Benefits Of Vaastu & Feng Shui E-Book

Rajendra Menen

• Herausgeber: V&S Publishers
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 193

Beschreibung

The art of attracting health, wealth and happiness

Leseprobe

Benefits of

Vaastu

&

Peng Shui

Rajendar Menen

Published by:

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© Copyright: ISBN 978-935-05722-0-7

DISCLAIMER

While every attempt has been made to provide accurate and timely information in this book, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, unintended omissions or commissions detected therein. The author and publisher make no representation or warranty with respect to the comprehensiveness or completeness of the contents provided.

All matters included have been simplified under professional guidance for general information only without any warranty for applicability on an individual. Any mention of an organization or a website in the book by way of citation or as a source of additional information doesn't imply the endorsement of the content either by the author or the publisher. It is possible that websites cited may have changed or removed between the time of editing and publishing the book.

Results from using the expert opinion in this book will be totally dependent on individual circumstances and factors beyond the control of the author and the publisher.

It makes sense to elicit advice from well informed sources before implementing the ideas given in the book. The reader assumes full responsibility for the consequences arising out from reading this book. For proper guidance, it is advisable to read the book under the watchful eyes of parents/guardian. The purchaser of this book assumes all responsibility for the use of given materials and information. The copyright of the entire content of this book rests with the author/publisher. Any infringement/ transmission of the cover design, text or illustrations, in any form, by any means, by any entity will invite legal action and be responsible for consequences thereon.

 

DEDICATION

MAY GOOD VAASTU AND PENG SHUI GUIDEALL THE GODDESSES WHO BROKE BREADWITH ME ALONG THE WAY.

Acknowledgement

There are billions of words on Vaastu and Feng Shui. There are also several score practitioners and theorists who have taken great pains in their interpretation of these sciences. We would like to specially acknowledge the contributions of Wendy Hobson and Juliet Pegrum, among others. They have taken enormous effort to explain the complexities in everyday language.

Contents

Acknowledgement

Preface

SECTION I: VAASTU SHASTRA

Vaastu and the Home

Guidelines for City Living

Workplace Rules

The Vaastu of Cities

SECTION II: FUNG SHUI

Origins of Feng Shui

Understanding the Basics

Mystical Belief or Natural Science?

The Question of Consultation

Landscaping and the Elements

The Significance of Yin and Yang

Early History of Qimancy

SECTION III: THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS IN FENG SHUI

More Hints for Protection

Feng Shui in the Workplace

Understanding the Trigrams

Activating the Energies in Your Home

SECTION IV: ENERGISING THE HOME

Using Feng Shui in the Home

The Kua Number

Feng Shui in the Garden

Glossary

Preface

Vaastu and Feng Shui are household names today. Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, like an ancient prophecy come alive, they have emerged out of the closet and taken the world by storm. Both have ancient origins. Both have been conceived in the womb of two of the most ancient civilisations in the world; Vaastu is Indian and Feng Shui is Chinese in origin. And both have many similarities and one end: to make life happier, healthier and more prosperous for those who follow the principles.

There are hundreds of thousands of books, websites, shops and outlets all over the world selling Feng Shui and Vaastu information and merchandise. Practitioners have become well-known newspaper columnists and merchandise has travelled to homes across the globe.

The twenty-first century has seen many new developments. The world has now woken up to the immense possibilities of maximising the human potential. Man has realised that with the right diet, the right exercise, the right medication and the right environment, he can give his life a longer and more fruitful lease. Vaastu and Feng Shui fall squarely into this paradigm of evolution, growth and betterment.

Writing a book on Vaastu and Feng Shui is not easy. There are several complexities that need to be unravelled and a lot depends on the interpretation of the practitioner. However, a strong thread of common sense runs through both, and that helps. While there are millions of words on the subject, Wendy Hobson and Juliet Pegrum were illuminating in their interpretation of the subject.

We hope this book helps you understand the science better as we have dealt a lot on the origins. We also hope that it stirs your curiosity to know more about the subject and make effective changes in your everyday life. The idea simply is to help you fulfil your potential in every way and lead a happier, healthier and more prosperous life.

 

Vaastu and the Home

“Let the everlasting air and light make comfortable the house that is built up with skill and knowledge and measured and erected by learned architects.”

