Altars of Power and Grace: Create the Life You Desire--Achieve Harmony, Health, Fulfillment and Prosperity with Personal Altars Based on Vastu Shastra [Paperback]

Robin Mastro (Author), Michael Mastro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2004

Nominated for nine National Literary awards and winner of Spirituality Book of the Year (USA Book News) and Self Help Book of the Year (Coalition of Visionary Resources) COVR, Altars of Power and Grace offers a revolutionary approach to creating personal altars. This unique system combines the holistic and creative traditions of Whole Systems Design with the most potent aspects of Vastu Shastra. Vastu, an ancient science from India, was the original teaching on which Feng Shui is based. This enlightening and informative book by renowned Vastu experts, Robin and Michael Mastro, demystifies these principles making them accessible for the Western mindset. Altars created in the home or offices are a beautiful reminder of the sacred in everyday life. With easy and concise instructions, you will learn tools to maximize potential and attract Universal Support. Your altars can feature items or icons from any religious or spiritual practice, and will beautify your surroundings while transforming your life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robin Mastro M.A., a graduate of Mills College, received her masters degree in Whole Systems Design from Antioch University. She has instructed hundreds of people worldwide how to create self-empowering altars in their homes and offices. Her work in this exciting new field took her to Egypt and India, where she studied ancient concepts of scared space and Vastu Shastra. Robin is dedicated to adapting the wisdom of ancient systems to enhance the reality of modern life. She is the creator of AltarWear®, a jewelry and clothing line based on Vedic teachings.

Michael Mastro, award winning architect and president of Global Construction, is one of the leading Western experts on the art and science of Vastu Shastra. Michael, a meditator for over 35 years, was asked in the late 1970’s by renowned spiritual teacher, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, to design spiritual centers in India, Europe, and the United States. Michael’s company built the first Microsoft office building with the orientation and placement designed according to Vastu Shastra. Robin and Michael have taught yoga, meditation, and other spiritual awareness techniques as part of the Art of Living Foundation for over ten years, and are co-owners of Vastu Creations. They live, along with their daughter, on a lake in the Pacific Northwest.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Balanced Book Publishing (October 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974910902
• ISBN-13: 978-0974910901
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #299,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Nice..., June 21, 2005

By 

Fusha - See all my reviews

This review is from: Altars of Power and Grace: Create the Life You Desire--Achieve Harmony, Health, Fulfillment and Prosperity with Personal Altars Based on Vastu Shastra (Paperback)

This book is very well presented physically and delicious visually. Rich and well chosen colors, professional photography and design, and tangiable quality of the book cover and pages. Organized information charts which are clear, concise, uncomplicated and can be cross-referenced with information given in the paragraphs of the book. There is another issue that doesn't come up in the book; some people might have issues or not too good luck with reds or lets say East or Northwest directions...then what?. But perhaps thats better deal with in another book with more complex Vastu. Back to the review!...Its was also helpful and nice that client experiences/tesitmonials are also included in the book. They mention "Keystone" and how before it is sold it goes through a (ancient) ceremony for of preparation and purificaiton. They offer a brief info on Yantras which is fine. However, Yantras also go through such a ceremony be it simple or elaborate. This mention about this kind of traditional treament of Yantras is missing from this book and has no real need to be left out. I am somewhat surprised about since the authors have to be aware of at this given their emershed exposure to india culture at this point. They offer their free "downloadable" Yantra. They provide a mantra and mudra praticum to go along with their downloadable yantra; altar ceremony/energizing instead which is cool but I don't like the fact that they avoided the yantra in this way. Simplification and wateredown are two different things. An actual Yantra is pictured on page 46 of the book. You can get an one that is blessed/activated(or not), from the internet by mail or buy them off of ebay or if you have association with a hindu or indian culture you may try seek one with the proper activations. I would recommend highly to read about yantras and pooja so as to get an idea of the specifics and larger picuture culturally and otherwise. This is my only main beef about this book. It is a lovely book otherwise...worth the purchase which is not expensive at all and can be purchased new at online stores or auctions inexpensively. As they say you use a compass to accurately find the directions first. If you are not familar with compasses try SUUNTO A-10 Hunting/Backpacking Compass..it should not be very costly..but there are others..you can surf the net for how to use one if you don't know how. After you read it you will be able to creatively set up your own space applying the Vastu priniciples as presented. This is a great begginer plus into to Vastu Shastra. A book I keep on my shelf both for it informational value and its beauty inside and out.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Power of Personal Altars, June 6, 2005

