Meet Our Team
Experienced & Dedicated
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Gian Shakti
Gian Shakti is an E-RYT 500, YACEP Yoga teacher. She is a Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor, Yoga Teacher Trainer, Gong Avatar Trainer, Reiki Master under the Usui Reiki system, an Access Bars Facilitator, and a sound healing and meditation guide. She is the founder of Jupiter Yoga and designer and creator of Devi Tala Designs -- Healing and Empowering jewelry. Through her dedication to her sadhana (daily spiritual practice), she is able to continuously work on her radiance so she can be a forklift for her students' elevation.
Sotantar Suraj
Sotantar is an E-RYT 500, YACEP Yoga teacher. He is a widely recognized Gong Avatar Teacher, Kundalini Yoga Teacher and Trainer. He is a co-founder of Jupiter Yoga and the founder and creator of Gong Avatar Academy. Sotantar is dedicated to bring Strength Awareness, Honor to All. His passion is teaching Gong Avatars, Kundalini Yoga, Tantra and bringing the healing and transforming sounds of the Gong to the world. He enjoys giving Gong Sessions, Personal Counseling, Meditation and Healing Planet Gong Concerts to celebrate oneness, peace, love and joy which is our natural state. Check out his website www.gongavataracademy.com or follow him on instagram @sotantarsuraj.
Nichole Susi-Blair
Nichole discovered her love of yoga asana and pranayama (movement of the body through postures and the study of the breath) as an offset to the daily stressors of working in a corporate environment for 15 years. She found that yoga aligned with her interest in health and wellness, the mind/ body connection, and self-discovery and awareness. After 7 years of dedicated practice, she took the 200-hour Teacher Training in 2009 and knew this was the path for her. She completed an additional 300 professional training in 2009/2010 and has been teaching ever since. She has a soft spot for beginners, teaching entry-level classes for many years, along with more advanced Vinyasa Flow and Hatha. Her years of experience with groups, private clients, and companies have allowed her to meet each student where they are in that moment, creating a safe space for students to experience, observe, expand, and grow their personal practice and self-connection. Join Nichole for her Gentle Yoga classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 AM for a relaxing and comprehensive beginners class or join her for an invigorating Vinyasa Flow class every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 PM.
Juris Zinbergs
Practicing yoga since 1993, Juris is a well-known and respected leader in the Orange County Yoga community. In 1997, he became certified by the American Viniyoga Institute to teach asana, pranayama, and Sanskrit chanting in the same Yoga tradition as TV Desikachar and T Krishnamacharya. Juris' passion for yoga led him to begin training and mentoring Yoga Therapists in this living ViniYoga tradition. Emphasizing appropriately placed, accurate, and integrated yoga techniques that are purposeful and helpful, in any individual's transformation. Juris is recognized by C-AYT as a certified Yoga Therapist and by Yoga Alliance as an E-RYT500 Yoga Teacher. Juris Teaches Ashtanga on Mondays & Fridays at 10:40AM, and Gentle Yoga on Wednesdays at 9:30AM and Mondays at 4:45PM.
Bella Linder
Bella's yoga journey began as a child in gymnastics where she loved to push the extremes of what the body can do. She began choreographing for her teammates but felt a higher calling. After several injuries, she found a way to heal her body through the asanas of yoga. The physical part of gymnastics was not enough, so she could understand a deeper purpose when she discovered yoga and found a spiritual and emotional connection. This was to strengthen the well-being of people through yoga. She completed teacher training at 16 and later returned to get a 300-hour training to deepen her spiritual knowledge. Santosha, or contentment, is present in her when she can give the gift of yoga to others. Bella teaches Yogalates on Wednesdays at 8AM, Vinyasa Flow Fridays at 5:30 PM and Saturdays at 9AM.
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Sonny Ali
Strong, playful, and mindful -- Sonny's classes are invitations to bridge the gap between the body, mind, and spirit with humor, style, and grace. Using a keen eye for detail, he teaches people rather than poses so that ultimately, students feel more empowered, buoyant, and enlivened. For him, to live a richer, more connected life is a worthy goal for each student. You can join Sonny on the mat at his Vinyasa Flow class every Monday and Wednesday at 6:00 PM.
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Chrisy Salvati
Chrisy has been practicing Kundalini Yoga since 2013 and is certified by KRI. Her passion and love for the science and technology of Kundalini, meditation, and sound guided her to become an instructor. Through her devotion to Sadhana (daily spiritual practice), she can attune to her highest self and spread light to her students.
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Chrisy is a graduate and active member of the Gong Avatar Academy led by master gong avatar Sotantar Suraj. She was blessed with the avatar sound name of Uma Devi, meaning the Goddess of Light and Beauty with the deep knowledge of balancing many aspects. She enjoys playing at gong concerts, soundbath events, and teaching others about the healing vibrations of the sacred gong.
Chrisy is a Southern California Native and grew up in Irvine. She holds a Masters Degree in Education and has been an elementary school teacher for the past 26 years. Join Chrisy's Kundalini Yoga and Sound Class Every Tuesday Night at 4:15 PM.
Bianka Riveiro
Bianka has a background in kinesiology, personal training and competing competitively in powerlifting. Having been an athlete her whole life, she’s always had a passion for fitness, heath and the mechanics of the human body. And has had fulfillment from teaching and sharing her knowledge to help others. Always following her highest excitements, these stepping stones eventually led her to kundalini yoga 8 years ago. Also along this journey, she discovered Ayurveda (the sister science of yoga). With these two sister sciences, she has transformed, expanded, and created a life of truth, peace, and bliss… bringing the mind, body, and soul into union and balance. She is now a Kundalini yoga teacher, she completed her 200-hour teacher training here at Jupiter Yoga! She is also a certified Ayurvedic health coach. She lives a lifestyle integrated with the ebbs and flows of nature because she believes we ARE nature and she brings this to her teachings. She teaches with integrity in honoring the sacredness of these two sciences, weaving in the understanding of the elements and Gunas so that students can have a deeper understanding of themselves, their environment around them, and how each kriya, mantra, and pranayama intertwines and affects their individual being…because although we are all one, no two of us are the same. Bianka teaches Kundalini on Sundays at 5:30PM and Kundalini Meditation and Sound on Thursdays at 12:15PM.
Molly Marscellas
Molly is one of the friendly faces you will see at our front desk, ready to welcome you with a smile to Jupiter Yoga! Her love for yoga asana, pranayama, and dhyana brought her to Jupiter Yoga as a student, and then led her to join our team.
Maya Beltran
Maya is a 500hr RYT. She focuses on weaving body-awareness, mindfulness, and functional movements into her yoga experience.
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Since 2016, her yoga journey has ignited a passion for nurturing the body and mind connection. Maya originally started practicing yoga as a way to soothe anxiety, and gain control of her boy after being challenged with chronic pain.
In 2021, Maya graduated from National Holistic Institute, School of Massage Therapy. Shortly after, she completed her first yoga teacher training. Since then, she has worked on fusing the two practices together. Her goal is to assist students in deepening their mind-body connection through a grounding yoga practice.
Expect soulful flows & intentional alignment in her classes. Invigorate your mornings with Maya's Vinyasa Flow Classes at 8:15 AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays or join her for a relaxing Gentle Yoga Class every Sunday at 9:15 AM.