Best place for my Baby’s Cot

Published on March 19, 2008 in Children, Health and Kua Formula. 7 Comments Tags: , .

Feng shui can also be applied to making the chi better for your little one. As you already know, I’m busy playing mum to my newborn little boy who is now a bouncy little 2 month-old! So I’d like to share a few feng shui tips on where and how I’ve placed my baby’s cot to improve the chi around him.

1. Defensive Feng Shui First

Placement of the cot in relation the door of the room is important. The best placement is to have the cot diagonally placed across from the door so that when baby sleeps, his/her feet are NOT pointing directly at the door. Another configuration to avoid is having the cot directly in line of sight as you walk into the room. Alot of feng shui books also warn against placing the cot next to the window, but, I think this one is OK, if you close the window with drapes while the baby is sleeping.

2. Head Pointing towards Good Direction

Calculate your child’s Kua number, to determine your child’s good/bad directions. Then, place the cot in a way where the baby’s head is pointing towards one of his/her good directions when sleeping. The best configuration is if the head is backed by a wall. If this is not possible, you can also use your child’s animal sign direction. The animal direction is only 15 degrees, so use a compass to ensure the cot is positioned correctly. Babies born in the Pig year (last lunar year) can use Northwest-3, and babies born this year can use North-2.

3. Don’t hang anything on top of their heads

If you use a baby mobile, remove it while your little one is sleeping. Feng Shui principles advice against placing objects above one’s head while sleeping as this causes unrestful sleep. I’ve found that my little boy becomes more unsettled when i’ve got the musical mobile hanging above his head, so I only use it when he’s awake just for temporary amusement, and remove it most other times. I’ve also seen parents use “dream catchers” – these are very good at catching bad dreams but they must be hung outside the window (to prevent the bad dreams from coming in), and not above the child’s bed!

Try these tips and write in your baby stories! And if you know someone who’s having a baby, do send them this posting. It’s worked wonders for helping me settle my little one and i hope if does for you too.

Baby’s Allies & Secret Friends

Published on March 19, 2008 in Astrology & Horoscope and Children. 2 Comments

This is a great idea for those who are about to have a baby, or would like the perfect gift for your friend’s new arrival. For my little boy, I wanted to create a chi-friendly atmosphere for him as much as possible. One way to do that is to surround him with his astrological friends and allies.

My son is born in the year of the Pig, so his astrological allies are the Sheep and Rabbit. His secret friend is the Tiger. So I got him bedsheets and blankets printed with Rabbits and Sheep. I’ve also got a Rabbit and Tiger soft toy for him in his cot always watching over him.

For babies born this year of the Rat, the perfect feng shui baby gift are towels, bedsheets, anything printed with his/her friends or allies -the Rat, Dragon, monkey and the Ox. Here are all the four groups of allies which you can use:

  • Rat, Dragon, Monkey
  • Ox, Snake, Rooster
  • Tiger, Horse, Dog
  • Rabbit, Sheep, Pig

… and astrological friends for each animal sign are:

  • Rat & Ox
  • Tiger & Pig
  • Rabbit & Dog
  • Dragon & Rooster
  • Snake & Monkey
  • Horse & Sheep

But NOT the conflict animal…

Avoid using bedsheets, blankets, clothes and soft toys that represent conflict animals! For my son, his conflict animal is the Snake, so no snake soft toys or prints for my little boy! Here’s the full list:

  • Rat & Horse
  • Ox & Sheep
  • Tiger & Monkey
  • Rabbit & Rooster
  • Dragon & Dog
  • Snake & Pig

2008 Earth Rat Horoscope Forecast

Published on February 20, 2008 in Astrology & Horoscope and Defensive Feng Shui. 0 Comments

Gong Xi Fa Chai! Happy New Year! My family and I have had a busy but ever so lovely start to the new year. First we’ve been blessed with our lovely new baby boy who arrived on 3rd January! Then there was the Chinese New Year celebrations.. so my apologies for the slightly delayed post. As it’s still very early in the new year, it’s not too late to begin placing all your enhancing and protective cures for this year. As usual, some animal signs have it great and some will have to take some precautions.

General Outlook

This year is special as it marks the beginning of the new 12-year astrological cycle. It’s a year of great opportunities and new beginnings. According to the Paht Chee Chart, this year is full of potential for building wealth, and also a year filled with intense and fierce competition. Hence this year will see the introduction of new players the market, but the lack of fire in the chart means no major innovation or creative discoveries will be made this year. Even though there are great new opportunities, growth in the economy will be slow because this year started with no spring (the Solar year started before the lunar year). So the summary of this year’s outlook- is that opportunities and wealth is there to be made by those who move with caution. Lots of competition but there is a silver lining. The Flying star chart of every home has the wealth bringing star of 1 into the center which means that all households will have the potential to benefit from good fortune this year. For more on general outlook for the house, read my other posting on Lucky and Unlucky sectors of the house.

