LILLIAN TOO
MASTER PRACTITIONERS COURSE IN FENG SHUI LILLIAN TOO
CERTIFIED CONSULTANTS INSTITUTE
The Practice Of Feng Shui
Spotting Hidden Poison Arrows
Module 2
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SPOTTING HIDDEN POISON ARROWS
Poison arrows in the environment are only “hidden” and “secret” if you know how to identify them. However, amateur practitioners should have little difficulty once they know what to look out for. There is nothing mysterious about poison arrows. There are a number of guidelines to what constitutes a poison arrow.
1 Anything long and straight aimed at a home or building can be classified as a poison arrow. The straighter and longer the “arrow” the more deadly will be its effect on the fortunes of the occupants of the home or building. The most common form of this type of arrow is a long, straight road that joins another road at 90°. Most Chinese are brought up never to live in a house that stands at a T-junction or intersection since the killing Chi which hits at the house will be like “tigers in the night” attacking the residents. The effect is a great deal worse if the main front door is directly facing the road. When the direction of the main front door is moved in a way that deflects the effect of the road, the poison arrow will also be successfully deflected. Another method of dissolving the effect of such a feature is to ensure the level of the house is higher than the road coming straight at it, thus putting the house above the poisonous breath and successfully averting misfortune. A further method is to build a solid high wall (at least 6 feet/2m high) to block out the road. This option is open only to those with enough land since having a high wall too near the house causes another kind of Feng Shui problem. Finally, if all else fails, you might want to consider growing a clump of bushy trees; these can be very effective in deflecting all the killing breath introduced by the straight road. 2
Anything that is pointed, sharp, and directly faces the front of the home – and, more especially, is aimed directly at the main front door – is extremely harmful. This can take the form of the sharp edge of a building across the road, the corner of a big building or a large pillar, or a signboard placed in such a way that it seems to be pointing at your entrance. These take on the negative energy of a poison arrow and should be deflected immediately with a mirror. An excellent method of deflecting such a poison arrow is to use a Pa Kua mirror, the eight-sided Feng Shui symbol with a small, round mirror in the center. Use a Pa Kua with a concave mirror to absorb all the negative energy. I would, however, urge caution when using the Pa Kua. Try to use it only as last resort: the Pa Kua sends out hostile energy which has the power to combat the killing energy of poison arrows. As such, if you place your Pa Kua high above your doorway to deflect something harmful from across the road, it is advisable to make sure you are not inadvertently hurting a neighbour’s house opposite. Hang the Pa Kua above your door facing outward, and never hang it inside the home or office because it then turns its great power against occupants. Instead of a Pa Kua you can also use a wall or a clump of tress to dissolve the killing energy of anything sharp pointed in your direction.
3 Anything that is triangular in shape and peaked is also harmful. This sends killing Fire energy your way and can be a powerful force in ruining careers and causing loss of income. The pointed edge of a neighbour’s roof is usually the source of just such a poison arrow. The easiest way of dealing with this problem is to use the Pa Kua mirror, which means sending killing energy 2
Module 2 - Spotting Hidden Secret Poison Arrows
back towardS your neighbour. A more friendly way of dealing with such a problem is to grow a tree with plenty of foliage and, preferably, big, round leaves. Another effective way of deflecting poison arrows is to hang a five rod windchime directly above your main door. Use a reasonably large windchime with rods at least 1 foot (30cm) in length. A windchime made of wood (usually bamboo) in this instance will be more powerful than one made of metal.
4 Anything that appears to symbolize an obstacle like a big cross is also considered a poison arrow. For this reason, it is advisable not to live directly across from a church or any kind of public building that has a large cross as part of its facade. In Hong Kong, there are enormous crosses in the elevation of the Bank of China building and these were believed to have caused Feng Shui problems for the colonial Governor’s house since the crosses pointed directly at the old mansion. Sometimes two criss-crossing escalators can also create problems for the building across the road. This was the case in one of the most celebrated Feng Shui “wars” in downtown Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. The escalators of a building created a big X directly in front of a building across the road, causing sales of the company of the building housed to drop dramatically. A Feng Shui master was brought in and he recommended placing an antique cannon aimed directly at the escalators (and therefore at the building across the road). Sales quickly recovered but the business of the occupants of the building with the escalators suffered from bad Feng Shui thereafter.
