The word vinyasa means “to place in a special way.” My yoga teacher, Will, encourages us to conduct our yoga practice, and life in general, with ease. Even, and especially, when we’re in an uncomfortable posture or situation. No matter what, can we find ease in difficulty, peace amidst conflict, calm while stressed? It’s a tall order, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot this week as I grind through a series of tough days with looming deadlines, piles of work, and a packed schedule.
My yoga teacher, Stacey, has been encouraging us to slow down and notice how changing our speed in class changes what we find in each breath. The goal isn’t to jump to the front of the mat or crank into a deep twist. It’s to float and to glide in the way that our minds want our bodies to do. And it requires placing our hands and feet in a special, intentional, slow way. And if we can’t do the posture with some sense of ease, then right now it’s not the right posture for us.
So I’ve started exploring ease on the mat, challenging my body while also thanking it for all of the tremendous work it’s doing. If the mat is a microcosm of the rest of my life, then finding ease on the mat should translate into finding ease in life. When my wrists hurt, I pull up in my core. When I twist, I also focusing on lengthening. When I flip myself upside down, I search for the new point of view I find by standing on my head. It feels good to know that in my life I’m heading down the right road. Now I want to find a way to ease through the inevitable obstacles that are cropping up.
The image above is not my own. It can be found here.
Published by Christa Avampato
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
The word vinyasa means “to place in a special way.” My yoga teacher, Will, encourages us to conduct our yoga practice, and life in general, with ease. Even, and especially, when we’re in an uncomfortable posture or situation. No matter what, can we find ease in difficulty, peace amidst conflict, calm while stressed? It’s a tall order, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot this week as I grind through a series of tough days with looming deadlines, piles of work, and a packed schedule. 
Christa:
I know. Your post made a lot of sense. How nice.
Your plate is full and NYC is the “city that never sleeps.”
The speed is too fast and there is always more to do. It feels like you never have enough time. Tell me about it.
I like your idea of slowing down. That’s why, like you, I meditate daily: the habit compels me to smell the roses.
I like your idea too, that slowing down in one area of life can also help you in other areas of life. It is an insightful observation, to be sure.
When was the last time you treated yourself to a manicure/pedicure/massage? How about sauna or steam room? This can help you to relax from your hectic schedule.
Just a suggestion, that’s all. Hope it helps you too.
Cheers! And don’t work too hard. You deserve to live gently like a tender flower in the spring of youth.
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