Vastu Architecture GmbH | Rosenweg 3 | 6340 Baar | Switzerland
T +41 41 500 05 05 | m.luellmann@vastu-architecture.eu | www.vastu-architecture.eu
Vaastu Architecture –
Ancient science for thriving modern spaces (part 1)
Vaastu guest house project in Kolli Hills, India, planned by the author
One of the biggest dreams, and maybe also the biggest
project in our life, is to build our own home. Why is this so
important to so many of us?
In our own home we expect security, coziness, stability,
wellbeing, a connection to the land, and with it, a feeling
of belonging.
Simply fitting all our room-function requirements into a
plan and finding an appealing design is not enough to
achieve these primal yearnings on the deepest levels. How
can we make sure that we feel deeply at home, basking in
that feeling of wellbeing and upliftment?
A Step Back in Time
At this point in the discussion it is worth a trip back in time
to the ancient days, when building a house was a sacred
art following precise guidelines for the highest purpose of
human upliftment. It was more than just practical design
and a joining of appropriate materials. It was a science of
creating a structure that will resonate with us, a structure
that we call our home and delight dwell within, a structure
that is stable yet vibrant, that will connect us strongly to
earth and yet remain energetically open towards the sky,
that will nurture us with good health and fortune, that will
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bring out the best in us and above all, that will uplift our
consciousness to higher realms. The oldest of these
ancient sciences and technologies was found on the Indian
subcontinent. It is called Vaastu (Va-stew).
Vaastu is gaining ground these days. Perhaps you have
already heard whisperings of this elusive science. In India
and all over the world Vaastu is experiencing a
renaissance. But as with any other sciences, it also attracts
opportunists that pretend to know more than they
actually do. Some Vaastu secrets were only handed down
from a master to a worthy disciple, oftentimes just within
family lineages. Those masters were called Shilpis (Vaastu
stonemasons) or Sthapatis (Vaastu architects). Why did
these masters keep the most powerful parts of this science
secret? Certainly not for selfish reasons. These masters
were aware of the profound impact Vaastu architecture
has on human beings. This was seen as a sacred
responsibility that requires a profound expertise.
Fast Forward to Modern Times
We are certainly in a state of uncertain times. At least one
of these contemporary masters saw that Vaastu is
essential in our present day civilization. Therefore he
decided to carefully, but openly, instruct several sincere
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 Vastu Architecture GmbH | Rosenweg 3 | 6340 Baar | Switzerland
T +41 41 500 05 05 | m.luellmann@vastu-architecture.eu | www.vastu-architecture.eu
souls in this sacred science. This modern master is Dr. V.
Ganapati Sthapati whose lineage in the science of Vaastu
is traceable for at least the last 1000 years. He received his
knowledge and training from his father who received it
from his father and so on. His ancestors built the
renowned Brihadeshwara temple complex in Tanjur India,
one of the most impressive and still active temple sites in
the world. Dr. Ganapati Sthapati himself built over 600
structures all across the globe.
Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati working on a sculpture
In his quest to bring Vaastu into popular awareness for the
sake of the upliftment of humanity, Dr. Ganapati Sthapati
published many books and initiated many students,
among them a few western scientists and architects who
now bring Vaastu even more into our western world.
The Origin
Vaastu, in its traditional
form, goes back to two
progenitors,
Vishwakarma and
Brahmarishi Mayan.
Vishwakarma is
believed to be the
"Principal Architect of
the Universe ".
A sculpture of Brahmarishi
Mayan
Brahmarishi Mayan was a Rishi (seer), who by
introspection and deep study of nature, discovered many
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universal principles. He wrote different treatises on areas
such as architecture, iconometry, dance, music, poetry and
other art forms, astro physics, mathematic, herbology,
cartography, ship building and more. The Surya Siddhanta,
an ancient scripture also known to modern scientists for
its precise understanding of astronomy, is perhaps his
most famous work.
