cosmos

The difference between Vastu and Feng Shui

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:43:00 GMT

To find out who's more authentic and beneficial, we must know everything about the two first. Vaastu, which literally means to live, works on the premise that the earth is a living organism, out of which other living organisms emerge. This life energy is known as Vaastu Purusha. The Vaastu Shastra works for a bounded premise i.e., a house, building, industrial area or shop. The main aim is to form a balance between the outside atmosphere and the atmosphere within the premise. Vaastu makes use of five elements - prithvi (earth), agni (fire), tej (light), vayu (wind) and akash (ether), the earth's magnetic fields i.e. the north and the south pole and the sun's rays. Feng Shui literally means wind and water, is based on the idea that individuals should live in harmony with their environment. It was believed that if we live in balance with the order of the world, we could attract fortune and prosperity.

This science makes extensive use of the wind and the water - the former is supposed to carry the energy and the latter is supposed to retain it. In addition, Feng Shui also makes use of five elements - earth, fire, water, wood and metal.

So even as the basic premise of both seems to be the same - living in harmony with the environments and seeking equilibrium with it - both sciences have vast differences in the way they operate. Probably due to the fact that they have originated in two geographically and culturally different areas, and different times.

History
Vaastu dates back to the times when the sages lived - probably 6,000 and 3,000 BC. The mention of Vaastu can be found in ancient scriptures like the Rigveda, Atharvaveda, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Mayamatam, Manasa saar, etc. Ancient Indian architecture depended on this science for the building of almost all the palaces and temples. Although the exact origins of Feng Shui are debatable, it is thought to have originated about five thousand years ago. Scholars have recorded various aspects of Feng Shui as early as the Song Dynasty (960 BC). However, the basic principles of Feng Shui were first written down during the Han dynasty (25 AD).

How Vaastu works
Vaastu works on three principles of design that cover the entire premise. The first one is Bhogadyam, which says that the designed premise must be useful and lend itself to easy application. The second is Sukha Darsham, in which the designed premise must be aesthetically pleasing. The proportions of the spaces and the material used, in the interiors and exteriors of the building - ornamentation, colour, sizes of the windows, doors and the rooms and the rhythms of projection and depressions - should be beautiful. The third principle is Ramya, where the designed premise should evoke a feeling of well being in the user.

Also, Vaastu is a complicated form of science put together by seventeen sages. There are certain rules that should be followed while building a house or a building. For instance, the building's underground water tank or well should be situated in the northeast direction. But, if the building has an overhead tank then it should be placed in the southwest direction. Also, more space should be left to the north and the east of the building compound and less on the south and the west. Open space should be kept around the building and if the plot has a road on the east-north directions, it is better for the inhabitants.

In the kitchen, the platform should be placed in the east with the cooking stove on the right hand side and the sink and the water on the left. The mandir of the house should be in the northeast direction. The permanent or the heavy items should be kept in the south and southwest side of the building and so with equipments
like TV, radio or any other entertainment device. Sleeping in the right direction is also an important factor in Vaastu; the head should be in the east or the south directions.

Vaastu Shastra, in addition, also says what kinds of plants and trees are good for the family residing in the building.

It is believed that if a house is built on these few rules, then that particular house will never face serious health and money problems and the family members will live in harmony.

How Feng Shui works
In practice, Feng Shui is optimising one's space in a specific period of time. Traditional Feng Shui gives equal importance to Time, Space and Action. So it is important to have a mix of the right action, in the right place at the right time to do well. The most important principles therefore are 'earth luck', the energies that are present in your space and time. The second is the 'man luck', which are your own actions and free will. So how you use the available opportunities make a difference in your life. The third one is 'heaven luck', which is your fate and destiny and least in your hands.

These three principles make it easy for us to understand why different people moving into the same house can do varied things in their lives.

Also, the traditional Feng Shui has two main systems of application - the eight mansions or the Pachai and the flying stars or the Xuan Kong meaning time and space. The former is very simple and most popular; it is usually done if you do not know the year in which your building was constructed which is important in the latter. It is a less detailed system and gives you 80 per cent results as compared to the other.

The flying stars however is a very complex system, it is actually making a horoscope of your house, and is much more effective. Since the stars change every two years, so do the cures of Feng Shui. The difference between the two is same as the difference between your weekly horoscope appearing in the newspaper and your janampatri.

