practicalfengshui

Chinese Zodiac Signs for 2012

2012-01-22T11:30:00.000Z

When I was young, I always marvelled at how majestic sounding the English Zodiac signs were compared to the Chinese ones. You had the twins of Gemini, the water-bearer, Aquarius and even the fish was called Pisces. They sounded so mystical and grandiose. THEN you have the Chinese Zodiac signs - very Asian, very practical. No mysterious names. The rat is just a rat. And the pig is, wait for this ... a pig. It reminds me of the very creative names of the Hall of Residences at NTU. You guessed it - Hall 1, Hall 2, Hall 3, etc

Image courtesy of buzzle.com

Anyhows, how are the animal signs faring in 2012? Please remember that a personal BaZi chart has 8 characters and the animal sign is just one character. If you would like a more accurate indication of 2012's effect on you, it's best to get a BaZi consultation.

RAT (1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008)
The rat is in a strong position next year. He is in the throne position and the General star flies in. There is some sick energy present but it doesn't do much to weaken the rat.

For those who live or work with rat people, don't go against them - you will not win!

OX (1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009)
The poor ox though needs a lot of support. There is a strong sickness association. The ox needs to take care in 2012. Have plenty of rest and eat well. Look after yourself. It is best to lie low during this year.

Interestingly, it seems like there might also be a culling of cattle, especially in the Northeast areas in 2012.

TIGER (1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010)
The Golden box and the Gold Fairy both move into the Tiger position so while there is sick energy here as well, money is also present. Hurrah!

But take care Tiger person. When doing business, don't partner with a person born in the year of the monkey or someone born in August as they have the energy to pilfer your money.

RABBIT (1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011)
The rabbit is in a good position. There is career and money energy. If you have been thinking of making important changes in your life, this is the year to do it.

DRAGON (1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012)
The poor Dragon. 2012 is the year of the Dragon but the Dragon is really weak. Lie low and protect yourself this year. If you are thinking of making a major decision (i.e. marriage or starting a business), this is probably not the year to do it.

Avoid visiting sick people in hospitals and try to avoid funerals (if you go, don't look at the coffin as it is being lowered down into the earth). Please avoid dark alleys as there is a strong robbery energy associated with the Dragon as well.

SNAKE (1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001)
The snake doesn't need to worry this year. It's alright. There is a potential for diseases, especially of a sexual nature but as long as you are sensible, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

HORSE (1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002)
There is a strong career energy here but it seems like there is a tendency for this energy to do something illegal. For those in relationships, this year your relationships will be a major cause of stress for you. So patience and restraint should be your key words for this year.

SHEEP (1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003)
The Sheep needs to really watch out this year. Hopefully, you are not into rock-climbing, cave explorations, rappelling or sea sports. If you are, well, try not to be this year. Your energy is not strong and there is a high chance of accidents.

MONKEY (1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004)
The monkey is alright this year. He is well-protected.

ROOSTER (1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005)
The rooster, like the rabbit will do well this year. It has money and is in a strong position wearing the Magnificent crown. Rooster, this is your year. Go all out and take all those life-changing actions this year.

DOG (1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006)
The poor dog. This year, it will seem that everyone is fighting you. So what should you do? Try and stay out of such situations as much as you can. Don't pick any bones, don't bark at anyone. If someone tries to pick a fight with you, (and I know this is hard), just walk away. Otherwise, too much energy is going to be wasted as you are not strong enough to take anyone on.

PIG (1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007)
The pig is alright. Not very strong but not too weak either. The interesting bit is that there might just be that chance of a lottery win as Jade Leaf (nope, that's not Zhang Ziyi's character from Hero but a star denoting money) and Heaven Charm fly into the abode of the Pig this year.

What should I do in 2012?

2011-12-30T11:21:00.000Z

All-wallpaper-hd.blogspot.com

It's that time of the year when some Feng Shui practitioners start talking about enhancers, remedies and cures for 2012 Flying Stars. You might hear about hanging mandalas to ward off bad energy or wind chimes to blow away sick energy.

Classical Feng Shui doesn't operate that way unfortunately. If there is sick energy in your room for that year, there is sick energy in your room for that year. If you don't want to be affected by the sick energy, shift rooms. If you can't shift rooms, then you better hope that this is a good year for you. Otherwise, too bad - the sick energy is going to affect you. And all you can do is try and avoid spending too much time in that room and take care of your health.

Yes, I know, very harsh. But it makes sense though. Feng Shui reads and interprets energy but it doesn't have the power to make energy 'disappear'. It's like someone who reads the weather. He can tell you if there is a storm approaching when you are at sea but he won't be able to give you a fan to blow the storm away.

So what are the rooms you need to avoid in 2012? Ranked in order:

Southeast
Northeast
North

If your bedroom or office desk falls in these rooms, please try and change rooms if you have the chance to do so. Also, DON'T START construction in these areas if you are renovating your property. Begin the construction elsewhere and gradually bring it to these areas.

