The Power

of Vastu

Creating

the Energy

of Prosperity

1

The Power

Vastu

Creating

the Energy

of Prosperity

The Power

of Vastu

Creating

the Energy

of Prosperity

1

6 7

As a result of a series of foreign invasions the knowledge of Vastu was lost. For thousands of years, portions of this valuable knowledge were retained for the exclusive use of the upper echelon of India’s society. Recently, as Westerners have begun seeking out new ways to improve the quality of life, the enormous benefits of Vastu have once again become available through Vedic translations to people worldwide.

The far-reaching influence of Vastu can be seen in great architectural monuments that have withstood the ravages of time and the elements: the Egyptian and Mayan pyramids, the Roman Coliseum, the Greek Parthenon, and the Taj Mahal. In every respect these monuments were built according to the principles of Vastu: in shape, proportion, measurements, and align-ment to the cardinal directions.

About three thousand years ago monks crossed over the mountains from India, through Tibet and into China, carrying with them this ancient Vedic knowledge. In China the science of Vastu Shastra was adapted to local climatic and cultural conditions. In this way, Vastu gradually evolved into the various schools of Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement and design that results in improving the flow of energy in an environment.

In 1922, archeologists under the direction of R.D. Banarjee, began excavating Mohenjo-Daro, an ancient city in the Indus Valley. It was determined that

the city was at least 5,500 years old and that it had been built using the principles of Vastu. Mohenjo-Daro had been an advanced and pros-perous civilization featuring elaborate architec-ture and sophisticated works of art. Streets were set up in a grid system running north-south, east-west, at right angles to each other, with open space and a temple at the very center of the city. The homes were built according to a rectangular design with a cooking area in the southeast and an open central courtyard.

Within the Vedas, there

is a sacred science of

building called Vastu

Shastra (vastu means

building; shastra means

science). It explains how

to create an environment

in accordance with the

laws of nature, so that one

experiences support and

prosperity in life. It is the

science that reveals why

we feel uneasy in some

environments and why in

others we are uplifted.

As Westerners have begun seeking out new ways to improve the quality of life, the enormous benefits of Vastu have once again become available through Vedic translations to people worldwide.

Greek Parthenon

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CHAPTER 1: THE POWER OF VASTU

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how vastu shastra worksThe seers and sages of ancient India carefully observed the effects of the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and space) on the human organism and environment. In a natural environment all five elements are in balance. As soon as the environment is altered by the introduction of a structure, how-ever, this balance is disturbed. Any such disturbance then affects the health, wealth, and happiness of those who live and work inside the building. Over thousands of years the sages collected such observations of natural balance and imbalance within environments. The resulting body of knowledge is the science of Vastu Shastra.

In a sense, Vastu is yoga for the home or office. Yoga balances the five elements in the body through postures and breathing exercises that elimi-nate stress. Vastu extends this principle by balancing the five elements to eliminate stress in a physical environment. Using the principles of Vastu, you can bring any building into balance, attract beneficial energy, and enhance prosperity and abundance. In this way, your home or office will become a haven, a sanctuary where you feel productive, healthy, and at peace.

In any structure the five elements must be in balance to gain the sup-port of nature. Each of these elements is associated with a particular direc-tion (earth, southwest; water, northeast; fire, southeast; air, northwest; space, the central area). The interplay between these elements and the directions affects you on every level of existence. Each of the five elements, together with the directions north, south, east, and west, has a specific planetary influence as well, making a subtle but profound impact on your daily life.

People seldom think of their homes as living entities, but the ben-efits of understanding this premise are truly life-changing. Vastu Purusha is affected by energies that come from different geographic directions. These energies are of two kinds. The magnetic energies of the north and the solar energies of the east (ultraviolet rays) exert positive, supportive influ-ences, while the south (infrared rays) and the west (gamma rays) exert influences that are not life-supporting. For this reason in ancient India, buildings were designed to receive the abundant, life-enhancing energies from the north and east, while shielding their inhabitants from the gamma and infrared rays of the west and south. The positive energies from north and east flowed around the structure without obstruction and collected in the southwest area of the building, where they supported the health and well-being of the people inside.

Over time, people lost touch with the importance of living in harmony with the natural environment. Our homes and places of work have gradually become filled with unnecessary stress and strife. Very simple adjustments, using tools that return the five elements to balance, will often alleviate this stress. Such adjustments can be made economically, without disturbing your environment, and it is the purpose of this book to show you how. When you honor and enliven Vastu Purusha, the spirit of your building, the result is greater health, prosperity, and happiness for all who enter.

