Vastu Shastra - Western Reception

Western Reception

Vastu has made inroads in western esotericism (where architecture and "environmental metaphysics" have traditionally been dominated by Chinese Feng Shui) only in the 2000s, reflecting the comparatively recent revival of Vastu in Indian society itself.

Beginning in the late 1990s, a number of Western publications aiming at the esotericism market have appeared, offering Vastu as an alternative to Chinese Feng Shui. This is an erroneous assumption as the two fields are completely different. Vaastu Science and Technology is concerned with building from the ground up. There is very little that can be done to an existing structure to change the Vaastu effect., Dr. Jessie Mercay, Fabric of the Universe (ref 10 below). Recently, Vastu has been dismissively described by a British tabloid as "an obscure Hindu version of feng shui" but the tabloid does not cite any reason for its opinion.

Vaastu Shastras are not exclusively Hindu. Their origins precede what is known as Hinduism. The Shastras have been used for thousands of years to build all kinds of structures including temples for Jains, Hindus, Buddhists, Mosques, churches, pyramids all over the world,bridges, roads, big houses, little houses, apartments, medical clinics, palaces, huts, forts, and just about any form that requires engineering, architecture, or sculpture. Traditional dance, music, and poetry stem from the same tradition and use the same mathematics to create vibrant forms. see references below.