To analyze your home's Vastu: 1) Use a compass to find true North, 2) Draw a floor plan, 3) Divide it into 16 zones using the 8 directions, 4) Check if rooms are in their ideal positions (kitchen in SE, master bedroom in SW, bathroom in NW), 5) Note any doshas and apply remedies. This guide covers everything you need for a basic Vastu assessment.
Why Analyze Your Home's Vastu?
Vastu Shastra is the ancient Indian science of architecture and spatial arrangement. Based on the flow of cosmic energies and the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, space), Vastu principles help create living spaces that promote health, wealth, and harmony.
Before buying a home, renovating, or simply understanding why certain issues persist in your life, analyzing your home's Vastu can provide valuable insights. While a professional consultation is ideal for complex situations, a basic self-assessment can help you:
- Identify obvious Vastu defects
- Understand your home's energy flow
- Apply simple remedies for minor issues
- Prepare informed questions for a professional consultation
- Make better decisions when buying or renting a new place
Tools You'll Need
Before starting your Vastu analysis, gather these essential tools:
- Compass: A physical compass or a reliable compass app on your smartphone. Ensure metal objects don't interfere with readings.
- Floor Plan: Your home's blueprint, or graph paper to draw one
- Measuring Tape: For accurate room dimensions
- Pencil and Ruler: For drawing and marking
- This Guide: For reference as you analyze
The foundation of Vastu analysis is correctly identifying the 8 directions. Stand in the center of your home and use a compass to find:
- N (North): 0° / 360°
- NE (Northeast/Ishan): 45° — Most sacred direction
- E (East): 90°
- SE (Southeast/Agneya): 135° — Fire element
- S (South): 180°
- SW (Southwest/Nairutya): 225° — Earth element
- W (West): 270°
- NW (Northwest/Vayavya): 315° — Air element
Tips for accurate reading:
- Remove metal jewelry and keep away from electronics
- Take multiple readings from different spots
- Morning readings are often more accurate
- Consider magnetic declination for your location
Create a scaled drawing of your home's layout. Include:
- All rooms with their dimensions
- Doors and windows
- Kitchen, bathroom, and toilet locations
- Balconies and open spaces
- Staircase position (if applicable)
- Water tank, septic tank locations
If you have the original blueprint from the builder, use that. Otherwise, measure each room and draw on graph paper with a consistent scale (e.g., 1 square = 1 foot).
The Brahmasthaan is the geometric center of your home, considered the most powerful energy point. To find it:
- Draw diagonal lines from corner to corner of your floor plan
- The intersection point is your Brahmasthaan
- Mark a circle covering approximately 1/9th of your total area
Brahmasthaan Rules:
- Should be open or have minimal construction
- No pillars, beams, or heavy structures
- No toilet, kitchen, or staircase
- Ideally kept as living room or courtyard
Professional Vastu analysis uses a 16-zone grid (or sometimes 9-zone for basic analysis). To create this:
- Draw your floor plan in a rectangular boundary
- Divide into 4 rows and 4 columns
- Label each zone with its direction
- Note which rooms fall into which zones
This helps you see at a glance whether rooms are in their ideal positions.
Now compare each room's actual position with the ideal Vastu placement:
| Room/Element | Ideal Direction | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Main Entrance | N, NE, E, or NW | Receives positive morning energy |
| Kitchen | SE (best), NW | Fire element zone |
| Master Bedroom | SW | Stability and grounding |
| Children's Bedroom | W or NW | Promotes growth and movement |
| Bathroom/Toilet | NW or W | Air element helps dissipate negativity |
| Pooja Room | NE | Most sacred direction |
| Living Room | N, NE, E, or Center | Receives positive energy |
| Dining Room | W or E | Near kitchen, balanced energy |
| Study Room | NE, N, or E | Enhances concentration |
| Staircase | S, SW, or W | Heavy construction in earth zone |
| Water Tank (Overhead) | SW or W | Weight in earth zone |
| Underground Tank | NE or N | Water element zone |
The main entrance is crucial as it's the primary point of energy entry. Analyze:
- Direction: North, Northeast, and East entrances are most auspicious
- Obstructions: No pillars, poles, or trees directly in front
- Opening: Door should open inward and clockwise
- Threshold: Should be raised slightly
- Condition: No creaking sounds or broken parts
For precise entrance analysis, note which pada (segment) your door falls in. Each direction has 8 padas, and some are more auspicious than others.
Complete Vastu Self-Assessment Checklist
Go through this checklist and mark items that apply to your home:
- Main entrance faces North, Northeast, or East
- Kitchen is in Southeast corner
- Master bedroom is in Southwest
- Northeast is open or has prayer room
- No toilet in Northeast direction
- Center of home is open (no heavy construction)
- Overhead water tank in Southwest
- Staircase in South or West
- More windows in North and East
- Slope of floor/plot toward North or East
- Toilet in Northeast corner
- Kitchen in Northeast
- Entrance faces South or Southwest
- Bedroom over garage
- Clutter in Northeast
- Heavy items stored in Northeast
- Staircase in center or Northeast
- Cut or extension in any corner
- Underground water in Southwest
- Mirrors facing bed
Common Vastu Doshas and Their Effects
Vastu Doshas require expert analysis. While we list common doshas below, their impact varies based on your horoscope, the property's orientation, and other factors. For accurate assessment and personalized remedies, please consult our Vastu expert or astrologer. Self-remedies may not be effective without proper guidance.
Northeast (Ishan) Toilet Dosha
This is considered the most serious Vastu defect. The Northeast represents divine energy, wealth, and wisdom. A toilet here can cause:
- Financial problems and blocked income
- Health issues, especially mental stress
- Obstacles in career and education
- Spiritual disconnection
Remedy: If structural changes aren't possible, keep the toilet door always closed, place a Vastu pyramid inside, and keep the area extremely clean.
Southwest Bedroom Missing
If the Southwest is cut, extended, or lowered:
- Instability in head of family's position
- Financial insecurity
- Relationship problems
Remedy: Place heavy furniture in Southwest, use yellow or earth-toned colors, and keep this area well-lit.
Kitchen in Wrong Direction
Kitchen in Northeast or Southwest can cause:
- Health problems
- Family conflicts
- Financial drain
Remedy: Use red or orange colors, ensure cooking is done facing East, and keep the area clutter-free.
When to Consult a Vastu Expert
While self-assessment is valuable for understanding basics, consult a professional Vastu expert when:
- You're planning to buy or build a new home
- Multiple serious doshas are identified
- Persistent problems despite simple remedies
- Major renovation or reconstruction is being considered
- Commercial property analysis is needed
- You want personalized remedies based on your horoscope
A qualified Vastu consultant can provide:
- Precise pada-level analysis
- Remedies customized to your situation
- Integration with astrological factors
- Professional floor plan evaluation
- Muhurat for moving or renovations
Vastu is a profound science that takes years to master. This guide gives you the foundation to understand your home's energy, but for complex situations, expert guidance ensures the best results. Remember, the goal of Vastu is to create a home that supports your wellbeing, prosperity, and happiness.