Handbag Feng Shui

[Guest guest]

By Miral Fahmy

Wed Feb 7, 11:50 AM ET

 

 

 

SINGAPORE, Feb 7 (Reuters Life!) - Ladies, your luck is in your hand -

- your handbag, to be precise.

 

As the lunar Chinese New Year approaches, Asians are trying to court

good fortune in various ways, and a Singaporean feng shui expert

advises women not to neglect their totes.

 

" Handbags are very personal, " John Lok, principle consultant at Feng

Shui 0011 (www.fengshui0011.com), told Reuters.

 

" Their color, how women hold them and what goes in them can all

affect your luck, " he added. The new year begins on February 18.

 

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese knowledge of geomancy or natural

energies.

 

According to Lok, for optimum luck and wealth, hold your bag on the

left: this increases what goes into it and decreases what goes out.

The right side of the body is a strong " white tiger, " while the left

is a " green dragon " and brings power.

 

Be careful where you lay down your bag. If you're sitting down, it's

best to rest it on the left, unless you're with friends as people

give more strength than objects.

 

Charms such as three coins tied or taped together and objects in

lucky colors are obvious fortune magnets.

 

And forget fashion trends and designer labels if it's luck you're

after.

 

Chinese geomancy is based on the elements of fire, earth, water,

metal and wood.

 

Lok says red, pink, purple and angular shapes are " fire. " So choose a

bag that incorporates these if you're after a promotion at work since

they radiate confidence.

 

Square shapes and yellow, orange and brown are " earth " and are good

for days when you want to appear approachable.

 

Round white, silver, gold, chrome, bronze or gray bags are " metal "

and can inspire purity of thought and strength.

 

Green, light blue and rectangular shapes are " wood " and good to

maintain harmony.

 

Curvy shapes, black and dark blue are classified under " water " and

improve prosperity as well as tell the world that the owner of the

bag must be treated with respect.

 

Some schools of feng shui believe that color combinations can either

bless or curse you.

 

According to Feng Shui Info (www.all-about-feng-shui.info), some good

combinations are black-white, red-gold, purple-silver. Bad ones

include red-white, green-yellow, and blue-red.

 

As for size, feng shui advises something most women already know:

bigger is better, especially when you're out shopping since

it " captures " more of what you set off to buy.