Sivananda Ashram 15th Annual Vedic Astrology Conference
Friday, July 4—Sunday, July 6, 2014
Speakers: Sanjay Rath • Sarbani Rath • Komilla Sutton • William R. Levacy, Ph.D. • Andrew Foss PhD • James Kelleher • Sadasiva (Sam Geppi) • Swami Sitaramananda • Olga Mandodari Sokolova • Pandit Samavedula • William Surface
Venue: Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm, 14651 Ballantree Lane, Grass Valley, CA 95949 530-272-9322 webmaster@yogafarm.org
I am very honored to speak at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm, CA and hope that the erudite astrologers in America and the world over who can find the time and resources to attend, would honor me with their presence.
Vedic Astrology and Understanding of the Mind
Please note that the topics of Pt. Sanjay Rath are listed here. More information, registration and accomodation can be obtained at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm links below.
Conference Info Conference Registration Contact Ashram
Lunar Zodiac and the Human Mind | Keynote Lecture
Sanjay Rath | Friday, July 4, 2014 | 8pm
Overview of the lunar zodiac including 27 Nakṣatra create 12 Rāśi; Birth triad: Janma, karma and ādhāna tārā; special nakṣatra; lunar bhāva and mental impulse etc.
Gaṇḍa-Tārā | 6 Hours | Master Class
Sanjay Rath | Friday, July 4, 2014 | 8-10am and 12-4pm
Calculation and effect of gaṇḍānta; Pada doṣa; Tārā-Dasāṁśa doṣa; Tārā-Pañca-dasāṁśa doṣa; Gaṇḍānta-Tārā and Vāra combination; Gaṇḍānta and birth-time; Lagna gaṇḍānta and effect of nakṣatra adjoining gaṇḍa-tārā; Gaṇḍa tithi and ṣaḍ-bhāga; Abandonment as a consequence of gaṇḍa effects. Gaṇḍa doṣa effects in three planes affecting sky (vyoma, loka), manuśya (humans) and tala (nether worlds).
Understand the Six Vedic Seasons | 2 Hours
Sanjay Rath | Saturday July 5, 2014 | 8 – 10 am
Ṛtu: Vedic Seasons Understanding the ṣaḍṛtu, the six vedic seasons; Mapping them to the signs; Planets in ṛtu signs; Ṣaḍṛtu śaktī; Ṣaḍṛtu colours and mantra; Birth time and ṣaḍṛtu; vimśottari daśā effect of the mood, mind and mantra;
Sri Swami Sivananda Maharaj is one of the greatest inspirations for the spiritual seeker. His writings have inspired millions through generations and continue to do so. Please visit the Divine Life Society for books and lectures that will enrich your life. Website
Conference Speakers
About Sanjay RathSanjay Rath belongs to a traditional family of astrologers from Bira Balabhadrapur Sasan village of Puri, Orissa, which trace their lineage back to Shri Achyuta Das (Sri Achyutananda). Sanjay studied under his uncle, late Pandit Kasinath Rath. His grandfather, the late Pandit Jagannath Rath, was the Jyotish Ratna of Orissa and authored many books on Jyotish. He began his studies at a tender age, and received the depth of Jyotish only found among those who have been trained in the ancient traditional way of the parampara. He later became a graduate of mechanical engineering and worked for some time with the Government of India. Leaving government service to devote himself completely to Jyotisha, he has the depth of the ancient knowledge with the ability to communicate it to the modern mind.
He uses Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra, Jaimini Upadesa Sutras, Brihat Jataka and Saravali as the foundations of Jyotisha and teaches from various other Jyotish scripture and sacred literature such as the Bhagavad Gita, Upanisads, Puranas, etc. www.srath.com
About Sarbani RathIn 1998 when Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra became the principal book on her table she began exclusively studying and practicing Jyotiṣa under the able guidance of Pt. Sanjay Rath. After receiving the Bṛhaspati Gāyatrī in 2002 she has been practising jyotiṣa professionally and teaching as a Jyotiṣa Guru of Śrī Jagannāth Center (SJC). She went on to be the President of SJC in 2008. She continues her passion of reading Vedic literature and after finishing a thorough study of the Garuḍa Purāṇa, is currently working on Sāradātilaka Tantra and Skanda Purāṇa. In 2011 she successfully completed the 5-year long Jaimini Scholar Programme (2007-11) and is a certified Jaimini Scholar of the First Himalaya Batch of Devaguru Bṛhaspati Center (DBC). On the directions of the DBC-Institute she is currently a teacher and Course Co-ordinator of the 2nd Himalaya Batch of the Jaimini Scholar Programme. As the Managing Editor of Sagittarius Publications, she oversees the publication of the quarterly jyotiṣa journal The Jyotish Digest and other astrology books. She has presented papers at various Jyotish conferences in India, USA, London and Serbia. She is a member of the British Association of Vedic Astrology (BAVA). www.sarbanirath.com/
About Komilla SuttonKomilla is the co-founder and Chair of the british Association for Vedic Astrology. She is an internationally renowned consultant, teacher and lecturer. Indian born, Komilla Sutton is one of the pioneers in making tis subject more accesible for the Western readers. She is the author of ‘Vedic Love Signs’, ‘Vedic Astrology’, ‘The Essentials of Vedic Astrology’ and ‘Lunar nodes – Crisis and Redemption’.www.Komilla.com
About William R. Levacy, Ph.D.William R. (Bill) Levacy holds a BA in Literature, a Master’s in the Science of Creative Intelligence, a Master’s in Education, and a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Human Performance Improvement (HPI). Bill is the author of, “Beneath a Vedic Sky,” “Beneath a Vedic Sun,” and “Vedic Astrology Simply Put.” He is a recipient of the 2011 “Jyotish Medha Pragya” award by the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences (ICAS) in New Delhi, India and the 2012 “Jyotisha Manasagara” award from the Raman and Rajeshwari Research Foundation, in Bangalore, India. Bill is President of the American College of Vedic Astrology™ (ACVA), and the ACVAOnline ™ educational program at www.acvaonline.org. Bill has maintained an active consulting astrology practice since 1983 and has lectured internationally. Bill lives in Southern California and can be reached at wlevacy@vedicastrologer.com Website: www.vedicastrologer.com
