The rainmaker

It is sunday and we have the day off. I went to Monastery Lake near Pecos with Charley and he got in a little. He is afraid to swim but will get in up to a certain point. I will have to take him to the beach when I return to oregon to see if he is able to swim there...

Yesterday we started setting up the area and reviewing using certain tools where we are building the small temple/cottage. In the afternoon we went to cedar crest about 1 hr away to visit another recently completed vastu house. We staked out the energy fence for the house and the small temple on the land. Jessie said it would rain just as we finished up. And sure enough around 8pm the sky started to rumble with lightning and thunder and the rains poured like I have not seen in some time. It was awesome. She says it happens every time you start a house or a vastu project up. The energy reorders itself properly and brings on the rain (purifying the space).

Another classmate and I started to talk about "the rainmaker" in native american folklore. When there was a drought, there would be a dance in a confined area to bring on the rains. Given that mayan said there was a mathematical foundation to not only architecture but also dance, poetry, music, etc. It makes sense that one could bring on rain by doing a special dance or singing a special chant. But it would have to be based on this mathematical language in order to truly work.

Today Rose (classmate) and I went to get breakfast and we struck up a conversation with a man who turned out to be the husband of the owner of the restaurant. He was interested in what we were learning and happened to be of middle eastern decent. He showed us a formula that seemed to give support to why vedic math is important to use and why it is not the same as the metric system. He asked us to pick any sequence of numbers. For example, lets use 8310. If you add this number up, you get 12. Then if you take the same number and subtract 12 from it, you get 8298 -- the answer will always be a number that is divisible by 3 not matter what number you start with. There is something special about having a number system that is based on 3. He also claimed that the arab world bringing forth the '0' which created the metric system was the largest act of terrorism yet --- pretty bold statement but I could see how it could be true. Why? Because it makes the system total 10 (1-10) and this is not divisible by 3. If numbers indicate harmonies or frequencies/wavelengths, it could make things disharmonious. Jessie has been adamant about the metric system not working in vastu. There is just something that is not correct. We also talked about surveying equipment in class — how a lot of the sensors take measurements from satellites. This will actually cause things to be way off. It is best to measure by hand and to use feet and inches.

We have had a few flare ups between people in class this last week and in making the energy fence yesterday. You can see how the vastu energy is bringing things up for people to deal with. The information is pure and truthful and it is true that if you are not ready to receive it, you will be prevented from getting it. Kind of like self-sabotage. It has been very interesting so far to say the least.

Ayadi and Angulas

I should be reading my book now as it is getting late...I can't even remember what we covered today? More of the nuts and bolts of building—how to determine where the front door should go, how to determine compatibility of living space among multiple people living in a building, how to design for a business vs a person....where the walls go on the grid, etc.

A builder from santa barbara (Ken) came today who is enrolled in the program. It was great to get some perspective from an actual builder. He brought a model of a temple cottage that he made (part of class assignments). It was amazing. Such beautiful detail. We also have a model from another past student. The 2 of the models sitting together next to each other were actually very potent. Since it is an ayadi'd design (numbers had been run and everything was compatible), it means that that structure is a living, vibrating entity no matter how big or small. About noon time I heard this high pitched noise and all morning I was buzzing as I had been sitting next to them. Later in the afternoon, Seth who was next to me, asked if I heard anything. And I said yes and he admitted to me the day prior when he was sitting next to it that he had heard the same thing as me! These spaces are so powerful.

