student handbook.09.10 new
TRANSCRIPT
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AmericanUniversityof
MayonicScienceandTechnology
StudentHandbookUpdatedSeptember2009
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Gurukulam
May He protect us both (the
teacher and the disciple);
May He be pleased with us
both; may we, the master and
the student, work together
with vigour;
May our study make us
supremely enlightened;
May there be no dislike or
discordance between us OM!
Let there be blissful peace at
all the three levels ofexistence!
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PurposeoftheAUMS&TProgramStructure
andStudentParticipation
ItisimportantforstudentstounderstandtherationalebehindthestructureoftheAUM
S&T learning experience. After some years of presenting this knowledge, we have
experiencedanumberofqualitiesandexperiencesinstudentswhotakeonthiswork.
Thefollowingisasummaryofourobservations:
1.Studentswhowanttodothefullprogram,enjoyitinspiteofthechallenges,andare
patientwiththelearningprocess.
2.Studentswhoareveryintelligentandwanttospeedthroughtheprocess.
3.StudentswhotakethebasicCornerstonecourseandthinktheyknowhowtoapply
theknowledgeorcanlearn iton theirown. Also includedin thisgrouparestudents
whosimplywantedtotaketheintroductorycoursestohaveatasteoftheknowledge
anddon'twanttobeVaastuConsultantsorarchitects.
4.Studentswhoarepracticalandwanttojustgetonwithdesignorbuildingbefore
finishingtheprogram.5.Studentswho,duringtheprogram,areovershadowedbytheinternalgrowthand
thusfindreasonstonotdotheirassignments,becomeimpatient,orsimplybecometoo
overwhelmedtogoon.
6.Studentswhodon'tliketobetoldwhattodoorhowtodoit-parentalorauthority
challengescausingtransference.
7.Studentswhothinktheyknowhowthisknowledgeshouldbetaughtandunderwhat
circumstancesitshouldbetaughtthustrytobuckthesystem.
8.Studentswhoexhibitsomecombinationoftheaboveanddonotfinishtheprogram.
9.Studentswhosucceedinspiteofhavinggonethroughalloftheabove.
IntheAUMS&Tcurriculumyoureadsimilarknowledgeoverandoveragain.Manyof
our classesconsistof listening toothers read thematerial. Thisprocess takes longer
thanitwouldifyouhadsimplyreaditquicklythroughonyourown,doneassignments,
andtakenatest.Learningthisknowledgebyspeed-readingisnotthebestwayto
studythismaterial.
InhisAintiram,Mayansays:
The knower of Vastu should know about the state of light, of sound, and of OM
pertaining to both the internal and external space, only through the power of inner
consciousness.Thisistheexactprocessofknowingthenatureofexistance.(191)
1) Knowingthroughempiricalknoweledge2) Knowingthroughintrovertmentationandcontemplationand3) Through the knowedge gained in this way, knowing the quintessence of
existence.
-Onlytheseareconsideredtobemosteffectiveinrealizingtheeffulgenceofthe
internalspace.(192)
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those persons who have not kn own the real potencyh of the internal space
cannotknowevethepotencyoftheexternalspace(195)
Wecanreadforintellectualknowledge-that'simportant.Mostinstitutionsorsystems
employ reading texts as being fundamental to the learning process. This form of
learningmightbereferredtoasdigestingtheknowledge-factsandfigures,ormaterialdigestion.Thatis,consumingwiththemindandthenchewingitup,thinkingaboutit,
digesting it, and thenspitting itout asfacts and figures. However there isadeeper
purposeforthestructureoftheAUMS&Tprogram.Byreadingagainandagainthe
sameideasandsamewordsfromdifferentperspectivesthereisaculturingofthefiner
and subtler aspects of your mind, consciousness and Being. This is called spiritual
digestion. Its final outcome isalmost unspeakable. Something happens inside that
cannot be fully articulated. Thats what we are looking for in terms of the kind of
experiencewewantAUMS&Tstudentstohave.
The Tamil and Sanskrit words are vibrant particles of OM Light andOM Sound thataffectusataverydeeplevel.Theyareancientpureformsoflightandsound.When
welookatandreadthesewordswearenotjustaccumulatingfactsandfigures-weare
adjusting our inner being to come into resonance with that which we are studying
(Consciousness)andthatwhichwearemanifestingthroughthiswork-livingBeing.We
dothisinpartbyreferringourattentiontothecaveofourheartwhereatmanlives
withinusourinnerspace.Thisis consuminganddigestingthecoursematerialona
Spirituallevel.
Inadditiontospecificwordsandsounds,weareofferedconceptsthataffectourinner
Being if we hear them over and over again. Through this method, we deepen the
vibrationofVaastuPurushainourcoreBeing.OvertimeyouwillseeablossomingofthisdeeperexperienceinyourlifeandyouwilltakethatintoyourVaastupractice.
