The ACVA Comet, January 2024

American College of Vedic Astrology

Letter from the President of ACVA

by Professor Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi) President, ACVA

January 2024 Edition

Dear Friends of ACVA,

Hope the holidays were wonderful for you and your families! Even while there is so much trouble and destruction at play in the world now, we still have much to be grateful for. My personal hope is that we will all pray for peace, in our own individual vernacular – and intentionally act with generosity and compassion.

ACVA has been busy in the past quarter. Some of ACVA’s faculty and several ACVA alumni spoke at the Maharishi Parasara Conference last November. That was a wonderful online conference following the tradition of ACVA and SVAC conferences in the past thirty years. Another great endorsement for ACVA is that we will be the exclusive Associate Partner representing Jyotisha for the 2026 UAC Conference! Much more on this in the future, but just wanted you to know that this long-awaited conference is again being organized, that Jyotish will be included, and that we have something epic to look forward to.

ACVA’s annual Graduation and Awards ceremony took place online on December 17. We were honored by the presence of the President of NAMA, Dr. Jayarajan Kodikannath at the celebration. .Our happy graduates are now prepared to go forth and serve the world, with an excellent education in Jyotish. Ernst Willhelm was the recipient of the 2023 Jyotisha Navaratna award for his excellent services to the Jyotir Vidya.

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Professor Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi)

President, American College of Vedic Astrology

Gola – Winter 2023/2024

By Julene Louis,

Jyotish Ratna, Jyotish Visharada, ISAR-CAP

ACVA Curriculum Coordinator

Gola is the observational astronomy limb of Jyotish. Throughout winter we can observe Shukra in the morning sky and Guru in the evening sky. Shani is visible in the evening until mid-February and then undergoes a period of invisibility around its conjunction with Surya on February 28th. Mangala becomes visible in the morning sky in January but remains low to the horizon making the dim graha difficult to locate at first. Budha begins the season invisible due to its inferior conjunction with Surya on December 22nd. It will become a morning planet in late December. Budha will then disappear before its superior conjunction with Surya on February 28th. It will appear in the evening sky in mid-March.

Winter commences with Guru visible in the southeast and Shani visible in the south-southwest as sunset darkens the sky. Guru is travelling through Mesha rashi with Hamal and Sheratan (above) marking Ashwini nakshatra. Guru will remain in Mesha rashi throughout the season and enters Bharani nakshatra in February. Shani is travelling through Kumbha rashi between Sadalmelik (above and west) and Formalhuat (below and east) marking Shatibisha nakshatra. Shani will remain in this rashi and nakshtra throughout winter.

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The Observatory - New Year 2024 EDITION

Dr. Lynn Bootes, MD

ACVA Dean of Students and Registrar

registrar@acvaonline.org

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the Solstice season – maximum light in the Southern Hemisphere and maximum dark in the North. First, a few planetary highlights of the season.

Settle into Rahu in Pisces/Ketu in Virgo – Rahu generally causes less trouble in the watery Pisces than in assertive Aries. Ketu has left conciliatory Libra, leaving more latitude for this sign to engage in diplomacy and relationships. Ketu in Virgo may disrupt our digital world and aggravate Vata in vulnerable Virgos.

Many positive connections with Jupiter – Just before the New Year, Jupiter in Aries resumes direct motion, but it now is not sharing a sign with Rahu. Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Mars make positive connections throughout the seasons. While the outer planet Uranus is near 24-25 Aries, it makes no direct connections with Jupiter this season. Both do better without the company of Rahu.

Mercury, Venus, and Mars are moving in direct motion all season. No retrogrades! But be aware, events may move along rather quickly. Also, the interaction of Mercury and Mars at the Gandantha position where Scorpio and Sagittarius join is a complicated and volatile combination for the last weekend of December.

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ACVA is a 501-C3 not-for-profit educational institution that provides a very valuable service to learners of Vedic astrology.

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In gratitude,

The Leadership Team

American College of Vedic Astrology

ACVA Leadership Team

Prof. Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi) - President, ACVA’s External Relations Leader

Dr. Sisira K. Amarasinghe, Ph.D. – ACVA Vice President, Executive Director of Corporate Strategy and Technology

Prof. Juliana Swanson - ACVA Provost and Dean of Academics

Dr. Lynn Bootes, M.D.- Registrar, and Dean of Students

Julene Louis – Curriculum Leader

Arjun Kodikannath – ACVA Corporate Communications Officer

ACVA Staff

Dr. Arjuna de Silva, MBBS (ACVA LMS & IT Operations Manager)

Sudath Mudalige (IT Administrator)

To contact any one of us

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