Shrankhla Holecek 00:01
Hello, I’m Shrankhla Holecek, the founder and CEO of UMA, an Ayurvedic beauty and wellness collection. This is the Uma Elements podcast. Each week, I’ll be having a conversation with someone I greatly admire on the topics of Ayurveda, holistic healing, spiritual well -being, and alternative help.
Shrankhla Holecek 00:23
By sharing wisdom together, we will unlock a secret that as ancient as they are, Ayurveda and other ancient modalities are as modern and relevant today as ever. Our guest today on the podcast is Namrataa Kripallani.
Shrankhla Holecek 00:43
Namrataa is a certified Vastu Shastra consultant and an accomplished artist. Vastu Shastra is an ancient architectural system from India that aims to harmoniously blend spatial design with nature, maximizing the potential of living spaces.
Shrankhla Holecek 01:02
Namrataa specializes in helping individuals harmonize the five elements in their environment, whether it’s their home or office. As a Mahavastu consultant, her approach revolves around conducting a comprehensive assessment of the energy and surroundings to assist individuals in achieving balance and creating nurturing spaces that promote a fulfilling life.
Shrankhla Holecek 01:28
In addition, Namrataa is a respected contributing writer for esteemed editorial outlets like Architectural Digest, where she shares her expertise on optimizing spaces and events. In this episode, Namrta enlightens us on Vastu and its potential to bring positive energy into our lives.
Shrankhla Holecek 01:51
She provides valuable insight on how we can seamlessly integrate Vastu principles, both in significant and subtle ways to thrive in our spaces. Namrataa, thank you so much for joining us today. It’s such a pleasure to have you. I’m a huge admirer of your work and I absolutely love the wisdom you’ve shared with the world via a variety of outlets, not least of which is all the great work you do for Architectural Digest. Thank you for being here with us.
Namrataa Kripallani 02:23
Thank you for having me, Shrankhla.
Shrankhla Holecek 02:26
Wonderful. So, Namrataa, without further ado, let’s dive right in. We’re going to talk about Vastu, which in a way of initiating people of the West, it’s a bit of a feng shui from the Vedic system of India.
Shrankhla Holecek 02:45
So, it’s Indian feng shui, for lack of a better word. And I’m hoping you can start us out by telling us what are the origins of Vastu Shastra.
Namrataa Kripallani 02:56
You said it exactly the way I look at it, Shrankhla, when I want to explain it to the Western world, I do use the same explanation. I personally look at Vastu Shastra as a 3D vision board as well, for just people to understand it a little simply and better.
Namrataa Kripallani 03:16
Coming to Vastu Shastra, it’s a science of architecture and design that has originated in ancient India. If we really go back to our roots in Vedic period, which is thousands of years ago, our ancient texts like Rigavedha and Atharvavedha, they both mentioned the principles of Vastu Shastra.
Namrataa Kripallani 03:38
We also have a lot of ancient scriptures, two of them come out really profoundly. One is Vishmakarma Prakash and the other is Brihat Samta. Both of them provide very detailed guidelines for architectural designs or if you want to plan a town and even construction of a building. So Vastu Shastra is not really a part of any religion, but it’s simply looked at as a way of life in India.
Shrankhla Holecek 04:07
I love that overview. And as you detail the beautiful outline of us through, could you give us a little bit more of an overview of its scope as well? Like what are some of the central practices, purposes, some of the goals that we try to accomplish with this lifestyle science?
Namrataa Kripallani 04:30
So the scope of Vastu goes beyond just architectural guidelines. We really emphasize on a holistic well -being of individuals within their space, whether it’s their home or their working spaces. So it gives you guidelines of really to consider the factors, considering the factors, what is the position of the sun, moon, the planets around us, and also considers the magnetic field of the Earth.
Namrataa Kripallani 05:01
It’s a very, very scientific study that we do. Say, for example, we say that according to Vastu Shastra, you should keep the east of your living space open. Now, science tells us that morning, sunlight is very good for us. It helps regulate our circadian rhythm and also stimulates the production of serotonin, which is a hormone that promotes happy and positive mood. And it also provides us with vitamin D, which is very good for our bone health and our immunity.
Namrataa Kripallani 05:35
So if we really keep the east open, we are allowing this early morning sunlight to come into our space, which has several benefits, and it benefits our bodies and our overall well -being. If we really deep dive into anything that’s mentioned in our ancient scriptures, we’ll see that everything has a very deep meaning and a scientific explanation to it.
Namrataa Kripallani 05:59
Vastu Shastra is significantly around balancing the presence of the five elements in our existing space. These five elements are also, as you know, used in Ayurveda, the earth, water, fire, air, and metal.
