Vāstu: Breathing Life into Space

Robert Svoboda addresses Vāstu, the classical Indian art (or science) of architectural form, in a wholly unique way. Instead of presenting lists of rules and architectural injunctions to which builders and interior designers must scrupulously adhere at all times, he sensitizes the reader to the dynamics of space, alignment, and form in ever-expanding orbits of individual life. In the process of guiding the reader through a series of meditations on the dynamics of space and alignment, Dr. Svoboda enters the realms of classical Indian medicine (Āyurveda) and astrology (Jyotiša), which, it turns out, are of the greatest importance to realizing Vāstu and its contours in one’s life. Dr. Svoboda allows readers and home builders to understand the complex dynamics of individual, terrestrial, and celestial energetic systems. This leads to a greater awareness of the nature of space and its application to house construction, interior spaces, gardens, one’s relationship with the land, and, consequently, one’s relationship with oneself.