extract from the draft of '5 songs'...
"..Zhang Zhong San, fengshui master of the early 20th century said. “ The temple determines the good and ill fortune of the community, the ancestral the weal and woe of the clan.” This is how important such temples or shrines are in fengshui.
Within the points considered in the placement of shrines or ancestral halls, a combination of land form study and qi is used. In the study of analytical qi, the facing star determines the status, rank, excellence, talent, abundance as well as harmony as a whole. Harsh, dull and scorching qi should be totally avoided.
In our homes, these same principles and rules too apply. We may not have ancestral tablets but in every home, it is desirable to have a shrine or altar area. There is nothing to be religious about this. For those not inclined to the placement of a shrine or for those not too religion inclined, a retreat zone or sanctuary can be incorporated within the living space. This is the collection point of all the vibrant qi and also serves as a sanctum where wounds collected from our daily excursions into the competitive world outside can be healed."
This sanctuary should be within the central area of activity yet is a niche or corner on its own. It should be kept clean and pure. Most importantly, it should be free of rubbish. Ideally there should be sufficient space for a person to stand or better still sit in in contemplation or meditate. Personal effects can be placed here for it is in many ways a place of focus for the family as well as for personal empowerment and recharging.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
The Sigh
There were this chinese threesome sitting at a corner of red rooster of Perth International Terminal. One man, two ladies, late fifties or early sixties. Lady A was gesticulating, obviously agitated, quite upset. Man and Lady B listen solemnly. Then lady B starts to speaks but ends after a few words with a deep sigh.
The sigh is so common. Me think that this sigh if left unchecked becomes so ingrained and habitual that very soon we become the sigh. Perhaps it be better to check ourself before that happens. There seems so much anger and refusal to budge from our hardened position that everything else we see about us is clouded and blocked out by this sigh.
The sigh often may not be one of resignation but despise and resentment, don’t you think?
The sigh is so common. Me think that this sigh if left unchecked becomes so ingrained and habitual that very soon we become the sigh. Perhaps it be better to check ourself before that happens. There seems so much anger and refusal to budge from our hardened position that everything else we see about us is clouded and blocked out by this sigh.
The sigh often may not be one of resignation but despise and resentment, don’t you think?
Shadow of a temple
Tip for today is not to buy a house if the shadow of a temple falls over the property. Why?
Temples are gathering places of yin forces. The shadow is caused by a lack of yang. Yin is not inherently good or bad but too much yin together makes it too strong to mange. Living people and houses are yang and should stay that way. When strong opposing forces are present, there will be difficulty striking harmony.
There is another aspect to temples. The convergence of people creates waves of yin yang forces and this amount to huge cyclical movement. Such peaking and troughs of qi is not conducive to homes in general.
However we are talking about temples in a general sense but there are instances where temples or worship places become a good thing for the community. A saint living there for example can only emanate goodwill for the surroundings.
Temples are gathering places of yin forces. The shadow is caused by a lack of yang. Yin is not inherently good or bad but too much yin together makes it too strong to mange. Living people and houses are yang and should stay that way. When strong opposing forces are present, there will be difficulty striking harmony.
There is another aspect to temples. The convergence of people creates waves of yin yang forces and this amount to huge cyclical movement. Such peaking and troughs of qi is not conducive to homes in general.
However we are talking about temples in a general sense but there are instances where temples or worship places become a good thing for the community. A saint living there for example can only emanate goodwill for the surroundings.
Buying auctioned houses
Within fengshui circles, it is recommended that it is wise not to buy auction houses. In Hong Kong, they call them bank owner properties.
Why?
We may think that the energy is so bad that the owner is affected in a way. This may be partially true but then there are some houses which were not occupied by the owner or were left vacant. How then has the owner anything to do with the fengshui of the house when he does not live there?
In explaining life and fortune, we may need to look at the law of cause and effect, the law of deed and retribution. Where a house needs to be auction, it somehow carries with it a negativity which is associated with the old owner in one way or another. The cosmic link may be so subtle that it is difficult to put a finger on it. Nevertheless, it is there.