Namrataa Kripallani 06:17
So the whole, the proper integration of these elements will enhance our well -being in a space. The purpose of Vastu Shastra is to achieve a free flowing energy and really to cut out the influence that may hinder the energy flow in our space. So the primary goal of Vastu Shastra, I would say, is to create a harmonious work or living environment that promotes our physical and mental well -being.
Shrankhla Holecek 06:47
love it and to sort of get to the heart of it, how do you consult people on Vastu when you meet them?
Namrataa Kripallani 06:56
So I have an initial meeting with them to understand really where first things first, whether they want to get Vastu Shastra done for their home or are they looking at it for a commercial space? So once we decide that, then I understand from there, what are their needs, what are the goals, what are the specific concerns that they have relating to their working space?
Namrataa Kripallani 07:20
And after discussing that, I require a layout from the clients. And if I can visit the client’s site to analyze, I do that. If a visit is not possible, I request them for a floor plan. And then after that, we get a compass reading at the site or I get it from the client if a visit is not possible.
Namrataa Kripallani 07:44
Then I kind of assess it and I provide recommendation in solutions to provide, to improve the Vastu aspects of the space without making any structural changes. This is very important in today’s modern world because it’s not possible for everybody to really break and remake a space. And we do this by the use of colors, we use metals and we also use 3D objects which can be placed around the house or the office like art and artifacts. And the remedies are done in two phases. So in phase one, we balance all the five elements in the whole space.
Namrataa Kripallani 08:30
And then we wait for a month to see the results. And phase two is all about specific goals the client wants to achieve. For example, the son or daughter of the house is of age and is not finding a suitable match or a marriage is getting delayed for no known reason or also be something like somebody has a business and now they want to attract an international clientele.
Namrataa Kripallani 08:58
So after a month of balancing the five elements we do special remedies for specific issues. They could be any of these issues. And in some cases, I do suggest a client to get Astro Vastu done. In that case, we require astrological charts of the client and then we study those charts and give them remedies very specific to them depending on their planetary positions.
Shrankhla Holecek 09:28
Make a ton of sense and Namrataa I’d love for you to touch on some of this crossover between astrological charts and vastu as well. So fascinating to hear you talk about the crossover.
Namrataa Kripallani 09:42
So every direction in Vastu has a planet which is attached to it. For example, if we look at the southeast, it is governed by Venus, which is love as well for us. And if we look at the west, which is a direction of gains, that is governed by Saturn. So let’s say if you’re not doing very, your Saturn is not well placed in your charts. You will have issues with gains and profits in your life. So as we balance it in your Vastu of the house, we also look at doing more, let’s say, remedies in details, which really affect the planet as well.
Namrataa Kripallani 10:37
We use colors, we use different metals. And sometimes we also do some prayers and pujas to help the effect, the bad effect to reduce.
Shrankhla Holecek 10:49
and be more favorable, totally understand that. And I know that for you, I’m sure every client is like a personal win in a big way. So I’m going to ask a tough question, but could you share with us as many of our listeners embark or possibly their first journey into this Indian Feng Shui, some examples where you’ve really seen this science shine, when someone has been struggling with something and then two or three months later really has found new energy and new success and new directions they’re headed in with these changes advised by Vasu.
Namrataa Kripallani 11:35
Yes, sure. I have some very, very interesting examples there. I had a client who had major issues with deaths in his life. And I obviously had a meeting with him, got his layout, did the whole study of the house. And interestingly, there were a lot of entrances in his house and a lot of directions which had an imbalance, which very clearly indicated that there will be deaths in his life. And we obviously did the specific remedies that were required for it.
Namrataa Kripallani 12:13
And within eight months, the client was debt free. And not only that, not only that, you know, he would get work, but people wouldn’t pay for it readily. People would want him to do free work for him. So we worked towards that as well. And today he’s doing so well, he’s totally debt free. And he doesn’t have time for me as well.
Shrankhla Holecek 12:38
So I hear you, that’s a remarkable story. And on so many levels, it makes sense to me. I personally, maybe I don’t articulate it well, but if my space of work or space of eating is not clutter free, it’s not something that I’m vibing with.
Shrankhla Holecek 13:04
It makes a huge difference, both to the quality of my work, the quality of my psyche. So taking to the next level, it’s so profound that, we can shift our internal energies by shifting the energy flows of the spaces we operate and live in, breathe and sleep in.
Shrankhla Holecek 13:25
It totally makes sense. Shifting gears a little bit around the other side of us, which is, obviously you’re an amazing, incredible resource for Vastu guidance, but for some people who are probably just starting out, do you recommend any self -study? And what point does it become important to meet with, collaborate with an expert practitioner?
