Vastu Compass for Australian Homes: The 8 Directions and the Brahmasthan
Vastu Shastra divides every home into eight directions around an open centre called the Brahmasthan. In Australia those directions stay exactly as they are in India: the North-East is still Ishan, the zone of water and clarity, and the North-West is still Vayavya, the zone of air and movement. What changes is the sun, which here travels through the northern sky.
I built this compass so you can check your own floor plan before you move furniture, sign a lease or make an offer on a house. Tap any zone to see its deity, planet and element, what belongs there and what to avoid, along with my note for Australian homes.
How to use the Vastu compass on your floor plan
Find true north on your plan, rotate the compass until its North wedge points the same way, then read each room against the zone it falls in.
- Find north on your floor plan. Most Australian building and strata plans have a north arrow. If yours doesn’t, stand near the middle of the home with a phone compass.
- Use true north, not magnetic north. Switch on the true north setting in your compass app. In Sydney and Melbourne the difference is around 12–13°, enough to push a door into the next zone.
- Drag the slider until the compass’s North lines up with north on your plan. The line under the slider tells you which way the top of your plan faces.
- Note the zone each room, door, toilet and cooktop falls in, then tap that zone to see what suits it.
For finer detail, Vastu also splits the home into 16 zones of 22.5° each. I use the 16-zone map in every Vastu consultation.
Do Vastu directions change in the Southern Hemisphere?
No. Vastu zones follow true compass directions everywhere, so you never swap North and South for Australia. The difference is the sun: here it arcs through the northern sky, which makes the North and North-East the warm, bright zones and the South the cool, shaded side.
That works in Australia’s favour. Vastu asks for a light, open North-East and a heavier, more solid South-West, and good Australian home design says much the same: living areas and glazing to the north, eaves to manage the high summer sun, and fewer large windows on the hot western side. A well-designed Australian home is often halfway to good Vastu already.
North-East vs North-West: the two zones people mix up
The North-East (Ishan) is Jupiter’s water zone of wisdom and clarity, so keep it light, low and open for prayer or quiet study. The North-West (Vayavya) is the Moon’s air zone of movement, which suits guest rooms, a garage and anything that comes and goes.
Confusing the two is the most common mistake I see in Vastu advice online. A puja room in the North-West, or a heavy wardrobe in the North-East, turns the logic of both zones upside down. If your North-East already holds a toilet or the kitchen, don’t panic: most homes can be balanced without building work. My guide to activating the North-East explains how far to go.
Quick reference: the eight Vastu directions
| Direction | Sanskrit name | Planet | Best use | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | Uttara | Mercury (Budh) | Living room, home office, safe | Toilets, heavy storage |
| North-East | Ishan | Jupiter (Guru) | Puja corner, meditation, open foyer | Toilets, cooktop, heavy furniture |
| East | Purva | Sun (Surya) | Main entrance, dining, family study | Blank walls, bins, clutter |
| South-East | Agneya | Venus (Shukra) | Kitchen cooktop, meter box, solar inverter | Main bedroom, water tank |
| South | Dakshina | Mars (Mangal) | Bedrooms, heavy furniture, staircase | Underground water, a lowered floor |
| South-West | Nairutya | Rahu | Main bedroom, heavy wardrobes, safe | Entrance, toilets, water tank |
| West | Paschima | Saturn (Shani) | Dining, children’s room, study | Unshaded glass, sunken floors |
| North-West | Vayavya | Moon (Chandra) | Guest room, garage, laundry | Main bedroom for the head of the family |
| Centre | Brahmasthan | None (open space) | Open hallway, courtyard, skylight | Pillars, toilets, stairs |
Check your front door in 40 seconds
The entrance is where Vastu analysis starts. Find the true direction your door faces, read the zone it sits in, and keep the threshold bright and clear.
Read the video transcript
- Check 1, find the true direction: stand inside facing out and use a compass app set to true north. Note which of the 16 zones the door sits in.
- Check 2, read the zone: North, North-East and East doors are traditionally the most welcoming. A South-West door is the one to soften.
- Check 3, clear the threshold: keep it bright and open, with a working light, no shoes or bins piled up and nothing broken facing the door.
- Renting? Most fixes cost nothing: declutter, add light, and soften a South-West threshold with a brass strip or plants. No renovation needed.
Common questions about Vastu in Australia
Does Vastu work for apartments and rentals in Australia?
Yes. You may not control where the walls are, but you do control how each zone is used: where you sleep, where you work, where heavy furniture sits and what is left open. I give renters and apartment owners corrections that need no renovation. My apartment Vastu guide walks through the common layouts.
What is the best facing direction for a house in Australia?
There is no single best facing. North, North-East and East entrances are traditionally the most welcoming, and in Australia a North-facing living area also gets the best winter sun. South and West facing homes can work well when the entrance sits in the right part of that side. If you are buying, take my Vastu checklist for buying a home to your next inspection.
Should I use magnetic north or true north for Vastu?
True north. A phone compass shows magnetic north unless you switch on its true north setting. In Sydney magnetic north sits close to 13° east of true north and in Melbourne about 12°, which is enough to move a door or toilet into the next zone. In Perth the difference is under 2°.
Where should the kitchen be according to Vastu?
The South-East, the Agni (fire) zone, is the ideal place for the cooktop, with the North-West as the next best choice. Avoid a cooktop in the North-East. My kitchen Vastu guide covers the cooking direction and what to do when the kitchen is already in the wrong place.
Which direction should I sleep in according to Vastu?
Sleep with your head towards the South or East, and avoid pointing your head to the North. The main bedroom belongs in the South-West. There is more detail in my bedroom Vastu guide.
Can a toilet in the North-East be corrected without renovating?
In most homes it can be managed. Keep the door closed, the room spotless and well ventilated, and use light colours, then strengthen the rest of the North-East with light and order. I always look at the whole plan before suggesting a correction. See my zero-cost Vastu corrections for fixes that cost nothing.
Have Arjun check your floor plan
If a toilet, kitchen or entrance lands in a difficult zone, I can review your floor plan online from anywhere in Australia and give you corrections that suit how you live. I work with homeowners, renters and buyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and across Australia.