Feng Shui Articles 4                                            by Kerby Kuek  

　

Deep breathing secrets

Friday, July 02, 2010, Standard Hong Kong 

A baby's first breath is through the nose and right down to the abdomen. Many doctors agree that this is the correct way of breathing to ensure a healthy body. 

This is the way of Tan Tao breathing. 

Tan Tao, which dates back more than 2,000 years, is an ancient practice of breathing technique, or meditation, to ensure a long life. 

The Daoism sage Lao Tzu said that when you feel you're breathing through your lung, that means your lungs are not functioning well. Ironically, when you breathe normally without feeling your lungs, then they are working fine. 

Today, people think that consuming the right food, vitamins, medicines and supplements help them live longer. 

But one Indian yogi has claimed that he has survived for seventy years without food and water, just yoga and meditation. This shows the importance of breathing - especially the correct way of breathing. 

The beauty of it all is that air is, of course, free. 

An ancient text, Chan Tong Qi (Three in One) by Han scholar Wei Boyang, talks about methods of prolonging one's lifespan such as Swapping the Ham and Lei Guas, Exchanging the Dragon and Tiger Energy. But in my opinion, these are all simply breathing techniques. 

Thirty minutes to an hour of deep breathing a day, using the Tan Tao Small Cycle techniques as laid out below, would ensure one stays healthy.  

We often neglect the simple, yet essential, practice of relaxing our muscles to help the circulation of blood and air in our bodies. 

The difference will become obvious after one does it for only seven days. Remember the simple rule: breathe deep, down to your abdomen. 

There are basically two breathing techniques. 

Natural breathing. A relaxing technique that utilizes and maximizes the oxygen that we take in. The important thing to look for is a bulging of the belly when you breathe in, especially about six centimeters below the belly button. 

Unnatural breathing. Here, you use your lungs to take deep, powerful breaths. In line with the yin-yang balance, this hard type of breathing balances out the soft natural breathing. It is used to detoxify the body. This cleansing technique can be used only during daylight. 

Quote of the week: Filial piety ensures harmony.

　

Master at work

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 

Since Kerby Kuek's Fung Shui for Life column appeared in your newspaper, every Monday when I wake up I look forward to Friday and the column. Kerby's knowledge is different from other masters that I know: he is able to present such wonderful art in a "scientific" manifestation. He should be in the paper on a daily basis so my friends and I don't have to wait till Friday!

Wendy  

Confucius says

Kerby Kuek

Friday, June 25, 2010 

Fung shui is closely related to Confucianism and Taoism. So I will be looking at the two teachings. 

Developed by Confucius (551-479 BC) in the Spring and Autumn Period, Confucianism became an established philosophy in China.  

Confucius held that everyone was entitled to education, not just the elite, and emphasized that people from all walks of life should have the opportunity for education "as long as the desire to learn is burning." 

His fundamental teachings are about building internal and external values and interacting harmoniously with others. Values such as filial piety, honesty, etiquette and camaraderie are held in high esteem. 

He also defined the protocol for important relationships such as between ruler and subjects, husband and wife, and father and children, and the values which should guide them - benevolence, justice, etiquette, wisdom and honesty.  

Confucianism differs from religion in general and Taoism particularly in the subjects covered, focusing on individual growth and social relations. 

Taoism was popularized by Lao Tzu in the late Spring and Autumn Period. At the beginning of the Han era (221-206 BC), it was termed Tao De Jia.  

At that time, there were five other schools of thought: Confucianism, Mo Jia, Ming Jia, Fa Jia and Yin Yang Jia. Taoist philosophy blends these five teachings. The famous philosophers of the Taoist school are Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu and the Huang Lao sect. Its main focus is on building a stronger body and mind to achieve health and longevity. Instead of promoting materialism, Taoism places emphasis on developing a healthy body whereas Confucianism emphasizes building a better soul. 

The ultimate destination of Taoism is not heaven but being one with nature - which is the way of the Tao. More than any other school, Taoism focuses on nature. 