Namrataa Kripallani 13:55
Well, I absolutely advocate self -study. I think it’s always good for people to have knowledge about different things in life. That’s how I have lived my life. But when it comes to making changes to achieve a very, very specific outcome, I think it’s good to hire an expert to do the job.
Namrataa Kripallani 14:17
For example, you know, it’s believed a lot of people believe that North facing houses very good, right? But a certified master consultant will look at 32 directional entrances in any space out of which eight directions come in the North.
Namrataa Kripallani 14:35
And not all of them are suitable. Like for example, three directions in the North are fabulous, but the other ones will not be really the best ones for you to have. Interesting.
Shrankhla Holecek 14:48
That is so helpful to know. Obviously, it would be the next level of execution to take that into account. But in terms of self -study Namrataa, are there any resources you like or websites or books that you like people poking around in just to get smart even to better imbibe advocacy from someone like yourself?
Namrataa Kripallani 15:15
Well, I’ve done a lot of research on Vastu and one website that gives really very good information and it is backed by a lot of experimentation done by them is mahavastu.com.
Shrankhla Holecek 15:32
mahavastu.com
Namrataa Kripallani 15:38
mahavastu.com
Shrankhla Holecek 15:42
understood. We will be sure to put that link in. Thank you for giving us that point. I am sure many of us will be on there shortly finding ways to improve energy in our spaces and speaking of energy in all our spaces I’m going to hit you up for some free advice and I hope you won’t mind sharing if there are some universal ways like you offered you know an open east that all of us can start to imbibe some of this positive energy and flow in our lives.
Shrankhla Holecek 16:18
Yeah and I’m saying this from sort of the perspective of within Ayurveda even though everything is by and large dosha driven and your specific dosha driven there are some practices we all benefit from doing such as washing your face and eyes with cold water when you wake up drinking warm water with lemon in the morning dry brushing and these work for all dosha’s are the similar things within Vasa that we should all start doing today.
Namrataa Kripallani 16:48
Yes of course we do have some universal ways. You know the way people can really have vastu shastra as part of their life and you know have a positive impact on their well -being. My first and foremost and the most important tip is forever keep your home or office clutter free.
Namrataa Kripallani 17:11
Like you mentioned you know that our environment what you see makes a big difference to you. It actually makes a difference to us all. Some of us are conscious about it and some of us are not. So keep your home office clutter free and clean so that there’s a very easy flow of good energy around you.
Namrataa Kripallani 17:32
And second is make sure that your home is well kept. There is no leakage in the taps or the plumbing of the house or if you have any cracks in the walls make sure that you repair it in time and it’s all very well kept.
Namrataa Kripallani 17:49
And there should always be a good amount of natural light coming inside your home. It’s important that we have natural elements as a part of our house and our living space. You can have plants in your house for some good energy and have light colors on the walls.
Namrataa Kripallani 18:09
If you are looking at hanging paintings on your walls make sure they are you know they have a positive feel to it. That’s really important.
Shrankhla Holecek 18:18
And speaking of placements of some of these objects such as plants, mirrors, I know there is vast of guidance on both types of plants, where to place them, where to place mirrors. Could you give us some tips around that?
Namrataa Kripallani 18:35
Yes sure. So to begin with, mirror is a water element and it does best in a space that is governed by water element, which is our north. So when you put mirror in the north, it gives it a little bit of an extension and also helps you in the growth of your career and attract more opportunities in life.
Namrataa Kripallani 19:00
Same way, if you look at plants, plant really signifies growth in your life. So if you place a plant in the north, it will help you grow in your career. And east again, is very good for getting the morning sunlight and plants will do very, very well over there. So east does very well with plants as well.
Shrankhla Holecek 19:24
Understood. And getting a little bit more specific and continuing to, I’m afraid, sort of get some guidance from you, would love any tips or thoughts you might have in improving our space for better health. I know that’s a question top of mind for many.
Namrataa Kripallani 19:48
Yes, in fact Ayurveda and health are very, very well connected and they both come from ancient sciences that are originating from India. And you know, I’ll give you an example for this. We have a plant called Tulsi, which is also known as Holy Basil.
Namrataa Kripallani 20:08
Holy Basil, yes. So according to Vastu, we always tell people to put it in the northeast of the house. It has very, very purifying energies and creates positive energy wherever you place it. And if you look at Ayurveda, Tulsi is considered as a sacred herb.
Namrataa Kripallani 20:28
It has so many medical properties and it’s used for many treatments as well in Ayurveda. It’s immune boosting, it relieves stress and also helps in our respiratory health. So by just incorporating a simple Tulsi plant, which is in a recommended Vastu location, individuals will not only enhance a positive energy in their living space, but also they’ll have access to the beneficial properties of the herb for their health.
