strange or expensive remedies?
Feng Shui should be a subtle thing. And who says it has to be expensive? Most remedies are recommended based on the five elements theory, thus the price has no standing. If he insists, he is probably just trying to sell you his products. Many Feng Shui objects are purely decorative in nature and do not have any effect on the environmental energy.

17. Are the fees competitive?
There are many Feng Shui practitioners around; hence the fees should be competitive. Exorbitant fees may mean good service but not the effectiveness.

18. Any follow-up services provided?
Auspicious date selection is important especially if you have not move in or you are going to renovate the house. As for follow-up sessions, some practitioners do it but some do not. Those who do not should make it up by the provision of a report. Some practitioners also provide a month of free follow-up consultation on the implementation of the Feng Shui remedies. Check if these services are chargeable.

Regards
Alvin Chua

Fu Lu Shou Statues

A relative of mine recently told me that her friend has consulted a Feng Shui Master and was told to place the Fu Lu Shou statues (figures of the 3 traditional Chinese deities in charge of Fortune, Wealth and Longevity) in her bedroom to promote health. The master himself was in the pink of health for many years and he attributed it to the Fu Lu Shou statues in his bedroom. Hence, he now recommends it to his client.

I was asked if there is any basis on the advice and frankly replied that the statues are solely for decorative purposes. The statues need to be blessed if one is to worship the deity but seldom do people worship the Fu Lu Shou in the first place. And if it were indeed blessed, the bedroom would be the last place to have the statues.
The master is healthy maybe because he has not wasted his Jing (seminal essence) for a long time due to the lack of action with his wife. Imagine doing the do with the three old folks smiling at you. Anyway, it is not in line with classical fengshui but I do not deny the possibility of the psychological factor. Maybe it does work but will require more case studies to substantiate its efficacy.

Regards
Alvin Chua

Meeting with a Master

Had a meeting with Wilson Yong (http://www.taoistsecret.com/index.html) last Saturday at Bugis Junction. It was a crowded day and proves much difficulty getting a quiet place to have a drink and nice chat. He was invited to be present for some SPI (Singapore Paranormal Investigators) event that evening but we managed to squeeze in some time to talk about the Metaphysics.

Wilson was humble enough to share his knowledge and experiences, which is an eye-opening moment for me. It is a pity that we are short on time but nevertheless a fruitful chat (especially for me). Wilson, if you are reading this, thanks for meeting up and sharing your knowledge. Really appreciate it and also your gifts. Cheers and do visit Singapore more often.

Regards
Alvin Chua

Bazi Vs Feng Shui

Many masters now advocate the practice of Feng Shui alongside the use of Bazi. A local master even juxtapose his Xuan Kong Feixing analysis with Ziwei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology) and he did it well since he is an expert in both systems. Nevertheless, if you have not noticed, Bazi astrology are never mentioned in Feng Shui ancient texts. Does it tell you something about the necessity for the use of Bazi amid the practice of Feng Shui?

A client did not find any improvement after implementing a Master's Feng Shui recommendations and after anal...ysing his bazi, the Master attributes this to the client's bad luck period. Is this the case? What can we infer from this? i think it's very true indeed the client is suffering ill luck which resulted in him engaging the service of this incompetent Master. Do you see the irony? If Feng Shui really renders no help to you from the onslaught of Destiny and Luck, why bother?

Mr Eric Teoh of Central Academy of Feng Shui said this in his blog (http://ericklteoh.blogspot.com/), which I find is very true:

"Must a Feng Shui audit be done with Ba Zi charts? Can it be done without Ba Zi? If you’re going through bad luck, can the Feng Shui really help? If bad luck already, then no need Feng Shui lah? Or if the Feng Shui doesn’t work, then one will have an excuse to say, “Because you’re going through bad luck now, that’s why the Feng Shui didn’t work. It’s your bad luck lah.” Aiyoyo! So if you’re going through good luck, then you definitely don’t need Feng Shui lah. Feng Shui masters better resign then. Got any vacancy ah?"

Regards
Alvin Chua

奇缘风水研究 开办风水课程 传承风水文化

研究风水超过25年，拥有近1000学生的奇缘风水研究的周载胜老师，9月2日将再次开办理论与实践相结合的风水课程，普及风水知识，传承风水文化。消息传出，便接到公众的踊跃报名，场面火爆。目前正在南洋理工大学修读硕士文凭和中医专业文凭的周老师，开办风水课程培训最高峰达到一周五班的佳绩，已吸引了上至60岁的老人，下至南洋理工大学的青年学子的积极报读。周老师以生动通俗的语言，以古书为纲，引经据典，正本清源介绍风水的历史与来源，探讨风水各派系之间的关系，传播风水文化，还亲临学员家中，运用现代建筑结构的实例，现场讲学，引起了强烈的反响。周老师说，许多人对中华风水文化了解不多，现在的风水市场又存在良莠不齐的现象，一些似是而非的理论，以及以讹传讹的伪风水学，加深了人们对风水一知半解的盲从，这就必须要通过科学的、正规的教育，普及正确的风水知识，提高风水文化的社会认知度，从科学、逻辑学、历史学的角度，传承风水文化，避免出现风水界后继无人，甚至断层的局面。周老师说，学习风水并不难，只要学生有兴趣，听得懂或看得懂华文就可以了。想要参加课程的公众，可以致电63393616询问详情，也可亲临福禄寿大厦#02-05奇缘风水研究咨询。