–Atharva Veda

Among the oldest literary works known to man written around 2500 BC, the Vedas mention gods directly related to Vaastu Vidya (knowledge of Vaastu). The Hindu triad of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and their wives are important to Vaastu. Lakshmi, wife of Vishnu, is the Goddess of Fortune and she attracts wealth. Saraswati, wife of Brahma, is the Goddess of Science and Wisdom. Of course, the most popular Indian deity is Lord Ganesh, the son of Shiva and Parvati.

In the Hindu pantheon of gods and goddesses, Shiva is the creator and destroyer. He is depicted with a blue throat and his sacred animal is Nandi, the bull. He has four arms, usually holding a bow, a club, a drum and a noose. His symbol is the Ungarn or phallus, which emerges from the female yoni.

Vishnu has ten major incarnations: Matsya, Kurma, Varcha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parsurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki. He is depicted with his consort, Lakshmi, resting on a lotus. His sacred animal is Garuda, which is half man, half bird.

Brahma is the symbol of creation connected with the origin of the universe. He has four faces of which only three are visible. They represent the four Vedas. His four hands denote the four directions and hold a rosary, water pot, book, sceptre, spoon, bow or lotus. The swan is his vehicle.

Ganesh, perhaps the most popular Indian god, has an elephant’s head, four to ten arms, and a round belly. His vehicle is a rat and he holds a rope, an axe, a goad and a dish of sweetmeats. The fourth hand is in the boon-giving position. Lord Ganesh is the destroyer of obstacles and is also known as the God of Wisdom.

Vaastu Vidya is ancient Indian knowledge. The word Vaastu means to dwell and Vidya means science and so, quite literally, Vaastu Vidya is the sacred science related to designing and building houses. Vaastu is rooted in Vedic philosophy and is considered by experts and practitioners to be the distant ancestor of Feng Shui, the Chinese art of geomancy, which we will be elaborating later in this book.

Both Vaastu and Feng Shui have the same goals - to restore the balance between the home and the cosmos bringing health, wealth and happiness to those who follow the principles, most of which are based on simple common sense. There may be an esoteric element to the science but it rests a lot on the interpretation of the practitioner one is consulting.

Vaastu believes that the external and the internal are interchangeable. According to Vaastu, the energies that govern the elements, like wind or fire, are similar to those that control the organs of the human body. According to Vaastu, when buildings echo the underlying cosmic principles, they vibrate in harmony with the universe. These vibrations also affect those who are housed in the building and can determine their health, wealth, happiness, progeny and prosperity.

Following Cosmic Principles

Vaastu aims to realign the home with cosmic principles. Its approach is holistic. Its principles are ancient, yet it is unconditioned by time, country, climate or geography. Initially, it was carefully guarded but the principles gradually spread by word of mouth.

According to Vaastu, energy lines run like a large grid across the earth, from north to south and from east to west. The electromagnetic field generated affects the human body at the cellular level. Vaastu also uses the cardinal directions. The sun rises in the east ushering the day and represents beginnings; the setting sun in the west is an indicator of endings; the north is where the pole star is and denotes stability and security; and the south represents the past.

Vaastu emphasises the right proportions. It focuses on a plan for any form, be it a room or a building. The plan used in Vaastu is the Vaastu Purusha Mandala, which is a three-dimensional yantra containing all the forces acting on any given space.

Purusha is symbolised as a man with his stomach facing the earth. He is the embodiment of all the cosmic forces. When his image is laid across any area under the consideration of Vaastu, his head is positioned towards the north-east. It is then believed that this area becomes the body of Purusha. From the Mandala that is prepared, any working and living situation can be properly aligned. The Mandala is in the form of a square with eight compass directions. Vaastu believes that if prana or cosmic energy is proper in the environment, there will be happiness, health, prosperity and harmony.

In India, it is generally believed that Vaastu Purusha exists in every home. His head rests in the north-east and the feet and folded legs in the south-west. Offerings to the Goddess of Wealth are placed at his head and his heart is considered vulnerable and so heavy furniture is never positioned on it.

According to Vaastu, the movement of energy through a four-sided structure is similar to the energy that flows through the earth. Therefore, the home should mirror the earth and be designed accordingly. Vaastu believes that the movement of prana, within a house or apartment, flows from the north-east and meanders towards the south-east and north-west corners before heading to the south-west. The Vaastu Purusha, as we have already mentioned, looks down on the earth with his body aligned to the north-east/south-west axis and his head in the north-east. His head indicates the direction in which positive pranic energy enters a house.

