Dear Lillian,
Firstly I've had many different opinions on how, if at all possible to change a period 6 or 7 home into a period 8 home.

I've been told to: open up some parts of the roof and let the sun in for seven days, and change the entire flooring and the main door (even though this does not guarantee that you have effectively changed your house into a period 8 home).

I've also been told by another feng shui practitioner that just changing the door, and symbolically changing a few tiles on the floor and a few tiles on the roof would be sufficient.

I am in to process of looking for a home to buy and most of the houses in this particular suburb I've been eyeing are period 6 or 7 homes, I want to be sure that if I've found the right home which faces the right direction (southwest 1), I can change it to enjoy the good stars. Could you advise? I'm seriously confused.

Secondly, I've been told that if a southwest 1-facing home has a backyard/garden to gently slopes away from the house, it is still no good, as it does not have any 'mountain' support. But I've read somewhere, probably in one of your articles, that as long as there is a high wall or a high building at the back of your home, that's okay (though the landscape is actually lower at the back of my home).

Thanking you in advance.
Yours truly, Serine Loh

Dear Serine,
1) This is the problem here in Malaysia - too many wannabe fang shui masters who simply go around confusing people with their incomplete knowledge. To change any house from one period to the next, you need to change its tien ti ren - its heaven, earth and door energy. So you need to change the roof (heaven energy), change the floor tiles (earth energy) and change the door (mankind) energy. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY T0 MAKE   THE HOUSE INTO A PERIOD 8 HOUSE.

By the way, I did not make these rules. This is the correct fang shui way of changing the period of a building.

Hi Lillian,
We have a south 2/3 facing house, and we have been suffering financial and health problems since 2006.

In the south of the house, there is a huge lamppost. My father has faced an emergency medical situation last year and is still quite ill. Meanwhile, I am facing marriage problems, but career-wise, I'm OK.

I occupy the southwest part of the home. In the west-southwest sits my room's air-conditioner and also some drainage pipes.

Can you help me on this?

Dear Santanu,
A south-facing house should not be having severe problems this year. Your dad's problem must be due to his bedroom. The illness star is in the centre - in the heart of the home - this year, and this causes residents to be more vulnerable to illness, especially if the bedroom is also 'afflicted' or if your dad is an Ox or a Tiger.

I suggest you invest in a metal wu lo and place it in the centre of the home (and inside his room as well). If he is in hospital, place one next to him.

As for your marriage problems, they are probably due to your state of mind. I am sure you are not doing badly at all, as you with be benefiting from the southwest location of your room. Maybe you are feeling the effects of the peach blossom luck, which resides in the place where your air-con is located.

Hi Lillian,
I'm not sure how much of a help feng shui would be for me, but I would like to try to see if it could help me with my problems. In fact, mine is a recurring problem dealing with friends and other relationships I'd like to build.

I make friends easily, but when I get close enough to someone, something goes wrong and it affects the relationship, no matter how much effort I put into building it. This stresses me. Could you tell me how feng shui can help me keep my relationships healthy, and to overcome the issue of loosing friends time and time again.

Thanks, Tanya

Dear Tanya,
It sounds like one of your auspicious mountain stars is afflicted. I suggest you try to get my book, Total Feng Shui, and read up the section on mountain stars under 'Flying Star' feng shui.

Also, check if the back of your house is lower than the front. If so, install a bright light at the back or build a wall there to ensure support. When the mountain at the back of the house is missing or afflicted, you need to remedy this.

Next, check if the northeast part of your house has a pond has tower ground or a road outside. If so, this would have the effect of bringing negative energy to your relationships.

Finally, check the southwest and see if there are an excessive number of plants there. If so, this, too, will have a negative effect on your relationship. Of course, I am shooting in the dark here, but feng shui is very diagnostic. There is a need to check before remedies or cures can be recommended. Sometimes, having a toilet in the southwest or northeast can also cause relationship luck to get hurt.