This article is not about the cost of a consultation, which can vary quite a bit among practitioners; rather, the cost of common remedies, or adjustments made to a home or work space. Most remedies can be very affordable and ideally they should be inconspicuous.
Firstly we can consider the possible interior adjustments that are common. Water is a common element to bring into a room for a variety of reasons, including resolving certain physical ailments related to the legs or feet. Other uses of water might have to do with increasing prosperity. Obtaining an interior fountain can range in costs from as little as $20.00 to hundreds of dollars depending on whether the fountain is mass manufactured, home-made or custom-made and the type of materials used.
I often instruct a client to run their fountain as much as possible and it should be known that an indoor pump might only use a couple watts of power, so the addition to your electric bill would be hardly noticeable. In fact, when it comes to fountains and prosperity, I like to say that the fountain should more than pay for its self!
If a person needs to add the metal element to a room, we often find that there could already be a metal object in place or one that could easily be moved and used elsewhere. A very inconspicuous “moving metal” remedy can be a pendulum clock.
Metal appliances and equipment were not the norm hundreds or thousands of years ago, but now we might discover a refrigerator or a metal file cabinet that happens to land in the perfect spot. Other metal objects of décor or furnishings can be very affordable nowadays.
This is also the case with interior earthen items, such as things made of stone, clay, porcelain or ceramics. By the way, did you know that the Chinese were the first to create porcelain nearly two thousand years before Europeans copied them? The Chinese were the first to create cast iron as well.
When a person needs to represent the fire element in a room, there can be a whole variety of ways to introduce red colored objects, such as area rugs, art work, and furnishings with red paint or red fabric. I’ve even had clients buy a blank canvas and paint it red themselves. The alternative to red color is the use of a high intensity light or accent light. Here we might actually get into using more electricity so that additional cost could be factored in. With more and more individuals and companies going solar, hopefully that will be a non-issue in years to come.
Aside from objects we might add to a room, it is possible (although not routine) that a person may want to buy a completely new piece of furniture as a result of Feng Shui input. This is in no way obligatory as practitioners should provide compensating suggestions when a person has a piece of furniture that is not ideal for a particular room. As an example, a person might have a wrought iron bed frame in a room that should not have metal. Another compensating element could be added.
Live potted plants, when the Wood Element is needed, is affordable to practically everyone.
It should be understood by all persons interested in a Feng Shui evaluation, that they absolutely do not need to buy exotic Chinese knick knacks, signs, symbols, statuary or art work in order for their physical space to be balanced. Unfortunately, we see all kinds of marketing scams having infiltrated authentic Feng Shui practices and the buyer should beware. Instead, you can obtain affordable and personally esthetic and meaningful ways to alter your home or work environment.
Many practitioners will focus on the details of interior space because we know that is what the occupant has the most control over. However, the immediate exterior environment can easily have an even bigger influence on a person’s health and well-being. Outdoor fountains and other water features can be more expensive obviously. In my own consulting style, I try to help the client prioritize what to do first. An outdoor feature might be more expensive to buy or make, but the pay-off should be even greater.
Sometimes landscaping suggestions are made to a homeowner or business owner who is capable of making these kinds of changes, such as changing land level moderately or the addition of plants or trees, hedges or fences, to help buffer or shore up energy coming towards or escaping a property. Now we may be calculating significant costs, but these are invariably long term recommendations with equally bigger benefits.
Every once in a while a potential client confesses that they are afraid to schedule an evaluation because they worry they will be told they have to remodel or move. This is hardly ever suggested in my practice, but sometimes the occupant is actually looking for one more reason to remodel or move and Feng Shui input may just be the tie breaker.
A qualified and seasoned consultant should be sensitive to the needs and ability of a client to manifest affordable remedies for their own unique situation. Ironically, potential clients often seek advice due to financial concerns since they have heard that this ancient practice addresses money and career issues. If I speak to someone with budget constraints, I also want to alert them to the follow up costs they may incur and how I can help them in an affordable way.
Author: Kartar Diamond
Company: Feng Shui Solutions (R) Since 1992
From the Frequent Client Questions Blog Series
