Quick Authentic Feng Shui Advice For Your Home

During a site consultation for a department of the United Nations in Malaysia, one of its employees asked me a question that seems to be asked often: can you give me some quick guidelines for my home without having to go too much into it? And of course, still using classical Feng Shui. House consultations are usually very detailed affairs with many layers of disciplines used and time consuming as each home is unique BUT there still is general advice that can be used without accidentally creating negative effects.

It helps to know which directions should be enhanced and those that are not to be stimulated. If you are not sure of your Kua number, you can use our Kua Number Calculator to find out your Auspicious and Inauspicious directions. Inauspicious directions need remedies and more protection while Auspicious directions should be primarily enhanced. Remember, different people have different Kua numbers and directions, meaning a good direction for you to stimulate may be a bad direction for a loved one. In cases where there are multiple occupants whose good/bad directions overlap: use items that are primarily protective items with a secondary role of enhancing. That way, if an item for some reason is placed in the wrong direction, you're still protected.

The Entrance
Asides from the entrances being entry points for your home, it is also very important in Feng Shui as that's where a very large amount of chi comes in and sets the overall tone of your home. Wouldn't you rather allow good flowing chi into your home instead of negative chi entering and pulling everything down? Here, you would want to set up a filter point choosing for auspicious chi coming in or good chi. A protective item would make sure only good chi (sheng chi) comes in, whereas a wealth enhancer would transform the chi coming in to be auspicious chi. Recommendations: All Protectors (Protective), Authentic Wealth Bowl (Auspicious), Kuan Kung on Horse of Progress (Both).

The Backdoor
The backdoor or exit of your house is frequently overlooked because there is usually more importance stressed on the entrance. The importance of this part of the house increases when depending on how often you use it. For some, it is an entrance to their garden or a more convenient form of exit. If you do not use the backdoor often, focusing on protection takes priority. If it is used very often, then you can also treat it similar to an additional entrance. Recommendations: Kuan Kung God of War (Protective), Lucky Wealth Bars (Auspicious), Inscribed Dragon Tortoise (Both).

The Living/Dining Room
This is usually the place where members of the house would spend a large amount of time together. Be it entertaining guests, watching a favorite show together or just winding down after a tough day at work. This is also a place to maximise the usage of Feng Shui for you to reap the benefits it can bring. Recommendations: Fu Lu Shou Set (Protective), Prosperity Buddha (Auspicious), Lord Chung Kwei Guardian of Harmony (Both).

The Bedroom
This is a place where we rest and recuperate and thus open ourselves to negative or positive influences in our immediate surroundings. Most of the times, health related items are recommended in this section and refrain from putting enhancers that are constantly moving like windchimes. This is one of the best places to promote harmony and soak up auspicious chi. Recommendations: 8 Immortals Wu Lou (Protective), Health Wealth Pendant (Auspicious), Kuan Yin on Arowana(Both).

Well, hopefully this list has provided you with some basic knowledge of how you can use classical Feng Shui in your home properly. I'd also like to take the time to wish you and your an prosperous Lunar New Year! For more information on remedies, don't forget to visit our website at: www.smilingbamboo.com! :)

Ken Toh is the co-founder of Smiling Bamboo (www.smilingbamboo.com) and strives to preserve the true traditions of Feng Shui amidst all the marketing hype of today. Having spent his life surrounded by Feng Shui and living in both Eastern/Western cultures has given him a firm understanding of bridging the gap of this beautiful science. His clients include: government officials, United Nations (MY), corporations, business men

Annual Forecast & Feng Shui Remedies for 2007 : Yin Red Fire Pig Year - Tiger Sign (Chinese Zodiac)

The Chinese Zodiac Astrology is ancient, interesting, accurate and loved by millions across the world. The Chinese Zodiac is based on cyclic concept of time : a cycle of 12 years, repeated again and again. The 12 Years are associated with 12 Celestial Animals : Rat (or Mouse on Mongoose), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake (or Serpent), Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog). The animal names occasionally differ with the Oriental Country they originate. The Chinese Yearly Horoscopes are basically built around these 12 Animal Signs.