If you can't change your office or bedroom though (like me), here's what you can do to try and minimize the effect:

Try and avoid spending too much time in these rooms
Try to shift your bed or desk to other sectors within your room (e.g. the eastern sector of your room)
Keep the room quiet and don't introduce any red colours in the room in terms of paint or furnishings

If you are female and trying to conceive, it is also best to avoid sleeping in or spending too much time in a southwest room this year.

Rooms to occupy

Image courtesy of imagejuicy.com

To tap into money/career energy present next year, try and locate your office to an East or West room or try and shift your desk to face these two directions. Try to spend as much time within these rooms in your home or office as well.
Placing four Chinese bamboo plants in the east of your property will also encourage the career and money energy to flourish.

Stocks
Petroleum stocks will prove to be quite volatile but agricultural, dairy, vegetation stocks should prove strong.

Career and business
The money energy for next year is in the East. If there is a business opportunity in the East, go for it. Next year, job opportunities will be hard to come by as well and if you are considering moving abroad for more opportunities, the East would be the place to consider as well.

A Feng Shui Forecast for 2012*

2011-12-15T10:53:00.000Z

Yes, it's the time of the year again. A new year, new beginnings, a clean slate. Don't know about you but I'm really looking forward to 2012, the year of the water dragon. On a personal level, 2011 was not the best year for me. 2012 looks more promising and I can't wait for it to begin.

Lots of people will ask me why I'm sending out the forecast now and not during Chinese New Year in January. In the Chue school of Feng Shui, it is believed the new year is born after the time of greatest yin - the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice. So according to our school, the energy of the water dragon starts at 13:18 hours on 22 December.

Just a note about Feng Shui forecasts. Like a person's BaZi, it is not a prediction of what will happen. Rather what we are doing is reading the energy present. The final outcome is dependent on the energy of the year plus people's own efforts and mindset as well. The principle of Feng Shui has always been, learn the energy and make the best use of it.

Image by artbackwash.blogspot.com

So what does the energy of the year of the water dragon look like?

If we look at the water dragon pillar, the dragon branch crashes the water stem which is not the most auspicious. You always want a branch to support the stem. So there is a bit of a clashing energy there. And when you examine the BaZi of 2012, two other stems are being drained. Only one pillar is supported. This is an indication of unclear energy.

The other significant feature is that there is A LOT of water in the chart but absolutely no fire. Fire connotes action, power. To put it in perspective, if a person's BaZi lacks fire, it's usually an indication of a lazy person - a couch potato.

Using the Chue Yik method, again you see a very yin hexagram with no fire. And it's a clashing hexagram which also points to a lot of domestic conflicts and disasters.

SO what does this all mean?

Economically, it doesn't look like there will be much progress in the world stage. We will still pretty much be in recession
Politically, there will still be a lot of turmoil. There is a distinct lack of leadership and people are unhappy and they will agitate and want a change (and more money). The governments aren't going to be in for an easy time. This will most likely take place in the West or the Northwest countries or the Western and Northwestern parts of a country
It's a very wet chart. There will be a lot of rain with instances of flooding. There will be a higher chance of flooding in October, August and December

It'll be a wet, wet, wet year

5. It also looks like there might be a massive earthquake or volcanic eruption in June

So there's an overview for 2012. Yes, it does seem dire but now that we know the energy for the year, what are the best things we can do for 2012? Watch out for my next blog where I outline some of the actions that we can take.

* This forecast is based on the analysis we did under Grandmaster Chan's tutelage in his 2012 predictions class but it contains my own interpretations as well

Feng Shuing the Bed

2011-11-22T19:12:00.001Z

My friend was telling me that she was sick of being single and she had just spent the weekend 'feng shuing' her bed to hopefully attract more guys.

She didn't even need to tell me what she meant. I knew exactly what she was talking about - position your bed so that there is space on both sides as opposed to having one side against the wall. It's usually point 7 or 8 on the list of Feng Shui tips for romance (the first one usually being display a pair of Mandarin ducks or paint your SW corner pink). The Secret goes even further asking you to only occupy one side of your the bed only so that there is space for another person to enter your life. (Well, it goes even, even further asking you to make space in your garage for your perfect man's car as well).

Most of my life, I've slept with my bed space on both sides. During these periods, some of the times I've had new men enter my lives and sometimes, I've been single. I know girlfriends who have read Feng Shui books and have shifted their beds who are still not any closer to being attached. And I know others who's bedsides are backed against their walls and THEIR lives are constantly peppered by new men.

In classical Feng Shui, having space on both sides of your bed does help the energy flow better in your room and it is a position you should strive for. Being backed up against a wall, its almost like you are trapped in a corner with limited options and energy doesn't actually circulate properly.

But it's not going to guarantee that a new partner will enter your life. Your romance luck is determined more by other factors - i.e. the shape of your house, what areas of your property are missing, the structures around your property and most importantly, your Ba Zi. If you are in a period with no relationship luck, all the space in the world on both sides of your bed is not going to make a difference.

But a bed can help steer you in that path. You can place your bed so that it taps a direction that is supportive to you. And you can position it in your room to ensure that the energy is channelled best. Both these measures will ensure that you are well-supported and that you are not stuck or hindered. And then as most wise men say, what's meant to happen, will happen.