His ultimate discovery was the mathematics behind the
process of creation. Through introspection, Mayan realized
the rhythm (laaya) of the creation of all visual and audible
objects. On that basis he developed and refined the five
arts: Architecture, Sculpture, Dance, Poetry and Music.
Amongst those five arts, architecture was the preeminent
since it has the longest lasting effect on the beholder or
indweller. This insight led him to the following statement:
“Architecture is the supreme achievement of
mathematics”
Worldwide Application
Despite Mayan’s Indian origin, the principles of Vaastu are
not Indian, but rather universal principles. These same
principles were applied by many different cultures from
different continents such as the Mayans in Central
America, Chinese, Tibetans, Japanese, Egyptians and even
the Romans in whom modern architecture is rooted.
How is it possible that all these cultures seem to apply the
same principles? On the one hand, many cultures had their
own methods to perceive subtle natural laws beyond the
established physical laws, to connect and work with these
other forms of energy. For this they used ceremonies,
rituals and meditations. But there is also a very down-to-
earth explanation. We hear that Mayan had twelve
disciples and he was an expert in ship building. After
training his disciples thoroughly he sent them out into the
world in order to bring these teachings for the benefit of
humanity. We know that the Egyptian and also Greek
cultures have had strong connections to India. But more
astonishing is that Marcus Vitruvius (1st Cent. BC), a great
Roman scientist and architect must have had contact with
the Vaastu tradition. His ten books on the subject of
architecture (many students of architecture study them
even today) have strong similarities to the Manasara, an
ancient Vaastu scripture. The content and even the order
of chapters are too similar to be coincidental. Since
Vitruvius is the source of modern architecture, we can
conclude that Vaastu is one of the main roots of the
European building traditions.
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 Vastu Architecture GmbH | Rosenweg 3 | 6340 Baar | Switzerland
T +41 41 500 05 05 | m.luellmann@vastu-architecture.eu | www.vastu-architecture.eu
Pyramids in Guatemala similar to Vaastu structures
Not only Marcus Vitruvius’, but also Andrea Palladio’s
(16th cent. AD) and Le Corbusier's modern buildings show
strong parallels to Vaastu. The good news for architecture
lovers is that modern Vaastu buildings do not have to look
anything like Indian temples. Vaastu can be applied to
almost any modern design style.
Definition of Vaastu
Vaastu means “the energy that lives eternally.” Vastu, with
one “a,” defines the original creative energy that shines
from its own power and needs no other source. Vaastu,
with two “a’s,” defines that same energy in a more
condensed or manifested form.
Dr. Ganapati Sthapati often cites Einstein’s equation E =
mc2 as an example. E represents the original creative
energy, Vastu, whereas mc2 is related to Vaastu, the
manifest energy or matter.
“Concerning matter, we have been all wrong. What we
have called matter is energy, whose vibration has been so
lowered as to be perceptible to the senses. There is no
matter.” Prof. Albert Einstein
“Vaastu is the science of manifestation of energy into
matter or material form.“ Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati
What Vaastu Is Not
It is important to acknowledge other forms of
construction/architectural remediation, with the clarity
that while they may have some effect, they do not produce
what could be called “the Vaastu effect.”
Vaastu and Building Biology
Vaastu is not building biology (also known as baubiology)
or a form of “green building.” Of course it is beneficial to
build Vaastu structures according to the principles of
building biology. In early times the ancient cultures built
with natural materials since there were not artificial
materials yet. But we can also build Vaastu structures with
conventional materials if so desired.
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Vaastu and Feng Shui
Vaastu is also not simply an Indian version of Feng Shui. In
fact Feng Shui (meaning wind and water) grew out of a
teaching called Kan Yu (heaven and earth). Kan Yu had
astonishing similarities to Vaastu. Kan Yu was, similar to
Vaastu, more of an architectural than a rectification
technology as Feng Shui is often practiced today. Kan Yu,
as well as ancient Feng Shui, seemed to have sacred
measures similar to Vaastu. In Vaastu they are still held as
the heart and soul of any design process, whereas only a
very rare few Feng Shui experts still consider sacred
measures. According to different Chinese masters, Kan Yu
came from ancient India.