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is directly based on the Chinese Lunar Year of Birth that you were born. The Chinese New Year is mobile and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year. If your Date of Birth falls into any of the following Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Tiger, you are symbolically identified by your Celestial Animal, the "Tiger" :

From 08 Feb 1902 to 28 Jan 1903

From 26 Jan 1914 to 13 Feb 1915

From 13 Feb 1926 to 01 Feb 1927

From 31 Jan 1938 to 18 Feb 1939

From 17 Feb 1950 to 05 Feb 1951

From 05 Feb 1962 to 24 Jan 1963

From 23 Jan 1974 to 10 Feb 1975

From 09 Feb 1986 to 28 Jan 1987

From 28 Jan 1998 to 15 Feb 1999

In Chinese Hsia Calender, 2007 is the 4704th year and significantly, is also the fourth year of the New Feng Shui Land Luck Cyclic Period 8. The forthcoming new Chinese Lunar Year is from 18th February 2007 to 6th February 2008. The next Chinese New Year, the Yang Earth Rat will begin on 7th February 2008.

Enjoy the Annual Forecasts and learn about the suggested Feng Shui & Crystal Remedies that you may need for the coming "New Lunar Year 2007 : Ding Hai, the Year of the Yin Red Fire Pig" :

CAREER A good year where opportunities can be turned into excellent success with hard work. Enough chances around for demonstrating your personal strengths and special skills. You are fairly well placed for receiving advancements, promotions and monetary increments in your profession. Time for you to set targets and reach them too. But do not stretch your luck too much - be realistic lest you burn out yourself. Over-confidence will only over turn you. At the same time, complacency or insensitivity for others will break many good relationships and make new enemies in your working environment. Getting back-stabbed is a reality. Continue to maintain your lively, active social network and you will greatly benefit from it. But learn to distinguish between friends and foes. New found friends should be kept at arms length until they have proven their worth. Do not rely on your clouded judgements, seek the advice of your parents or mentors when you sense trouble. If you have a female boss or a female business partner, you will do exceptionally well this year. The glamour of success will also bring gossip and jealousy. Just keep your emotions balanced. Many of you will keep losing your personal belongings like mobile phone, wallet, key rings, etc. this year. To derive the maximum benefits, to avoid disruptions in interpersonal equations and for protection, display the figurine or photo of Kuan Kung in your North West. You will do better if you are a trader, actor, speaker, poet, music composer, singer, teacher, preacher, lawyer, astrologer-diviner, dentist, beautician or philosopher. All this said, it should be highlighted that you are in damage-formation with the Year TaiSui, this year. This means you are disturbing a war-like energy formation called Annual TaiSui (or Grand Duke Jupiter) and because of this you will be having some serious property loss, get into litigation, attract discords and draw blood. So, whether you are self-employed or a salaried worker, you are in dire need of the blessings of the TaiSui this year. Display the genuine, energised photographs of "Feng Ji, the 2007 TaiSui" and the "TaiSui Protection Talisman for 2007" in the North West and carry their miniature versions in your pocket or purse, for minimising the severe negative impacts that you are likely to suffer this year. Do not attend burial ceremonies or cremation rituals this year.

MONEY Money flow will be quite handsome and well in proportion to your efforts. Some of you may even receive surprising doses of bonus income. Investment opportunities will be plenty but be choosy and do it wisely. Make efficient use of tips on share movements, but allow yourself be influenced only by the merits of the case and not by anything else. Exercise extra precautions when signing contracts or agreements. Otherwise, you might get into legal disputes or serious economic loss. All money matters should be accounted for clearly and dealt with in a cold, detached, business-like manner in order to have a satisfactory outcome for you. Do not lend money, especially to the opposite sex - if you have to, give it with the knowledge and generosity that it will not be returned. An excellent year for you to buy new properties. Warning : do not indulge in spur-of-the-moment purchases but have a reality check on your expenses. Manage your finances carefully and wisely to save extra cash for next year. Sudden travel plans at the end of the year might consume quite a lot of money. Keep three powerful "Four Heavenly Kings Coins" at home or office, to prevent money erosion.

