By S.BS. Surendran

Many perceive Vaastu and Fengshui to be two different sciences and hence they contradict, however the fact remains that both have many commonalities and quite simple to follow.

Vaastu or Feng Shui is not just about building structures, which are supposed to usher in “luck”; it is a lot more than that. It is the art of spacing, positioning, planning and orienting not just the structure but also even the furnishings to offer greater support to the occupants. In short, it is the study of the energy around the occupants, its cause and effect and the effect of the immediate surroundings or environment.

The principles of Feng Shui can be applied either for an independent house or for apartment dwelling, however as the building bye-laws laid down by the local corporations vary from city to city, and the concept of the design and décor differ from individuals at time sit would appear that adapting Vaastu would be extremely difficult in any construction.

To begin with especially for a grounded property one has to ensure the right plot levels, setbacks, proper layout and allocation of rooms. How do we go about this? The basic understanding to allocate rooms in the right sectors is a step after getting to know the interpretation of the magnetic fields and compass directions. Presuming that one has got to know the axis of the plot and located the cardinal magnetic directions, it becomes a lot easier to design a home as per Feng Shui tenets.

Main door: While designing doors, one needs to pay attention to the windows too. Windows are the space where energy enters and leaves the room although they are secondary to the doors. Windows in line with the door are considered bad as the energy coming in rushes out through the window. Maintain a ratio of three windows to everyone door in a room. Ensure that windows don’t occupy every wall in a room; restrict it to just two walls in a room as too many windows in a room represent loss of wealth.

Kitchen: What we eat, where we eat and how we eat are all part of the science of health and vitality; hence kitchen location is vital to the overall harmony of the home. Kitchen has many elements which operate in tandem or could be conflicting like Water, fire (stove /electricity), Air (gas) etc.

Master bedroom: This is one of the most important rooms in a home It is said that deep sleep is when we reunite with the source, hence if we sleep deeply we awaken refreshed ready for the new day. Quality of sleep is far more important than the length of time. Using wooden bed/cot is preferred as wood is benign and warm as against metal beds, which are cold and oppressive, and metal is said to be associated with the planet Saturn in astrology too.

Living room: This room is the sanctuary for relaxation; hence it is beneficial if a major portion of the living room occupies the central zone of the building. Orient living room furniture’s, and décor to aesthetically create pleasant feel and harmony and ensure you do not put too many things that makes the rooms look squeezed out and in turn block the flow of chi.

Toilets: In the earlier days the toilets were away from the main house and later they were made ‘en-suite’ or attached. Ideal locations for toilets are Toilets should not be too close to kitchen as the food energy and toilet energies are incompatible.

Feng Shui reminds us of the basic relationship between earth, man and cosmos. By adapting these principles to our lives, we can create a healthy environment with harmonious living and working conditions and re-establish a positive relationship with nature.

S.BS. Surendran is an accredited master feng shui consultant, traditional vaastu practitioner and bio-energetician based in Bangalore, India. He can be contacted via fengshui@fengshuiserver.com