Month: July 2011

choices, decision-making, happiness, health

Beginning: Let Your Body Set Your Priorities

Christa Avampato

My cold from last week is persisting, and to some degree worsening. Rather than shocking my body with an overload of cold medicine, I’m riding it out for one very simple reason: the medicine didn’t work because my cold is due to stress, not that nasty little common cold virus.

Last week I had a very upsetting event happen and I literally felt the moment when my mental stress transferred to my body. My throat started to close, then a few days later a full on cold had found its way into my sinuses. My joints filled up with pain and it took a great amount of effort just to walk Phineas last weekend. My body was begging me to listen and if I wouldn’t go willingly, then it would make sure I rested by knocking me out.

There are a few amazing things at play here as I battle this cold of mine:

1.) I have actually heightened my awareness to such a level that I am fully aware of exactly when and how my mental state manifests itself into illness. This is the first time that’s ever happened.

2.) It’s become very clear to me that certain situations in which I’ve put myself and made compromises must come to an end, and quickly. Time is precious and my body and mind have had enough. It’s time to get on with happiness.

3.) This cold has given me quite a bit of time to think and evaluate how I spend my time. I notice that my symptoms wane when I’ve been doing things I truly love and want to do over the past week. My symptoms worsen when I’m doing activities that make me feel like I’m wasting my time. The difference is blatantly clear to me, mentally and physically.

And here’s the big one…

4.) If we’re wondering what to do next, there’s no need to crack out the pro / con list, the decision tree, the horoscope, the I Ching, or any other external device about decision-making. (And I’ve used them all, and frequently!) Stop, close the eye, and listen to the body. It is the ultimate prioritizer, the master of triage. Give it what it needs to be strong and healthy, and you’ll be assured of being on the right path.

The body knows the way. Listen to it.

career, choices, decision-making

Beginning: Spend One Day in Your Ideal Job

Christa Avampato

“What you are is what you have been. What you’ll be is what you do now.” ~ Buddha

You and I have been doing some soul-searching. In Mary Oliver’s beautiful words, we’ve been working hard to figure out what to do with our “one wild and precious life”. Yesterday I wrote about being at a crossroads in defining my soul’s work, and I’ve been spending a lot of time laying the foundation for Compass Yoga. Yesterday, I lived a day in my ideal job running Compass, and it was by all measures one of the happiest working days of my life. This is no small revelation.

I started out the morning at a reasonable time without feeling rushed – I walked Phineas, got ready, had some breakfast and was able to spend a few moments in meditation to prepare for the day ahead. I then went to meet with a group of attorneys who will potentially take Compass Yoga on as a client in their pro bono practice. I took away a few key items and decisions to speak about with the board when we convene for our first meeting in a couple of weeks. Then I gave a presentation on how yoga and meditation alleviate the body’s stress response at a men’s health fair at Jericho Project, a nonprofit partner that provides assistance to the homeless and like Compass has a particular interest in helping returning veterans.

It was a very good day, an ideal, fulfilling career day. And this got me to thinking, “Why couldn’t every one of my work days feel like this?” The answer of course is they can be, given certain decisions that I am on the doorstep of making. It was a motivating experience.

This day in my ideal job gave me a whole new perspective and new confidence in pursuing my entrepreneurial path. I felt such a sense of peace and satisfaction on this road. Even at a couple junctures when there was a bit of stress, it dissipated quickly and completely. I didn’t go running for the hills when the work day was done. I just eased into my evening. It’s been too long since I had a work day wrap up like that. I must remember Buddha’s wise advice – what I do now, today, becomes the basis for who I am tomorrow.

Give it a whirl
Maybe you have an idea of how you’d like to spend your work days. Maybe you have an idea of a venture you’d like to consider. Is it the right path for you? Should you leave behind your current job? Perhaps. My advice would be to take a day off and really live that ideal career day. See how it goes. Your body will tell you if you’re on the right path. Listen to it, and let me know how it unfolds.

choices, decision-making, fate, future, work, writing, yoga

Beginning: Protecting the Crossroads

Christa Avampato

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both, and be one traveler long I stood, and looked down one as far as I could…knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back…Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” ~ Robert Frost

While on vacation I started and finished reading the book Hanuman: The Devotion and Power of the Monkey God. Since beginning a deep study of yoga philosophy about a year and a half ago, I have felt very close to Hanuman. A tiny monkey, he is the most loyal servant of Lord Rama. The child’s version of the story of Hanuman is that he leapt across the world to rescue Sita, Lord Rama’s wife, when she was captured by the enemy during a long and brutal war. The truth is a bit more complicated, as truths tend to be.

