Cecil Lee

Dear Anon, 1. 1 February 1984 is the start of 1984. I can understand if it is difficult to know if the house has been completed before or after this date. (Usually, if it is completed after 1 February 1984, which is the start of the new Lunar New year 1984), then the house is 100 precent a Period 7 house. Not to worry here, as usually another way of looking at it is if the date falls within either 1983 or 1984, the date of moving house can equally be considered. If this still pose some problem, then para 2, below can `help.' 2. Since the house nears or is close to Period 7, (rather than period 6), it will usually have the characteristics of a Period 7 house. Even if it does not, a few years and it will most likely change to Period 7 characteristics. It also does not take into consideration renovation works, if any. Which can be done in Period 7. 3. Usually, if one still is not sure, a reliable Feng Shui practitioner would sometimes prepare two charts: one based on Period 6 (for reference) while, still use the Period 7 chart. The period 6 chart is thus kept-in-view, during his/her final analysis of the house chart. But some may not do so, if there is no past history to refer to. Usually, this is done say when a new owner purchased the house and there is already a history to reference the chart with. For example, if information is available on the previous owners, one can see whether the period 6 or period 7 chart `takes' dominance. Usually, one need only to look at the flying star of the main door, to get a feel of how well it correlates to Period 6 or 7. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Daniel, This area is quite difficult to `pinpoint' under Feng Shui as the fundamental concept would be based on Yin and Yang concept. Of balacing it e.g. creating a more yin or yang environment based on individual's habbits and preferences. Some of us prefer to study or do work with music on (and it also depends on the type of music) or some of us must have the quietest environment to concentrate. 1. Perhaps, you can go thru your mind, what is your preference like in the past and present and try to see if you can create such an environment. 2. I have read quite often that it is good to find a specific location that you feel comfortable in (advantages if it can be in the home) to `study' there. 3. Other methods is to see the `hidden' reason e.g. making your learning interesting or seeing your homework from a different `prespective.' For example, in the past, I do `enjoy' (or erh.. force myself) to go thru questions first. From here, you can then start focusing on what is relevant. Other methods include `peer presure' such as if you are given a group assignment, meet your team mates regulary to work on the project or check on each other's progress. Wishing you all the best in your studies. Most importantly, be yourself and think about your future (a good future) when you finished your exams and get a good result. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Carrie, Please see below:- 1. On 2/10/00 5:28:00 PM, Carrie Barker wrote: 2. Yes this is correct. Under the Four Symbolic Animal Concept (pertaining to the concept where the back should have `solid backing' and front `clear space') no matter where the house faces this should be the concept. (Based on Shapes and Form School of interpetation of the Four Symbolic Animal Concept). 4. It does not matter if the main door is at the side of the house in the above situation. The frontage is always recognisable for a home. 5. As I mentioned in an earlier message, that due to the cold winds and `yellow' dust blowing from the North in Chinese cities, buildings avoid having a window or door at the North side. 6. While the houses usually face south. Therefore, many classic books usually just consider the situation in China and mentioned the Four Symboilc concepts with the Bird (South) and Tortise (Mountain/North) in such a situation. 7. Under the Compass School of Feng Shui, it is entirely different as usually, colours are added :- ref: http://www.geomancy.net/fs/colours.htm where the bird (phoneix) is Red representing South direction. 8. I also mentioned this in my book and some earlier messages that pictorial representations are the easiest to understand. This is why a few Feng Shui schools use the same concept. But if we do not have a `clear' understanding of this, may thus get very confused over the various interpretations based on different schools of Feng Shui. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Ang, 1. You have a valid point here. Frankly, as far I know, so far no one has studied this area in a large scale before. As it is a `recent' while Chinese Feng Shui has been around for more than 2,000 years. 2. Until someone truly studies this closely, we cannot say for sure how accurate their birthchart are based on Pillars of Destiny. 3. However, if we see the logic behind basic Pillars of Destiny, it uses one's Year, Month, Day and Time chart, most likely:- 3.1. the Year chart is still unchanged because no baby has an incubation period of more than 1 year i.e. unless his/her birth falls near Chinese Lunar New Year (end of one Chinese New Year) towards the new year. Such as the baby which should have been born say on or after 5 February 2000. Is now born before this date. 3.2. The month pillar may not be changed if the child is born within the same `lunar month'. It can change if the baby is born in the earlier months. 3.3. Here, the day pillar will defintely change. Same goes for the hour pillar which changes. 