Asyoureadthetext,doyourbesttoreadthewordsproperlybutjustasimportant,is
lookingattheTamilandSanskritwordsandinternalizingthemonavisuallevelallowing
themtosinkintothecaveoftheheart.Donotbecomehungupontheirmeaningatthe
moment.Ascertainthegistofthemeaninginrelationtothecontextofusagebutavoid
overfocusing.Justpauseandreallylookattheword.Ifyouwanttoresearchmeaning
and come to understand thematerial more youwill have to reread all of the texts
several times. Understanding the realmeaning of these termscomes from only one
thing:growthinconsciousness.
YoumustbepatientandallowyourselftimetoSpirituallydigestthisknowledge.Ifyou
areafairlyintelligentperson-whichyoulikelyare-thenyouwillbetemptedtospeed
readtheinformation,understanditfromanintellectuallevel,andbeeagertogoonto
thenextbookanddothesame.Youaredoingyourselfadisservicebydoingthat.You
mightknowthematerialonanintellectuallevelbutyouwillneverbeaKnowerofthe
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materialifyoudon'tallowTimetoSpirituallydigestit.Knowingisaskillofthemindand
intellect.BecomingtheKnowerisaskillofAtman,theSoul-ConsciousnessItself.
Experiencehasshownusthatifyoufeelboredwithreadingorhearingthesamething
overandoveragainthenyouarenotdeepening.Ifyouaredeepening,everytimeyou
hearorreadthisknowledgetherewillbeanahaexperience-adeeperunderstandingofthemeaning. Ifyou have the deepestunderstandingofthemeaningthenhearing it
again will bring spiritual bliss or some internal happiness. The aha will be from a
deepenedunderstandingorfrommakingaconnectionwiththisknowledgeandanother
pieceofknowledge.Boredomisjustastatethatindicatesthatyouareonaplateau.
Justhangoutwithitanditwilldissipate.Beinganxioustogoaheadisjustanotherstate
-justhangoutwithitanditwilldissipate.Bothofthoseexperiencesarebornofbeing
outofthepresentwiththeknowledge.Ifyouarepresentwiththeknowledgeyouwill
feelblissandhappiness.
Ifyou are apractical person - that is, someonewho justwantstogetonwithdoingarchitecturaldesignand/orbuilding-youmustcometounderstandthatthenutsand
boltsofthissciencearenothingwithoutthedeeperunderstanding.Thisknowledgehas
been lost tohumanityuntilDr. Sthapati revealed it over the past fifteen years. Dr.
Mercayhascodifiedthebodyofknowledgeforwesternmindsandproducedoriginal
researchapprovedbyDrSthapati.Someofthetechnologicalaspects(nutsandboltsof
buildinganddesign)havebeenavailablebutthemoreimportantaspectsweremissing.
Itisaccuratetosay,thateventheSthapatisandShilpiswerenotawareoftheInner
Being-Microabode-asbeingtheCauseoftheircreation.Theywerenotawareofthe
originofthemathematical orderor the significanceofit. Thus,the formsthatwere
madeweremisunderstood.
From that misunderstanding, the temples,which are actually vibrating forms of the
Divine,wereseenasmerelyhousesforasculpturethatwasthoughttorepresentthe
Divine. Through a lack of understanding of the deeper aspects of this knowledge
terminology such as Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti and Brahmam and others were
misunderstood. Theyweremistaken for Gods and Goddesses rather than spiritual /
scientificprinciples related to the concept of spiritual energy transforming itself into
spiritualized matter. Thus, in place of the deep and profound Scientific Spiritual
principles, falsemythology arosebecause the authentic explanationswere lost. This
gave rise to enormous misunderstanding of the application of this knowledge to
traditionalbuilding,sculpture,poetry,music,anddance.PeoplebegantoimproviseinalloftheseformsandthusthepotencyofVaastuPurushawaslost.Vaastubecame
known asIndianFengSui. Whereone putstheirred couch becamemore important
thanthemathematicsofthemainwallofthehouse.
In, addition to taking the time to learn the deeper aspects of this work, you must
understandthattheprogramofstudythatyouarebeingpresentedwithissystematic
and carefully thought out. It is a progressive and systematic presentation of the
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knowledgethatemploysprerequisitelearning.Intheearlystagesoftheprogramyou
are not preparedto jumpaheadtoothermoreadvancedaspectsof thiswork. You
mightthinkyouarebutthefactisyouaren't.Advancedstudentswhohavestudiedfor
severalyearswillvouchforthat.
Weareeducatorsandhavestudiedthisknowledge foryears. Dr. Sthapatihasbeenteachingforoverfortyyearsandknowsthattheremustbeasystematicpresentationof
theknowledge.HeisabundantlyawaretheSciencemustbelearnedfullybeforethe
technologycanbeappliedproperly.Dr.Mercayhasbeenteachingthisknowledgefora
numberofyears,hasbeenacollegeteacherforovertenyearsandaseminarteacher
for almost forty years. She dedicates every day of her life in research and writing
relatedtothisknowledge.ShehasaDoctorateincurriculumdevelopmentandhuman
cognition,learning,andteaching.And,sheholdsaDoctorateinMayonicScienceand
Technology.Shehasbeeninvolvedinthebuildingindustryallofherlifeinsomeway.
Boardmembersandotherfacultymembersarelongtimeexpertsinthefieldandhave
also taught thisknowledge. Dr.Mercay collects, compiles,writes, and developstheknowledgeandsendsittoDr.Sthapatiandboardmembersforapproval.