In incredible detail, the book elaborates on the story of Hanuman, his dual-characteristics of great devotion and great might, his ability to be a fierce warrior and to lay in wait when that is what’s needed, and his dark and light sides. I had envisioned him as an adorable and adoring little monkey. He is so much more.

I won’t spoil the story for you – you should read the beautiful prose that author Vanamali lays out in exquisite detail. What I do want to share in this post is a role that Hanuman plays that i never knew before reading this book. He is the protector of the crossroads, those places in-between in our lives, the transitions. Ironic (or perhaps just synchronous) that I would learn this now when I feel that I am at such a huge junction in both my personal and professional lives, as I craft a living and a life with Compass Yoga.

In my daily meditations for the past few months, I have felt change arriving slowly, like a light slowly rising, like a clearer vision coming into focus that honors my experience and celebrates my potential offering to humanity. While I am crafting an extraordinary life, I am fully aware that I am also lovingly building a legacy. This is my soul’s work.

In my meditations I have heard a faint and distant voice conveying what I know is very important, though I cannot yet decipher its exact words. I think maybe it has been Hanuman unrolling the map of the decisions I must make, laying out the carpet that takes two directions of which I must choose one.

Joseph Campbell is famous for elucidating the hero’s journey, a choice between two roads that is never easy. Both roads contain trade-offs, good and bad experiences, joy and sorrow, pain and freedom, light and dark. Our goal is not to choose the “right” road, but to choose the “right road for us”. I am at the crossroads, but Hanuman is here with me and so I don’t have to be alone or afraid in my choosing. He will protect and defend while I decide. He will do the same for you, too, and you should take great comfort in that. A bit of help makes the choosing easier, right?

creativity, imagination, movie, story

Beginning: My Favorite Thing About Harry Potter

Christa Avampato

On Sunday afternoon I saw the final Harry Potter, just like millions of other people who helped the movie take in $168.5M on its opening weekend, the largest opening weekend in history. The special effects, the story of a hero’s journey, and the sheer beauty of the franchise, in book and movie form, have created one of the greatest franchises in storytelling history. But these aren’t the reasons why I love Harry Potter and all that he stands for.

I love the story behind the story. I love that from the mind of one single 30-something woman, a whole new world was born that captured our own imaginations. There’s a horrible misconception in our society that all of the good ideas have already been thought of. JK Rowling has proved this theory wrong beyond measure, and for that I am so grateful to her.

Watching the final movie made me wonder what magical world is waiting to be discovered and shared by you and by me. I hope, like JK Rowling, we will have the confidence, courage, and heart to tell those stories. The whole world is wanting and waiting to hear them.

Wondering what JK Rolwing is up to now? Visit http://www.pottermore.com.

meditation, presentation, speaking, story, yoga

Beginning: How to Tell Your Story

Christa Avampato

“Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret.” ~ Matthew Arnold via Quotes4Writers

On Tuesday, I’m speaking and giving a short presentation at Jericho Project, a nonprofit whose mission is to “catalyze change that enables homeless individuals to discover their strengths and lead remarkable lives.” They are having a health fair for male vets and asked if I could explain how yoga and meditation could be a benefit to them.

I was procrastinating on preparing this presentation – this is a new population for me and I want so much to help them understand how valuable this practice can be for them. I had several false starts and then found this quote from Quotes4Writers as I was toddling through Twitter. I was letting my desired outcome for the presentation get in the way of the process of preparing it. As I written about before, we are entitled to our actions and efforts, not the results. What I needed to do was just take Matthew Arnold’s advice: decided what I wanted to say and then say it as clearly, and succinctly, as possible. It made the whole journey of preparing this presentation easier.

The finished product: Jericho Project Presentation

I’ll let you know how Tuesday goes!

environment, green, guest blogger

Beginning: Starting a Green Life – Guest Post by Amanda Kidd

Christa Avampato

Please put your hands together for Amanda Kidd, a green maven and wonderful reader of this blog. Amanda reached out to me asking if she could write a post about her passion: green living. Given my own lifestyle and personal belief that taking care of our environment is not an option but a mission-critical effort for our own survival, I am thrilled that Amanda wanted to write about this subject. Here are 10 simple ways to get started living a green life in your home.

Going green does not have to be a daunting task that means sweeping life changes. Simple things can make a difference. Saving Energy is the need of the hour. Saving Power at home is the least we can do, but it will in the bigger picture save the energy consumption of the world by a huge figure. If every one of us does our bit, the earth will be definitely left with energy to see and feel. Here is a list of ten ways of saving energy while at home:

1.     Do not pre-heat the oven
Unless you are making bread or pastries of some sort, don’t pre-heat the oven. Just turn it on when you put the dish in. Also, when checking on your food, look through the oven window instead of opening the door.