3.4 In the past (even in the present), Pillars of destiny is only one component of the Holistic method of Geomancy. Other areas include: Face Reading, Hand reading, Chinese Astrology (commonly Year of birth). Peronal name choosing/analysing the strokes and thus numbers of the name. With all these we call "Geomancy", it creates a bigger picture of a person. Furthermore, traditional Pillars not only have just 4 pillars: Year, Month, Day and Time but (for the living person) two more important pillars known as House of Life and House of Conception. Here, each Pillar has a `stem' and `branch' and for a 4 pillar `method' there are Eight Characters to analyse or "Ba Zhi". However, the problem with `Eight Character' analysis is that often "Triple combination" analysis does not `occur' as the probability of only Eight Characters do not usually general "Triple combinations ". But with the addition of House of Life & House of Conception (4 more characters), the likelyhood of Tribple combinations or clashes will occur. The more characters that are analysed (the usual Eight under Year, Month, Day and Time) plus four more under House of Life and Conception will make the pillars more accurate in determining one's true element and other `areas' within the Pillars of destiny analysis. Under Pillars of Destiny, Pillars can be expanded to a few more pillars (these are mostly analysis of Yin or the dead) that are less relevant thus not common today. 3.5 Bearing in mind the above, you have indeed raised a good question. So far, I sincerely believe, no one practitioner can lay claim that a caesarean's birth chart can either be `accurate' or `inacurate' without more thorough research that goes into it. Thus it is good to bear this in mind whenever one does a Pillars of Destiny analysis on a child of caesarean birth. However, the present `thinking' is that no matter how, the day/time is born should be the information used for `calculation' of his/her pillars. This is a documented fact. 4. So far, I have yet to see dates of birth for such cases plugged from the `air' for hypothetical calculations. The closest to this is where FS practitioners `study' a person's chart after he/she has died and speculate his day and time of birth to the characteristics of a specific Pillars of destiny `report'. 5. We also have to remember that Pillars of destiny `mentions' that it charts what one's Destiny and Heaven Luck is suppose to be like but many practitioners mentioned that something like 60% of it can be changed. For example, through one's interaction with parents, education, personal experiences etc.. Which I often call this an `escape clause' of Pillars of Destiny. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. Ideally, good houses have main doors that are `protected' from Sha Qi or poison arrows. 2. It is acceptable to have the main door on the side of the house. In fact this layout is quite common and should not raise too much concern. 3. Here in Singapore, there are many houses especially public housing (apartments) that have doors that are on the `side'. The advantage here is that there are few poison arrows (other than some apartments) with doors facing each other. 4. Most of these houses are `rectangular' in shape and thus of a good `shape'. 5. More importantly, the frontage of the house is equally important. What one needs to do here is: - since there are no poison arrows aimed at the main door, - concentrate on Qi coming from the frontage. Is there sufficient natural light coming into the house? 6. The rationale for the above is that if one can understand that not all of us leave our main door open yet, some of us are better than others (even without leaving the main door open). So where does Qi come in? It has to come in from the windows or vents above the windows (if any). 7. Here one must remember that the windows also need `protection'. For example, if one stands at the window facing out, if there is a poison arrow aimed at the window, one should implement a cure. E.g. use blinds. 8. In the past or infact at the present, it is common for Hong Kong practitioners to advice e.g. placing a fish tank at the window e.g. if there is a single lamp post. 9. The other concept is if one cannot see it, it no longer becomes a `threat'. Here, if a simple curtain can be used without affecting the lighting, then it is an effective tool to counter a poison arrow. 10. Alternatively, use a blind. 11. Currently, you are using intutive Feng Shui and placing mirrors at a specific location. 12. It is not wrong to do this. The other consideration is the use of Flying Star Theory to analyse if the location is `balanced' or imbalanced or auspicious or inauspicious. 13. If it is inaupicious, some Feng Shui practitioners advise not to place a mirror as it will bounce back `twice' the problem. To many Feng Shui practititoners, the Flying Star is a more professional method of checking a particular sector. Other than using intutive Feng Shui. 14. On another (subject). One user recently mentioned that he was advised to bury `lucky' treasures on the corners of the house. Although this is practised by some Feng Shui schools, I personally found that this is not `effective'. Thus have in a few instances in the past mentioned that there was this practice but do not advise anyone to do so. 15. It does not matter what is buried on the ground. It would indeed be a waste if a gold bar was buried at the spot. One is that money is `wasted' as one could have earned some interest in the bank or elsewhere. 16. The ideal here is to share with everyone things that would likely work or success is high as compared to spending money where there may be minimal or no returns. As mentioned many times, one need not need to spent money on Feng Shui. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Newsgroup: forum.geomancy.net Dear Users, How to configure Microsoft Outlook Check out this link on how to configure your Microsoft Outlook to read messages using a news client:- http://www.geomancy.net/newsgroup/index.htm Warmest Regards, Cecil Lee P.S. Configuring using other newsreader agents is similar:)

