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Living in harmony with nature for health and prosperity
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Every individual seeks peace and prosperity and to obtain this, one has to be in tune with the universal rhythm of creation. When building, staying or working in a building or property, one has to respect the five elements—ether, air, fire, water and earth—which influence our environment. Only when we are in harmony with these natural forces will we enjoy wealth and happiness. Failure to do so can bring misery and misfortune.
According to the theory of the five elements, they are present in every atom of the universe and they need to be present in abundance within the home to make it vibrant and filled with positive energy. A critical study of fundamental Indian beliefs states that the elements have an interactive influence on all dwellers of a house.
Our body comprises the same five elements in the form of the five senses—hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell. According to Vaastu Shastra, if a property is built according to the five elements, the internal energy currents in the bodies of those living there will be in tune with the universal energy, thus resulting in good health, wealth and happiness for those residents.
Vaastu Shastra is the equivalent of architecture plus a result-oriented science to ensure harmony and a person observing it is assured of well-being.
For centuries, Vaastu has been widely used in India to purchase properties and there is a growing global interest in it.
Just like Feng Shui from China, the underlying principle of Vaastu is to live in harmony with our environment so that the energy surrounding us works for us rather than against us. It is based on the arrangements and balancing of the five elements in their proper order and proportions.
It is not magic, superstition or a religion, although some of its advocates may consider it part of their religious rituals. It also does not work on a belief system: asking someone if they believe in Vaastu is like asking them if they believe in the weather. In short, Vaastu is not a question of faith but a fact of life.
The term “Vaastu” is derived from the word vasa, meaning habitat and, in Sanskrit, vaast is referred to as the site for construction of a residence. The word “Vaastu” refers to both the site on which a building is raised and to the building itself. “Shastra” means science.
Vaastu developed between 10,000 BC and 5,000 BC.
The science of town planning during the Vedic period (2500 BC-200 AD) was given paramount importance to the extent that Indo-Aryans perfectly shaped human settlements into various categories depending on the characteristics of the population.
The application of Vaastu extended also to military barracks, market places, ports, administration buildings and, of course, palaces, of which many have withstood the test of time.
Vaastu goes beyond architecture. Its principles that have been recorded by ancient masters are geological, geophysical and, above all, cosmological and celestial. In ancient India, architecture, medicine, astrology, philosophy and spirituality lived in complete cross relation to one another, their boundaries overlapping and enriching each other.
It is possible that you may dismiss Vaastu Shastra as totally baseless and give it no importance in your life. But it has not been debunked by modern science and continues to yield amazing and powerful results in the lives of many individuals.
My purpose in writing this column is to share my discoveries and knowledge of this amazing science with people interested in harmony and peace of mind. Those who tend not to believe in these things must know that if following Vaastu does not benefit them, neither does it cause harm.
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Selva currently provides daily tips on Vaastu Shastra on Malaysian radio and television and also writes a Sunday column on Vaastu Shastra Malaysia’s leading newspaper The Star.
His latest book titled Vaastu Shastra Guide has hit the best seller list and it is now available in English and Tamil. The author can be contacted at
tselvas@pd.jaring.my.
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—T. Selva is a renowned author from Malaysia. He will write a column on conscious living through Vasthu Sastra in India Empire starting next issue.
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February 2008
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