Jyoti Chrystal, ERYT has 30 years of international teaching experience in yoga, meditation, and the healing arts. Her early yoga career has included study with B.K.S. Iyengar in India in the 80's and Ashtanga with Alan Bates and other notables of that era. She continues to study with senior Iyengar teachers such as Aadil Paklavalaha, Gabrielle Guibilari, and Lois Steinberg. She has also studied Vini Yoga and Cardiac Yoga with IYI. She is currently a student of Mukunda, Tom Styles in his Structural Therapy Program and has founded and is mentoring two successful yoga therapy classes here at Starseed. Jyoti has earned the designation of Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (ERYT-500) by the Yoga Alliance, the national authority for the credentialing of yoga teachers and approval of yoga teacher training schools.

While living in Brazil during the 70s and early 80s she apprenticed in various forms of shamanism and founded a yoga center there. Upon her return to North America she became a student of Angeles Arrian's Four Fold Way for 7 years and also worked with Alberto Villodo. Additionally, for 13 years she was a disciple of Jain master, Gurudev Shree Chitrabhanu. In 1988 Jyoti was initiated into the Peruvian shamanic lineage of the Andes by Don Calderon and has received second degree initiation into Amazonian shamanism by Don Austin Rivas Vasquez with whom she has been with since 1987.

Jyoti uses the shamanic tools of journeywork, sopla (Amazonian tobacco and sacred herbs), sacred songs, Gestalt therapy and the very practical use of the universal teachings of ahimsa in her unique Shamanic Empowerment Coaching to assist clients, individually or together as a couple, in their soul retrieval work. She believes in living a "life worth dying for." Her unique gift of being able to identify negative or dysfunctional root beliefs is immediately apparent in her work.

She and her partner, Dr. Jason Martin, co-facilitate Full Moon Fire ceremonies, shamanic journeywork and specialty workshops including their original workshop, The Dreambody (in it's 12 year), and lead groups to Mexico and Peru and wherever their inspiration for spiritual and personal growth takes them. Jyoti also facilitates journeywork in the realm of new parenting, pre/post natal, and works closely with Starseed's parenting and pre/post natal yoga program.

Jyoti directs the yoga program and the Starseed Yoga Teacher Training Program (9-month apprenticeship), and is the inspiration behind the Feminine Wisdom program, now in its 17th year, and mentors apprentices in her unique shamanic style. Jyoti, along with Barbara Coloe, is co-author of the forthcoming book, "Shamanic Yoga, Remembering the Journey." Jyoti also founded the Starseed Educational Company, the non profit branch of Starseed dedicated to bringing yoga, meditation and healing into sectors of the community afflicted by drug, alcohol addiction and shelters for battered women. Other sponsorship activities include establishment of scholarships for Buddhist Monks in Rewalsar, India, a clothing drive for the Lakota tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and a twice yearly clothing drive for the people of Tamshyaku, a village in the Amazonian Rainforest in Peru, in addition to supporting their arts and crafts as a way of living.

Jyoti is a licensed minister performing weddings, christening and naming ceremonies, rites of passages and coming of age ceremonies and facilitates funerals and memorial services. She counsels individuals and families in various stages of working through grief, bringing her shamanic prowess and spiritual insight to this most important facet of our lives.

Jyoti is currently working with White Wind Weaver and is training in the Art of Life coaching method.

Feel free to call Jyoti at Starseed (973-783-1036, ext. 4) to discuss any of your needs in these areas. Alternately, you can contact Jyoti by e-mail at jyotichrystal@starseedyoga.com or by clicking here.

To read the Montclair Times article (November 20, 2004) about Starseed, (click here to read)

Jyoti Chrystal: Featured Instructor of the Month in the August 2002 issue of Yoga411 Magazine (click here to read)

"Extremely privileged to have the opportunity to observe Jyoti ..."

I feel extremely privileged to have the opportunity to observe Jyoti's wonderful yoga work that she does and to learn from her and be a part of the experience. I am so thankful that she is sharing these skills and insights with us. Jyoti is truly being part of the change that we all wish to see in the world. With deep gratitude, N.W. Starseed Teacher Training, '06