Vastu OverviewLIVING WITH VASTU ENERGY

Vastu buildings are an acknowledgement of Truth, a celebration of the Cosmic Order. We build them and live in them in humility and joy. Vastu science is DEEP and complex. The house is designed, through the application of sacred measurements and orientations, to be resonant with the cosmic energy matrix of the universe (God) and therefore, if done properly by an EXPERT, the house floods with healing and nourishing energies. Your life, your karmas, change for the better. All dimensions are related to a sacred Vastu Purusha Mandala and must be calculated for your birth star and for all auspicious effects. The astrological information is used for generating a precise dimension for the mandala of the house. Once the proper dimensions are calculated then the house will resonate with, "love", you.

Vastu is a map on how to create a building that vibrates with Universal Energy. Vastu science is just that: a science. It is not a superstition. The basics are orientation, auspicious entry, room locations, Brahmastan (sacred center), sacred dimensions, and geometry (Vastu Science has a lot to do with mathematics, but nothing to do with numerology). In general, Vastu architecture favors symmetry. Every time you enter your house you activate a presiding energy in relationship to the mandala of the house at that point. A door must be precisely located for activation of most beneficial energy. The structure and orientation of the building sets up a vibration that either nourishes, drains, or is neutral. If you live in the building, it will have some effect, no matter who owns it. If you are really interested in living in tune with Vastu energy,

then commit to a pure Vastu residence. The point is you follow the principles from the beginning. Room placement and entrance are very small aspects of Vastu which is a sublimely deep, complex and powerful science.

ORIENTATION

The house needs to be in a particular alignment with north/south/east/west. It should not be more than 10 degrees off this alignment and if rotated, it must be in the proper direction. North is north: the top of the Mother Earth. Magnetic declination is the difference between true north and magnetic north: see http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/magnetic_declination. Get a compass and measure the magnetic north direction and read the information on the above site and make the correction. For a south- and north-facing house, clockwise direction is allowed. For an east- and west-facing house, counter-clockwise is allowed. The main idea of a Vastu structure is to resonate with earth and cosmic energies. One of the criteria for setting up this resonance is alignment with N, S, E, W. We do rotate the structure, but ideally only a few degrees. I would say that a structure that is turned more than 10 degrees has less and less accessibility to the available energies, so you loose that opportunity. It would be negative in that you loose the opportunity of the brightening of mind and heart and fortune that becomes available in the correctly positioned structure. The Vastu structures are founded on a Vastu Purusha Mandala. This mandala is an energy pattern for the seed form of all matter. It maps out the structure the universe: subatomic to macroscopic. When we apply the mandala to a structure and orient it properly with respect to the cardinal points of the compass the structure becomes resonant with the earth and cosmic energy matrix. This is why these structures offer so much: they are tuning forks to cosmic energy and enhance human resonance with that energy.

HIRE AN EXPERT

If you are concerned about Vastu matters, you really need to just build a perfect Vastu house. Make that commitment and you will reap the rewards. It is EXTREMELY important that you hire an expert Vastu architect to design the home. My website has some pre-designed homes that will soon be available for purchase at a reasonable rate. I cannot emphasize this enough. Vastu design is not a simple matter: it must be undertaken by an expert or you are wasting your time and money. Kitchen in SE, master bed in SW, Pooja in NE, Center is Brahmasthan the sacred center of the house, all dimensions are related to a sacred Vastu Purusha Mandala and must be calculated for your birth star and for all auspicious effects. If you do this you will prosper in all ways. Please do not just try putting a few rooms in the proper locations, it will do no good. Hire an expert to come on site and review. If you can find one, then collect the information: fully dimensioned site plan, topographic map, surrounding landscape features, True north orientation, accurate map of roads, house plan, birth date info of owner and hire me to review.

BIRTH STAR

Birth date, time and place, dictate the ruling "star" of the person. That star holds your frequency or vibration. Of all the possible frequencies, some go together better than others. When a Vastu designer designs a floor plan, he sets the dimensions of the structure's mandala in such a manner that the house vibrates with the earth and the stars AND the owner in a harmonious way. This is

what causes the nourishing influences of the structure. We vibrate with universal energies, this is what gives us life. When our nervous system falls out of resonance with the universal energy matrix, we get sick and if it falls out of resonance too much we loose the ability to maintain life force. The Vastu structure sets up a condition where we are being bathed in vibrations that nourish us. The house is supremely restful, peaceful and this benefits the mind and heart. This is why it is very important to create an authentic Vastu structure and not settle for a few rooms in sort of the right place!