I think I want to learn Vedic Math. Strange but I can see how it could be even 'smarter' than western math. And to think math scared me? I was adding fractions the other day and I never thought I would enjoy doing that. Things are measured in Angulas in Vastu. Angulas are the distance from the tip of your thumb to the first crease. Ideally in the most perfectly formed person it would measure 1 and 3/8" What is interesting is that angulas are able to be converted to feet and inches but not centimeters. There is something about the metric system that does not match up. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that feet are based on a physical proportion (was at one point) like angulas and is divisible by 12. There is something to this 1-9 and divisible by 3 that is important in Vastu. And 10 is not easily divisible by 3 (metric) leaving room for error in decimals. Over time in a structure as you were adding up things, these small errors get much larger and can change the overall effect. So it is very important to use feet/inches for this work. Who knew? My classmates from south america are not very happy that metric is not going to cut the mustard (understandably!)

nakshatra

Today was a session on architectural drafting. It was fun to pull out my old tools. I still have a project to do this evening...Temples are built on an 8x8 grid, which is the unmanifest space. Homes and other buildings are built on a 9x9 grid (manifest space). Each building has a mother wall which is the main support of the building. The wavelength comes from the center which is known as the bindu point. Many people think in feng shui that the energy flows from outside to inside or that somehow the sun has something to do with placement. The truth is that the energy generates from the center point (which is the unmanifest blue cube) . And the point only. From the point, wavelength and frequency extend out in all directions. These energy waves hit the mother wall and floor and ceiling. Part of the wave bounces back and part is absorbed by the wall. This is why the house is then considered living. Because the energy is permeating the walls and it resonates. This resonance then can be made to match the resonance of the inhabitants.

The resonance is based on the inhabitants nakshatra (birth star). It is not astrology or woo woo. Basically, when you are born it is not "under' a star. It is rather the other way around. That the cosmos was resonating at a state that was both conducive to allowing the energy of you AND the energy of the star to be in existence. The best way I can maybe describe it is when someone calls you right when you are thinking of them. Was you thinking of them WHY they called? Or was their action of calling what caused you to think of them? Or maybe the energies were simply conducive to allowing the 2 people involved to tune in and this tuning in made them think of one another. "Same wavelength" is the answer. Wavelength creates star and child and says "ok now it is ok for this specific energy to be expressed".

So today I asked if you make a house for someone or a group of people or a business (which I assume is possible to find a nakshatra for), if they moved out after a period of time, would the energy draw the same TYPE of person to the house? I have not gotten the answer yet but I do feel that the answer is yes. It should - based on the math - draw the type of person to it. Before I left to go on this trip, I decided to rent out my home. When I bought my house, it was 2+ years ago and I had been freelancing and going to ayurveda school. The woman who came to me to rent the house was also in a job that she worked form home sometimes and sometimes in the office — a bit freelance in a way. She was going back to school soon for nursing. And she was a single lady like me. When I met her I felt like she was me 2 years ago. All the things she likes about the house were things I had liked. It was the strangest thing. Even if I knew nothing about vastu I would have to say that there is something to homes drawing similar types of people to inhabit them. Will she move out in 2 years too? Most likely I bet!

Side note: I looked up my nakshatra (birth star) in Tamil and found that the diety that supposedly rules that portion of the sky also is the diety that looks after black animals. So Charley and I have something in common. I am sure it is no accident!

frequency and wavelength

Today was chocked full of math — the answers are all there. How you can find one's resonance and if they will or not be compatible with other resonances? It is crazy to think there is a science to all of this. But there really is. We talked about nakshatras which are an individual or house/building's frequency. It is determined by their birth time, date and location because at that point in time, there was a specific vibration happening and we can tap back into that.

We talked about the center of the earth being a cube. Scientists have recently discovered this and it is exactly what vastu would say is true. ( see http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080208091314.htm ) Manifestation happens from a square to a circle (8x8 to a 9x9). What was the most fascinating though was discussing then the quality of the wavelength coming from that cubical form as it rotates. These qualities radiating out from the center of the earth are what give is various landforms and characteristics of regions. So a mountain is formed by the nature of the wave coming from the core, as is desert or water regions, etc. And the vegetation and animals that inhabit that area are there by nature of wavelength/frequency as well. What happens when a human tries to live in the desert? It is not natural and the energies of that place will not be life supporting long-term. Take a hint: don't live in the desert if you want to be able to resonate with the absolute -- well, that is unless you are a scorpion :)

