Fundamentals of Vaastu

  

Fundamentals of Vaastu

Vaastu Shastra is the spiritual, scientific design system from India's Vedic tradition. Vaastu creates the peace and stability we need for greater success and joy in life. Vastu is perfect for conscious lifestyles in alignment with nature. "Vastu" means energy or imperishable substance. "Vaastu" is the form or matter, including the space that fills it. The form and the space within the form are intimately connected and affect each other. Vaastu is the study of design and construction of living environments that are in harmony with the physical and metaphysical forces/ energies of the cosmos such as the gravitational, electromagnetic and supernatural. The whole universe is made up of five basic elements, the earth, water, fire, air and space. Human body is also made up of these five basic elements of nature.  

The panchamahabhootas are related to person’s five senses of smell, taste, hearing, touch and sight. Any imbalance in external and internal Vaastu translates into unhappy situations. Vaastu teaches the individual to live in balance and harmony with the panchamahabhootas. The fundamentals of Vaastu are still extremely relevant; they lose most of their meaning when implemented without reason. For example, Vaastu advises people to sit facing the north or east direction as the maximum frown during the day comes from the other two directions as there are adequate curtains facing south or west especially at work, can have quite a detrimental effect on people's eyesight and even their health. Modern Pundits will not tell you all this but they will only mention their favorite mantra, "You will lose money" and it works every time. 

The Earth: Prithvi 

Vaastu is the ancient Indian science of architecture of man-made structures. As per the Vedas, the word 'Vastu' in Sanskrit means 'earth', and in the modern context Vaastu covers all types of constructions. Vaastu pertains to the physical, psychological and spiritual order of the built environment, in harmony with the cosmic energies. Human beings have a natural and emotional resemblance with the Earth. The Earth revolves around the Sun and has gravitational and magnetic force. In Vaastu, the Earth being one of the nine planets is the best come within reach to construct human needs and get the best results and get beneficial results from such bad effects of the planets. Earth has a huge magnet with two poles - North Pole and South Pole. The opposite poles of a magnet attract each other and same magnetic poles repel each other.  

Ancients Indians have found that sleeping with the head towards the South enables one to go with the nature and draw maximum positive energies from the cosmos to keep fit and healthy. Vaastu also deals the same in detail about inspection of soil, selection of site, shape, slope and size of plot of land. In Vaastu, the Earth, bhumi, is associated with the southwest. Earth the third planet in order form the Sun, is a big magnet with north a south poles as centers of attractions. Its magnetic field and gravitational force has telling effects on everything on Earth whether living or non-living. It is tilted by about 23½° at the meridian of its either side for six months called Uttaraayana and Dakshinaayana and rotates on its own axis from West to East resulting in day and night. Its one orbit around sun takes 365 ¼ days (1- year). Three fourths of Earth's surface is water and one fourth is land. Its main characteristics are Shabda, Sparsha, Roopa, Rasa, and Guna (quality).  

Sky: Aakash 

Sky is the unending (Anantha) regions remote from the Earth, in which not only our Solar System but the entire Galaxy (Brahmaan) exists. Its effective forces are light, heat, gravitational force and waves, magnetic field and others. Its main characteristic is Shabda (Sound). Aakash or the sky is infinite and limitless. In a house, space element is related to the centre portion or the brahmasthan. It is important that brahmasthan be kept open. Any disturbances in the space element are detrimental to growth. When person keep their office, home or factory in a mess, they spoil the space element around them. Extra construction, unutilized rooms or floors, homes stuffed with possessions, too big, extravagant and opulent houses collect a lot of negative energy.  

Air: Vayu 

As a life supporting element, air is very powerful life source. Human physical comfort values are directly and sensitively dependent on correct humidity, air flow, temperature of air, air pressure, air composition and its content. The Air or Vayu is vital for survival. The air on earth is a mixture of various gases like nitrogen, oxygen, helium, hydrogen etc. Oxygen is vital for human beings and nitrogen is crucial for the growth of plant life which in turn provides oxygen. Correct percentage of different gases, atmospheric pressure and humidity level is important for life forms on earth. Vastu recommends proper placement of doors, windows, ventilators, balconies, height of structure and placement of trees and plants for balancing the Air element within the structure. 

Agni: (Fire) 

It represents light and heat without which the life will extinct. All the days and nights, seasons, energy, enthusiasm, passion, vigor is because of light and heat only. Beginning from the very beneficial ultra-violet rays in the Eastern side corresponding to North-East, the Sun’s rays further split into violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red (VIBGYOR) and infra-red in South-East. When these rays combine with water, they get additional benefits. It is, therefore, recommended to have a water source in North-East direction. To block North-East with high construction or contamination of North-East by building a toilet there is depriving yourself of most beneficial rays of Sun and has adverse results. It is recommended by Vastu to have tall and big trees in the South so that harmful rays of Sun are blocked. 

Jal (Water) 

This is represented by rain, river, and sea and is in the form of liquid, solid (ice) and gas (steam, cloud). It forms part of every plant and animal. Blood is nothing but water with hemoglobin and oxygen. Since water is considered to be an indication of a person's financial health by Vaastu, stagnant water in the house, is an indication of lack of financial health. The north direction is ruled by the Lord of Wealth, Kuber and the North-east direction is governed by the element water, which is regarded as an indication of a person's financial status according to Vaastu Shastra. Other directions should also be checked to ensure that they are in proper order to avoid any negative influence related to finances. Since North is the direction for Lord Kuber, a blockage in this direction, would imply obstacles in the flow of wealth and prosperity into the house is blocked. However, if the block cannot be removed, placing an aquarium or a small fountain towards the north of the house serves as a good remedy. Vastu provides important information about the placement of water sources like wells, boring, underground water tank, overhead water tank etc. while planning the house. Positions for drainage of water, septic tanks, sewerage, drains etc. are decided carefully to optimize the benefits of water element. 
 

The fundamentals of Vaastu are still extremely relevant; they lose most of their meaning when implemented without reason.