Brahmasthan
The Brahmasthan is the central zone of a plot or home in Vastu, the seat of Brahma in the Vastu Purusha Mandala. Tradition keeps it open, light and free of heavy loads, toilets, kitchens and staircases.
Also known as: brahmasthana, brahma sthan
In the Vastu Purusha Mandala the centre belongs to Brahma, the creator; on an 81-square grid it is the middle nine squares. Linked with the element of space (akasha), the Brahmasthan is treated as the heart of the home, where light and air gather and move.
Traditional homes had an open courtyard, the aangan, at their centre. Today the Brahmasthan is usually part of a living or family area. Good practice is to keep it uncluttered, well lit and free of heavy furniture, pillars, beams, staircases, toilets and kitchens.
To find it on a rectangular home, draw the two diagonals on the floor plan; where they cross is the centre. Irregular plans, such as an L-shaped flat, need a little more care, and consultants differ on how best to find their centre.
It need not be an empty, unused space. A clean, open centre used for family time, prayer or simply passing through fits Vastu well. What tradition avoids is weight and waste at the heart of the home.