By Kathleen Cox
Reviewed for The Whole Life Times by Lorrie Kazan
Vastu, the ancient Hindu science of architecture and design, “is based on the Vedic idea that harmony within and without come from observing our proper relationship with every space we inhabit. In other words, before we can achieve internal peace, we need to find external peace.”
To create that environment, we begin by studying the five elements that exist in all matter, i.e., fire, water, space, air and earth and their location and connection to the rhythms of the universe. I suspect that to connect one’s self deeply with universal rhythms is a means of bringing internal peace even while exploring harmonization of the physical environment.
Kathleen Cox shows us how to practice Vastu in all areas of our lives and reveals its teachings on everything from room layout and furniture placement to the theories behind the construction of ancient temples, in order that we understand how to consciously incorporate the divine into every dimension of our lives.
The author has intentionally westernized some of the concepts. For example, in India one might place the swastika within a particular space in order to create a sense of safety and happiness. Since Hitler ruined that for the rest of us by co-opting and reversing it, we’re offered alternatives such as the Ganesha, the elephant-faced god who is the bringer of joy and remover of obstacles.
Ms. Cox has lived and traveled extensively in India. Her love for the country and its traditions is evident in her writing, which is concise, and on one level, easy to follow. The difficulty for me is with the complexity of the system. It’s said that feng shui was originally derived from Vastu, and while Vastu in some ways almost seems easier, it is still no mere snap to understand. This book can be a beginning.
Marlowe and Company, September 2000.
