Note from the President of ACVA

By Professor Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi) President, ACVA

June 2025

Hello Gentle Readers,

It’s been a lively month here at the College. Our Leadership Team has been busy working to create a structure for our newly imagined ACVA Membership organization. We announced this last month and will be providing details of the member benefits to you soon. It’s amazing how much technical work goes into an online project like this! So, we offer sincere thanks to our I.T. Team headed by Dr. Sisira Amarasinghe, and Dr. Arjuna de Silva.

I imagine that you’ve already been able to identify the major impact on your life, created by the recent movements of Jupiter into Gemini, and Rahu/Ketu into Aquarius/Leo last month. Isn’t it wonderful that, using Jyotisha and our own common sense, we can look around the corner, and be prepared to capitalize on these shifts? Or at least, not to be caught off-guard! As a consulting jyotishi, these simple shifts form the basis of much of my client work recently. Jyotisha is a brilliant information system to address the compound crises which we are faced with currently. My congratulations to those of you who are studying and applying the principles of the present planetary configurations to make sense of these strange times!

Congratulations are in order, too, to recent Jyotisha Prabhakara graduate, Giulia Avvanzini. She passed a very rigorous written and oral exam with distinction. Well done, Giulia, ACVA Faculty, and I.T. staff!

ACVA offered a well-attended and well-prepared webinar on “Karma and the Nakshatra Padas” by friend of ACVA, SueAnn McKean, on June 14. Ms. McKean offered this rarely seen, fascinating material in an understandable format. If you could not attend in person, this lecture will be available soon, in our store.

As ever, we thank you for your support of ACVA. Please enjoy the brilliant articles in this edition. And be sure to check out ACVA’s “Coming Attractions.”

With best regards, your fellow traveler, 

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Professor Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi)

President, American College of Vedic Astrology

Guru Purnima

By Professor Juliana Swanson

ACVA Provost and Dean of Academics



Guru Purnima will be observed around the world on July 10, 2025. This Vedic holy day occurs annually on the first full moon after summer solstice in the Ashadha lunar month, which will extend from June 25 to July 24 this year. Guru Purnima is the most auspicious full moon of the year. It is a time when the whole world becomes more receptive to divine grace and celestial boons. 

Guru Purnima occurs at the full moon in Sagittarius, the sign of knowledge and wisdom which is ruled by Jupiter, who is known as Guru in Vedic astrology. The Sanskrit term “Guru” broadly means teacher, but more specifically refers to one who sheds light and removes ignorance. “Purnima” is the term for full moon, so Guru Purnima is the full moon of the Guru, or the full moon that dispels darkness. 

Guru Purnima honors Veda Vyāsa, the legendary rishi and author of the Vedas, the Mahabharata, and the Puranas, some of the most important works within the Vedic tradition. Also known as Vyāsa Purnima, Guru Purnima commemorates Veda Vyāsa’s birth as well as the day when he organized and divided the Vedas into four parts. Lord Ganesha is also honored on this day because he is the true embodiment of wisdom and was also Veda Vyāsa’s scribe.

On Guru Purnima, it is customary to show appreciation to our preceptors, those who help to illuminate our paths, dispel the darkness within, and guide us toward enlightenment. This is a wonderful occasion for spiritual contemplation and celebration. It is also considered a favorable day on which to begin a new spiritual, educational, or healing practice. Devotees traditionally make sacred offerings of food to the needy (annadanam), or sponsor pujas (or yagyas) which include charitable giving.

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The Observatory

By Dr. Lynn Bootes, MD

ACVA Dean of Students and Registrar

registrar@acvaonline.org

Sun in Gemini/Cancer Edition: June 15 – July 31, 2025

Dear Readers,

After several months of non-stop complex planetary movements, the planets settle down to a simpler rhythm as the world pauses for the Summer/Winter solstices on June 20. We are still digesting the changes of the past few months, with Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu all changing signs recently.

Mercury begins the month in its own sign Gemini, which it shares with Jupiter, but on June 23, it moves to Cancer and then slows in motion until it reaches stationary retrograde on July 18 at 21deg22 Cancer. We can expect slower mental and communication activity.

Venus spends the entire month in its own sign Taurus, where it is able to express stable, sensory-based values and affection. The only limitation for Venus is a special 1:3 one-way aspect from Saturn, which may introduce some separation or effort in the way of personal relationships or financial boons. But in the scheme of things, the outcome could be worth it. Please take time to enjoy bright Venus high in the east in the pre-dawn sky.

Mars is now in Leo, where it is much happier in a friend’s sign, but combined with fiery Ketu. We can expect spiritual breakthroughs, but also dustups of the fiery kind in everyday life as well as in the weather and the news of the world.

Jupiter continues in Gemini, where it aspects one of its own signs, Sagittarius. It conjoins with Mercury and Sun at various times to elevate communication and mental activity. It also makes a special 1:9 aspect to Rahu in Aquarius. Saturn continues in Pisces, reaching station and retrograde on July 13 at 07deg43 Pisces. Saturn makes an aspect to Sagittarius and to Taurus and Virgo.

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Practical Pañcāṅga – Introduction

Part 4 (Yoga)

By Pratik Mehta

Vedic Astrologer

Welcome back to this final nugget of the Intro to Pañcāṅga series. Unlike the other parts of the Pañcāṅga that we’ve discussed so far, Nakṣatras are an aspect of Jyotisha that probably need no introduction. Just like Daśās and Yogas, Nakṣatras are yet another fascinating facet of Jyotiṣa that add to its distinctiveness as a system of astrology. Nonetheless, in the spirit of completion to the introductory series, here are some of the Nakṣatra gems that will help enrich your Jyotisha toolset.