2.     Hang dry
Get a clothesline or rack to dry your clothes by the air. Your wardrobe will maintain color and fit, and you’ll save money. Your favorite t-shirt will last longer too.

3.     Change the light
Replace every regular light bulb with one of those new compact fluorescent bulbs, the pollution reduction would be equivalent to removing one million cars from the road. If you don’t want to put these bulbs everywhere use these bulbs for closets, laundry rooms and other places where it won’t irk you as much.

4.     Don’t rinse
Skip rinsing dishes before using your dishwasher and you can save some gallons of water with each of your effort. Plus, you’re saving time and the energy used to heat the additional water.

5.     Greener lawn care
If you must water your lawn, do it early in the morning before any moisture is lost to evaporation. Have a few weeds and spot treat them with vinegar. If you want to rake, do it by hand it’s excellent exercise.

6.     Turn off lights
Always turn off lights when you leave a room. Fluorescent bulbs are more affected by the number of times it is switched on and off, so turn them off when you leave a room for 15 minutes or more. You’ll save energy on the bulb itself, but also on cooling costs, as lights contribute heat to a room.

7.     Adjust your thermostat
Adjust your thermostat one degree higher in the summer and one degree cooler in the winter. It can save about 10% on your energy use. In addition, invest in a programmable thermostat which allows you to regulate temperature based on the times you are at home or away.

8.     Buy local
Consider the amount of pollution created to get your food from the farm to your table. Whenever possible, buy from local farmers or farmers’ markets, supporting your local economy and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas created when products are flown or trucked in.

9.     Keep your fireplace dampers closed
Keeping the damper open (when you’re not using your fireplace) is like keeping a 48-inch window wide open during the winter; it allows warm air to go right up the chimney. This can add up to hundreds of dollars each winter in energy loss. So, keep it close.

10.  Drive Smart
Driving like a drag racer may be fun, but it has a substantial environmental cost. Simple changes in existing driving habits can improve fuel efficiency. Drive at or near the speed limit, keep your tires inflated, make sure oil and air filters are clean, and step on the gas and the brakes carefully.

You too can create an impact which would be noticeable in environment by making your home green and adopting the above mention things in your daily life. The change is worth noticing.

Amanda is a writer who is an ardent follower of environment friendly existence. She found an answer of green living in her eco friendly home to which she takes an utmost care and prefers to take all the measures which would create an eco friendly ambiance in and around her abode.

children, dreams, imagination

Beginning: My Niece’s Quest to be Mary Poppins

Christa Avampato

Flick user OhWhataChristy
Last week I spent a lot of time with my two nieces, Lorelei and Aubree, who are 3 and 1 respectively. Lorelei has a new-found obsession with the original Mary Poppins movie. She watches it with such intensity, and then sings the songs and mimics all of the movements. Her laser beam focus, which she’s had since she was a baby, is something to behold. I always wonder exactly what she’s thinking as she observes so keenly.

We were out in front of her house last week, drawing chalk pictures on the drive way and playing with her fancy umbrella and tricycle.
She turned to me and said, “Nan (that’s her nickname for me), can you help me get up there?”

“Where, Lorelei?” I asked her

She pointed at the sky. “Up there. Way up there. Like Mary Poppins.”

“Honey, I don’t know how to fly like Mary Poppins.”

“How does she do that? I want to do that. It looks fun.”

“I’m sure it is fun,” I said and I thought about how great that would be to just grab an umbrella and get where I want to go. My commute to work would be so much better.

While we may view that movie as filled with lots of things that can’t happen – floating up to the ceiling by laughing, taking adventures through chalk drawings, and using carousel horses to race – Lorelei doesn’t see any of that as impossible. She’s at the age when she can dream anything into fruition. I hope she never loses that sense of wonder and belief in herself. I do hope she becomes a Mary Poppins in her own right.

It was such an awesome moment with her in front of her house. I’m sure I’ll remember it all my life and recount it to her when she’s older. My guess is that there will always be a part of Lorelei who believes that anything is possible. And she helps me to keep that perspective, too. She reminds me that our imaginations are amazing and magical playgrounds. No wonder it’s my favorite place to go.

“Someday,” Lorelei said, “I’m going to fly like Mary Poppins.” And I’m sure she will.

courage, growth, yoga

Beginning: Standing on My Head

Christa Avampato

At some point, you just have to decide you are capable and that you have all the tools you need. For several years I’ve been working on more intense and challenging asanas, not because I think they are the be all end all, nor that their accomplishment has anything to do with how deeply I understand and live my practice. To be honest, they just look like fun and I thought they would give me a new perspective.

