When the five elements or Panchaboothas are in balance in our body, we experience good health and balance of the mind. However, if there is an imbalance of elements, one suffers its corresponding ailments. To cure and balance this, one can practice 'Yoga Mudras', that is the five mudras regarding health, property etc.

Vaastu Panchabootha EARTH (Nilam)

Earth, the third planet in order from the Sun/Suryadev, is a big magnet with the north and south poles as its centers of attraction. Its magnetic field and gravitational force has telling effects on everything, living and non-living.

WATER (Neer)

This is represented by the rain, river and sea, and is in the form of liquid, solid (as in ice/snow) and gas (as in steam/cloud). If we look at our history, all the ancient civilisations had developed on the banks of water bodies. This shows the influence of water in our life. Water is an important element in the sustenance of life, whether man, animal or vegetation.

AIR (Vaayu)

As a life-supporting element, air is very powerful source. Pure air is good for the brain and blood. We are dependent on the atmosphere's humidity, airflow, temperature, air pressure and composition. Respiration is vital for our entire body surface through the skin and blood system.

FIRE (Agni)

It represents light and heat without which life will be extinct. Days and nights, the four seasons, and our energy are all because of sunlight and its warmth only.

SPACE (Aakash)

All the above elements are skillfully engineered by nature for the creation of comfortable and pleasant spaces for human shelter and habitat. Space is the reference element for all creation.

Panchabhootas and Vaastu

The Akasha tatva is the space in the centre of the architectural form or the centre of each room. This space is called the Brahmasthana. This area of the house has to be kept open and clean. It should be free from clutter, heavy furniture and fussy decoration allowing prana (energy) to flow freely. The direction associated with Akasha tatva is the centre and north-east, and the Brahmasthana should ideally be located in such a way that light from a natural source like the sun falls on it. The rooms located in the north-east or centre of a house are preferably to be used for meditation or prayers, a library or study.

The Vaayu tatva is associated with the north-west part of the house. Vaastu recommends this direction for the placement of doors, windows, ventilators and balconies. A free flow of fresh air itself is an important feature, and attention paid to the north-west is said to ensure success in business ventures.

The direction associated with the Agni tatva is the south-east. The geyser, fireplace or kitchen should be located in this direction. It is ideal to have electrical gadgets like the television, refrigerator, computer, fireplace, microwave, radio etc. placed in this corner.

In Vaastu, the Jala tatva has much in common with the Vaayu tatva, so much so, that they share the north-west direction. Vaastu rightly determines the placement of water sources like the well, bore well, sump, overhead water tank etc. while planning a building to draw maximum benefits.

Finally, the Bhoomi tatva is associated with the south-west direction. Heaviness is linked with the Bhoomi or Pruthvi tatva, and this is one of the reasons for locating the heaviest items of furniture in the south-west quadrant. Also, the inertness of Pruthvi makes this part of the building perfect for sleeping. Pruthvi tatva stands for the stability of the mind and body, and therefore, health. So, this segment of a house is best suited for the construction of the master bedroom and storage spaces.

The concept of these five tatvas or compounds has been adopted by many philosophies and cultures such as the Chinese, Japanese and Greek, and ancient civilizations like Egypt, Babylonia etc. Vaastu science is using land (Earth) in a proper manner. It is for this reason that there is no vaastu for things in motion such as vehicles, trains, aeroplanes, ships etc., which means that a bus cannot be built on Vaastu principles, or for that matter, any moving object (moving relating to/on earth).