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Healing Buildings
by Michael
Borden
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"In the heart
cave of the body there is inner space
and in that inner-space there is the vibrant thread of
consciousness. It is this thread of consciousness that functions as the
string of the sarira-vina (bodily
instrument)."
"The structure of the vaastu inspired building vibrates with cosmic energy
and the bodily instrument resonates with this vibration."
"To create and offer the house of supreme bliss, and
to enable us to experience that supreme bliss here in
this mundane house itself -- these are the prime
motives of the Vaastu science." Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati
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For several
years I have traveled annually to Chennai,
India, to study the principles of Vaastu Science as
applied to Architecture. Vaastu architecture or
Sthapatya Vedic architectural is a tradition of sacred
Architecture that is founded in basic principles of
the laws of nature.
In my architectural studies I have always been in
search of the ideal expression of the art and science
of the discipline. When I began a search for
information about Sthapatya Vedic Architecture. I
found that there were several volumes of ancient
Indian literature, as well as modern, dedicated to the
subject. When I surveyed the books I found them quite
confusing. I realized that I needed to find a
teacher.
I found an architect in India who was supposed to be
an expert of the tradition of knowledge. I had
attended a performance of Indian sacred dance one
evening and in the introduction to the performance the
dancer told us that she had danced at a conference on
Sthapatya Vedic Architecture in Southern India. After
the performance, I asked the dancer if she could
recommend an expert architect in the tradition. She
eagerly gave me the name of Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati
of Chennai, India. I called the Sthapati the next day
and he told me that he was building a temple in the
Midwest and would be visiting the site within a week.
I made arrangements to meet with him immediately.
I met Sthapati at a temple
in St Louis. As I was
ushered in to meet him I noticed that the Indian
workers that were building the temple treated the man
with utmost respect. Our interview lasted about one
hour. I showed him my house designs and he chuckled as
he critiqued them. He said that architecture was
frozen music and that a building could be an
expression of pleasant and powerful harmonies and
rhythms.
He made sketches on my drawings, mentioning
something called a "Vastu Purusha Mandala". He spoke
of the possibility of a building being a coherence
generator, tuning the occupants to the laws of the
universe and increasing health, wealth and spiritual
well being. He said that a building was a living
organism, like the human nervous system, and could be
designed in "harmonic resonance" with the underlying
energy structure of the universe. But more than his
words, his presence, his confidence, his enthusiasm
and love of his art, told me that he was a man who
lived his Truth. At the end of our meeting I asked
him if I could come to India and study with him, he
seemed a bit surprised actually, but he welcomed me to
come.
I have learned to use a basic design formula involving
a diagram called the "Vaastu Purusha Mandala". This
"diagram" is actually the seed form of all manifest
existence. To understand what the Vaastu Purusha
Mandala looks like start by making a two dimensional
grid drawing divided into 81 equal squares, a 9 x 9
grid. Then project the two dimensional grid into a
three-dimensional cube. This cube, or "micro-abode",
as Sthapati has named it, is the basic pattern of the
universe. This energy cube is also the pattern from
which all manifest forms emerge into existence. In
other words, the pattern for the universe is also the
pattern for every particle of it.
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The Vaastu designer uses the Vastu Purusha Mandala as
the foundational or ruling pattern of a building.
Every element of the structure is laid out vertically
and horizontally with respect to this pattern, and
because of this, the building is not only a symbol of
Universal Law, but is actually the embodiment of That.
The building resonates with the cosmic light, energy
and music of the universe. Sthapati calls this tuning
the building to universal existence "resonance" and
goes further to explain that resonance means "Bhakti"
or love. Anyone occupying such a building comes under
the influence of this cosmic resonance and experiences
growth of life, love, energy, and spiritual bliss.
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I have designed and built several Vaastu buildings,
including what may be the largest commercial complex
in the world designed according to these principles:
an American manufacturing facility in southern China. The most unique experience I have had with this
knowledge is watching unsuspecting construction
professionals come under the invigorating influence of
the building. I am not exaggerating when I tell you
that my experience is that even in explaining the
principles of the building to the contractors I watch
them light up with enthusiasm and energy. I have had
hardcore construction workers, who were not even aware
of the building’s unique design basis, comment to me
that the project is great to work on and to keep them
in mind for the next one.
This knowledge is what I have been hoping for and
seeking my whole building career. The quest for ideal
shelter is as old as life itself. More of these
buildings belong on the surface of the planet now and
thanks to the energy, dedication and generosity of Dr.
V. Ganapati Sthapati, they will be.
Contributing Writer: Contact Michael Borden at:
Vastuved International Inc. P.O. Box 2197
Fairfield, Iowa 52556 USA Email: vastuved@yahoo.com
www.vastu-design.com
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