The ACVA Newsletter 2025-01 (January 2025)

American College of Vedic Astrology

The ACVA Newsletter 2025-01 (January 2024)

Note from the President of ACVA

By Professor Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi) President, ACVA

January 2025

Dear Friends of ACVA –

Happy new year! Although it is obviously not happy at all in Los Angeles, among many other places in distress from natural, and unnatural disasters – thanks in large part to the condition of inflammatory Mars. What a lesson to be learned from the contacts Mangala is making right now: throwing its eighth house aspect onto Saturn and being directly opposite Pluto, receiving an aspect from Rahu, all while being retrograde in its state of debilitation. I for one am continuing to send prayers of support to those in harm’s way across the globe now. At least one of our students has had to suspend her studies because of evacuations in LA. Those of us who are in a secure place, may we recognize our good fortune, and help those in need however we can, through prayers and donations. There, but for the grace of God, go the rest of us.

On a happier note, all seems to be going well enough in the virtual world of the college. Our newest international faculty members are doing brilliant work tutoring our newest international students!

Aligning with ACVA’s mission of making Vedic astrology education accessible and sustainable, a generous donor has endowed the newly created D. H. Agnes Fernando Memorial Scholarship fund for deserving students. Another generous donor has made a significant contribution to enable the same objective. ACVA has also recently instituted the Shri K.N. Rao Scholarship.

We’re profoundly grateful for the generosity of our supporters who make these valuable scholarships possible. You too may donate, if you feel moved to do so, here: https://acvaonline.org/donate/ . Thank you!

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Professor Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi)

President, American College of Vedic Astrology

Call for UAC speakers

UAC, the largest astrology conference in the world, is scheduled for September 3–9, 2026, at the downtown "Magnificent Mile" Marriott Hotel in Chicago. Preliminary speaker selection will start next month. The vast majority of ACVA subscribers will have already received direct-from-UAC emails (dated 16th and 17th December 2024) inviting them to apply as speakers:

· Veteran Speakers: anyone who spoke at any UAC or major organizational in-person conference between 2018 -2023. If you think you’re a veteran speaker but didn’t receive an email, please contact the Conference Coordinator, Laura Nalbandian, (uac.astrologyconf@gmail.com) for assistance. Deadline for application January 16.

· New Speakers: anyone who’s never spoken at any UAC or major organizational in-person conference between 2018 -2023. Deadline for application January 31.

Balance and diversity. UAC2026 is committed to diversity, aiming for 20% new speakers and 20% international speakers. Tracks are no longer capped at a fixed number of talks, allowing greater flexibility in selecting topics based on merit and demand. In your application, focus on topics you’re passionate about and want to share with the astrological community.

Alternate opportunities. If you’re not selected by June 2025, you might still be considered as an alternate speaker due to other speaker cancellations. Otherwise, the goal is to have speaker contracts completed by June 25, 2025.

For any questions or concerns, please contact our Conference Coordinator, Laura Nalbandian, at UAC.astrologyconf@gmail.com.

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Makar Sankranti

By Professor Juliana Swanson

ACVA Provost and Dean of Academics

The Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti was celebrated around the world on 14 January 2025. In many locales, the festival extends for several days. Also known as Maghi, Pongal, Lohri, and Boghi (the day before), Makar Sankranti is a very important astronomical, astrological, cultural, and spiritual festival in Vedic culture. It takes place as the Sun enters the constellation of Capricorn. This is a sacred time of the year when the solar force begins to herald a new, positive direction in the northern hemisphere.

Makar Sankranti is observed as a harvest festival and new year holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and throughout the Hindu diaspora. It is a fasting and feasting day, a time for family reunions, a day to pray and worship, visit the temple, or to dip in a sacred river for karmic purification. On this day, according to Swami Sivananda, “…old, worn-out and dirty things are discarded and burned. Homes are cleaned and white-washed. Even the roads are swept clean and lovely designs are drawn with rice-flour.”

Makar Sankranti is the beginning of a new cycle of warmer and longer days, and is considered the first day of early spring in some areas. Many traditions believe it is important to be outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine on Makar Sankranti, to light bonfires, perform fire ceremonies (pujas), make ancestral offerings, fly kites, and attend outdoor fairs.

