The Year of the Dog arrives! Kung Hei Fat Choy! 🎉🥂

Meet Dimetri, my bestfriend Shayne's french bulldog, whom she considers as her baby! He wants to greet everyone a Happy New Year of the Dog! :)

As one of the earliest traders in the Philippines, the Chinese has greatly influenced its culture and tradition. As a matter of fact, as per the Philippine Statistics Authority, there are around 28,705 Chinese nationals living in the country. They are the second most common nationality settling in the Philippines next to the Americans.

In Chinese Astrology, 2018 is the year of the Earth Dog. According to the Chinese Horoscope 2018, this year will be a good time to change several lifestyles that are bad. Vices such as smoking, gambling, and drinking must be minimized if not eliminated. It is also a great year to start a new business.

While this year is generally good for most of us, the Chinse Horoscope predicts that it will be a year where we shall experience periods of loneliness and emptiness. Hence, it is very important to guard ourselves so we won't fall into depression.

Moreover, the influence of the Chinese is manifested in many aspects of the lives of Filipinos. Some of the influences brought about by the Chinese is the practice of Feng Shui.

One of the main tools in Feng Shui is Bagua, which literally means 8 areas in Chinese.

Feng Shui which literally means wind (feng) and water (shui), is both an art and science developed by the Chinese some 3,000 years ago. It is considered an art since it deals with the art of the correct use of spatial order and placement, and how it is linked to our health, wealth, relationships, and other areas in our lives. And Science, because it also deals with the concept of Chi or energy, and the theory of the five elements: Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.

In order to have good Feng Shui in your space, consider representing all these five elements. But each of these elements must be represented in the right amount!

One of my bestfriend's family is very fond of Feng Shui. Before they have constructed their new home in Davao City, they hired a Feng Shui specialist to ensure that everything is in their proper place. Every single detail in their house were influenced by Feng Shui: from their lighting, to the paintings they display, the colors of the rooms, the placement of the stairs and the number of steps, the gate, the presence of water element (a fountain) in their garden which is facing their main door, and a lot more. I'm just really amazed that there are people who would really go the extra mile because of their beliefs and practices.

So far, everything has been great for their family. Their business is doing great, the relationship they have with each other is commendable, and all of them are in good health condition. This sometimes gets me thinking that these things could really be true!

And while there is no harm in trying, and following certain practices, I myself would want to put my faith in God and my abilities. No matter how much money we invest in Feng Shui and stuff, if we don't have the determination, resilience, knowledge, and skills things won't work out the way we want them to be.