ARCHITECTURE, CONSCIOUSNESS, UNIFIED FIELD AND YOGA: A unified vision

I would first delve into the higher purpose of Yoga and, similarly, the fundamental purpose of architecture and housing. This is to establish a clear connection between the two and to illustrate how Vedic Architecture contributes to bringing both to their highest realization.

My relationship with Yoga began during my early childhood when I started this practice from the age of 8. Yoga is usually understood as a beneficial performance of physical postures that help to give flexibility to the body and mind, bring tranquility and relaxation, decrease stress and improve physical and mental health. At the age of 21, after finishing my degree in Architecture and Urbanism at the Ricardo Palma University in Lima, Peru, I decided to follow an internship for an extensive and intensive training to become a teacher of Transcendental Meditation and Yoga. During that time, I came to understand that Yoga was not just about exercises or postures but something much deeper.

Yoga is little known for its essential purpose. Its closest translation from Vedic Sanskrit is ‘Union’. Re-union with oneself, with our universal essence of limitless awareness and as such it proposes techniques and methods to achieve this. The term first appears in Rk Ved 10.114.9 which describes Yoga as a state where the turmoil of the mind disappears and the mind remains at ease. Rishi Vasishtha’s Maharamayan (YV 6.13.3) and Patanjali’s Yogasutra (YS1.2.) elaborate on it by describing Yoga as a state of serene consciousness which is called Samadhi. This is echoed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita (B.G.2.48 and 4.38) (5) and by Shankara in his commentary on the Taitiriya Upanishad. Yoga is thus defined as the supreme state of Unified Consciousness or Enlightenment, the self-realised state of the human being, a state of happiness, well-being, serenity and permanent balance of mind, body and relationship with the environment. Carl Jung considered that Yoga is the source of psychology and philosophy (Modern Psychology, Vol 3p16) and that Yoga enables us to reach the highest state of consciousness (Collected Works Vol 11 Para 911).

As for architecture, some expressions of notable architects define its higher purpose:

Arata Isozaki, says ‘Architecture has a cosmic sense in its design’. Le Corbusier states ‘Architecture is that which moves, which does good, which gives happiness, which inspires’.
Frank Lloyd-Wright writes ‘The principle of inner life is a gift made to every seed. In the same way, a principle of inner life is also necessary to every good building’.
Mies Van der Rohe, says ‘Architecture is the spiritual expression around space’.
Santiago Calatrava confesses ‘Understanding that within each person there is something sacred and divine is what illuminates our way of understanding architecture’.
Luis Barragán argues ‘Architecture is art when it creates an aesthetic emotion and when the environment arouses a sense of well-being’, ‘Any architecture that does not express serenity does not fulfil its spiritual mission’.
Richard Neutra comments: ‘Any design that impairs man’s natural background or creates tension should be eliminated according to the demands of our nervous system and our total psychological functioning’.

Thus, in these remarkable definitions it becomes clear that the ultimate goal of Architecture and in particular of housing is to generate well-being, happiness and spiritual serenity without inducing stress or damaging health. 

The reflections of these great masters seem to fall clearly within the ultimate purpose of Yoga. Self-realization is indeed defined as a state of well-being, happiness and spiritual serenity, of balance and inner peace, a state without anxiety and of a satisfied and healthy mind in which we live our full potential. According to Abraham Maslow, one of the most important psychologists of the 20th century, self-fulfillment is our greatest psychological need and the ultimate achievement of human need satisfaction. It is the state we all want to reach, whether it is clear to us or not, in which we feel fulfilled and happy with ourselves. In it, our consciousness is fully developed and expanded.

CONSCIOUSNESS, UNIFIED FIELD AND ARCHITECTURE

But what do we mean by consciousness? Consciousness is understood as the capacity to perceive, to know, to know. The level of consciousness refers to how much we are able to perceive of reality; our level of lucidity; how much are we able to know ourselves and perceive our surroundings as they really are?  Maslow claimed that self-realization was preceded by what he called ‘peak experiences’ in which our consciousness experiences ‘a state of oneness… and the feeling that overcomes us makes us feel that all our needs are fulfilled’. Carl Jung, one of the most influential psychiatrists in history, argued that ‘’The experience of Unity (of individual consciousness and the whole), of Totality, is undoubtedly the most authentic and fundamental experience ‘’. Consciousness is intelligence, but is consciousness an epiphenomenon produced solely by human brain activity, or is it the raw material of the universe and ultimately the only thing that exists, as the sages of the Vedas and of the major human cultures, including the great exponents of quantum physics, assert? According to neuroscientists C. Koch and G. Tononi, ‘consciousness could be a fundamental property of physics like mass, charge or time… and universal, i.e. present in all things’.

