The art of creating harmony and balance in your environment

THE Y2 Residence Hotel in Makati City

It is the eve of the Year of the Water Snake. Have you prepared your living space and property for harnessing the flow of good chi or energy into your home?

Feng shui is the art of creating harmony and balance in your living and working environment. The term combines the Chinese words of “wind” and “water” that are key factors in assessing the quality and movement of chi into a landscape. The wind will disperse the energy and the water will contain it.

Location

There are many rules in feng shui with regard to location and direction of the home or building. General charms and simple rearrangement of the furnishings are some measures to begin the journey to balancing the chi within spaces.

Critical is the location of the front door, which is considered as the main opening for energy to enter a space. General tips include that the front door should not face a church, cemetery, railroad, bridge or other “busy” types of locations. These elements will disrupt the flow of relaxing chi inward.

BLACK and white interiors of bedroom suite at Y2 Hotel

Simple changes in the movement of furniture or color selections could help improve the chi in the surroundings to encourage success. When a place has auspicious feng shui, its occupants are more likely to have a balanced life and fulfillment in their work, plus good fortune and harmony with the people around them.

Constructing a home or building

Here are some important feng shui factors with regard to constructing a home or building. The site should be slightly elevated. The landscape on the left side, looking out of the house, should have a higher undulating hill than the right side. The left represents the “green dragon” that should be higher than the “white tiger.” Behind the house, it is auspicious to have hills to shield from negative energies. If you have a view of a field that slopes gently down to a body of water, the property is truly lucky and will bring wealth.

Such sites in the cities of today are nearly impossible to find. You could, however, look at formations of buildings, roads, canals, gardens and other man-made structures for good feng shui. Buildings are considered “mountains” and roads are equivalent to virtual “rivers.”

CHIC and calm interiors of one-bedroom suite at Y2

Elements such as lighting, furniture, floor coverings, paintings, plants and mirrors should be positioned in favorable areas to attain the right energy. Potted plants can remove negative chi from sharp covers.

Goldfish are said to bring good luck in finance. Their color and movement stimulates chi. Wind chimes are a general cure that are often used anywhere chi is unbalanced because their interaction with the wind represents movement.

For this New Year, it is a wise time to invest in the future. Properties in the Makati Central Business District are stable options for doing business. With thousands of people, from businessmen to tourists, who frequent Makati, every day presents a unique business opportunity.

Where to stay in Makati

For businessmen, where to stay in Makati is always a choice. Among the smaller, boutique hotels is The Picasso Boutique Services Residences on L.P. Leviste Street in Salcedo Village. The people behind the hotel, Ardent Property Development and Hospitality International, are so bullish for the Year of the Snake that they have just started a new hotel development.

YIN and Yang theme for Y2 Hotel lobby

The Y2 Residence Hotel, at the corner of Valdes and Santiago Streets in Makati, follows the same blueprint as The Picasso. Deeply rooted on the Asian philosophy of balance, specifically in the principles of yin and yang, the Y2 Residence Hotel will mirror modern Asian tranquility amid the bustling city. This hip boutique hotel is due to open by the fourth quarter of 2013.

All of 21 stories with 173 rooms, ranging from studios to three-bedroom suites, the Y2 gives its residents a whole new lodging concept—whether guests are after shopping, dining or business—the Y2 offers unparalleled convenience and accessibility.

LUCKY water feature at Y2 Hotel lobby

The Y2 Residence Hotel is also an investment opportunity, as it offers a serviced residence program that allows investors to own a high-rental property with steady cash flows. For info, e-mail [email protected], call 659-0580 or visit www.y2hotel.com.

At the Y2 Residence Hotel, the owners have ensured that the feng shui is right, in terms of bringing chi to the building. What more could you ask for as we start the Year of the Snake?

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