I first met Kartar Diamond many years ago through a mutual friend. Still single, I hired her to Feng Shui my tiny apartment and have had her do annual updates to my subsequent residences. I sat down with Kartar to do an interview and update just in time for the Solar New Year (February 4th) when annual Feng shui changes are recommended.
Pretty Little Shoppers: So What exactly is Feng Shui?
Kartar Diamond: Feng Shui is an ancient natural science for determining how people are affected by their natural and built environment.
PLS: You’ve been a successful Feng Shui practitioner for many years and have written a few books on the subject… How did you first become interested in this practice?
KD: Back in 1990 I read a book on Feng Shui that intrigued me and then within two weeks I saw that there was a course being taught by Master Sang, who founded the American Feng Shui Institute. I had always been interested in esoteric arts and the metaphysical, so the subject of Feng Shui appealed to me right away.
PLS: What was your training like? Did you have a mentor?
KD: I have studied with several masters including: Sang, Josph Yu, Raymond Lo and Heluo. Training was intense the first few years and then it continued with my own experience, with thousands of clients also being a great learning experience.
PLS: When I first met you I think my main goal in life was to find a husband, so I guess you can say I am one of your success stories! Why do most clients seek you out?
KD: Clients seek me out for input on how to maximize their home or business and their influences on health, relationships and finances. Sometimes clients have specific issues such as legal, or fertility or infidelity. Feng Shui can address some very specific circumstances in life.
PLS: What kinds of issues can Feng Shui help with?
KD: Personal and professional relationships can improve, career promotions and expansion, and resolving or improving a variety of health problems.
PLS: What are realistic and non-realistic goals with Feng Shui?
KD: In the scheme of things, we are influenced by destiny, luck, Feng Shui, lifestyle, spiritual practices and intellectual studies. Feng Shui is part of our lives. It is the non-obvious impact on us from our immediate surroundings. It’s realistic to expect some nice changes. It is not realistic to try to completely over-ride your destiny. If it is not your destiny to be Barack Obama, then all the Feng Shui in the world would not catapult you into the presidency.
PLS: It seems there are several different schools of Feng Shui… how should a client decide which one to choose?
KD: There are many different classical schools and there are also new age adaptations… some of which are only really loosely related to what authentic Feng Shui is all about. This is one of the reasons why I wrote Feng Shui for Skeptics: Real Solutions Without Superstition. I needed to write a book to approach the controversy about what is Feng Shui and what is not. Within the classical schools, there is an emphasis on when a structure was built, its real magnetic compass alignment, what is the natural surrounding environment and also personalizing the space based on the occupant’s occupation and birth date. For example, a space that may be good for a lawyer, may not be good for a retail outlet.
PLS: Do all of these practices work?
KD: All the authentic classical Feng Shui practices work, but some techniques are more practical than others. Not everyone can employ all the applications that are available. If someone lives in an apartment, they have no control over the outside compared to a home owner with a front and back yard. So the apartment dweller has to focus just on their interiors.
Discussing my desire for a major update to my home office this year.
PLS: Is it possible to do Feng Shui remedies on your own, or is it best to work with a practitioner?
KD: Some Feng Shui Principles are so basic and based on common sense that anyone can and should try to follow those principles. But a lot of Feng Shui is a learned skill and a person is best served by working with a qualified, highly trained practitioner.
A bronze statue in our home that is used to represent the metal element.
PLS: What should a person look for when choosing a Feng Shui practitioner?
KD: I actually created a Feng Shui Consumer Tip Guide, which shows a consumer some very important questions the should use to vet any potential consultation they might work with. I can share that with any of your blog readers who email me requesting a copy of the questionnaire. I do recommend consultants who have formal training with the teachers or schools that I trust and ideally you would want to work with someone who has had a lot of experience.
This Chagall print is used to represent the fire element and has been moved from room to room depending on the year and the annual energies of the house.
PLS: Are you able to work with clients in other states or countries?
KD: I work with clients all over the world, thanks to email, Skype, Google Earth and the ability for long distance clients to send me photos and floor plans. I also get on a plane and visit people when they can afford my out of town day rate services.
PLS: There are a couple of restaurants/businesses that I drive by that seem to turn over every few months or years… Is this bad luck or bad Feng Shui?
KD: This would appear to be a spell of bad luck. The restaurant business is one of the most risky businesses there are and when you see a frequent turnover, this may be a sign that the Feng Shui of the space is marginal and needs help!
Feng Shui at work, with these metal weights tucked away in a bedside table.
PLS: Do you have any favorite success stories you’d like to share?
KD: Most of my clients want to remain anonymous, but I have had over 5000 clients since 1992 and I have certainly gotten a lot of feedback where people made modest and inexpensive changes to their home or work space and they saw a direct correlation with an improvement in finances, opportunities, health issues, and a variety of circumstances, such as children having better study habits or even a family pet recovering from a chronic illness. All sentient beings are affected by their physical environment and Feng Shui deals with the physical realm, but on a subtle level, that most people are unaware of.
I’ve had clients in the entertainment business who have won Grammys and [other] awards and people have really dramatic shifts in their life — as well as simple modest events, such as a waitress making higher tips, or a lonely woman getting her romance life jump started… so many stories from subtle changes to overwhelming changes.
In addition to her private practice, Kartar has published three trade books and six e-books on Feng Shui. She also trains others practitioners and covers practical Feng Shui issues and tips on her blog/newsletter. You can find out more about Kartar Diamond on her website: http://fengshuisolutions.net/.
Photos by Mo Summers.
Special thanks to Kartar Diamond and Feng Shui Solutions for the interview.
xoxo,
Lisa