Wehavecondensedthisknowledgefortheimpatientwesternmind.Insteadofmaking
youwaitfor10-15yearstobegintoapplytheknowledge(asisdoneinIndia)wemakeit
availableinjustafewyears.Eventhemostbrilliantstudentmustgothroughthesteps
oflearninganddeepening.
Boardmembersandfacultyhavediscussedatlengththevariousstudentexperiences
(mentionedabovein1-9)astheygothroughthisprogramincludingstudentdesireto
jumpahead,buckthesystem,andstudentexperienceofwhatwecallbeingva-stewed
(feeling emotional or physical purification from studying this science). KrithikaKaruppiah, a board member, faculty member, traditional architect, and long time
studentofDr.V.GanapatiSthapatisaidinrelationtothis:
Thefeelingthatthestudentsexperienceissomethingverycommon.Mayanwillnotgive
hisknowledgetoanyonewithease.Theyhavetogothroughalotofhurdlesandsurpass
allobstaclessoastopasshisexams.ThisiswhenaGURUwillbeagreatguidanceforus
inhelpingusovercometheworstbattles.ThatiswhywewillbealwaysgratefulforIyya
(Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati) for being the best GURU in molding us into what we are
today.SowhatthestudentsneedisfirstlyPATIENCEandthengoodsupportfromyour
faculty.
We are reviving the Spiritual and Scientific knowledge base that provides a through
understanding of the technology. This eliminates superstition and mythology and
providesarationalandspiritualunderstandingofthisbodyofwork.Ifyouwantto
learnandapply thenutsandboltsof thisknowledgethenyoumusttakethetimeto
grow in the deeper understanding of this knowledge - otherwise, you will be
contributingtothelossofthisknowledge.
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IfyouwanttobeaVaastuConsultant,youmustbecomeaKnower.Itismoreimportant
tousthatyoubecomeaKnowerthenthatyouknowhowtoregurgitateknowledgeor
wieldahammer.Bepatientandsurrendertotheprocess.
OneveryimportantpointtorememberisthatthisknowledgeisonlyavailablethroughthegraceofGuru.Theteachersinthistradition,includingAUMS&Tfacultyofferthis
knowledgeoutoftheirowngenerosityofspirit.Youarethefortunaterecipients.There
isnootherprogramexistingintheworldthatpresentsthisknowledgeinitsauthentic
formandinasystematicanddeepway.Thereisnootherprogramintheworldofthis
kindthathastheblessingsofShilpiGuru.
Thisknowledgeis,inspiteoftheacademicsetting,ineverysenseofthewordpresented
underthetraditionalGurukulamsystem.Gurumeansesteemedteacher;kulammeans
tradition,noblelineage,family,benevolence,andassemblage.Thusitisbythegrace
and benevolence of Shilpi Guru and the AUM S&T family of teachers (Gurus), withknowledgefromtheirtraditionalandnoblelineagethatyouareinvitedintotheirfamily
assemblagetobeareceptacleofthisancientandsacredspiritualscience.
Reflecting back on the nine typesof student experiences above, most studentswho
finishtheprogramgenerallyfallintothelastcategory.Theyhavegonethroughagreat
dealofgrowth,beenva-stewed,andhadtheabilitytosustainitinspiteoftheirupsand
downs. Regardless of their ability to wield a hammer or draw fancy designs, they
becameKnowers.Theirmotivation,faith,hardwork,andinternalexperiencesustained
themthroughlearninganamazingbodyofknowledge.
Mayyou,throughthegraceofGuruandyourownmotivationbecomeaKnower.
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FacultyStudentRelationships
For the benefit of all, it is important to understand faculty student relationships.
Universitiesaretypicallyrequiredtopublishtheirpoliciesonthistopic.WhileAUMS&T
is not accredited by a national or regional agency we attempt to adhere to their
guidelines. Accreditation provides an authority for teaching that establishes certain
standards. Our authority for teaching is the Vaastu Vedic Research Foundation,Chennai, India, and The International Institute of Mayonic Science and Technology,
Chennai,India.OurStandardsofPracticearederivedfromtheAintiram,PranavaVeda,
andVaastuShastrasandtheGurukulamtradition.
ThisisacollegialprogrambutalsoatraditionalGurukulam,Guru-studentprogram.In
many ways, the flow of knowledge depends upon the love and inspiration of the
teacher,whichisstimulatedbythedevotionofthestudent.Therearenutsandboltsof
building that are taught but there is also much deeper and significant information
availablethroughinspiredteaching.Thenutsandboltsarethetipoftheice-burgsoto
speak.Therealtransformationforthestudentandtheirsuccessinapplyingthenutsandboltscomesfromthe inspiredteachings. Whenwesay inspiredwedontmean
madeup ratherwemean insightful dissertationsaboutthe deepermeaningofthe
informationbased upon the teachers consciousness and long deep study. Just like
there isa transmission offrequency fromreading the knowledge,orfrombeingin a
Vaastubuilding,thereisatransmissionoffrequencyfromtheteacherduringtimesof
deeplyprofounddiscussion.Ifyouareopenyouwillexperiencethisinaveryprofound
way.AUMS&Tstudentsrepeatedlyreportthis.Itistheopennessandloveandrespect
ofthestudentthatactuallydrawsoutknowledgefromtheteachers.
