Feng Shui Master Charlie Chao

ANOTHER popular Feng Shui Master that I got to feature on the About Weddings section of the Manila Bulletin in 2007.

With a little tweak, this story becomes less dated and more relevant again. Read on.

FOR BETTER AND NOT FOR WORSE

By EDWIN P. SALLAN

“God helps good people and those who help themselves while Feng Shui acts as a catalyst for self-improvements.”

So says renowned Feng Shui master, Professor Charles Chao. For those who think that their good fortune is dictated by this ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space to achieve harmony with the environment, Professor Chao says that it is only part of a bigger picture.

A more complete definition of Feng Shui, according to its Wikipedia entry, is that it is a discrete Chinese belief system involving a mix of geographical, psychological, philosophical, mathematical, aesthetic, and astrological ideas. Yes, astrological ideas. Astrology does play an important role in determining a favorable Feng Shui orientation.

That is why those who consult the Professor are first required to give their entire birth dates including year, month, day and time of birth. “Because according to ancient Chinese belief, our fates are not all the same,” he says.

As the author of books like “Practical Feng-Shui,” “Practical Geomancy” and the “Yi-Jing Divination” or “I-Ching Cards,” the professor stresses that there is a co-relation between these Chinese beliefs and how they pretty much shape our lives and our future.

It is important for instance to determine not just your Chinese Zodiac sign but also the which of the five elements (fire, metal, wood, earth and water) of its Yin and Yang cycle that you belong to. These elements are modifiers and afflict the characteristics of each of the 12 animal signs and each has features that apply to both years and the animals. Each of the 12 animals are governed by an element plus a Yin Yang Direction. The balance of yin and yang and the five elements in a person's make-up has a major bearing on what is beneficial and effective for them in terms of feng shui.

So does this mean that this is a good year for engaged couples to tie the knot? “Actually, every year is always a good year to get married,” the professor smiles. “What’s important is for soon-to-weds to know the lucky date by which to stage their wedding. And the best way to know your lucky date is not by consulting books on Feng Shui, which are often not as accurate as people think but by personally consulting a Feng Shui master or the right person for the right day and time of your wedding day. I have already prepared lucky dates that stretches all the way to 2010. ”

Professor Chao says that by correctly selecting the lucky day and time of their wedding, “a couple can end up being together and happy for a long time.” But before determining the lucky date, the professor will also tell the couple if they’re actually compatible by checking at their respective signs. “Based on Chinese beliefs, couples with an age difference of six years are not compatible. That may mean an Ox and a Goat, a Tiger and a Monkey, a Rabbit and a Rooster, a Dragon and a Dog and a Snake and Pig. Couples who have a three and nine year difference in age may also be incompatble and even if happily married may still end up going their separate ways. ”

“In general, couples born in the years of the Ox, the Snake and the Rooster are compatible,” he continues. “The same goes with any combination of a Tiger, a Horse and a Dog; a Rat, a Monkey and a Dragon; and a Rabbit, a Goat and a Pig.”

For newly-weds and soon-to-weds who are about to start a new life and build a new home, the professor says that the lucky Feng Shui orientations are the North and the South. “When constructing a new house, replacing the altar and transferring the main entrance door or gate, it should be facing the North and South orientations to be auspicious and favorable.”

Professor Chao says his pronouncements are backed up by years of careful study of various disciplines. An Engineer by profession who majored in Metallurgy and Mathematics, he is also considered a master of Chinese literature and history. He has extensively researched on Oriental Esoteric Sciences and Geomancy Sciences. His Institute of Chinese Esoteric Sciences Studies is the only one in the country recognized by the Department of Education to teach authentic Chinese Feng-Shui, Physiognomy, Palmistry, Chinese Astrology and Yi-Jing Divination.

You would think that with all these credentials as well as spot-on predictions on the start and end of the Gulf War as well as the abridged term of former president Erap Estrada and People Power 2, Professor Chao will easily lay claim to what he’s saying as gospel truth. On the contrary, the genial man is quick to point out that what he tells people, especially the many soon-to-weds that come to him for consultation are “all based on Chinese beliefs and are only 70 percent accurate.”

“There will always be exceptions,” he notes. “My analysis are just for your references only. If everyone wants to have a better life and a peaceful world, then it’s equally important to learn how to change one’s bad attitudes. Greed and pride are still two of the worst things that a person could have. Don’t be controlled by these things, learn how to manage your temper and with proper behavior and self-discipline, then everyone will definitely succeed.”

World of Feng Shui

SINCE the new year is the time when people start to wonder what’s in store for them for the next 12 months, Feng Shui is one of the things that usually come to mind.

And when people talk about Feng Shui in the Philippines, one of the names that easily comes to mind is Marites Allen. I got to feature the internationally-trained Feng Shui Master back in 2007 for the Manila Bulletin and even if I’m not exactly an avid believer, I got Ms. Allen to give me my own Feng Shui reading which turned out to be quite accurate for the following year.

Aside from talking about the ancient Chinese art itself, Ms. Allen, who also writes a Feng Shui column for Manila Standard Today and hosts her own Feng Shui talk show for the ANC Channel also talked about the World of Feng Shui stores, of which she is the franchise holder in the country.

I actually bought an Ang Paw envelope which contains three Chinese “prosperity” coins and a P20 bill in one of the World of Feng Shui stores. While I’m not sure if my own Ang Paw is responsible for much of the good luck that I've been enjoying since I got it, especially during Christmas party raffles and the other nice writing jobs and assignments that have thankfully landed on my lap, I guess it certainly doesn’t hurt having it in my wallet all the time.

