About
CVA President's Message
The Council of Vedic Astrology (CVA) is the oldest, non-profit Vedic astrology education/membership organization in the West. We are allied with The Indian Council of Astrological Sciences (ICAS); the oldest education/membership organization in India. The CVA was founded in 1993 as a professional community of practicing Vedic astrologers representing a plurality of schools in the Vedic astrological community.
Since 1993, the Council has provided continuing education and certification of professional Vedic astrologers through sponsoring and co-sponsoring educational symposiums and events, but most importantly, we have provided continuing education through our diverse community of CVA professional Vedic astrologers and their educational programs spanning the globe internationally.
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The CVA's educational and certification curriculum has been extensively developed and implemented since its inception in 1993 under the guidance of the CVA's Certification Committee. CVA's late Chairman, Chakrapani Ullal was instrumental in developing and mandating the Council’s certification program in coordination with CVA’s first President, Dr. David Frawley and the Council board. The current CVA Certification Committee continues this esteemed history under the direction of Dr. David Frawley, Nalini Kanta Das, Dennis Flaherty, Sat Siri Khalsa and CVA's Provost -James Kelleher.
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The Council just one Saturn cycle with the election of the new CVA board. We were the first Vedic astrology organization in the west to develop and implement educational standards through the Council’s certificate program representing the diversity and plurality of our professional community of Vedic astrologers. Although we started our first organizational certificate programs in the West the CVA now proudly claims professional certified membership in over nine different countries. The CVA is an organization of practitioners, who have passed our rigorous certification standards, not a school, college or university. In this way, we draw upon a plurality of schools and teachers, which is our foundation's historical strength, rather than a selected group of schools or teachers.
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We are not a so-called college or university, but an organization of recognized international practitioners who have met rigorous certification standards. Although you will find legitimate colleges and universities that offer recognized college degrees in astrology, sadly in these times you will also find colleges and universities in name only, in reality they are certificate programs. You simply need to check with your local, or state governing higher education board to see if these schools and their curriculums are recognized toward legitimate college degrees. Many are not.
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Again, the strength of the CVA is that we were the first organization to establish an extensive certificate program in the west which continues to this day. If you wish to study Vedic astrology and are thinking of a certificate program first and foremost please visit the CVA website to see our extensive professional membership on our practitioner’s page - any of which you may study with to become a professional member of our growing community. In addition, please visit our CVA Education and Certification page to view our certification standards. Please contact myself, or CVA's education Provost, James Kelleher, for any question regarding the CVA exams and the date of the next CVA exams.
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In addition starting this year the CVA will be co-sponsoring regional conferences that will feature CVA recognized teachers and practitioners, who represent a Who's Who of today's Vedic astrologers. Pleased take the time to pursue of the list of professional Vedic astrologers, as it is an excellent resource for study with someone in your area, or choosing speakers for an event in the allied Vedic sciences.
President of CVA: Dennis Flaherty
Sponsored by James Kelleher and Nalini Kanta Das
Dennis has served four terms as President of the Washington State Astrological Association and was a founding member of the Council of Vedic Astrology. He has served as President of the council for a number of years. With all four of his daughters having graduated college or engaged in graduate studies, continuing education is foundational to his family—as well as to his sense of service to community. Dennis has been a full-time consulting teacher and practitioner of Vedic astrology for over three decades.
As President of the CVA, it is his intention to continue to fulfill the CVA’s foundational mission of educating and certifying Vedic astrologers through our Sangha of diverse practitioners. The CVA was the first organization to develop standards of practice in the West in 1993—so coming up on thirty years! It continues its vision by drawing upon a plurality of Vedic astrologers, who represent and support many styles and schools for the growing benefit of our community.
Vice President of CVA: Marianne Jacuzzi
Sponsored by CVA Members Dennis Flaherty and Nalini Kanta Das
The eternal truths of India first inspired Marianne at a young age. Discovering the Bhagavad Gita and beginning meditation at age sixteen, she later studied Indian philosophy at UC Santa Cruz and Berkeley. Soon she developed a daily practice of Hatha Yoga, though the asana dimension never superseded the deeper practices of pranayama, meditation and Bhakti. In 1991, she moved from California to Ireland. After a few years, much training, and many long trips to India, she began teaching yoga. She opened her own small studio in 2000, teaching classes and workshops and later offering trainings, retreats and counselling.
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Marianne’s fascination with Jyotish – its power to illuminate the mystery of life and alleviate suffering with the grace of understanding – grew from her lifelong interest in Indian philosophy. She began formal study with Dennis Flaherty in 2011, passing the CVA Visharada Exam in 2014 and the Kovid in 2016, both in the high 90th percentile.
She has B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from the University of California, and presently studies Jaimini with Andrew Foss. She offers readings via Zoom from her Sardinian home and continues to teach yoga philosophy to teacher trainees. She is the Managing Editor of the CVA Journal.
