Principles of Vaastu
"Is Vaastu really a science? And why is there a sudden awareness and interest in Vaastu only in the past few years?
How come it is the `in' thing today, is it just a fad or fashion?"
Well, the first mention of Vaastu is in the Sthapatya-sastra, one of upvedas subordinated to Atharava Veda.
Vastu-sastra in its fullest exposition belongs to Tantra which is the applied knowledge of the Atharva-veda. subsequently
one finds its reference in the holy epics of Ramayana (Sri Valmiki Ashram) and Mahabharata (Dwarka), an era when philosophy
was a way of life. It was questioning and reasoning of philosophical thoughts or ideas that evolved various sciences as we
are aware of today. Areas where logical explanation has yet not permeated, fall in the realm of mysticism. I personally think
Vaastu is best described as a `Mystic Science' which can be compared to the human existence. Medical science has explored
and explained various aspects of the human body but what still remains unexplained is the Soul. The principles of Vaastu are
like the principles of the health of the body; the reasoning or logic behind the principles are like the unexplainable Soul.
Vaastu - A Magic?
The principal parameters which govern Vaastu diktats have evolved around natural phenomena; however any explanation
about its varying intensity on different individuals remains a mystery. The mysticism prevails, otherwise we could have set
formulas for becoming rich, healthy, happy, Presidents, Prime Ministers, actors, businessmen or whatever we wanted, hence,
excitement or thrill would not have existed if we could just build a magical structure to fulfil all our fantasies and dreams.
The renewed interest in Vaastu over the past few years is also thought provoking. Is it liberalisation and
global competition that has led to its revival; or is it the dawning of the Spiritual Era to which India has suddenly awakened
and esoteric concepts like Reiki and Pranic Healing have also all emerged; or is it the placement of the planet Neptune that
has aroused spirituality. The answer lies in your belief.
Therefore, an elemental understanding of Vaastu is essential before laying your belief system in it.
The Elements
Our existence on planet Earth can be attributed to a simple phenomenon of the natural cycle where water evaporates
due to the solar heat and is transformed into clouds which announce their arrival by lighting and thunder unleashing rains,
and rain water is recycled to support vegetation, as well as well as maintaining the water balance on Earth. To experience
this cycle you require a mind and to acquire a mind you need life. If we analyse the native components of the Nature cycle
we find water or rain is one, heat is second, evaporation or clouds is third, lighting and thunder is fourth, and the earth
is the fifth. Taking a closer look we see that these are none other than the five universal elements of water, fire, air,
space and earth which are the very attributes to form any expression that can be perceived by our sense organs for taste,
sight, touch, sound and smell, (tongue, eyes, skin, ears and nose).
How Vaastu Works
It is interesting to note that an imbalance of these elements in the Nature cycle can create calamities like
earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons, tornados, floods or a famine, such an imbalance can cause physical, mental or emotional
upheaval in one's life.
Vaastu diktats help in achieving harmony between external energies such as heat, light, sound and so on which
we are constantly receiving from our surroundings and internal energies that are commonly routed through our diet, sleeping
habits and above all our thought process. A dissonance in internal energies reflects on our physical experience but mental
unrest. When the internal and external are balanced, health, wealth and happiness unfolds.
The layout of the house and the orientation of furniture play a vital role in receiving external energies.
Following shall be the location of :underground water tank in the north-east, kitchen in the south-east, master bedroom in
the south-west, the children's bedroom in the north-west and the drawing and dining areas towards the center of the house.
An obvious question evolving at this stage would be: if the rooms are not as per the configuration mentioned
how does it affect the flow of energies?
Without getting into the nitty-gritty, if the antenna of your television set is not aligned to the relay
station, how can you expect a clear picture? If you expand this concept to larger scale the tenets of Vaastu become perceptibly
clearer. Elaborating further, when we sleep with our head towards the north, since, our head is considered the north of the
body, there is repulsion between similar poles (Theory of Magnetism). The effect can be experienced physically as low or high
blood pressure, insomnia, or a high level of cholesterol, signifying that our body is becoming vulnerable to minor blood disorders,
which can be reduced by reversing the head position to the south.
To summaries one can say that by following the Ten Commandments of Vaastu we can utilise our optimal potential
which leads us to harmony and success.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
THE 1st COMMADMENT:
The main water source or a water feature should be towards the north-east.
THE 2nd COMMANDMENT:
The Kitchen, generator room, furnace or boiler should be towards the south-east.
THE 3rd COMMANDMENT:
The guestroom, store or children's bedroom should be towards the north-west.
THE 4th COMMANDMENT:
The master bedroom, CEO's office should be towards the south-west.
THE 5th COMMANDMENT:
The center should be light and airy.
THE 6th COMMANDMENT:
There should be more open space towards the north and east as compared to the south and west.
THE 7th COMMANDMENT:
The south and west floor levels should be higher than the north and east.
THE 8th COMMANDMENT:
The south and west boundary wall should be higher than the north and east walls.
THE 9th COMMANDMENT:
The entrance is preferred from the north or east.
THE 10th COMMANDMENT:
You should sleep with your head towards the south and raise the headside by 3".