Plato speaks of the ANIMA MUNDI and maintains in several of his famous Dialogues that ‘The universe is a living being endowed with intelligence, a single all-encompassing living entity’. In the Renaissance, the astronomer and mathematician Giordano Bruno asserted that ‘The Universe is One’ and continues ‘Unity captivates me. Thanks to its power I am free’. Max Plank, the originator of quantum theory declared: ‘I regard consciousness as fundamental. Matter is a derivation of consciousness’. E. Shrodinger, Nobel Prize in Physics (1933) stated: ‘Consciousness is absolutely fundamental’. Eugene Wigner, Nobel Prize winner in physics (1963) said ‘Serious study of the universe leads us to the conclusion that consciousness is the ultimate reality’… Louis Khan wrote ‘Everything is Consciousness. Therein lies the secret of how we are made. Know it! You can achieve the ability to build the universe from knowing a single blade of grass’. Einstein coined a term from the angle of physics, ‘Unified Field’ by which he refers to a single field of infinite energy and intelligence from which the basic fields of force and matter such as gravity, electromagnetism, and the weak and strong forces emerge, producing with their interaction the infinite diversity of the universe. The efforts of physics since then have been directed towards satisfying this quest through various theories such as M-theory and superstring theory. 

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of Transcendental Meditation and physico-mathematician, proposed that the Unified Field and the Field of Pure Consciousness are the same field of infinite intelligence and energy. He held that ‘everything is consciousness’ and that ‘Everything that is physical in the universe is consciousness’.
Dr Tony Nader PhD, a neuroscientist at MIT, echoing Maharishi, published his book ‘Consciousness is All There Is’ where he argues that our ‘nervous system contains all the elements necessary to allow us to experience the Unified Field’.
Quantum physicist J. Hagelin PHd of Harvard University concludes that ‘The experience of pure consciousness depends on brain functioning and corresponds to the direct subjective experience of the Unified Field’. R.K. Wallace PhD in neurophysiology from Harvard University states ‘Enlightenment is the development of consciousness to its full potential and is therefore the most important discovery in neurophysiology…increased strength and order in brain functioning is the basis for the development of higher states of consciousness which is validated by improved intellectual functioning, improved health and the development of full creative potential’. Wallace investigated how the practice of Transcendental Meditation generates those characteristics that correspond to higher states of consciousness, self-realisation.

“A human being is a part of the Whole called by us Universe, a part limited in time and space. The human being experiences himself, his thoughts and emotions as something separated from the Whole. This is a kind of optical illusion of his consciousness. This illusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few people close to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by expanding our circle of compassion to embrace all living beings, nature, and the Whole in its full beauty.” This phrase by Einstein, part of a letter from 1950, appears in a publication by Princeton University in 2005. In this phrase, Einstein clearly speaks to us about the expansion of consciousness and establishes that our main task as human beings is to free ourselves from our narrow consciousness and how this is possible when our perception expands towards all living beings and all of nature. Unity Consciousness, reestablishing our perception of the Whole. Self-realization.

We have seen how the conclusions of physicists, psychologists, neuroscientists, and architects confirm the assertions of the great ancient sages that “Consciousness is Fundamental” and that matter is a modification of that Pure Consciousness. The Unified Field diagrams illustrate this point very well. In the physics diagram 1, we can observe how fields of force and matter arise from the Unified Field, identical to the field of Pure Consciousness. Similarly, in diagram 2, we can see how Architecture is a direct expression of the Unified Field. If everything is consciousness, as we have seen, everything around us is, as are our walls, floors, and ceilings, just as consciousness is our house, our city, and our world. By being aware of our own consciousness, we will be able to know and operate the world around us from the deepest level of our consciousness, being able to generate designs of homes and cities that allow for their fullest flow for the well-being of all citizens, achieving, as architects, that “ability to build the entire universe” that Khan speaks of.