Dear Liz, 1. When using a dragon, allow it to have a straight path between the dragon and the poison arrow. For example, it should not be aimed at the poison arrow in the path of the work desk to the poison arrow. 2. The dragon was given to me as a gift and I merely use to, in my opinion, I found it effective against poison arrow. As it is a wooden dragon, it is hard to find it. Usually, most common are crystal or metal (gold plated) dragons. At the same time, I have curtains on both sides. The poison arrow, at my home is diagonal and not directly slices the home balcony. 3. In my opinion, you can use the small dragon pointed at the poison arrow. Where possible, if you have the curtain blind, you should also draw it down. Usually, the mouth of the dragon is open. So avoid facing it inwards of the house. So long as it faces outwards will do. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Carrie, So far, I have found that there are at least 4 ways of interepreting the four symbolic animals concept. The two most common ones are: 1. What you referred to the north/south where the mountain is at the north/back is based on the "China" concept. This is where in China, the cold winds blows from the North and most of the houses do not have windows or doors at the north/back of the house. This is also where the dust from the north blows. Here, in senario 1, the is the reason why north is = back of the house. While South is e.g. the facing direction of the house. 2. In general, if you can forget about Para 1, then:- - Facing direction should be clear space or bird. - Back of the house should have a solid backing or protection. Here, it is incorrect to say that North = back. 3. Under the Four Symbolic Animals concept, you need to take note that the back needs a solid backing. That is, proper fencing or shrubs or even a brick wall behind the house to provide solid `protection.' 4. For the front of the house, it is always good to have `clear space'. It is acceptable to plant some trees but not so that it becomes too large and `darkens' the frontage of the house. 5. I have also mentioned in a few previous messages that besides the above meaning, the Compass School of Feng Shui also relates to the four symbolic animals but taking into account the compass directions. 6. It is always good for you to ask the question so that you have a better understanding of the rationale of how north/back came about. How, it does not apply to every situation or house. Hope the above helps.