Even if Vaastu and Feng Shui both mean to harmonise you with your surroundings, they have totally different philosophies. It is very difficult to say which is better, but the fact is that both are encompassed in the blanket of misconceptions. People believe that Feng Shui means changing everything that they had done around their homes earlier. But it is not true. In fact, the real masters say that if you have been having a satisfactory life in the terms of health, wealth and relationships, your house is utilising all the energies properly, so do not disturb it. Also, they warn against generalising of the good and the bad directions, as these directions vary from house to house and person to person. Therefore following these directions and putting up cures, especially the water ones, can do more harm than good as water is a very strong cure and is quick in showing both good and bad effects. And lastly, laughing buddhas, fortune bamboos, wind chimes and a few other Feng Shui items are not necessary. A good Feng Shui master will tell you affordable and simple alternatives that are very much Indian and pleasing to the eye. So if you believe that an idol of Goddess Lakshmi represents wealth, you install it in your wealth corner and not the three-legged toad.

Vaastu is also a victim of misunderstanding. It is believed that as Vaastu is done at the time of the construction of the house, what happens latter, good or bad is inevitable and cannot be changed. But Vaastu Shastra believes that just like humans, a building has a life that weakens after some years. Therefore, to rejuvenate it, the resident must do a Vaastu puja every 30 years. Whatever the differences, both these methods have proved that there is a definite science involved and should not be taken lightly.

Born on the 31th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:14:00 GMT

You have a great love of family, tradition, and community.

You are the foundation of any enterprise you commit to, doing your work with determination and precision.
You love things that are solid and grounded in the practical. Yet, you possess a considerable amount of artistic talent that is searching for concrete forms of expression. Not surprisingly, you love nature — the ultimate union of beauty, form, and function.
You are a natural organizer and manager with an eye for detail. You can work hard, long, and conscientiously. As long as you are taking good care of yourself, you have excellent concentration. You have to be careful not to become overworked to the point that you no longer take time to play and smell the roses.
Your co-workers recognize your discipline and come to rely upon you.
Ironically, you may feel that you have yet to find the work you truly love or were meant to do. There may be a feeling that your talents are buried too deep for you to find them. This can lead to try many different vocations without a feeling that you have truly found your place.
Your challenge is to make the most of what you are doing right now. You must raise the work you are currently responsible for to a high degree of art. Make the most of what is right in front of you. The universe is guiding you always. You need to cultivate faith and a willingness to apply yourself to the matter at hand. If you refuse to develop such an attitude, you may wander from job to job, relationship to relationship.
Use your considerable perseverance and determination.
You can be stubborn and rigid, refusing to allow new and creative ideas to penetrate your rigid adherence to established methods. This can, and often does, lead to frustration and repression for you. Things seem to take forever, especially when you resist bringing fresh approaches into your very tidy and comfortable ways of doing things.
The keys to your success are your willingness to maintain order and discipline in your life, and to make the most of every opportunity that comes your way.

Born on the 30th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:13:00 GMT

You have a highly developed creative talent.

You are an artist at heart. You could excel in writing, visual, or performing arts. If you are not professionally involved in one of these areas, you should consider taking up art as a hobby.
You are highly imaginative, quick-witted, and possess the gift gab. You have great enthusiasm. Others find you inspiring, charming. and charismatic. You are a wonderful salesman.
You are friendly and sociable, affectionate and loving. You can also be moody and subject to rapid ups and downs.
You have a fine sense of harmony and art in everything that you do - from your dress to the way you decorate your home. You have a gift with plants and flower arranging. You can make a wonderful interior designer and a fine cook.
You can waste your talent in too much socializing and not enough focus and discipline, however.
Be careful not to waste time and energy on trivial matters. Keep your long-term priorities in perspective.

Born on the 29th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:12:00 GMT

You are highly intuitive and creative.

Your mind thinks in pictures. You seem to draw information and ideas from out of the sky.
Your intuition is your gift, along with a powerful drive to know the Oneness of all things. You are so driven by spiritual pursuits that no matter what you do in life, the world of spirit and philosophy will be central to your daily behavior. You feel linked with the larger universal forces, and nothing will change that.
You have a fine mind and keen insights, but these do not come as a result of logic or rational thought. You are more likely to direct your life by inspiration, rather than by calculated reflections.
On some level, you know that you are in the hands of destiny, and that you must surrender to the higher powers that shape your life. You are usually a late bloomer. Your early and middle 30s tend to be years spent in apprenticeship and slow development. During this period, you can become frustrated with your progress, or the apparent lack of it.
You need to develop faith. You are a highly charged person with much to do, but you must develop character and sound judgment before you begin to tap your true potential. Just as a tree needs roots to grow tall, so, too, do you need to develop depth of character in order to begin to expand in the ways you desire and ultimately envision.
Your highly developed intuition makes you a wonderful counselor, healer, or health practitioner. You have a gift for inspiring people. Many people admire you without your knowing it. You are a visionary, and others sense your wisdom.
You are acutely sensitive and easily influenced by your surroundings. You love beauty and harmony. You crave social interaction and much attention. You can be very emotional, often experiencing extremes of happiness and sadness. You are usually too easily hurt.
You get depressed easily and feel the lack of confidence during times you are in a dark mood.
Despite your sensitivity, you possess leadership abilities. You are modest, diplomatic and polite. You have the ability to persuade, and can be quite forceful.
Your high sensitivity to others makes you compassionate, kind, and gentle. You have an opportunity for fame and success as long as you do not pursue either as your gods. Look for ways to help others and convey a larger message, with which you were blessed. This will bring you the material and social fruits you desire.

