American College of Vedic Astrology

The ACVA Newsletter 2025-10 (October 2025)

Note from the President of ACVA

By Professor Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi)

President, ACVA

October 2025

Dear Friends of ACVA,

Welcome to the October edition of the ACVA News. Happy Diwali! We hope that you’ve been enjoying Jupiter’s brief entry into Cancer, its exaltation sign. This position should serve as a preview of better things to come, later in 2026. And then Venus will enter its own sign of Libra on November 2, 2025. So, there are options for a period of peace and grace in the very near future.

It’s been a very busy month for ACVA. As mentioned in the last edition, we are now collaborating with both Kepler College, based in Washington state, and with the massive Dharma Vedas institution, based in Türkiye. Special thanks to ACVA Vice President, Dr. Sisira Amarasinghe, for his expert guidance on the legal intricacies of this momentous endeavor! Our registrar, Dr. Lynn Bootes, has been occupied with more student enrollments than ever. And as you see, our newsletter continues to get better every month. We have a new student benefit forum in development, too, so look forward to that in the coming months.

Mr. Ernst Wilhelm offered a wonderful webinar on “Lajjitaadi Avasthas” on October 4th. Thank you, dear Ernst! His presentation and the accompanying handout are valuable additions to our understanding of planetary conditions. This recording will be available soon in the ACVA store.

The ACVA scholarship application deadline has been extended until November 30, 2025. Please write to our registrar@acvaonline.org for more information on qualifications for applicants. This scholarship for worthy applicants is supported by our donors. As you may know, ACVA is a non-profit educational organization, and we rely on the generosity of our donors who understand the value of passing on this sacred knowledge to the next generation. Thank you to our respected donors! You can contribute at https://acvaonline.org/donate/.

ACVA’s annual Graduation Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 9:00 am Pacific time, 10:30 pm India time. Invited speakers include Gayatri Devi Vasudev, and K.N. Rao. ACVA’s beloved supporter and spiritual grandfather, the late great Chakrapani Ullal will be honored with a special posthumous award presented by some of his closest colleagues.

I hope you enjoy the illuminating articles in this edition.

With best wishes to all,

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Professor Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi)

President, American College of Vedic Astrology

Diwali, the Festival of Lights - Celebrating the Victory of Dharma, Knowledge, and Goodness

By Professor Juliana Swanson

ACVA Provost and Dean of Academics

This year, the Diwali spiritual and cultural festival will begin on October 17 and continue through October 22—six luminous nights of joyous celebration and devotion. Key observances include Dhanteras (October 18) and Diwali/Lakshmi Puja (October 20-21). Note: The dates of specific rites can vary by region and panchanga (the Vedic Astrology almanac). Please consult your local calendar for exact puja windows.

Diwali—also written Deepavali, “a row of lights”—is celebrated across Hindu/Vedic, Jain, and Sikh traditions. In essence, Diwali proclaims the victory of dharma (righteous order) over adharma, knowledge over ignorance, and goodness over evil. Lamps (diyas) glow in windows and thresholds, decorative rangoli patterns bloom at doorways, and families gather to worship, feast, and offer charity.

In several regions (especially in Western India), the festival also marks a New Year, when households and businesses inaugurate fresh ledgers with prayers for prosperity rooted in integrity and service. However one approaches it—devotionally, culturally, and philosophically—Diwali invites us to kindle outer lamps while awakening the inner Light.

Falling on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha (the Moon’s dark fortnight), Dhanteras honors Lakshmi, Ganesha, and Kubera for prosperity rightly earned and rightly used. Equally central is Lord Dhanvantari, the Vishnu incarnation who brought Ayurveda, the Science of Life, to alleviate disease and suffering. Many households purchase a small implement (a spoon, lamp, or tool) symbolizing honest livelihood; others offer medical donations or pledge wellness practices—balanced diet, mindful rest, and compassion for the body.

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The Observatory

By Dr. Lynn Bootes, MD

ACVA Dean of Students and Registrar

registrar@acvaonline.org

Dear Readers,

The stars are putting on a show for Diwali. For those outside India, you know this as the New Moon of October, when the nights become long in the Northern Hemisphere. Our greetings to all who are celebrating! Be sure to step outside and witness the majesty of the stars, with Saturn visible in the eastern skies after dark, Venus bright in the pre-dawn sky, and Jupiter high overhead before dawn.

Jupiter is the star this month – entering Cancer on October 19, where it’s exalted. Note that it makes its special trine aspect to Sun, Mercury and Mars in the early degrees of Scorpio and to Saturn in the early degrees of Pisces. This Vedic aspect is in effect all month, but it is exact by degree as well in November. Jupiter is also Vargottama, making possible some auspicious muhurtas. We can look forward to the great Guru’s benefic influence and compassion through the end of November. However, make the most of this interlude, as Jupiter begins retrograde November 30, and moves back into Gemini in December for a few months. Jupiter remains in Punarvasu nakshatra, where it has extra power and influence.

Mars spends the entire month in Scorpio, a sign it owns, where it exerts influence and makes exact conjunctions with Mercury, Venus and Mars. The Mercury/Mars combination is a challenging one – it occurs twice – in a triple conjunction with Mercury and Moon in Libra on October 23, and again with Mercury on November 12. These are good days to exercise restraint in word and deed and to be prepared to respond calmly to the unwise actions of others. The special trine aspect from Jupiter is so helpful for Mars, as both will be strong in their own signs. Mars is combust the Sun and diminished in strength from November 8 to 30, but we might find much is going on behind the scenes in November.

