Top 17 Feng Shui Questions in 2017

It’s been a little over a year since Uncle Dixer offered to answer questions about Feng Shui on this website. We have gathered more than 230 questions and answers, and I’d like to share some of them with you.

The questions you’ll see here are categorized based on the number of times each question was asked, how prevalent I think the Feng Shui setting or situation is, and how important the concepts are, based on my subjective judgment. 

To be clear, I am not Uncle Dixer. He is a Chinese Australian Feng Shui Master who I think is very knowledgeable and respectable. (He’s much older than I am, too.) Here’s more about him and why he chose not to use his real name.

To start, let’s begin with the most frequently asked Feng Shui questions.

Most Asked Questions

1. Lucky Number of Fish

Every week, we get about two to eight questions about this. Uncle Dixer has written an article about this which will be published soon.

When choosing a lucky number of fish, there are five factors to consider:

• • The Yin and Yang of Numbers: Odd numbers are considered to be more Yang. Here are some ways you can apply this:
    • One: Because one is still technically an odd number, you can opt to have at least a single fish, at a minimum.
    • Five: You can also have five fish to represent the five elements.
    • Nine: Ideally, you should aim to have nine fish or go for a total number that’s a multiple of nine. This is because nine is considered the most Yang of all the Yang numbers.
  • Phonetic Sounds: If the pronunciation of a certain number sounds like another word with favorable connotations, that may be a favorable number of fish to have. Some examples of auspicious numbers include the following:
    • Three: The word for the number three (sān) sounds like shēng, a word that means “life” or “to live”.

• Six: In Cantonese, the word for the number six sounds a lot like a word that means “happiness” or “good fortune”.

• • • Nine: The word for the number nine (jiǔ) sounds like one that means “long-lasting”.
  • Luo Shu 9 Stars: This 3×3 diagram is also sometimes referred to as a Magic Square, with the flying stars represented by nine numbers.
  • He Tu Numbers: This cross-shaped diagram is also known as the Yellow River Map. Here, each pair of numbers represents the North, South, East, and West.

• Chinese Zodiac Signs: Your zodiac sign is correlated to an Element, and thus matches a He Tu number pair according to said element. Here are the recommended number of fish according to each Chinese zodiac sign:

• Pig or Rat (Water): 1 or 6

• Horse or Snake (Fire): 2 or 7

• Rabbit or Tiger (Wood): 3 or 8

• Rooster or Monkey (Metal): 4 or 9

• Dog, Dragon, Ox, or Sheep (Earth): 5 or 10

Keep in mind that the number of fish is more about numerology than Feng Shui. Although some modern practices consider it as part of Feng Shui, it is only a tiny part of Feng Shui at best.

Also, do not expect your life to change dramatically once you have the right number of fish. First, its effects are significantly less significant than those of your home’s floor plan as well as its sitting and facing direction. Second, you still have to put in the effort and work towards your goals.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

2. Cures for Mirror Facing the Bed

Having a mirror facing the bed is quite common, especially with modern-day apartment designs that feature a huge, mirrored closet facing the bed.

Having a mirror facing the bed should be avoided. This is because the Chinese believe that when we are asleep, we are between the two worlds of Yin and Yang.

An easy solution that Uncle Dixer suggests is to glue rice paper onto the mirrors up to where the waist area would be reflected. The important takeaway here is that the mirror shouldn’t reflect your image whenever you’re laying in bed.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

Common Settings and Situations

3. Electrical Pole in Front Lawn

Electrical poles can bring Xa Qi (negative Qi, also spelled “Sha Qi”) if they are facing your window and/or your front door. This type of negative Qi can be categorized as “Sharp” Sha, which includes street signs, street lights, and even church buildings and bell towers. This is part of the Form School of Feng Shui.

The easy way to cure this is to have something to block the incoming Qi. As Uncle Dixer suggests, you can remedy this by hanging a convex Bagua mirror above your front door,  outside of your home.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

4. Feng Shui of House at End of Lane

First, don’t confuse this with the feng shui of a house at the end of a T-junction. This question refers more to houses at the end of a cul-de-sac, not necessarily facing oncoming traffic.

