“There is something good in all seeming failures. You are not to see that now. Time will reveal it. Be patient.”~ Swami Vishnudevananda, Founder of Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and disciple of Swami Sivananda
Of course while I’m in India, I’ll be soaking in some yoga classes and Ayurvedic treatments. My lovely friends, Nithya and Karthik, have made arrangements for me to meet Nithya’s uncle who is an elder at the Sivananda Ashram in Delhi. I am overwhelmed by their generosity and thoughtfulness to make this a part of my first experience in India. This is the exact ashram I wished to visit during my stay because of their devotion to spread yoga to all who wish to know it.
The Sivananda training system aims to retain the vitality of the body and decrease chance of disease by simply and naturally cultivating the body and mind of the practitioner. Sivananda Yoga class is a traditional, slow paced, meditative class that helps encourage proper breathing, flexibility, strength and vitality in the body while calming the mind. Because Yoga is a spiritual system with a physical component, this non-competitive approach helps the practitioner gain much more than just a healthy body. A typical open class includes pranayama (breathing exercises), warm-up including Sun Salutations, 12 basic asanas (yoga postures) with relaxation between postures, and finally, deep relaxation based on the 5 principles of Yoga. Total beginners are welcome, as are more advanced practitioners. The teacher will modify the postures to suit your level.
The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres is a non-profit organization named after Swami Sivananda of the Himalayas, one of the most influential spiritual teachers of the 20th century. It was founded in 1957 by his disciple Swami Vishnudevananda, a renowned authority on Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga. Its purpose is to propagate the ancient teachings of Yoga and Vedanta as a means of achieving physical, mental and spiritual well being and thereby create a more peaceful world. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Nataraja Society, New Delhi was established in 1992 by Sri Swami Vishnudevananda.
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre is a non-profit organisation run by voluntary staff and dedicated to the aim of disseminating the knowledge of yoga. The activities of all the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres take place through the practice of karma yoga (voluntary service). All talents are welcomed.
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/
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