What is cool about this is that when we hear in the watered down vastu or feng shui version (that makes no connection to math and sounds more superstitious) say "having a plot of land with the NE corner higher than the other surrounding land will bring excessive grief", we know now that we can explain why. The NE corner of the square in the rules of manifestation in vastu say that corner will have the qualities of water. When excess land is in that corner we have a greater combinations of the elements water and earth. Land is earth element. Emotions are water. They flow and can be "dried up or dissipated" with knowledge (fire). But when combined with earth we get a bogged down emotional state of which excessive grief fits the bill. I am glad to have studied ayurveda and the elements before this as now I have an idea of how these 5 states manifest in the world whether physically, emotionally or mentally or however...

I continue to be fascinated and each day see the world a little differently...oh and I am fairly certain I saw a UFO last night! Another classmate saw it too so I am not the only one off my rocker. Funny enough, Mayan wrote a treatise on how to build a UFO among all the other topics he covered (there were a lot!). Made me laugh at the timing...then again weird things happen in NM usually.

All of this makes me think about the direction of medicine. Seems it should go in the vibrational direction? If you live in a vastu structure and your town and community where planned via vastu maybe there would at one point be no need to go to a physician? And no reason to do yoga or meditate either. You would be in bliss all the time!

It is hard for me to even start writing today. There were so many things we went over in terms of the history surrounding vastu. Jessie pulled material from all over to support Mayan's existence and the extent of his impact on the world (and why very few people know about him). She talked about the difference between brahmans and vishwabrahmans (of which mayan was a member). It is believed that one of mayans disciples traveled north to russia as the ukrainian language has close ties to tamil. It is also believed that one of his disciples traveled to s. america bringing the vastu information to people there. One of his disciples names was maayan (2 a's) and this is how it is written in s. america. The evidence of mayan vastu temples and structures spans the globe with even examples in Mississippi. What is crazy is that mayan was a fisherman, a carpenter, had 12 disciples...who else do we know with those characteristics? Is that a coincidence? Also the name "Abraham" in the old testament sounds like "a - brahman". And even though we spell it a certain way in english, there are other spellings and indications the old testament ultimately is paying homage or referencing Mayan. There is a close link to kaballah/judaism. It was just an amazing day — everything clicking into place. We listened to vastu music. Talked about how poetry and drama and art are influenced by vastu — or rather can be made per vastu so that they resonate with the individual in a profound way. It made me think of my dad who is so moved by music and art and literature. It is so possible that he is connecting with the divine source by exposing himself to these things! They move the abode in the heart which is where our seat of consciousness lies. It is said that to be a shilpi (sculptor/creator) one must be trained in art, music, dance, architecture, sculpture, literature in addition to mathematics. They are all important and make one well rounded. I can see looking back at my life I have been drawn to all things...from dance as a child to drawing houses constantly to considering architecture for a career, to being interested in music, considering pottery as a career...it all makes sense why I am here and it makes sense why I was so fearful of math. I think I just needed to understand why it was important and how it related to well, everything!

The way to heal (on a mass scale) and bring people closer to the divine and experience this within is through architecture. Its divine purpose it to bring people to understand the beauty of who and what they are. We talked about 2012 too. Jessie said she heard a maayan elder speak on this topic and he said some amazing things. He said that prior to 2012 we had gone through 4 cycles relating to the 4 elements earth, water, fire and air. And that in 2012 the 5th element - akasha or space - would come to the forefront. The hopi talk of the dawn of the 5th world. Makes sense - the 5th element. It will be a shift in consciousness in the way people see who they are and space will be important. Already we are seeing huge shifts...people dying, jobs changing, ideals evolving. We must do this. We must let go of baggage and not be attached so we can "fly" in the akasha. Our connection to akasha or space through built space or what we experience in the 'ethers' will be of main importance. Look at where science is going? Exploring the unseen. What we see and hear won't be as important as what we feel intuitively in our hearts. We will start opening and connecting more with what lies outside by going within and finding the space within us that resonates with the external. As above so below. It is true. The reemergence of vastu and ayurveda for example are examples of this shift. For some time they were not needed due to the darkness. But now there is a place for it.