Vaastu and Religion
Vaastu is also not a belief system or religion. Its
understanding is based on purely scientific principles that
consider subtle natural laws.
Vaastu Science
The essence of Vaastu
architecture can be
summed up in one
important phrase:
“Vastureva Vaastu,“
meaning, subtle space
transforms itself into
manifested space.
Vaastu Purusha or the living space
According to Vaastu, the whole universe, also the so
considered vacuum in outer space, is filled with minute
energy particles. As soon as we enclose free space, we
enclose a certain amount of these particles. This is why
every structure is filled with energy.
“If a part of free space is isolated and confined into a four-
walled structure it becomes a living organism and the
space enclosed will start vibrating in a particular order. If
such a building is designed to vibrate in the same
numerical order as that of the indweller, the resultant
phenomenon is that he will experience harmony or perfect
union with the Universal Self.” Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati
We see from this quote that one of the key factors in
Vaastu is the concept of resonance (compatible vibrational
order). The aim of Vaastu architecture is to establish a
resonance between the inhabitants, the created structure
and nature, thereby connecting us to the earth and to
cosmic energies.
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 Vastu Architecture GmbH | Rosenweg 3 | 6340 Baar | Switzerland
T +41 41 500 05 05 | m.luellmann@vastu-architecture.eu | www.vastu-architecture.eu
How are we able to define the frequency with which a
building will vibrate?
Vaastu explains that it is the perimeter of the building –
more specifically the exact dimensions of the “empty”
space that is enclosed – that will define the frequency.
Vaastu offers us a set of mathematical formulas with
which we can find an auspicious perimeter (rather than
randomly selecting a perimeter which will bring arbitrary,
and most likely, undesirable results). These mathematical
vibrations have certain beneficial qualities that evoke
specific desirable states in the human body, psychology,
and spiritual awareness. By choosing Vaastu spaces that
resonate these qualities, the human then has the
experience of these auspicious qualities in life.
The Vaastu effect is therefore based on the scientific
factors of mathematics and geometry, and other subtle
natural laws. In fact, the teachings of Vaastu relates closely
to modern quantum physics.
The Vaastu effect is based on scientific principles only
Benefits of Vaastu
By implementing Vaastu, we can live and work in
structures that reward us with:
• Well-being and happiness
• Prosperity and abundance
• Strong health and rejuvenating sleep
• Concentration and success in studies and profession
• Balanced relationships
• Spiritual bliss
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About the Author
The Vastu expert Marc Lüllmann consults, designs and
oversees the construction of Vastu structures
internationally, to bring about thriving modern spaces. He
also lectures and writes on this sacred teaching.
Mr. Lüllmann has immersed himself in Vedic (ancient
Indian) studies since 1997. On a pilgrimage to India in
2000, he visited many of the Vastu monuments such as
temples, palaces and Vastu-designed cities. The sublime
effect of the direct experience of this refined architecture
piqued his interest. Since that time he has diligently
studied the central Vedic texts in the lineage of
Bhaktivedanta learning much about the origin and
manifestation process of the universe, the interaction of
energy and matter and the connection between macro-
and micro-cosmos. Inspired by these fundamental
concepts he honed his focus toward one of the most
important subtopics of the Vedic scriptures, the timeless
architectural science and technology of Vastu.
Completing his first formal education in Vastu in 2004
with a diploma from the German Veda-Academy, he
founded his Vastu consulting company. In 2012 Marc
completed his second Vastu degree, a comprehensive 2-
year international professional Vastu certification program
in the lineage of the preeminent Vastu Architect Dr. V.
Ganapati Sthapati, the world’s most renowned
contemporary Sthapati (Vastu architect and builder). Marc
has since helped hundreds of clients to gain more power,
success and energy within their living and working spaces.
Marc is the owner and principle at Vastu Architecture
GmbH (Ltd.), Europe’s most prolific firm for Vastu
consultation and design of Vastu architecture.
www.vastu-architecture.eu
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