What dreams may come
I told you a bit about the interesting dreams I had while in Florida. One was an affirmation that I’m ready to take the reigns of my professional life. The other let me know that I have far more options that I think I do in terms of my independence. Where did these dreams come from? Was it vacation that brought them on? A change of scene, creating a change of self? Maybe.

A new way of seeing the world is closer than we think
What may also be at play here is that my body’s long-standing belief that I cannot stand on my hands or my head in challenging asanas has been put to bed. A few weeks ago I went to Yoga Vida with my pal, Sara, and we took an arm balance workshop. The mechanics that the instructor, Alex Schatzberg, explained clicked for me. He layers simple postures on top of one another to build out arm balances. Easy to say, harder to do, but with practice it makes so much sense. Then One night at my sister Weez’s house in Florida, I just decided I was going to do my arm balances and my headstand in the middle of the living room, no wall. It was just time. I felt an overwhelming amount of confidence and went for it. And it was there, as if it was waiting for me.

This literally new perspective may have done more than just give me a few more asanas to play around with. It may have tipped my perspective of my life upside down, too, as well as released some kind of block in my body that had been there for so long. We are so much more amazing than we give ourselves credit for, in body, mind, and spirit.

courage, nature, New York City

Beginning: I Wish the 9/11 Site Was a Greenspace

Christa Avampato

Photo I took of the Freedom Tower on 7.12.11
I walk by the 9/11 site every day. My office building is right across the street, so close that the CEO of my company saw the plane fly into one of the towers from his office on the 50th floor. In the past 6 months, the amazing people who have worked at the site for close to 10 years have made incredible, visible progress after spending so much time excavating and securing the foundation of the area. The difficulties they have worked through are astounding.

Yesterday I had lunch at Nobu New York with the amazing Lynn Altman, founder of the innovation agency BrandNow. (If you aren’t familiar with Lynn’s work, hop over to her site and check it out. She’s one of the very best in the biz and I loved working with her!) Lynn had not been down to the 9/11 site in a while and was incredibly impressed with the recent progress, which spurred me to reconsider a thought I’ve had in the back of my mind for a number of years.

I am sure the Freedom Tower will be beautiful though I can’t help but wish that we had decided to build a living, breathing greenspace rather than another set of buildings. I’m imagining an impressive, lush, beautiful park. Gardens, fountains, and a true memorial of peace, respite, and life for all of the courageous and precious souls we lost there that day and the many more who in the aftermath risked it all as first responders.

Shouldn’t a memorial to life and resilience be paved with life itself rather than concrete?

1, choices, dreams, opportunity

Beginning: The Possibilities of You

Christa Avampato

“The important thing, it seems to me, is that we believe in the possibilities of one another.” ~ Feo Aladag, Director of When We Leave, to Cinema Without Borders

Yesterday I promised to tell you about the second dream I had in Florida that was so vivid, so eerie, that I felt it was more of a message than a dream. This one is about options, possibilities, and just how many of them are all around us.

The dream
In the dream I was seated in a very dark room, so dark that I actually wasn’t able to see anything. I didn’t feel frightened or alarmed in any way. It was as if I was just sitting cross-legged on the floor and with my closed eyes had blocked out all the light. There was a very clear voice, not my own and not belonging to anyone I recognized. The only thing I was certain of is that the voice was male.

Very clearly and calmly that voice said to me, “You’re not as penned in as you think.” I started on why I need to keep my day job with the fact of my pesky student loans right at the top of the list. Then the voice asked me to really think about that reason and see if it’s true. And just like that, the dream ended and I woke up.

A lesson from my younger self
I thought about my students loans. While the total dollar amount is higher than I’d like, the monthly payment is lower than my student loan payment was when I first graduated from undergrad in 1998. And what did I do in 1998? I went running off to New York City to chase a crazy dream of working on Broadway shows. I didn’t move here, get a day job, and chase my dream on the side. I went for it, both feet in. It was difficult, I struggled, and there were plenty of days when I wondered what I was really doing. When those days hit, I just buckled down, showed up, and kept going because moving forward was the only thing I knew how to do.

Maybe the voice in my dream had a point. Maybe it is time for me to let go of the guideline that I have to pay off my student loans before I can leave a stable day job. If we want to live extraordinary lives, then we can’t spend all our days living our dreams on the side. The only box we are really in is the one we build around ourselves; we’re not as penned in as we may feel. We have to believe in our own possibilities and the possibilities of one another.