The implications of this science are huge. Absolutely huge. I can see cities being torn down and rebuilt because people know too much. It will be more costly to keep them as is due to the negative effects of bad (or should I say unenlightened?) building and planning. There will be a re-emergence in the arts and the world will start to dance again in many ways. The way the vedic literature speaks of time is that it is circular. Much like night and day. We have a number of years that are very dark which leads to a light period which then leads to a darker period. It is how things go. It is the sin wave of creation! Highs and lows. Right now, if you consider a clock with 12 noon being the blissful completely awake time, we are at around 7. We are starting to come out of the darkest period (6) and these amazing things are emerging to show us how to find joy again from within so the the exterior can express this.

vas-stewed

From the start of class Jessie our teacher talked about the effects that happen to someone when they are building a vastu home or structure. What happens is that there are many energy shifts as the structure is being formed. And as a result, the builders tend to be affected energetically, causing odd feelings and reactions to surface. It makes sense that if you build a structure to resonate with the universe that the inhabitants too will resonate. And if there is anything "off" within them, these energies will be brought to the surface. It is purifying to say the least.

Today we visited a vastu home that was built in the area. The home has clay/straw walls and a gently sloping roof. The middle section of the 9x9 grid (called the bramastan) is always left open. It is because this space is similar to the lungs, the liver, spleen and stomach of the body...it cannot be constricted or the energy will shift. I could really feel the expansiveness of the space. There were a few things that Jessie pointed out after that were not per vastu. And it was interesting to ponder what the effects will be to the inhabitants. Everything must be exact. There is no room for error with vastu. If you are off in one area, this will cause other areas to be off too. Vastu houses are designed to 1/32 of an inch. Amazing.

So the title of this blog - vas-stewed - is about getting a bit purified while working on creating a building or about being affected by more negative energies that can manifest if things are off. It is amazing to think that designing buildings per vastu can truly heal (or hurt) in greater ways than perhaps medicine itself. Jessie mentioned a story in the bible about Hiram. He built King Solomon's temple and was killed because he would not give away the secrets to how it was built. These secrets were on vastu. It seems the time is coming that we are ready to know what the secrets are. But it is very important that the rules or codes are followed without wavering. Just a little wavering can make a huge difference. It is not about what we personally want but about how the universe manifests and honoring that.

There were things about the house that I really loved. And it definitely felt alive. But there were a few things I noticed while there that seemed off and look forward to discussing this in class tomorrow. We also took time off to go to the santa fe market which was amazing. Lots of international vendors and music. Lots of happy people enjoying the sun. I am off to start reading the text.

universal fabric

Well today we dove into a lot of info on the basis of vastu. And at the end of class we talked about the importance of holding knowledge sacred...that it is powerful and not all of it is intended for everyone...not that everyone should not hear about it but more that it can get distorted depending on what the audience is willing to accept. And we must know what we speak of before we dish out details. I had the same thing come up with ayurveda. We were not allowed to treat anyone until the end — until we had the full picture. It was hard to not want to work on things but it was true that having parts and pieces only show you just that. And can limit you. So I asked about me blogging — if it was an appropriate thing for me to do right now. And was told that — sure go for it. But just speak of basic things for now. Keep it simple. I am not super into blogging at all. But not everyone has exposure to this nearly lost science and I trust that the people that want to follow this will get what they need. There is so much I could tell that it would take forever to explain so I planned on keeping it as simple as possible anyway...

So with that said, I will try to briefly cover what we discussed today. The fabric of the universe is a flat blue square. Yep! There is a structure to akasha (space) and there is no such thing as nothing. There is something. And this something takes many forms. This thing desires to experience itself and in this desire comes movement in the form of wavelength. Think of the ocean calm and placid. Then think of a wave that is formed and crashes to the shore. The ocean and the wave and the water are all one thing but take many forms. Such is our manifestation. We are all pure consciousness. All the time. And we really need not worry about death!