According to Uncle Dixer, houses located at the end of a lane have both advantages and disadvantages. The area may be quiet, but the house is at a dead-end. If the cul-de-sac or roundabout has enough space for traffic to maneuver, then you’re in good shape.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

5. Can Feng Shui Cause Plants to Die?

We all have plants that somehow just can’t survive. Some plants need more sunlight, some need less. Some need more water, and others need less.

But for this question, let us take the human factor out of the equation. If you’ve been properly taking care of your plants but they still end up dying, this could be an indication of a lack of Shen Qi (life-enhancing Qi) in that area.

Another Feng Shui Master once told me that plants can be good indicators of the Qi of the land. This means that the Qi of the land is good if you see trees growing taller and flowers blooming constantly. The reverse is also true. If the Qi of the land is bad, trees and flowers won’t be able to grow there.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

6. Public Waste Close to Front Door

With growing urbanization, undesirable objects can be placed close to where we live. Unfortunately, the placements of these objects are often beyond our control.

If the city decides to place public waste containers close to your front door, Uncle Dixer suggests that you plant trees or build fences to block the containers from view.

This also applies to many other undesirable forms or objects facing your front door. For instance, Uncle Dixer suggests placing a potted plant to block the view of the elevator from the front door.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

7. A Bedroom Sliding Door Overlooking Pool

I’ve seen many houses in California that have this setup. As most reputable Feng Shui consultants in California would tell you, whether this is good or bad Feng Shui depends on how you use the sliding door.

According to Uncle Dixer, the door should be closed, and the curtains should be drawn during the night. During the day, the door can be open to let in light that’s reflected by the water. This answer uses the concept of Yin and Yang.

The same concept can be applied to bedroom sliding doors that open to a garden with no pool.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

8. Feng Shui Room with Two Beds

Many houses and apartments have a bedroom with this setup, especially households with kids.

The first thing to keep in mind is that the basic Feng Shui bedroom rules still apply. The head of the bed needs to be placed against a solid wall. It should not be placed under a beam, nor should it have a door facing towards it.

Also, the two beds should be single beds to avoid awkwardness and a lack of privacy. Having a double bed and a single bed in the same room will imply that it’s designed to accommodate a single person and a couple in one room.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

9. Garage Door and Front Door

This situation is very common. In fact, I have this situation because I live in California, and the door I use is the door to my garage. That’s because I can’t go anywhere without driving. It can be hard to imagine for those of you who live in major cities with advanced public transportation systems.

When you do a Feng Shui audit of a house with a garage door, you should look at the main front door before the garage door. That’s because guests usually enter from the front door, and they’re the ones that usually bring the good or bad with them.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

(Note: If you do happen to live in a city with a great public transportation system, you may want to get the input of a local expert when it comes to your home’s Feng Shui. If you live in New York City, for example, it’s in your best interest to consult a Feng Shui consultant in NYC for more accurate readings. They likely know the area better than someone from outside the city.)

10. Importance of Apartment Building’s Front Door

For those of you living in apartments, do you ever wonder about the importance of your building’s front door?

If so, you need to know that both your apartment’s front door and your apartment building’s front door can have their respective effects on you. The building’s front door affects everyone. Meanwhile, your front door has a much stronger effect. Your apartment’s front door also only affects you; it doesn’t have any effect on the other people in your apartment building.

I’ve seen one case study by a Feng Shui practitioner who was talking about an apartment building that was at the end of a T-junction. He cited that the occupants that he knew from that building were all experiencing some sort of misfortune, although the effects were not extreme.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

Important Concepts

11. Rarely Used Front Door

This answer builds on answer #9. Here, we assume that guests also enter from a door other than the front door.