We may rub our hands with glee once the hammer is struck and the deal is ours as very likely we would have got a good price for it. But looking a little further our gain is someone else’s loss. In other words, we gained at another’s expense.
Fengshui is just one cog in the wheel of life. It has its science and efficacy but definitely is not a cure-all as many seem to believe. The best fengshui anyone can practice I believe is to understand and practice the law of karma.
Why?
We may think that the energy is so bad that the owner is affected in a way. This may be partially true but then there are some houses which were not occupied by the owner or were left vacant. How then has the owner anything to do with the fengshui of the house when he does not live there?
In explaining life and fortune, we may need to look at the law of cause and effect, the law of deed and retribution. Where a house needs to be auction, it somehow carries with it a negativity which is associated with the old owner in one way or another. The cosmic link may be so subtle that it is difficult to put a finger on it. Nevertheless, it is there.
We may rub our hands with glee once the hammer is struck and the deal is ours as very likely we would have got a good price for it. But looking a little further our gain is someone else’s loss. In other words, we gained at another’s expense.
Fengshui is just one cog in the wheel of life. It has its science and efficacy but definitely is not a cure-all as many seem to believe. The best fengshui anyone can practice I believe is to understand and practice the law of karma.
Traffic lights say slow down…
I am reading a book on meditaion by a monk whom I have high respect, Ajahn Brahm.
There is one passage I would like to share.
“..Fortunately, for those with no opportunity to go to the monastery, teachers are available in great numberes in most modern cities. They are found at the major crossroads. They are traffic lights. When the red light appears it says “Stop!” That’s letting go practice. Have you learnt how to do nothing a the traffic lights? Or does only the vehicle stop while you speed on? If so then an opportunity is being wasted…”
“If you don’t time to learn how to do nothing, you are unable to relax at the red traffic lights of life, then you will soon be forced to stop in an early grave…” happiness through meditation
There is one passage I would like to share.
“..Fortunately, for those with no opportunity to go to the monastery, teachers are available in great numberes in most modern cities. They are found at the major crossroads. They are traffic lights. When the red light appears it says “Stop!” That’s letting go practice. Have you learnt how to do nothing a the traffic lights? Or does only the vehicle stop while you speed on? If so then an opportunity is being wasted…”
“If you don’t time to learn how to do nothing, you are unable to relax at the red traffic lights of life, then you will soon be forced to stop in an early grave…” happiness through meditation
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Good dates for March 2008
Here are some good dates for march 08. They are based on traditional chinese date selection. Remember they are fair days which goes that they are days which are generally ok for doing just about anything.
9
14
16
23
26
28
april fool's day is also a good day.
All athe best!
9
14
16
23
26
28
april fool's day is also a good day.
All athe best!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The center of the building in fengshui
Every home or living space has a center. This is also true for any place of activity even the open stall of a news vendor.
This center has a very important place in fengshui. Traditionally it is called tianxin which literally is heaven heart but it means the center of qi.
What this mean to us and our well being is, like we talked about earlier, quite important. This is the area where the qi forces emanate. It acts like a locus for the qi forces to spread and move through the living space. Once we can understand this, we can then begin to understand how to arrange or make use of this space for our well being.
Suppose you have a heavy load resting against your chest area. You will not fell very comfortable and may well experience breathing difficulties. Likewise if we have a heavy load place at the heart of our home, the house will not be very comfortable and that discomfort will be transmitted to us.
It is not just heavy things placed there that will have this effect. Untidiness, rubbish and foul odor too will also have the same effect. With this in mind it is recommended that we should have a clear, clean and convivial space in the center of our home.
Another name for this heart center is mingtang which literally means bright hall. In olden Chinese buildings, the center of this space will likely be an open courtyard which may be a landscaped garden; is the assembly point for activities and is well kept.
