Mana Mana Po Feng Shui!

Mother Lily may have made a billion in "Mano Po" films, but in a light banter I suggested to her to make a "Mana Po" series! Why? In secret Chinese feng shui tradition, feng shui of the dead, or grave is the highest form of feng shui. While "Mano Po" conveys the cultural acceptance of males having two or more wives as they travel a lot as merchants (with a wife in every port); "Mana Po" ought to teach the vital lesson of feng shui legacy as inheritance of the virtues or good karma of ancestors departed.

So much so for my suggestion, Mother Lily instructed her van driver to turn around and head for the Chinese Cemetery in North Manila right away and made me feng shui their family mausoleum.

If you take good care of grave, crypt or columbary feng shui, surely, you and your loved ones or family are on the way to the fulfillment of the dreams of your ancestors or forefathers especially your dearly departed parent or parents... even fathers of illegitimate children.

That is why burial feng shui is the most expensive of all services! Personally, my own experience was to do it for my own father when he was buried, and then in subsequent trips to hometowns to my grandfathers and grandmothers too.

The results are amazing, without a son at that time, my wife begot our one and only son - our youngest - thereafter! Having a son is a different kind of true wealth legacy for Chinese even Filipino families as a purveyor of the continuity of the family's name (the surname).

Many other burial feng shui engagements followed for both poor and rich families alike. The poor getting rich and, more so, the rich getting richer as well! One was a former snatcher in Pasay City who upon learning this secret, and being well-to-do now, had his tatay's apartment crypt in the crowded municipal cemetery feng shuied. The guy now sports a calling card with his self-made title "Don!"

Other memorable engagements include the graves of taipans Donya Salustiana Ty and Don Norberto Ty (banker George Ty's dad) as requested by their daughter Terry. It restored MetroBank's glory this time not only in Philippines but in Shanghai too. My most memorable one is the renovation of FPJ's mausoleum as requested by Tita Inday Susan Roces, who is Chinese, related to the Gotianuns of Filinvest and who knows Chinese burial feng shui traditions too. Well, you can surmise the happy results as not only cheating in elections got bared "not once but twice!" And Senator Grace Poe has become an icon of virtue in Philippine politics nowadays!

Which reminds me of a funny encounter with Susan Roces twice in this engagement. First, she asked if there is such a thing as "pinakamalas na tao." Yes, I replied relating the story of a man so jinxed he discovered through feng shui that his mom's grave had the municipal cemetery toilet built right above it! No wonder his life was full of shit, so to speak! First time I saw Susan smile in her loneliness back then.

The second time was after our feng shui at the cemetery. We decided it was best to pass by a restaurant to make "pagpag." So we ate at Chinatown's Bestfoods restaurant along Banawe Street in Quezon City. The other diners started to flock to her for selfies!

As Tita Inday finally took her seat beside my youngest son, aged 10, he innocently asked her: "Tita, sikat ba kayo?" (Are you popular?)

She nodded humbly in reply, beaming a smile and a wink to all of us. As it began to rain, an omen of good things to come after a feng shui engagement, we ate heartily.

The best feng shui for the dead is in our hearts and minds. Just remember that we are all in the holy presence of God and Jesus live in our hearts forever, and pray for the dear departed daily as a sign of our continuing love for them. A solemn All Saints and Souls Day, everyone!