Born on the 28th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:11:00 GMT

You possess a gift for leadership,

but it is employed best through cooperative effort. Your means are generally gentle persuasion, rather than overt displays of power.
You are unconventional, idealistic, and independent. You are extremely ambitious. You possess much self confidence, but need much encouragement.
You have an exceptionally analytical and rational mind. You are an excellent planner, with a talent for directing and managing groups of people. You easily become frustrated with routine activities. You're willing to take risks.
There is a pioneer spirit in you. You like to be on the frontier of whatever you are doing. Once a project is started, however, you prefer to turn it over to others to run and maintain. You are a great starter, but are not much interested in keeping the show going.
You can be very stubborn and rigid once you have committed to an idea - something you do more than you realize. You tend to identify with your ideas and do not like them changed; you have a powerful ego-bond with most of what you do, which makes compromise difficult for you.
You are highly emotional and enjoy demonstrating your love. On the other hand, you can become irritated and angry easily, and are given to tantrums.
You are highly creative and have a great mind for marshalling facts in order to sell ideas. You make a wonderful debater and salesperson.
With your determination and inventive mind, you have potential for achievement and much financial success.

Born on the 27th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:09:00 GMT

You are a born leader, an efficient manager,
capable of organizing and inspiring others. You are especially talented in the areas of politics, religion, art, and law. You are highly creative and have an excellent understanding of people.
You are broadminded and should be educated in several different fields, particularly the arts. Many great artists are found under this number.
You tend to be a late bloomer and must be willing to take your time before choosing a profession. You need experience and exposure to many different types of people before you find the one area in which you will specialize.
You can relate to people in all walks of life. You will do quite a bit of traveling and go through many changes.
At bottom, you have a great dream for humanity. You want to improve the conditions of people, whether they are in your community, state, country, or the world at large.
This is where your deepest satisfaction lies - with performing some task that will benefit others.
You are able to express your feelings well, though a bit dramatically at times. You have a calm and even aristocratic appearance. However, beneath it there is a sense of frustration with not having received your due in life - either from parents, co-workers, or your community.
Your challenge is to learn acceptance and forgiveness. There is an element of sacrifice in your life. You need to let go of all negative attachments. Any thoughts of revenge will backfire badly against you. You need to employ your spiritual and philosophical outlook in all matters in which the balance seems to have been struck against you.
You attract money from all work that is service oriented. The more you do for others, the more you receive - - spiritually and materially - in return.

Born on the 26th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:08:00 GMT

You have a good sense of money and a talent for business.

Your approach to business is original, creative and daring. You possess sound judgment and need to be in charge of whatever you are doing. You are a good manager and organizer. You have a gift for seeing the larger view, but may neglect the details. You are efficient and can handle large projects, enterprises, or businesses.
You are a realist, self-confident, practical, and highly ambitious. Your challenge is to maintain a balance between your material goals and the fundamental human qualities of understanding, compassion and love. Your business life can cause you to become callous and jaded toward others. Do not let the dog-eat-dog attitude become your only means of looking at life. All people have talents and karmic burdens - maintain gratitude for all that you have been given, and share it with others to the extent that you are able.
You can be very diplomatic and tactful. You prefer to get things done by persuasion rather than force.
You are dependable and have high expectations of yourself.
You have a need for status and may show off the fruits of your labor with an impressive car or house. You can easily overdo such ostentation, and may appear showy in the eyes of others.
You are proud of all you possess. You like to be complemented.
You have strong character, but may be domineering and bossy. You have little patience with weakness, be it your own or someone else's. You have to be careful not to be discouraged too easily. Life will test your resolve and your willingness to get up off the floor after being knocked down. But you possess the strength and courage to succeed over any difficulty. You do not express your feelings much. It is hard for you to give up the past.
You are generous and willing to help in a crisis. You can be philanthropic and a pillar of your community.

Born on the 25th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:06:00 GMT

You possess a sound, rational mind and keen insight.