AtAUMS&Twehavefoundthatwhenthestudentgroupisharmoniousandopen,the
knowledgethatflowsisverydeepandprofound.Ifthereiscomplainingandresistance,allthatisavailablearemundanenutsandbolts.Studentswhoultimatelystaywiththe
programarestudentswhoareopenandwillingtobereceptivetohigherknowledgeand
opentotheteacherswhocanmakethatavailabletothem.
Many Universities encourage friendly faculty student relationships. For example, Cal
StateUniversityatChicohasintheirfacultypolicymanualthisstatement: Facultyare
strongly encouraged to invest at least a modest amount of time interacting with
studentsoutsideofclass ininformalsettings.Departmentsandschoolsmaybeableto
identifyorarrangephysicalfacilitiesthatencourageinformalinteraction.
Vanderbilt University states this in their policy handbook under Faculty Friendship:
We're constantly working to increase the interaction between students and faculty
outside of the classroom. Research has consistently shown the benefits of such
interaction:
*higherlevelsofclassparticipation
*greatersatisfactionwithcourses
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PeaceCollege, Raleigh,NC makes this statement in their faculty handbook: Long a
hallmarkofPeaceCollege,strongmentoringrelationshipsbetweenstudentsandfaculty
membersmaketheCollegetheuniqueplaceitis.FromtheFirstYearAdventurescourse
toasenior-levelindependentresearchclass,facultymembersatPeacestrivetoknow
their studentsonboth aprofessionalandpersonallevel.Knowingthestudents'needsand goals allows Peace College faculty members to guide them in their academic
pursuitsandcareerpaths.Inaddition,manyoftherelationshipsresultinfriendshipsthat
lastlongafterGraduationDay.
AUM S&T is a unique institution. We employ the collegial model of classroom
instructionandindependentstudiesaswellasthementoringmodelofsmallclassesand
individualattention.Eachstudentdevelopsapersonalrelationshipandfriendshipwith
the facultyand facultycaredeeply for the successofthestudent. This interactionis
encouragedatAUMS&TasinmanyotherUniversitiesandCollegesasithasbeenfound
tohelpthestudentmeettheireducationalgoals.
In spiteof the closeassociation between faculty and students, theremust bea line
drawnintermsofthestudentteacherrelationship.Studentsbenefitfromholdingin
their awareness thatAUM S&T faculty hold rare knowledge and are among the few
livingthatcanimpartthatknowledge.Pleasedonotconfusecollegialfriendshipwith
permission to take disrespectful liberties. Faculty must be addressed and treated
respectfully.
AUMS&Tstudentsaregenerallyolderthantheaveragecollegestudentandoftenhave
extensiveprofessionalexperience. AUMS&Tfacultyrespecttheexpertiseofstudents
intheirfields. Itisimportanttonotethatwhileanygivenstudentmayhaveextensiveprofessionalexperienceintheirfieldtheyhaveverylimitedexperienceandknowledge
inMayonicSciencecomparedtoAUMS&Tfaculty.Thesayingisthat youdontknow
whatyoudontknow.
ItmustalsoberememberedthatbutforAUMS&Tfacultythisknowledgewouldnotbe
availableinthecohesivemannerthatitistoday. Intimesgonebuyastudentmightbe
abletogotoIndiatostudyfortwentyyears.Inthattwentyyearsonemightlearnonly
half of what is taught at AUM S&T. Furthermore, without being amember of the
Vishwakarma Clan one would most likely not be accepted into the student / Guru
relationship in India. Ifonewereacceptedthenonewouldspendthe firsttenyearsdoinghardlaborasalaky.
StudentsenteringAUMS&Tarefortunatebeyondwords.ThisiswhatVicePresident
MichaelBordensaidabouttheAUMS&Topportunity:
Dr.JessieandIhavebeengoingtoIndiaforseveralyearscoaxingtheknowledgeoutof
Tamil Nadu. If you had sat with me in Sthapati's office 10 years ago and seen the
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conditionsoflearningthisknowledgethenandseethemnow,youwouldbeamazedat
youropportunity(withAUMS&T).Sthapatihasbeenverygenerousandevengavethe
Universityhisblessing.Thereisnowhereinthewestwhereyoucangetthisknowledgein
sucha conciseand completeandpurepackage. Eventhe "experts"donotknowthis
stuff. The certification given by the University is the most legitimate certification
available.It'sbasedonyearsofresearchandexperience.NOoneelsecanlegitimatelycertify teachers (practitioners) of thisknowledge in thewest becausenooneelse has
donetheworkto vitalizeit. This isthe knowledge, researched,tried, verified,and re-
verified byouryearsof on the ground and inthe officework. Itdoesn'tmatter ifDr.