Lao Tzu said that Tao is the source of creation of the universe and therefore its main driving force. Taoism pioneered explorations into the nature of the universe and incarnate beings. It is Taoism's biggest contribution to metaphysics.  

Some of Lao Tzu's precepts include: 

One should uphold "nothingness"; 

To be weak is to avoid competing; and 

Be stupid to harness substance. 

Taoism, which stresses the importance of life over material things, does not give prominence to fame and fortune as ultimate life goals, for they are meaningless without the spirit of Tao.  

Western Han historian Ser Ma Tan has acknowledged that Taoism blended the unique teachings of other schools to become the perfect school of thought for its time.  

Quote of the week: I can't hear you because you're talking too loudly.

　

Of heaven and earth

Friday, June 18, 2010 

The ancient narrative history Zuo Zhuan, or Commentaries of Zuo, is attributed to Zuo Qiuming - a contemporary of Confucius.

In it, a doctor named He from the Qing era says heaven consists of six energies (or qi): yin, yang, wind, rain, day and night. These six energies are categorized as follows: a cloudy day is termed as yin; a cloudless day is yang; wind and rain are the movements of clouds; the night is hi; and the day is ming. He adds: "Any imbalance in the equation will end up [creating a] disastrous state." 

A few centuries later, Dong Zhongshu wrote in his book Chun Qiu Fan Lu, or Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals: "The path of heaven is about giving, earth about nurturing, while that of man is about justice and manners. The eyes are for seeing the right colors; the ears are for hearing the right voices. The mouth is for tasting the right flavor and the body is for walking on the right path." 

False knowledge and false preaching 

It is hard to judge the authenticity of ancient scriptures: some are plagiarized and some created without proper basis. 

In pursuing ancient knowledge, many practitioners may have unwittingly learned the wrong thing and passed it on to their followers.  

So how do you know which teaching is real and which false? The answer is simply to practice what you have learned and the true teaching will emerge through trial and error. The process may be taxing and at times frustrating, but seek and you shall find. 

How can this be done? Use your eyes and find the answers in your heart. For example, the only way to learn the topographical element of fung shui is by observing and experiencing the surrounding nature physically - especially through your eyes. Interpretation, however, is another matter. 

In olden days, knowledge of the time aspect, or gua energy, was passed on orally. This tradition resulted in a loss of the great art and science as some practitioners took their precious knowledge to the grave without passing it on to anyone. 

Thought of the week: Love gives all and requires nothing. If everyone gave their all, what more would you require?

 

Natural laws

Friday, June 11, 2010 

Western Han era scholar Dong Zhongshu also wrote in depth about the five elements and the filial concept in his tome Chun Qiu Fan Lu, or Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals.

The five elements theory explains creation: water breeds wood, wood creates fire, fire breeds earth, earth creates metal, and metal creates water - and the cycle goes on. 

Implied in this creation concept is that unique relationship in which a son must respect and be loyal to the father, while the father has an obligation to nurture the son - leading to balance and filial piety. 

For ancient Chinese, one acts in harmony with the natural laws in performing ritual worship in accordance with the four seasons, with the son and wife strictly following them. 

The names of this ritual change according to the season. In spring it is ci, in summer yue, in autumn chang and in winter zheng. 

If such rituals are neglected, the laws of life are violated. 

The traditional Chinese follow three forms of worship: worship of heaven or cosmic powers; worship of ancestors; and the worship of gods and devils.  

Through such practices, one pays respect to supernatural powers. 

Dong wrote: "The emperor receives heaven's command. Ministers should follow the emperor's command. The son follows commands of the father, a wife should follow the husband's command, and so on. Such relations are absolute." 

But according to The Book of Rites, such relations are relative - meaning if the emperor violates his order, ministers can violate the emperor's. 

It is up to you to decide which writing is more applicable to today's world. 

Quote of the week: If you want the world to change, change your own world first.