Dennis Flaherty was elected President, and Gary Gomes was elected Vice President of the Council. At that time the Council, although legally still incorporated as the American Council of Vedic Astrology (ACVA) started doing business as the Council of Vedic Astrology (CVA) to reflect its growing international role and to distinguish the. 2020 Edition In the 2020 edition, you can read articles on the major conjunctions of 2020, as well as use of palmistry and the outer planets alongside Vedic astrology; by Vedic astrologers John Fyfe, Gary Gomes, Marianne Jacuzzi and Gary O'Toole, as well as Persian astrologer Ehsan Khazeni.
The American College of Vedic Astrology has appointed Charlotte Benson as their new president, following the passing of William Levacy, Ph.D., in February, 2018.
Ms. Benson is dedicated to carrying on the distinguished lineage, begun in 1993, of the previous presidents of ACVA.
ACVA Board of Directors
Sisira K. Amarasinghe, Ph.D.
Charlotte Benson
Shoba Mohan
Ramdas Bill Sinclair
ACVA Leadership Team
Charlotte Benson – President, ACVA’s Goodwill Ambassador and External Relations Leader
Ramdas Bill Sinclair – Creative and Finance Leader
Sisira Amarasinghe, Ph.D. – Information Technology (IT) Leader
Cathy Coleman – Core Curriculum Development Leader
Shoba Mohan – CEO, ACVA’s Success Leader
ACVA Online Faculty
Lynn Bootes
Charlotte Benson
Ronnie Dreyer
Gary Gomes
Shoba Mohan
Angela Pennington
Ramdas Bill Sinclair
Juliana Swanson
Komilla Sutton
Karina Weil, Ph.D.
Bios of People at ACVA (in alphabetical order)
Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi)
Charlotte has practiced Astrology, full-time, as a credentialed (PMAFA, NCGR, ISAR, AFAN, ACVA) professional for well over 40 years, in Phoenix, AZ.
Charlotte has received the “Jyotisha Choodamani” from the Raman Foundation in Bangalore; the “Jyotish Kovid” award from the I.C.A.S.; and the “Jyotish Navaratna” award from ACVA. She proudly serves as president of the American College of Vedic Astrology.
Ronnie Dreyer
Ronnie Gale Dreyer is an internationally known astrological consultant, lecturer, and teacher specializing in both Western and Indian (Vedic) astrology (also known as Jyotish and Hindu astrology), based in New York City. A practitioner of both of these systems, as well as a longtime student of numerous metaphysical systems, she is a pioneer in bringing Vedic astrology to the attention of, and making it accessible to, Western audiences. Ronnie has clients and students throughout the world, ranging from the ordinary to the extraordinary, with teachers, politicians, salesmen, doctors, bookkeepers, sports figures, professors, and movie stars among their professions. Ronnie holds a Bachelor of Arts in English/Theater Arts from the University of New Mexico, and studied Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) and Palmistry, both privately and at Sanskrit University in Benares, India. Ronnie has received her MA from Columbia University in South Asian Languages and Cultures. Ronnie co-founded the first astrological computer service in the Netherlands where she lived for 13 years and was the official Dutch representative for Astro*Carto*Graphy. Ronnie also has served as manuscript reader, editorial consultant, and proofreader of new age and self-help books for several major publishing companies. Ronnie was the corresponding secretary of the Association for Astrological Networking (AFAN) from 1992-1998, and its presiding officer from 1999-2003. She is currently the editor of NCGR’s memberletter, and served on the AFAN Newsletter committee. Ronnie is on the Board of Directors of ACT (Astrological Conference on Techniques). In 1994, she received the Jyotish Kovid award from the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences for “promoting the cause of astrology through writings and lectures” and AFAN presented her with its Jim Lewis Community Service Award at UAC in 1998. Ronnie is the proud recipient of the 2002 Marion D. March Regulus Award for Community Service, which she received at UAC 2002 in Orlando Florida. She holds the NCGR Level IV certificate (C.A. PAA-NCGR). ronnie@ronniedreyer.com