Jessiewasteachingoutofaphonebooth:theknowledgeisrealandaccessible.Gofor
it.MichaelBorden,MAArchitecture,PhDmst
ItisourdesireatAUMS&Ttogiveyoutheverybestknowledgeavailableinacollegial
mannerincludinginstructionalexcellenceandpersonalcloseness.Inaddition,itisonly
through the Guru - student relationship thatwecan give you the deepest andmost
subtle experience available through this knowledge. In the futurewewill behavingprofessionalrelationshipsthatwillincreaseourfriendships.
The faculty and BoardofDirectors have the final say in student participation in this
University.ItisaprivateUniversityandpoliciesarenotnegotiable.Wemustholdto
higherstandardsofstudentbehavior,astheyaredemandedbyMayan.
MayandictatesthequalificationsofaSthapatiandassistantinhisMayamata.Whilethe
Level1VaastuConsultantisnotfullyconsideredaSthapati,sheorhemustmeetthe
requirementsofcharactersetforthbyMamuniMayanasfollows:
TheSthapatiisonequalifiedwiththerighttoestablishbuildings.Hemustbewellversedinall sciences. Hemustbe justand compassionate. Hemust be handsomeand free
fromanyweakness. Hemustbeamathematicianwithknowledgeofhistoryand the
land.Hemustbestraightforwardandcapableofcontrollinghissenses.Hemustbea
gooddraftsman,bewidelytraveled.Hemustbefreefromseventypesofvices.Hemust
haveagoodnameandbestrongwilled.Hemusthavecrossedtheoceanofthescience
ofArchitecture.
The Sutragrahi iseither his son or his disciple. He always follows the directions and
instructionsoftheSthapati.Heisskilledinallthearts.Hemustbeanexpertinapplying
Shastricmeasures and in the use ofmeasuring instruments. Hemustme anexpertmarker.Hemustbewellexperiencedintheapplicationoflength,breadthanddepthon
everymembertobecarvedandtogointoconstruction.
MayandidnottakethisoccupationlightlyandneitherdoestheAmericanUniversityof
Mayonic Science and Technology. The individual who takes on the task of birthing
Vaastustructuresmustbe,respectful,welltrainedandofhighpersonalintegrity.
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StudentGuidelines
Most students that attend AUM S&T are adults and donot need tobe remindedof
certainbehaviorandprotocols.Howeverweareobligatedtopostourexpectationsto
avoidmisunderstanding.Theseguidelinescomefromourexperiencewithstudents.
TextsandTeachingMaterialsThissectionoutlineshowthetextsandknowledgeofferedbytheAmericanUniversity
ofMayonicScienceandTechnologymaybeusedandbywhat authority. Inpastand
presenttimes,thisknowledgehasbeenandismisrepresentedthroughouttheworldby
peoplewhowereand are not qualifiedtopresent itproperly. Unfortunately, inour
presentagepeople takeashort courseofstudyandthinktheyareexperts. Ittakes
yearsof studytopresent thisdeepandprofoundknowledgeproperly. Infact, ithas
beentaughttraditionallyovermanyyearsatthefeetofamaster.Wehavecondensed
itforthewesternmindbutonecannotpresumetohaveafullunderstandingevenafter
completing thecertificationprograms. Inanyfieldit iscommonlyunderstood that it
takesaboutnineyearstobecomeanexpert.Dr.JessieMercay,thefacultyandstaffandAUMS&Thavebeengiventhetaskofpresentingthisknowledgeinitspurityandintend
todoso.
Thisbodyofknowledgein thisform,given inclassesandtexts throughtheAmerican
UniversityofMayonicScienceandTechnologyiscopyritedbyDr.JessieMercayandDr.
V. Ganapati Sthapati and may not be used in any way without Dr. Jessie Mercays
explicitpermission.
The texts and knowledge taught at the AmericanUniversity ofMayonic Science and
Technology contain original proprietary research, intellectual, and experiential
knowledgeandinterpretation.Itisprotectedbyfederalandinternationallaw.ItistheintellectualpropertyofDr. Jessie J.Mercay. It istobe usedonlybystudentsof the
AmericanUniversityofMayonicScienceandTechnologyorCertifiedgraduatesofthis
institution under the guidelines of the American University ofMayonic Science and
Technology andDr. Jessie J.Mercay. No part of this text may be copied or quoted
without the express permission of the author of the various texts. A picture or
illustrationmaybeusedinaqualifiedprofessionalsituationtoillustrateasinglepointto
aclient inanauthorizedsituationwhengivenpermission. Itmaynotbesharedwith
friends or people whomay think they understand it. The general concepts may be
discussedbycertifiedgraduatesofAUMS&Tatpubliclecturesthatareauthorizedby
AUMS&TandthebookitselfmaybeusedatVaastuPujasandotherevents.IfapubliclectureisbeinggivenonanytopicsrepresentedinanyAUMS&Ttextpermissionmust
begrantedfor use ofthematerial. Byaccepting the textand taking classesyou are
agreeingtoalloftheabove.
ExpectedBehaviors
1. Completeassignments successfully: If youdonotcompleteyourassignmentswhentheyaredueyouwillcauseundueworkfortheinstructorandyourfellow
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students.Inaddition,ifyouhavenotabsorbedwhatyouareaskedtoabsorb
whenyouareaskedtoabsorbityouwillnotgainwhatyouneedtogainduring
futurecourses. Thisweknowfromexperience. ThestructureofAUMS&Tis
verywellthoughtouttoenableanawakeningwithinthestudentonthelevelof
themicroabode.
2. Attendallclasses:Youarerequiredtoattendallclasses.Insomelongercoursesyou will be allowed to miss one class but you must make that class up by
listening totheaudioof thatclass. Missingshort courses isnotanoption. In
addition,youareaskedtobementallypresentduringclasses.Pleasedonotbe
on another phone talking to someone else; do not be cooking your meal or
walking your dog etc., while class is in session. Class time is a precious
opportunityforyoutoparticipateinagroupconsciousnessthatwillelevateyou
ifyouletit.Ifyoumustmissclassanditisduringalongcourse,pleasetellyour
course leader ahead of time. You may not miss any class time during in
residencecourses.Ifyouareillspeakwiththeinstructor.Ifyoudonotattend
classesorseemtohavelostyourfocusyoucanbeaskedtoleavethecourse.Ifyouareaskedtoleavetherewillbenotuitionrefund.Inmostcasesyouwillbe
permittedtore-enrollatalaterdatewithproperregistrationandpayment.
3. Follow instructions of faculty or staff: The ability to follow instructions isextremelyimportant intheclassroomandonbuilding sites. Inadditionwhile
travelingonaUniversityrelatedcourseorprojectitisimportanttofollowthe
instructionsofthetripleader.
4. Maintainpoliteandrespectful behavior:Being rude, argumentative,disruptiveduringandoutsideclassesisunacceptable.Presentingyourpointofview,ifitis
related to the topic at hand, in a respectful manner is welcomed. If the
instructorchoosestoendthediscussionandmoveontothenexttopicorsays
thatacertainpointwillbediscussedlaterdonotpersist.AUMS&Tfacultyareallexperiencedteachersandhaveagreatdealofexpertiseintheirfield.While
youmaynotimmediatelyunderstandtheirapproachortheirteachingplan,they
haveonethatistriedandtrue.Remember,thisisacollegialsettingbutitis
traditionalknowledgeandthereislittleroomforgrandstandingordisruptionby
students.
5. RemainwithinthechainoftheAUMS&TestablishedprocessofeducationwhilestillanAUMS&Tstudent.
A.LearningothersystemsofVaastuwhilebeinganAUMS&Tstudentorgoingto
other teachers teachingdifferent systems related to this field is discouraged:
WeaskyoutostayexclusivelywiththisknowledgebaseandnotseekoutsideinformationwhileyouareanAUMS&Tstudentbecauseyouwillgetconfusedby
makingdecisionsregardingVaastuthatareincorrectanddonotapply.Wehave
learnedthisfromexperience.IndividualswhoreadotherVaastubooksorgoto
outsideclasseswhileAUMS&T studentsoftenmixupideas fromotherbooks
andclassesandthinktheylearneditinAUMS&Tclasses.Thereisagreatdealof
misinformationin thepublicdomainandwedonotwant thatmisinformation
added to our knowledge base. We have a great deal of confidence in the
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correctnessofourknowledgebasebecause,unlikemostteachersandtextinthe
marketplace,ourknowledgecomesdirectlyfromaShilpiGurutheonlyliving
ShilpiGuru.
B. Approaching boardmembers or Dr. Sthapati without permission from the
Chancellor for instruction or consultation: Our Indian teachers, friends andcolleaguesdonotliketosaynotous.Yet,inthepast,peoplehavesentthem
with emails and wanted to spend time with them personally - eventually it
becomesoverwhelming.Weaskyounottoemailthemortoaskthemquestions
without firstgoing throughAUM S&T. You will have the opportunity toask
questionsontheIndiatourandatotherappropriatetimes.Afteryoufinishthe
AUM S&T Level 1 & Level 2 program youmay contact them but please use
discretion.IfyouhaveanauthenticbuildingprojectthatyouwantourIndian
friendstobeinvolvedwithpleasediscussitwiththeChancellorinadvance.
C. Studentswho aremore advanced than you andGraduateswho aremoreadvancedthanyouhaveobtainedanestablishedbodyofknowledge.However,
theyarenotteachersanddonotknowthisknowledgefully.Thisknowledgeis
presentedtoyousequentiallyandaspectsarediscussedinaspecificorder.We
teachadvancedconceptsbaseduponprerequisitelearning.Inotherwords,you
mustknowonethingtofullyunderstandanotherthingotherwiseconfusioncan
occur.Youmaynotobtaininformationoropinionsfromstudentsorgraduates
who are more advanced than you. If you are more advanced than other
studentsyoumay not enter intodiscussionsaboutthe knowledgewith them.
Thisisapeertopeerlearningsituationandthisshouldnotbeviolated.
ThereisasystematicmethodtotheAUMS&Tinstructionalplanthatwilltakeyou to higher and higher, deeper and deeper levels of knowledge and
experience. Thisplan,iffollowedcorrectlywill,formoststudents,activatethis
knowledgewithinyourowninnerbeinginunexpectedways.Youarerequiredto
follow thatplanrather thanattemptingtolearn beyondwhere youare inthe
course of instruction. This plan works. Regardless of your work experience
outsideofMayonicScienceandTechnology,youareaneophyteinthisscience.
Thisisasystemofpre-requisitelearningandyoumustmastercertainaspectsof
theknowledgebeforeyoucontinuewithadvancedknowledge.Thisistraditional
teachingand the method of instructionand teachersmust be respected in a
traditionalway.:
6. Environmentalpurity:A. AUMS&T isa smokefreeandchemicalfreeenvironment:Smoking,useof
non-prescription drugs and consuming alcohol during school time are
prohibited.Alcoholabuseordrugabuseatanytimeareprohibited.Ifyou
smokepleasedonotsmokeimmediatelybeforeclass.Yourhairandclothes
willsmelllikesmokeandyouwillbringthatintotheclassroom.
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B. Please do not wear strong smelling oils or perfumes during class or inpracticums. Chemically sensitivepeople cannot toleratethese smells in
fact,many people, sensitiveornotcannot. Sometimesduringpracticums
wemustusematerialsthatmighthavesome toxicity. Wedoour best to
avoidthosesituations.
C. Therewillbetimes,specificallyduringtheIndiaclass,whenyouwillbeaskedtobe vegetarian. This isbecauseyoumustnothaverecently eatenmeat,
chickenorseafood recent toyour temple visit. Youwill also beasked to
abstainfromalcoholicbeveragesduringtempletoursandtemplecottageor
Vaastuhousebuilding. Also,whenyoubuilda temple cottageyouwillbe
askedtobevegetarian.
7. PersonalIssues:Ifyouhaveanissuewithaspecificfacultymemberorwiththeknowledge you are expected to discuss that issue with the faculty member.
Complainingtootherstudentsisnotproductiveanddoesnotpromoteagood
feeling in the grouporwith the teacher. Our goal istohelpyou successfully
navigatethisprogramandtheknowledge.Pleaserememberthatthisisnotthesettingtoworkoutyourissueswithmen,womenorauthorityfigures.Wehave
observedthatthisknowledgeisanamazingpurifierinthatpeoplewhostudyit
(especiallywesterners)oftengothroughaperiodofinternalgrowth.Inother
words, sometimespurificationor un-stressing that occurs during theprogram
becomesoverwhelmingandindividualsactouttheirissuesprojectingthemonto
the teacher, the knowledge or other students. If you transfer these issues
undulyontoyourteacherorotherstudents,youmightendupdamagingyour
relationship.Beforeyoubringupwhatyouthinkisanissue,thinkitover,dont
behasty,andmakesureitisanauthenticissue.Ifyoufinditisanauthentic
issuethendiscuss itwith the person ina civilmanner. Dontsuppressit and
haveitcomeoutsideways.8. SupporttheUniversityandFaculty:
Becauseof thesensitivenatureof thisknowledgeand thespecial relationship
betweenstudentandteachers,it isimportantforyoutosupporttheUniversity
and its faculty and other students. Please donot attempt toundermine the
University or faculty, knowledge or students in anyway. If you do, you are
endangeringthespreadofthisknowledgeintheWesternworld.And,youare
endangeringyourown lifeprocess asyousowsoshall youreap. Astudent
who is found to be undermining the knowledge, the University or a faculty
member,oranotherstudentwillbeimmediatelydismissedwithoutexception.
Undermining takes many forms both subtle (speaking negatively about theknowledge, the teachers, the University) to gross (attempting to take action
againsttheUniversity,knowledge,facultyorstudent).Inpoint6.abovesome
suggestions are made that can be applied here. If you feel compelled to
challenge the University, knowledge or faculty member, or another student
pleasediscussyourpointofviewwithaUniversityrepresentativeandthendrop
outoftheprogramifyoucontinuetofeelthesamewayafterthediscussion.
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Youhavea righttoyourconvictionsbutnota righttobepartof thisprogram
regardlessofyourconvictions.
Ifyou notice thatyou feel anumber ofcomplaints aboutthe programorthe
facultypleasejustleave. Youarenothelpingyourselfortheprogram. Thisis
notademocracywhereyouhavearighttoyournegativeopinionifyouhaveoneandstillremaininthesystem.Asmentionedearlier,youareaguestinthis
program. That means you graciously accept the food you are given and act
accordingly.Wehavehadveryfewstudentswhofeltanythingbutgratitudefor
ourprogramthosewhodidntleftonewayortheother.
Inthisvein,anumberofAUMS&Tstudentsareadvancedbuilders,contractors,
architectsandprofessionalsintheconstructionindustry.Anumberofstudents
are not in the construction field. Whileonpracticumsbevery careful about
criticizingtheskilllevelofnon-constructionpeople.Ifyouwillreadtheduties
ofaLevel1consultantyouwillfindthattheydonotneedtoknowhowtobuildahousealltheyneedtoknowishowtomeasureandtotellthebuilderwhat
measurementneedstobeattained.Thebuilderistheonewhoneedstoknow
how toreachthatmeasurement.Surprisinglyenoughevenmostarchitectsdo
notknowhowtobuildahouse.Theyknowhowtodesignbutnotbuild.We
have had many studentswho are architects and they have neverheld a drill
beforetheirpracticumsyet,theirhousesgoupdailyallovertheworld.Inthat
same way, Vaastu Consultants should be familiar with building but are not
requiredtosinglehandedlyknowhowtobuildahouse.Anexampleofthisis
that many carpenters know nothing about electricity. They cannot install
electricaloutlets.Infact,theyneedtohavespecialtrainingforthat.Yet,they
buildtheopeninginthedrywallfortheelectricaloutletandbuildtherestofthehouse.
In Vaastu Architecture, a Vaastu consultant can build a house out of any
material. Again, all they need to know is how to measure and what
measurementsneedtobeappliedwhere.Otherelements(placementofdoors,
windows,stoveetc.)mustbeknownbytheconsultantbuttheydontneedto
know how to install windows, doors, flooring etc. Of course, the more a
consultantknowsaboutbuildingtheeasiertheirjobwillbe.
ItistheexperienceofAUMS&TthatthebestVaastuConsultantsarepeoplewhoarenotcarpenters,builders,orcontractors.Theyaremoreopentodoingitthe
Vaastuwaywhereaspeoplewhoareskilledinthefieldareoftenstuckdoingit
their way. Those of you who are experts in the construction industry are
fortunatetohavecolleagueswhodidnotstartoutasprofessionalsinthefield.
Eventually, in advanced training, Vaastu consultantswill be required to know
morebutforLevel1theyarenot.
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9. YouarenotanIndependentAgentAs an AUM S&T student, you are not an independent agent regarding this
knowledge.Youareamemberofateamandyoumustfunctionwiththatin
mindwhenparticipatinginAUMS&Tactivitiesandclasses.Whenyouareona
practicumyoumaynotmakedecisionsonyourownaboutchangingthebuilding
planorevenmovingastakeintheground.Youmustconferwithotherstudentsandtheteacher.Asmallchangeeveninthepositionofaboardlayingonthe
ground-canspoiltheVaastueffectorspoilhoursofworkbyanotherperson.
Youarealsonotanindependentagentintermsofstudyingandlearning.Each
student is responsible toother studentswho are peers in termsofwhat you
know. Youmustdoyoubestto learnwhatisbeingpresentedtoyoubecause
someoneelsewillbedependingonyou.Studentswhoarealreadybuildersor
architectswillunderstandablyknowmoreaboutthoseartsthanothersbut,they
dontknowmoreaboutVaastu.So,regardlessofyourworldlyskills,youmust
doyourbesttounderstandthisknowledgebecauseotherswilldependonyoutohelp them make important decisions, add to or correct homework and
eventuallyconsultwithinthefield.
Youmaynotseekteachinginanywayfromstudentsorgraduateswhoarenot
yourpeersin termsof leveloflearning.Advancedstudentsandgraduatesmay
havemore knowledge thanyou but theydonthave the full picture. It takes
yearstofullyunderstandthisknowledge.Graduatesmaynotpresumetogive
knowledgeorhavediscussionswithstudentswhoarenotattheirlevel.There
hasbeenagreatdealofconfusioninthisfieldformanyyearsandwedontwant
toaddtoit.
Finally,youarenotanindependentagentwithregardtocontactingourShilpi
GuruorBoardmembers.Thereisadistinctorderofaccesstothisknowledge
andthatorderbeginswithwhomeveryouaretakingclassesfrom.Alwaysbegin
yourinquirieswiththeteacherofthespecificclass.Thenifyouarenotsatisfied
with the answer, ask the teacher ifyou can speak toanotherperson and the
teacherwilltellyouwhotospeakwith.
Theseguidelinesareestablishedtohelpyouunderstandyourobligationsasastudentin
terms of behavior and student faculty relationships. This program is a serious
undertakingandyouarebeingentrustedwithsacredknowledgeneverbeforeavailabletowesterners inmodernhistory.Weguaranteethatyouwillnothaveaccess tothe
completenessofthisknowledgeinthisformanywhereinthewesternworld.Infact,
thereisnootherprograminexistencetodaythatwillprovideyouwiththeknowledge
availablethroughAUMS&T.Pleasehonortheseguidelinesasinformationthatwillhelp
your journey throughthe program. Otherguidelinesexiston the AUMS&Twebsite:
www.aumscience.com
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Youallmustcometounderstandhowpreciousthisknowledgeisandhowfortunatewe
are to have a structure, AUMS&T, as a channel to learn through. AUMS&T and its
teachersarepillarsoftruthandbeaconsoflightshowingthewaythroughthisLuminous
Path.Itisourgreatestjoyandfulfillmenttotravelwithyouasyourguideandfellow
traveler.
Wecongratulateallofyouwhoareintheprogramfortakingonsuchanoblejourney.
Thestudentbecomesthestudied.
IfyouareanAUMS&TstudentoraremakingapplicationtoanAUMS&Tclassplease
send an email to [email protected] indicating that you have read and
understandthepoliciesandproceduresinthestudenthandbookdatedAugust2009.