Don't buy a house this year

2011-10-03T18:04:00.000+01:00

In Singapore, or even in Asia, its not uncommon for people to consult an astrologer about which year they should get married, when they should buy a house, start a new business or even name their baby. I grew up around this and I find nothing weird about this. It never occurred to me how strange this could sound to some people until I TRIED to advise my European friends on such things based on their Ba Zi chart.

And yes, the TRIED in CAPS as the resistance I faced was immense. Most don't get the concept but more importantly, most don't like the idea as well. Why should a key decision of life be dictated by someone else? It does come across as quite disempowering and I have to admit, sometimes in Asia, this can be taken to the extreme. I've seen people who will not and sometimes even cannot do anything without a consultation with their astrologer.

But the idea of disempowerment stems from a misunderstanding of this concept. Lets say you would like to ask the boss for a raise. Obviously, you can ask him any time you want to but wouldn't you mostly like wait until he or she is in a good and 'giving' mood? Preferably at a time when he or she thinks you have done a good job on a recent project. This not only makes asking for a raise easier but also increases the chance of you getting it!

We've all heard nightmare stories about closing a deal on a house. You think you have the house, then you can gazumped, the seller withdraws the offer, after exchanging the contracts you realize there is substantial damage to the property, etc. And yet we meet people who have negotiated and exchanged contracts smoothly with no drama at all. And I think that's the difference a good or bad period makes.

A Ba Zi reading enables a Feng Shui practitioner to study and tune in to the rhythm of your life and to gauge the favourable and unfavourable time periods to make certain decisions. You can buy a house anytime but if you do so in a period that's favourable for you, there will be less of a struggle and honestly, can't we all do with a little of that?

Salt to taste

2011-09-09T16:58:00.000+01:00

A phrase you will come across frequently in most recipes. The amount of salt to be added is never specified as it varies from dish to dish or person to person.

I am not really a fan of salt so I never add too much to the dishes I cook. The last time I cooked a pot of chicken curry for my friends, one of them tasted it and promptly proceeded to pour in the contents of half a bottle of soy sauce. Yes, he’s THAT annoying but that’s not my point here.

Adding salt to a dish is a bit like what Feng Shui practitioners do.

A good cook tastes a dish first before adding the salt. If a dish is already too salty, you wouldn’t add more salt to it. Instead you’d be looking at adding cream or even more water to take off the edge. But if there’s very little taste, you would up the salt content by, oh, I don’t know, pouring in some soy sauce perhaps.

Houses and people are the same. Some houses are stubborn – people living in such houses would find it hard to introduce changes in their life. Other houses are too yang – those living here always complain that life is never still. Something is always happening. While you would try and stir things up in the former, you’d want to create a more settled energy for the latter property.

Some people are hot-tempered. You don’t want them sleeping in a red-coloured room which is going to only add to the fire that is already in their charts. Some are just lazy and it’s important that their houses are not overly damp or dark which will hardly serve to energize them.

Feng Shui, like cooking is an active almost alchemistic (is there such a word?) process. You take what you have and you try and balance it, keeping in mind what you are trying to achieve. Which is why when I read certain books and they say things like to get a husband put a rose quartz crystal near your bed stand as you sleep or to get a windfall, ring a bell three times around your work area, it troubles me.

No one would ever say for the perfect chicken stew, always put in 3 tablespoons of salt because it just doesn’t work that way. You need to taste the dish, understand it and then add just the right amount of salt to taste.

What's Feng Shui got to do with Mickey Mouse?

2011-08-14T00:01:00.000+01:00

Did you know that the animators who created Mickey Mouse deliberately put gloves on his hands? This was to prevent children from being turned off / scared by his claws. He is a mouse after all and mice do have sharp little claws. Its really hard to imagine soft loveable Mickey with these harsh appendages.

Mickey Mouse image is copyright of Disney

When we see claws, we think vermin or even evil - think of the fingers of the wicked witch. Sharpness and pointedness make us uneasy and we associate it with unsavoury elements. Even the nose of the witch is ... you guessed it, sharp and pointed. It's almost like we have an unconscious aversion to anything sharp and pointy and we've used these elements to signify evil.

It could be because we know sharp, claw-like objects have the ability to injure us and over the years we have developed a uncanny ability to be distrustful of anyone or anything with these features.

And this is where Feng Shui comes in. One of the key principle of Feng Shui is always to ensure that no sharp corners or objects are pointing right at you as you sleep or work. Think of them of knives being pointed at you. Some people might say that these things don't affect you but I think our body responds to these features without us even being aware of it. There might be a feeling of unease, not being able to concentrate or even disturbed sleep. Sometimes this can even manifest as illness and that could easily be a result of your body being in a heightened state of alert all the time without you even knowing about it. Perhaps, that's why most of us while thinking the Gherkin is cool, feel uneasy about The Shard. There's just something in us that makes us mistrust these shapes.

So watch out for these corners. Ensure nothing like that is aimed towards you while you need to rest or concentrate fully. If you can't move out the way, try and shield them with plants or put a large vase of water with cut plants to provide some barrier.