Myth Buster 10: Lucky Rabbit’s Foot

When I was a still a young boy, I remembered being given a rabbit’s foot by my father’s friend. It was supposedly to be a good luck charm. While this belief is not as famous here in the Philippines as it is abroad, I realized that they’re a lot of people who really believes in it.

Nowadays, it is generally believed that a rabbit’s foot serves as a good luck charm for the one who carries it, but the truth is it really started out as protection charm or amulet rather than a good luck charm. It was first used as a good luck charm of young men during the times when hunting is still one of the basic way of getting food on the table. However, it’s use as a protection charm turn into lucky charm because when the world started to become more ‘civilized’ and ‘safer’, its appeal as a protection charm started to lose its appeal. It is then when it because a lucky charm and not a protection charm.

But it is really not clear whether when this belief really started. The most prevailing belief is that it started during the pre-Celtic era when young boys, are trained to hunt. One of the first thing that they’ll hunt for are rabbits, and they will be given the foot of the very first rabbit that they hunted.

Nevertheless, the question is is there truth to the belief that a rabbit’s foot is a lucky or protection charm. If you analyze the history that I just shared, you’ll see that the original use of the rabbit’s foot is not as a charm or amulet, but it’s more of a symbol of a passage from being a boy to being a young amateur hunter, albeit still a boy.

If you look at it in a Feng Shui perspective, a rabbit’s foot creates bad chi, thus it is neither a protection nor lucky amulet. One will have to assume that the rabbit’s foot is actually from a dead rabbit, in Feng Shui, anything that’s dead creates a Yin energy thus it is bad for humans who should be predominantly Yang. If we are to assume that it’s from a living rabbit, it still creates bad chi, because you will have to cause pain to the rabbit to get it. Something that is totally anti-thesis of Feng Shui and Buddhist teaching.

Myth Buster 9: Bonsai Plants are Auspicious

A few years back a cousin requested for my help because he was encountering some financial difficulty. While his situation is not yet critical, his financial growth became stagnant. This is worrisome because the projected financial growth of his business is not meeting its expectations. He is also especially worried because he was relatively newly married (about a year) at that time and his wife was pregnant with their first baby. So the stress that he must be feeling is quite expected.

My cousin has always followed Feng Shui and I know that he has good business acumen. On top of that, his wife, before they got married, was base in Japan as a financial consultant and from what I know she is also shrewd when it comes to business. So I really wondered what could be wrong.

I did the Feng Shui of the house and office of my cousin, and he clarified that they hadn’t done much of a renovation. He also clarified, that his wife whose hobby is to do gardening is taking care of their garden pretty well. I inquired about their garden because I know that my cousin’s financial luck is largely ruled by the South where their garden is. Unable to find anything wrong, I decided to go and pay them a visit. I thought maybe there’s a new house or building around their area that’s affecting their Feng Shui.

Everything seems to be fine around their house, and inside their house everything was pretty much done the way I suggested. But when I saw their garden, I saw that while it’s now more beautiful and properly taken care of there’s something that might have been affecting their financial situation. Bonsai plants. My cousin-in-law who lived in Japan for about 7 years got fascinated with bonsai plants and went to study how to make bonsai plants.

My Feng Shui experience didn’t really involve so much bonsai plants so I really can’t be sure whether it’s the one causing the stagnant ‘growth’ of the financial growth of my cousin. However, I specifically remember that when I was in one of my Feng Shui class in Hong Kong, my Feng Shui teacher and a classmate talked about bonsai plants. Our teacher was explaining why Bonsai are unlucky, and my Japanese classmate was saying that it couldn’t be true because Japan and most Japanese who loves Bonsai are actually lucky. I really didn’t remember much of their argument but I told my cousin that the bonsai plants might be the one causing their financial concerns.

Bonsai may be pretty to look at, but because they’re stunted plants they’re essentially inauspicious.

Base on my own understanding, this is because Bonsai plants, while they’re really exquisite and pretty to look at, and can be considered to be quite an art, they’re actually not naturally small, they were stunted. Technically speaking, you have to ‘destroy’ their natural growth process for them to be small, you affect their Sheng Chi. Sheng Chi basically refers to growth, and in Feng Shui anything that is ‘stunted’ is essentially bad.

