Tomb-storage or tomb AND storage?

In general 4-pillars texts, chen, xu, chou and wei are called “tomb-storages”.  They are derived from the San-He formula (the 12 life-stages):

1. hai-mao-wei: wei is the tomb for wood
2. yin-wu-xu: xu is the tomb for fire
3. shen-zi-chen:  chen is the tomb for water
4. si-you-chou: chou is the tomb for metal

This only explains the “tomb” part of the tomb-storage term.  Where does the “storage” come from?  

Chen-xu-chou- wei are also called “4 storages“.  We use it to check if a person can hold on to his wealth or as the capacity to learn metaphysics.

If you check the formula for 3-meeting (San Hui) formula:
1. yin-mao-chen is wood-3-meeting:  Here chen functions as the storage of wood
2. si-wu-wei is fire-3-meeting: wei functions as the storage of fire
3  hai-zi-chou is water-3-meeting:  chou functions as the storage of water
4  shen-you-xu is metal-3-meeting: xu functions as storage of metal

Merging the two above, you can see:
1. Chen is the storage of wood and tomb for water
2. Wei is the storage of fire and tomb for wood
3. Xu is the storage for metal and tomb for fire
4. Chou is the storage for water and tomb for metal

Chen and wei are both the storage of wood. But chen’s energy is based on 3-meeting which is much greater than wei’s wood-3-unity.

In 4P texts, there are vague statements about the clashing of chen-xu-chou-wei as “auspicious” or “good for wealth”. But there are also statements of “doom” when the 4-storages are clashed.

So when is good to clash or when is bad to clash the tomb/storage? It all comes back to ….. (check 4P Bootcamp discussion list).

It can easily take 4 hours to a whole day to discuss chen-xu-chou-wei.

Ken Lai

“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG)w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-men-Dun-Jia” w/ 10 hr. video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com

 

Hell does not take American Express, but it takes ….

When Chinese make offerings to their deceased relatives or hungry ghosts, they burn “joss paper money” for the ghosts to spend in the underworld.

Traditionally, this joss paper money carries the portrait of Emperor Yin Niu or “King of Hell” with a minimum denomination of 10 thousand dollars.

Recently I discover that in Taiwan, they have new “hell currencies”.  These are:
1.  $500 US dollars with Ben Franklin’s portrait
2.  $100 RMB (Chinese Yuan) with Chairman Mao’s picture
3.  NT$1000 (New Taiwan dollar)

Apparently now Hell will take US dollars and RMB.  Given the huge differential in amount per note, I wonder if the ghosts prefer the original joss paper money or the “new” US dollars or RMB.

Maybe Hell also has a mortgage crisis rendering its joss paper money value down to the toilet.

Maybe Hell people want to start their FOREX trading with RMB and US dollars.

You can do a “5-ghosts delivering wealth” ritual offering different currency and see which one brings better results.

Ken Lai

“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG) w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-men-Dun-Jia” w/ 10 hr. video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com/

 

“My current luck sucks, ………..”

“My current luck sucks, ………..”

The last thing people will say is:  ”because I’m an ass or I did something bad.”

For Chinese in Taiwan, they are likely to say, “It must be something wrong with my fortune or Feng Shui.  Let me consult a lao-shi.”  Lao-shi means “teacher”  or “master” in Chinese. People in Hong Kong will pretty much say the same thing, except they call lao-shi as shi-fu.

They luckier ones may have their own steady fortune-teller who is more than likely, also a Feng Shui master.

The master will check the client’s 4-pillar or ZWDS chart and see if the client is in a bad annual or 10-year luck period.  If there is nothing wrong with luck period, the master will suggest checking the Feng Shui of client’s residence.   If there is nothing wrong with client’s house Feng Shui, the master will suggest checking the tomb Feng Shui of client’s deceased close-relatives.

For those who do not have a trusted master, they are likely running  into not-so capable “master” who will mess up their Feng Shui even more — due to their current bad luck!

I have taught some seminars in Mexico in the last few years.  For Mexicans, at least for those that I run into, when faced with  ”My current luck sucks, ………..” situation, their likely response will be:

“Someone has voodooed me!”

This seems to be a “standard” response from South Americans as even their leaders like Venezuela’s Chavez have their own voodoo guys.

According to them, the “sign” that someone has done witchcraft on you is that your home suddenly has flies flying around.  They will need to find a more powerful voodoo guy to expell the spell on them.

