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Earth Luck: Lillian Too
is Feng Sure about it
Times News Network,
2003
by Namita Devidayai
MUMBAI: Residents of Mohammad Ali Road, Dadar and perhaps
even Peddar Road may suddenly develop an affinity for antique
cannons. For Feng Shui expert Lillian Too has made an important
pronouncement. "Flyover outside your window is no good. But
you can deflect the bad energy by placing a cannon or a mirror
there." said the world-famous interior decorator of sorts, who
professes to change people's lives with the gelp of white dragons,
waterfalls and windchimes.
Ms Too is in Mumbai to deliver a series of lectures of Feng
Shui. A mesmerised audience at the Y.B. Chavan centre listened
patiently on Saturday as she spoke about how one could change
one's luck by balancing the energy sources in living and work
spaces. By the end of it, almost every participants - who had
paid RS 2,500 for the day-long session - had his or her hand
raised during the question-answer session, sceptics be damned.
"Madam, how can I improve my fortunes?"
"Build an auspicious water feature," she said. "If you live
in a bungalow, and have the space, make it a six-level waterfall
that cascades gently downwards. If you are in a flat, you can
make do with an aquarium - but make sure it is not in your bedroom."
"I live near two hospitals and a cemetery and there are a lot
of suicide in my building. What can I do to mke my environment
more salubrious?"
"Tsk. Tsk. Hospital, Cemetary. No wonder there are so many suicide."
You must paint a lot of red in your house to ward off the energy
of the dead. Or just wear a lot of red, even red lipstick will
do." .. And so forth.
While rationalist would be dismayed by such superstitious -
some would even say banal - discussions, Ms Too came through
as a patient, kind listener who seemed to have a solution for
everyone with a problem. She delivered the kind of pat responses
that have made Feng Shui as popular in Mumbai as saas-bahu serials.
No wonder a shop in the heart of Dadar, sells exclusively Feng
Shui objects, a signboard in a Bandra slum offers "Fengsui"
advice, and the babas and hakims who advertise in train compartments
have added FS to their list of wares.
But Ms Too was also quick to make one thing clean, a message
which should keep the charlatans at bay, "Anyone who tells you
Feng Shui will change everything is lying. This can only take
care of one-third of your luck - your earth luck. One-third
is your heaven luck, your karma, which is what you come with.
And one-third is your mankind luck, what comes about as result
of your actions and attitudes."
Clearly, Ms Too has no shortage of heaven and mankind luck.
The Harvard business school graduate had a successful corporate
career as head of the Dragon Seed department chain in Hong Kong.
But there was one niggling lacuna - she was childless.
She had been married then years and her marriage was on the
rocks. At the time, her Kung Fu teacher and friend insisted
that a giant bringing them bad luck and she needed to apply
Feng Shui to her life. He finally convinced her to move house,
which he did, and let him make some Feng Shui changes. She conceived
shortly thereafter.
That was when she decided to help others through this ancient
Chinese practice, which she likens to acupuncture and tai chi.
Ms Too, a Buddhist, insist that Feng Shui is not a religion,
but a technique which involves living with a greater awareness
of one's environment and then designing and arranging things
in such a way that the energies becomes harmonious.
Of course, Ms Too has successfully mixed earth luck with business
luck. "I am currently sitting on 45 invitations to speak at
places all over the world" she said. The bestselling author
from Malaysia, whose books have been translated into more than
20 languages and have crossed 3.5 million in sales, offers a
daunting range of Feng Shui merchandise on her website. So,
if you are trying to improve your love like, pick up her compass,
buy one of her little green tigers and you may just find the
chimes ringing.
Enter The Dragon
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Do not have a water feature in the bedroom
- leads to loss of money |
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Place a three-legged toad in your living
room, near the front door, for money luck |
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Trim your plants and trees regularly |
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Hang a cut crytal ball near one your windows
which gets direct sun - good for relationship luck |
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Display ceramic bowls and art objects depicting
the dragon image |
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