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The Observatory: January 15 - February 13, 2025

By Dr. Lynn Bootes, MD

ACVA Dean of Students and Registrar

registrar@acvaonline.org

The month when the Sun is in sidereal Capricorn is a time for serious intention and work: the cold of the winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the heat of the summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Chinese New Year (the Year of the Snake) begins January 29 on the Full Moon in Shravana. Five themes dominate this month:

Mars continues moving retrograde in Cancer, and back into Gemini on January 20. The ruling planet of Gemini is Mercury, and these two are each other’s worst enemies – giving us more potential for irritability and arguments. Mercury and Mars are exactly in opposition on January 23.
Venus conjoins with Saturn on January 18 at 21deg47 Aquarius. Venus softens the rigidity of Saturn for a time.
The triple conjunction of Venus, Neptune and Rahu on February 1-3, in 03deg46-03deg56 Pisces. There is a Parivartana yoga of Venus and Jupiter in Taurus beginning January 27, adding some positive energy. Venus is also in its exalted sign. The nakshatra of Uttara Bhadrapada is one of depth and intensity. This would be an auspicious time for spiritual seekers to get serious about their practice. There’s also the potential for great depths of compassion in the “Dragon of the Deep,” and renewal in this nakshatra associated with the goddess Lakshmi. I’ll be paying attention to weather events having to do with water.
During the week of February 7-12, we have a few events of note. Pluto enters the nakshatra Abhijit on February 7. This “extra” asterism is associated with 8-10 degrees Capricorn and may channel energy from deep in interstellar space. Mercury exactly conjoins the Sun at 26deg44 Capricorn on February 9. Jupiter stations and begins direct motion on February 10.
The Full Moon on February 12 occurs at 29deg26 Cancer in the nakshatra Ashlesha. Within a few hours both Sun and Moon will have changed signs to Leo and Aquarius. This is one of the gandanta regions of the sky – a transitional period. Look for changes, and some endings, at this time.

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The Mathematics of Yogas: Kesari and Gaja-Kesari

By Alan Annand

ACVA Editor-in-Chief of Publications

Phaladeepika defines Kesari yoga quite simply as a pattern wherein the Moon and Jupiter are in kendra to each other. This is relatively common. Imagine Jupiter occupies a movable sign. As the Moon circles the zodiac, it will become angular to Jupiter four times – in each of the movable signs. Similarly, if Jupiter is in a fixed sign, the Moon will form Kesari yoga when in fixed signs. And so on for dual signs. Thus, the Moon has four opportunities in 12, or a 33% chance, to be kendra to Jupiter and thereby form Kesari yoga.

Meanwhile, Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra defines a much more rigorous version of the Moon/Jupiter pattern – calling it Gaja-Kesari Yoga – and stipulates that Jupiter should be in an angle from the lagna or the Moon, but at the same time be conjoined with or aspected by benefics without being debilitated, combust, or in an enemy’s sign.

As Hart de Fouw says in Light on Life, it’s nevertheless important for Jupiter and the Moon to be in good houses from the lagna, ie, not in dusthanas. How often does a planet occupy a bad house? Since there are, broadly defined, four dusthanas (3rd, 6th, 8th, 12th) then a graha is poorly placed one-third of the time, therefore in a positive house two-thirds of the time.

So, for the Jupiter to be kendra to the Moon and simultaneously in a positive house (or vice versa), we can calculate the odds: 1/3 x 2/3 = 2/9, or 22.2%.

As for determining the odds of Jupiter being supported by a benefic, that’s a task for statistical observation, and beyond the scope of numerical conjecture. Therefore, in lieu of benefic support, let’s assume a robust Gaja-Kesari depends upon the participating grahas’ strength by sign, the chances for which are calculable, as outlined below.

The Moon occupies Cancer or Taurus two times out of 12. So, for the Moon to be kendra to Jupiter, in a positive house and in a good sign, the odds are: 1/3 x 2/3 x 1/6 = 2/54, or 3.7%.

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Vasant Panchami

By Professor Juliana Swanson

ACVA Provost and Dean of Academics

Vasant (Basant) Panchami, also known as Shree Panchami, will occur on Sunday, 2 February 2025, around the world this year. On this very special day in the Vedic lunar calendar (panchanga), at sunrise the transiting Moon will be in the panchami tithi, the fifth lunar day after the New Moon. This special day occurring in the lunar month of Magha (or Magh) has cultural and spiritual significance in the Vedic tradition. This day is also considered to be an Abhuj Muhurta, when anything important that we perform or initiate will have fortunate results.