寻求本地旅游机构合作 开通风水文化游学之旅周载胜15岁开始研究风水，至今超过25年.为了拜师学艺,他曾多次远赴中国、台湾等地求学，也积极报读各类课程充实自己。周老师说，风水学是一门综合的学问，除了要饱览古书，还必须结合现代社会学，必须理论和实践紧密结合。其中了解风水的历史，感受风水的文化和背景，是十分必要的。对于这次报名参加风水课程的学生，周老师决定带他们到中国安徽、浙江、江西等地，走一趟风水文化游学之旅。为了考察行程，周老师4次前往中国各地，寻根溯源，确定了有600年历史的安徽宏村,浙江诸葛八卦村等地作为文化游学的首选地。

周老师现正四处寻求本地旅行社的合作,他通过本报，向本地旅行社抛出绣球，寻求合作。“我希望全力打造新加坡风水市场的拳头产品----风水历史文化游 , 为新加坡的风水文化注入新的活力。”

玄空飞星专业风水文凭课程
开课日期：02/09/2007上课时间：星期天3.00pm--5.30pm上课地点：149 Rochor Road #03-11 Fu Lu Shou Complex

吃牛奶真的就不杀生了吗？

A interesting article I found online.

吃牛奶真的就不杀生了吗？听到很多因不愿意杀生而吃素的朋友仍喝牛奶。原因是喝牛奶不杀生。喝牛奶真的就不杀生了吗？以下是我的一个美国朋友告诉 我在美国的情形。我没有台湾的乳牛业的资料，但我想养所有的殖业的目的都是赚钱，在减少成本增加利润的前提之下，台湾的情形不会比美国好到哪去。如果有哪 位知道台湾乳牛养殖业的情形，或哪里可以找到台湾乳牛养殖业的资料，敬请赐教。

养乳牛的目的是供奶，为了要让乳牛持续的有奶，就必须不断的让它怀孕生小牛，一只乳牛一年之中有9个月是在怀孕。但是乳牛妈妈生出来的小牛有百分 之五十是公牛。无论是小公牛或小母牛，只能吃到2天的母奶，在出生2天后就被从牛妈妈身边偷走，因为牛妈妈的奶要给养殖业者赚钱用，当然不能浪费在小牛身 上。(顺带一提，为什么让小牛吃2天的母奶呢，并不是业者有任何的慈悲心，原因只是刚生产的母牛的头2天的奶味道不好，无法卖去赚钱，且母奶中含有营养及 抗体可让小牛如后较少生病。所以让小牛吃2天的母奶并不会使业者利润降低。)

牛宝宝被偷走会造成年妈妈很大的心理伤害，牛妈妈会不停地痛苦悲嚎二天。小母牛会步入乳牛妈妈的后尘被养大成为日后生产牛奶的乳牛，小公牛的命运 有二，直接被卖作肉牛(由于年龄太小，有些小公牛进拍卖场时身上还挂著脐带)。或是再花些许成本养大些被培养成柔嫩的粉红色小牛肉(veal).(再顺带 提一提，小牛肉的养成过程极其残酷，要使肉质柔嫩就不能让它长肌肉，因此小公牛们被关在小到无法转身的栏中，脖子上绑著绳链子限制它们站起。它们的空间小 到必须拱其背才能勉强卧下。要肉质成粉红色就必须让它们缺铁，因此它们的饲料中绝对不能含一点点铁，关它们的栏子绳链也不能是铁制品，因为缺铁的小公牛会 去舔任何的铁制品。为小牛肉培养的小公牛只有3至16周的生命就会进入屠宰场。)由于大部分的乳牛在其一生中至少生2至3次，乳牛养殖业因此有太多的小 牛。在 2002年美国的乳牛生出了超过8百万只小牛。而其中进入屠宰场的小牛都是乳牛业的衍生产品。

因此当我们今天吃牛奶的同时，我们就是在支持乳牛养殖业，而我们买到的每一杯牛奶中都含有无数乳牛的鲜血。第二，母牛的产奶年龄有限，它们的牛奶 产量在生前二胎时最好，当一只母牛的产奶率下降后，养殖场当然不会一直浪费钱继续养著它们。它们约6岁就会被送往屠宰厂。因此唯一不杀生的牛奶，就是将母 牛和它的兄弟子女们养在自己家(根据公母一比一的比例，只要运气不太坏，养一只乳牛只要再养一只公牛即可)，且要让它们颐养天年自然死亡,即使母牛老了无 法产奶时也不会把它作成牛排。而它的公牛兄弟则一辈子天天玩耍，也可快乐终老不会被炖成牛肉汤或黑椒牛柳。并且母牛生的小牛也要一直养下去。在乳牛养殖场 的乳牛平均活6岁，而如果让它们颐养天年的话，它们平均可活到20岁。这样生产的牛奶成本甚巨，可想成本乳牛养殖业当然不会这样做啦。牛奶固然含钙很多， 但是不是多喝就好也尚无定论。而喝牛奶的同时，也无可避免的吃进饱和脂肪，胆固醇和注入牛身体的贺尔蒙及抗生素。况且很多蔬果中也含大量的钙。人类对有些 蔬果中的钙的吸收率甚至超过牛奶。例如，牛奶中钙的可吸收率是百分之32(WeaverCM,PlaweckiKLDietarycalcium: adequacyofavegetariandiet,AmJClinNutr美国临床营养杂志1994May;59(5Suppl):1238S- 1241S)，根据美国饮食协会的立场文件(positionpaperof American Dietetic Association)绿花椰菜，大白菜，秋葵及甘蓝(collard)中钙的吸收率是百分之49至百分之61，石膏豆腐中钙的吸收率是百分之31。钙 片也很容易买到。且经常作负重运动(weightbearingexercise)和不抽烟都对骨骼健康很有帮助。这些都是我们应该自己负责做到的。我们 实在没有必要为一己之私剥削乳牛，抢走本该给牛宝宝吃的牛奶，还把牛宝宝自牛妈妈身边拖走送入屠宰场。