Dear Richard, 1. Bearing any `supersitious' belief, it is generally acceptable to place the gift on a display shelf. 2. Where possible, on an open display shelf rather than enclosed one e.g. glass cabinet. 3. Para 2 should do. However, if it has more than four ie. five claws, try to let it be placed in the living room or `open' space within the living room preferably facing out of a window, or sliding glass area. 4. Avoid placing it in the bedroom (as it is considered too yang) and is bedroom is usually should be more yin (place of rest). 5. Avoid placing it on the same wall as the toilet. 6. Avoid placing it facing the kitchen door. 7. Avoid placing it facing the toilet door. The above are general considerations. Hope the above helps. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Carina, 1. Currently, there is no `rule' to say that a mirror can only be placed in the dinning, living and toilets. But rather, we should understand the reasoning behind what was mentioned. 2. The reason for placing in a toilet is because most master bedrooms have an attached bathroom. Because of this, it is `advisable' to place the mirror above the wash basin rather than in the bedroom area. This is because some of us are more `sensitive' to mirrors facing the bed. It is still acceptable to place the mirror on the dressing table if it does not face the bed. 3. Some of us are not sensitive to mirrors even if they face the bed. So, here it does not apply to everyone. 4. For a mirror placed in the dinning room, the Chinese dialect group i.e. Cantonese some of them believe that a mirror facing the dinning room will bounce back more `food' or plentiful food in the dinning room. 5. For mirrors in the living room, majority do it more for interior decorations e.g. make the living room look `bigger' and brighter. 6. The main consideration under Feng Shui is that should the sector or wall has an inaupicious Flying Star e.g. the sickness star, one concept that, it will bounce back twice the `bad luck'. It is under Para 6 that Feng Shui practitioners are concerned about. 7. Where best, the mirror should face an opposite wall rather than a door or entrance. I am not sure one would feel `comfortable' seeing one's profile each time one leaves the kitchen. This has nothing to do with Feng Shui (just my personal comments). Consideration under Feng Shui: It is best not to reflect sharp objects e.g. knives fork if it is visible view of the `opposite' mirror. I believe this is not the case as mentioned in your message. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. As all of us is aware, there are lots of practititioners and their skill level and methods used. 2. As you have not mentioned whether the practititioners used the following theories: a. Shapes and Form School To access both the interior and exterior of the home. b. Flying Star Chart This is to analyse the birth chart of the house and check for imbalances and Qi enhancements (e.g. activating mountain or water stars). c. Relate the above to the Eight House (Suitablity of the house and the influence of bedroom) d. Pillars of Destiny To obtain the true element and strength and to check the season of influence. 3. Not all FS audits under Para a, b, c and d are done the same and it depends on the quality of the practitioner. 4. Some practitioners do only Para c. Eight House and add a touch of religious aspect. Some only perform Para b, Flying Star and does not relate it to other methods. Furthermore, not all Pillars of Destiny analysis are created equal. Many simply do a simplistic chart of taking into account only the Year, Month of birth. While others take into account the Year, Month, Day and Time but use the method of convenience e.g. the Xia Li (or Hsia) method which is not accurate should there be an intercalary month or a second month in the year of birth and it also happens to fall on one's birthday. Lots more like additional Pillars of Life and Conception are not taken into account. One practitioner's view or analysis of Shapes and Form may not be the same. As mentioned by you some FS schools have a `habit' of burying `lucky' treasures all over the house. (In my opinion, I am not sure this practise will work. It will cost money thou.) Many of my viewpoints are stated in various messages on this forum: a. I believe ut is more effective in using all the various theories that work for most people, use them as a cross-reference or for a `bigger' picture i.e. Shapes & Form, Flying Star, Eight House & Pillars of Destiny etc... b. Discard theories that do not work for most people or too general e.g. Eigh Associations Eight/Life aspirations, burying of objects (avoid fixed templates)... c. Minimal use of the Ba Gua mirror. I believe the above points are echoed many times in this forum. 5. Usually, if there is no improvement, one good starting point is to : - Check the surroundings of the house using the Shapes and Form - Use the Flying Star to check for imbalances e.g. sickness and misfortune cure and other imbalances and try to cure them first. Usually, this is the major area of consideration especially if one is constantly sick. Many people think that enhancements are more important but the fact is that imbalances need to be cured first. Rather than put the cart before the horse by doing enhancements. Get the house in order. - Check the degree of suitability of you to your house e.g if the front door is one of your inauspcious sectors, especially death or disaster area, no matter how `lucky' the house is your life is going to be `average' in such a house. So one must not `kid' ourselves that one can get instant wealth by doing everything correct under Shapes and Form and Flying Star theory. Finally not all FS practitioners are created equal. Be wary of those who call themselves `Master'. I believe this title is earned ie. by people recognising them as such rather than placing a title to their name such as "King" of Feng Shui etc... Do check out their background. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Gabrielle, You can check out the Paid report at http://www.geomancy-online.com which will analyse personalised auspicious dates. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Gerret, 1. Generally, Feng Shui is not about taking with you things. Feng Shui is seen as enhancing Qi or neutralising Sha Qi (poison arrows). 2. However, based on the Five Element Concept, one can enhance (personal self) under the following consideration: If you know your true element and strength e.g. weak wood. (Under the productive cycle: http://www.geomancy.net/fs/5element.htm ) Water enhances wood. In such a situation, you can do with more `water' element e.g. blue clothing/blue jeans. Para 2 is one way of `bringing' along items. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, The simplest way is to get yourself an ordinary compass. Stand in the middle of the house and you can locate the true compass direction of North, South etc... Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Kevin, The `key' ingredients for a new plot of land is: By Ranking (1). Shapes and Form School. (2). The Flying Star of house. (3). Your personal Eight House. 1. Ideally as you have mentioned the frontage of the house should logically be facing the front. 2. The main door can be either at the frontage or at the side of the house. Usually, you may need the services of a competent Feng Shui practititoner to advise you on which sector is the best door location based on you personal Ba Zhi. Here, several Flying Star Charts can be drawn to find out which is most auspicious sector for the main door and like a puzzle, once this is made known, the other sectors of the house can be determined. Here, the Flying Star Chart is used to identify how many good sectors or if there is any imbalance in the sector. `Reverse engineering' is used here to see where one can locate especially the living room and bedrooms etc... It is also looked at together with your Eight House to check for sectors such as the death or disaster intangible forces are located and what intangible force is located at your bedroom. 3. Robert had devised the Finding a Good House module at www.geomancy-online.com for our personal use and we used it successfully to find the best main door in relation to a breadwinner both for ourselves and many of our clients. If you want to use a simplistic concept other than under Para 3, you can use the Eight House template and see where your bedroom is located and the main door is located in the architect's plan. 4. For the beautiful back view, you can have something like a `balcony' to see the lovely view. Do remember the following important points: 1. Do not site the toilet near the main door or at the centre of the house. Where possible, the toilet is next to one external wall. 2. Do not let a direct flow of Qi from the main door exiting towards the back. 3. Where possible, make the house a complete one ie. rectangle shape and avoid missing corners or protusions. 4. Where possible all rooms are also rectangular in shape. 5. Stair cases leading up to the 2nd storey should not be directly in line of sight of the main door. Where best, there is a turn. 6. Where possible, the main door should not have more than two panels. Most important, do take care of the Shapes and Form of Feng Shui. Once this is done, 60 percent of the `battle' is won. 7. For the back of the house, since I understand that there is a slope behind the house, proper fencing is acceptable here. 8. Sometimes it may not be practical if you are doing FS audit on your home so, you may `skip', all details on the Flying Star as usually, if done correctly later, all imbalances if any can be neutralised. I personally used it to check if it is possible to have a `Double 7' at the main door which is the most auspicious for the current period between 1984 to 2003. However, not all Double 7's are equal due to the base (flying star). But it is considered the best for the main door. You do not need to do this but it is one consideration if you are using the Flying Star. Wishing you all the best on your new home! Warmest Regards, Cecil

