The five basic elements — water, air, fire, earth and space — possess all the powers that, if positively channelised, can make your home a heaven; their imbalances, however, can cause a lot of strife, illness and depression, says KHUSHDEEP BANSAl
Building a new homeIJ Well the excitement could be immense! A lot goes into planning the house; hours are spent with the architect to accommodate all that you want — all in the hope that the new house will not only provide that extra space but also bring happiness, prosperity and peace of mind. However, sometimes that does not happen. You do get all the rooms that you want, but the joy you had expected from those rooms does not come through. WhyIJ
Well, the answer to this question is simple: Sometimes, unintentionally though, while making your own home, you uproot the fundamental universal elements (panch tattva) — water, air, fire, earth and space — from their natural homes or directions that they govern according to the Vastu Shastra. No less than 16 vastu zones have been identified in every building, and each zone is dominated by any one of these five elements. These elements possess all the powers that, if positively channelised, can make your home a heaven; their imbalance, on the other hand, can lead to struggles, illnesses, restricted growth and even depression.
let’s consider an example. Water, the first of the five elements, connotes conceptualisation of new ideas, clarity of thought and heightened vision, and creates new opportunities in one’s life. This element also possesses healing energy and provides immunity. To ensure that all these positive connotations of water have constructive effects on your life, this powerful element should be positioned in the north zone of the house, as this is where it remains in a balanced state.
However, if water is stored in the opposite zone — that is, if an underground water tank is built in the south zone — it will negate all its positive properties and start causing anxiety, restlessness and disturbed sleep. likewise, if the fire element is placed in the north zone, which is the zone of water, it will block new opportunities and you might face a situation of blocked payments, cancellation of important orders or job offers, and disheartening results from the most promising investments.
To get the best result, you need to follow the guidelines of the Vastu Shastra right from the planning stage of the house. You can do it easily by following the four-step vastu application method which is based on documented research in Vastu Shastra. While going in to build a new house, some most important points to keep in mind are discussed here.
THE ENTRANCE
The first thing you have to have is a powerful entrance for the house and that can happen only if it is in the right direction and is charged up with the right elements. According to the Vastu Shastra, there are 32 possible locations of entrance in a building and each of these corresponds, or is related directly, with adverse or beneficial situations being faced by the inhabitants. For instance, entrance in south-west brings in debt, poverty and relationship problems. You do not get your payment on time due to entrance in south-east. Apart from this, a wrong entrance can also cause frequent accidents, mishaps and miscarriages.
THE BEDROOM
Once the entry of the building is sorted out, the second thing to check is whether all the rooms are being planned as per the Vastu Shastra. It is important as the location of rooms in different directions decides the outcome of your efforts, health and relationships. As far as bedroom is concerned, if it is between east and south-east, which is the zone of anxiety, you will not be able to relax and will have frequent arguments with your spouse. When made between south and south-west directions, the bedroom will nullify your efforts and can even make you feel as if your life is worthless.
Ideally, the bedroom should be located in south, west and east. However, the most appropriate direction of bedroom should be decided according to your profession.
THE TOIlET
North-east of the house is the worst place for locating a toilet. New ideas, creativity, clarity of mind, vision, growth and connectivity with self get influenced by the energy that emanates from the north-east vastu zone. Thus, if a toilet is built in this zone, these aspects get drained out through it. A toilet here can also lead to neurological disorders. Painters, designers, musicians and others associated with creative fields can see a major setback with a toilet in the north-east vastu zone. likewise, influential politicians and high-profile businessmen can suffer a loss with a toilet in the east zone.
THE KITCHEN
Kitchen represents the element of fire as this is the place where you have your gas burner. If kitchen is built in north, which is the vastu zone of water, it will create a major imbalance that will hamper new opportunities in career and cash inflow. According to the Vastu Shastra, the best location for kitchen is in south and south-east.
Understandably, our cramped spaces, restricted building bylaws and whopping real estate costs make it impossible to comply with all vastu norms and guidelines, and one may have to compromise on one or two aspects. However, you may not worry much as there are solutions that negate the harmful effects of any imbalance due to vastu faults.
The writer is an vastu expert based in Delhi
