:: September 2005 Volume 4/Number 6

The Way of Vastu
Using the Ancient Science to Create Harmony and Balance

By Robin & Michael Mastro

Vastu is an East Indian science, seven to ten thousand years old.

According to the science of Vastu, we are made of the same five elements that make up our environment: earth, water, fire, air and space. Our bodies can be seen as the microcosm and our world 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. Burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, underground mining and nuclear testing disturb 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 are severe fluctuations 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.

Being out of balance in a totally interconnected world has, according to Vastu, the following effects on our bodies and our lives:

• 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 relation- ships 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.

Elements such as earth and water plus plants and their placement can also affect our morale and our health. For example:

1. Balance the earth element by having plants in the southwest. Plants absorb toxins and helps 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 environ-
ment. Drink plenty of fresh water to maintain the balance of fluid in the body to elim- inate 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 in our finances.

3. The fire element can be balanced by using full spectrum lighting in all areas of the home and office, especially in the south
east. 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 whenthe 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.

Vastu honors our environment as alive with energy and possibility. Once unnecessary, unused, and outdated items have been removed, you can diffuse stagnant, denser energies that block the space element by doing this simple clearing ceremony:
Begin the ceremony by closing the eyes and taking several deep cleansing breathes in and out through the nose, imagining on each exhale that you are enlivening the spirit of the environment with your love and recognition of its contribution in your life. With lit incense or a candle in one hand, ring a bell or chimes in the other, and/or chant mantras or sing uplifting songs with the intention of infusing harmony and balance into the space. Begin walking in a clockwise motion slowly and with intention through each room. When you have finished in one room, move onto the next. This clearing ceremony can be done as often as you feel it is needed, but in particular, do this when first occupying a home or office, or after some trauma or illness has occurred.

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

 

Robin and Michael Mastro, authors of Altars of Power and Grace – Creating the Life You Desire and The Way of Vastu – Creating Prosperity Through the Power of the Vedas. They create stress-free homes and offices without remodeling or demolition.
Visit vastucreations.com or call (206) 328-0122.

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