Pictures of the eight lucky treasures used by some Feng Shui Schools. Where a picture of the eight lucky treasures are either buried on the main entrance door steps or displayed in the home or business.

Various auspicious decorative panel motifs.

1. More auspicious Chinese fruit and flower patterns. 2. The gourd is considered a minature representation of heaven and earth. Its shape unites both heaven and earth. 3. The gourd is also a symbol of one of the Eight Immortals.

More auspicious patterns

A series of auspicious flower designs.

The Pomegranate fruit is a summer fruit. It is full of seeds. Because of this, it symbloises fertility. Together with the peach and thelemon, these fruits symbolise abundance.

Cicada is considered auspicious because it symbolises happiness and eternal youth. A Cicada emerges from the ground after it pupates for four years. Sometimes it is seen emerging from the burial grounds. Here, the Chinese see it as immortality. This is the reason why some Chinese place a Jade cicada in the mouth of the dead before the burial. The cicada is often seen in Chinese paintings.

Dear Anon, Cicada is considered auspicious because it symbolises happiness and eternal youth. A Cicada emerges from the ground after it pupates for four years. Sometimes it is seen emerging from the burial grounds. Here, the Chinese see it as immortality. This is the reason why some Chinese place a Jade cicada in the mouth of the dead before the burial. The cicada is often seen in Chinese paintings. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. As the saying goes Many roads lead to Rome. 2. Similarly there are different methods of taking compass directions. If followed closely will come to the same results. For those who know how to use the Luo Pan to take readings, then that is fine i.e. learned from a proper source. 3. I always believe that one must follow a method `totally'. It is best to avoid `reading' between the lines i.e. hear of one method, read it half-way and continue with another method. 4. The method proposed in this site is listed under: http://www.geomancy.net/fs/cecilcompass.htm The above method is soley based on using an ordinary compass. Let's not mix an apple and an orange and come to the `wrong' conclusion that just because one uses the Luo Pan to take readings from the main door (facing and sitting direction), this does not automatically apply to the method used with the ordinary compass and assume that the method used must be the same. 5. In my opinion, the compass on the Luo pan is small and difficult to get a correct reading as accurately as using an ordinary compass. The way it is held and not at eye level especially with more `acurate' compasses with line of sight makes the Luo pan reading (in my opinion less reliable). 6. I aways mentioned that one must read the `instructions' fully and not mix instructions. If one follows `both' instructions properly one should come to the same results. 7. Furthermore, many users come from all over the world and we do not expect each one to invest in a Luo pan. While an ordinary compass is reasonably cheap and considered a universal tool. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Can I clarify with you. 1. Do you mean that there is a straight flight of steps from ground level leading up to the main entrance door of the home. 2. If so, is there a staircase landing? or is there a turn at the staircase? 3. Is the staircase narrow and dark? Hope you can help to clarify the above first. Warmest Regards, Cecil