A Grid and a Goddess

The ancient Indian architectural practice of Vastu, a philosophical design system connected to the idea of prosperity, abundance, and well-being, is something like Ayurveda or Yoga for architectural, interior and site design. Vastu design divides a home, building or site blueprint into nine square grids, three per side, aligned along the east-west solar and north-south magnetic compass points. Then the home, building and site are designed, according to ancient Vastu principles inspired by natural forces of magnetism and circadian rhythm, to enhance well-being and bring good fortune to our living spaces, according to eight compass directions. For more on this topic, see my post The Compass Directions in Vastu.

The center grid square is left as open space, providing a spiritual balance and connection with creative power within our natural world and the universe. This central area often functions as a connecting hallway between rooms in contemporary Vastu home design. The outer eight grids of a Vastu diagram are spaces to design the rooms to be drawn for the blueprint. Each of these outer eight grid squares align with one of eight compass points and would, traditionally, be subdivided into either four or six square or rectangular pieces, with the result being that 45 different Hindu devas would each have an influence over one specific subdivided space of the grid diagram to guide the home's design. For more on this topic, see my post Vastu Purusha Architectural-Metaphysics.

The names and attributes of these 45 devas go far beyond the Mother-Sister-Brother Hindu triad of Laxmi, Sarasvati and Ganesh or the divine feminine and masculine lovers Shakti and Shiva; well known to devotees of Yoga and Ayurveda. According to the Indian Institute of Astrology & Gemology (IIAG) website (accessed October 1, 2024), the names of the devas are: Shikhi, Parjanya, Jayant, Kulishayudh (Indra), Surya, Satya, Bhrish, Nabha, Anil, Pusha, Vitha, Grihakshat, Yama, Gandharva, Bhringraj, Mrig, Pitragan, Dauwarik, Sugriva, Pushpadanta, Varun, Asur, Shosh, Papayakshma, Rog, Nag, Mukhya, Bhallat, Soma, Sarpa, Aditi, Diti, Aap, Aapvatsa, Savita, Savitra, Indra, Jai, Rudra, Rajayakshma, Aryama, Vivasvan, Mitra, Prithvidhar, Brahma.

As an American architect with an interest in Vastu, I was pretty happy to find out that there is a simpler divine connection than 45 devas virtually unknown to the western world. While researching for my book about Fortuna, an ancient Roman Goddess of good fortune, the Hindu Goddess Laxmi (pronounced LUCKS-me) often came up as a modern-day corresponding Goddess of good fortune who is very definitely honored and worshiped in the present day. Like Fortuna, a Goddess who represented many aspects of luck to the peoples of the ancient Roman Empire, the Goddess Laxmi expresses different facets of luck for devotees of today's Hindu religion. Both Goddesses were and are blessed with descriptive names clarifying the type of blessings the Goddess was and is believed to bestow.

In ancient Roman inscriptions to the Goddess Fortuna we see, for example, Fortuna Bona as the Goddess in Her aspect of generic good fortune and Fortuna Salutaris as the Goddess who brings good health to those of us who are fortunate in receiving Her blessings. For more about Fortuna, buy my book p.s. Fortuna; Praises and Supplications For the Goddess. Ancient Sanskrit Aṣṭalakṣmī, translated as "Octet of Lakshmi", describes Ashta Laxmi, a multi-faceted Goddess of good fortune who represents a balance of material and spiritual well-being. Each of Ashta Laxmi's eight facets are described with a different name; for example, Vidhya Laxmi as the goddess of knowledge and learning, representing intellectual wealth and Adhi Laxmi as the goddess of prosperity and success.

These eight facets of cosmic Goddess superpowers, according to the creatrix of Ashta Lakshmi Reiki, Dr. Chandra (also known as Saraswathi), are: all sources of wealth, career, abundant wealth, health, children, success, talent and strength. Like an eight-sided gemstone of divine feminine luck-bestowing power, Laxmi's eight aspects may be conveniently described in the contemporary Star of Laxmi, a geometric figure appearing as an eight-pointed star, ingeniously ascribed to the Goddess Laxmi by the powerful 20th century film industry. The eight-pointed Star of Laxmi, if aligned along the north-south pole, points toward four major compass points (North, East, South, West) as well as midpoints in between them (NorthEast, SouthEast, SouthWest, NorthWest).

Some interpretations of Vastu associate the eight facets of Ashta Laxmi, and eight beneficial energies of overall luck, money, health, career, family, confidence, success and knowledge, with the outer eight squares of the Vastu grid diagram. Focusing on a single, inspirational source for these eight energies brings them to our conscious awareness, inviting the energies to flow to and through the Vastu grid squares for our home, with the connections between specific energies and grid squares being open to interpretation. If we imagine a Star of Laxmi in the middle of a home or building's architectural blueprint, we may perceive, on a purely geometric level, how eight beneficial energies may extend into and enhance our living and working environments, if we so choose.

Although these energies may be represented by a Hindu Goddess octet, they may also be represented by angels (angel of knowledge, angel of success, etc), or secular inspirations like placing a well-tended potted plant or a lovely vase with regularly changed out flowers on a table, or hanging a beautiful picture of a handsomely framed landscape on a wall. The choice of how to express inspiration is personal. When placed in the home according to Vastu principles, a focus of inspiration represents Vastu living. The enhancement of prosperity, abundance and well-being through environmentally harmonious design is an art and essence of Vastu architecture.

For a Reiki version of a Vastu Clearing, please visit my Metaphysics for Architecture webpage.

This article may be updated from time to time.