LIFESTYLE / SUPER
Feng shui tips for this year
Messy love life? It might be your messy room’s bad feng shui.
We ushered in the Year of the Fire Rooster yesterday, Jan. 28, and we’re hopeful it’s damn better than 2016’s Year of the Fire Monkey. Feng shui is a Chinese philosophy promoting harmony for good luck—and we need all the luck we can get, tokhang and all.
And it’s not just the charm bracelet-stacking tita who practice feng shui nowadays. Young people are at it, too, says feng shui master Joseph Chau, who is giving a forecast today, Jan. 29, at the Chinese New Year brunch at Crimson Hotel Filinvest City.
“They have parents who practice feng shui, and grew up seeing positive effects in their homes,” adds Princess Lim Fernandez, resident feng shui expert at the Yin & Yang Shop of Harmony in New World Makati Hotel. “I’ve seen success in our clients, Chinese and non-Chinese, who have started practicing feng shui at an early age.”
It’s time to tap your inner Mari Kondo and cut the clutter. As Fernandez says, “if you want to make changes in your life, make changes in your home—that’s the premise of feng shui.”
Super greets everyone Gong xi fa cai (Mandarin), Kiong Hee Huat Tsai (Fookienese) and Kong Hei Fat Choi (Cantonese)! Here are practical year-round feng shui tips from Fernandez and master Chau, covering auspicious colors, accessories and even food. Happy new year, and may our luck be always lit.
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Clean your house. “Clutter and mess creates disharmony which leads to conflict. A clean and neat home brings balance and good energies,” Fernandez says. “The main entrance door is like the ‘mouth’ of the house, make sure that the walkway leading to the main door is clear to make way for luck.”
Make room for love. Forever starts in the bedroom. “To avoid a messy love life, avoid a messy bedroom,” says Fernandez.
No big furniture in small spaces. “The size of the furniture should be in balance with the room. For example, overstuffed chairs are quite comfortable, but they take up a lot of space. If you really want one, put it in an area where there is still room to comfortably move around,” Fernandez shares.
Declutter your wallet. Top tip from Fernandez: “To keep your finances in order, fix your wallet and do not put receipts and unnecessary things.”
Wear your lucky colors. Take note that there are everyday personal colors and colors for special occasions, such as red, orange, rust, fuchsia, magenta, green and gold. Here are the personal colors based on birth month, according to Fernandez:
February, March, April—white and gold
June, July—blue, black, gray, silver
August, September, October—green
November, December, January—red, orange, pink, rust, salmon, burgundy
Wear lucky jewelry. Master Chau says fashion accessories in gold and silver, with blue and red sapphires, diamonds, and opal stones are the most auspicious.
Celebrate with lucky food. For birthdays, Fernandez says it’s best to eat “noodles for longevity, suckling pig or lechon for prosperity, and round cake for growth and harmony.”
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Master Chau suggests eating “roasted goose, mushroom and sea moss with lettuce, crabmeat with egg noodle soup, steamed grouper and shrimps, seafood salad and fried rice.” Café Eight at Crimson Hotel is holding a Chinese buffet with free-flowing drinks (wine! beer!) until Feb. 4.
Know your directions. Master Chau’s basic guidelines in enhancing your fortune with cures:
East is the Wealth location. Place a fountain to activate money luck.
Southeast is the Prosperity location. If single, sleep in this location to help get married; if married, to have a baby.
South is the Disaster location. Do not place furniture or decorative items in red, purple, pink, violet or orange. To counter this bad luck, put a brass Chinese gong (available in Binondo) and hit it six times any time daily.
Southwest is the Robbery location. Put a glass ball to avoid losing money and valuables.
West is the Conflict Star location. Put a red carpet to avoid struggles and court cases.
Northwest is the Sickness Star location. Place six P1 coins in a white ceramic bowl on a table.
North is the Travel Star location. Put a brass horse on a table to increase luck in travelling and migration.
Northeast is the Promotion location. Place a yellow pagoda to enhance luck in promotion and getting a new job.
