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Page xxii
Part Two
To prepare Vastu Living for a Western audience, I have adapted the science so that it will work in a culture and environment that are so very different from India. I discussed these adaptations with my mentor and he was receptive and encouraging. My goal was always to remain faithful to the tradition while bringing you as close to the essence of vastu as possible. Certain of the customary objects that have long been incorporated into the Indian home, for example, require a new adaptation for the West. Differences in climate and terrain also dictate certain modifications. Such changes are unavoidable, since the world is made up of diverse habitats, climates, and societies. Consider the birds that share our planetthe extraordinary assortment of nests that they create to meet the needs of different conditions in diverse habitats. This is true with all life forms.
One of the most significant differences between my approach and the Indian one is that in India, vastu is connected to astrology or jyotish. Jyotish is an integral part of life for many Hindus: astrological charts are often compared, for example, to determine if a marriage will even take place. Dates of many important events are frequently determined by jyotish. Nehru postponed the birth of India as a free democratic country by one day because too many Hindus believed that the original date of August 14 was inauspicious.
Jyotish, a serious adjunct to astronomy, is extremely complex and quite different from Western astrology. It takes years to learn and depends on knowing one's exact time and place of birth. No approximations. Unfortunately, few of us know the actual minute of our birth. This information is not even included on many birth certificates. Instead of using jyotish or Western astrology with vastu, I use a personality-typing system that incorporates aspects of ayurveda, vastu's sister science. This accomplishes the same objective, namely to determine an alignment and use of space that is appropriate for you.
I suggest that you curl up on a bed or in an easy chair and read this book carefully. The ancient theories that are expressed in Part One reveal deep wisdom. You may be tempted to skip ahead to the practice, but I urge you

 
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