Lucky locations for romance, money & promotion in the home

Some people look at feng shui the way they would look at a pitcher of ice-cold water if they had been crawling in the Serengeti for five days: They absolutely must have it or else they would drop dead. Others look at feng shui the way they look at a cloverleaf or a rabbit’s foot that they accidentally encounter on the street: No harm in taking it for added luck. And the rest dismiss it the way they would FPJ pronouncements that he can hold his alcohol, thank you.

The question we are often asked is: Do you believe in feng shui? Is it truly a necessity in today’s modern homes?

I tell people that yes and no. Even though feng shui has branched into different schools to suit the times and it somewhat feels like a fast food with a million and one cures available for sale, I love that fortunes change with feng shui – if last year your house was sitting in the worst possible location, this year you may be in the promotion location.

I love that the ancient Chinese 5,000 years ago slapped their foreheads and said, "Why don’t we improve the world by improving the flow of chi, and move the toilet from the center, where it stinks up the whole house, to the right side?" (Of course, they didn’t have modern toilets back then, but you get what I mean.)

I love that in feng shui, many things are based on common sense, and that the emphasis is on energy and harmony, on a deep respect for nature and on simplicity – letting chi in, throwing the clutter out; letting light in, letting darkness out.

But above all, here’s what I really believe: I believe in the power of suggestion, in the human mind believing in something and wanting it so badly that, to use the words of Paulo Coelho, "the universe conspires to make it happen."

You know that idiom "It’s all in the mind"? It turns out that it’s not just an expression. The University of Hertfordshire’s Professor Richard Wiseman did a study on the effects of lucky charms and found out that they did bring luck – but only to the mind of the person carrying them. A hundred people in the UK were given a Victorian penny as a charm and were asked to keep a diary and write "how their luck had changed in areas such as health and finance." Charms had absolutely no effect on choosing winning lottery numbers yet 30 percent of the sample felt their luck had improved by as much as 50 percent.

The study says, "Though skeptical of any magical effects, these subjects felt more confident, secure and optimistic about the future."

Professor Wiseman says, "When it comes to totally chance events like the lottery, it made no difference, but when it comes to luck in life, it made a real difference in terms of opportunities and confidence." Not surprisingly, 70 percent of participants said they would continue to carry the lucky coin with them.

So we always look at feng shui with one eyebrow raised while moving one or two pieces of furniture around to welcome good chi.

Mandarin Oriental Manila’s resident geomancer arrived in Manila last week bringing good tidings. Feng shui expert Joseph Chau has worked on commercial buildings in Hong Kong – including hotels such as the Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott and the former Furama – and factories in China.

This year is a good year to buy a house, he says. Part of this is because it’s a good year for the Philippines and the real estate industry will get a boost. This year also marks the ending of Trend 7 and the beginning of Trend 8 (there are nine cycles that last 20 years each), which may mean that houses built in the previous trends, periods or eras may begin to show feng shui wear and tear and you need a skilled geomancer to get the house to benefit from the new period.

Joseph emphasizes that feng shui is a personalized science; that fortunes depend on the birthdays of the house’s occupants. For instance, the husband’s birthday is what matters when it comes to the living room, dining room, bedroom, etc., but it is the wife’s birthday that geomancers study when it comes to the kitchen (hold your horses, girls; remember, this practice began 5,000 years before Betty Friedan’s Feminine Mystique). Still, the geomancer indulges us when we prod him for general guidelines for the homemaker in the Year of the Monkey.

Manila-based geomancer Merlina Merton, who has worked on some of the country’s biggest residences, says that to locate the directions in the house, you should purchase a compass, and determine the directions from the center of the house or the center of the main receiving area.

Bedroom

Joseph says the location to avoid when it comes to the bed’s position this year is east and south. The best location is southeast, which is the promotion and money location for 2004, and northeast. If you want to be promoted, change careers, make sure your headboard is facing southeast.

If you want to add a little romance in the bedroom, choose the north, which is the romantic location. Also, put flowers such as peach flower, which isn’t available here so you can settle for a scroll with a picture of the flower.