No wonder my “Daoist talismans for Feng Shui and Blessing” course is the most popular course there.  It has a section on protection from voodoo.

Ken Lai

“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG) w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-men-Dun-Jia” w/ 10 hr. video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com/

 

PhD and migrant worker

I have read an interesting story from a Chinese website.  A factory in a major Chinese city has imported a bar soap packaging production line.  The line has rampant problems of not putting the soap into the box.  The factory owner had found a PhD in automation to solve this empty-box problem.

The PhD in turn had recruited another 10+ people to reseach the problem.  They finally have integrated micro-electronics, X-ray and mechanical technology to design a system to tackle the empty-box problem.  This costs the factory over half-million dollars.

When packaged soap box without the bar inside passing through the sensors of this system, a mechanical hand will push the box out of the moving belt.

Another factory located in a small town in southern China has imported the same bar soap packaging line. This factory is staffed mostly by migrant workers from the countryside.

The factory owner was very agitated when discovering the empty-box problem.  He grabbed a migrant worker out of the production line and yelled, “Solve this f___ing problem for me or your ass is on the line!”

This migrant worker had found a solution quickly– he put up an electric fan, set it to highest blowing speed at the end of production.  Empty boxes will be blown away when coming.   The fan costs less than $200.

“Hi Ken,  does this soap packaging story has anything to do with Feng Shui or Chinese metaphysics?”

Almost every trade can learn something from this story.  Here are some of the lessons:

1. There are many solutions to the same problem
2. Not the “latest and greatest” answer or technology are the best solution or cost-effective.
3. Simple solution that does the same thing is better than complicated solution
4. PhDs are not necessarily smarter than you, but for sure they cost you more

In Feng Shui, “the latest and greatest” are likely be the ones that did not work too well in distant past and got recycled as the latest secret recently “released”.

Some Feng Shui problems can be solved by simple 5-element adjustments, forms (Feng Shui) or even using bagua theory.  Instead,  some people hire “famous” or expensive Feng Shui masters who likely will turn your house upside down with major remodeling or tilt your doors.

Ken Lai

“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG) w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-men-Dun-Jia” w/ 10 hr. video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com/

 

Approaches to handle the “missing” birth hour problem

A major problem affecting the accuracy of Bazi or most astrological methods is the “missing” or inaccurate birth hour reported.

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Astrological method like Zi-Wei-Dou-Shu is more birth hour sensitive than Bazi.  An incorrectly reported birth hour will affect the final reading drastically.  Bazi is more day-pillar focused, but sometimes incorrect hour will turn the reading upside-down!

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The followings are some approaches to estimate the hour data using client’s (DM):

1.  personality to estimate the hour
2.  birth order
3.  hair-ring on the head
4.  sleeping posture
5.  face shape
6.  length comparisons of certain fingers
7.  year moved, immigrated, major travel, career change

“Ken, which method do you use?”

“I plug in the 12 possible Chinese hours into the chart and see which hour fits the life experience of the client better.”

“This takes a lot of time!”

“Not really when you use a 4P chart plotting program.  There is one such program that you can use in my website for free.  I can run through 12 possible hours in less than 10 minutes.”

Not everyone can use computer, so the most common approach is doing 3 different charts– one according to the hour reported, one “minus one hour” from the reported hour and one “plus one” hour.

When everything fails, my last resort is pulling out my cell phone.

“Call your friend or …….?”

This is my lineage secret.  You have to come to my class to get it.

Ken Lai

“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG) w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-men-Dun-Jia” w/ 10 hr. video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com/

http://kenlaifengshui.blogspot.com/

 

Funny lineage math

Disclaimer: Ken Lai is neither a lineage-hugger nor a “no-lineage independent”.  He is a “whatever works” opportunist regardless of the origin.

A common criticism of the lineage system is the practice of “keeping a hand” (留一手  liú yī shǒu; witholding some secrets) by the Sifu (teacher) from his disciples.  This practice is probably as popular if not more common today than ancient times.

In the old days, choosing an “indoor student” was like picking a life-long partner. The master checked everything and especially the moral character of the potential student.  The student will serve the master  from cleaning his toilet to carry his luopan for many years before getting some “real knowledge”.   Today, this type of fellowship is replaced by commodity economy — paying a huge sum of money to the master.  There are cases of “guaranteed indoorship” without even looking at the incoming student provided US$5000 or more is paid.  It is like selling a franchise to the student who will in turn market the same thing as soon as he “graduates”.  The master has more incentive to “keep a hand” to maintain his “upperhand”  because people are more materialistic than those in the old days.