According to Uncle Dixer, you should put a bit more weight on the door that’s more frequently used. However, you should also take into account the front door that’s used less often. This means you’ll need to take both doors into consideration when you do a Feng Shui audit of your home.

The idea here is that the door that interacts with the outside is the more “important” door. After all, the definition of the front door is where the Qi from the outside enters the house.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

12. Importance of Feng Shui for Hotel Rooms

Unless you always stay over at a friend’s place or only use Airbnb when you travel, then there’s definitely a chance that you’ll be staying at hotels or motels during some of your trips. Because a hotel room is very similar to a bedroom, many of the bedroom Feng Shui tips apply.

What if you notice that the door faces the bed or that there’s a mirror facing the bed? According to Uncle Dixer, you don’t have to worry so much if you’re not staying in the hotel for long.

The important concept here is that Feng Shui takes time to manifest. That’s why you should not expect Feng Shui to deliver immediate results.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

13. Placing Money Plant and Bamboo

Plants are great additions to your house.

The important thing to keep in mind here is that the bamboo plant is a symbol of virtue, honor, and modesty. That is why Uncle Dixer suggests that you place it somewhere you work or wherever you keep your money. (Here’s a guide about how to use Feng Shui indoor plants if you want to learn more about this.)

It serves as a reminder for you to become a virtuous person. It does not help you make money. You have to do the work yourself!

Here’s the link to the original answer.

14. Using Different Schools of Feng Shui Together

With so many schools of Feng Shui out there, it can get confusing when you combine concepts from different schools.

This is especially true when you mix Black Sect Tantric Buddhist (BTB) with Flying Stars Feng Shui. Your reading might become extremely confusing because you’re using different methods of mapping a house.

Uncle Dixer’s advice is to look at each school of Feng Shui separately. Do not mix them into one reading. Each of these schools has a different way of reading interpretations regarding wealth potential.

Another important note: when doing a Feng Shui audit, it is important to do a holistic review of both the Form School and the Compass School. You can read more about this here.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

15. How to Start to Feng Shui Your Home

Uncle Dixer suggests that you start by balancing the Yin and Yang of the house. This includes adjusting the brightness and temperature of the house.

When you’re ready to take a deeper dive into finding out the Feng Shui of your home, you’ll need to learn how to read Qi, which will require school and training.

The important takeaway here is to know that practicing Feng Shui is not just about applying a few simple tips, and it’s more than just balancing the Yin and Yang. If you truly want results, it is best to learn how to practice one or two schools of Feng Shui.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

16. How to Make More Money with Water Fountains?

This is important to know: the water fountain will not do the actual work for you or make money for you.

I’ve encountered countless people who expected an increased income after placing certain items, such as water fountains, in their Feng Shui wealth areas. Uncle Dixer reminds us that the fountain, with its constant flow and movement, is to remind us to keep moving and do the right thing.

Feng Shui can boost your potential. However, if you don’t work towards your potential and don’t make any improvements, Feng Shui can do nothing to help.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

17. Is Red the Best Color for Front Door?

Red is associated with vital Qi, which is the energy that keeps us alive. Seeing the color red helps us feel positive, excited, and energetic. Although many people think a red front door brings luck, the main takeaway here is that no particular color is considered the best one overall. This is because the best color will always depend on the situation.

It is easy for us to instantly apply a “quick and easy” Feng Shui tip or fix. Unfortunately, like many other things in life, Feng Shui doesn’t work like that. If you truly want to get results from Feng Shui, a full review of your home is required. You’ll also need to know the occupants’ dates of birth.

Here’s the link to the original answer.

Conclusion

If you have questions about Feng Shui rules or how they are applied, feel free to ask Uncle Dixer. Also, if you have doubts regarding how other practitioners or “masters” practice Feng Shui, feel free to ask him about those, too. He chose to remain anonymous, so he doesn’t need to be politically correct!

Note: Uncle Dixer will not answer to questions that posted as comments here. Please go to https://fengshuinexus.com/ask-uncle-dixer/ and ask your Feng Shui question there.