In contemporary homes especially in link houses, this space is the family hall. I have seen many instances where the owner has extended the original home to allow for bigger kitchens or back of house space. In most cases, they fail to knock down the toilet which originally was situated at the back of the house but then encroach into the center of the house after the extensions. It then becomes a part of the mingtang and the smell and effluents from there corrupts the mingtang. This is bad.
In the Indian science of space, Vasthu Sastra, it is also recommended that the center should be left empty as it is considered the weakest point for energy does not flow there. The reasoning may be different but it is still good advice which we can follow.
This center has a very important place in fengshui. Traditionally it is called tianxin which literally is heaven heart but it means the center of qi.
What this mean to us and our well being is, like we talked about earlier, quite important. This is the area where the qi forces emanate. It acts like a locus for the qi forces to spread and move through the living space. Once we can understand this, we can then begin to understand how to arrange or make use of this space for our well being.
Suppose you have a heavy load resting against your chest area. You will not fell very comfortable and may well experience breathing difficulties. Likewise if we have a heavy load place at the heart of our home, the house will not be very comfortable and that discomfort will be transmitted to us.
It is not just heavy things placed there that will have this effect. Untidiness, rubbish and foul odor too will also have the same effect. With this in mind it is recommended that we should have a clear, clean and convivial space in the center of our home.
Another name for this heart center is mingtang which literally means bright hall. In olden Chinese buildings, the center of this space will likely be an open courtyard which may be a landscaped garden; is the assembly point for activities and is well kept.
In contemporary homes especially in link houses, this space is the family hall. I have seen many instances where the owner has extended the original home to allow for bigger kitchens or back of house space. In most cases, they fail to knock down the toilet which originally was situated at the back of the house but then encroach into the center of the house after the extensions. It then becomes a part of the mingtang and the smell and effluents from there corrupts the mingtang. This is bad.
In the Indian science of space, Vasthu Sastra, it is also recommended that the center should be left empty as it is considered the weakest point for energy does not flow there. The reasoning may be different but it is still good advice which we can follow.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Rat Year and TongShu Almanac
This is the year of the rat! That is what people who are into the Chinese astrological cycle know. The news stands and book stores are now filled with magazines and books on what to do and what not to this year. New versions of the tongshu or Chinese almanac are out proffering advice for every day and hour of the year. And they all come in very attractive bindings and packaging. This is the era of commercialism.
Before we follow this bible of sorts, it is good to sit down and really ponder. Things like should we allow our life to be so fatalistic. After all the almanac was meant for farming and based on assumed powers of constellations and stars which are millions of light years away. Not forgetting that the almanac is calculated on a longitude which may not be the same as ours. And different climatic conditions as well.
Before we follow this bible of sorts, it is good to sit down and really ponder. Things like should we allow our life to be so fatalistic. After all the almanac was meant for farming and based on assumed powers of constellations and stars which are millions of light years away. Not forgetting that the almanac is calculated on a longitude which may not be the same as ours. And different climatic conditions as well.
New Age Fengshui?
I browsed through some fengshui books recently and was quite impressed by the number of new fengshui books and the way they were written and presented. Not that I totally agree with them though.
Everyone wants a better life that is for sure. That is the objective of fengshui and that is what the books generally say. One book in particular teaches that you should also fengshui your briefcase. By that he meant that we should fill our briefcase with power items like a branded pen, presentable folders and of course they are to be neatly arranged.
I agree with a neat and tidy working briefcase but do not see that as fengshui. Personal management and efficiency management maybe but fengshui? No.
It is nice to be carried along by all these new ideas. In fact most make a lot of sense but please do not confuse that with fengshui. Fengshui is about the science of space and its principles go beyond common sense. Its principles are base on natural laws which extend to the mysterious as well.
Everyone wants a better life that is for sure. That is the objective of fengshui and that is what the books generally say. One book in particular teaches that you should also fengshui your briefcase. By that he meant that we should fill our briefcase with power items like a branded pen, presentable folders and of course they are to be neatly arranged.
I agree with a neat and tidy working briefcase but do not see that as fengshui. Personal management and efficiency management maybe but fengshui? No.