Of course, my cousin and cousin-in-law gave the same argument that my Japanese classmate raised. I told them that I’ll try to research more about it and will get back to them regarding the matter.

I called up my Hong Kong Feng Shui teacher, but just to be sure I also called up my Feng Shui teacher in Singapore. While they both essentially follow different school of thought of Feng Shui they both agreed that Bonsai plants creates bad Feng Shui. They also said that my interpretation was correct.

After being validated, I then have to raise the question if Bonsai creates bad Feng Shui, why then is Japan very successful. They said that while Bonsai is quite famous in Japan, the truth is very few people has them at home, this is because it is very hard to take care of it. Also, Bonsai only affects the luck of the sector where it is located. The bad effect to my cousin is with his financial growth because it was placed in his luck sector. If it was placed in the descendant luck sector, then the effect could be the absence of a children or bad descendant luck.

They also both said that they believe that it is affecting Japan’s descendant luck. They both said that Japan’s population is quite old, their old people are more than the younger ones, economically speaking for a country this is not a sound situation. They also added that Japan’s youth are not as respectful to their elders compared to their neighboring Asian countries.

Going back to my cousin, since my cousin – in – law is really unable to give up her Bonsai plants, I just had them place at a different section of their house. A sector where both of them won’t be really affected. I would have preferred that they totally get rid of the Bonsais but then again it’s an art for my cousin – in –law and there’s some emotional attachment. However, when their financial situation improved again after they transferred the bonsais, my cousin – in – law was the one who decided to totally get rid of the bonsais.

Myth Buster 8: A Piggy Coin Bank Creates Bad Luck

There’s a Filipino belief that putting your loose change in a coin bank or a piggy bank or what they call ‘Alkansya’ creates bad luck. This is because, they say, you condition yourself for a time of hardship.

In a Feng Shui perspective, whether a coin bank or a piggy bank creates a bad luck or good luck depends on where you place it.

The most ideal place to put a coin bank is in the west or northwest section of your room or office. This is because the west and northwest section of your room is ruled by the metal element, and ensuring that this element is energized will activate your mentor luck and success luck, respectively. The ideal coin bank is one that is made of metal or ceramic which symbolizes the earth element.

Never put your coin bank in the east and southeast section of your room or office, because the east and southeast is ruled by the wood element, and metal destroys wood. Putting the coin bank here, especially if it accumulates a lot of coins will destroy your wealth luck.

So you see, with the preceding explanation, that Filipino myth that putting your loose change in a coin bank or a piggy bank is not entirely wrong, but neither it is entirely true. The secret is where to place the coin bank.

Myth Buster 7: Potpourri Makes for a Good Offering

I’ve never really heard of Buddhist offering potpourri to their images, but a number of people has asked whether it’s okay to use a potpourri as an offering because it’s an offering of flowers and scent!

The truth a potpourri is considered as a very inauspicious offering. A potpourri is cut up dried flowers. Meaning its dead flower. Therefore, it’s high in Yin energy and is not suitable as an offering to your Buddhas or Bodhisattvas.

Furthermore, it’s actually not suitable to be placed in a room because it creates Yin energy that may be harmful to us. It might create bad luck for the people who occupy the room, or it might even steal the energy of a good Feng Shui.

I know they may seem nice but it’s best to avoid potpourris!

Myth Buster 6: Coming Across a Snake is a Bad Omen

There’s a Filipino belief that coming across a snake is an extremely bad omen, it is often associated with evil. Some Filipinos, especially those from the province believe that a snake may be a devil in ‘disguise’.

However, the truth is coming across or accidentally meeting a snake is a sign of good luck. If somebody is sick in the family, it would indicate that the person is about to get well. It can also mean that a change for the better is also about to happen.

If you see a snake in your house or on your garden, it means that an important person who is about to change your life or your family’s life for the better is about to arrive in the next few months.

I know that a snake can be very scary because it is poisonous. However, if you come across a poisonous snake that would only mean the luck is more significant rather than coming across than a non-poisonous snake.

