The globalization wave ensured everything from footwear to dresses to TV programs was made available to Indian homes from foreign countries. Along with consumer products and other services, there were also cultural influences being exchanged / shared across continents. No wonder then, Feng Shui made its way to India.

When Feng Shui first arrived in India, there were some who instantly got hold of it, more out of fascination than for the true authenticity behind the science. The persistent commercialization saw Feng Shui spreading its awareness amongst a larger audience. And with this, came many misconceptions, myths, false beliefs pre-dominantly due to each one construing Feng Shui from his / her perspective. In India, Feng Shui immediately was put on the table for comparison with Vaastu Shastra. Two sciences, centuries old, were being compared for their pros and cons, by people who didn’t know either sciences well. The result obviously wouldn’t have been conclusive. But then it was good enough for people banking on superficial feedbacks to frame their own opinions about Vaastu or Feng Shui.

Both Vaastu and Feng Shui are ancient sciences from India and China respectively, and attempt to attain the common objective of harmonizing nature with the living. The objective is the same, though the method is different. The science is nearly the same, though the application is different.

Vaastu means the abode or the home and Shastra means the technology or method. Hence, Vaastu Shastra translates to the method or mechanism to construct a (good) house and gives the guidelines to make such a conducive abode. Vaastu Shastra is normally applied on a bounded premise i.e.: a house, a building, a shop, factory etc. The main objective of applying the Shastra is to create a balance between the place in question and the outside environment. Vaastu Shastra in the Indian context assumes significant importance at the time of construction. It is believed that if a house is built as per the Shastra, then that particular house will never face serious health & money problems and the family members will live in harmony. Vaastu Shastra is not bounded by TIME or the OCCUPANT. It means the Vaastu principles can be applied at any time or any year for any person living in a particular place in the same standardized manner.

Feng Shui too aims to strike this balance between the outside environment and the “living”. The difference being that Feng Shui is done not just at the “house” level but is percolated down to the individuals living in that place. It’s very easy to note that, NOT all people living under the same roof done as per Vaastu derive the same magnitude of benefits. It is here that Feng Shui principles can be applied to the individuals living in that premise. Feng Shui incorporates the time factor and hence with the changing times, the “recommendations” given by a Feng Shui consultant would also change depending on the ‘period’ when the principles are applied. Feng Shui also takes into consideration the individual on whom the “recommendations” are being applied, and again the “recommendations” would vary from individual to individual for a given place and a given time.

Vaastu is normally rigid as far as the nature and its rules are concerned. Feng Shui offers flexibility in terms of curing disharmonies between nature and the individual or at least minimizing the negative impacts. Both the sciences need to be understood in full perspective before one goes about deciding which one is the better option for you. It would be much more than an unreasonable effort to pick out pieces of information from either science suiting one’s convenience & applying them in partial with little knowledge or hear-say talks.

While the Vaastu – Feng Shui fight / debates may interest some, it is to be said and reasonably well asserted here that, the principles governed in these sciences are bound to work and always working, irrespective of the individual’s belief in those sciences. It would really be wonderful if serious practitioners get to the task of aligning these sciences and integrate them as a composite science for the benefit of the modern generation. This would also minimize people being victimized in the name of these sciences or getting quick fixes to their problems.

Both the sciences with centuries of history behind them, have been victims of superstitions, false interpretations of the underlying principles (especially by the so called practitioners) and been used more on a “as per convenience” basis than in its true spirit. I would strongly urge you to consult genuine or credible practitioners only for any kind of solutions you seek for.