About Andrew Foss PhDAndrew Foss PhD, is the President and co-founder of the British Association of Vedic Astrology. He has a BA and MA from Oxford University in Physics and an MSc and PhD in Computing Science. He is the author of the leading software for Vedic Astrology, Shri Jyoti Star and the editor of the journal Gochara. He is a Jaimini Scholar and has lectured internationally on Jyotish, Ayurveda and computing and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals. Web site: www.vedicsoftware.com
About James KelleherAuthor of the recently published two-volume book, ‘Path of Light’, Jim is a co-founder of the Council of Vedic Astrology (CVA). He recieved his initial training in India and worked for five years in London as the personal assistant to the world-renowned Jyotishi, M.K. Ghandhi. He then returned to the United States where he has been consulting, lecturing and teaching Vedic Astrology since 1984. He is a former board member of CVA and the American College of Vedic Astrology (ACVA). He has been awarded the titles of Jyotish Kovid and Jyotish Vachapasti by the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences (ICAS). He maintains a busy private practice in Los Gatos , CA www.jameskelleher.com
About Sadasiva (Sam Geppi)Sam Geppi (Sadasiva) is the author of “The Ascendant-108 Planets of Vedic Astrology”. He was hired by Dattatreya Shiva Baba to teach the first Astroved University of Vedic Sciences Vedic Astrology Certification Program in 2010. He founded The American Academy of Vedic Art and Science in 2011, and is currently teaching the first Vedic Astrology Certification program through the Academy to more than 60 students.
For free classes and newsletters visit his site at: http://vedicartandscience.com www.vedicartandscience.com
About Swami SitaramanandaSwami Sitaramananda is a Yoga, Meditation, and Vedanta teacher for more than 30 years. She is presently the main teacher of the Yoga Teachers Training Courses offered at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm, Grass Valley, CA where she is serving as the director for more then 17 years. She also teaches at other Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams & Centers in India, Bahamas, Asia, as well as Centers along the West Coast USA, including her birth country, Vietnam.
She is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnu-devananda. She was nominated by her teacher as Goraknath acharya (spiritual teacher, one of the holders of the lineage) in 1989. Her lectures are based on the four classical paths of yoga as well as the 5 points of Health. www.sivanandayogafarm.org/swami_sitaramananda
About Olga Mandodari SokolovaOlga Mandodari Sokolova, is a certified Vaastu Shastra Consultant. She studied at the International Institute of Mayonic Science & Technology in Chennai, India under Dr. V. Sthapati Ganapati, a world renowned traditional architect of Southern India who relies on Vaastu principles in his projects.
Ms. Sokolova earned her MS degree in Civil Engineering from the Architectural University of St. Petersburg, Russia and Associate of Arts and Associates of Applied Science in Interior Design from the Montgomery College, Rockville MD, USA and received Ph.D. from The Open International University for Complementary Medicines, Colombo, Sri Lanka affiliated with The International Institute of Integral Human Sciences, Montreal, Canada. www.mandodari.com
About Pandit SamavedulaPandit Smavedula is a 6th generation Sama Veda pandit who was trained in the Vedas beginning at age 7. He attended the Shri Sarva Raya Veda Patha Shala school in South India, and after 12 years of study, received his Master’s Degree in Vedic Studies (Ganapati Pandit). Panditji will perform the pujas and homas during the conference. www.vedicyagyacenter.com
About William SurfaceWilliam Surface is a professional astrologer certified through the Council of Vedic Astrology and is the recipient of the CVA Jyotish Visharada. He has completed Komilla Sutton’s 3 year Jyotish Course and is also a member of the British Association of Vedic Astrology (BAVA). He also holds a B.A in Humanities from the University of Chicago.
Born and raised in New York City and now residing in Portland, Oregon William has been a student of yoga since 2001. The teachings of yoga have had a profound effect on my life, and eventually brought me to the study of Vedic Astrology. ws-vedicastrologer.com/
DBC offers online courses in jyotish (Vedic Astrology) taught directly by Sanjay Rath as per the tradition, through narrated power points and other audio tools. The courses are at different levels, from the beginners through the intermediate to the advanced and are known as SoHamsa | DBC courses, with individual classrooms and assistant teachers
Sagittarius Publications is the publisher and distributor the popular quaterly magazine the Jyotish Digest, as well as many thorough books on the subject of Vedic Astrology or Jyotish.
We have an excellent pandit Divākar ‘Deva’ Mishra, who is from the priests of Vindhyāvāsini Siddha Pīṭha to guide you through the hundreds of temples of Kāśi [Varanasi] and neighbouring regions. He can organise your pūjā, keep you safe and take care. He is supported by an English-speaking well-travelled spouse ‘Supriya Mishra’. Please contact them directly for any services, remedial pūjā and tours. They handled the 60+ member Kāśi Jyotiṣa Group 2022.