The question we are often asked is: Do you believe in feng shui? Is it truly a necessity in todays 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 dont 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 didnt 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, heres 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 "Its all in the mind"? It turns out that its not just an expression. The University of Hertfordshires 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 Manilas 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 its 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 houses occupants. For instance, the husbands birthday is what matters when it comes to the living room, dining room, bedroom, etc., but it is the wifes birthday that geomancers study when it comes to the kitchen (hold your horses, girls; remember, this practice began 5,000 years before Betty Friedans 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 countrys 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.
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 isnt 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 shouldnt 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. Its symbolic of going one step beyond while for business it means step-by-step to success.
Southwest is the sickness location, which can be remedied by putting six pieces of Chinese antique coins in that corner of the house.
Dont use mahjong lights in the dining room but do put peony flowers to attract luck.
The chandelier shouldnt be too low because, aside from your designer getting a heart attack when she sees this atrocity, this would cause pressure and stress.
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.
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.
He also reveals that bougainvillea are considered the "sad flower" in China and theyre 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. "Its bad luck to have the mirror facing the main door," he says. Is there a cure for it if you dont want to remove the mirror? "Better take it away because all the bad luck will enter the house."
Merlina Mertons Better Living Feng Shui Services can be reached at 813-4703, 812-4743.