Jyoti Chrystal, Montclair’s first lady of yoga, wants Baristanet readers to know that Starseed Yoga is offering free classes for cancer survivors every Thursday at 2 pm. She also announced last Friday on her personal blog that Starseed, the oldest and for many years the only yoga studio in Montclair, is up for sale.
Jyoti, who has Stage 4 non-smokers lung cancer, has been battling her disease since being diagnosed last spring. The cancer has spread to her spine and the meninges, the tissue that covers the brain. “In July, it looked like I wasn’t going to survive this at all,” she said. In August, she began to thrive. “My doctors were calling me the miracle woman.” Then, around the beginning of December, Jyoti started to experience debilitating spells – two to five minutes in length – which cause overwhelming pain in her skull, a loss of balance and occasional fainting. She began to experience on one the phone with me today. It was haunting.
A shaman who has studied in Peru, Jyoti has, not surprisingly, used both eastern and western medicine to fight her cancer. In additional to oral chemotherapy, she’s availed herself of Tibetan medicine and certain herbs.
And she’s been struggling – or as she would say “working” – with cancer quite publicly, on the pages of a Caring Bridge Journal that has been visited more than 12,000 times since she began writing last May. A few examples.
I find myself up and communing with nature around 5am and it feels oh……..so intimate, so very new at this phase of recovery. Clearly I refuse the title: ‘cancer surviver’. It feels like I am using this cancer as a vehicle for my new body to find its way into my life. For the cells of this new body to intelligize themselves in a new form. This feels much more positive for me, much more my style and certainly what I am being taught and teaching. My new timeless limitless body! Yes, I actually feel it anew, feel it differently. Difficult to describe but there is a KNOWING that this body, this vehicle is operating from far beyond ordinary mind. (May 15, 2008)
This cancer is the toughest teacher I have ever had! Looking at it as thus, helps me to stay present and grounded. (May 31, 2008)
Friday night as I came out of the anesthesia in the recovery room I found myself babbling on an on about Brahman. How we all are Brahman, we must never forget it and continue to work toward that reality of complete union. I found the 2 doctors and the attendants around my bed while I was expounding and I was laughing thru it all. They were fascinated with this newly found and very public part of me under the effects of the anesthesia and drugs. I mean really, if not in deep sleep – where according to Vedanta – we are closest to our state of Brahma, then where? (December 28, 2008)
Jyoti’s first studio in Montclair, which she opened in the early 1980′s, was called YogaRobics. She’s not quite sure when she opened Starseed, but it probably dates from the late 1980′s, and has had many different homes. For years it was the only yoga practice in Montclair, but lately it’s been joined by many other studios, some of which were started by Jyoti’s own former students. “There’s now nine yoga studios within a two-mile radius of Starseed,” she said.
Clearly not the best time in the world to have a yoga studio on the market.
But she believes that Starseed is unique because of its dedication to both shamanistic practice as well as yoga.
Although Jyoti doesn’t herself teach the cancer yoga class, she does teach (and is quite proud of) a class for arthritis sufferers on Fridays at 11:30 am, which allows students to practice from chairs if they can’t get down on the floor.
From her most recent journal entry:
I have just now received a mix blessing word from my dr: There is new tumor activity at the base of my skull in the back and I will start radiation treatments on Monday for maybe two weeks. The best news is that the rest of the skull and brain is free of cancer. No other cancer activity. Dr feels very confident it is ‘easy to get to’ and I should be free of pain very soon. I have such complete confidence in this man.
I continue to inwardly thrive and know that surrender is the name of the game. My hunger for the spirit helps me take inner flight when my physical symptoms are dormant. I know and feel each of your prayers and support.
Meanwhile, I am researching a buyer for Starseed. If any of you know of someone or a group of people who want to take my vision and run with it in a very creative way, pls contact me directly.
I bow to all of us. Just for the sake of taking the flight and moving against the wind. I do know that it is only on the winds of change that we grow.
Namaste,
JyotiMa
This just makes me sad. And put things into a more balanced perspective.
That is what courage looks like.
All my best wishes go out to Jyoti. Starseeed Yoga is the best yoga studio. A place that teaches the true meaning of yoga. If I happen to take a yoga class elsewhere, I can always tell if the teacher was trained at Starseed, because they are the best.
That’s nice that Starseed is providing free classes to cancer survivors. All the best to Jyoti.
This certainly does put things into perspective. This woman is demonstrating enormous courage in the face of the worst kind of adversity.
Lifetimes upon lifetimes an endless succession of lifetimes to learn that there is only one.
God bless Jyoti on her journey and all of you on yours.
Wishing continued peace and strength to Jyoti. And I hope the radiation treatments take away the pain.
It’s inspiring to watch her make the best of a situation that would shut many of us down.
I second Karen’s post: “That is what courage looks like.”
Good luck as you harness all of your pure potential energy into a painless journey.
I’ve known Jyoti for as many years as Starseed has been around…had her and the studio on my cable show many times.
Most recently, we had a brief interview together at one of the fundraisers for her a few months ago – such a brave wonderful women she is..talking about her condition, and the way the comminity has responded..giving love and hope to her..support in as many ways as people who love her.
Her sense of well being she gives to others, is unmatched…I love her, and only wish the best for her.
I wish Jyoti a joyous journey. I can say this since I have also experienced cancer and know the changes it makes in one’s life–some quite positive.
However,I will not forget a conversation I had with Jyoti a few years ago about starting a class for those who experienced cancer. I got a negative response and a mild lashing about why cancer comes to those who receive it. It is hard to forget the conversation.
Although I wish Starseed kept and expanded its Qi Gong program, I do respect its reputation and commitment to shamanic work. I do attend when I can.
Namaste…
I wish Jyoti a joyous journey. I can say this since I have also experienced cancer and know the changes it makes in one’s life–some quite positive.
However,I will not forget a conversation I had with Jyoti a few years ago about starting a class for those who experienced cancer. I got a negative response and a mild lashing about why cancer comes to those who receive it. It is hard to forget the conversation.
Although I wish Starseed kept and expanded its Qi Gong program, I do respect its reputation and commitment to shamanic work. I do attend when I can.
Namaste…
Certainly no one deserves cancer. This is truly the look of courage. Written here by someone who lost both parents much too young from lung cancer
I love you Jyoti and thank you for your vision and the transformation in my life from your early teachings. I was told by you Jyoti, that I am a natural healer and I am keeping you and your recovery very much in my thoughts,
I wish Jyoti good health,good kharma, and continuing peace.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Jyoti for sharing your life this way. I have reconnected to yoga through your generous free class for cancer survivors. Only three classes have already put me back on a better track since I finished my radiation treatments. Thanks to Susan Herman for taking on the project. May you be free from pain.
Namaste…
Peace, love & music,
Laura
Thank you, thank you, thank you Jyoti for sharing your life this way. I have reconnected to yoga through your generous free class for cancer survivors. Only three classes have already put me back on a better track since I finished my radiation treatments. Thanks to Susan Herman for taking on the project. May you be free from pain.
Namaste…
Peace, love & music,
Laura