REMEDY

Vastu science in not focused on remedies. The fathers of this knowledge did not mean for it to be used to fix mis-built buildings. To practice rectification one must be a fully trained Vastu architect and know how to apply the important principles in a way that could be effective. It's all experimental. It's not in the ancient texts. Whenever you modify and existing house, you must make sure you honor the house and do with work with careful intention and always keep it neat and orderly during construction. The house is a living being and will get irritated by rough and careless treatment. In general, you need a Vastu consultation to make a proper addition to the house.

If your house or flat isn't built in accordance with Vastu, bless the house and treat it like a dear friend. It will serve you well. You can sanctify it with your own energy. Clean it, anoint it with good scents, and decorate it with flowers. Play sacred chants in it regularly. If you can achieve some peace with your house by acting in this way, then it will be fine. Bring your priest there and do Vastu Homa occasionally on a good day. If you can not feel at peace there, then please make efforts to move to a home that you will think is better. Your thoughts are powerful. Even if the new home is small and simple, you may find some peace there. Stop finding fault with your existing home, just be grateful for it. The gratitude will heal any ill effects of the structure for the most part.

Human beings ARE Vastu structures. You have the same vibrant structure within your heart that the Vastu architect structures within the building for resonance with Universal energy. Your thought forms are VERY powerful. If you vibrate fear, you life will attract the result of fear: loss of resonance with Truth: suffering. Work through your thoughts with professional help: seek counseling with wife and family. Seek professional help with your finances. Begin to recognize fear and name it and get help to eliminate it. Your house cannot do it for you. The Vastu house is a celebration of Truth, it is a surrendering of personal needs and desires and an accepting of Cosmic order. It is not a means to an end, you cannot go to it for help, you live in a Vastu house because you honor the Cosmic order, seek resonance with it and you trust it to be as it is. You live in the house humbly and that's all. Bless your existing house. So many don't have a roof over their heads and so many have storms or bombs on their heads. Be grateful for what you have.

AUSPICIOUS ENTRY

In terms of a structure laid out on the earth, each direction, N, S, E or W, has beneficial and non-beneficial influences. Non- beneficial only means that the energy invoked or stimulated is not conducive to what humans would call "beneficial". A gross example of this would be the

environmental element "air". Experienced as a gentle summer breeze, air is quite soothing, but when it comes under the influence of the natural and cleansing, but devastating, form of the cyclone, then air is considered a great malevolent experience.

If you enter a building from the east at the wrong junction point with the mandala you will invoke an energy that is considered malevolent by most humans. Some of the influences available are: collapse of friendships, divorce, death, fire, and poverty! Yes, east has it's beneficial energies also: Greatness, victory. If you enter a building on the south you will find Lord Yama at the center: we do not recommend this entrance for humans of course. Also, on the south you will find Gandharva and Gruhak Shata on either side of Lord Yama. The influence at these locations is "all activities flourish" and "growth of wealth" respectively.

Normally we recommend that the door opens in to the house and swings open in a clockwise motion. Entrance should be auspiciously located. In general, the influence of a building orientation with proper entrance location is as follows:

East: physical comfort and mental peace, South: salvation, redemption, freedom from earthly worries, moksha,(However, south-oriented entrance is not the most recommended for householders who favor material prosperity.)West: material prosperity (big numbers), North: general prosperity.

In Vastu design we always try for a window or door in line of sight opposite the main door. This allows the house to breath properly.

North-facing door should be in the center or favoring toward the west side of the north wall. . If you divide in 9 parts, put door in center of the center division, also, center of 4th or 3rd module from the NW corner is ok. Specific location needs to be given by consultation.

South-facing main door must not be in the center of the building. This is very important. If you are looking from outside the west side of a south facing door could be on the centerline of the house, this is one possible location that is accepted. If your house is a simple square or rectangle, you can divide your south wall into 9 equal parts or modules. A door on the south can be located in the center of the 4th or 6th module. On the south you will find Gandharva and Gruhak Shata on either side of Lord Yama. The influence at these locations is "all activities flourish" and "growth of wealth" respectively.

West-facing door in a Vastu house is located in a precise location south of center. If your door is north of center or toward the south corner then it is not as prescribed. This is in the northern hemisphere.