HEALTH Average health. Keep away from sharp metallic objects. If you were born in 1998, you will be accident prone this year. Some of you might experience problems in eyes, skin, appendicitis, liver and urinary tract. Pay good attention to what you eat to avoid food poisoning. Stay away from physical clashes. Wear a Malachite Crystal Pendant, energised and programmed for you, exclusively. There could be additions or deductions or both in the family, this year.

LOVE The year generally favours marriage, child-bearing and rebuilding bridges of relationships. Singles should make use of this opportunity and build stable equations for marriage. Avoid procrastination and stick with your decision. However clash with Peach Blossom luck will also trigger frustration and anger. Success in career might kindle your ego too. All these could lead to disharmony, if you are not attentive, open and communicative with your spouse. Open admiration from colleagues of opposite sex or frequent meetings with working partner or team associate of opposite sex will invite serious gossips. Unless you balance your feelings and stabilise, you might be trapped into a situation of losing all that you have gained at home. Remember to separate your work karma from your family karma. Display a pair of Pink Mandarin Ducks in the South West of your bedroom.

STUDIES Excellent academic results. Many will shine in extra curricular activities also. Some of you will enjoy sponsored study trips abroad. However over-confidence and self-conceitedness might bring down your ranks heavily. Accept parental supervising and benefit from it. If you are a female born in 1986, you should resist seductions and concentrate fully on studies only. If you are a female born in 1998, avoid going to lonely places on your own or walking all alone in the night. Wearing a Black Tourmalene Crystal Pendant programmed for only you, is recommended.

Birthstone : Ruby Good Relationships with : Horse, Dog & Dragon, for 2007 Conflicts with : Snake, Ox, Monkey and Rabbit, in 2007 Polarity Force : More Yang Lucky Numbers : 4, 5, 7, 9, 13, 34, 44, 45 and 54 Zodiac Protector : XuKong Zang or Akasa Garbha (Sanskrit)

A NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES :

The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy of the year. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location, to derive the maximum benefit. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the forthcoming new years, but they may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

Janarrdhana Guptha is an Energy Consultant, Kabbalah Energy Numerologist, Crystal Master & Clairvoyant Karma Reader. His speciality is permanent Karma Energy Correction through custom-built Crystal Energy Fields. His E-Mail : crystalvaastu@yahoo.com. His website :www.crystal-vaastu.com/home.htm & www.newage-kabbalah-numerology.com

A Brief History of Feng Shui

Feng Shui (pronounced as "fung schway") literally translated means "wind and water." It is an ancient Chinese art and science of placement and arranging objects and space within the environment so as to achieve harmony and balance. The object is promote and nurture the flow of good Chi (pronounced "chee",) which is a Chinese word similar to "energy" in English.

Feng Shui is not simply a decorating style. In fact, it is a discipline with rules and guidelines that can be adapted to fit with many different decorating styles. Truly it is a belief system which combines many different religious, geographical, astrological, mathematical, and philosophical ideas, as well as aesthetic values.

The origins of the term Feng Shui have been said to come from the Jin Dynasty (265-420.) In the Burial Book written by Guo Pu, Chi rides the wind and stops at the boundary created by the water. Ancient Chinese believed in manipulating the Chi so that it was directed with purpose and not wasted. Since this art and science was based on the wind and water, the term Feng Shui was born.

Today, it is a widely held belief that all Feng Shui books were burned during the Qin dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC.) One of the most authoritative works on the subject was written by Huang Shi Gong and given to Zhang Liang during the latter part of the Qin dynasty. Later, in the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907,) Yang Yun Song and his disciples wrote several books on the subject. Those particular works are the most authoritative work used by all Feng Shui schools. Unfortunately, the books were very cryptic and used knowledge largely passed down through the oral tradition.

Feng Shui is also believed to be intuitive and derivable from our own common sense and our sense of what is natural in our environment. Eitel, a German Missionary in China in the latter half of the 19th century, wrote in his work, Feng-Shui, Or, The Rudiments Of Natural Science In China(1873), that the origin of Feng Shui is a belief system that is unique to the writings of Chu His and other writers from the Song dynasty (1126-1278.) Chu His is more well known for influencing Confucianism, and while his writings and commentaries may have become the foundation for Feng Shui, Feng Shui's roots truly go back as far as original Chinese Philosophy.