It is nice to be carried along by all these new ideas. In fact most make a lot of sense but please do not confuse that with fengshui. Fengshui is about the science of space and its principles go beyond common sense. Its principles are base on natural laws which extend to the mysterious as well.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Hey folks, check out these links...
www.myinnerjourney33.blogspot.com
www.lifeasparents.blogspot.com
www.shopuntilidrop.blogspot.com
www.pennysense.blogspot.com
www.myinnerjourney33.blogspot.com
www.lifeasparents.blogspot.com
www.shopuntilidrop.blogspot.com
www.pennysense.blogspot.com
Blog and Earn Tea Money
Do you like to blog?
Or maybe you like to write about things. Here is one sure way to earn a few extra dollars to spend at Starbucks, Coffee Bean or DeliFrance.
How to do so? Got to this link and find out.
I find all this fun. With friends, we published a new age magazine, Inner Journey. I once had a website lazyclouds.com talking about fengshui, reiki and other related metaphysical things but this blog provides me some oomph…hope it is for you too.
Or maybe you like to write about things. Here is one sure way to earn a few extra dollars to spend at Starbucks, Coffee Bean or DeliFrance.
How to do so? Got to this link and find out.
I find all this fun. With friends, we published a new age magazine, Inner Journey. I once had a website lazyclouds.com talking about fengshui, reiki and other related metaphysical things but this blog provides me some oomph…hope it is for you too.
Onward Ho to Slaughter
These camels are so cute aren’t they?
Pretty models making everyone rushing for their cameras as we were bussing through remote Bihar state in northeast India.
Sadly these cute friendly creatures will be driven some 500km to kolkatta before being shipped to Bangladesh to be slaughtered as meat. This is the sad and cruel fate that awaits them. OmMaNiPeMeHung...xxx...
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Five Songs on the Heaven Principles
My fengshui book is nearing completion. Here is an extract.
....To understand how this comes about, we need to refer to the principle of the relationship of the heaven, earth and man principals. Before we get lost, these principals are not some complex philosophical ideals but simply the three divisions of the twenty four directions found on the luopan. (Refer to the notes on the 24 mountains of the luopan). In practice we would work towards aligning all doors to the same principal. For example if the main door is orientated with a heaven mountain, then all the other doors should be to heaven mountains. There is no such thing as another alternative orientation....
....To understand how this comes about, we need to refer to the principle of the relationship of the heaven, earth and man principals. Before we get lost, these principals are not some complex philosophical ideals but simply the three divisions of the twenty four directions found on the luopan. (Refer to the notes on the 24 mountains of the luopan). In practice we would work towards aligning all doors to the same principal. For example if the main door is orientated with a heaven mountain, then all the other doors should be to heaven mountains. There is no such thing as another alternative orientation....
what i saw at the hospital today
I was at the hospital today.
I saw that it carried an ISO 9001: 2000 certification which speaks much for their efforts to provide good health care. Compared to the hospital of my childhood, it is cleaner and new looking but somehow the kampung air is not there. Perhaps what is misiing is a few coconut fronds swaying in the breeze.
I saw a man who I believe is younger than me limping out. An evident tummy and loose muscles suggests that he is not one keen on exercise or any strenous activity. His eyes looks impaired.
I also saw an old couple of about 60. The lady obviously is a stroke victim and the man, presumably her husband was helping her onto a wheelchair. The gentleman, in T-shirt and shorts, showed big dark patches of scars and wounds that looks like it had been there for quite some time, likely not healing well. Maybe diabetes?
There I too saw many people who would never make it to the glossy magazine covers.
Aging is certain. Disease too is a constant companion.
Should we not make effort to make full use of our life while our body allow us to do so?
Is there a way out of aging and pain?
I saw that it carried an ISO 9001: 2000 certification which speaks much for their efforts to provide good health care. Compared to the hospital of my childhood, it is cleaner and new looking but somehow the kampung air is not there. Perhaps what is misiing is a few coconut fronds swaying in the breeze.
