MUMBO-JUMBO?

As luck would have it, I share my home with an elephant. 

Fear not. I am not casting aspersions on my trim-figured wife. I value my life too much. No, I refer to a wood-carved figure of my favourite mammal which is to be found high up on a window sill at the top of my stairs. 

It points towards the front door below and most importantly, its trunk curls upwards at the end. Here's the point.

Elephants are often associated with good or bad luck and are also regarded as a symbol of strength, wisdom and prudence. The elephant is a sacred animal in Buddhism because it was said to have offered flowers to Buddha. According to Buddhist beliefs, elephants should be placed high on a shelf.

People believe that an elephant can bring bad luck if its trunk is pointing downwards towards the ground but if the elephant's trunk is facing down, with a little upturn at the end, as my elephant has, this should bring good luck.

The elephant's luck-bringing properties are now even better known because of the increasing interest in the Oriental practice of Feng Shui. This philosophy attempts to improve balance and harmony in man-made environments, especially with the positioning of furniture or objects in the home. According to Feng Shui beliefs, the trunk of an elephant should point toward the front door or to any door to the outside. It is believed that this can draw in money and prosperity. 

I shall order my Ferrari right away.