Gary Gomes
Gary Gomes, the co-owner of CRYSTAL EXPECTATIONS, was among the first wave of Westerners to take up Hindu astrology and is a founding member and Board member of the American College of Vedic Astrology located in Sedona, Arizona. He has also lectured on Hindu Astrology throughout the continental United States, in Hawaii and in England. He has also written extensively on this system of astrology, and has been published in the United States, England, France, South Africa, Australia, and India. His honors include being recognized and certified by the Bharata Vidya Bhavan, an Indian institution devoted to traditional Hindu knowledge, as an expert in Hindu Astrology. Gary holds degrees in Sociology and Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts. He is an ordained Swami of the Temple of Kriya Yoga and is a duly initiated practicing Hindu of the Shaivite tradition. He has studied Hindu Astrology with several prominent Indian and American astrologers, is certified to instruct Jyotish (Hindu Astrology) by the American College of Vedic Astrology, has organized an Institute for instruction in Jyotish in the New England area, and has done charts for thousands of individuals from different parts of the United States and the world. He is also an Assistant Professor of Jyotisha (Hindu Astrology) at the Hindu University of America and is a Reiki Master. NEIVAS@comcast.net
Shoba Mohan
Upon retirement as a banker, Shoba Mohan, MBA, joined the ACVA family. She believes that Vedic Astrology links Cosmic energies with humans. Her inspiration was her mother, who was an extremely well-read palmist and numerologist, one who had a chance to study many famous palms in her time.
As Shoba completed all ACVA certifications, including Jyotish Online Instruction and Vedic Astrology Coaching, she realized that there were various characterizations of Astrology – mundane event predictions, considerations for spiritual and personal growth, remedies to mitigate predictions, and many more. The readings/ life-coaching sessions that Shoba now practices while continuing to study, reflect her knowledge, life experiences and observations; all in relation to today’s environment and norms. Shoba enjoys volunteer-teaching, coaching, and contributing as a Member of ACVA’s Board. She has spoken at various seminars, including the International United Astrology Conference at Chicago, 2018, where she spoke on Nakshatras, noteworthy to Western and other astrologers.
Shoba received ACVA’s Jyotish Seva Award in 2015 and Jyotish Navaratna Award in 2019. Most of her work in Astrology has been via in-person lectures and instructional videos. Shoba is a mother of 2 girls and a grandmother of 4, she spends her spare time traveling around the globe with her husband Krishna. They live in Redmond, WA. She would love to hear from you at shoba.astrology@gmail.com.
Angela Pennington
Angela has owned and operated successful businesses in the fields of import/export, computers, and metaphysics. She has an extensive background in earth based philosophy and incorporates this understanding into her Astrology Practice. She has received ACVA Jyotish Certifications in Level I, II, VAC and JOI. Angela serves on the Board of Directors, Steering Committee and is an Online Instructor for ACVA. Angela lives in the Seattle area and works full time in astrology, specializing in self development. angelapennington.com
Juliana Swanson
Juliana Swanson is a registered nurse (RN), healer, astrologer, mother, and wife. She runs her astrological consulting and holistic healing practice from her home office in New Mexico. Juliana qualifies as an ACVA and CVA Level II certified Vedic Astrologer, receiving two titles of excellence: the Jyotish Visharada, CVA and the Jyotish Kovid, CVA. Additionally, in 2012 she was awarded the Jyotish Kovid from the ICAS, Bangalore, India. Juliana may be reached by email at Juliana@AstralHarmony.com or through her website www.AstralHarmony.com.