Merlina, however, warns of having water or a flower vase in the room as this can "incite sexual promiscuity or increase the likelihood of a scandalous affair." Wives, take note of this!

The ceiling light shouldn’t be positioned directly over the bed or this will cause digestive problems and rheumatism.

In the kids’ bedroom, put a jade pagoda on their desk for academic excellence and high grades. It’s symbolic of going one step beyond while for business it means step-by-step to success.

Living Room

Mini waterfalls should be put in the living room in the southeast location. If you want to attract money fast, put a money catcher or pik-che, which means removing evil spirits, available at Joseph Chau’s Yin and Yang Shop of Harmony (naturally) at Mandarin Hotel.

Southwest is the sickness location, which can be remedied by putting six pieces of Chinese antique coins in that corner of the house.

Dining Room

A round table is the best for the dining room because it has no corners, says Joseph Chau. "It means satisfaction. Also, if your tabletop is glass, it should be smoky, frosted or sandblasted – make sure you do not see through the glass because it’s disrespectful to a lady wearing a short skirt."

Don’t use mahjong lights in the dining room but do put peony flowers to attract luck.

The chandelier shouldn’t be too low because, aside from your designer getting a heart attack when she sees this atrocity, this would cause pressure and stress.

Backstabbing, Criticism, Relationships

The criticism and rumors location this year is east (and I thought it was everywhere!). If you’re having trouble with colleagues at work, avoid the east location, which means you should move your desk away from the east to avoid being backstabbed. A jade muk yue, similar to the gong used for Taoist prayers and rituals, is used to combat criticism, jealousy and gossip – and to dispel the ill effects of the conflict star.

Merlina notes that a door in the east section of the home or office is only good if you are a lawyer since the star represents quarrel and litigation.

If your trouble is with the in-laws, wear a lucky jade pendant, which may also help to enhance your popularity, fame and luck. Or you may just buy your mother-in-law a fabulous day at the spa.

Always in tune with the times, Joseph Chau also designed a special pendant for potential candidates running for office.

Foyer

Put a pin light – or any round-shaped light – at the entrance for good luck.

Merlina says that since the star in the north is a good star, a door in the north section of the house or facing north will bring in good chi, and for some, a chance to travel.

Disaster Star

This year, the disaster star is located right smack in the center of the house (or building). According to Merlina, "it can cause accidents and mishaps and, as it’s in the center, it will permeate the whole house. However, it is an earth star and the center is its natural location, consequently this ameliorates somewhat its negativity." Joseph recommends that to remove bad luck, put a Brass Power Pole charm to minimize disasters at home. If you can’t put it in the center of the house, lest the people trip over it, put it behind the sofa or on top of the cabinet in the living room.

Common Mistakes

"Filipinos like to put their statues of saints inside the bedroom. They should not because the saints are yin, humans are yang; they cannot be together," Joseph says. "Plus it’s disrespectful when you change your clothes in front of the saints or become intimate with your partner." He suggests the sala facing the main entrance as the perfect place for santos.

He also reveals that bougainvillea are considered the "sad flower" in China and they’re unlucky. Only for this year? "No, permanently," he says.

A trick that homeowners and designers love to do in small spaces is to put a mirror behind the sofa in the living and most of the time, the living room faces the front door. "It’s bad luck to have the mirror facing the main door," he says. Is there a cure for it if you don’t want to remove the mirror? "Better take it away because all the bad luck will enter the house."

Colors

"Lucky colors don’t really change because they’re based on one’s birthday," he says. "If you want to decorate your house nice, make it bright, not dark. If you’re always in a dark room and there’s no sunshine, you get moody."

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Joseph Chau’s Yin and Yang Shop of Harmony is located at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Manila. Call 752-5882, 750-8888 local 2722 or e-mail yinyangmandarin@yahoo.com.

Merlina Merton’s Better Living Feng Shui Services can be reached at 813-4703, 812-4743.