Horoscope Summary

Find out your animal sign before reading this part of the article.

Every year brings ups and downs for different people (it’s life!).

Excellent year for the Rabbit, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Snake and Dragon!

This year brings especially good fortune for those born under the sign of Rabbit, Rat, Ox and Tiger.

The Rabbit has the best star of fortune this year, so if you know a Rabbit, align yourself with this person as he/she will have the midas touch this year. The Rabbit should place a water feature in the East to maximise his/her wealth luck this year.

The Rat is also another sign to align with as he/she enjoys heavenly divine luck this year – so help will be available from friends, mentors and divine sources in business and in their careers.

The Ox and Tiger both enjoy the star of romance and scholastic achievements. So if you’re an Ox or Tiger looking for love, this might be the year you meet someone special or, if you’re already with someone, this is a great year for marriage. For the Ox and Tiger this is also a good year to embark on educational challenges such as sitting for an important exam, starting a new course or enrolling in a class to learn new skills.

The Snake and Dragon both enjoy good luck this year, but it’s not without challenges. This will be a year filled with opportunities for the Snake and Dragon, but they come hand-in-hand with non-stop stressful work! Still, the fruits of labour are there for the taking, and it will be a much better year for these two signs compared to last year.

For detailed month-to-month forecasts of each animal sign, I highly recommend you read Lillian Too’s horoscope books:
Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 RAT (Lillian & Jennifer Too)
Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 OX (Lillian & Jennifer Too)
Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 -TIGER (Lillian & Jennifer Too)
Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 – RABBIT (Lillian & Jennifer Too)
Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 – DRAGON (Lillian & Jennifer Too)
Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 – SNAKE (Lillian & Jennifer Too)

Difficult year for the Rooster, Sheep and Monkey

This year the Rooster faces a slightly more difficult year riddled with quarrels and pesky legal tangles. It’s not too bad, but this energy can be reduced by placing metal objects in the West. Lillian Too recommends the Ksitigharba Ball of Fire placed in the West to suppress problems for the Rooster.

The Sheep and Monkey will need to wear protection against robbery, burglary or being cheated by financial partners and loved ones. Lillian Too’s recommendation is to carry the Chundi Amulet or the Blue Rhinocerous Amulet for protection against this year’s afflictions. There are some good months indicated for these animal signs, so do read Lillian Too’s horoscope book for month-to-month readings to ensure you make the most of these months.

For detailed month-to-month analysis of good months/bad months and the cures/enhancers, I highly recommend Lillian Too’s horoscope books:

Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 – SHEEP (Lillian & Jennifer Too)
Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 – MONKEY (Lillian & Jennifer Too)
Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 – ROOSTER (Lillian & Jennifer Too)

Horse, Pig and Dog needs protection

If you are born in the year of the Horse, this year has some serious challenges for you. This is a year to lay low and avoid making any big decisions such as buying a house, moving overseas or changing jobs. Wear this year’s protective amulets, especially the 5 Element Pagoda key ring and carry the Tai Sui coin from protection against bad luck brought by Grand Duke Jupiter.

The Pig and the Dog will have a difficult year with health so if possible, try to dine and sleep facing your health direction (read my Kua article to find out where is your Health direction). Hang a WuLou Windchime in the Northwest and try to cultivate healthy habits this year (exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet). One way to reduce the effects of bad energy is surround yourself with your Astrological Ally or secret friend who has good luck. For the Pig, hang out with the Rabbit (your ally) or the Ox (your secret friend) this year to rub off some good luck from these two signs – as their luck this year is pretty good! For the Dog, surround yourself with those born under the sign of the Rabbit (your secret friend) and Tiger (your ally).

For detailed month-to-month analysis of good months/bad months and the cures/enhancers, I highly recommend Lillian Too’s horoscope books:

Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 – HORSE (Lillian & Jennifer Too)
Fortune & Feng Shui 2008 – DOG (Lillian & Jennifer Too)

For more on enhancers and cures, read the WOFS article on Fortune and Luck for 2008 which has a summary of the amulets and enhancers for each animal sign.

Related Articles:

2008 Lucky and Unlucky Sectors
2008 Renovation Taboos

2008 – Lucky & Unlucky Sectors

Published on February 20, 2008 in Astrology & Horoscope, Defensive Feng Shui and Flying Star. 10 Comments

Gong Xi Fa Chai! Every year the distribution of Chi in your home changes from Feb 4th and runs for a one year before it changes again. So it is vital that one updates the Chi of their home each year to benefit from lucky sectors and protect against unlucky sectors. Here’s the breakdown of this Year’s lucky, not-so-lucky and totally bad sectors, and what you can do to neutralise the bad effects.