Some critics frequently use a simple math formula to discredit the lineage system.  The logic is simple:  if every generation keeps 10% secrets from the next generation, a lineage will have nothing left after 10 to 12 generations.

This argument is mathematically and even logically sound.  It is an example of simplistic or deceptive reasoning using numbers.  It assumes:

1.  the lineage’s knowledge-base does not grow over generations
2.  “keeping a hand” always happens, even between father and son situation
3.  the junior generation will always be satisfied with whatever craps that previous generation gave them
4.  the junior generation will not THINK and develop their own solution when critical info is witheld

If you do not believe my arguments, just look at how many different “varieties” of Flying Star Feng Shui out there— at least 10+ with variations from funny ways of flying the stars, counting yang-yin, tai-ji, periods to mixing concepts with other schools.  Most come with their own re-interpretations of Feng Shui classics like the “Green Satchel Classic“.   All claim to be “authentic”. Same scenario with Bazhai Feng Shui.

Therefore, this “keeping a hand” practice actually simulates creativity and explorations instead of killing or diluting the lineage system.  People are always curious and trying to “figure out” if something are missing or witheld. Whether the end results are positive or negative will be another long discussion.  Everything comes in a package of both good and not so good.

Ken Lai

“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG) w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-men-Dun-Jia” w/ 10 hr. video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com/

http://kenlaifengshui.blogspot.com/

 

“Heaven’s secrets: No transfer to the morally decrepit”

Yesterday, I accidentally opened a digitally-scanned version of my Feng Shui sifu’s hand-written manuscript that I had received years ago but never read.  The document has less than 70 pages.

The first sentence of first page had this written: ” XXXXXX School Yang Residence Concepts: HEAVEN’S SECRETS: NO TRANSFER TO THE MORALLY DECREPIT” (匪人勿傳  fěi rén wù chuá).

The manuscript lists the XXXXX School version of yin-yang, forms, tai-ji, XKDG, sha neuralizations, sha-fighting, luopan design, water methods and even date-selection with 30% space in diagrams — all in less than 70 pages!  It even specifies which item is top lineage secret and warns about the indiscriminate transfer to the “wrong” people will cut short your blessings or even your life.

In the “Sha-fighting” section, the writer repeatedly warns that about the possible fatality if the sha-fighting is not done right.  The procedures and techniques are very different from those you found in books  or most of the existing courses out there.  My suggestion is:  do not fight sha unless your life is absolutely worthless.  Your life worths more than the possible wealth that sha-fighting generates.

The crown jewel of this school probably is how to convert an inauspicious region into auspicious.  The writer specifically warns, “do not publicize this; only teach to your indoor student ……”

How do you know these so-called “lineage secrets” are for real?

The first thing is to observe your Sifu or teacher– is s/he a righteous or honorable person?   Does s/he do what s/he preaches? How s/he treats people gives you a general idea of how credible s/he is.  But this has no guarantee either if s/he is a charismatic person.

A real secret is like a lighting rod that suddenly illuminates everything– something that make you yell “Ah!” Suddenly everything makes sense after you have ”plugged” in the secret.

A not-so-real secret will complicate your mind even more instead of simplifying it.  Real secrets normally are simple and eloquent.

Most contents of this hand-written manuscript were published in books except the critical components or “lineage secrets” are missing.  It costs an arm and leg to become an “indoor student” to get the “real thing”.

“How about share your lineage secrets here?”

Good try! Pal.  My old teacher still needs to make a living out of it.  He has not given me any dead-bed instructions yet. 

The implication is: if any Feng Shui guy or teacher promises making you a millionaire/billionaire without looking at your 4P or astrological chart, you may be better off donate your tuition to charity and collect some positive karma points.   Your meng or fate has more influences on your well-being than Feng Shui.

Ken Lai

“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG) w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-men-Dun-Jia” w/ 10 hr. video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com/
http://kenlaifengshui.blogspot.com/

 

Extreme real estate marketing with numerology

At US$9100 per sq. ft., Hong Kong’s Tian-hui Skyscraper (天匯) is the most expensive real estate in the world.

The building is 40 storeys high– but it has an 88th floor at the highest level! What is going on?

