Changing families, switching rooms
Vasthu Sastra by T. SELVA
WOULD the Vasthu Sastra orientation in a house change if the family expands? Deepa
Kaur from Kuala Lumpur asked what would happen if her bachelor son, whose bedroom
is currently in the north-east, gets married and decides to stay with the family.
Having an extended family all living harmoniously under one roof is, of course, the ideal
scenario, and Vasthu rules can help achieve that.
In Deepa’s house, the newly wed couple should occupy bedroom in the south-west with a
north-west bedroom being the next option.
They must not occupy the north-east, which is the spiritual quadrant, or the south-east,
which is the fire corner.
Married women sleeping in the north-east quadrant will have difficulty in conceiving; if
she does conceive, there is a risk of having a deformed or disabled child. This is because
it is inauspicious to have conjugal relationships in the divine quadrant.
Couples sleeping in the fiery south-east area will have disagreements and quarrels and
experience disharmony in their relationship.
If, in a double-storey house, the parents occupy a bedroom in ground floor’s south-west,
a bedroom for the young couple should be created in the first floor’s south-west
quadrant.
If this is not possible, the north-west is an option. However, since this is the air quadrant,
the couple could be prone to gas and air-borne illnesses if they sleep here.
Generally, in homes that house extended families, it is highly recommend that the oldest
couple occupy the ground floor while younger couples use the top floor. This also gives
them their own space and privacy.
According to Vasthu principles, when the breadwinner of the house retires, he should
vacate the master’s quadrant, the south-west bedroom, in favour of his or her working son
or daughter.
Even if the head of the family is still working part-time, he or she should make way for
the children to take over.
The older couple should move to a bedroom in the north-east, as it is a favourable place
for aged people.
I understand that it can be difficult for some people to make these changes after
occupying the same room for decades, but such changes would be for their own good.
This is because, in the later years of any couple’s life, they should slow down, relax and
move towards the spiritual – and the north-east is the spiritual quadrant.
One thing that shouldn’t change, however, is the kitchen.
Even if the family grows bigger, it would not be advisable to have two cooking zones or
different sets of utensils to cater to different tastes as this can create tension and
disharmony.
There should be only one kitchen, either in the south-east or north-west. There should
also be only one living and dining area – to promote family togetherness.
Couples should avoid having a television in their bedroom as this can create hostility and
distance them from the rest of the family.
But they can have their own safe, which should be kept in the south-west corner with the
front facing north for improved wealth.
It is incorrect to take compass readings only in the room occupied by the new couple.
I understand that some couples only consider their bedroom because that is their space
and they do not own the house. But that is wrong because a Vasthu Sastra analysis should
encompass the totality of their parents’ house.
In ancient studies, there is a lot of focus on the daughter-in-law who joins the family as
she is regarded as a symbol of wealth, beauty and joy within the house.
She, in turn, needs to have in abundance the virtues of tolerance and understanding and
be willing to adopt a give-and-take approach to life with the family. In such homes,
prosperity comes from sharing and being united.
Vasthu talks
The columnist will give a talk on Vasthu Sastra and the science of pyramids at the Yoga
Centre on the First Floor, Lot 48/3 to 5, Semambu, Kuantan, Pahang, on March 4 at
7pm.
Admission is by contribution of RM10 to an orphanage in Kuantan. For details, contact
Clarence Leong at 019-922 1668.
A similar talk will be held on April 2 at 3pm in Kuala Lumpur.
For details, contact Nivas Ragavan at 012-383 0389.
T. Selva, The Star’s Maritime Editor, has spent years researching this ancient Indian
science of construction, better known as ‘Indian feng shui’. He is a student of 7th
generation Vasthu Sastra Master Yuvaraj Sowma from Chennai, India. He can be
contacted at tselvas@pd.jaring.my