Definition and Meaning

The Saṃskṛta word Nakṣatraloka, which translates to the “world of Nakṣatras”, fully embodies the vastness and grandeur that the 27 asterisms bring to the realm of Jyotisha. It’s said that a lifetime or even multiple lifetimes are not enough for us mortals to fully imbibe the timeless wisdom that these Nakṣatras have to offer by way of our contemplating and reflecting on their nature and symbolism.

Fortunately for us, the Vedic seers have left us with a multitude of qualities and attributes for each of the Nakṣatras that can aid us in our understanding and interpretation of these otherwise unfathomable mysteries. Providing qualitative details for all of the Nakṣatras is both beyond my abilities and humanly impossible to squeeze into one article. But for those inclined to dive deeper into the topic, there are several good books written by lifetime Jyotiṣa scholars that offer a treasure trove of Nakṣatra material.



Notwithstanding, the table below provides the Nakṣatra names and their respective deities. I’ve found that memorizing these and nibbling away at the plethora of information available around these deities has significantly helped me in leveraging Nakṣatras for chart interpretation. I urge you to try doing the same.

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Star Gazers: The Birth Charts of Astrologers (Part 2)

By Marc Boney, M.A.

Astrological Teacher, Writer and Consultant

Copyright © 2022 Marc Boney, M.A. All Rights Reserved.

Dedicated to Shri K.N. Rao, who ignited in me the light of Jyotiṣa.

“Jyotiṣa is the art of seeing light, of guiding, of counseling based on the truth called the horoscope. Jyotiṣa is the fusion of the divine with the mundane, the metaphysical with the scientific methodology, a divine chorus of the music of the heavens and the dance of the stars.”

Introduction



In last month’s newsletter, I discussed those elements of the horoscope that are generally considered strong significations of one’s talent for doing Jyotiṣa. To recap the highlights, Mercury is the primary planetary kāraka for astrology, while the secondary kāraka is Jupiter, who rules Veda and vedāṅga. Mercury and Jupiter are also the two educational planets and therefore, people are often first attracted to studying Jyotiṣa when they’re running the conjoined periods of those two planets.

In his book Yogis, Destiny and the Wheel of Time, K.N. Rao summarized the desirable horoscopic features for a potential astrologer, which include Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn and Ketu:

• A strong Mercury and Jupiter are desirable in general. Mercury is ideal in the 4th house, excellent in the 8th, and good in the 10th. In general, Mercury in the kendras is preferred.
• An unafflicted Jupiter in the 10th house aspects the 4th and 2nd house, the latter implying that a person would speak truth, and their predictions would be accurate. Jupiter in any of the esoteric houses (4th, 8th, 12th) aspects the other two in that triad.
• An unblemished Saturn in the 3rd, 5th and 9th houses gives a detached, unbiased view of matters.
• Spiritual Ketu in the esoteric houses, ie, 4th, 8th or 12th, ideally influenced by strong natural benefics, especially Jupiter or Mercury, or the 5th and/or 9th lords.



In Part 1 of this essay, I used as examples the horoscopes of three prominent Indian jyotishis – Dr. B.V. Raman, B. Suryanarain Rao, and my own mentor K.N. Rao. Now, to further illustrate the validity of the key significations recapped above, let’s examine the horoscopes of several other contemporary astrologers. 

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Speaker: Gizem Heukelom, Professional Vedic Astrologer



Gizem Heukelom is an accomplished astrologer, educator, and life coach with over 20 years of experience. Specializing in Vedic Astrology and trained in Classical Western and Esoteric Astrology, she founded DharmaVedas Vedic Astrology & Coaching and DharmaVedas Academy in 2020, where she currently teaches nearly 400 students in Turkey. Additionally, she serves as an instructor at the American College of Vedic Astrology. Gizem is originally from Turkey and resides in the Netherlands. www.dharmavedas.com

2. ACVA webinar – 09 August 2025 – Marc Boney 

SATURDAY 10am Pacific, 11am Mountain, Noon Central, 1pm Eastern

Topic: Predicting with Jaimini’s Chara Kārakas

This webinar explores the profound predictive power of Chara Kārakas, the variable significators used in Jaimini’s system of astrology. Unlike fixed significators in Parāśari astrology, Chara Kārakas are based on planetary degrees, and offer a dynamic framework for interpreting key life themes such as career, relationships, spiritual evolution, etc. This webinar provides a practical approach to understanding how Chara Kārakas function within Jaimini’s unique system and how they can be applied to assess the timing and nature of significant events in a person’s life. Ideal for students and practitioners seeking deeper predictive accuracy.

Webinar Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kM0j83AoRdeCFqPCycpTew

Speaker: Marc Boney, Professional Astrological Teacher, Writer and Consultant



Marc Boney is an internationally renowned astrological teacher, writer and consultant. He received his training in Jyotisha primarily from K.N. Rao, one of the world's foremost practitioners. Marc has been a featured speaker at international conferences, and is the author of 32 e-books available on Amazon. He is an adjunct faculty member of the Institute of Astrology, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, of New Delhi, India, and recipient of their Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to advancing Vedic astrology in the West. Marc holds an MA in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University and, prior to becoming a full-time jyotishi, held positions in corporate human resources. http://marcboney.com/

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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



• Alan Annand – ACVA Editor-in-Chief of Publications

ACVA Staff

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

• Sudath Mudalige (IT Administrator)



• Susheel Erramilli (Social Media and Digital Marketing Coordinator)

To contact any one of us



American College of Vedic Astrology Inc, 2675 W. S.R. 89A #190, Sedona, AZ 86336