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THE FENG SHUI OF THE ROOFS Poison arrows Unfavourable
Unfavourable roof shapes are characterized by the following: t Uneven roof line t Irregular elevation t Continuous sloping appearance. This third type is the most inauspicious since it implies that money or wealth is flowing away from the house down the slope, and the occupants are unable to hang onto it. t Roofs that have blue tiles represent water. Water above a mountain is considered to be a sign of extreme danger and loss. I know of several business tycoons who actually lost their fortunes during a downturn in the economy. All of them either had head offices with blue roofs, or they had built a swimming pool in their penthouse suite on the topmost floor of their corporate head office.
Favourable Favourable roof shapes are regular and even. Their colour should be either red, maroon brown, or gray. Blue and green roofs are definitely not recommended. The best roof designs resemble gentle, undulating slopes that curve upwards at the edges. These indicate wealth and prosperity as well as peace and harmony among the residents. It is better not to have a “hole” in the center of the roof line. Unless the roof opening is an open-air courtyard, a hole in the roof line can be a dangerous feature, so I discourage it. Module 2 - Spotting Hidden Secret Poison Arrows
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THE USE OF CANNONS IN FENG SHUI
As an antidote to large poison arrows that are hard to deal with, the antique cannon is immensely effective. Antique cannons that have been to war are believed to be extra potent in fighting off the killing energy caused by large, manmade structures. There are also potency differences between “male” and “female” concerns. The shorter, broader female cannons are believed to be more powerful. Cannons are really the ultimate killing energy symbol. Antique cannons that have tasted blood are quite deadly. If something like that is facing your entrance it will bring losses, illness and severe bad luck. Because of this, the cannon as a defensive measure should be used only as a last resort, as it will almost certainly bring misfortune to whoever bears the brunt of its strength. If you find that your house is directly facing a cannon (i.e. If you live near a Department of Defence or near a war museum where cannons traditionally flank the doorway), I suggest the best way of countering the severe killing energy from the cannons is to place another cannon – a male cannon to face a female cannon and vice versa. t Anything hostile and overpowering symbolizes not one but a whole army of poison arrows – a large industrial chimney, an aggressive looking sculpture, a transmission tower or simply a building with fierce edges and sharp pointed facades. Living in the vicinity of such overpowering, man-made structures poses serious Feng Shui problems that are hard to solve. The negative energy is usually too intimidating to be effectively countered. Move away at the first opportunity, but otherwise, the best thing to do is try to change the orientation of your home altogether so that the hostile structure. This transforms it into a powerful protector. If you cannot do this, find another door to use as the front door.
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DRIVEWAYS
The approach to your house can also become a poison arrow if you are not careful. Generally, the approach to the house should be friendly and driveways should always be wide, even, and curved rather than straight and threatening. Driveways that come straight at the house are regarded as poison arrows. They become more harmful if they seem to get narrower as they get nearer the door. This makes them resemble an arrow even more. A driveway parallel to the house is not harmful, nor is if it is by the side of the house. Feng Shui prescribes circular driveways as being auspicious. If this is not possible, try having a meandering approach. Straight driveways can be effectively softened with clever landscaping that makes use of plants and flowering bushes to break up and camouflage sharp, straight lines. Driveways should not slope downward, away from the house. This causes Chi to flow outward, thus draining away money and good fortune. Driveways that are either too narrow or too disproportionately wide are also inauspicious. The guideline to follow is to design a driveway that works with the dimensions of the house and does not inadvertently become poison arrow. Driveways that are narrower than the main door are inauspicious. A driveway that narrows outwards or inwards suggests a lack of financial
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Module 2 - Spotting Hidden Secret Poison Arrows
opportunities, and is bad for business and for careers. If you have this sort of driveway, either regularize it or place lights at the narrow ends.
