![Thumb](https://arhamyoga.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/16%20Directions.jpg)
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Rishabh Sogani
- 19 Jul 2021
What are Sixteen Vastu Directions and How They Affect Us
Importance of Directions
The RM Astro Vastu Online Vastu Training Course describes in simple words that what is the importance of directions in Vastu shastra? In fact, directions are the base of Vastu shastra. Directions in Vastu are similar to awareness of breath in yoga or meditation.
![](https://arhamyoga.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Breath%20Awareness.jpg)
Similarly, when we look from the perspective of Ayurveda, directions in Vastu are similar to vat, pitta and cough in Ayurveda.
Why do we need directions at all? Directions came to existence because, when in a particular net usable space, we wish to indicate that this particular object is to be placed on this side or that side, or this colour is to be painted on this side or that side.
For this, we need a reference point. By using directions, we can easily tell that a particular object is to be placed in this direction from the centre.
Sixteen Directions
Directions are divided into four parts, which are called cardinal directions.
The direction, from where Sunrises, is called the East direction. When we stand facing East, then the direction towards our right-hand side is called South and the direction towards our left-hand side is called North.
Direction towards our back is called West, which is also the direction of the sunset.
Here, an important point to keep in mind is that allocation of the area of the direction takes place on an angular basis.
Although most of the plots are rectangular in shape, the calculation of area is not based on length and width only.
![](https://arhamyoga.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/90%20degrees.jpg)
To decide the area of four cardinal directions, we divide 360 degrees from the centre of the building, in four equal parts. Therefore, every direction gets 90 degrees area.
When we divide these four cardinal directions into eight sub directions, then each sub direction gets an area of 45 degrees.
![](https://arhamyoga.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/45%20degrees.jpg?)
The direction between North and East is called North East or Ishan, the direction between South and East is called South East or agneya, the direction between South and West is called South West or nairatya and the direction between North and West is called North West or vayavya.
Description of these eight directions is available at some other places also. However, in Vastu shastra, these eight directions are further subdivided into sixteen directions or Vastu zones. The RM Astro Vastu Online Vastu Training Course describes the attributes of these sixteen directions in detail.
When we divide 45 degrees direction into two equal parts, then every part gets 22.5 degrees area. These divisions give us eight new directions.
![](https://arhamyoga.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Sixteen%20directions.jpg)
The direction between East and North East is called East North East or ENE. The direction between East and South East is called East South East or ESE.
Similarly, the direction between South and South East is called South-South East or SSE and the direction between South and South West is called South-South West or SSW.
In the same manner, the direction between South West and West is called West South West or WSW and the direction between West and North West is called West North West or WNW.
Finally, the direction between North and North West is called North North West or NNW and the direction between North and North East is called North North-East or NNE.
To understand the effects of different directions, we need to know the attributes of every direction. Each direction has its own attributes and these attributes are fixed.
It doesn't matter, whether the building in question is located in India or the US or in any other country in the world, the effects of direction will remain the same.
Every direction controls a particular aspect of our life. For example, North-East direction governs mental clarity, wisdom and the generation of new ideas. If this direction or zone is imbalanced, then we will not be able to get new ideas from inside.
![](https://arhamyoga.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/New%20Ideas.jpg?)
Moreover, in the absence of mental clarity, we will always remain in a confused state of mind.
Now, if we wish to get rid of this problem, we have to make sure that the area of the North-East zone is completely balanced and clean.
How to balance a zone will be discussed in a separate article
later.
So, when we imbibe the attributes of all the sixteen directions, then we can quickly relate any problem in life with the concerned direction.
If someone says, that he is facing the problem of cash flow, then we can quickly understand that the South-East direction of the building in which he lives is imbalanced.
![](https://arhamyoga.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Cash%20Flow.jpg)
Why? Because South East is the zone, that governs cash flow. Until the South-East zone is balanced, residents of the building cannot come out of the cash crunch.
Another important point to learn here is that area of every direction is only 22.5 degrees. That is why accurate measurement of direction is very important. With a variation of even 5 degrees only, we will not be able to assess the effects of direction. Moreover, we will not be able to get the desired results also.
How to accurately measure the directions will be discussed in a separate article later.
Directions: Relationship with Five Elements
We have already learnt about sixteen directions. Each of these sixteen directions is associated with one of the five elements and is known as the direction of that particular element. The RM Astro Vastu Online Vastu Training Course makes it easy to understand this relationship.
We will talk about these five elements in detail in a different article later. For now, just remember the names of these five elements and their relationship with directions.
![](https://arhamyoga.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Five%20Elements.jpg?)
The names of these five elements are water, air which is also known as the wood element in the Chinese system, fire, earth and space.
Although the water element governs three more directions in addition to North East, yet it has been a tradition for a long that when we describe the attributes of sixteen Vastu directions, we begin with North East. So, to just follow this tradition, we will also begin with North East.
The next three directions after North East are East North East, East and East South East All these three directions are governed by the air element.
The next direction is South East which is governed by the fire element. In addition to South East, fire element controls South South East and South directions also.
The next two directions South-South West and South West are connected with the earth element.
The next direction in the sequence is West South West which is governed by the space element. Besides West South West, space element governs West, West North West and North West directions also.
Finally, the three remaining directions North North West, North and North North East along with the North East are the directions of water element.
So, remember that all these four directions belong to the water element only. However, just for the sake of maintaining the tradition of beginning with the North-East direction, we have described North-East separately from the remaining three directions of the water element.
So, in a nutshell, you are going to get a lot of learning as a part of this course.
Now what you have to do is go to
https://www.rmastrovastu.com/courses/vastu-training-course, sign up and get started!