Balance and Harmony- The Way of Vastu

Vaastu is an ancient science of creating harmonious environment and comes from a body of knowledge known as the Vedas. This East Indian science is seven to ten thousand years old and forms the basis of the popular Feng Shui, predating it by at least four thousand years.

Vaastu shashtra shows us how to create harmony and balance in our living and working environment and instructs us through ancient ways how to honor our surroundings to benefit from nature’s support. Through the tenets of Vaastu, you can experience the oneness in nature. Vaastu offers different ways of understanding who and what we are in the purest form and how we are interconnected with the universe. As we begin to sense this continuity, we then find it possible to see our world with larger eyes.

Vaastu teaches that everything in the universe is made of energy and is interconnected. According to the science of Vaastu, we are made of the same five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space) that make up our environment. Our bodies can be seen as the microcosm and our world as the macrocosm, as we are influenced by the same Laws of Nature that affect our planet. When any part of the earth is harmed, we all suffer. When these five elements are not in balance due to natural and man-made stress on the environment, Mother Nature has many ways to restore equilibrium.

When the five elements are disturbed on a global level, we experience earth changes. Modern living disturbs the delicate balance of the five elements on this planet. Natural disasters are nature’s way of restoring that balance. Earthquakes occur when there is an imbalance in the earth element. Hurricanes and floods happen when there are disturbances in the water element. Volcanic eruptions, drought, and forest fires occur when there is severe fluctuation in the fire element. We have tornados and windstorms when there is disruption in the air element. Harmful infrared radiation causes skin cancer when the ozone layer is destroyed and the space element is impacted.

To understand how the five elements affect us on a personal level, here are a few ways that people feel when the elements are not balanced within our bodies:

• When the earth element is out of balance in our body we can feel heavy, sluggish and tired. Emotionally, we may feel as if there are obstacles to the support we desire from others.
• We feel dehydrated or tired when the water element is out of balance. We may also feel out of touch with our spirituality.
• When the fire element is out of balance, we may have a fever, feel agitated or even angry.
• We feel allergic, restless or indecisive when the air element is out of balance. We may also experience depression or our relationships may suffer.
• When the space element is out of balance we can feel tight or constricted in our mind or body and lack a feeling of creativity in our life.

Each of the elements is also associated with a specific direction and can be balanced in our home or office. Here are some simple changes we can make that will benefit our lives:

1. Balance the earth element by having plants in the southwest. Plants absorb toxins and help clean our environment. Another thing we can do to balance the earth element is to place heavier items in the southwest area of a room, home or office. Heavier pieces placed in this direction will create support and protection on an energetic level.
2. Place a fountain in the northeast to balance the water element. A fountain in this direction will enliven and purify our environment. Drink plenty of fresh water to maintain the balance of fluid in the body to eliminate toxins and to hydrate. Use low flow water restrictors to conserve our precious water supply. When there is balance in the water element, we will experience ease and grace in our spiritual practice and finances.
3. The fire element can be balanced by using full spectrum lighting in all areas of the home and office, especially in the southeast. Use low wattage lighting to conserve energy. When there is balance in the fire element, our health will improve.
4. Open windows, even for a few minutes each morning, to balance the air element in the northwest. Clean furnace filters regularly. If you work in a windowless environment, use a negative-ion generator to bring more prana (life-force energy) into the office. This will help with mental clarity. Relationships are enhanced when the air element is balanced.
5. Clearing clutter and debris in all areas of the home or office is one way to help balance the space element. Get rid of the old to make room for the new. By eliminating that which no longer serves us, we free up space to embrace our unlimited potential.

When we individually restore balance to the five elements in our homes, offices and within, we open the door to the flow of support the universe has to offer. By honoring ourselves, and our living and working environments as sacred, through these simple yet powerful suggestions, the quality of our life is improved. This is The Way of Vaastu.

Ganesha’s Grace,
Malav A. Bhatt