Looking at real estate advertisements you will see mention of such things as “good location”, “nice view”, “spacious deck”, but up until now you have not seen the words Vastu-correct.Keep your eyes open, however, this expression may be commonplace in the future.Vastu Vidya is the ancient science from India of layout and orientation of any building in harmony with natural law, currently revived as Maharishi Sthapatya Veda.It involves precise design for the building as a whole, every construction aspect within it, and a number of environmental factors around it. This science, which pre-dates Feng Shui, is the knowledge of using Vedic mathematics to create perfect proportions so that along with correct alignment, the dwelling always bestows a happy, healthy and auspicious influence on the inhabitants.The revival of this science in its pure original form has come at the instigation of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who was insistent that much ill-health and unhappiness arose from dwellings and workplaces not constructed to resonate with the laws of nature.He pointed to the Indian Parliament building as an example of a colonial inheritance which was so poorly designed from a Vedic point of view that its chief influence is to promote quarrelling instead of intelligent discussion.The ancient Vedic civilisation of Northern India reached a high level of sophistication in its understanding and relationship with natural law not only in architecture, but in health and education which in daily life included practical techniques for developing higher states of consciousness.The word “Veda” itself refers to the infinite field of pure intelligence at the basis of all matter and phenomena in the universe - a world view now shared by quantum physicists. The Vedic texts, therefore, are like an operational manual for the whole of creation.Ideally a “vastu-correct” house has its main entrance facing due east. Such orientation is an important aspect of Vedic architecture as it aligns the dwelling with the nourishing energies of the rising sun, and each room is positioned to take advantage of the sun’s varying energy as it moves across the sky. The declining energy of a setting sun has an opposite influence to that of sunrise so a west-facing door is not seen as suitable.The orientation of the building in the correct direction also ensures optimum influence from the planets in the solar system, which can conversely have an adverse effect on health, wellbeing and material fortunes if the building is misaligned.Southern entrances are avoided because the planet Mars is associated with that direction and its destructive influences are brought into the house (or workplace) through a south-facing door. A northern entrance on the other hand is considered auspicious.A Vedic architect would also be careful about the placement of rooms within a house - for example the kitchen is usually in the south-east corner and the study or meditation room in the north-east portion.The position of the rooms is seen as being similar to the placement of organs within the human body … each has its correct place if the body is to function harmoniously.By now you may be getting some idea that the Vedic view of a building is that it is not just a lifeless assemblage of bricks and mortar, but some sort of “entity” that resonates with the energy fields of its occupants.I was fortunate to be on a public tour in recent years of about half dozen or so Auckland homes that have been built in accordance with Maharishi Sthapatya Veda, and it really was like a sentient person’s version of a ‘pub crawl’.The feeling of lightness and bliss was immediately evident on entering each of the buildings, and some participants reported basic benefits like headaches disappearing once inside. By that evening one was almost too ‘drunk’ with good feeling to want to go to sleep come bedtime.On the strictly practical side Vedic design usually takes care not to include toxic building materials, or to create a “Faraday cage” of excessive electrical wiring around each room.One important feature of each house is the Brahmasthan, a space in the exact centre of the home which creates a core of silence and stability. This is often noticeable from the outside by an elegant little structure on the roof, called a Kalash, which lets in a stream of natural light to ‘enlighten’ the interior of the home.Veda Houses are now being built in many parts of the world and it is interesting to note that there are more in New Zealand per head of population than in any other country.Guidance on all aspects of design can be gained from the international Maharishi Sthapathya Veda office assisted by the NZ co-ordinator, Neil Hamill of Auckland. [neil@broadway.net.nz or P.O. box 11477, Ellerslie] Neil and his wife Gaynor built the country’s first Veda House in Ellerslie for themselves over a decade ago and have experienced the added peace and spiritual elegance that such a structure brings to the lives of inhabitants.Personally it is my aspiration to follow their example but for now I rent what is termed an ‘aligned’ dwelling in sunny Tauranga. That means it is a house that by pure accident was built with its main entrance facing due east … a most fortunate accident.Examples of Veda Houses can be viewed at : www.vedicarchitecture.organd the author of this article can be viewed at www.blissbusiness.co.nz