Tuesday 3 February 2009

Changing your fortune is good fortune for him


Geomancer Danny Cheong says those who are affected by the recession are looking to fengshui to improve their situation.

1 comment:

Guanyu said...

Changing your fortune is good fortune for him

Many are turning to geomancers to improve their luck & wealth.

BY CRYSTAL CHAN, The New Paper
3 February 2009

For the first time in his life, Mr. Nicolas Ong, 53, consulted a geomancer.

Mr. Ong, who is between jobs after being laid off from an electronics company, wanted to know how he could improve his career luck.

He told The New Paper on Sunday: “Headhunters have approached me and I want to see if I can enhance my fortune as this is not the first time I’ve received a golden handshake.”

Geomancer Danny Cheong, who has been in the business for 21 years, visited Mr. Ong’s five-room flat in Punggol this week and advised the latter to re-arrange his plants and furniture to usher wealth into his home.

Mr. Cheong also urged Mr. Ong to keep his water feature on for 24 hours so that the water, which represents wealth in geomancy, will be ever-flowing.

While Mr. Ong would not reveal how much he paid for the session, Mr. Cheong said a consultation for a five-room flat would cost about $1,000.

If Mr. Ong’s experiences are anything to go by, it seems that fengshui - the traditional Chinese art of looking at the energies of nature - is being given a boost by the current recession.

Given that the recession may worsen this year, some people are banking on not financial advisors but geomancers to help them “enhance” their wealth.

Mr. Cheong said: “I’ll be busy through at least the first quarter of 2009. Besides regular clients, I also have new customers.

“Generally, those who are still doing well want to ensure that they continue to do so while those who are affected by the recession are looking to fengshui to improve their situation.”

Another geomancer, Ms. Adelina Pang, is fully booked till the end of February.

Ms. Pang could not give figures but she said this month has been the busiest in the more than 10 years that she has been practising geomancy.

She said: “People are more anxious about the economy and want to be prepared and have a good start.

“They like to know how to enhance the auspicious ‘qi’ (Mandarin for energy flow) in the house to promote well-being, and suppress inauspicious ‘qi’.”

Auspicious dates

Besides furniture arrangements, Ms. Pang has also been giving more consultations for auspicious dates for the signing of business contracts and business travel.

Mr. Ken Koh, owner of House of Feng Shui, which has three outlets, said more people are buying his products, such as figurines of the pi-xiu (a mythical animal said to absorb evil), but would not give figures.

He said: “I can’t speak for everyone but with the economic crisis, people seek guidance at times.”

Despite fengshui catching on among the young, it’s still quite an “open secret” in the corporate sector, with few wanting to admit to fengshui consultations.

Mr. Koh said Singaporeans are loathe to admit using geomancy to their advantage.

He said: “This is because fengshui has been interpreted as being superstitious, although we’re seeing more non-Chinese customers.”

Mr. Cheong, for example, counts hotels among his corporate clients.

Without naming the hotels, Mr. Cheong said: “A profitable hotel has to ensure that customers keep returning and by this, it means the place should have positive energy.”

He said this is why many hotels have fountains and water features.

“The fountains and water features are more than just decorations, because water represents wealth in fengshui. To have ever-flowing water means wealth will continue to stream in,” said Mr. Cheong.

Geomancers are also seeing more young professionals.

Growing popularity

Ms. Pang said: “More young Singaporeans are seeing good fengshui as a sense of well-being and part of planning their home.”

Graphic artist Christopher Tay, 33, is one young Singaporean who believes in fengshui.

Last year, he got his interior designer to design an extra wall in his five-room flat after being advised by a geomancer.

Mr. Tay said: “The geomancer told me that wealth would flow out of my home as the main door faces the living room windows. He advised me to construct another wall as a buffer between the door and windows.

“I think it works because my business is doing well and my family is in good health.”

CHANGING YOUR FORTUNE: Don’t hang wet towels above the stove as the water and fire elements would clash & affect your luck
CHANGING YOUR FORTUNE: Don’t place joss sticks in potted plants. When the plants are watered, it extinguishes the blessings