The Power of Vāstu: Creating Good Space Within & Around Us

carolefrey
Jul 22
4 min read

Updated: Jul 23

This weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a music festival in the woods of Vermont—Frendly Gathering. I first went in 2016, and I vividly remember attending a yoga class and thinking to myself, How amazing would it be to teach here one day?

The festival went on hiatus from 2019 through 2024, and when I heard it was finally coming back, I couldn’t wait to reach out and inquire about teaching yoga.

Two months later, while I was in Peru, I got the email:“We’d love to have you...”

I was ecstatic. {Plus, magic always happens while on retreat ;)}

The lineup was stacked with incredible artists—Trevor Hall, Mihali, Will Evans, Satsang, Hayley Jane, Moon Hooch, and more. Plus, with Vermont being home, it felt like the perfect full-circle moment.

The weekend was overflowing with goodness: great music, amazing food, fun vendors, all kinds of weather, no service or WiFi, camping under the stars, and new frends everywhere you turned. And of course, teaching a yoga class on the main stage Saturday morning was a dream come true.

I also had a spontaneous surprise - a DJ offered to play a live sound journey during class. At first, I resisted—I wanted it to be “perfect” and wasn’t sure how it would all flow together. But after my phone wouldn’t connect to the audio, I knew having her there was meant to be — and it was above and beyond anything I could’ve planned.

The Heart of It All: Cultivating Vāstu; Good Space

The most powerful part of the everything I shared about the weekend was the cultivation of Vāstu.

In yogic philosophy, this refers to the energetic essence of space . Vāstu isn’t limited to buildings, rooms, or our external environment. It’s found in everything that holds space—including your body, your breath, your presence – it's the energy we create and carry within.

And when we share an experience with intention & awareness – the space between us becomes vāstu.

We begin to feel more connected.

To ourselves.

To each other.

To the moment we’re in.

So this weekend, we didn’t just witness a good vibe—we became it.

We didn’t just gather in a beautiful space—we embodied it.

Why This Matters (and How to Bring It Into Everyday Life)

Furthermore, Vāstu is the feeling a space gives you, and how that feeling shapes the way you think, move, and relate to others.

You’ve felt vāstu before—whether you had the language for it or not.

Think of the difference between walking into a cluttered room versus a peaceful one. Or the way your mind feels after spending time in nature, versus scrolling in a chaotic environment. That’s vāstu in motion—shaping your internal experience from the outside in.

And the reverse is also true: the energy you bring into a space changes it, too.

Whether you realize it or not, the spaces you spend time in—your home, your workspace, even your own body—are constantly influencing how you feel, focus, and show up.

When we become more intentional with our environments, we create space that supports how we want to feel: clear, grounded, connected.

And the truth is:

🌿 You don’t have to be in the mountains to feel it.

🌿 You don’t need a perfect home or studio.

🌿 You don’t even need silence or stillness.

You just need intention, presence, and a willingness to align with something deeper.

3 Ways to Cultivate Vāstu in Your Everyday Life:

You can begin cultivating vāstu wherever you are—whether you're home, traveling, working, or simply starting your day.

1. Tend to Your Inner Space First:

Your body, breath, and thoughts shape the quality of every space you enter. Take a few minutes daily to breathe deeply, stretch, or sit in quiet. When your inner world feels steady, grounded, and open, that energy naturally radiates outward.

Try this: One minute of deep breathing before you enter a room or begin a meeting. Set the tone from within.

2. Clear & Honor the Space Around You:

This can be as simple as opening a window, lighting a candle, or tidying something up. Bringing presence into your environment—no matter how ordinary—transforms it into something sacred. It's not about perfection; it’s about care.

Try this: Choose one space in your home (your desk, your nightstand, your kitchen sink) and care for it daily with intention for one week. Either continue, or move onto the next space.

3. Gather with Intention

Whether you're meeting friends, teaching a class, or attending a festival, show up with presence. Speak with kindness. Listen fully. Even amidst chaos, intentional energy is contagious. When we bring heart into the spaces we share, vāstu is naturally cultivated.

Try this: Before gathering with others, take a moment to ask yourself: “How do I want to show up in this space?” Then move from that place.

Carry it with you:

Frendly Gathering reminded me of the power of coming together with intention—to move, listen, connect, and simply be. That’s what vāstu is all about. And the best part? It’s something we can create anywhere, anytime.

We become good space—for ourselves and for one another.