I saw a man who I believe is younger than me limping out. An evident tummy and loose muscles suggests that he is not one keen on exercise or any strenous activity. His eyes looks impaired.
I also saw an old couple of about 60. The lady obviously is a stroke victim and the man, presumably her husband was helping her onto a wheelchair. The gentleman, in T-shirt and shorts, showed big dark patches of scars and wounds that looks like it had been there for quite some time, likely not healing well. Maybe diabetes?
There I too saw many people who would never make it to the glossy magazine covers.
Aging is certain. Disease too is a constant companion.
Should we not make effort to make full use of our life while our body allow us to do so?
Is there a way out of aging and pain?
Natural body qi in healing
I read somewhere that the natural energy vibrations from our body contribute to our overall well being. It goes to say that any healing process is better if we do not allow our clothes to constrict us. That goes for tight elastic and synthetic clothing. The writer called it 'wei qi'.
I feel there is some truth to this. In the process of Reiki and hands on healing, the flow seems better when the hands are near the skin. For Reiki workers, I think if you try to lay your hands over or around a belt buckle or wallet, you will feel some blockage in your efforts.
Ever wondered why hospital attire are loose and of cotton? It is due to convenience of course but that is welcomed as it likely to be a contributor to better healing.
I hear too that yogis develop better meditation inversely corresponding to the volume of clothing they have on.
The natural remedy of flower bathing for a multitude of bodily and mental problems too require loose cotton clothes or better still none at all. Perhaps it has a connection?
I feel there is some truth to this. In the process of Reiki and hands on healing, the flow seems better when the hands are near the skin. For Reiki workers, I think if you try to lay your hands over or around a belt buckle or wallet, you will feel some blockage in your efforts.
Ever wondered why hospital attire are loose and of cotton? It is due to convenience of course but that is welcomed as it likely to be a contributor to better healing.
I hear too that yogis develop better meditation inversely corresponding to the volume of clothing they have on.
The natural remedy of flower bathing for a multitude of bodily and mental problems too require loose cotton clothes or better still none at all. Perhaps it has a connection?
Saturday, February 9, 2008
bad experience with vista and compaq
I do not know the relevance this has to this space but then I hope that whoever is reading this will find something useful.
My experience goes like this. I came into possession of a new Compaq desktop computer through the kindness of a dear friend. It is a Presario.
It came with 256 RAM, dvd rom and Vista starter. Even without a burner, the price I must say is something which was most attractive. For an addition over the original price, an extra 256 RAM was added, something which, as we shall see, was not so smart.
My troubles began when the computer started hanging. Just when I thought that it had finally had even fun testing my patience, I found the system does not allow access to some websites, in particular msn.
What next? I resorted to calling the service center which, as anyone who has dialed 300 or 800 numbers, is quite an exercise in patience and futility. Good fortune smiled and my call did get picked up. Unfortunately it was not a specialist but a stand-in who promised he will get my troubles through to a specialist who will attend to my troubles, pronto! He said I will be receiving a call back. It was 5pm then. I was impressed. But not for long.
The call never came. Many calls followed to be greeted by the talking machine on the other end. I did learn though that they do have a soft spot for us frustrated callers. This they do by surprising us with the various ways to make you hold on to the line without a clue as to what is happening on the other end. They could all be having a party while your patience ticks away and your phone bill escalates.
Thank heavens, finally a kind Indian accented soul on the other end picked up my call. He was kind and let on that I am not the first one with such problems. I forgot to mention that I got so fed up with the vista that i formatted it with the old trusty windows xp. I should also confess my stupidity for not backing up the vista.
Back to this kind Indian soul. He gave me a number to call which he said is the kl service center number. It is. But that is the beginning of another round of talking machines, hung calls and promises. To cut a long story short, after promises made by the service staff, I wrote them off but this after having learnt that I have to fork out more money to get an upgrade, that this new computer does not support the old xp, that my ram is in no way sufficient to run vista anyway.
