Students in their final year of school are going through one of the most challenging tests of their life—the Class X and XII board examinations. This is a period of extreme anxiety and stress for the students and their parents.
There is a common saying that ‘our environment is more powerful than our willpower’. The impact of the environment is felt most by young students, and their parents try to provide a conducive environment to them such that they excel in their studies.
However, one aspect that is normally ignored is the energies of the space, which are determined with the study of Vastu Shastra. The Indian tradition of architecture and design promotes harmony and balance in the environment.
There are five prerequisites to great performance in studies: concentration, retention, recall, clarity of mind, and good stress. Here are a few secrets for incorporating Vastu principles into your study space to improve focus and concentration.
Directions for success
The angular area between the west and southwest, termed ‘west of southwest’, is the zone of studies as per Vastu. The northeast zone provides clarity of mind, the southwest ensures improved skills, and the east of the southeast needs to be balanced to reduce anxiety. The anxiety should be only enough to keep the students on their toes and at the same time it should not be such that it results in undue stress. Stand in the centre of the house with a compass in hand and locate the aforesaid four directions.
When you study, the quality of knowledge absorbed depends on concentration, which is nothing but continued attention to the topics studied. As per the elemental cycle of five elements, any anti-element or Vastu imbalance in the west or southwest will cause problems in concentration.
Colours like red, pink, purple, green or orange in the west of southwest cause colour imbalance and adversely affect the student's concentration. This area of your home should also be free from distractions like television, toys and games. Washing machines, brooms, vacuum cleaners, and mops also cause Vastu imbalance in the zone of studies. In such cases, the interest of the student shifts from studies to these distractions.
Location of the study room
The study room should be ideally located in the west of southwest direction. If it is not possible to have it there due to space constraints, you can locate it in the northeast or east. In case a separate study room is not possible, place the study table in the directions suggested. Even in such cases, the west and southwest of the house should be free from the abovementioned anti-elements.
Orientation of study table
After having identified the location of the study table as per the tenets of Vastu, the next is to identify the direction one should face while studying, for better concentration. In Vastu, the east and north are considered source directions. So, your child should face either the north or east for better concentration. If that is not practical, let the child face west when studying.
The shape of the study table and chair
The study table should be rectangular. Irregular shapes may look attractive to some people, but it spoils concentration in studies, at a subtle level. If possible, place the table so the child is not immediately facing a wall. However, that may not be possible for all households; in that case, the chair should have a solid back.
Colours and lighting
Good lighting and soothing colours such as light blue, peach, beige or yellow are conducive to concentration and learning. The study room should have adequate natural light and the desk should be placed near a window facing the east or north direction. Place a Lord Ganesha brass figurine on the study table to activate study luck after taking care of the above guidelines and a golden colour pen stand in the southwest of the house.
The author is a well-known Vastu and geopathic stress corrections consultant, and astrologer