Komilla Sutton
Komilla Sutton is the co-founder and chair of the British Association for Vedic Astrology. She is on the faculty of the American College of Vedic Astrology. Komila is a council member of the Astrological Association of Great Britain. As an internationally renowned consultant, Komilla is also a teacher and lecturer. Indian born, Komilla Sutton is one of the pioneers in creating opportunities for Vedic Astrology to be more accessible for western readers. Komilla is the author of several books: Personal Panchanga; The Essentials of Vedic Astrology; Lunar Nodes Crisis and Redemption; Personal Panchanga and the Five Sources of Light; Vedic Love Signs; Indian Astrology. Komilla lectures worldwide. http://www.komilla.com/
Karina Weil
Karina Weil, Ph.D. is a jyotishi, Leadership Coach, author, and Ayurvedic Counselor. Drawing from her international 20+ years of experience in Marketing and Human Resources consulting, her goal is to help her clients develop self-leadership so they can lead themselves first and masterfully and live according to their highest truths. Karina holds ACVA Levels I, II, and ACVA JOI™certifications and serves at the ACVA Board of Directors. Karina can be reached through karinaweil108@gmail.com.
This page is meant for those who live in USA North East.
Those who live in other areas can go towww.dirah.org/course.htm
Vedic Astrology Course on the basis of your own chart
Dirah Academy is pleased to be at the ‘leading edge’ of providing distance-learning courses and certification in Vedic Astrology. Our courses are unique in that each course:
Allows you to work on your own chart, providing a tool for Self-Realisation
Uses one-to-one tuition with an experienced, practising astrologer
Uses email support with prompt feedback on assignments
If you do not understand something you can ask questions directly to the supervisor. The supervisor responds promptly. You will not be referred to other students or whatever. Therefore the supervisor is not simply a judge of your assignments, but helps you with understanding the lessons.
Is flexible-learning, in that you can study where and when you want to, and take as long as you like to complete. You can enrol at any time, take a break, start again, and send in assignments as and when you please
Provides progression onto the next higher-level course
Has a Certificate of Dirah Academy International
Follow up courses about advanced subjects are available. The beginners course contributes towards the Dirah Diploma in Advanced Studies in Vedic Astrology
Provides excellent value-for-money (each course is just USD 270).
And this is what Richard Houck, author of The Astrology of Death and Digital Astrology says about the course:
'I often have people ask me about where they can learn basic Vedic astrology from a person rather than a book.
The Dirah Academy offers a personalized 14-lesson correspondence course that is probably the best combination of simplicity, clarity, practicality, usefulness and cost value on the world market today.
How can you beat having fun with your own chart while learning Vedic astrology?'
- Learn how to apply the Indian system of predictive astrology and foresee your own future.
- Choose your own appropriate (semi-) precious stone, colour and mantra.
- Learn about the relationship between the Vedic horoscope and ayurveda (Indian natural healing), which will enable you to use ayurveda in juxtaposition to astrology.
Vedic astrology is a form of astrology that is 5OOO years old. Increasing numbers of Western astrologers are discovering the value of Vedic astrology. In the Western world interest for Vedic astrology is steadily growing.
Contents of the course: The course includes among other things, the interpretation of a Vedic horoscope, the role of harmonic horoscopes, the Indian system of predictive astrology (dasas), yogas in the horoscope, Vedic methods of treatment (choosing the (semi-) precious stone, colour and mantra), the relationship to ayurveda (how to determine the ayurvedic physical type from the horoscope).These subjects are treated in fourteen extensive lessons.
Applied Indian Astrology: This course will enable you to understand Vedic astrology and what you can achieve with it. In the course, the accent is placed on the practical application of Indian astrology, hence the special attention to Vedic treatment methods and ayurveda.
- The material in the course is clearly laid out.
- The language used is simple and easy to understand.
- Every lesson contains assignments which will show the relationship between your own horoscope and the contents of the lesson.
- Work procedure: The assignments are to be returned either per post or email. Should you use email, you will receive an immediate reply containing the corrected assignments plus helpful remarks on your work.
- Personal support from the course supervisor: Should you have any questions regarding the subject matter, send an email and you will receive a prompt reply.