Super Lucky Sectors

This year, the East, North, Northeast, Southeast and Center sectors enjoy good fortune. If your main door or bedroom is located in any of these sectors, you’re in for a great year baby!

The best sector for this year is the East which enjoys the super lucky number 8 wealth star, so to ensure the energy is tapped, enhance it with a water feature that is decorated small rocks and pebbles. For the North, hang auspicious metallic objects there such as a metallic Golden Tortoise or a metal wind chime made with coins.

This year, the center of the house enjoys the number 1 star which brings victory and success. Unless you have a bathroom or kitchen in the center of your home, everyone benefits from this star. If you have a living area, corridor or foyer in the center of the house, hang something metallic. My aunt recommends a Golden Kwan Kung which symbolises victory and success.

The Northeast enjoys the number 4 star of romance and scholastic achievements. If you’re taking an important exam this year or looking for love, you might want to stay in the Northeast room this year to benefit from this energy. The Southeast has the auspicious Number 9 Star, which brings with it “future luck”. It is activated by placing the plants in the Southeast this year.

Not-So-Lucky But Not-So-Bad Sectors

The West and SouthWest have moderate luck this year. The West suffers from the quarrelsome number 3 star which brings problems such as legal entanglements, problems with authorities (your boss for example!) and quarrels with loved ones (your spouse for example). If this is your bedroom, I truly recommend placing something metallic in the west of your bedroom and living room to overcome this. My aunt Lillian Too recommends a cure that is both symbolic and elemental – the Ksitigharba Ball of Fire – because it’s made of metal and symbolizes fire. Both metal and fire are cures for suppressing this type of star but in order to ensure it does not destroy the West sector, fire used here must be symbolic rather than elemental.

The Southwest suffers from the violent number 7 star, which normally brings luck associated with burglary, theft and cheats. If you have a door here, ample protection should be placed to ensure the energy does not enter your home. Protection in feng shui is normally done through symbols, and in this case, a pair of Dogs, Rhinocerous or Elephants (standing on 2 feet ready to launch into war) are recommended. Be vigilant about locking the door and arming the alarm system when not at home. If your bedroom is here, carry the Blue Rhinoceros amulet as well.

Really Bad Sectors

The doomed sectors of this year are the South and Northwest. If your bedroom is in any of these sectors, move to a different room if you can. If your main door is here, try to use a separate door. In both cases, I highly recommend placing cures to suppress the energy here.

The worst sector for this year is the South. It has the Five Yellow star, which is made even stronger because it has flown into a fire sector. The Five Yellow brings serious financial loss, and I’ve known friends who have lost serious money and businesses by not suppressing this star. The cure for the 5 Yellow is my aunt’s 5 Element Pagoda – which is made from 5 types of metal, which you fill out with soil from your garden. My personal experience with the 5 element pagoda cure has been amazing. Last year the 5 Yellow was at my main door and master bedroom, and we managed to survive a very tough year through placing a pair of 5 Element Pagodas flanking my main door and also in the Northeast of the my master bedroom. It was still a difficult year, but luckily we did not lose fortune or fall into ill health. If your astrological sign is the Horse, avoid sleeping in the South this year.

The other bad sector for this year is the Northwest which suffers from the number 2 star of illness. This affects the fathers and grandfathers of the house especially. The number 2 star is weakened by metal, so placing a metal wind chime or anything metallic in the Northwest will reduce the potency of this star. For a good symbolic cure, place a Wu Lou made of metal in the Northwest. The Wu Lou is a traditional feng shui cure used to bottle up illness and disease. If you already have ill health or are about to have surgery or medical procedure performed, avoid staying in this room before, and after treatment.

Related Articles:

2008 Renovation Taboos
2008 Wood Rat Horoscope Forecast

2008 Annual Renovation Rules

Published on February 20, 2008 in Decorating, DIY Feng Shui, Flying Star and Property. 9 Comments Tags: .

If you are planning renovation or redecoration this year, beware of the annual taboos. Chi changes every year from Feb 4th and will last till Feb 3rd the next year.

Grand Duke Jupiter

The Grand Duke Jupiter changes every year and follows the animal sign. This year the Grand Duke Jupiter is in the direction of the Rat, which is North 2 (compass degrees 352.5- 7.5 degrees). It occupies 15 degrees of the compass, and in this part of your home, you should not renovate or dig holes for this entire year. Digging holes or loud banging here is said to offend the Grand Duke Jupiter and causes mishaps and loss to occur. Legend has it that wars and battles have been lost when moving in the direction of the Grand Duke. Apart from not renovating here, you must not sit facing the North 2 direction this year. So if you belong to the East Kua Group, ensure you do not face North this year.