Can architecture lead us to self-realization?

Architecture can be a means to, through form and the perception of space, generate higher instances of order and brain coherence that correspond to higher states of consciousness.

The sacred architecture of all cultures has been able to create special states of inspiration, spiritual expansion, and personal realization. What design principles allow for a change in brain dynamics for these experiences to occur? Can we use these principles in home design? What effect will these spaces have on users?

The ancient Vedic Architecture (Vastu Shastra) fully meets the purposes of Yoga and the most lucid definitions of contemporary architecture. Vastu Shastra, through its design, construction, and spatial location methodologies, contributes to achieving states of unified consciousness which have practical benefits such as improved well-being, mental and physical health, emotional balance, happiness, family relationships, vitality, and creativity, and therefore work performance and personal and professional achievements, aligning personal intelligence with that of nature itself. The benefits produced by practices like Transcendental Meditation, as researched by Wallace, also occur when starting to inhabit a home designed under the principles of Vedic Architecture as formulated by Maharishi. This has been corroborated by recent research whose summaries in the form of graphs are attached to this article and were described in the ancient texts of Vedic architecture such as the Manasara, Mayamata, Brihat Samhita, among others. These texts describe Vedic architecture as STHAPATYA, a term that means to establish. Vedic Architecture proposes that the architect must be established in his own self before being able to design or build. “Established in the Consciousness of Unity, the state of Yoga, perform action” BG 2.48. Walter Gropius somehow refers to this when he states that “Only a being who has learned the most sublime of realities can shape the highest reality.” In this way, the design expressed by the architect will be in accordance with Natural Law, radiating through his work, the state of consciousness that allows his clients to establish themselves in that state of self-realization. Vedic Architecture generates global benefits and well-being and can lead to the full development of Consciousness, the state of Yoga, self-realization. Therefore, whether you seek self-realization, the state of yoga, or simply to improve your physical and mental health, using the principles of Vastu Shastra will be of maximum benefit. Veda Vyasa in the Mahabharata suggests that true happiness is inextricably linked to living in the state of Yoga – Unity Consciousness. This urges us to embrace the offering of Vedic Architecture of a home that perpetually anchors us in that joyful state of self-realization.

CONSCIOUSNESS AND ARCHITECTURE

Through the proper use of composition and building design, great Master of Architecture from all eras have intuitively known how to mobilize people’s emotions, shaping their perceptions and thinking.

Jonas Salk, an American scientist, was determined to find a vaccine against polio while secluded in his laboratory located in a basement at the University of Pittsburgh and saw that his work was not progressing. He decided to travel to Assisi, to the Convent of San Francisco. There, ideas flowed again. Salk became convinced that the architecture of the convent had stimulated his brain, giving him the mental clarity necessary to find the vaccine he was so desperately seeking. This experience convinced him that the built environment has a profound influence on the brain and mind. He called upon Louis Kahn to develop and build the Salk Institute. Fred Cage, a neuroscientist and former director of this institute, noted: “I maintain that architectural design can change our brain and behavior.”

Different architectural currents have explored the relationship between brain function and healthier design, including the novel Neuroarchitecture, which tries to analyze how architectural space affects people’s mood. Similarly, Psychogeography pays attention to the influence of the environment on our mind and emotions, or Bioarchitecture, which places greater emphasis on harmonious design between the individual and the environment, or Biophilic Design, among other approaches.