Namrataa Kripallani 20:59
They can consume it. Another thing is essential oils. Essential oils derived from various plants are considered an integral part of Ayurvedic therapies and treatments. And in the same way, Vastu Shastra, we have 45 energy fields that are created when any space is built.
Namrataa Kripallani 21:21
So each energy field is linked with a fragrance. The sense of smell is closely linked to our emotions as we know. And it can have a profound impact on our overall well -being. So depending upon the outcome we are looking at, we can diffuse essential oils in our surroundings.
Namrataa Kripallani 21:40
So you can diffuse sandalwood oil in the south direction, which is associated with relaxation and fame in Vastu. And the energy field in the east is called the connector. It harmonizes relationships and connects individuals to each other. So to activate that field, you can infuse an essential oil blend of saffron, red rose and camphor. So we see how everything in nature is all connected with each other. The whole key is to just create a balance.
Shrankhla Holecek 22:16
love that and of course love your integration of essential oils that is where I will start. But staying on this, any tips for love and relationships? I know that it’s a question on many of our minds whether we’re looking for love or just looking for ways to enhance love relationships that we are already in.
Namrataa Kripallani 22:43
So for if you want better romantic relationships, you need to enhance the southwest of your space. So the southwest space is for relationships and bonding with people. You can hang the pictures of your spouse or your family. It increases the bonding between you. And if you want to increase romance and attraction with your spouse, then you look at the north of the northwest of the home. This zone is specifically for attraction.
Namrataa Kripallani 23:14
So you can put a hang a picture on the wall in this zone with your spouse and it will increase the love and romance between you two. Now in case you don’t already have love in your life and you’re looking at attracting, I would say a perfect love, then again you need to look at the southwest itself.
Namrataa Kripallani 23:36
You can keep a pair of swans or love birds over here and this will help you attract perfect love in your life. You can also diffuse sandalwood oil here and watch love come into your life.
Shrankhla Holecek 23:51
I love the sound of that. And staying on this one, I’ve heard and would love your two cents on it about placements of mirrors in the bedroom and do’s and don’ts around that. Do you, is that accurate from your studies? And what are the recommendations around mirrors in the bedroom?
Namrataa Kripallani 24:15
So about mirrors in the bedroom, you have to make sure the mirror is not facing you while you’re sleeping. Simply because we can even, I mean, it is even logical that if you wake up in the middle of the night and you just see a reflection, you might just get afraid, right?
Namrataa Kripallani 24:33
I mean, you really want to look at the practicality of it. But energetically, it’s best to put mirrors in your bedroom where it’s placed on either the east wall or the north wall. Make sure that it’s not facing the bed and it’s not on the south wall.
Namrataa Kripallani 24:53
South wall is a big, big no for mirror. Since south is a direction which is governed by fire, and mirror, like I told you, is a water element.
Shrankhla Holecek 25:05
got it, got it, makes sense. And thank you for clarifying that. In terms of starting out with Vastu, we talked about plants, we talked about mirrors, essential oils, anything else I may have missed in terms of covering prosperity, mental health, improved success at work, because I know these are questions most on top of our minds as we go through.
Shrankhla Holecek 25:35
You know, so what busy and packed lives?
Namrataa Kripallani 25:37
Right. So, of course, we can do a lot for prosperity. For us to begin with prosperity, we need to look at the north direction because north direction is obviously a water direction. It helps the flow of the energy keeps to keep going in the house.
Namrataa Kripallani 25:58
It also is governed by our career and money opportunities. So, to be able to attract that and have a flow of that in your life, you can have a water fountain in the north. It is really good to have it there along with a plant which has large leaves because since I told you plant represents growth, it will help the energy of growth coming into your career.
Namrataa Kripallani 26:28
And you asked about success of work, right?
Shrankhla Holecek 26:34
Yeah, success at work, mental health, some of the most pressing topics on our minds.
Namrataa Kripallani 26:41
Right. So I think for success at work, it’s really important that you keep your working desk really clean and clutter -free. And also you face the east or the north while you sit. Simply because the magnetic energies coming from these directions are very, very energizing.
Namrataa Kripallani 27:01
And for mental health, it’s really important that we keep the northeast section of direction of our house clutter -free and clean. Because this is known to be the space and energy, you know, which governs the head of a person.
Namrataa Kripallani 27:20
So if you want clarity of mind, it’s really important that this space is clutter -free and clear. It’s a great place to do meditation as well. So you can do your morning meditation sitting in the northeast. That helps a lot.
