A few years ago, a former work associate (let's call her BJ) put up her condominium for sale. After almost two years, it remained unsold. That was pre-recession when houses were selling like hotcakes! She was, no doubt, in a panic as the property was becoming a money pit, causing serious cash flow problems. You see, besides the mortgage payment for that unsold condominium, she was simultaneously paying for the monthly mortgage of her primary residence.
BJ had heard about feng shui (Chinese word meaning wind-water; pronounced fung-shway) and the wonders it could bring to believers. She knew that I had been practicing it since the time I learned how it could be applied in my life. My learning process began before I lost my job at another company (before I worked with BJ). Then post-layoff I needed any kind of amulet that could possibly bring me good luck. Thus, absorbing feng shui became a full-time passion. The two year period I spent looking for work also gave me the opportunity to deeply absorb this Chinese art of placement.
One day BJ asked if I could go with her to take a look at her property for sale. Without her telling me, I knew that she thought that with my feng shui knowledge, I might be able to see what might have been causing the problem. I also knew that she wanted me to apply the necessary feng shui cure.
Once we got to the condominium, I immediately noticed how cramped the space was behind the front door. There was a wall on the right side which prevented the door from swinging with ease. In feng shui, the wider the main door (the mouth) of the house and the bigger space it enters into (a spacious foyer or wide hall), the easier for energy (known as chi in feng shui) to flow in. It is through the main door that good luck comes. Therefore the larger the room it opens into, the better. Spacious room equals auspicious energy flow equals good fortune. Get the drift?
For a feng shui cure, on the main door knob I tied a bright red ribbon from which hang three bagua coins (Chinese coins with square holes in the center). Outside just at the side of the entrance, we buried three more bagua coins under a big rock, a symbolic gesture inviting good fortune to enter the house.
When we went up the second floor, I immediately noticed that the top of the stairs faced the door to the bathroom. The bottom step of the stairs going down the basement had the same layout. In feng shui, it is bad for the staircase to confront the front door. The symbolic meaning is money leaving the house! It is worse when the stairs face a door that opens into the bathroom. It can be financially disastrous. All that flushing can't be good for the money! I advised BJ to hang a crystal from the ceiling between the bathroom and the stairs and to do the same in the basement.
Under the staircase going down the basement, there was a bar counter with a faucet. Another feng shui taboo! It means family wealth loss because everything drains away. Just think, we step on dirt because it means nothing to us. Water is a precious commodity in our life and should not be stepped on. I couldn’t help but make a comment to BJ that whoever designed the layout was a bad architect. It turned out to be her uncle!
I advised BJ to hang a crystal underneath the staircase, hopefully, to send away the bad energy caused by the water-feature-under-the-stairs layout. I didn't read in any feng shui book about the hang-a-crystal remedy for the water-under-the staircase situation. I just believe that crystal is a good feng shui remedy. Besides,the only solution for BJ's basement bar situation was to renovate the area, and that was out of the question.
I did all I could to assure BJ that if she believed that the house would be sold soon, it would happen before she knew it. Her faith mattered because if she (the seller) had any doubt in her heart, that was the message she was sending to the Universe. You know, the Universe always listens!
For a feng shui cure, on the main door knob I tied a bright red ribbon from which hang three bagua coins (Chinese coins with square holes in the center). Outside just at the side of the entrance, we buried three more bagua coins under a big rock, a symbolic gesture inviting good fortune to enter the house.
When we went up the second floor, I immediately noticed that the top of the stairs faced the door to the bathroom. The bottom step of the stairs going down the basement had the same layout. In feng shui, it is bad for the staircase to confront the front door. The symbolic meaning is money leaving the house! It is worse when the stairs face a door that opens into the bathroom. It can be financially disastrous. All that flushing can't be good for the money! I advised BJ to hang a crystal from the ceiling between the bathroom and the stairs and to do the same in the basement.
Under the staircase going down the basement, there was a bar counter with a faucet. Another feng shui taboo! It means family wealth loss because everything drains away. Just think, we step on dirt because it means nothing to us. Water is a precious commodity in our life and should not be stepped on. I couldn’t help but make a comment to BJ that whoever designed the layout was a bad architect. It turned out to be her uncle!
I advised BJ to hang a crystal underneath the staircase, hopefully, to send away the bad energy caused by the water-feature-under-the-stairs layout. I didn't read in any feng shui book about the hang-a-crystal remedy for the water-under-the staircase situation. I just believe that crystal is a good feng shui remedy. Besides,the only solution for BJ's basement bar situation was to renovate the area, and that was out of the question.
I did all I could to assure BJ that if she believed that the house would be sold soon, it would happen before she knew it. Her faith mattered because if she (the seller) had any doubt in her heart, that was the message she was sending to the Universe. You know, the Universe always listens!
I can’t remember how many more months passed after that feng shui episode, but eventually, the property sold! Needless to say, my associate was extremely relieved.
Today there is a wealth of feng shui information because it has gained popularity over the years. My personal belief is that feng shui is the auspicious placement of things in the home. The Chinese art that balances yin and yang for creating harmonious surroundings. Wikipedia describes it as “an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to use the laws of both Heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help improve life receiving positive qi.” Qi (pronounced chi or chee) means energy. According to the same source, “A traditional explanation of qi as it relates to feng shui would include the orientation of a structure, its age, and its interaction with the surrounding environment including the local microclimates, the slope of the land, vegetation, and soil quality.” Until now, it all sounds Greek to me!
When I started studying it, my mind could only absorb so much data. It all read like a foreign language to me, especially as many different books contradicted each other. To save myself any confusion, I focused on the books written by a feng shui expert who happens to be the best selling author on the subject. After the initial intimidation I experienced during the learning process, I found a way of absorbing the essential concepts of this awesome Asian practice that I could actually use in my life. Forget the complicated data that many ancient cultures in the East practiced for thousands of years! I settled for those that I could easily incorporate into my world.
For me, feng shui is all about symbolism. We can organize our home or office in accordance with feng shui orientation, by putting the auspicious symbols we want to become a reality in our life in the corners of our home that represent Wealth, Fame, Relationships, Creativity, Helpful People, Career, Knowledge and Health. If done correctly, and with good luck, we will achieve the goal that we desire.
But the first and foremost requirement in practicing feng shui is to have a good heart. I learned this from a book written by an Asian feng shui master. No matter how we feng shui everything in our life, if that prime human requirement is missing, the desired result will never come to be.
Donald Trump believes in the power of feng shui. So should anyone, if attracting good vibes and success in life is the goal to be achieved.
Donald Trump believes in the power of feng shui. So should anyone, if attracting good vibes and success in life is the goal to be achieved.