However, it is the ancient Vedic Architecture (Vastu Shastra) that has studied and provided answers to these concerns since time immemorial through techniques and procedures of space design that promote the experience of Unity Consciousness in its inhabitants. The purpose is to create spaces for happiness, vitality, well-being, mental clarity, harmonious human relationships, greater productivity, and improved quality of life. These buildings reduce stress and anxiety while one subtly experiences the expansion of their consciousness. The result is a balanced architecture that brings peace and well-being by using specific proportions derived from Vedic formulas. Additionally, Vastu Shastra is a highly modern and scientific architecture as the most recent research is verifying its ancient postulates. These principles can be easily used with any local architectural style.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

There are four fundamental pillars of Vedic architecture design, crucial for generating brain coherence and order, mental, physical, and family well-being, creating spaces that resonate with natural laws and improve the well-being of the inhabitants:

Alignment and orientation towards the east sun: The sun’s journey across the sky influences the Earth with variable energies and light quality associated with specific functions and activities within a space. Sthapatya-Ved emphasizes the importance of aligning buildings towards the east, taking advantage of the morning sun’s energy for benefits such as health and vitality. Incorrect orientations can lead to negative outcomes, including illnesses and depression. Neuroscience studies support this, showing our brain’s sensitivity to orientation, position, and spatial direction. These studies show that the firing rate of specific neurons in the thalamus changes in proportion to both the angular velocity and the direction in which the head moves.

Copilot, 20:17

The orientation in which the brain emits neurotransmitters and neurohormones like serotonin, associated with feelings of well-being, happiness, and intelligence, is greater when facing east. The south direction is more associated with a decrease in these, generating sensations related to anxiety according to studies published in the Journal of Neuroscience #15 and Brain Research Bulletin 40. A study published in the Journal of Social Behavior and Personality regarding the effects of house orientation found that there were 75% more burglaries in homes with south-facing entrances. A study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders reported that when comparing hospitalized patients in rooms with east-facing windows to those with west-facing windows, those exposed to east light had an average of 3.67 fewer days of stay than patients in rooms with west-facing windows. It was also found that brain function was more coherent in all its frequencies when facing east and an increase of up to 40% in the speed and accuracy of thought (Lipman and Travis, International Journal of Psychological Studies, 2021).

Appropriate location of living areas: The location of living areas according to the influences of natural laws is vital. Each zone within a building is suitable for specific activities: cooking in the southeast, meditating in the northeast, studying in the north, etc. Aligning these activities with their ideal locations ensures harmony and promotes the general health and evolution of the inhabitants.

Metric proportions and appropriate relationships: Just as nature designs each organ of the human body with precise proportions, the spaces we inhabit must also follow specific dimensions and mathematical relationships. This adherence to precise measurements ensures a resonance between cosmic structures, the home, and its inhabitants, fostering a harmonious environment that connects the individual with the cosmos, unity consciousness.

The importance of the center: Reflecting the natural world, where everything from atoms to galaxies is organized around centers, Vedic architecture emphasizes the Brahmasthan, the central point that radiates the vital energy of the universe. This principle of centered spatial organization benefits the inhabitants by improving the capture and distribution of the global energy of unlimited consciousness. Regarding the importance of the center, Christian Norberg-Schulz comments in his book “Existence, Space, Architecture,” “The fundamental and timeless need of man for a center is clearly demonstrated.” He continues, “As far as spontaneous perception is concerned, man’s space is subjectively centered.” Our understanding and comprehension of space are based on the organization of centers and sub-centers. The non-use of this principle generates brain incoherence and distress.

Other principles include the relationship of design concerning the earth’s axes, the use of symmetry, the planet’s magnetic influence, the organization of space according to the subtle qualities of sunlight and how they affect the mind and emotions of its inhabitants, geomorphology and its relationship with design to generate exalted emotions and elevated states of consciousness. Additionally, Maharishi Vedic Architecture incorporates principles such as cross ventilation, the use of non-toxic materials, the use of color according to doshas (personal psychophysiological constitution), and the strategic location of water bodies.