In western societies, the number 13 is considered inauspicious, so some builders have deliberately “skipped” the 13th floor for their buildings. Donald Trump’s Trump Tower has done that. For the Chinese, the number 4 sounds like “death”, so some buidings will have no 4th, 14th, 40th and 44th floors.

If you go to any China-town, you will see many cars with license plates like “888″, “168″, “118″ and the likes. Properties with “8″ number can also be sold at higher prices. Chinese like the number 8 because it sounds like “prosperity” or “getting rich”.

Tian-hui Skyscaper is 40 storeys high with 34 residential floors. The followings are the floor number assignments:
*1- 6th floor (commercial/parking)
*8 – 12th floor (5 floors): no 13 and 14th
*15- 23rd floor (9 floors): no 24th
*25- 33rd floor (9 floors): no 34th
*35- 39th floor (9 floors): no 40- 59th
*60- 61 floor (2 floor): no 62nd
*63rd floor (no 64-65th)
*66th floor (no 67th)
*68th floor (no 69-87, jumps to 88th)
*88th floor

This is the most blatant and haphazard floor numbering to attract buyers in history.

Some local consumer groups complain that the real estate developer misleads the public on the numbering of the floors for financial gains. Local politicans criticize the Hong Kong government of failing to regulate the industry. The “4th Uncle”, nickname of the developer, said, “Buyers are delighted with the floor numbers!”

Whoever can afford US$9100 per sq. ft. or US$56M for a 6200 sq.  ft. unit in the building should not be too stupid.

Incidentially, the height of the building is 152 meters. “152″ sounds like “not easy to maintain the #1 position” in the local Cantonese dialect. In terms of Feng Shui, 5-2 combination means disaster and major sickness or even death! Fortunately the “1″ mitigates the negative effects of 5-2 a little bit.

Ken Lai

“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG) w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-men-Dun-Jia” w/ 10 hr. video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com

http://kenlaifengshui.blogspot.com

 

3-Penalties dates

Xu month  starts and runs till Nov. 16.  Chou year (2009) and xu month already form “semi-3-penalties“.  When it runs into a wei day, the day becomes a “year-breaker” day plus “3-penalties” day– not suitable to make major decision or traveling (susceptible to traffic accident).

The following days are ram days, clashing ox and forming a  “3-penalties day” with xu month–  10/29 (ding-wei day) and 11/10 (ji-wei day).   You better stay home and avoid traveling or doing anything important or making major decision.

The chou-xu-wei combination is especially inauspicious for people with ram, ox and dog animal sign.  Even if you do not have these animal signs, but your spouse palace (day branch) has a wei (ram), chou (ox) or xu (dog), you should be extra careful during this month too.  It is not too late to get the Immortal Lu safe-driving metal talisman or at least you put a protection symbol of your favorite deity or religion into your car.

Ken Lai

“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG)w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-men-Dun-Jia” w/ 10 hr. video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com

http://kenlaifengshui.blogspot.com

 

Bazi and Feng Shui

I have run into a case of a ding-fire day-master (DM) with heart problem. But the client does not know her birth hour. Her current 10-year-luck has just entered into strong water formation. Heart problem normally involves ding-fire.

So naturally I would think she is a weak DM, but plugging in all 12 possible Chinese hours into her chart.  However, only one hour will make her DM strong, all the rest will be weak– 1/12 chance.

I need to find more evidence to prove that she indeed is a strong DM.

How? By asking questions on personality, family relationship and personal preferences. Questions like:
– who makes more decisions– you or your spouse?
– your spouse beats you up or you beat up your spouse?
– what colors do you like?
– do you take your time to do things?
……..

The answers I got match to that of a strong DM. So what I can deduce is that even if water is favorable to a strong Ding day-master, but too much of a good thing still screws her heart up. It is all about yin-yang balance. She is over 70 years old.

Amazingly, I checked the Feng Shui of her house— her bedroom is in NE with 5-9 star (causing heart, blood or eye problems) and annual 2-sickness star is at her main door. In terms of 8-mansions Feng Shui, her room is in “disaster” palace.

This is another case of 4P and Feng Shui synchonize to each other. I’ve used techniques from my Destiny Management courses plus Feng Shui cures for this case. Here are the cures used:

– certain plants
– coins
– white crystal
– removing certain items from her house

Ain’t they green and natural?

Ken Lai

“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG)w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-men-Dun-Jia” w/ 10 hr. video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com

http://kenlaifengshui.blogspot.com