Vaastu Shastra is an ancient piece of Indian Hindu literature that explains to us how physical things affect the energies around us. There are two kinds of energies- positive and negative. Positive energies influence us to make us happy, optimistic, healthy, competent; basically all the good things. On the other hand, negative energies are associated with misfortune, sadness, restlessness, instability; basically all the bad things. Some people may dismiss Vaastu Shastra to be a mere superstition, but some people swear by the positive effect it has on their lives. A few principles of Vaastu Shastra may seem to be superfluous and unnecessary, but many are backed by science. Vaastu Shastra, in fact, IS an ancient Indian science that was compiled by the most knowledgeable men of the Vedic era.

Vaastu Shastra comprises of a few basic components that the entire science is based on. These components are- elements of the world, directions of the world, orientations of physical objects in space and how they affect the worldly energies. The directions are- East, West, North, South, North-east, North-west, South-east and South-west. The elements are- Air, Water, Fire, Earth and the Sky. Every physical object in this world has a dominant element, and this element, when placed in a certain orientation in space, affects the energies around us in a certain way. This whys and hows of this are what Vaastu Shastra explains to us.

One may not believe in things like these, but there is no one in this world who doesn’t want health, wealth and happiness. So even if you are a skeptic, there is no harm in employing some of Vaastu Shastra’s principles to your own life. Here are a few tips right from the ancient books of Vaastu Shastra to bring happiness to your home and in your life-

1. BEDROOM

Your bedroom is the place you retreat to after a long, tiring day. It is your most personal space, where you relax and rest. So your bedroom should be calm, peaceful and help you relieve your day’s stress and rejuvenate yourself for the next day. Here a few tips to ensure the same-
1. Paint the walls of your bedroom with soft, soothing hues. Most preferable are lilac, soft shades of rose, blue and green. Do not paint the walls in bright, flashy colors like red as it may make you restless.
2. It is preferred by Vaastu that you don’t have any mirrors in the room at all. But if you do, place it on the North-Eastern wall of the bedroom.
3. Avoid placing your bed in the center of the room. Place your bed and any heavy objects (like cupboards) in the South, South-west or Western direction.
4. Keep the space beneath your bed absolutely clutter-free. Spaces like these attract restless and negative energies which may hinder with your sleep
5. Sleep with your head facing South or East. This ensures a peaceful and restful sleep.
6. Do not sleep in front of a mirror.
7. You should not have a window behind you when you are sleeping. If you do, change positions or the orientation of your bed.

2. BATHROOM

Bathrooms and toilets, according to Vaastu, are the places that tend to attract negative energy. Hence it is important to nullify the negative effects of these places of your homes since you cannot really do away completely with bathrooms and toilets.
1. Always take a bath in the western area of your bathroom.
2. Paint the walls of your bathroom in bright colors.
3. Always close the toilet lids when not in use. Open toilets tend to drain your wealth down.
4. Toilets should not be adjacent to the pooja room or dining room of your house.
5. Mirrors should always be put on the eastern wall of the bathroom. Showers and taps should be fixed on the Southern or South-eastern wall.
6. Make sure that the water always drains towards the northeastern side of the bathroom.
7. Place any dirty linens in the west side of the bathroom to kill the bacteria.
8. Your toilets should not be right above a bedroom or the dining room as it attracts illnesses.

3. KITCHEN

According to Vaastu, a kitchen is the most potent source of all kinds of energies in the house. So its location, orientation, and correct adornment are of extreme importance to ensure a happy home and a happy prosperous life.
1. Your kitchen should never be adjacent, above, or below a toilet/bathroom. The kitchen should also not be adjacent to the pooja room.
2. All electronics should be in the south or south-western part of the kitchen.
3. The space above the cabinets in the kitchen should not be cluttered, but not be empty either. Keep them clean and optionally you can put indoor plants to keep the spaces occupied.
4. The sink should be at the maximum possible distance from the stove.
5. Use warm colors like Yellow, Orange and red for the walls of your kitchen. Avoid coloring them black.
6. Your kitchen must never face the main entrance of the house.
7. The flooring should be ceramic, mosaic or marble. Avoid any other materials like cement or wood.
8. The stove should not be visible from outside the kitchen.

4. LIVING ROOM

This is the area of your house where the maximum activity occurs. The living room is the most welcoming, and the most attractive room in the house. It is the center of the house and the most tastefully decorated. Hence it is obvious that the most attention should be given to the living room so that it welcomes good luck and prosperity along with your guests.
1. Do not use dark shades to paint the walls of the living room. White, cream and light green are the most ideal colors for the living room walls.
2. All electronics should be placed in the south-east corner of the living room.
3. Keep the north-east corner of the room clean and clutter-free. This area will attract peace and positive energy. You can enhance this by placing a few indoor plants in this corner.
4. Do not put artificial plants or dried flowers in the living room. They attract dust and negative energy.
5. The living room should be brightly lit.
6. Hang beautiful pictures on the walls to bring in positive energy. Avoid pictures of violence or war. Use only pictures depicting tranquility. You can hang pictures of nature or the gods.
7. Your living room should not have a beam or girder on the ceiling above it, as it subdues your good luck.

