Month: May 2012

adventure, India, travel

Leap: India, Here I Come!

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

And so, India, our time has finally arrived. I’ve been waiting to meet you for so long. We have planned and plotted as much as we can and as much as I think is necessary. Now we are going to be tangled in each other’s lives for many years to come. I’m ready.

Bring every lesson you have to teach me and every experience you wish for me to have. I will take all of it and understand that this is how it was meant to unfold. You will take care of it all and I will be along for the ride. Let the adventure begin.

(As I don’t know how much time or capacity there will be for checking in online, I may not have any way to update this blog, nor any of my other online hang-outs, for the duration of my trip. Given my very pitta nature, I have written ahead and each day you’ll see where I am and some of my likely activities along with a bit of history about each area I’m visiting. I hope you enjoy it.

As part of my research project for my advanced teacher training at ISHTA, I’m compiling an interactive e-book of my trip and how it affects my yoga practice, my teaching, and my everyday living. That book will be available by the end of the summer, housing all of the pictures, video, and stories that I’ll experience in Incredible India.

I’ll return on May 21st and will be sharing all of the goodness I’ve found across the globe. Until then, be well. Om shanti.)

leader, leadership

Leap: Authenticity Leads the Way

Christa Avampato

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” ~ John Quincy Adams

Go into any bookstore and you will find not just an entire shelf but an entire section of books on leadership. Business schools offer dozens of courses on how to be a leader. Hell, there are people who get their PhD in leadership and spend their entire lives studying and analyzing the field! What makes a good leader? Are leaders made or born? Are there certain leaders that are best for certain times and certain situations? And the list of questions goes on and on…

Here’s what I think – John Quincy Adams wrote everything we ever need to know about leadership. When we live our lives with authenticity, we give others permission to do the same. The rest is commentary.

teaching, war, yoga

Leap: How Yoga Transformed A Wounded Vet

Christa Avampato

If you ever doubted the power of yoga to radically transform someone’s life, take 5 minutes to watch this Youtube Video. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. This is why I teach and why I’m making it my mission to spread the gift of this practice as far and wide as possible, particularly to the 95% of people who don’t currently practice. Thanks to my wonderful friend, Henry, for sending me this link.

Arthur Boorman was a disabled veteran of the Gulf War for 15 years, and was told by his doctors that he would never be able to walk on his own, ever again.

He stumbled upon an article about Diamond Dallas Page doing Yoga and decided to give it a try — he couldn’t do traditional, higher impact exercise, so he tried DDP YOGA and sent an email to Dallas telling him his story.

Dallas was so moved by his story, he began emailing and speaking on the phone with Arthur throughout his journey – he encouraged Arthur to keep going and to believe that anything was possible. Even though doctors told him walking would never happen, Arthur was persistent. He fell many times, but kept going.

Arthur was getting stronger rapidly, and he was losing weight at an incredible rate! Because of DDP’s specialized workout, he gained tremendous balance and flexibility — which gave him hope that maybe someday, he’d be able to walk again.

His story is proof, that we cannot place limits on what we are capable of doing, because we often do not know our own potential. Niether Arthur, nor Dallas knew what he would go on to accomplish, but this video speaks for itself. In less than a year, Arthur completely transformed his life. If only he had known what he was capable of, 15 years earlier.

Do not waste any time thinking you are stuck – you can take control over your life, and change it faster than you might think.

Hopefully this story can inspire you to follow your dreams – whatever they may be.
Anything is Possible!

For more information about DDP YOGA, visit http://www.ddpyoga.com

To contact Arthur or Dallas Page about this incredible story, please visit http://www.ddpbang.com and contact them.

Both Dallas and Arthur are available for events to share their inspirational story.

Arthur’s story is featured in the upcoming documentary, http://www.inspiredthemovie.com

An extended cut of this story can be viewed here! http://bit.ly/IPfpwI

community, New York City, yoga

Leap: Yoga Class On June 7th to Benefit Hartley House

Christa Avampato
Some of the community members of Hartley House who will benefit from the proceeds of the yoga class on June 7th

On June 7th, I’ll be partnering with Hartley House to bring more yoga to the Hell’s Kitchen community. I’ll be teaching an open level class – all ages and levels are welcome. I would love to have you join me. Here are the details:

Location: Hartley House
Address: 413 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036
Time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Suggested donation: $1 – proceeds benefit the Hartley House After School and Summer Camp Programs

I hope to see you there!

