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March's "Star" of the Month

A Conversation with Astrologer Charlotte Benson

Date: 3/08/10

In her own words.

The night sky cast its spell on me at a very young age. Dad would educate us, out on the back lawn, with his old Navy sextant, where we would search for planets, and the rare transiting Sputnik, and Telstar satellites. It must be true what is said about the light reflecting from a planet striking ones retina � it creates a bond between the graha and the observer. The stars were my first crush � along with The Beatles, of course.

As a teen-age bride, my husband bought me Astrology books, and provided me the leisure time to pursue the study and practice of my obsession. Anyone we knew was a proper subject for experimentation � using the quaint references of A to Z Horoscope Maker and Delineator, Message of the Stars, or anything by Alan Leo. A client who was risking a lot, based on my predictions, invested in an entire set of �Die Deutsch Ephemerides� for my use. These tables were the state of the art in the

early 1970's, and I felt so privileged to possess my very own "greasy almanacs." Of course, I cast all these charts by hand - just as I'd done in my previous five lifetimes, according to all the Jyotishis who I consulted in India.

These Indian Jyotishis would look at what they had calculated on their little blackboards, (or if they were lucky they had paper), and then look up at me with astonishment, and declare that, miraculously, I was a well-known, good, Western lady, Jyotishi! This fact was a blessing of my poorva-punya (past-life credit) from previous incarnations. I would have been spared much anguish in my 30�s � while my peers were prospering in the real world and I was suffering for my art � if I had received this validation much earlier in my career.

In 1975 I acquired my first Jyotish book � on Forecasting Prices. It was mystifying and compelling. I looked for Jyotish where ever it could be found, and practiced Western Astrology full-time. The planets were supporting me, and I was very involved as a founding member of the Arizona Society of Astrologers, and certified as a Professional Astrologer through the American Federation of Astrologers. This was the hey-day of huge international Astrology conferences, and authors were writing hundreds of Astrology books in current languages. My teacher-heroes were: Robert Hand, Liz Greene, Erin Sullivan, Jeff Green, Noel Tyl, Steven Arroyo, Tad Mann, Ivy Goldstein-Jacobson, and Marion March. Then I became certified and active in the National Council for Geocosmic Research, and with AFAN � both international Western Astrology groups. My natal Hamsa Yoga in the 10^th house was working over-time to create a fully-credentialed, experienced, qualified, dedicated astrologer/future-Jyotishi.

Then, at the Uranus / Neptune conjunction of 1993, I met Dr. Dennis Harness at the 2^nd International Symposium of Vedic Astrology, in San Rafael, California � and the die was cast! The Vedic Astrology presenters at that conference were so different from the Western astrologers I knew. They obviously had the secret information that I needed for my practice, emerging during The New Astrological Paradigm. (This was heralded by the spiritualizing effect of Neptune on Uranus - one of the planets of Astrology - in the early 1990�s.)

I never did recover from that initial, divine Symposium. Every ACVA conference, symposium or certification conference where I was honored to volunteer, was always the highlight in an already memorable year. To be able to meet, and serve, so many distinguished Jyotish teachers, has really been my life�s delight. Dr. Harness enlisted me as an ally, early on in his efforts to present Jyotish to America, and I am so grateful for the brilliant Jyotishis who I have met, and befriended, in this endeavor: the Dennises (Harness and Flaherty), Dr. David Frawley, Chakrapani-ji Ullal, Gayatri Devi Vasudev, Narendra Desai, K.N. Rao, Hart de Fouw, Richard Houck, Kenneth Johnson, James Kelleher, Komilla Sutton, James Braha, and my dear friend Christina Collins. These wonderful people taught me what they know, and helped me make a positive difference, as an astrologer, in the lives of many of my clients.

Taking the year-long Level 1 ACVA course on-line opened up a whole new Jyotish world for me. I had to really tax my brain to memorize the order of the Nakshatras and their lords, and certain yogas, etc. The experience was the best part of last year, for me. I�m living proof that an old dog can be taught new tricks! And so, as my dasas play themselves out � I�m doing my very best to live up to my spiritual name, and work hard, in order to have the extreme privilege, of perhaps another, 6^th incarnation, as a good Jyotishi.

With love, Charlotte Benson (Jyoti Devi)

Contact Information:

Charlotte Benson, International Liaison and Jyotish Star Chief Correspondent
Diplomate: AFA, NCGR, ISAR
Executive Director, American College of Vedic Astrology, Inc.
President, Arizona Society of Astrologers, Inc.
www.charlottebenson.com
602 952-1525
Phoenix, AZ USA.



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