First comes space, then absolute time (which is the measurement of the wavelength -- it takes time to get through the wave cycle). Then as a by product of this movement comes om light. Light is actually dispersed due to the friction of the movement. Then this light creates om sound. Think of lightning and then thunder. Or a "flash of insight" (light) that leads to needing to speak about it (sound). Then after these come the elements from subtle to gross: air, fire, water, earth. So there are actually 8 elements, not just 5 as we think of it in ayurvedic or other medicines...

Basically this square is an 8x8 grid. And as these energies interact with one another, it goes from an 8x8 unmanifest grid to manifest 9x9 grid. Why? The square shape starts to spin and the edges start to fold (like the way a soccer ball would look). Over time this becomes round. This round shape now has added mass from the edges that have folded inward. This the 9x9 end result. Hard to explain in a blog but it works!

We talked a lot about the translation of the ancient texts. How there is a difference between literary tamil and technical tamil. Many of the vedic texts we know of actually are error-filled due to the limited understanding of the translator(s). And that if you look at the texts through another lens things make sense. We talked about the pranada veda and mumani mayan, its author. Mayan is a story in and of himself and very hard to express. He is the father of vastu shastras. He was an incredibly aware man who lived in the kumari continent (also known as leumeria) which was south of india thousands of years ago. The land mass sank with the deluge (all indigenous people have a story about the great deluge). And he migrated northward to india. He had an academy of 12 students who were all trained in mathematics and specialized in other areas such as grammar, poetry, art, architecture, astronomy, etc. All the forms of art , dance, poetry, meter, grammar actually all have a mathematical basis. He wrote books (on palm leaves) on so many subjects including how to make a UFO. Much of this info would have been lost if it had not been for a poet with an interest in astronomy. He found some of the leaves at the saraswati library and was so intrigued that he memorized 50,000 verses over a period of time (recording in rhyme/rhythm allows people to retain the info without writing it down). At some point these leaves vanished and the poet offered the government his services to recite what went missing. The government had no interest — but the poet knew this info was something that needed to be given out. So he tracked down V. Ganapati (the master architect in india and teacher of my vastu teacher). When Ganapati heard this man recite the verses, he immediately knew it was important and related to what his family's lineage was all about and part of the pranada veda. (Which pre-dates all the 4 main vedas)

OK, so I think I am giving away way too much info that does not make sense... It is just so hard to express that it sounds odd and fragmented. One thing I do want to say is that life is about enjoying all that is created no matter what it looks like or feels like or what the mind wants to judge it as being. All things are valid. Express yourself. love yourself. It is what I have come to understand anyway and what I am learning in vastu just reaffirms that consciousness just wants to play and enjoy itself. The cave of the heart is where it is at. Don't let the mind get too hung up on content!

Tomorrow we are going to visit a vastu structure nearby so will comment about that.

rainbows

Tonight the class met for the first time. There are 9 total (perfect number!). Just before we started there was an amazing thunderstorm and a giant rainbow just outside the classroom. What a great omen. There are a few people originally from NY, one from Arizona, one from New Zealand, two from Buenos Aires one from San Francisco. There are no formal architects I believe. However each person has an amazing background and story as to what drew them to the class.

We did not get much into Vastu specifically yet but discussed the background somewhat. What we will be learning comes from a lineage in India of which Ganapati Stapati is the only remaining source. The word shilpi means sculptor and in ancient times the shilpis made everything — not just temples and buildings but also everything from shoes to utensils to cooking vessels to horseshoes to you name it...and it was all done via mathematical knowledge. The shilpis were revered by all as we would revere a king today. They were vital to the life of the community. Much of this information was lost or suppressed with the entrance of outsiders to India who forced their way of thinking onto society. Although many people understood there were certain 'rules' that were used to build temples, very few could decipher what they were. This is the case today.