The four directions and the Vastu Purusha

Man influenced by the forces of nature

The ancient seers observed that every building is a living organism having its own energy field. They called the spirit of the building Vastu Purusha.

NWair

NEwater

CENTERspace

SWearth

SEfire

THE WAY OF VASTU CHAPTER 1: THE POWER OF VASTU

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seeing everything as energyThe Way of Vastu speaks of the laws of balance and harmony, which can be felt through the natural fl ow of universal forces. Most cultures recog-nize these unseen forces—forces that shape the world of the seen and the unseen—understanding that life is an intricately woven pattern of energy and form. Life-force energy permeates the cosmos, our earth, and nature (includ-ing our bodies) with its essence. The Japanese call this life-force energy Ki and the Chinese call it Chi. In India it

is called Prana. The Romans called it Spiritus and the Greeks knew it as Pneuma. It is known in Hebrew as Ruah and in Arabic as Rhor. This energy, known throughout the world by many names in many cultures, can become blocked or stagnant within an environment. When blocked it causes stress, leading to disease and limitation in the body, mind, and emotions. Such life-energy blockage wreaks havoc with our ability to manifest prosperity and prevents us from feeling productive in the world.

as above, so belowFrom the level of the tiny atom to the vastness of the cosmos, the same laws of nature are refl ected. They form intricate connections between our human body, the environments in which we live and work, our greater world, and the universe at large. In its natural state, every inch of the earth is in perfect harmony with cosmic order. The elements of earth, air, water, fi re, and space exist in pure balance, pristine and undisturbed. If you have ever walked in a forest or lush meadow, along a stream or rushing river, or on the shores of an ocean or lake, you may have felt a sense of peace and serenity, an expansive sense that all is right with the world. When you are in harmony with the world, this is your natural state.

the fi rst law of nature: E VERY ACT ION BEGE TS ANOTHER

This is also known as the Law of Karma: you get back whatever you put in. As ye sow, so shall ye reap. What goes around comes around. From any action, another arises. We can see this universal principle at work in every aspect of the world, including its creation. Western science has revealed that fi rst there was sound (the Big Bang), and from sound came ether or space (which

is alive with possibility and consciousness). From ether/space came air (the life force). From friction in the air came fi re (the spark of intention) in the form of lightning. From excessive heat, water (the creator) was generated. From water came earth (the sustainer). Thus, each of the fi ve elements was created in sequence.

The science of Vastu links the body (the microcosm) and the universe (the macrocosm) together with the fi ve elements. The body occupies space; it comes from the same subtle level of possibility and consciousness that created the universe. The lungs fi ll with air, life-force energy. Fire, in the form of heat, brings warmth and stimulation to all systems of the body. The body is composed of 80 percent water. This water, in the form of bodily fl uids, creates vitality and harmony through the blood and bodily secretions. Earth gives the body shape through bones, tissues, muscles, skin, and hair. According to Vastu, then, we are each a blueprint of the universe as seen through the fi ve elements.

When we enter the world, we are alive with possibility and potential. Through our actions and

The Japanese call this life-force energy Ki and the Chinese call it Chi. In India it is called Prana. The Romans called it Spiritus and the Greeks knew it as Pneuma. It is known in Hebrew as Ruah and in Arabic as Rhor.

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north

south

From any action, another arises. We can see this universal principle at eastwest

AIR WATER

EARTH FIRE

SPACE

THE WAY OF VASTU CHAPTER 1: THE POWER OF VASTU

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reactions in the world, we create karma, which manifests in our lives physi-cally, emotionally, and spiritually. Through the Way of Vastu, you will learn how to support the fi ve elements within your body as well as in your living and working environments. Doing so, you will experience a dramatic change in your perception of yourself and in the world you create. The intense lessons and effects of karma will be replaced by a healthy, happier you. In perfect balance with nature, your world will become fi lled with imagination, vitality, and abundant opportunity.

the second law of nature:ALL TH I NGS I N THE UN IVERSE ARE I NTERCONNECTED

At its basic level, everything is energy and vibration. Everything is interconnected in a constantly shifting balancing act whose goal is ideal harmony. There is harmony between earth and water, between the sun (fi re) and the moon (air), between the stars and planets. The energies of all things are connected and moving in a precise universal dance. Even natural calamities such as earthquakes, excessive rains and fl ooding, hur-ricanes and tornados are simply nature’s attempt to make an adjustment, to restore universal harmony.