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DEALING WITH POISON ARROWS
The most immediate effect of being hurt by poison arrows is usually financial loss or illness. The severity of these misfortunes depends on the individual’s astrological chart. Usually young children are the first to succumb to illness caused by harmful poison arrows. Thus, if you have only recently moved into a new home and your children seem to take turns getting sick, or when the bug seems to be passing from one occupant of the house to another, look around for secret poison arrows. This is the first line of Feng Shui investigation. Usually the negative effects of poison arrows outside the home are far more powerful than those found inside the home. They must therefore be addressed as soon as you discover them. At their worst, poison arrows can cause severe illness and even death. A severe and hostile structure can wipe out the fortunes of an entire family. There are three main methods of dealing with poison arrows:t Create structures to block and deflect the killing energy. t Introduce barriers to dissolve the killing energy. t Place a hostile structure to counter the killing energy. Blocking and deflecting is best achieved with solid barriers and mirrors. When the poison arrow is visually blocked out of sight its killing energy is deemed to have been effectively deflected. This can be achieved with a wall or a hedge. To make your antidote more powerful, fine tune as follows: t If the poison arrow is coming from the South, build a wall that has water running down it. t If the poison arrow originates from the North, build a brick wall. t If the poison arrow is coming from the East or Southeast, build a wall with metal grilles. The grilles should be painted gold or chrome to be a more effective counter. t If the poison arrow is coming from the West or Northwest, build a wall and paint it bright red. t If the poison arrow is coming from the Southwest or Northeast, plant a thorny hedge. Dissolving killing energy that is coming toward the house is usually the best antidote. Plant a clump of trees between the poison arrow and the front of the home. The leaves rustling in the breeze dissolve lethal; poison arrows, especially those from the Southwest or Northeast. A second way of dissolving killing energy is to install a bright, powerful light between the entrance of the home and the poison arrow. This technique works best if the poison arrow is coming from the West or Northwest. A third way is to hang a large metal windchime between the poison arrow and the front of the house. This method is particularly effective if the poison arrow is coming from the East or Southeast. Module 2 - Spotting Hidden Secret Poison Arrows
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If the threat is from the North, a small mound of rocks in front of the house effectively dissolves the poison arrow; if it originates from the South, a water feature with fairly fast-moving water such as a fountain, would be a good solution. A more aggressive method of dealing with poison arrows involves the use of mirrors to reflect back the poison arrow so that it hurts the source of the negative energy. A second method is the use of something hostile, like cannon. Using either a mirror or cannon suggests fighting back; while this may sometimes be necessary it is always better to counter poison arrows using the first two methods unless there is absolutely no choice.
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TREES, POLES AND STRUCTURES
Poison arrows do not necessarily appear as imposing structures. They can be created almost anywhere and appear in different forms, such as telephone poles, For Sale signs, mailboxes, and even single trees. The effect of such features is usually a lot less severe than poison arrows caused by large, imposing structures and it is easy to deal with them. Simply place a small Pa Kua mirror to reflect the offending feature and the killing energy will have been effectively negated. It is unnecessary to go for overkill, but these arrows, though small, do have to be dealt with. Trees become hostiles when they present themselves as solid trunks facing your door. A clump of trees is not a problem, only a single tree trunk. Often, hanging a metal windchime is sufficient to deal with this problem. As for telephone poles and other similar obstacles, you can either use a Pa Kua or hang a very bright light outside your front door.
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CLEVER USE OF TREES
Trees can form a protective barrier between a busy main road and a house.
Trees planted behind a house block out poison arrows.
Trees lining both sides of the main entrance ensure Chi can enter the house.
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Module 2 - Spotting Hidden Secret Poison Arrows
It is best if trees are grown some way back from the house.
If the house is sited next to a hill, planting a tree will shield it from harm.
Trees are wonderful friends of good Feng Shui. As trees grow their leaves they absorb the poison caused by air pollution and are thus Nature’s way of protecting the environment. When used cleverly, trees bring a great deal of luck to any home. It is thus useful note some pointers: t Never grow trees too near to the house or they will overwhelm it with their immense growth energy. t Never plant a tree directly in front of the main door. It will make it hard for auspicious Chi to enter. t Always prune trees so that their growth is controlled. t Always choose your variety of trees carefully so that they stay in balance. t Grow trees mainly at the back of the houswe and in the East.
Confronting a mountain, wall, or a building If your front door opens onto a high wall or if there is a tall building directly in front of your home, the configuration is very inauspicious, but such a feature is not necessarily a poison arrow. However, the effect is similar to that caused by a poison arrow. The best method of dealing with this unlucky configuration is to re-orientate the house by moving the main door to the back in such a way as to place the wall or building – i.e. the mountain – behind. If this is not possible, the other alternative is to install very bright lights in front of the house, and keep these lights turned on.