Myth Buster 5: Arowana and Fish Horn are Lucky Fishes

Technically, this not a myth, taking care of Arowana and Fish Horn may bring luck to a person, specially if you got the a very auspicious looking Arowana or Fish Horn. The past decade or two saw the rise in the Arowana and Fish Horn business precisely for the belief and anecdotal testimonies that these fishes has brought so much luck to some people.

These testimonies, I would presume, are mostly true, because Arowana and Fish Horn are considered lucky fishes. In fact, a lot of professional Feng Shui consultants have capitalized on this truth that they started selling Arowana charms or Fish Horn charms.

Although, I’m writing about this belief under my Myth Buster series, this is actually a truth and not a myth, at least, technically, they’re not. There is truth to the belief the Arowana and Fish Horn is lucky fish. However, I don’t have either of the fish mentioned here.

Why? Because taking care of an Arowana and/or a Fish Horn would require me to have an aquarium. A tank of water! That will be detrimental to my Feng Shui because my Basket of Element as indicated by my Bazi shows that I have a very high weighting of the water element! As it is, without the proper Feng Shui cure for this, a high water element is creating some imbalance when it comes to my luck, and therefore I need to remedy it with Feng Shui. So having a tank of water around me such as an aquarium is like a Feng Shui suicide.

The only way of knowing whether you can have an aquarium is to check your Basket of Elements, which in turn can check only if you draw up your Bazi chart. In putting up an aquarium and taking care of fishes like Arowana and Fish Horn at home, it’s best to consult a Feng Shui expert.

Also, if you’re allowed to have an aquarium and take of auspicious fishes like the Arowana, Fish Horn, or Gold Fish, it is definitely inauspicious to feed them with live smaller fishes, worms, or even insects. I know this is what most experts recommend because this enhances the color and the beauty of the fish, however, in Buddhism; feeding them living foods create a lot of negative for the one who feeds them. You will just negate the entire auspicious blessing created by the beauty of the Arowana and Fish Horn.

Myth Buster 4: Bats Brings Bad Luck!

Most people are afraid of bats, well, who can blame them bats indeed look quite scary. I personally am afraid of bats. Traveled once to Bohol and entered a bat cave and they’re really quite scary not to mention smelly!

However, bats are actually one of the most auspicious creatures! If a bat enters your house, it is a sign that something good is about to happen. If you are currently experiencing some misfortune, and a bat enters into your room or your house, or even if a bat appears on your window it’s a sure sign that something good is about to happen.

If you see a flock of flying bats, that’s a sign, that extreme windfall luck is about to happen. If a set of blocks went to live in a section of your house, that’s a sign that you’ll have continues luck.

If they went to the East side of your house or property that means you and your family will enjoy health luck and good family life. On the West, you’ll enjoy good descendant luck, one of the favored luck amongst Chinese. If they fly in to the South, your family or the head of the family will enjoy some fame and recognition luck. On the North, all members of the family will enjoy good career luck. In the Southeast, it means that the family will enjoy financial stability and may even be really rich. It The Southwest, will indicate the couples who stay in the house will have more love for each other. If a bat or bats went to stay in the Northeast, it means that the children in the house will do well in school. Lastly, if they in the Northwest, it means the father of the house will enjoy a good life.

When I went Bohol last year, I met this guy whose has tree full of bats. He was quite famous there because the locals actually believed that his property is haunted that’s why the bats went to stay there. This guy doesn’t believe in Feng Shui, but when I asked him why hasn’t he driven all the bats away. He shared that he believes that the bats has given him wealth luck. In fact, he now has a resort, and a lot of other properties since the bats have stayed in his property.

There’s nothing like having the real thing, but don’t ever cage a bat, because it will be bad luck. You can simulate this by inviting auspicious images of bat into your house. A bat with a wealth coin signifies wealth luck. Wearing a 5-Bat DZI will bring blessings and protect you from negative chi!

So the next time you see a bat don’t be afraid, instead, be thankful!

Myth Buster 3: People Born in the Year of the Dragon Should Wear Pearls.