Shrankhla Holecek 27:36
Very cool. Okay, and number two, not to throw a curveball into the mix, but I know that your very impressive Resume also has two other things that I love, which is a sound healer and being a subconscious reprogramming facilitator.
Shrankhla Holecek 27:58
I’d love to hear a little bit more about that.
Namrataa Kripallani 28:02
So to add to that, becoming a psychic facilitator complimented my ability to help people live a happier life.
Shrankhla Holecek 28:12
what a Psych -K facilitator is. I know it’s not Psyc -K, it’s Psych -K, right? Psych -K. Yes, please tell us about that.
Namrataa Kripallani 28:26
Okay, so Psych K is a modality which helps people, you know, which helps me assist people to reprogram their subconscious mind. So this is very powerful because we all are driven by emotions and beliefs and, you know, all our actions are driven by that.
Namrataa Kripallani 28:48
And these beliefs are deep rooted in our subconscious mind from the very childhood. We have a lot of beliefs, I bet that they are negative or disempowering ones which are there, we are carrying them since our childhood.
Namrataa Kripallani 29:05
And these can be reprogrammed, you know. So like for example, some people believe that money is a bad thing because they might have a childhood trauma related to it. This may result in them having money blocks.
Namrataa Kripallani 29:19
So let’s say we are correcting the vastu of their house and we are trying to balance the money zone, the direction of where it’s the direction of North, but their belief is very weak around money. So the results will not come very fast.
Namrataa Kripallani 29:35
So if we actually work on the belief as well, it gives sometimes phenomenal results. And, you know, I totally believe that what we see, hear, feel and whatever we think has a very, very profound impact on our lives.
Namrataa Kripallani 29:53
So that’s how I chose Psych K and also Sound Healing to come into my life because sounds as well, you know.
Shrankhla Holecek 30:03
I want to hear a little bit more about how you work with people on sound healing.
Namrataa Kripallani 30:09
Yeah, the sounds in our environment affects us in very, very different ways. Everybody in a different way. Like if we really look at the sounds of the nature, waterfall or rain, it can be calming and healing for a body as well as our mind.
Namrataa Kripallani 30:23
And at the same time, if some people hear thunder, they really get scared and it invokes fear in some people. So I did a deeper study into this science of frequencies and how they can heal our body. Because we are all made of frequencies and we are all energy.
Namrataa Kripallani 30:41
So sound as well is a frequency. So I’ve seen phenomenal results where in my case, it’s really helped me a lot. So, you know, in elevating pain or regulating my emotions and feel much more self -centered.
Shrankhla Holecek 31:04
I love that positive thought and taking control of our lives. Beyond what may have happened to us in our past is always something to aspire to. I know I try to do that every day in my life. And it’s wonderful to have assistance in people like yourself when we set out in that journey.
Shrankhla Holecek 31:27
So, Namrataa, thank you for all the great work you do, not least of which is giving your time to this podcast today. I know I’ve learned so much. I know so many people have learned so much. And I know that they’re intrigued about Vastu, astrology, Ayurveda, as well as sound healing and bringing psych k into their life.
Shrankhla Holecek 31:53
So thank you again. And I look forward to doing so much more with you in coming days, weeks, and months as we get our own journey together underway. So, Namratha, anything to add before we let you go?
Namrataa Kripallani 32:13
Well, the only thing that I would like to say is that when you’re working on yourself, do a holistic healing and not just one aspect of your life. Look at yourself and the life around you as whole and then work on it.
Shrankhla Holecek 32:33
You’re totally right. Just like Ayurveda or any other Vedic science would recommend, it is important to do that. And I’ve faced difficulties making changes on individual aspects myself. So I wholeheartedly agree from experience that it is important to look at that 360 perspective of you as an individual and your life as a whole and you as a part of the environment you’re in.
Shrankhla Holecek 33:05
So thank you for that sage reminder. I appreciate it and more to come. Thank you again. Talk to you soon.
Namrataa Kripallani 33:14
Thank you, Shrankhla.
Shrankhla Holecek 33:17
You can learn more about Vastu with Namrataa by following her on Instagram at nama underscore new age magic that is n a m a underscore new age magic.
Shrankhla Holecek 33:33
As we conclude this episode, we invite you to delve deeper into the world of Ayurveda with Uma. Please subscribe to the Uma Ayurveda podcast to continue this transformative journey with a series of conversations that we hope you’ll find enlightening.
Shrankhla Holecek 33:51
Visit umaoils .com that is U M A O I L S dot com for an even more immersive experience exploring not only our luxury Ayurveda products, but also an array of inspired wellness insight and lifestyle tips.