You are logical and intellectual in your approach to life. At the same time, you have fine intuition, which, if you are able to listen to, will guide you well through life.
You are capable of investigating and researching subjects deeply. Your analytical skills force you to avoid taking anything at face value. This is where you are at your best: using your intellect to ferret out facts and information to deeply understand the matter at hand, and then make sound decisions.
You would fare well in the sciences, teaching, philosophy, metaphysics, and psychology.
Your challenge is that while you are using your mind to analyze life's issues, you must not neglect the heart. You can become easily imbalanced in favor of the intellectual, which can make you aloof, critical, and - at the very worst - cynical. Do not let your intellect rule your life to the point that it obscures the fundamental human qualities of understanding, compassion, and love.
You prefer to work alone and set your own pace. You tend to finish projects once started. You may possess artistic talent, especially in sculpture.
You are very sensitive and feel deeply, but you don't share your feelings easily and do not communicate them well. Work hard to develop and maintain deep and important relationships. Learn to share your emotions and deeper thoughts about life. Trust is the key to your emotional happiness.

Born on the 24th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:05:00 GMT

You are family-oriented,

with a gift for restoring and maintaining balance and harmony in relationships. You are emotional and sensitive and like to demonstrate your love. You have a gift for both the healing and cultural arts.
You can be overly emotional and even melodramatic. You have a tendency to magnify your emotional issues, especially when they involve some kind of criticism of you.
You are willing to sacrifice much to maintain harmony in important relationships. You willingly provide a soft shoulder to cry on or a ready ear to hear out someone's travail.
You are energetic, responsible and helpful, but your sympathetic nature may cause you to interfere in relationships and get you into trouble. Know your limits. At the same time, you must avoid being taken advantage of.
Your artistic talent goes in many directions, but you are likely gifted in acting and drama.
At the same time, you generally do well in business because you are systematic, careful, and patient in your approach to business issues. You can be a bit impractical, however, and need others to give you sound advice.
You are a good friend and a faithful companion. You attract sound people to you who gladly advance you along the lines of your talents.

Born on the 23rd

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:04:00 GMT

You love change and excitement and need both to feel truly alive.

For you, life is an adventure, to be lived to the fullest. You don't want to be cheated from having your share of experience.
You are highly adaptable, which makes change a great deal easier for you than for others. You have an easy way with relationships and generally get along well with most people you meet.
You have a gift for communication and promoting yourself. You possess talent in verbal and writing skills, and would make an excellent writer, editor, or salesperson.
You are quite affectionate and sensitive. You work well with others as long as there are not too many restrictions placed upon you. You do not like to be cooped up in the same place for long; you get restless and bored easily.
You are versatile and talented and there are few things you can not do. You have a very sharp mind and a fine understanding of the body, which makes careers in medicine or health both possible and rewarding.
You are very creative and witty. But you can shirk responsibility and let your gift of gab get you through the tight spots. There can be a tendency toward sensorial indulgence, especially in food, alcohol, and sex. You need to learn to focus your considerable energies. Discipline and order are necessities for you to be successful in life.

Born on the 22nd

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:01:00 GMT

You have great potential as a leader,

organizer, or builder of an institution or business. You have a vision and the capability to materialize it. You possess the capacity for great strength, but conversely you can be deeply afraid of the dimensions of your ambitions. You may secretly feel that nothing will measure up to your original dream. Consequently, you can turn away from your ambitions. This can result in enormous disappointment to you should you sacrifice your dream because of fear of failure.
Your challenge is to be willing to start your enterprise small and take practical steps toward enlarging it to its full scope.
You have a gift for seeing both the details of a plan and how it should unfold. You are orderly and patient. You can approach a problem methodically and systematically.
Your solutions tend to be unique. You keep your own counsel and have much inner strength.
Conversely, you can be nervous and suffer grave doubts about yourself, which you also tend to hide.
Your have unusual perception. Your intuition is very good and you should rely on your first impressions.
You are both practical and idealistic. You tend to want to ground your ideals in realistic methods. You are not one to indulge too much in grandiose plans for their own sake.
You have enormous potential for success. Many who have left a permanent stamp on humanity - inventors, leading artists, and statesmen - have had the 22 prominent in their charts.

Born on the 21th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:00:00 GMT

You are highly creative, with a strong will to succeed.