- Course results: Once you have finished the course you will be able to interpret a Vedic horoscope, apply Vedic predictive astrology and make the correct choice of Vedic treatment methods and ayurveda (deciding the physical type).
- The course includes: The course material, your personal Vedic horoscope print-out and written corrections and guidance during the length of the course.
- Admission: to have some basic knowledge of (Western) astrology can be helpful. If you do not have basic knowledge of astrology you should do the primer course first. This is a small course for people who do not have knowledge of whatever form of astrology. It give you the knowledge to be able to start the course Applied Vedic Astrology. The fee for this course is USD 50 (the course material of this small course will be sent over the internet).
- Fee: Two payments of USD 135 if the course can be sent as pdf files over the internet and you use email to send in your assignments.
Course Supervisor: Dirah Academy International has teachers in different parts of the world. For USA North East your teacher will be Gary Gomes. Email: NEIVAS@comcast.net
Dr. Gary Gomes
Dr. Gary Gomes, BA, MBA, Ed.D., served as President and Vice-President of the Council of Vedic Astrology.
He teaches at Kepler College, American College of Vedic Astrology, Dirah Academy, and Northeast Institute of Vedic Astrology and Studies.
Recipient of several awards from India, Swami of the Kriya Yoga Lineage, Shaivite Hindu, Reiki Master. and professional astrologer since 1991.
He has a YouTube channel devoted to Vedic Astrology and is he currently on the Kepler College board of directors.
To register please write an email to Gary GomesNEIVAS@comcast.net
Gary Gomes Vedic Astrology Horoscopes
which should include your name, your full address, your telephone number
and
your birth data (date of birth, town of birth, state of birth, country of birth, time of birth: please use 24 hours notation like 16.04).
You will receive a confirmation email with details about payment The first half of the course will be sent to you when the first term is received.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE COURSE AGREEMENTSTHE CONTENTS OF THE COURSE
1. INTRODUCTION: AIM AND METHODS OF THIS COURSE
1.1 THE AIM OF THIS COURSE
1.2 OUR METHOD
1.3 EXERCISE
2. WHY INDIAN (VEDIC) ASTROLOGY
2.1 THE HOLY ASTROLOGY OF INDIA
2.2 TROPICAL AND SIDEREAL ZODIAC
2.3 HOW TO MAKE AN INDIAN HOROSCOPE
2.4 EXERCISE
3. SIGNS AND PLANETS IN INDIAN ASTROLOGY
3.1 THE SIGNS
3.2 PLANETS
3.3 EXERCISE
4. THE FUNCTIONING OF PLANETS
4.1 THE PLANETS, FRIENDS OR ENEMIES
4.2 THE INFLUENCE OF THE SPEED OF PLANETS
4.3 EXERCISE
5. THE HOUSES IN INDIAN ASTROLOGY
5.1 SIGNIFICACES OF THE HOUSES
5.2 CLASSIFICATION OF HOUSES
5.3 PLANETS AS INDICATORS OF THE HOUSES
5.4 EXERCISE
6. THE LORDS OF THE HOUSES
6.1 WORKING WITH THE LORDS OF THE HOUSES
6.2 EXERCISE
7. PLANETS AND HOUSES
7.1 THE POSITION OF THE PLANETS IN THE HOUSES
7.2 EXERCISE
8. ASPECTS
8.1 THE CONJUNCTION
8.2 TRUE ASPECTS (ACCORDING TO THE PARASHARI SYSTEM)
8.3 THE TAJAKA (WESTERN) ASPECTS
8.4 EXERCISE
9. YOGAS IN ASTROLOGY
9.1 PANCHA MAHAPURUSHA YOGAS
9.2 PARIVARTANA YOGAS
9.3 SCISSORS YOGAS (KARTARI YOGAS)
9.4 VARIOUS YOGAS
9.5 THE POSITION OF YOGAS
9.6 EXERCISE
10. PREDICTIVE ASTROLOGY: THE DASAS
10.1 INTERPRETING MAHA DASAS
