The Power of Vastu Living
Welcoming Your Soul Into Your Home and Workplace by Kathleen Cox
Apr 15, 2008
In Kathleen Cox’s 2002 book The Power of Vastu Living, published by Simon and Schuster, the art-science of Vastu comes alive. Vastu is a 6,000 year old Vedic study of design and architecture. Its sisters are Ayurveda (the study of life and longevity), and Yoga.
The Five Basic Elements
The five elements are: space, air, fire, water and earth. In the home or office each element governs a portion of the room and building. In the Northern Hemisphere they are:
- The Center of the room is governed by Space
- The Northwest corner is governed by Air
- The Southeast corner is governed by Fire
- The Northeast corner is governed by Water
- The Southwest corner is governed by Earth
In the Southern Hemisphere:
- Space remains in the Center of the room
- Air is in the Southwest corner
- Fire is in the Northeast corner
- Water is in the Southeast corner
- Earth is in the Northwest corner
Opposites
“Light and dark, sunrise and sunset, hot and cold…these are just a small example of the dualities that exist” writes Ms. Cox. She writes about the deities that rule over the four directions – East with lord of the sun, West with lord of the oceans and the night, North with lord of the moon and health, and South with lord of judgment and death. Adding to the five elements these Cardinal Directions and you will see that:
- West = Darkness
- East = Enlightenment
- South = Judgment + Death
- North = Wealth, Indulgence and Health
Your Spiritual Blueprint
After exploring the basics of Vastu the author will have you determine your Ayurvedic Dosha, or constitution, to determine which elements and directions work best for you and which aggravate you.
As an example, a person with Vata, or air, as their primary element would want to spend more time grounding himself in the Southwestern area of a room. Sleeping with his head in the Northwest, governed by air element, could prove difficult as like increases like in Vastu and Ayurveda sciences leading to insomnia, sinus complaints and generally feeling cold.
Zone of Tranquility
The zone of tranquility is found in the Northeast and is considered the gateway to the gods. It is governed by the water element with properties of serenity, reflection and introspection. This zone is to bring peace and comfort to your mind and soul and should be decorated accordingly. The author writes, “it should be so inviting that you are compelled to stare into it and, in the process, connect to your vital essence.”
Vastu Living
Kathleen Cox makes it very easy for her readers to incorporate Vastu principles into their home without turning the entire house upside down. In The Power of Vastu Living she provides guidelines for each room in the home – the kitchen, living room, bedrooms, bathrooms, porch, and the dining room. Recommendations and guidelines for places of employment are also helpful for corporate offices, retail stores and clinics. They cover topics from what angle the receptionist’s desk should face to which corner the inventory should be placed to encourage abundance.
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