The East-facing main door of a simple rectangular house and the side is a straight dimension then you would divide the east side of the elevation into 9 equal parts (for example: if the side of the house was 45 feet you would divide the side into 5 foot sections or "modules".) The west door could be in the center of the 3rd or 4th module from the southwest corner of the house. Also, the

east door could be located by taking the centerline of the house and putting the left side of the door (from looking at it on the outside of the house) on the centerline. Therefore, the remainder of the door would be favoring the northeast corner side of the house.

BRAHMASTAN (SACRED CENTER)

Center of house should be free and clear of walls for Brahmastan. The Brahmastan is the central 1/9th of the house. If you divide the house into a checker board on 81 squares then the central 9 squares are the Brahmastan. Keep the center of the house free and open as a sacred place. At the center of the house (if indeed it is the exact center) is a critical energy point, called a marma. House has these and so does the body. If you press on a marma point, there is an energy restriction or modification. We do follow one point of not placing the bed in the brahmasthan (center) of the house and also try to avoid having bed in the center of the bedroom. In case of a small bedroom this is not possible. We can put the bed in such a way that the center of the bed is not in alignment with the center of the room. We have to consider the brahmasthan of the room, in case of a large room.

ROOM LOCATIONS:

WORSHIP

Puja Room in NE. Deities facing East.

COOK

Kitchen in SE is correct. Cook facing east with cooking area on east wall. Water taps can be anywhere but not in the corner. Southeast is Agni (fire) energy. It is a good place to cook food because the food will receive the nourishing effects of the Agni energy. Also, for the woman of the house, the infra-red energy coming in that area is very healing for the physiology. Cooking facing east in that area is very good for the mistress of the house. (Sleeping there could cause, less settled sleep, some irritability, some increased mental irritation.)

[In rare occasions, where there is no choice, a kitchen could be located in the NW. It is not the ideal, but it is accepted. It may cause the master of the house to not be in the home as much, indicating movement, travel.]

SLEEP

Sleep with head to South or East. This has to do with relationship to solar influences and magnetic field of Mother Earth. The earth is a magnetic planet. The body is also magnetic. The earth influences our magnetism. When we sleep with head to south (in Northern hemisphere) then the magnetic relationship is enhanced, there is magnetic resonance. We sleep better. We can also sleep to the east. Quite frankly, I can't explain why, but it is accepted as a good direction to sleep. Perhaps you would not want to have a bed on the centerline of the house or directly in alignment with the front door. It is very beneficial for young married couples to locate the

bedroom in the southwest area of the house with top of head to east or south when sleeping. This will bring more nurturing quality for the youthful. Sons can be in west, south, north or east. Better to avoid NW unless it is an older son, avoid SE. Just room placement is not enough. The house must be designed according to all Vastu prescriptions. Females do well in the East. A bedroom in the NW is advisable for an older child, late teens. A Bedroom in the NE is suitable for an elderly couple or Brahmachari.

STUDY

Students can face north or east when studying. Location can be in NE, N, E, S. Dakshinamurti faces south to teach. The students face north to receive the teaching.

BATHROOM

Bathing in NE area with no toilet is ok, but it's best to keep such mundane activities out of the corners.

TOILET

When I design a modern residence, I try to get the people to accept a toilet that is outside the main mandala geometry of the building, still a part of the house but outside the mandala. This is the idea that protects the house from the polluting influences of the toilet. Usually we try to place the toilet so the back it to the south. Toilet facing north or south is best.

STAIRS

In brief, stairs should not be in the corners or on diagonal lines from the center of the house to the corner or in the center of the house. Going up, one should rotate clockwise. The step up part, the vertical part of the stair, should be odd numbered. This means you should step up 13 or 15 or 17 times to reach the next floor (for example), not 12, 14, or 16.

NUMBER & LOCATION OF WINDOWS & DOORS

The number and location of windows, doors and ventilators for residential buildings depend on the mandala of the house used by the Sthapati.

COLUMNS

There is a restriction on number of columns. For example, there should be even number of columns so there is never a situation where there is a column in the center of a column row.

NEARBY TEMPLES

Temples have a very powerful energy that influences their surrounding area. Sometimes the energy may be too much for peaceful household life. This is perhaps why the ancient temples have many compounds surrounding the sanctum.

