Vastu – Sacred Architecture Comes West
If you think establishing a relationship between body and physical space is strange, if not unusual, think again! There have been quite a few precedents in the West as well, bringing a harmony to a space and its design through an understanding and relationship with the body that inhabits it. Just ask Leonardo da Vinci who gave us the Vitruvian Man in 1490 A.D., or Le Corbusier who gave us the Modular Man in the early 20th century. Introducing the Vastu Man (or Vastu Purush) - harmoniser of body and environment since the 6th century BCE!
Vastu Shastra is the ancient Indian science of place making, that viewing building and architecture as a direct expression of the energy, forces and influence a land or space presents. With particular attention to orientation and the elements that populate it, Vastu Shastra works to blend and balance the natural elements and potential of a place with the aspirations, activities and temperaments of its inhabitants.
Like its oriental counterpart Feng Shui, Vastu Shastra too is set out as a series of principles, rules and recommendations to help bring your house or building into perfect working order- functionally and cosmically. In the ancient Vedic system, every manifestation- whether being, object or place- is seen as a direct expression of the Universe and the cosmic forces within it. Whether viewing a bird, rock, airplane or palace, the Vedic mind saw anything and everything as existing in a direct relationship with the entire cosmos. This perspective, understanding and principle applied to the human body as well as architecture. And since one inhabited the other, the relationship between the two was crucial to their relationship with the Universe at large.
This ancient science is preserved through texts and seminal works from across time in the Indian tradition. These not only bring an ancient understanding of the principles and benefits of Vastu Shastra as used by ancient Indians, but as can be applied in modern day designs and lifestyle.
Whether designing a home, office or a sacred space, Vastu Shastra helps achieve that perfect balance and harmony that keeps all aspects of our life and experience primed and productive. Whether you are looking to improve the state of your financial affairs or sort out your love life, looking to gain a spiritual epiphany or two, or trying to change the face of your life- Vastu Shastra is for you. Vastu Shastra even has spatial remedies for disease, depression, addiction and impotence, and whether you follow or trust the ancient Vedic way of life, these certainly deserve a try!
Like Feng Shui, Vastu Shastra too is gaining momentum across the globe, emerging from the shadows of amnesia and ignorance to inform and enlighten modern space design with Vedic insight. In the West, Vastu Shastra is a new buzzword with few really knowing much about it. But given how straightforward it is to learn and apply its principles, it won't be long before it is as popular here as anywhere else in space and time.