5. DINING ROOM

The dining room is also an important part of your home. So you need to ensure that it attracts prosperity and good luck along with helping you digest your meals easily.
1. The dining table should always be rectangular or square. It should not oval or circular as it represents instability.
2. The kitchen and the dining hall should always be adjacent to each other. If not, they should at least be on the same floor.
3. Do not place your dining table below a beam (on the ceiling) or a loft. Shift it a little so you are not directly seated under it.
4. The lighting must be soft and easy on the eyes. Also, paint the walls in shades of orange, green and cream. Avoid colors like grey, white or black.
5. The dining room should not face the main entrance of the door. It causes loss of wealth.
6. Do not put the dining table against a wall. It should be a little away from the walls, preferably in the center of the floor.
7. You can hang pretty pictures of food to stimulate appetite and even a mirror as it circulates good energy and stimulates conversation.

6. POOJA ROOM

The pooja room is an auspicious place, a place where you connect with your inner spirituality. This place should attract health, wealth and happiness and Vaastu gives the following tips to help you ensure this-
1. Never build a pooja room adjacent to a toilet/bathroom or inside a bedroom.
2. Always enter the pooja room with your hands and feet washed.
3. Paint the walls of the pooja room in white, lemon or light shades of blue.
4. The doors and windows of the pooja room should be towards the west, and your pooja room should be situated in the north, northeastern or eastern part of your house.
5. Avoid the presence of any triangular patterns inside the pooja room.
6. Try to have a lot of white in the pooja room. White is a sacred color and helps you connect with your spirituality.
7. Nothing should be kept above the cabinet/slab where the idols of god or the mandir are placed.

7. FOR WEALTH

Everyone wants to be wealthy. I mean obviously, who doesn’t want a steady cash flow and lots of prosperity in their home and their lives? So here are a few Vaastu backed tips to ensure the same-
1. All the taps and faucets should be tightly closed. Dripping faucets symbolize drainage of money in your home.
2. Keep your cash and valuables in a cupboard facing south or south-east.
3. Keep indoor plants (a money plant is a great option) in the south-west corner of the house. This stabilizes your finances.
4. The entrance door should be ornate and decorated well, preferably with a nameplate on it. The door should be made of superior quality materials.
5. Keep the doors and the windows of the house very clean so as not to obstruct cash flow.
6. Purple is the color of wealth, so try having plants in purple colored pots and plants with purple flowers or purple leaves in the house.

8. FOR HEALTH

Health is your greatest wealth, and apart from eating healthy and having a good and active lifestyle, you can give your health a boost with the following Vaastu Shastra tips-
1. Staircases should always be built in some corner of the house and not the center, as this invites illnesses.
2. Light a red bulb or a red candle in the south-eastern corner of the house to promote wellness.
3. The center of the house should not have any heavy objects like big cupboards, tables, etc. and structures like beams or pillars. This area should be well-lit and clutter free. This will ensure good health of the family.
4. The main gate of the house should be high enough so that the road outside is not visible.
5. Always sleep with your head towards the south for general good health.

9. FOR HAPPINESS

One’s happiness is the most important aspect of their well-being. If you are not happy, then no amount of money or materialistic things will satisfy you. To make your life full of happiness and inner satisfaction, here are some tips Vaastu suggests you try-
1. The entrance of the house should be towards the north or east.
2. Do not keep a dustbin or a shoe rack outside the entrance, as it invites negativity.
3. The central area of your house should be clean, clutter-free and spacious. Avoid having any heavy furniture or construction in this part.
4. All the corners of the house should be brightly lit as these are the places which affect the energies of the house the most.
5. Keep the enclosed and small spaces in the house clutter-free. Spaces under beds, above cabinets, inside store-rooms, all these attract dust and negativity. So they should be clean and free from clutter.
6. Cover any exposed mirrors in the house.
7. The eastern side should have maximum windows while the western side should have the least windows. If there are too many windows on the west side, cover them with heavy curtains.

10. FOR CAREER

If you use these Vaastu tips along with working hard and steady, you will surely achieve great heights and have a bright career–
1. While studying or working you should face north.
2. Never sit with your back exposed to the entrance
3. The southern corner of your study/office should be well-lit.
4. Your table should be as far as possible from the main entrance of the room.
5. Always opt for a chair with a high back and armrests as they provide balance and support.
6. Wooden tables are the best and attract the most prosperity. You can also have a glass-topped table towards the west of the room.
7. You should keep quartz or other rock crystals in the room to invite opportunities and positive energy.
8. Keep your desk free from clutter and well-organized.
9. Keep a potted plant in the south-east corner of your room as it promotes financial growth.

11. FOR STUDENTS

Students are at that stage of development where they are still working towards building a prosperous future. Here are some Vaastu backed tips to give their studying efforts a boost:
1. Do not sit with your back facing the door while studying.
2. The study table should be clean and free from clutter.
3. Mirrors in the room should be covered at night.
4. The study room should be well-lit and have adequate natural lighting and fresh air coming in at all times.
5. The study table should not be directed against a wall, instead, it should be slightly away from it.
6. Place the study lamp to your left for increased concentration.
7. Paint the room in vibrant and cheerful colors, and avoid the usage of dark or dull colors for the walls.
8. The study-table should face the East or North for better performance. It should not face South at all.

These Vaastu Shastra tips, if not true or useful, are completely harmless. So if you are working hard enough towards a happy, healthy and prosperous life, do give Vaastu Shastra a chance. Who knows, they might give your life the boost it needs!