Here's a slightly tweaked and updated version of that 2007 article:

MARITES ALLEN'S WORLD OF FENG SHUI

By EDWIN P. SALLAN

When you believe in things that you don’t understand then you suffer.

Stevie Wonder, “Superstition”

IF internationally-recognized Feng Shui expert Marites Allen is to be believed, there is no such thing as coincidence. Everything happens for a reason and much of the good fortune and yes, misfortunes that come our way are pretty much dictated by our surroundings, the yin and yang of our Chinese animal signs and the four pillars of our destiny.

“You may have so much money but you’re also very sickly. You may have the work but you may not have the love. And falling in love with the wrong person is no joke so what if you can actually avoid that, you might wonder,” she asks. Her answer is of course, yes, we can. She argues that people who know their Feng Shui have actually lived very fulfilling lives.

The popularity of Feng Shui or “the ancient Chinese art of manipulating and arranging one's surroundings to attract positive life energy so that it flows smoothly and unblocks any obstructions in the body and the environment” in the country is so phenomenal that a good number of its countless believers are not necessarily Chinese.

It also certainly didn’t hurt that Chito Roño’s 2004 award-winning horror flick simply titled Feng Shui, tackled its more dire and ominous consequences and made even more believers of this Chinese practice.

Ms. Allen is quick to point out that Feng Shui is “no superstitious nonsense,” though. She insists that there’s a scientific basis for it. “Feng Shui is a very big responsibility,” she declares. “People come to their doctors when things are not right with their bodies. It’s the same with us Feng Shui masters. People come to us when something needs to be resolved.”

Whether it’s how certain buildings or houses should be constructed, where certain rooms or areas should be located, how furniture should be particularly arranged, when important occasions or milestones like weddings, store or shop openings should be celebrated, Feng Shui has very much influenced the way many of us go about our business.

Allen says that according to Feng Shui, we actually have three kinds of luck . There’s our Heaven Luck which is what is “pre-ordained and cannot be changed.” “This explains why some people are richer and prettier than others because that is what’s really written in their stars,” she notes. There’s Mankind Luck, “which is the result of our actions, our decisions, what we do with our lives.” “There’s a saying that the bus stops only once so you better decide if you want to be on it or not.”

And then, there’s Earth Luck which is “what Feng Shui is all about” The way she explains it, Earth Luck is how the environment affects one’s life. It is sort of the equalizer to Heaven Luck and Mankind Luck as with proper selection and arrangements of certain properties, we can find and restore the right balance in our lives towards a more fulfilling future.

Allen herself is proud of the fact that since she was awarded the Philippine franchise for the World of Feng Shui chain of boutiques in late 2004, there are now five stores in the country including one in Cebu. “I started out with only three personnel, now I have more than 50 in all my five stores.”

Founded by Allen’s own mentor, Malaysian Feng Shui master Lilian Too, the World of Feng Shui franchise also has stores in Brunei, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Japan, United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, Russia, UAE, Mexico, Belgium, the Netherlands and the US. It also has its own online store at www.wofs.com.

The stores offer items that help improve our Earth Luck. Its bestselling item remains as the Ang Paw or Hung Pao. These are three Chinese coins (“prosperity coins” as Allen calls them) tied together with red ribbon and placed inside a Chinese envelope. Designed for good wealth, the Ang Paw is something you carry in your purse or wallet at all times. Allen reveals that the ground floor of World of Feng Shui’s Podium store is “embedded with the prosperity coin.” “You could say we’re sitting in a bed of money.” she quips.

Other popular items are the Colored Crystals which people buy not just for wealth but also “for love and harmony and relationships” and the Sailing Ships that are “very popular with businessmen” as they are known to enhance prosperity luck with a golden wealth ship sailing into your home or office.

There’s the Feng Shui Almanac, a fully illustrated Feng Shui guide specially designed to enhance your full potential for the present year. Here, you can also select the best and most auspicious days and times for activities and events such as weddings, renovations, travelling, opening a business and more. This almanac includes auspicious and inauspicious activities, daily earthly branch and conflict animal as well as good, average and unlucky hours.

Then there’s also Lilian Too’s annual Fortune and Feng Shui books that offers highly personalized insights for the year that will ensure how you can maximize your luck and your opportunities.

And of course, there’s Marites Allen’s much sought after Personalized Feng Shui Readings which includes your personal kua number, Individual Eight Mansions analysis, Compatibility based on kua number, Chinese zodiac and year element, Flying Star Natal Chart analysis for your home and office, annual Flying Stars for the present year and Feng Shui solutions to your predicament. Readings are normally conducted at her office in New Manila or the World of Feng Shui store at the Podium by appointment although she can also fly to Cebu to accommodate residents in the area, also by appointment.

A big activity the store is gearing up for is next year’s “Marites Allen Feng Shui Spectacular 2010 Riding The Golden Tiger” slated on January 23, 2010 at the Center Stage of SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

“Even though Feng Shui does not try to appear as the answer to everyone’s problems or act as a mirror to one’s future, the lessons you will learn are valuable guidelines to realize that we have options. That we choose to act and decide by ways we deem helpful,” she concludes.

World of Feng Shui shops are located at The Podium, SM Mall of Asia, The Block SM North EDSA, Serendra Piazza and SM Cebu. Corporate Office is located at No. 6 Unit 8 Broadway Park, Doña Juana cor. 1st Streets, New Manila, Quezon City. Also, visit www.wofs.com and www.maritesallen.com.

And here's the teaser/trailer for Marites Allen's ANC TV show: