I am in Da Nang, Vietnam—one of my favourite sanctuaries of peace and spiritual calm.
Along its tranquil shoreline, it is a familiar sight to see locals and visitors alike lying in shallow sand pits, buried up to their necks, as gentle waves caress the shore nearby at sunrise.
Others scoop handfuls of moist sand from the shore and rub it over their bodies.
To an unaware observer, it might seem like a playful beach activity. However, it is a centuries-old healing practice that manifests in various forms across coastal societies, and Vasthu Sastra offers extensive insights into it.
Vasthu Sastra, the ancient Indian science of harmonious living, is founded on the principle of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space.
The human body also embodies these five elements through the senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste, and maintaining their harmony is essential for good health and peace.
The beach is one of the few natural environments where all five elements are powerfully present in their purest form.
When someone buries themselves in beach sand, they are immersing the body directly in the earth element.
Warm sand acts like nature’s heated blanket. It holds the sun’s warmth and transfers it to the body, opening pores and stimulating blood circulation.
Vasthu texts describe the earth element as having the ability to absorb excess body heat, neutralise toxins, and stabilise disturbed energy flows in the body.
It is a form of grounding, reconnecting with the stabilising magnetic energy of the earth.
The healing is not just energetic but also physical.
Sand contains a rich mix of minerals like magnesium, potassium, and calcium, which can be absorbed through the skin in trace amounts.
These minerals are known to ease muscle tension, soothe joint pain, and reduce inflammation.
People with arthritis or rheumatism often report relief after regular sand burial sessions, much like the mud therapies practised in naturopathy.
In Vasthu philosophy, the location of healing matters. When this therapy is performed near the shoreline, the water element enhances the benefits.
The salty moisture in the air, combined with the gentle massage of sand on the skin, creates a detoxifying effect of removing dead skin cells from the surface of the skin.
The salt in seawater also has antiseptic properties, helping to cleanse the skin and promote healing of minor wounds or irritations.
The fire element comes from the sun above. Sunlight is a natural source of Vitamin D, essential for bone health and immune function.
In moderate doses, its warmth stimulates metabolism and strengthens the body’s natural defences.
The key is moderation and enjoying the sun’s healing heat without allowing it to dehydrate or burn the skin.
The air element at the beach is charged with ions, especially near crashing waves. Scientific studies suggest these particles can enhance mood, reduce stress hormones, and improve breathing. Vasthu sees this as an energising life force energy that refreshes the mind and uplifts the spirit.
Finally, the space element is experienced in the open horizon, where the mind can rest in a sense of vastness.
This openness is deeply therapeutic, helping to dissolve mental tension and emotional clutter.
Beach sand rubbing, where sand is used as a scrub over the body, also aligns with Vasthu’s view of removing stagnant or blocked energy.
As the grains massage the skin, they physically exfoliate dead cells while symbolically clearing away layers of emotional and energetic heaviness. It is a simple act of self-renewal.
From a holistic standpoint, these beach practices work because they combine all five elements in a single experience, creating a powerful balancing effect on the body, mind, and energy field.
This is why such rituals can be found in many coastal cultures.
However, Vasthu also offers a note of caution. Not everyone should engage in prolonged sand burial or intense sun exposure.
Those with heart conditions, severe skin sensitivities, or heat-related illnesses should avoid it. Always hydrate well before and after, and choose the cooler hours of the morning or late afternoon rather than the harsh midday sun.
In a world where modern healing often comes in bottles and prescriptions, it is easy to forget that nature itself provides profound medicine.
The beach, with its sun-warmed sands, rolling waves, and open skies, offers a timeless therapy for those seeking to restore balance, release stress, and reconnect with the elemental forces that sustain life.
The next time you walk along a beach, remember: every grain of sand holds the earth’s ancient memory, and in its warmth lies a simple but powerful path to healing.
Award-winning writer Dr T. Selva is the author of the bestsellers Vasthu Sastra Guide and Secrets of Happy Living. To get a copy, WhatsApp 019-2728464. He can be reached at drtselvas@gmail.com. Facebook: Vasthu Sastra