In the traditional concept of Vaastu, the layout of a house and the corresponding functions of each room have been prescribed according to the position of the sun throughout the day. Accordingly, the period between three and six in the morning, just before sunrise, is called Brahma Muhurta. This is the time when the sun is in the north-eastern section of the house. This is a good time for meditation. From six to nine in the morning, the sun is in the eastern part of the house. This is a good time for bathing; and the east is logically a good location for the bathroom.

From nine in the morning to noon, the sun is in the south-east part of the house. It is a good time to eat, and the direction is a good location for the kitchen. This is also a good time for preparing food as well as to eat. Between twelve and three in the afternoon is the resting period and the sun is in the south, which is an ideal location for a bedroom. Between three and six in the evening, the sun is in the south-west section of the house. This is a good location for a study.

The evening, between six and nine, is a good time for eating. The sun is in the west, which is a good location for a dining room. The period between twelve and three in the morning, when the sun is in the north, is the time for secrecy, rest and sleep.

Ancient Origins

It should be remembered that the principles of Vaastu are applicable to space of any scale. Ancient India was very different from the India of today. When Vaastu was born thousands of years ago, India was agrarian and urban sprawls as we see today were non-existent. There were no big cities and India was lost in a time warp with snakes, elephants, kings and peasantry dotting a beautiful, unsullied and vast landscape. Natural and man-made calamities were frequent. The sophistry and technology that we see today were not even a distant dream. Vaastu happened at that time. But its principles were so solid, meaningful and profound that they hold good even today in the din, chaos, pollution and restricted spaces of Indian cities.

In Vaastu, the size of the space doesn’t matter; whatever the area, the same principles apply. Vaastu practitioners normally use a compass to determine magnetic north. In Vaastu, true north is the direction towards the North Pole.

The first step, of course, is in choosing the site. Vaastu starts from the road and so the nature of a site can be determined by the direction of the road or roads that border it. When two roads border the property, it is important that the corners of these sites are neither rounded nor cut across. Mentioned below are types of sites with their attributes and disadvantages.

It is believed that a site with a road to the south can cause problems especially if the road is at a lower level than the house. But if the road is to the west, blocking the north and east, it is considered neutral. If the road lies to the east of the property, it is a positive location, as the morning sun will penetrate the site. When the road runs to the north of the property it is good, particularly if the north side is unobstructed for the free flow of cosmic energy.

When there is a road to the south and a road to the east, it is referred to as a south-eastern site, which is also considered good. A north-eastern site is one that has two roads bordering it, one to the north and one to the east. It is considered good in Vaastu if the two roads are lower than the property or on the same level. A north-western site, where one road is in the west and another in the north, is considered neutral.

In Vaastu, the surrounding landscape and the shape of the site are also taken into consideration. The square and rectangle are considered the perfect shapes in which to dwell as they have the most beneficial energy fields. Irregular shapes are best avoided unless they extend towards the north-east. Triangular sites are the worst as these are associated with Agni or fire.

It is preferable if the site is flat. A hill to the south or west of a building is fine but if the hill is on the northeast side, sunlight can be blocked. Water is always a good sign, although it is ideal if it flows from the south or the west towards the east or the north.

Commonsense Approach

Some common sense here - Vaastu emphatically points out that it is best to avoid buildings near burial grounds. Also, if roads surround the home, it may be difficult to live without a feeling of insecurity, as there will be a continuous flow of traffic. It is also preferable if the building is not overshadowed by larger structures like a flyover or a large tree.

In Vaastu, it is preferable to have some space between houses. In the bigger cities of India, space is a problem and so there is enormous pressure on the flow of light, ventilation and cosmic energy. A garden, however small, is welcome as it encourages the movement of prana. Indoor gardens are also useful in the crowded, apartment-style living of our urban sprawls, but we will come to that later. A dwelling with a garden is much better than a house that opens directly to the street. The garden should be a square or a rectangle and it is preferred if there isn’t a tree in the front garden taller than the house.

Normally, when there are rows of houses, one row will attract all the positive influences while the houses on the opposite side of the street will attract all the negative energies. When there are rows of houses, the row that faces north acquires all the benefits, while the one that faces south is left with the negative influences. West-facing houses remain neutral while east-facing houses are positive. When rows of houses are opposite one another, it is important to avoid gates and doors which are in direct alignment.