Dangerous structures There are a number of structures you should be wary of, such as tall electricity transmission towers. Not only do they look physically intimidating, but the high voltage tension wires associated with these towers emit dangerously strong Chi which can overpower and kill all other energy around them. Living anywhere near these transmission towers will subject occupants to the danger of serious, even fatal illnesses. All other luck will also be at dangerously low levels. It is hard to combat such powerful energy and it is wiser to move away. If you cannot move away, try building a small pond to negate the fiery energy of the tower; you should definitely paint the outside of your house blue. Another way of overcoming the negative effects of transmission towers is to block them out with big trees. This antidote is at best temporary, since the wood element of trees is not match either for the metal of the tower or the fire of the high voltage wire. The most efficient cure is to use water! Depending on their size and design, bridges can also be problematic. Large iron or steel bridges tend to be places of excessively high energy levels that are simply too Yang and too powerful when they are near residential houses. Traffic patterns around these kinds of generate intense movement and high concentrations of energy. Houses located at either end of the bridge will suffer from excessive Yang energy and residents will be unsettled and unbalanced. Situations of conflict will also arise. These locations are suitable for commercial developments such as a shopping center, bus or railroad stations, or places of entertainment. Module 2 - Spotting Hidden Secret Poison Arrows
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YIN BUILDINGS Places of Worship
Places of worship such as temples, churches and mosques do not send out killing energies and they are not sources of poison arrows. Nevertheless, Feng Shui warns against living too near to such places simply because the energy around them is too strong and any home will be overshadowed. In addition, the energy is usually more Yin than Yang and thus not very suitable for residential living. It is also a good idea to avoid living near the spires and crosses of a church since these are structures that can emit killing energy. If your main door faces such structure, either use another side door as the main door, or plant a tree between your door and the cross.
Hospitals and prisons Finally, a major precaution to take in the practice of Form School Feng Shui is to avoid living too close to places where there is a great deal of sickness, death and unhappiness. Hospitals have great stores of Yin energy. The collective Chi of hospitals tends to generate excessive negative Chi. If you live near a hospital, keep your home well lit and filled with Yang energy. Play music and introduce more red and more bright, vibrant colors into your home. The same advice applies to those who live near police stations and prisons. The negative energy emitted by such places tends to be of a more violent type, perhaps associated with killing and death. Thus you would also want to avoid living nearby if possible. It is always advisable to do some research before buying your home to make sure that it is not built on land formerly occupied by hospitals, prisons, police stations, or other equally Yin places. Negative Chi tends to cling to such places and it will require the application of strong space clearing and purification methods to make the building habitable, let alone achieve a degree of auspiciousness.
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Module 2 - Spotting Hidden Secret Poison Arrows
SOME BASIC QUESTIONS ANSWERED Questions: We have just moved and there are some beautiful trees growing very close to the front of the house. Is this bad Feng Shui? Answer: Trees provide wonderful Yang energy but they can be harmful if placed too close to the home, since they will overwhelm the occupants. Trees are best planted away from the home where they can exert a protective influence by deflecting negative energies. Questions: We live in a detached house next door to a church, but I’ve heard that according to Feng Shui principles this is not auspicious. Is this true? Answer: Yes, the energy emanating from most religious buildings is mostly Yin and will cause an imbalance. Plant a tree between your house and the church to encourage Yang energy. Question: My bathroom is situated above the front door – is there any way I can improve the negative energy it is sending out? Answer: Placing a light in your hallway directly beneath the bathroom is the best antidote. Lighting is an excellent source of Yang energy and will help to dispel any bad Chi. Question: Everyone in our family is at work during the day, how can I counteract an excess of Yin energy caused by a quiet empty house? Answer: Playing music encourages the circulation of Chi – you could even leave the radio on while you are out at work to keep it circulating. A bubbling aquarium full of healthy fish will also have the same effect. I would also advise investing in a singing bowl, these beautiful objects create wonderful, pure sounds to cleanse the home and generate Chi energy.
Extracted from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Feng Shui by Lillian Too
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