Vastu Shastra is the ancient spatial science of positive spatial arrangements for homes and offices. The process, though, is not an easy one and with so much of hidden knowledge at hand, the field of Vastu remains riddled with several misconceptions. Here are 5 common Vastu Myths Debunked
1: The Walls in the Living Room, Master Bedroom and Children’s Rooms Can Be Painted in Generic Colours
Fact: Like everything else in vastu, the direction of the room is of utmost importance while choosing a colour. I would like to highlight here that most people lack the basic understanding of how to detect the direction of the room, which is the most vital and preliminary step of vastu. People normally say the entrance is ‘facing’ north-east or is ‘facing out’ to south-west. This is incorrect. The accurate measurement or detection of spatial placement should be made with a compass, from the center point of the house. This is irrespective of where the person holding the compass is facing. From the center point of the house, the eight primary directions should be determined and all further vastu placements should be based on this.
The direction and color preference for the living room can be:
North or North-East: Exclusively blue
North-West: Blue, grey, white, and even black
East: Green
The direction and color preference for the master bedroom can be:
South-West: Peach preferably, but you can also opt for pink and grey
South: Exclusively red
West: Silver, dark blue, black
The direction and color preference for the children’s room can be:
North-West: Blue
2: The Eldest Person in the House Should Occupy the Master Bedroom
Fact: The master bedroom, preferably positioned in the south-west direction of the house, is a seat of leadership. Hence, the functional head of the family, who may or may not be the senior-most member of the family, should be assigned the master bedroom. Thus, if the father is retired, he should hand over the southwest master bedroom to the eldest son or daughter as he/she would then make a successful functional head of the family. The father, as a retired person, should move to a bedroom in the northeast which can lead him towards spirituality.
3: Mirrors Should not be Placed Opposite the Bed
Fact: A mirror in the bedroom should be placed such that while sleeping, the body should not be reflected in the mirror. That means any direction from where the body is reflected, should be avoided. Also, mirrors should not be used to remedy Vastu defects as it is an extremely complex and controversial procedure with very little efficacy, even if it is done right.
4: It is Auspicious to Place a Ganesha idol in the House
Fact: Lord Ganesha is a revered deity and is worshipped by people across the country. Known to ward off obstacles and for auspicious beginnings, it is a common practice to place a Ganesha idol in the house. However, it is important to pay attention to the direction of the trunk of the Ganesha idol. Ganesha with his trunk turned towards the left is widely worshipped in the northern part of the country while Ganesha with his trunk turned towards the right is seen mostly in temples, especially in the southern part of the country.
When placing an idol at home, Ganesha with his trunk turned left should be preferred as it is said to bring peace and prosperity. Ganesha with his trunk pointing towards the right is called the Siddhi Ganesha, the giver of high spiritual powers; this idol demands stringent norms and rituals to be followed if placed in the house. In a normal household leading a materialistic lifestyle, the Ganesha with the trunk turned to the left should be worshipped instead of the one with the trunk to the right.
5: Mythological or Nature-Inspired Images Can be Placed Anywhere in the House
Fact: As a general rule of Vastu, any images depicting violence, disaster, or cruelty should be avoided. Even in the case of mythological pictures, images of war from the epic Mahabharata, for example, should be avoided, even if they are from a revered text. An image of Arjuna bowing to Krishna while listening to the Gita is a favored picture. Another one with Arjun drawing the arrow and ready for war, is not advisable. Similarly, photos of volcanoes or tsunamis,s, and a shipwreck should be avoided.
However, there can be direction-specific images that can be used to enhance the positive Vastu of the room. For example, water-based photos can be placed in the northeast part of the house while fire-related images can be in the southeast direction. Photos showing anything heavy like elephants or mountains can be placed in the southwest direction, and air-related images, depicting motion, can be placed in the northwest direction of the room.
While Vastu myths clarified above are in principle accurate, the science of spatial energy remains a complicated and dynamic one, with guidance from an expert being advisable. However, when leveraged effectively, Vastu Shastra can be a wonderful tool to enhance the lives of people in the house.
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