Dear Lillian,
I am in great need of your help. I am a server for a steakhouse and the most important part of our uniform is our smile (which emanates a positive chi flow). Throughout one's shift, that positivity remains. But a shift in energy begins (I have observed this over and over again with the entire team) when a manager tells you that you've been 'cut' (meaning that no more tables will be assigned to our section) and that it's time to go home for the day. Sometimes, they even use the 'cut throat' hand gesture to let us know.

I feel the negative chi flow immediately upon this taking place, I suppose it could be because of the feeling of actually being cut in half. My question is: What positive word or words could be used in place of "You're cut"? I have searched, but nothing positive and to-the-point stands out. Because you are so wonderful with words and an expert at Feng Shui, I thought I would put this in your hands to see what you could come up with.

I appreciate your help greatly and cannot wait to balance out the chi at work, as this will affect everyone positively.

Thank You, Ashanta Freeman

Dear Ashanta,
You are such a sensitive person and so thoughtful of your colleagues. I agree with you the word 'cut' is simply ugh!!! There are many ways to counter this problem, but the best is simply to tell your manager exactly what you have told me. But if he still does it, try this: the next time he cuts his throat, open both your palms, raise them to heart level and then symbolically push his cutting energy back to him and make sure you smite as you do this.

If this is not strong enough, use my favourite Mystical Knot gesture - it works every time. Use the right hand folded into a fist then extend the index and the last little finger. Then use this hand to draw the infinity sign (it's a 'sleeping eight') three times, thereby making the sign of the mystical knot - so, so powerful.

Dear Lillian,
I'm just getting to know feng shui and I'm a Wood Female Rat, born on Nov 22, 1984 and my Kua Number is 8. I have never dated before, as I'm not pretty and not slim. In my jobs, I'm suffering from office politics as I cannot get along with a few of my colleagues and sometimes, I'm exhausted from being overloaded with work. I have bought Dragon figurines (my attics) and placed them on my office table.

I've also positioned a Golden Rooster on the west of my office table for almost two months now, but the office politics still continue to grow against me. I've heard that a Rooster's head face a person directly, so I positioned it so that its back faces me.

I've also placed another Golden Rooster and placed it in the west of my bedroom - but I'm still futilely searching for love.

In addition, my health condition is poor and my relationship with my family is not good, as we quarrel a lot. The ties between my family members are not strong, thus I have bought a golden Laughing Buddha (carrying an ingot) and placed it in the southwest of my bedroom.

Please advise on what else I can do to improve my situation.

Warm Regards, Lonely Gal

Dear Lonely Gal,
It's time to stop feeling sorry for yourself. In your letter, you focus on all the negatives of your life and I don't hear you say a single positive thing. So you tell me you are overweight, a victim, lonely and not well- liked. I must test you that using a feng shui cure is not like waving a magic wand.

Feng shui cannot make you slim, attractive, likeable and popular. Only YOU can do that for yourself. What feng shui can do is create an environment conducive to you improving yourself.

So start by facing, sleeping and tapping all your good directions. Then enroll in a gym to jet your yang energy moving and you can also consider a takeover of some kind. Be good to yourself and then try being nicer - to your office mates and your family. Smile and let your smile light up your personal environment. When you succeed in changing your attitude towards them, they will change theirs towards you, and then you will see how the Dragons and Roosters will suddenly start heaping you!

Dear Lillian,
I believe you must be busy with your talk on Jan 13, 2008. Nevertheless, I hope you could spare some time to answer the following questions:

1. Is it good feng shui if the main door of one's house is located much lower than the living room, and there are many steps facing the main door leading to the living room?
2. If there is a basement room right below the main door, which is located in a sector with good Flying Stars, what function should the room have so as to have good feng shui?
3. You have stated in your Flying Star Feng Shui for Period '8' book that for a 'northwest 1' facing house, the back of the house will benefit from a water feature, but you have to make sure that there is a door there to receive the benefits, otherwise, there will be missed opportunities. Must the door be located in the southeast and facing the southeast? Will there be missed opportunities if there is a door located in the south which east, but faces the northeast, but there are many windows located in the southeast and facing the southeast as well?

Your faithful follower, Ken

Dear Ken,
Yes, that's the date of my KL Extravaganza. It's something I look forward to doing each year as I can really share some wonderful updates, and meet my friends and my readers. Hope you are coming. If so, better get the tickets early, as they are going fast! Now, on to your questions:

1. This is not a good feng shui feature at all! I assume the steps are going up to the living room? This is bad only if the stairs are directly facing the main door.
2. That can be your work room or your bedroom, although I don't like the idea of either working or living in a basement, below ground level. For me, no matter how auspicious the Flying Stars are, I always prefer a ground or upper floor for my own personal use. Basements can be storerooms or gyms.
3. It doesn't matter where the windows are facing. As long as there is an opening for the chi energy to flow inside, the windows have done their job. Sound like your situation is OK.