I’ve met a lot of people born under the year of dragon who thought that wearing pearls is extremely lucky. They got this belief because a lot of the images of the dragon is portrayed carrying or biting a pearl.

To answer them, I usually tell them what I know about pearls. Pearls are one of the oldest known precious ‘stone’ known to mankind. But technically, a pearl is really not a stone because it’s an organic matter derived from oysters. The pearl symbolizes purity and innocence, which is why it is sewn on bridal gowns to signify the purity and innocence of the bride. The pearl is also said to be a ‘teardrop’ of the moon which symbolizes Yin energy.

Living people are Yang, and while it is always good to have a little Yin wearing a Yin energy like a pearl is not advisable. Furthermore, as symbol of purity and innocence, when worn by ‘single’ person ensures this energy that the person remains ‘pure and innocent’ in relation to marriage, thus it inhibits your marriage luck. Being a teardrop of the moon, it is also said since its the ‘teardrop’ of the moon a pearl brings sadness to its wearer.

So in my view wearing pearls are bot advisable specially for somebody who’s still single and wishes to have marriage luck. Maybe the only exception to this rule is for people whose basket element base on their Bazi is totally lacking of the water element and is high on fire element.

To be safe avoid wearing pearls whether you’re born in the year of the dragon or not.

Myth Buster 2: Running Into a Funeral is Bad Luck

When we were younger, my parents and other elders will always tell us to look the other way around or even close our eyes whenever we ran into a funeral or a hearse with coffin inside. They say this is bad because the energy of death is extreme Yin and it might bring away our luck.

I’ve always adhere to this myth or belief until I learned Feng Shui and immerse myself deeply in Buddhism and Taoism. The truth is running into funeral march or meeting a funeral march is actually good luck. While its true that death is extreme Yin, running into a funeral takes away some of our bad luck.

An old Taoist monk shared with me that, in fact, meeting a funeral march is considered auspicious that you should throw a little money out of the window. This is to ‘repay’ the fact that some of your bad luck was taken away. Throw away some money signifies that you are paying it forward because some people who might be in need of money may come across your money that it helps him a little.

Myth Buster 1: Mirrors in the Bedroom Brings Bad Luck and Bad Spirits

One of the most common question I’m asked is whether mirrors in the bedroom, specially if it reflects the bed, brings bad luck and whether they bring in bad spirits. This is partly true but there’s more to it than just focusing on the negative.

First, mirrors actually double the existing energies. That is why it is considered auspicious to put mirrors (of course, it has to be placed properly) in retails stores and/or even offices. Reflecting the cash in the cash register ‘doubles’ the wealth energy thus increasing sales. Putting mirror in such a way that it ‘doubles’ the food on the table is also considered very auspicious because it doubles the abundance as represented by the food on the table.

Technically speaking it is not ‘literally’ bad to put mirror in the bedroom, however, if it reflects your image while you’re sleeping would mean that it will double whatever chi or luck you have at the moment. Meaning, if it’s good chi or luck then it will double that luck, but if you’re experiencing negative luck it also doubles that energy and obviously we don’t want that. It is seldom that a person experiences continues spate of good luck, even at your luckiest you’ll have negative energy as influenced by the ruling animal sign of the hour or day or month, or even through the influence of a flying star. So it is definitely better to just avoid putting a mirror inside the bedroom, unless, of course it doesn’t reflect your bed.

Also, for married couples, its definite that having your images reflect on the mirror while you sleep will also double the romance luck, but doubling the romance luck of a married couple is bad because it will invite third parties into the relationship.

Please note that reflections from television screens are considered ‘mirror’ effect. It is because of this that in terms of the perspective of Feng Shui it is better not to have TV sets in the bedroom.

Will mirrors in the bedroom bring in bad spirits?

This is not really my area of expertise, because this is technically not a Feng Shui question. However, in Taoism, it is said that mirror is a portal to the other world and that in our ‘dream’ state we are more susceptible to ‘tapping’ into the other world, thus its possible that you invite spirits into your room. This can be either good or bad spirits. In Taoism, it is also said that should a bad spirit wishes you harm it will be easier to do so if you’re in the ‘dream’ state. Thus it is better not to put a mirror in the bedroom.