According to Vaastushastra manifesting any creative idea of the mind into physical reality is a scientific endeavor. It requires an understanding of the five elements of nature namely Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether and knowledge of astronomy and astrology. The main aim of Vaastushastra is to create a home that is comfortable, peaceful and in harmony with nature. In such a space a person is creative, energetic and healthy and lives a content happy life. We can safely state that to a large extent Vaastushastra also follows the rules of climate and is universal in nature. It's principals are not sectarian nor are they restricted to a particular geographical location. A home built on a coastal region will be different from one built in the desert area and the one built in the Northern hemisphere will be different still from a home built in Southern hemisphere. All of these differences will be due to regional climate, presence of water bodies, tilt of Earth's axis etc. However each of these dwellings can still be built by following the principles of Vaastushastra.
For the Northern hemisphere where we live let us try and understand the simple fact that govern the orientation of our house. As Sun rises in the East and sets in the West it travels a South bound path. The winds that we receive come from West and North-West direction. Because of the Southern inclination of Sun's path of travel in the sky we receive direct sunlight from the South and indirect light from North. Vaastushastra uses this principle to dictate the orientation of the site and the house according to the surrounding physical elements such as roads, trees, wells, hills etc. If applied properly, this principle can give us the benefits of well balanced natural elements in and around our home to enhance our comfort levels. In these parts of the Northern hemisphere for instance a home must be oriented with longer side on East-West axis. This orientation affords more solar radiation on the South facing wall keeping them warm in Winter and thus reducing our heating bills. South then becomes the most ideal location for Master bedroom per Vaastushastra. It seems very logical also to have North or East facing entrance and arrangement of doors and windows to receive the beneficial morning Sunlight creating an alert and fresh mind which is a pre requisite for prosperity. For this same reason North and East are also very good locations for study areas and library or a home office. North is the best direction for living areas that are used during the day and remain amply lighted with indirect sunlight. Placing kitchen on the Southeast would receive sunlight for most part of the day and it is required in this space for it's anti-bacterial cleansing qualities.
North is ruled by Kubera the lord of wealth/abundance, East is ruled by Indra also called Aditya-son of Aditi the lord of light/beginings, South is ruled by Yama the lord of death/destruction and West is ruled by Varuna lord of water/existence. The presiding deities for the intermediate directions are Shiva for Ishanya or Northeast, Agni for Agneya or Southeast, Pitru for Nairutya or Southwest and Vayu for Vayavya or Northwest. With respect to a direction's presiding deity, there are some do's and don't s suggested by Vaastushatra. For instance if the Northeast is clogged for some reason then even the best and honest human efforts and intentions to reach a particular goal may not yield satisfying results. It is therefore important that the Northeast corner of our homes be free from clutter, boring, pits, plumbing etc. South is the direction of Yama, the Lord of death and therefore it is considered extremely inauspicious to sleep with your feet facing South. The bed should always be placed if possible orienting North-South with our pillows on the South side. It can be argued that some rules of Vaastushastra appear orthodox and illogical, however upon further thought one realizes the scientific reason behind this particular suggestion. Earth's magnetic field has a strong influence on human beings. A human body itself acts like a magnet with the heavy portion of head acting like a North pole and our feet like the South pole. Sleeping with our heads towards North creates pressure on our system resulting in high blood pressure and a disturbed sleep. Without a deep sleep we are not recharged fully and are unable to perform our daily tasks properly the next day.
Appropriate location of doors and windows is also very important to create the desired indoor ambiance. A dark interior devoid of natural light creates a feeling of claustrophobia and lethargy. The interior layout also requires good analysis of the directions, path of light and position of doors and windows. Selection of color is equally important. It is quite possible that a home is not built on a site or with a floor plan that follows the Vaastushastra principals. Such situations can be remedied in a number of ways. However the important thing to understand is that Vaastushastra is not a fix for all problems experienced by human beings nor is it a substitute for honest work. It is just a catalyst that enhances human efforts. Most of our problems will be easily resolved if we follow good living habits. For instance our homes and living spaces must be clutter free at all times. Everything in this universe has it's own kind of life and everything has vibrations which is a form of energy, either negative or positive. Human beings with limited perception cannot perceive all forms of energy. Unwanted things or stuff create vibrations that block the flow of positive energy and therefore we must get rid of unwanted stuff. The principals of Vaastushastra can be and should be used to build and arrange our spaces, apply inspiring color schemes, enhance our landscapes to boost positive vibrations and create balanced happy lives. But beyond these physical applications lies the realm of Karma which every human being must endure.