I went to an event yesterday and in all of the ending hoopla, the organizer asked everyone to join him in signing up for his new mission. To be entirely fair, I applaud people who put themselves out there and clearly explain who they are, what they care about, and what they intend to do. I wish more people were as transparent as this organizer.
That said, I didn’t sign. I actually left the event early. I was criticized a bit for it, but I didn’t mind. I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do. While I respect the transparency of this organizer, we just aren’t on the same page. Our values don’t fall in line together so I know our roads will be taking different directions.
A few years ago, my former boss and mentor, Bob G., said something that I think about almost every day. “You always get to choose what bus you want to be on.” The problem with deeply studying yoga is that it leads us to deeply study ourselves – who we are when we strip away every title, every accomplishment (and failure), every relationship, every part of our history. Yoga is about knowing our true essence, about knowing the company we keep in the empty moments. And in this intense study, we find that we can only be true to our heart. We cannot be on a bus that we don’t want to ride. Our bodies and minds literally don’t allow it.
Yoga forces us to return to our true home, to the place where we belong in a very deep and meaningful way. We lose the ability to fake it. We lose the ability to lie, to ourselves and to anyone else. All we can do is live the truth, our truth. We can’t conform to someone else’s expectations. All we can do is live up to our own.
It’s a wonderful problem to have, but it’s not always the easiest path to walk. And instead of lamenting the difficulty, I encourage you to embrace it. Look in, way in, and see what’s there. Get on the path and walk it. It’s the only way forward.
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
7 thoughts on “Leap: The Real Problem with Yoga (and It’s a Wonderful Problem to Have)”
dear and divine …… fine wisdom post ……
yoga means plus so there is yoga of body senses ….. yoga of mind ….. and yoga of soul and yoga with cosmic spirit … and each one has its multiple paths ….. it is for us to make a choice and remain what suits to our body , mind , soul , and cosmic spirit ….
yoga of body is like keeping the car from outside …..yoga of mind is like keeping car clean from inside …… harmony of car and driver is yoga of soul …… in oneness to travel on the road of eternal happiness is yoga with cosmic spirit what many refer as enlightenment ….. and enlightenment is conversation with God …..
you know I’m always talking about starting yoga – maybe i’m ready cause I can’t fake it anymore either. I just don’t have the energy or the desire to “rah rah rah” at rehashing of old ideas anymore.
I applaud you for being honest – and I left early too! ❤
Christa Avampato 
dear and divine …… fine wisdom post ……
yoga means plus so there is yoga of body senses ….. yoga of mind ….. and yoga of soul and yoga with cosmic spirit … and each one has its multiple paths ….. it is for us to make a choice and remain what suits to our body , mind , soul , and cosmic spirit ….
yoga of body is like keeping the car from outside …..yoga of mind is like keeping car clean from inside …… harmony of car and driver is yoga of soul …… in oneness to travel on the road of eternal happiness is yoga with cosmic spirit what many refer as enlightenment ….. and enlightenment is conversation with God …..
love all.
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Reblogged this on ram0ram note book.
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you know I’m always talking about starting yoga – maybe i’m ready cause I can’t fake it anymore either. I just don’t have the energy or the desire to “rah rah rah” at rehashing of old ideas anymore.
I applaud you for being honest – and I left early too! ❤
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Hey Urs! Well buddy you know I will gladly sign myself up to offer you classes (and your girls too!!) whenever you’re ready. xo
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Reblogged this on A Charmed Yogi and commented:
Lovely post to end the week from one of my favorite bloggers, Christa Avampato. Namaste, Christa NYC!
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A wonderful problem to have, indeed.
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It’s been a problem I’m very grateful for.
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