Feng Shui masters say, take care of the graves, or else
APRIL 1, 2016 MAJORIE CHIEW star2.com
When Chinese families visit their ancestral graves to pray to ancestors for protection and blessings they would be wise to also assess the tomb for feng shui problems, says local feng shui master Louis Loh.
In yin (burial) feng shui, there is a belief that the condition of tombs and their surroundings can affect living descendants, as well as determine their health and wealth.
Loh advises that it is imperative to look out for changes in the tombs, to pay heed and take action.
Feng shui masters say that the qi or life force of the dead is retained in bones, even after the body has decomposed.
Loh, a much sought-after feng shui consultant, has more than 10 years experience in feng shui and is experienced in yin feng shui.
He says: “The bones (skeleton of the deceased) still receive qi from the earth and the sky. As these bones have DNA which is connected to the living descendants, the latter are likely to receive good or bad qi that the bones are receiving.”
In yin feng shui, it is believed that if the bones are receiving good qi, the descendants may enjoy wealth, health and prosperity.
However, woe to the descendants if the bones are receiving bad qi!
Loh claims that these descendants “may suffer from ill fortunes such as poor health and dwindling luck.”
Tree signs
Look for trees near the grave. If a big tree next to the grave is dying, it is a sign that the qi in the tomb is not good, Loh warns.
Nevertheless, even if the tree is flourishing, it does not necessarily mean the tomb has good qi. “Ironically, it may have bad qi,” says Loh.
Bad qi from the tomb arises when the roots of the sturdy tree penetrate into the coffin and wrap themselves around the skeleton, As a result, family members may suffer from heart attacks,” says Loh, adding that he dealt with such a case seven years ago in Johor Baru.
“Family members started dying, one after another from heart attacks. A check on the feng shui of their house and their Bazi (pillars of destiny) did not reveal anything wrong. So, we suspected there may have been a problem with their ancestral tomb.”
Loh says: “The remedy is to collect ‘the gold’ (a term referring to the bones of the deceased) and rebury it elsewhere. The tree must also be cut down.”
Nowadays, modern cemeteries or memorial parks are more organised. They usually do not have big trees planted haphazardly on or near the graves.
Tomb colour
A change in tomb colour indicates something is wrong with qi in the tomb. For example, the tombstone has uneven colour or turns black.
Loh says: “The black tombstone can indicate underground flooding near the grave (or a submerged or flooded tomb).
One can clean the tombstone and check later to see whether it will change its colour again. If the tombstone does not turn black, then there is no cause for worry. If the tombstone turns black again, there is an issue with qi of the grave, not the tombstone.”
The solution is to collect the bones for cremation or reburial elsewhere.
Cracks appearing on tombstones may result in family arguments, broken relationships, illnesses or even death.
Small cracks can be repaired easily. But if there are large cracks on the tombstone, it must be replaced as it could result in death in the family, he says.
Loh also says cracks on other parts of the grave could cause pain to the living.
For example, cracks in the wall behind the tombstone may cause the descendants to suffer from back pain. Further away, cracks on low lying side walls fronting the tombstone and further away can result in pain in the hands and feet.
Cracks appearing on tombstones may result in family arguments, broken relationships, illnesses or at worst, death in the family. Cracks on other parts of the grave could also cause the descendants to suffer from pain in different parts of the body.
A watery grave or a puddle or pond of water near, or in the front of, the grave may bring illnesses or health-related problems for descendants.
“Make sure the water can flow and there is no water retention,” he advises.
Graves near the river can also encounter problems of flooding, he adds.
Some graves on a steep hill may encounter problems of water gushing in from the back of tombstones. This running water must be diverted.
If there is huge damage to a grave, it is best consult a feng shui master to rectify the problems or to relocate the grave.
Loh says: “One should not attempt to hack any part of the tombstone to avoid any untoward incidents.
Minor repairs with no hacking and digging, however, can be carried out without consulting a feng shui expert.”
Columbariums
Columbariums usually house cremated remains in which the DNA of the dead is destroyed. Therefore, the connection with the living descendants is severed. As such, the remains will have very minimal impact – good or bad – on the living.
Nevertheless, Loh suggests that the cinerary urns be placed in a well-lit area, preferably with sunlight.
“A dark place indicates that the location is overly yin (or foreboding) and can have negative qi,” he says.
i have thought of sea burial... is it correct term?
Of course nowadays with pollution and land constraints issues, we are advice to cremate and if possible, scattered the deceased ashes whether be it in the sea or to the wind, or as fertilizer for plants, etc. Basically until there is nothing left to be bothered with.
But I have heard before that there is a Chinese belief to best leave some remains intact in whatever forms available for his/her descendents to pay their respect and also to built on or change the family feng shui where required.
As for me personally, I would like to see my remains split into a few potions with one left in a columbarium here and the remainders taken and scattered on the 2 sky burial grounds on the pilgrimage circuit around Mt. Kailash and also in Lake manasarovar.