About Hartley House:
Hartley House has served those who live and work in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen since 1897. Its mission is to respond energetically and creatively to the ever-evolving needs of its neighbors regardless of their age, income, race, gender or sexual orientation. The programs include educational, creative, recreational, civic and social services. Their size enables us to be both flexible and personalized, and we are always alert to ways in which our programs and services can support or complement one another. Hartley House not only reaches out to neighbors of all backgrounds and ages, but also fosters ongoing connections with them as they pass from one phase of life into another. The well-being of each growing, changing person enriches the entire community. Every neighborhood is a complex web of connections among families, friends, neighbors, businesses and organizations. Strengthening these connections is their mission.

dreams, free, yoga

Leap: Truth Steps Into the Spotlight

Christa Avampato
Image from A Charmed Yogi

“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” ~Buddha via A Charmed Yogi

Once we begin to live our truth, once we begin to walk the path that we were meant to take, we cannot turn back. Like a genie free from its bottle, the truth cannot be sent back into hiding and we have no choice but to embrace its power and wisdom. It will force us to be who are at our very essence. It cannot be unseen, undone, nor deterred. Once free, it sets us free, too.

Yesterday I arrived home after a long and productive day of yoga teacher training at ISHTA to a lone piece of mail from the University of Virginia, one of my alma maters. It was clearly a bulk mailing sent to tens of thousands of alums and many times that type of mail finds its home in my recycle bin. On the elevator ride up to my apartment, I heard a clear and confident voice say, “Open it.” It surprised me, so much so that without hesitation I opened it immediately.

And there it was – on the front cover a story that confirmed my decision to leap from my current full-time job in financial services to focus on my career in health and wellness. Following the advice of my friend and mentor, Richard, I went to my stationery box and wrote out two notes to the people featured in the article to offer my assistance and partnership in their recent efforts at the University. In the last few years, it’s become a habit of mine to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) every time I see someone doing something interesting that overlaps with my interests and to whom I can be helpful. Many times, there is no response. The times there is a response have altered my life and path in very profound ways. I hope my recent notes fall into the latter camp.

The truth has a power more potent than we realize – it allows us to connect and collaborate with other like minds. Once we howl, and that howl is clear, concentrated, and genuine, we find our pack. The truth is the vehicle that allows us to tap into a higher consciousness. Once we open to it, it opens doors for us that we never even knew were available to us. It’s as if we’ve been staring into the dark for so long, fumbling and futzing our way forward when suddenly the truth strikes the match that lights up the whole path. It will point out our obstacles and then show us a way around them. It will hand us the tools we need to continue our journey, free from the constant hang-ups of worry, fear, and doubt.

My truth is that I was meant to spend my days teaching people to be well before they ever get sick and teaching those who are sick that within them they have the strength to be well. What’s your truth?

community, creativity, dreams, inspiration

Leap: Revolutionaries and Shipbuilders

Christa Avampato
From thisisnotnew.com

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood, and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Over the last few days, I’ve been reflecting on how to rally a community around an idea that has not yet taken root in popular culture. I’ve been thinking about revolution, a revolution of consciousness.

It doesn’t get started with tactics, project plans, and the divvying up of roles and responsibilities. And it doesn’t get accomplished that way either. Each individual has to feel a personal sense responsibility for seeing that vision through to fruition. They have to want it from the very depths of their souls for their own reasons.

Brains don’t build dreams; hearts do.

business, corporation, creativity, dreams, economy, grateful, gratitude, thankful

Leap: A Big Thank You to the Gutsy Female Entrepreneurs of Rent the Runway, Corporate Idiocy, and a Mitt Romney Joke Told in Poor Taste

Christa Avampato
Jennifer Hyman of Rent the Runway

Corporate executive who say stupid things are making it easy for us to set sail on our own venture adventures. While I am angered by their behavior, I’m thankful for our ability to turn the situation around and invest in our own business ideas. When things are falling apart (corporate culture), pieces are often falling into place (new start-ups.)