Circumventing Space Constraints

As we mentioned earlier, it is all very easy to talk about space and how houses should face a certain direction and not another. All that is possible with the luxury of space. But in the densely populated cities of the world and in India, where the bigger cities are an unimaginable mess, space is the first casualty. Even the trees are counted, the open spaces are jammed with hawkers and the jogging trails crammed with those trying to fill their lungs with healthy oxygen. Space is limited and the cost exorbitant. So in cities like Mumbai, for example, where people are choked in high-rise apartments and slums, space acquires a different connotation altogether.

But all this doesn’t deter Vaastu. Its principles, though ancient, hold good even today. In Vaastu each apartment, however small, is looked upon as an independent unit. If one lives in an apartment block, it is advisable to choose the first floor or higher to avoid the negative influences at ground level. If the entire block is square or rectangular, there is a stronger connection with the earth. As per the principles of Vaastu, square buildings are considered masculine while rectangular buildings are feminine and softer. If the apartment is on the north, north-east or east side of the block, it will receive positively charged morning light.

The apartment block should have sufficient space around it and should be well ventilated to allow natural light to enter all the rooms. It should also not be overshadowed by larger buildings.

As per the traditions of Vaastu, there are also strict guidelines for the use of building materials in construction. The purists believed that every substance has a living energy; some are positive and others are negative. Sandstone and marble have a positive influence while granite and quartz can create health problems. They also insisted that glass and reinforced concrete should not be used for construction purposes.

In Vaastu, rocks and trees are thought to have age and gender. The stone used in construction should be mature and should vibrate with a deep sound when struck. Practitioners of Vaastu believe that concrete is a dead material and emits a negative energy. It is also against the use of steel, glass and other synthetic material.

According to Vaastu, the square is the perfect shape in which to live. This principle applies to all spaces irrespective of its size. The square represents the universe in microcosm and is considered strong and stable. But if one is making extensions, then certain principles of Vaastu can be adhered to. The preferable shape for an extension is either a square or a rectangle. Extensions in the northeast section of the property are considered positive. South of south-east and west of north-west are also positive directions for extensions.

The gate is also of great importance in Vaastu. Apart from the right first impressions, it also influences the overall atmosphere of the place. The position of the front door in relation to the gate is also significant. It is preferable to have the front door facing the same direction as the gate. It is also good for the house to be located to the left of the gate. But it is considered unlucky to have the house on the right side when entering the gate.

Guidelines for Doors

Vaastu also insists on the avoidance of obstructions near the house as they restrict the flow of energy. If there is a tree close to the front gate, a ditch, a lamppost or any such obstruction, it is not considered auspicious. Of course, all this is easier said than done as our cities are filled with obstructions of all sorts. In such cases, a little distance between the door and the obstruction is recommended. The purists are also not in favour of a road pointing directly towards the property. The gate should not be in direct alignment with the road.

After opening the gate, the path to the front door of the house also has a great impact on the flow of energy to the house. If the path lies to the north-east, it should be broader and more open at the gate and become narrower as it approaches the house. If the path is in the south-east, it is better if it is of the same width throughout.

According to the principles of Vaastu, the front door is considered to be the mouth of Purusha and should be the largest door in the house. A single front door is better if it faces north or east with steps leading up to it. It is considered catastrophic if the front door is placed in the centre of a wall. The door should ideally face the northeast corner, and if the front door faces south or west, it is better to have it at ground level. Doors of different houses should not be directly opposite one another.

The size of the door should also be proportionate to the house. Proportion is very important in Vedic architecture. If the height of the front door is equal to the width, it conveys peace; if the height is one and a quarter times the width, it transmits strength and emanates wealth, but the door that is approximately thrice the width is considered to be the best.

The door should also open smoothly and shouldn’t swing unnecessarily. If it makes a tuneful sound, it is considered positive. But squeaking doors are not considered good. Tearful sounds are also bad. It is ideal if the front door is made of wood and not of metal, which is saturnine in influence. The front door should also open to a welcoming and pleasant sight. In the same vein, pleasant sights should greet you when you open the door to leave the house. Vaastu Shastra lays a lot of focus on the position of doors and entrances, their proportions and obstructions.

Rituals for a New Home

Since all living spaces are said to be filled with unseen entities, the purification of the place is mandatory before its occupation. So certain rituals or pujas are conducted. The first is performed before the construction actually commences, the second on positioning the main door, the third to ensure that the new occupants have happy lives, and the fourth set of rituals are associated with moving in.