Mars also is making a special 1:4 aspect to Rahu in Aquarius all month, possibly re-activating energies and events from last spring when Rahu and Saturn swapped places and Rahu entered Aquarius. The good news is this is the only significant event for Rahu and Ketu, who remain in Aquarius/Purva Bhadrapada and Leo/Purva Phalguni respectively.

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Practical Pañcāṅga – Tithis in-depth Part 1 (Introduction)

By Pratik Mehta

Vedic Astrologer

Namaste, Svāgatam. Hello and welcome to this exciting new expedition wherein we’ll explore the collective of enchanting enigmas known as the Tithis, that we shall traverse over the course of the next year or so, Lord Ganesha willing.

The word expedition is defined as “a journey or voyage undertaken by a group of people with a particular purpose, especially that of exploration, scientific research, or war.” In the realm of Jyotisha, Tithis are akin to the undiscovered lands that Bravehearts like Columbus set out to discover. There is hardly any literature around Tithis (ergo enigmas) but, once discovered, Tithis are bound to leave the observer spellbound, thereby making them enchanting to say the least.

As with any expedition whose success is directly proportional to the drive and passion of its participants, the success of this exploration of Tithis is completely reliant on a certain level of collective engagement and experimentation. As we go through this series of articles on Tithis, take the time to observe, experience and share how these enigmas are unfolding and unraveling around you. The hope being that this collective experience would in time contribute towards resurrecting the lost glory of this Divine dance between the luminaries that the Seers codified as Tithis.

Let’s dive in.

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Gandanta – The Drowning Point

By Odelia Eskinazi

Vedic Astrologer and Author

The precise position of a planet within the zodiac can dramatically shape how its energies are expressed and experienced. Not all parts of the zodiac are created equal. Certain degrees or zones can be empowering, offering clarity, focus, and the potential to bring blessings, while others may carry inherent complexities and challenges, sometimes indicating the possibility of suffering or hardship.

For example, when a planet occupies its degree or sign of exaltation or debilitation, such a placement profoundly influences the strength with which that planet expresses its nature, altering how it functions, the tone it sets, and the outcomes it tends to produce, for better or worse.

Similarly, the nakshatra a planet occupies, or its conjunction with a significant fixed star, can greatly modify its implications in various areas of life. To illustrate, a planet placed in the nakshatra Magha, tightly conjunct the degree of the fixed star Regulus (the heart of the lion), benefits from a boost of radiance, eminence, and regal presence. This placement often enhances leadership qualities and confidence. In contrast, a planet in the nakshatra Ardra may endure many tears and storms, experiencing turmoil and intense emotional upheaval.

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Coming Attractions at ACVA

1. ACVA webinar – 8th November 2025 – Viji Natarajan

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

Topic: Ādhanā Lagna in Jyotiṣa: The Forgotten Chart of Destiny

Jyotiṣa teaches that every soul’s journey begins before birth, when karmic seeds take root at conception. The Ādhanā Lagna—derived from conception—offers a powerful but often forgotten key to destiny. Rooted firmly in classical Jyotiṣa, this chart reveals the course of pregnancy, the timing of birth, and the karmic threads between parents and children. Alongside references to Ayurveda and Vedic ritual, we see how conception has always been viewed as sacred and time-sensitive. In this talk, we will explore how to calculate and interpret the Ādhanā chart and how it complements the Janma chart in practice.

Webinar Registration link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PSgWkAePQjeLkflGl00OsQ

Speaker: Viji Natarajan

Vijayalakshmi Natarajan is a research scientist, Jyotiṣa practitioner, and Vedic sciences teacher dedicated to women, birth, and healing. Her passion is supporting mothers through the sacred journey of birth, from conception to postpartum, and her life’s work integrates her training in biology, chemistry, physiology, and healing with Ayurveda, Yoga, and Jyotiṣa as complementary sciences of life. She earned the title of Acharya under the guidance of her main teacher, Souvik Dutta, yet embraces the path of a perpetual student. She has written two books to share her perspective, offering Jyotiṣa as a tool for self-discovery, self-improvement, and alignment with the wisdom of the stars.

2. ACVA webinar – 10th January 2026 – Venky Narasiah

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

Topic: The Application of Jyotish in the Mental Health Field

Astrologers and counsellors are sought for the same reason – to resolve presenting problems in clients. Astrologers look at charts and assess vulnerability based on the past, present, and future effects of dashas and transits, which helps clients take control of the stressors in their lives.

In this webinar, Venky will describe how insights from Vedic astrology can complement psychotherapeutic interventions. Using real-life case studies, he’ll illustrate how to evaluate an astrological birth chart for adverse psychological conditions that may appear in various stages of human development.

Disclaimer: The speaker is not a medical practitioner. This presentation is for information purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice.

Webinar Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__mK0bWNnTNaAnI07T4gHFw

Speaker: Venky Narasiah

After three decades in the banking sector, Venky Narasiah felt the need for a realignment with his life purpose. Venky is now a practicing jyotishi. He holds both Jyotisha Ratna and Jyotisha Prabhakara certifications from ACVA, where he currently serves as a faculty member. Venky has also completed a Vedic Counselling course from the American Institute of Vedic Studies and now works as a practicing psychotherapist/counsellor.

An active volunteer in the Singapore community where he’s based, Venky partners with his wife, also a counsellor, to help clients navigate the road to well-being. Their clientele ranges from students to prison inmates. (https://www.ayanawellbeing.com).

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The Leadership Team