Cure: The classic cure for offending the GDJ or preventing harm from accidentally offending him is to place a Pixie or Pi Yao in the North 2 sector of your living room, or home, facing the direction of the Grand Duke. These mythical creatures have no anus, which means they suck up all the bad chi, and doesn’t release it back out again!

3 Killings

The Three Killings is said to bring bad luck such as gossip, back-biting and accidents. It only becomes malignant if you sit wiht your back facing the 3 killings, or if your renovate or dig holes in its location. This year the 3 Killings is located in the South direction. The 3 Killings occupy 90 degrees, between 135-225 degrees of the compass.

Cure: Place the Three Divine Guardians in the South sector of your living room and home, facing the south direction.

5 Yellow

As mentioned in my Lucky and unlucky Sectors posting, the 5 Yellow is a very malignant star and causes loss. Try not to renovate or dig any holes here. This year the 5 Yellow lands in the South – which makes the South sector very afflicted indeed with both the 5 Yellow and the 3 Killings. Best not to live here this year, and keep the place quiet. If you do not have a choice about moving rooms, make sure you place your 5 element pagoda cure.

Cure: Place the 5 element pagoda in the South.

What if you have to renovate?

If you are renovating the entire house or more than 2 sectors, for example – replacing carpet for the whole house or repainting a large part of your home – as long as you don’t start or end your renovation in any of these afflicted sectors, you’ll be fine. Still, I’d play it safe and display those cures and then renovate.

Related Articles:

2008 Lucky and Unlucky Sectors
2008 Wood Rat Horoscope Forecast

DIY: Merchant Ships for Prosperity

Published on December 3, 2007 in DIY Feng Shui, Symbols & Numbers and Wealth & Success. 9 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

In my Auckland Logo posting, I mentioned that Sailing ships were an excellent symbol of prosperity.  To be more accurate, I should say, that merchant ships are excellent symbols of prosperity. Merchant ships represent trade and enterprise, and trade is vital part of bringing prosperity and economic success to a nation.  

Historically, ports would welcome merchant ships bringing cargo because it meant food, supplies, luxury goods and discovery of new territory. Today, even though cargo ships don’t look nearly as glamourous as older types, they’re still vital in fueling import and export. The Chinese have used this symbolism to bring prosperity into their homes – and have done this traditionally by displaying the Chinese Junk. You don’t have to use a Chinese Junk if you’re not into the look – as long as you follow a few basic feng shui symbolism rules, it has the same meaning.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on choosing the right ship, and using them the right feng shui way: Continue reading ‘DIY: Merchant Ships for Prosperity’

LT’s 2008 Almanac & Horoscope Books

Published on November 25, 2007 in Astrology & Horoscope, Symbols & Numbers and Tools. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , .

This is just a quick post to remind feng shui enthusiasts that Lillian Too’s Feng Shui Almanac 2008 and range of Horoscope books are now available for sale! I got mine in the mail just this week and boy am I really glad they’ve released it so early this year.

The Almanac

It’s perfect as a Christmas present, but more perfect as an invaluable tool to ensure that you pick the right dates for important occasions such as marriage, renovation, traveling, moving house, starting a business or signing a big contract. Based on the Tung Shu almanac, it lists down good and bad dates, and also conflict days according to your animal sign. (You’re advised not to do anything important or travel on conflict dates).

Apart from date selection, the calendar also provides heaps of information about upgrading your annual feng shui for the new year – such as – the location of the Grand Duke Jupiter, 5 Yellow and 3 Killings. I highly recommend getting it now so that you can plan your wedding, renovations, vacations and business launches ahead of time. Continue reading ‘LT’s 2008 Almanac & Horoscope Books’

Selling your house – fast!

Published on November 25, 2007 in 5 Elements and Property. 25 Comments Tags: , , .

Many real estate agents and home investors like to contact me to find out if there is a ritual they could use to sell a house quickly and for the price they want. A recent reader wrote in:

I am a Realtor and have a home listed right now that I feel should have sold quickly. It’s beautiful and the price is right as well. Any idea on what I could do to bring good luck to this home, so that it will sell quickly? Our housing market is a bit slow right now, but this home is the best priced one in the area compared with other homes that offer the same features. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Continue reading ‘Selling your house – fast!’

Clutter-Free is Good-Chi

Published on November 25, 2007 in Decorating, Design & Architecture, Love & Marriage and Personal Chi. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

It’s spring here in New Zealand, and time to clear out the mess in time for the Christmas BBQs and summer parties! My topic for today’s blog is about clutter. Someone wrote to me asking:

I hope you can help me…my bedroom is always a mess clothes are filling up! whats the best thing to do to make the room more romantic?

Clutter brings messy chi into the bedroom, and if you live in the room with someone, it will most certainly create the type of chi that leads to quarrels! Continue reading ‘Clutter-Free is Good-Chi’