Last weekend Bill Keller wrote an excellent piece in the New York Times Magazine about the virtues of poetry. He was taught the power of the poem during an executive program at Wharton. He was thoroughly impressed by how much his fellow classmates took to the subject and what a profound affect it had on them. In light of Washington’s latest antics, he called on Congress to take a cue from the Robert Frosts of the world in an attempt to become more enlightened.
I wonder if the same argument could be made for yoga in Congress. While it may be a bit far-fetched to imagine Congress being called to session with one great “OM”, I fully believe that every person, politician or not, is well-served by a healthy dose of self-reflection through yoga and meditation. I’ve never known anyone to take up yoga and deem it as anything less than enormously helpful. I never regret going to my mat, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. I always roll it up feeling better than when I rolled it out. Its ability to bring the mind and body together in one harmonious effort seems like just the type of action we need in Washington if we’re going to build a stronger, better country for all our citizens and residents.
Here is my plea to every politician: take a comfortable seat in your office, close your eyes, and breathe. Do a quick scan of the body and find areas where you feel stress or discomfort. Send the energy of your breath there. Set an intention. What will you do today to help the people you represent live extraordinary lives? What role will you play in their development, and in their health and welfare? How are you going to lead and collaborate with your colleagues to increase wellness in your communities? Throughout your campaigns in the upcoming year, drop the rhetoric and tell me how you’re going to build a healthier system. That will get my attention and my vote.
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
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Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
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Last weekend Bill Keller wrote an excellent piece in the New York Times Magazine about the virtues of poetry. He was taught the power of the poem during an executive program at Wharton. He was thoroughly impressed by how much his fellow classmates took to the subject and what a profound affect it had on them. In light of Washington’s latest antics, he called on Congress to take a cue from the Robert Frosts of the world in an attempt to become more enlightened.
I think I’ve sent you this before….looks like you could find a kindred spirit (and maybe support for your work) in Congressman Ryan of Ohio and maybe in other not listed or who you would happen to meet. I know yoga and mindfulness are not the same thing, but the area of overlap – if you think of it like a venn diagram – seems pretty substantial! 🙂
http://www.eomega.org/omega/mindful-society/keynotes/
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Hi MJ! You have sent it to me but I completely forgot about Congressman Ryan. I should send him a note of encouragement! 🙂
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I love this – especially the last paragraph. I copied it into my own Word doc to print out and remind myself each day in the pursuit of my projects, and special interests. I’ve titled the excerpt “Yoga for politicians, and the rest of us!”
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