10.2 THE ROLE OF THE BHUKTI DASAS AND THE ANTARA DASA
10.3 THE TECHNIQUE FOR CALCULATING THE DASAS
10.4 TECHNIQUE FOR CALCULATING BHUKTI DASAS AND ANTARA DASAS
10.5 MATURING OF THE PLANETS
10.6 EXERCISE
11. HARMONIC HOROSCOPES
11.1 SECOND HARMONIC (HORA)
11.2 THIRD HARMONIC (DREKKANA)
11.3 NINTH HARMONIC (NAVAMSA)
11.4 TENTH HARMONIC (DASAMSA)
11.5 EXACT TIME OF BIRTH IS VERY IMPORTANT
11.6 INTERPRETING THE HARMONIC HOROSCOPES
11.7 EXERCISE
12. METHODS OF TREATMENT USED BY THE INDIAN ASTROLOGER
12.1 THE ROLE OF THE METHODS OF TREATMENT USED
12.2 A SUMMARY OF THE VARIOUS TREATMENTS.
12.3 WEARING PRECIOUS AND SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES
12.4 COLOUR THERAPY
12.5 MANTRAS
12.6 EXERCISE
13. AYURVEDA: VEDIC HEALING
13.1 THE THREE DOSHAS
13.2 ASTROLOGICAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE THREE DOSHAS
13.3 THE CONSEQUENCES OF A DISTURBANCE IN THE DOSHA HARMONY AND ITS TREATMENT
13.4 EXERCISE
14. THE FINAL ASSIGNMENT: INTERPRETING YOUR VEDIC HOROSCOPE
ANNEXES
ANNEX 1: TOOLS FOR STUDYING JYOTISH
1. FOR FOUNDATION
2. FOR THE SOMEWHAT ADVANCED STUDENT
3. FOR THE ADVANCED STUDENT
4. PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ANNEX 2: COURSE AGREEMENTS
ANNEX 3: HERE YOU WILL FIND A SCHEME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TERMS USED IN THIS COURSE
ANNEX 4: ORDER A VEDIC HOROSCOPE OF PEOPLE YOU KNOW
ANNEX 5: HINDU LUNAR ZODIAC CARDS
ANNEX 6: INDEX OF USED VEDIC ASTROLOGICAL TERMS
AND OF COURSE YOU WILL FIND YOUR PERSONAL VEDIC CHART ADDED TO THE COURSE MATERIAL
1. Registration is confirmed as soon as the completed application form is received.
2. Gary Gomes of Dirah Academy USA North East is the course supervisor.
3. As soon as registration is confirmed, the course material will be sent to the student.
4. The course supervisor is obliged to return the completed assignments within seven days after receiving the assignments; both corrected and furnished with comments. Exceptions to this rule are situations beyond the control of the supervisor, e.g. sickness, etc. and holidays. The student will receive notice when this occurs.
5. A good student-supervisor relationship is essential. The supervisor will do everything he can to guide the student through the material. The student should always be polite. Rudeness will not be tolerated. If according to the supervisor rude behaviour takes place the student will receive one warning. If the student persists he will loose all rights.
6. The student has the right to support by telephone or email.
7. a. Should the student not return his assignments or in any way absent himself for a period of three months, the student will lose all his rights.
b. The student may ask for a temporary halt to his study for a maximum period of four months.
8. The student can write to the course supervisor that he would like to stop the course. If he does so before he sends in the assignment for the fifth lesson, he has no further obligations. Otherwise, the student is obliged to pay the second term.
9. Paid terms will never be refunded.
Gary Gomes Vedic Astrology Predictions
10. Once the final assignment has been assessed as satisfactory, the course supervisor is obliged to issue the student with the certificate of Applied Vedic Astrology. A second chance is possible!
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