By the mid 19th century, Feng Shui had become such a part of life that the Chinese government published all the materials necessary for use in the practice of Feng Shui. In fact, as English speaking settlers came to China in the mid 19th century, they had a difficult time adapting to the way of Feng Shui. Much like modern day contractors have to conform to building codes and other community rules and regulations, the English settlers had difficulties in construction and renovation because their design ideas did not conform to the Feng Shui principles, and were therefore rejected.

Further early introduction of Feng Shui to westerners did not go well either. When foreigners wanted to purchase land, and those foreigners were not welcome, they would be directed to land that did not lend itself to good Feng Shui. Early western writings on the subject of Feng Shui were equally as unkind. In 1885, one author wrote that "if any one wishes to see what a howling wilderness of erratic dogmatism the human mind can arrive, when speculation usurps the place of science, and theories are reverenced equally with facts, let him endeavour to fathom even the elementary principles of that abyss of insane vagaries, the science of Feng-Shui."

Over the last few decades, many English books have been published on the topic of Feng Shui. They usually focus on interior design, decorating, architecture, or landscape design. Reception from English audiences has often been skeptical, particularly towards the use of crystals, wind chimes, fountains, and mirrored balls. Claims that Feng Shui can improve one's life, finances, and relationships are dismissed by some as mythology and new age mysticism. Still, others in the west have adapted Feng Shui to their own lives and report overwhelming positive benefits.

Charles Chang is a Feng Shui enthusiast and author. He enjoys helping others with feng shui tips through his articles and website.

Applying Feng Shui To Your Home

One of the newest home decorating trends is Feng Shui. This style has created a dynamic impact on today?s home decorating styles. From full sized wall murals in Oriental colors and simple designs of orange blossoms, or stark brown trees on pumpkin orange, to the minute details caused by treating walls with texture created from sand instead of wallpaper, the Feng Shui impact has left a print on the home decorating industry that will remain around for several years.

At first, feng shui is a complex decorating scheme that is almost impossible to implement in the average household. In true feng shui fashion, this truth is balanced with simplicity that the most novice home decorator can successfully create in their own home.

The feng shui home trends are based on a clutter-free, clean space with a fresh sense of renewal. The American and European d?cor designs use dead or open spaces to display wealth in the form of art, curio cabinets, entertainment units, and collections.

This fills a home with ?dead? items that have no soul and create a negative effect on the human soul. A sense of renewal is created by returning people to nature. This is not to be confused with ?going back to nature? or bringing in items from nature, like shower sheets with bears on them.

Instead, it involves bringing elements from nature into the home in a way that touches the soul and helps humans reconnect with a more peaceful and satisfying existence.

This is done by simply bringing fresh items like flowering plants, and/or decor elements in fresh gentle colors of the natural elements. The most common are apple green, deep brown, clear blue, and gentle yellow.

There are a million ways these colors can be added to any room without overpowering the room and changing the mood. Replace the ceramic roosters with quartz crystals or river rocks. Toss out the dead branches and bring in a live tree. Replace the repetitive patterned wallpaper with a wall mural that depicts a single tree, sparse and simple, with a single brilliant red blossom.

The first step to creating a feng shui look is to toss all the clutter in the garbage. Remove everything that does not serve a purpose. Hide televisions and DVD collections. However, hiding them is not enough. Any item that is not used at least once a month needs to be removed from the room and stored.

In many homes, this will result in several empty shelves. If there is no backing on these shelves, paint a water scene behind. If there is a backing, consider removing the shelving unit all together. You do not always need to paint natural scenes on the walls. Water can be depicted by hanging a mirror.

There are a few things to avoid. Never include the color red. Even small amounts of red in candles or trim on a book, will disrupt the room?s impact on your emotions.

There are some simple ways to turn a bare looking room into a feng shui room. A large vase with a few bamboo sticks in it. Replace wood along the doors with metal or mirrors. Add texture to walls using grass wallpaper, sand, or murals. Each of these treatments have basic, novice, and expert levels. It only takes a little time to find the project that you need to make your home perfect.

Tina Timms advises on home d?cor from her web site at http://www.bonsaihere.com She invites you to get her FREE home guide here http://www.bonsaihere.com