Every vaastu space has to take into account factors like shape, plan, size and height of the ceiling, location of doors and windows, colour of walls, ceiling and furniture, to enhance the energy emanating from the human body in the living space

Any manuscript on vaastu shastra appears dogmatic in nature but it gives the right to the engineer or planner or architect to exercise originality. The tradition should be seen as more of a guide than a restraint.

Today, the practice of vaastu used for over 15 centuries is attracting engineers, scientists and architects. Homemakers and businessmen are open to implementing vaastu guidelines in industrial, commercial and residential spaces in modern India.

What is vedic vaastu?

It places great emphasis on the creative utilisation of the earth’s magnetic field, sources of water and abundant cosmic energy around us (light, air and space), during the process of planning, designing and construction of any building. Thus vedic vaastu is the practice of planning and building any structure by introducing nature’s energy within the built space with the sole purpose of energising the persons living therein.

Readers will note that every vaastu space has to take into account multiple factors to enhance the energy emanating from the human body in the living space. These factors are shape, plan size and height of the ceiling, location of doors and windows, the colour of walls, ceiling and furniture, slope of floors and storage areas. At the same time the appropriate location of the “five elements” or the pancha bhutas or vedic elements has to be maintained. This makes the design and planning of each working space under vaastu guidelines a daunting task and challenges the creativity of the engineer, architect and interior designer.

Concept of vaastu defects or doshas

The rishis believed that what is outside in nature is within the human beings since humans are part of nature. In short, vedic vaastu recognises five basic natural elements as building blocks — earth, air, water, light (sun and fire) and space. The energies emitted from the five elements have a harmonising effect on the human body’s energy field.

It is stated that the location of earth is at southwest, air at northwest, water at northeast, fire at southeast and space at the central zone of the building space. The presence of these five elements in the human body is defined by the presence of bones as earth, air in lungs, fluid in veins, electricity in the nervous system and the existence of space covered by skin over bones, muscles and organs. Thus the rejuvenation of the human energy level will depend on the environment of the built space.

For example, if a “water body” (in a dwelling space) is located in the “fire zone” it will be considered as a “vaastu defect” and lead to health problems.