When a home or offi ce is built, this universal balance gets disrupted. In many parts of the West, especially, the importance of living in harmony with the natural forces is an alien concept. We have moved ever farther away from understanding how the elements affect us, as throughout history we have attempted various means of controlling our environment and the forces of nature. As the human race transitioned from natural environments to man-made structures, our connection to the natural world was lost. Over time we created congested, artifi cial environments fi lled with synthetics, which were designed to add ease and comfort. Vastu was the fi rst science to encourage green building and the use of natural materials.

Unfortunately, despite new and expanding methods of construc-tion and widespread technological advances, we have only recently begun to consider the impact that these physical structures might have on the body, mind, and emotions. Many people have allergic reactions to build-ing materials and artifi cial lighting, which severely limit their productivity

and emotional well-being. A building can be friendly to its inhabitants or unfriendly, depending on how it is constructed and maintained. Just as a chiropractor helps people by aligning their physical anatomy, the Way of Vastu heals your environment by aligning its energetic anatomy.

We now understand the dramatic destructive effects that technologi-cal advancements have had on our world. Global warming and deterioration of the ozone are creating high levels of skin cancer and severely affecting plant and animal life all over the planet. When we disregard our connection to the natural laws of our world and universe, we create stress and dis-ease, both in our bodies and in Mother Earth. In contrast, the Way of Vastu honors the interconnectedness of all things: healing stress and dis-ease in the micro-cosm of our bodies and homes also heals Mother Earth, the macrocosm.

The Way of Vastu will balance the fi ve elements within your living and working environment so that you experience maximum levels of success and productivity. By better understanding how the fi ve elements infl uence your life, you can restore your connection to the abundant universal support of the cosmos. Remember that everything is interconnected! You are made of the same energy as everything else that exists in the universe. What you do to your world, you do to yourself.

the energy andpower of moneyMoney is energy. It is the result of your actions—your karma and free will—and the environment where you live and work. A harmonious environment aligned with the forces of nature easily supports your fi nancial growth. As you evolve in life and become more connected with the universal fl ow, you will fi nd fulfi llment in being in alignment with your true nature. Such fulfi llment may come in the form of money, or it may manifest as other opportunities that allow you to grow and to feel more abundant. Money is not the only form

Over time we created congested, artifi cial environments fi lled with synthetics, which were designed to add ease and comfort. Vastu was the fi rst science to encourage green building and the use of natural materials.

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THE WAY OF VASTU CHAPTER 1: THE POWER OF VASTU

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whole, the entire fl ow of life is disrupted. Working together with nature brings success. Attempting to conquer or control it is an invitation to failure.”

When we investigate the invisible mechanics of nature, we fi nd that everything in the universe is directly connected to everything else. Everything is constantly being infl uenced by everything else. No wave in the ocean is independent of any other.

—Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

14

of abundance the universe offers, but for many people it is an important symbol of success and worth in the world.

Money is magnetic; its infl uence comes from the positive, magnetic north. This direction attracts prosperity and abundance. For this attraction to occur, energy needs to fl ow and circulate in an environment so that it is open in the northern direction. In the same way, money must also fl ow and circulate in your life, in an ethical way, to continue to stimulate your prosperity and to bring opportunities to others as well. Abundance is not plucked out of thin air; it is created by tapping into this magnetic, circular fl ow that already exists. Since everything is interconnected, when you create wealth you are not taking it from someone else. Rather, you simply become part of the natural fl ow of giving and receiving that is in constant circulation throughout the universe.

When the fl ow of money is disrupted, many areas of your life begin to break down. This can create stress, but it is also a fertile time for self-inquiry and refl ection. Any challenge can create growth when it is seen as an opportunity. If you experience obstacles to creating stability and continued growth around money in your life: take time for meditation, for contemplation. Assess your focus in the world. Are you aligned with your true nature? Are you aware of your heart’s deepest desires? Is your environment supportive of growth, abundance, and fulfi llment? If not, then your thoughts will not be aligned with the source of universal abundance, and you will experience dis-harmony.

the mystic and the kingOnce a great Sufi mystic was visited by a king bearing a gift. The gift was a beautifully made pair of golden scissors, quite valuable and rare. The mystic took the scissors, but he immediately returned them to the king, saying, “Sir, many thanks for the present you have brought me. It is lovely indeed, but utterly useless to me. It would be better if you had given me a needle.”

This confused the well-meaning king. “I don’t understand,” he said.

The mystic replied, “Scissors cut things apart and needles bring things together. I teach people to live in harmony with nature, to be one with the Divine. Whenever you attempt to do a thing alone, separate from the

THE WAY OF VASTU CHAPTER 1: THE POWER OF VASTU