Improving your luck through Feng Shui (without having to splurge a fortune)

Kiong Hee Huat Tsai!

The most colorful and traditional season of the year has finally arrived. Yes, the Chinese New Year has been included in the Philippines’ long list of non-working holidays to pay homage to the inevitable and eminent contribution of the Chinese community in the development of our local economy. Even before Magellan discovered the country, early Filipinos have already conducted business with Chinese merchants by way of trading products.

The Chinese found themselves suited with the Filipinos’ way of life, which explains why many of them, particularly those from the Southern Province of Fujian, have migrated and immersed themselves to various communities all over the country, which enriched our local culture since. With these Chinese marrying Filipinos, the rise of a new raise came to being- The Chinese-Filipinos, or aptly known as Chinoys.

I am one.

My father is a Filipino-Chinese with a hint of Spanish blood. My mom is half-American and half Chinese. As a Chinoy myself, I felt that it is my license to follow Feng Shui, or the art of balancing energies. Feng means wind while Shui means water.

I must admit that after I followed Feng Shui, I have seen improvements in some areas in my life. It is easy to understand. Consulting a feng shui expert can be costly, and if you can afford it, then continue. But if not, here are some basic things you have to remember to enhance your luck without breaking your bank.

1. Pray. This is the most powerful activity to increase your heaven’s luck. A prayer always shoots an arrow directly to heaven’s mail box.

2. Do acts of kindness. This should complement your prayers. Always do charity work, help others and keep silent about it.

3. Know your Chinese Zodiac sign. There are Bazi calculators available online to help you come up with your accurate sign then research more online. Look for your sign’s allies (in the animal chart, count four places clockwise and vice versa) conflict sign (the animal that is opposite your sign) for your guidance.

4. Do the right things at the right time. One needs to understand that feng shui teaches us to become rational in our action and patient in realizing our goals and ambitions in life. With the so-called proper timing of doing something, one takes his success further and his failure risk lesser.

5. Put the right things at the right place. Following this is not rocket science. We can easily decipher where things should be placed. A vase can’t obviously be at the center of your hallway, and a refrigerator can’t be inside your bath room. But common sense isn’t a concrete guarantee to harmonizing your area. Know your Chinese year sign to guide you on what and what not to display in your home or office table.

6. Stay positive. As said in The Secret, “What you focus on grows”. THOUGHTS. BECOME. THINGS. Avoid negative people, too. Always visit places that imbibe positive and good energy such as malls, groceries and churches.

7. WORK HARD. You may have all the lucky charms to counteract bad luck, but still you need to break a sweat, or else, this is all for nothing.

As we approach the year of the Water Snake, everyone is in high hopes of a better and luckier year. But let us remember that Feng Shui alone cannot guarantee your success. It is just one-third of our luck. The other two are Divine Luck and Hard Work. If this ought to be a bad year, one must not wallow in fear but instead, work harder and pray more often for guidance. If this will be a great year, then we must still work harder to help good fortune materialize sooner.

May we all have the best things that life has to offer in 2013!