The knowledge is not merely mathematical or physics-based. It is imparted with direct experience. It is something that must be felt as well as understood mentally. You can tell someone how good a peach tastes but until they actually taste it and experience it there is no way to have the full picture of its yumminess. I have had some personal experiences that could be considered bit off the wall the last few years and I see now they were leading me here. It is all making sense. Not in a book way but in a way that I understand without needing to 'know'. If that makes any sense? I could see how you could study vastu from a knowledge angle but know it only up to a certain point (like anything really). A union must take place such that what is known and the knower become one (basis of yoga). And this can only happen via experience.

We also talked a little about the Masons. The Masons built King Solomon's temple and there is a cross-over in what they understood and Vastu. And there is also cross-over with the Mayans. Mamuni Mayan imparted vastu science (among many other things) over ten thousand years ago. That his name and the Mayan name are the same is no coincidence. More to come on this...

To Santa Fe

I have never blogged before but a few friends suggested I write down my experience learning about vastu this next month. I could try to define vastu but it is much more complex than I could write in one or two sentences and so will let the blog define it as best I can as I learn.

I am in Santa Fe NM now and will be here for the next month. I will spend 2 weeks in the classroom and 2 weeks building a vastu structure. It took 3 days to get here from Portland, with stops in Boise, Idaho and Moab, Utah. I brought my best dog charley (charles barkley, chuck, carlito, chas michael michaels, char char binks, charley horse, charles n charge) with me. He has been a trooper. So curious he is about everything! It should be interesting to say the least. Lately he is charles barkley given his love of barking in the hotel room at every little noise.

I was in Santa Fe 10+ years ago. It is sprawling like so many towns. I also noticed the same with Salt Lake City on the way. Are all cities just stretching out their edges with the same cookie cutter buildings? Why is this? Builders are eager for work and money (understandably), growing populations are eager for easy access shops. But can this happen in a way that is developed with more awareness? It is like there is a free-for-all and no thought as to the effects. There are other options. And I have a feeling vastu can show how and why.

Vastu, ayurveda, jyotisha and yoga are vedic sciences which are closely linked. The spirit has a house. This is the body. And ayurveda shows us how we can learn what energies are present in our experience to help our spirit (us) move through life with ease. When energies are aligned we have resonance. We have health. When energies are "off" we have dissonance. Dissonance is another word for dis-ease. So when we build a house or spend time in a building, this too is like adding another layer of 'body' to our experience. How it is shaped, the materials used, the direction it is aligned can create health or not.

Jyotisha is vedic astrology. And as much as people think astrology is a hoax, it is very helpful to use as a tool. The ways the stars were aligned the moment we are born shows the energies being imparted on us. It isn't that we cannot change things, but there is an umbrella we are working under and knowing this — much like the energies we are working with in our body/mind makeup — empowers us to make the changes we wish or need.

The root of Yoga means "to yoke". Yoga is about bringing seemingly disparate things to one place, one truth. We think things are one way or another and are amazed when we find they are not either or they are both the same. We end in the same place. With one thing. Night and day seem separate. Yet they are both life. Man and woman can be different. Yet they are both human. Yoga is not just asana (poses). The asanas were designed to move energy in ways through our body to create an ultimate peace. Not all asanas are appropriate for all people. In addition to asana are other forms of yoga - yoga of the mind (jnana), yoga of devotion (bhakti), yoga of action (karma). And many others. Each have their place.

I just wanted to comment a little about these different disciplines to start because there is a place where they all link together to form a bigger picture. On my way down here something came to me: I feel as though learning ayurveda, vastu, yoga and jyotisha can be likened to learning letters of a new alphabet. And that at some point the alphabet will create new words and expressions which translates to a new level of communication. There is a place where they all meet. In India this knowledge still exists. It has been around for tens of thousands of years. But much of the old ways had been frowned upon with the emergence of western viewpoints. As we are finding western thought cannot answer all our questions, these vedic science are seeing a re-emergence. Both are needed and both are valid. And in the end they are really one. It is possible that the builders of the pyramids had access to all that we 'know' with the modern mind. They may just have traveled a different route.

Tomorrow night is the first session. Will write each night if possible and recap the day.