FLOORS

Flooring can be natural: wood, stone, wool, and earth are best. Vastu principles encourage the use of natural materials

COLOR

Colors recommended for exterior window panes are off-white, and light shades of blue, pink, green and yellow. Outside colors are similar, but they can be a bit bolder. Good colors for room doors are off-white, light blue, light yellow, light green, very light pink, or natural wood color. Paint the house off-white, light blue, light yellow, light green or very light pink. Good wall colors are off-white (creamy white, not bright white), light blue, light yellow, light green or very light pink. You can use different colors in different rooms so long as they seem to flow. The color influence in Vastu is of a subtle nature mostly. This is only significant when all Vastu principles are fully structured in the building.

TREES

In general, sweet smelling plants are good near the house. The trunk should not be in front of a door or window. Some accepted plants are Banana, Neem, Lime, Mango, Tengu, Jack Fruit, Plantain, Pomegranate, Kamugu, pemmegranade, mullai, dathu mathulai, malligai, tulasi, kondrai, pavala malligai, marthai, and Grape. If not on this list, they are probably not accepted. Pipal is not recommended to be near a residence. Bilva is ok. Jack to the east, and punnai (pakku) to the south, coconut on the west, and punnai on the north. Palmyra is not allowed near the house. Trees with insects, worms, honey bees, bumble bee, owls, serpents, should be avoided. Sweet smelling flowering plants like jasmine, mullai, red lotus, blue lotus, etc, are good in the compound. Tulsi is a sacred plant. It most likely can be placed anywhere outside around the house. In Tamil Nadu there is a plant name "Tulasi". This plant is fine for being near the house. The Vastu texts have mixed opinions of types of plants and locations. For a balcony garden, use plants with sweet smelling flowers or sweet fruits.

Some shastras attribute harmful effects to "milk" sap trees (causes economic poverty), Plantain (fear from enemies), fruit yielding trees (harmful effects on human nervous system). When in doubt plant the tree or bush at least 100 feet away from the house. Avoid plants with thorns or put these on the south side of the plot. Should not be a Palm, Tamarind, silk cotton, Peepal, or wood apple.

BODIES OF WATER

Water bodies should be in NE. If the stream runs year round but is small, I wouldn't worry about it unless it is right next to the house. Also, if you build a Vastu wall around the house then you create the perfect universe within the compound wall. This assumes the structure is a Vastu design. It also assumes that the wall will be correctly placed by a Vastu consultant.

SLOPES

You should get a professional to review the site and all its aspects. In general, if the land is level or slopes downward to the east, northeast, north or northwest, it is ok for a Vastu site. Slopes down to west are not recommended. If you are in the Northern Hemisphere a site with slope down toward south is not recommended. If the site is not too steep, one partial remedy would be to flatten out an area around the house and put up a Vastu fence. This is just something to try in this condition. It may or may not help.

PLOT

Many considerations for a plot of land: land should be higher in South, Southwest and West or level, there shouldn't be any disturbing elements like, factories, cemetery, etc. It's better if a road doesn't point at the land. Water should be to the Northeast, north, or east. The shape of the plot can be beneficial, but if the shape is not in compliance with Vastu principles, then we create a perfect geometry inside the plot lines: a Vastu fence. This creates a perfect universe for the house.

ROADS

If a house is situated a T-junction of a road and it is not busy, then don't worry about it. If the road is busy, your best help will be a solid high wall. BUT, in effect, there is really nothing to be done: the energy of the road comes at the house and may cause some disturbance. A house with a wide road coming directly at it is not advised.

GATES & FENCE

The gates must be properly located within the overall geometry of the house. It is completely possible to create a perfect geometry for your Vastu site by putting a fence around the house at the proper location and dimensions. The rest of the property can just be landscaped but not considered part of the Vastu compound. The fence should be closer to the house on the south and west and farther on the east and north. This is just a basic strategy, and actually it requires an analysis of the existing house to get the dimensions of the fence correct.

SEPTIC

Keep the septic tank as far from the house as possible. It should not be in line with a door or the corners of the house. Waste water can go out on the south or north but not in the center or in the corners, somewhere in between.

CLUTTER

A cluttered room is not good.

BEAMS

Beam locations would need to be checked carefully by an expert, if in the center it is not the best location. Perhaps you could hide beams with a cloth hanging or by lowering the ceiling.

INTERIOR ARTIFACTS

In general photos that produce feelings of joy or peace are fine. Paintings that produce a good feeling are fine. Keep treasure in north. Vastu Shastra does not deal with mirrors. If anyone says different, they are probably making stuff up. Brahmarishi Mayan, the father of Vastu Science, didn't pay too much attention to fish tanks! You can not fix things with fountains, Vastu not Feng Shui. If you want a Feng Shui remedy get an expert, don't guess at it. There is no such thing as Vastu bamboo!