By 

Janet Boyer "Author, Blogger, Radio Host" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Altars of Power and Grace: Create the Life You Desire--Achieve Harmony, Health, Fulfillment and Prosperity with Personal Altars Based on Vastu Shastra (Paperback)

"Altars of Power and Grace offers a revolutionary approach to creating personal altars. This unique system combines the holistic and creative traditions of Whole Systems Design with the most potent aspects of Vastu Shastra. Vastu, an ancient science from India, was the original teaching on which Feng Shui is based." -from the book

Renowned experts Robin and Michael Mastro have demystified the ancient principles of Vastu by creating an accessible model for creating personal altars. Like the compass lineage of Feng Shui, Vastu Shastra is governed by five elements and eight directions-much like a Ba Gua map. However, in the Mastro system, Metal becomes Spirit, which appropriately resides in the center.

Altars concentrate chi-or life force-for the promotion of harmony, health, fulfillment and prosperity. Arranging personal items and spiritual tokens with a specific intention generates a powerful energy vortex for manifesting spirit into matter. In Altars of Power and Grace, the Mastros explain the science and history of Vastu Shastra, the attributes of the five elements and representational objects, and the areas and placements for the eight directions.

The eight directions represent certain desires and dreams, and altars can be created for each aspiration:

North: Abundance and Prosperity
Northeast: Spirituality
East: Health and Well-Being
Southeast: Life Changes and Transformation
South: Career and Recognition
Southwest: Helpful People and Universal Support
West: Creativity and Knowledge
Northwest: Relationships and Marriage

Altars of Power and Grace provides clear step by step instructions, colorful photographs and graphics, and a thorough treatment of personal examples and experiences. Also included are helpful charts such as correspondences for each type of altar (including color, gemstone, mantra, and animal), activation ceremonies, yantras, and mantras. The Resource section contains a glossary of terms, and five pages of "who's who" among gods, goddesses, and religious deities (e.g. Archangel Zadkiel, Minerva, Christ, Ganesh, and Lakshmi), and recommended books and websites. The Mastros also offer instructions on altars for special occasions such as weddings, births, anniversaries, and other rites of passage-as well as a beautiful global peace altar.

The great thing about the Vastu Shastra system is that you can use mementos that you already own, or set out to find special icons and symbols that represents your life, personality, and spiritual path. The Mastros also supply readers with a special website address to download free yantras to print out for altar activation, so you can couple your personal tokens with the power of yantras for a specific intention.

Altars of Power and Grace-which won the Best Book of 2004 Award from USABookNews.com-is a wonderful tool for focusing intention, promoting well-being, achieving desires, and cultivating spiritual connection through the creation and use of personal altars.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect Gift of Love and Grace!, November 9, 2004

By 

V. L. Garland "blissy qigongirl" (Sapello, New Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Altars of Power and Grace: Create the Life You Desire--Achieve Harmony, Health, Fulfillment and Prosperity with Personal Altars Based on Vastu Shastra (Paperback)

Pure Gold! I'm trying to decide how many copies I need to order! This wonder of a book is the perfect gift for all of my loved ones!

Not only does it provide SO many helpful, creative suggestions for harmonizing one's home and life, it is a precious delight to disappear into, spending many hours imbibing the beauty and deep wisdom throughout. The photographs are exquisite as are the alters in the pictures throughout the book which seem to balance one's energy field simply by looking at them. What better gift? As the reader implements the ideas and wisdom provided and their life improves, the gift grows. What a true gift of Love!

I have studied Feng Shui for a long time and find the Vaastu system offers a deepening of understanding through a slightly different lens. As I follow these principles I see miracles. Through the guidance of this information, I created alters several years ago, one in particular for Abundance and within 2 years had 3 unexpected windfalls of more abundance than I had ever had.

Praises and Great Thanks to authors Robin and Michael Mastro for their thorough research and compilation as well as the gorgeous layout that makes this book a treasure you want to carry with you always. I always keep it close by my bed. Maybe some of the ancient truth contained will seep in!