Vasant Panchami is observed in a variety of different traditions depending on the various sects and regions of Hindu society. In some areas, kites are flown to celebrate the beginning of the spring season, as “vasant” means spring. In other places, students are initiated into learning on this day. It is also an important occasion for worshiping one’s ancestors (pitri-tarpana). Some Hindus worship Lord Vishnu and Ma Ganga during Vasant Panchami.

In Bengali culture, this festival is celebrated as the “Saraswati Puja,” a time for veneration of Devi Saraswati. Her murti (statue/image) is carried in procession and immersed in the holy Ganges (the Ganga-ji) River. Many consider this day to be Saraswati’s birthday.

Sri Aurobindo translated the name Saraswati as “She of the stream, the flowing movement.” As the Vedic goddess of knowledge, science, music, and art, Saraswati ultimately represents the creative and inspirational aspect of Shakti, the creative flow of energy within each of us. Thus, this day can be an important one for spiritual ceremonies and practices that help align us with this supreme creative power within.

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Coming Attractions at ACVA

(1) ACVA webinar by Dr. Gary Gomes

(ACVA Scholarship Fund raising webinars – Jyotish Insights series)

Saturday, 02 February 2025 @ 10 AM Pacific / 1 PM Eastern time. 1.5 Hours.

Topic: Jaimini Astrology, the Basics

Jaimini Astrology is a system of astrology that uses the same planets, houses and signs as Parashari Astrology, but represents a different way of looking at the planets, houses, aspects, signs, supporting houses, and dasas. In some ways, you can gain a quicker chart assessment from Jaimini than any other system. This presentation will introduce the student to the basic concepts of Jaimini, including a brief overview of different schools, and cover the basics of how to interpret a chart so that a new student can acclimate to the Jaimini approach.

Speaker: Dr. Gary Gomes, ACVA Faculty Member

Gary Gomes, BA, MBA, Ed.D., holds several honors in Vedic astrology, including Jyotish Kovid (ACVA), Jyotish Vachaspathi (CVA), Jyotish Chintamani, and the Palm Leaf from Bharat Vidya Bhavan for his contributions to Jaimini astrology. He’s written numerous articles on Vedic astrology, appeared at international Jyotish conferences, and was one of the earliest faculty members and contributors to the ACVA curriculum. He now works part time with Saptarishi Astrology and has a YouTube channel on which he’s interviewed several prominent astrologers. He studied directly with many teachers, including K.N. Rao, and enjoys investigating a wide variety of Jyotisha techniques, primarily Jaimini dating back to 1993.

Webinar Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Y55i1DgwSaap4RKJKGbB4g

(2) ACVA webinar by Barry Rosen

(ACVA Scholarship Fund raising webinars – Jyotish Insights series)

Saturday, 01 March 2025 @ 10 AM Pacific / 1 PM Eastern time. 1.5 Hours.

Topic: Secrets of the 3rd House: Understanding the Subconscious Mind

Vedic astrologers usually characterize the third house as ruling younger siblings, artistic expression, and communication, but it has deeper spiritual and psychological meaning. Associated with Mars, it’s related to courage, self-interest and the pursuit of individuality. As a kama-sthana of desire, it reveals our sexual energies and worldly prowess as we exert our will to shape our world, sometimes aggressively. In his talk, Barry will explore this neglected house.

Speaker: Barry Rosen

Barry has been practicing Vedic astrology since 1987 and has spoken at major symposia, eg, the Sedona Vedic Astrology Conference, and the British Association of Vedic Astrologers in London. His teachers include Komilla Sutton, Marc Boney, Robert Koch, and Sanjay Rath. In the last seven years, he’s moved beyond his specialty in mundane/financial astrology to teach diverse courses in relationships, career, dashas, transits, ayurveda, and more. He is the author of five books on Vedic astrology, including the 2018-2020 Vedic Almanac series, all available through Amazon.

Email: support@appliedvedicastrology.com

website: https://www.appliedvedicastrology.com

Webinar Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_P8IdTLDTQ3CTMj5DKnZcYA

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In gratitude,

The Leadership Team