FENG SHUI

Vastu and Feng Shui are not really compatible. Sometimes you can mix some of the principles, but, it is complicated. Both are good. Both deal with managing and directing good energy for the house.

DAILY PUJA & YANTRA PLACEMENT

Consult with your local priest.

WORK

For an office, have the boss sit in the southwest area facing east or north. Pick an auspicious day with the help of you local astrological expert to inaugurate. Work facing east or north. Try to leave the center of the office open. In an office the books, professional degrees, and working instruments could be kept in the north area. In principle, for manufacturing, you want to have auspicious entrances for the owners, workers and the materials. Materials can come in the west or north at the proper location and be stored for use in the NW area. Production should move clockwise to around to SE and back out the west or north. Offices in SW. Keep a Brahmasthan in center open and free of production. BUT, the building must be designed by a Vastu professional

if you are aiming for success. Main factory door should be at center East, but with the south side of the door on the center line. So, when standing on outside looking at building the left side of door is on centerline of building.

FLATS

Remedy for flats is not usually possible. It would take detailed examination and extensive remodeling most likely. It is very difficult to apply Vastu principle to an existing flat. You can't treat it as an individual only, you need to consider the whole building configuration also. You must verify the REAL building orientation, not just roughly figure that it faces east or some such direction. Analysis of your flat requires expert and careful consultation. In general, the facing of a door can be ANY direction of the cardinal points, BUT, it MUST be properly located. Just to have an east facing door does not solve the problem. It must be auspiciously located. Master bedroom in south west is good, but it must be located within the whole context of the group of flats also. The same goes for all the room locations. Don't worry about the facing of your interior doors, it is completely insignificant in this case. Unless they are properly designed and constructed, with gaps between the walls of the individual flats, these type of modern buildings create a situation where there is no vibrational separation between families. There is so much to consider, it takes a professional review, with examination of floor plan, orientation and dimensions.

PYRAMIDS

Pyramids are very much a part of Vastu knowledge. The sacred temples are all great pyramids. It's possible that we can create a pyramid that would help energize the space but not just any pyramid. It must be dimensioned properly in all directions.

LOOK INSIDE FOR SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS

Do not look outside of yourself for the solution. Lifestyle, habits and thought patterns are very powerful influences. See an expert in Ayurveda for your health. This medical discipline relies on the body's own healing energies for the cure.

How Is Family Harmony Maintained?

In the Hindu family, mutual respect, love and understanding are the bedrock of harmony. By not fighting, arguing or criticizing, members cultivate a spiritual environment in which all may progress. Aum Namah Sivaya.

Bhashya

For a harmonious joint family, it is vital to make the home strong, the center of activity and creativity, kept beautiful and clean, a sanctuary for each member. While striving to increase wealth, the wise families live within their means, content with what they have. Activities are planned to bring the family close through shared experiences. A gentle but firm hierarchy of respect for elders is maintained throughout the family. In general, the younger, in humility,

defers to the elder, allowing him or her the last word. The elder is equally obliged to not misuse authority. Older children are responsible for the safety and care of their younger brothers and sisters. Disputes among children are settled by their mother, but not kept a secret from the father. Actual discipline in the case of misconduct is carried out by the father. When disputes arise in the extended family, responsibility for restoring harmony falls first to the men. However, any concerned member can take the lead if necessary. The Vedas say of grihastha life, "I will utter a prayer for such concord among family members as binds together the Gods,among whom is no hatred." Aum Namah Sivaya.

NEW CONSTRUCTION

If you can afford then commit yourself to a Vastu structure for overall peace, harmony and prosperity in life. The best month for starting construction for new house varies each year.

TO LEARN MORE

Get the book: "The Building Architecture or Sthapatya Veda" by my teacher Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati. Also, you could take my virtual seminar. Go to: http://www.vastu-design.com/seminar.htm.

IN INDIA

My eminent teacher, Dr. V Ganapati Sthapati lives in Chennai. For best results, purchase a house from his developers and designers. Please contact him because it is most convenient for you to get an answer in person at his office: vaastuved@gmail.com He lives in INo. 46, First Avenue, Injambakkam Village, Vettuvankeni. My teacher is the creator of the Thiruvalluvar Statue at Kanya Kumari.

Compiled from Questions & Answers on Vastu by Michael Borden at www.boloji.com