You have a social gift. You get along well with others and generally enjoy people immensely.
Your imagination is highly charged. It reveals itself in everything you do, from your sparkling conversation to your most prized projects. You are quick witted and can think on your feet. Both your mind and body are vital and seemingly radiating with life.
You are talented in writing and verbal skills. You can succeed as an artist, writer, or editor.
You are inspiring and enthusiastic. You uplift social gatherings and often serve as the life of the party. You are an excellent salesman.
Your challenge is to ground and focus your energies deeply in a specific field or endeavor. You must develop yourself and your talents in order to make the most of your life. Otherwise, you can easily let charm and wit pass for outstanding work, thus wasting your talents.
You can be nervous and even given to paranoia, especially when your nerves become frayed or your imagination runs out of control.
Your love runs deep and you can be passionate. More often than not, however, you are on the receiving end of affection, simply because people are charmed by you or attracted to your charismatic personality.

Born on the 20th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 14:58:00 GMT

You are highly sensitive and very impressionable.

You possess great awareness and can sense the feelings of others, even when they try to hide their inner thoughts. Consequently, you are easily influenced by your environment. You are highly emotional as well, which makes you all the more subject to the changing winds within your surroundings.
All of this creates a great need to develop and maintain your own center. Once you have accomplished this task, life will become more manageable and less threatening.
You are especially moved by beauty, harmony, and love.
You give affection and need much in return. You especially need physical affection, that is, plenty of hugs and warmth. You like to spend time with family and friends. You are a cooperative partner and hate to be alone.
Your talent lies in your keen insight and your willingness act as an advisor to those who are able to wield power. You operate best as "the power behind the throne".
You are less an initiator than one who sees a project through to completion. You are good with details, not much escapes your attention. You are modest, diplomatic and polite. You have the ability to persuade others to your point of view by using gentle means. You are brilliant at making others think they are brilliant.
Your high sensitivity makes you aware of other peoples feelings. You also act considerately. You must develop the ability to truly see how necessary you are to the success of any enterprise you enter. You are the glue that binds projects together. Speak up for yourself when necessary, but learn to quietly go about your business, confident in the fact that you are fundamental to any success.

Born on the 19th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 14:57:00 GMT

You are highly determined and yearn for independence.

You tend to struggle to achieve the degree of self- sufficiency you desire, and may endure considerable frustration in your struggle for independence. The reason: your desire for independence is so strong is that it eclipses so many other balancing perspectives. As the poet John Donne said: "No man is an Island unto himself... We are all bits of the main." This is a central lesson in your life: to learn the difference between the dream of independence and the reality of interdependence.
Your challenge is to achieve a wider degree of perspective on yourself and others. Exchange ideas with others, lest you become insulated and isolated by your own perspective. This can become a kind of prison for you.
You can be highly stubborn, which emanates from fear. Try to see that all of life is but an ecosystem, a life cycle delicately balanced in such a way that everyone is supporting.
You are highly ambitious and have a strong drive for success and power. Although self confident, you like to be encouraged. You are a hard worker and an important fixture in any enterprise in which you are involved. People are attracted to your deep commitment to your work, and the steadiness with which you do it.
You are a pioneer at heart; you are willing to take risks to get what you desire. As such, you are willing to change your environment often, and even enjoy doing so.
You are demonstrative in your affections and willing to sacrifice for others. You are highly idealistic, but if your ideals fail, you can become bitter and negative.
You are very sensitive, with many emotional ups and downs. You tend to find yourself in dramatic situations, yet you like to control your emotions in public and come off as if everything is under control.
With your determination and inventive and creative mind you have potential for achievement and financial reward!

Born on the 18th

karthikeyan_sm@rediffmail.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 14:56:00 GMT

You are a born leader, an efficient manager,

capable of organizing and inspiring others. You are especially talented in the areas of politics, religion, art, and law. You are highly creative and have an excellent understanding of people.
You are broadminded and should be educated in several different fields, particularly the arts. Many great artists are found under this number.
You tend to be a late bloomer and must be willing to take your time before choosing a profession. You need experience and exposure to many different types of people before you find the one area in which you will specialize.
You can relate to people in all walks of life. You will do quite a bit of traveling and go through many changes.
At bottom, you have a great dream for humanity. You want to improve the conditions of people, whether they are in your community, state, country, or the world at large.
This is where your deepest satisfaction lies - with performing some task that will benefit others.
You are able to express your feelings well, though a bit dramatically at times. You have a calm and even aristocratic appearance. However, beneath it there is a sense of frustration with not having received your due in life - either from parents, co-workers, or your community.
Your challenge is to learn acceptance and forgiveness. There is an element of sacrifice in your life. You need to let go of all negative attachments. Any thoughts of revenge will backfire badly against you. You need to employ your spiritual and philosophical outlook in all matters in which the balance seems to have been struck against you.
You attract money from all work that is service oriented. The more you do for others, the more you receive - - spiritually and materially - in return.