CVA Board of Directors: Prema Lee Gurreri
Sponsored by CVA Members Dennis Flaherty and Karen Wennerlind
Prema Lee Gurreri has been in the consciousness movement of Eastern thought for over thirty years. She is a practicing certified Vedic astrologer, business consultant, spiritual coach, energy practitioner, and author. Prema has owned her own consciousness business in one form or another for twenty-five years, including her full-service yoga and healing arts center called Yoga and Beyond and in her current company called Soulutionary Incorporated.
Prema is passionate about helping leaders, entrepreneurs and change agents understand their purpose and divine gifts, so they can create meaningful lives and sacred wealth. Prema, who lives in the Pacific Northwest, is also a wife and mother of four adult children.
CVA Board of Directors: Bruce Davis
Sponsored by CVA Members Dennis Flaherty and Marianne Jacuzzi
Bruce Davis, who lives in the Pacific Northwest, is a Visharada certified professional member of the CVA. His formal education includes a B.A. in literature and an M.D., both from the University of Washington in Seattle. Having completed medical training, Bruce practiced family medicine for twenty-five years, including three years as a physician on the staff with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Switzerland. During that time with Maharishi, he first became interested in Vedic astrology. Following his many years of medical practice and with his growing humanistic interests, he turned toward ministry, completing a four-year M.Div. degree and spiritual direction course at Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry.
Ordained a Unitarian Universalist minster at age sixty, he served a congregation in Marysville, Washington for eight years.
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Now retired from church ministry, he practices spiritual direction, Vedic astrology and meditation instruction from his home in Edmonds, Washington. When not in his office he’s likely to be found tending vegetables and making compost in the organic garden he shares with his partner of forty-five years, Mary.
CVA Board of Directors: Karen Wennerlind
Sponsored by CVA Members Dennis Flaherty and Prema Lee Guerri
Karen is a Western astrologer with over thirty years of professional practice. She has combined her knowledge of business, astrology, tarot, mythology and metaphysics to create her distinct client-centered approach. Karen teaches classes in Western astrology, tarot, business basics and practices, and consults through the East/West bookstore in Seattle, Washington.
Karen is a certified astrology professional and member of the Washington State Astrological Association, where she has served several terms as President, Vice President and Treasurer. Karen has also served on the board of many other non-profits, including Kepler College, the board of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches, and as treasurer of the Toyohari Association of acupuncturists of North
America. She has provided her exceptional administrative and professional business skills to the Council of Vedic Astrology as treasurer for over a decade and wishes to be of service for another term.
CVA Board of Directors: Susie Patterson
Sponsored by CVA Members Dennis Flaherty and Nalini Kanta Das
Susie Patterson combines knowledge of depth psychology with astrological wisdom. She received her Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology in 1975, and began formal study of astrology in 1977. After studying under a mentor since the early 1990’s, she received advanced certification in Vedic Astrology from the ICAS and CVA.
Active in astrology in Texas for a couple of decades, she has served on the board of The Astrological Society of North Texas as President and Vice President. Currently, she offers her expertise in personal consultations from her home office in Fort Worth, Texas and in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A CVA Board of Director for many years, Susie wishes to continue to serve our community.
CVA Board of Directors: Michael Alberts
Sponsored by CVA Members Dennis Flaherty and Marianne Jacuzzi
Since he first hand-calculated his birth chart while still in high school, Michael Alberts has been fascinated with studying how the movements of the heavenly bodies influence our lives. From Linda Goodman and Liz Green to Alan Leo, the Secret Doctrine and now Astrosophy, it became apparent to him that astrology was much more than just planets, signs, aspects and transits.
After moving to New Mexico in 2002 and discovering the vibrant astrology scene in Santa Fe, Michael soon designed and managed Alan Oken’s website. He first encountered Vedic astrology in Santa Fe, inspired by both Edith Hathaway and Howard Beckman, among others. Taking a deep dive into Jyotish, he sought formal training and mentoring, and since 2013 has studied with Dennis Flaherty. While working in health care IT and support, Michael maintains the CVA website and CVA exams—supporting CVA goals and high standards and using his technical skills to promote its endeavors.
Board
PRESIDENT
Dennis Flaherty
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POSTHUMOUS CHAIRMAN
Chakrapani Ullal
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VICE PRESIDENT
Marianne Jacuzzi
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TREASURER
Karen Wennerlind
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BOARD MEMBERS
Michael Alberts
Prema Lee Gurreri
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CVA CERTIFICATION COMMITTEE
Chakrapani Ullal, Posthumous Co-Chair
David Frawley, Co-Chair
Dennis Flaherty, Co-Chair
James Kelleher, Co-Chair
Nalini Kanta Das, Co-Chair
Sat Siri Khalsa, Co-Chair
Marianne Jacuzzi, Co-Chair
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MEMBERSHIP
MANAGING EDITOR
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CVA Provost