Many questions are left lingering. Why sell a computer that is deficient for basic use? By basic simply mean that it does not hang, that it is internet usable, can do simple word processing and spreadsheet. Basic does not mean that we take the thing home to find that it cannot handle simple task but need to spend more and more money to get to level one.
You draw your own conclusion but BEWARE!
My experience goes like this. I came into possession of a new Compaq desktop computer through the kindness of a dear friend. It is a Presario.
It came with 256 RAM, dvd rom and Vista starter. Even without a burner, the price I must say is something which was most attractive. For an addition over the original price, an extra 256 RAM was added, something which, as we shall see, was not so smart.
My troubles began when the computer started hanging. Just when I thought that it had finally had even fun testing my patience, I found the system does not allow access to some websites, in particular msn.
What next? I resorted to calling the service center which, as anyone who has dialed 300 or 800 numbers, is quite an exercise in patience and futility. Good fortune smiled and my call did get picked up. Unfortunately it was not a specialist but a stand-in who promised he will get my troubles through to a specialist who will attend to my troubles, pronto! He said I will be receiving a call back. It was 5pm then. I was impressed. But not for long.
The call never came. Many calls followed to be greeted by the talking machine on the other end. I did learn though that they do have a soft spot for us frustrated callers. This they do by surprising us with the various ways to make you hold on to the line without a clue as to what is happening on the other end. They could all be having a party while your patience ticks away and your phone bill escalates.
Thank heavens, finally a kind Indian accented soul on the other end picked up my call. He was kind and let on that I am not the first one with such problems. I forgot to mention that I got so fed up with the vista that i formatted it with the old trusty windows xp. I should also confess my stupidity for not backing up the vista.
Back to this kind Indian soul. He gave me a number to call which he said is the kl service center number. It is. But that is the beginning of another round of talking machines, hung calls and promises. To cut a long story short, after promises made by the service staff, I wrote them off but this after having learnt that I have to fork out more money to get an upgrade, that this new computer does not support the old xp, that my ram is in no way sufficient to run vista anyway.
Many questions are left lingering. Why sell a computer that is deficient for basic use? By basic simply mean that it does not hang, that it is internet usable, can do simple word processing and spreadsheet. Basic does not mean that we take the thing home to find that it cannot handle simple task but need to spend more and more money to get to level one.
You draw your own conclusion but BEWARE!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Fengshui and Karma
Fengshui is about cause and effect too.
It would perhaps be very tempting to believe that fengshui is a cure-all or heal-all. Recent encounters have led me to perceive that this is the general view.
Maybe it is good a time as any for us to take a step back and look at ourselves. This of course does not mean looking at ourselves in the mirror. It means we take a look at our inner selves. The question we need to ask is what kind of a person we are; whether we are cultivating the virtues of kindness, love of our fellow beings, generosity towards others (and of course ourselves), awareness and control of our greed, anger and other vile natures which the wise would not approve.
The virtues we may be short of but it is never too late to cultivate them. The baser natures within us can be restrained and noted. Again, it is never too late to work at it.
It would perhaps be very tempting to believe that fengshui is a cure-all or heal-all. Recent encounters have led me to perceive that this is the general view.
Maybe it is good a time as any for us to take a step back and look at ourselves. This of course does not mean looking at ourselves in the mirror. It means we take a look at our inner selves. The question we need to ask is what kind of a person we are; whether we are cultivating the virtues of kindness, love of our fellow beings, generosity towards others (and of course ourselves), awareness and control of our greed, anger and other vile natures which the wise would not approve.
The virtues we may be short of but it is never too late to cultivate them. The baser natures within us can be restrained and noted. Again, it is never too late to work at it.
Forms in Fengshui
It may seem very simple but the basis of good fengshui is about the forms that surrounds us and its impact on our environment. If we fail to note this fundamental point then we have missed the issue completely, never mind that we may have mastered the classics or claim expertise in all the methods or ahve studied under well known teachers or schools.
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