STRUCTURE OF THE STATE OF YOGA AND ARCHITECTURE

These principles support the fact that Vedic Architecture allows for natural growth towards the state of Yoga, facilitating the simultaneous development of its 8 aspects described by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras. Maharishi points out that the Yoga Sutras describe the characteristics of the state of Yoga. The eight branches are often misunderstood as techniques or consecutive stages towards the state of Yoga; however, they are indicative of the state of Yoga itself. Their simultaneous evolution unfolds as the state of Yoga is reached. These 8 qualities or branches of Yoga are known as Yama (naturally evolutionary actions, administration), Niyama (naturally evolutionary behaviors), Asana (naturally evolutionary postures), Pranayama (movement of vital energy), Pratyahara (movement towards the interior of the mind, self-sufficiency of the senses), Dharana (the mind naturally sustains itself in the state of self-realization), Dhyana (naturally evolutionary movement of the mind towards its source), and Samadhi (natural state of permanent balance of the self-realized mind). All these qualities naturally flourish when one inhabits a Vedic Architecture home. Among them, we see a greater development of qualities described by YAMA, including: Satya (truth, honesty), Ahimsa (non-violence), Asteya (non-stealing), Aparigraha (non-attachment), and Brahmacharya (naturally settled in Pure Consciousness) and NIYAMA, including Saucha (clarity of mind and emotions), Santosha (happiness), Tapas (focus, discipline, purpose, removing obstacles), Swadhyaya (learning, gaining wisdom), Ishwara Pranidhana (being in Pure Consciousness), which contribute to a life of unity and fulfillment. Scientific research supports the fact that these qualities and values grow from the moment one begins to inhabit a Vedic Architecture home.

Research published by Lipman, Travis, Ferguson, Maheshwari, Werd, Bonshek, Nidich, and Ortiz can be summarized in the following table and shows the positive changes perceived by residents of AVM homes:

•  Improvement in verbal creativity (84%) and figurative creativity (47%)

•  Greater brain coherence across all brain frequencies

•  Increased speed and accuracy of thought for problem-solving (40%)

•  Improved academic performance (44%)

•  Increase in the experience of happiness (88%)

•  Improvement in mental health (80%)

•  Improvement in physical health (72%)

•  Improvement in sleep quality (60%)

•  Reduction in stress (85%)

•  Improvement in family relationships (88%)

•  Improvement in quality of life (89%)

•  Greater comfort and happiness at home (95%)

•  Greater achievement of goals (84%)

•  Greater success (92%)

•  Greater prosperity (69%)

•  Greater professional success (78%)

•  Greater spiritual development (85%)

•  Greater sense of life (80%)

•  More luck (81%)

These findings clearly coincide with the development of the qualities of the state of Yoga. Here are some examples:

SATYA: Greater spiritual development, Greater sense of life

AHIMSA: Less stress, Better family relationships, Feeling of greater security at home

ASHTEYA: Greater spiritual growth, Greater sense of life, Improvement in quality of life

APARIGRAHA: Greater spiritual growth, Greater sense of life, Improvement in quality of life

BRAHMACHARYA: Less stress, Greater sense of life, Greater spiritual growth

SAUCHA: Increase in creativity, Improvement in mental health, Less stress, Better professional development, Better decisions, Improvement in sleep quality

SANTOSHA: Greater happiness, Increase in creativity, Less stress, Better mental health, Better family relationships, Greater sense of life, Greater spiritual growth, Greater satisfaction at home, Improvement in quality of life, Greater achievement of goals, Improvement in sleep quality

SWADHYAYA: Improvement in academic performance, Improvement in creativity, Greater sense of life

ISHWARA PRANIDHANA: Greater spiritual development, Greater sense of life, Greater happiness

CONCLUSION

Everything is Consciousness. Everything is pure intelligence flowing. The design of an MVA home aims to foster permanent well-being, improving the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health of its residents. The scientific research attached to these observations underscores the tangible benefits of living in a Vedic home, showing how such an environment can cultivate a state of lasting happiness and joy. This aligns with the holistic approach of AVM, where architecture is not simply about creating a physical structure but about creating spaces that nurture and protect, embodying the deepest principles of peace and non-violence.

Vedic architecture provides a profound path to enhance consciousness, guiding individuals to a realization where all perceived reality is unified within the realm of consciousness itself. It stands as a sophisticated method to instill the state of Yoga, a state of unity and connection, with permanence in our daily lives. This transformative approach is more than just an architectural principle; it is a lived experience that fosters spiritual growth and imbues life with deeper meaning. Residents of Vedic homes frequently report experiencing significant improvement in their spiritual development and a richer, deeper sense of life’s purpose. Through the principles of Vedic architecture, the environment becomes a catalyst for achieving and maintaining an elevated state of consciousness, seamlessly integrating the physical and spiritual aspects of existence to cultivate a life lived in harmony with the universe.