When it comes to making adjustments to one’s home or work place, questions often come up in regards to “how much?” as in how much water to use, how much metal, and how much fire color to use. Quantity is a big topic and we can assume that “more is better” most of the time.

Of course there has to be a balance between qi flow (air currents) and practicality. Not to be intentionally sarcastic, I sometimes remind clients to not place so much metal in a room that they will trip over it. This is because most people have not studied Feng Shui and have no reference point in terms of quantity and effectiveness. And, we never want to clutter up a place with objects, supposedly in the name of Feng Shui.

There are no exact volume, size and poundage quotas to correlate with any given space. We always have to take into consideration the use of the room and other furnishings that need to be there for the sake of functionality or esthetics.

It is also possible to use too much of an element, based on other unseen influences and not just based on the size of a room. For example, there is an energy combination noted as the 8-5 flying stars. This is the short hand for a space that has the 8 earth mountain dragon paired with the 5 earth water dragon. Both energies are inherently “earth” like in nature.

To reduce one of those earth energies will also reduce the other. While the 8 star is “prime” and considered very positive in and around Period 8, the 5 star will always be in a downward and potentially negative cycle in any other Period besides its own Period 5. From 2004 to 2024 we are living in Period 8. The last Period 5 planet Earth went through was from 1944-1964. The 5 star will not be exerting a naturally positive influence again until the year 2124!

When the 8 star is in a positive phase it can really engender good health. When the 5 star is in a negative phase, it can attract accidents, pain and a whole variety of other troubles. When those energies are paired together, it truly is a mixed message. How do these opposing energies get paired up anyway? They are sometimes paired with each other (and exerting their influences simultaneously in the same location within a home or business), based on specifics related to year built and compass alignments.

If we wanted to reduce the potentially harmful influence of the 5 star (with the metal element), we would also be reducing the positive qualities of a prime 8 star. This is just one of many examples that could be given, to demonstrate that we are not always working with a perfect set of circumstances and compromises have to be made on a regular basis. This is like taking a certain medication for a certain ailment and knowing that there may be side-effects to deal with.

And that is one example of how and when using more of an elemental adjustment is not necessarily better. That said, many feng shui adjustments should be to scale with the size of the room or space in question. Big spaces tend to need big remedies. Small spaces tend to need small remedies.

The distance of a certain object in relation to people (or even grave sites) can also impact the individual or an entire community. As one example, a large mountain could influence a whole town, whereas a big hill adjacent to a house could primarily influence just the occupant or several houses that are very close to it.

In general ways, something that is large (like a mountain or body of water) can have a longer enduring influence and on a larger group of people. And something that is smaller and closer in comparison (like a fountain or a stone wall) can have a quicker impact on fewer people.

This accounts for why some people experience the benefits of a feng shui adjustment right away, while others may see a more gradual change.

The questions of “how much” and “where” come up frequently in a consultation and the ideal application of water is a perfect example. If one is to have a pond or a pool behind their home, this is thousands of gallons of water and the location of such a large body of water can be set back further away from the structure because the amount of water is so great. However, if someone were to install a 30 gallon water fountain in a prescribed location, it should be relatively close to the house since it is a much smaller amount of water. You wouldn’t expect to get much of a result installing a small fountain way out in field, practically beyond view from a house.

I work with many clients long distance and get aerial views of whole neighborhoods. I might notice that a home is only blocks away from a cemetery or some other environmental feature to take into consideration. I might notice that the property I am evaluating has neighbors with pools and I will determine if someone else’s pool (a virtual pond) could also impact the person whose property I am evaluating.

So conclude, it is a fundamental skill for any feng shui practitioner to compare both the size and the distance of any natural or man-made object in relation to an area that could benefit from it or be disrupted by it.

Author: Kartar Diamond
Company: Feng Shui Solutions ®
From the Feng Shui Theory Blog Series