However, my latest example of corporate idiocy is worth a detailed explanation for the lesson it teaches us about where and with whom to spend out time. This is a story that has to be told. Just when I thought I had seen and heard it all when it comes to the idiotic behavior of some (though certainly not all) corporate executives, another one comes along and delivers another shocking display of poor behavior. Women of the world, brace yourselves for this one.

I recently had the opportunity to hear Jennifer Hyman, Co-Founder of Rent the Runway, on a panel of entrepreneurs. Rent the Runway rents the latest women’s special occasion fashions for a fraction of the purchase price. A passionate, intelligent, and creative woman, Jennifer explained that her company is about more than fashion. It’s about empowering women to create extraordinary lives while looking and feeling their best. She explained that the mission of Rent the Runway was so compelling that she and her co-founder were the first female entrepreneurs funded by Bain Capital.

The corporate executive moderating the panel saw this incredible accomplishment as an opportunity to put his ignorance on display for all to see. His response to Jennifer’s story? “Was that Bain pre- or post-Romney?”

And the entire audience (made up largely of the corporate executive’s employees) went silent. No one knew what to say, where to look, nor how to feel. Everyone’s face just dropped. Was he trying to funny? Was he using humor to veil his own insecurities about female entrepreneurs? After spending 30 minutes prior to the panel discussing the value of a growth mind-set to large corporations, why would he insult a guest he invited to speak on the topic? Did he feel threatened by her confidence and ingenuity? (Incidentally, Jennifer was the only female on the panel and the only one to receive this kind of comment from the moderator.)

Jennifer handled the situation with grace, the way I believe she must handle every business situation she faces. Still, my anger was up, way up, until I realized the tremendous gift that this corporate executive delivered to everyone in the audience. Why would anyone continue to work hard for him every day? Why would anyone pledge their loyalty to someone whose ignorance causes him to behave so poorly?

You could see everyone’s wheels turning with the idea, “I need to get out of here and follow the lead of the entrepreneurs on the panel.” And all I could think in response was, “Yes. Yes you do. Give your own business ideas a fair shot at success. Leap!”

This executive is already getting the result he deserves – a complete loss of loyalty from his team; he just doesn’t know it yet. But he will. It won’t be the first time a suit, stuck in his ways, totally misjudged the future of our economy and I have a feeling it won’t be the last. Investors, place your bets. I know which way I’m going. Do you?

creativity
Christa Avampato

I absolutely love this post today from A Charmed Yogi. The wisdom of Erma Bombeck and a cute dog picture relating to yoga. What else does a good blog post need? Enjoy!

CharmedYogi's avatarA Charmed Yogi


For those of you under the age of 40 (yea, I can say that now), you may not know who Erma Bombeck is. She was a humorist and newspaper columnist from the 1960s through the 1990s. She wrote a column after she found out that she had cancer entitled, “If I Had My Life to Live Over.”

In the piece, she talks about all of the little things that she took for granted that she would embrace if she had to do it over. Two of my favorite lines are, “I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage,” and, “I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.” Well, my children have four legs and fur, but I still love how she articulates “seizing the moment.”

I think about this piece very often when I…

View original post 424 more words

change, creativity, dreams

Leap: The Great Remaking of Us

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest member http://pinterest.com/lishy64/

“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as in being able to remake ourselves.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Yesterday someone asked me what situation in the world bothers me the most. My answer rose up immediately – I hate to see people give up on their dreams before they even try to make them come true. It’s an answer with a very personal angle. Prior to my decision to take a leap and work for myself, I epitomized exactly the situation that bothers me the most. If I wanted to see a change in the world, I needed to be that change, too. I had to set the wheels in motion to leap, for myself and for others.

We are our greatest creation. The lives we build are works of art that should be constructed thoughtfully, passionately, and purposefully. We are not depots that accept any and every train that pulls into the station. Our days and the people, places, and events that fill them are choices. Our choices.

Right now I am deeply engaged in the process of transformation. While I’ve been thinking of this time as something special and finite, Gandhi’s quote reminds me that every day we are remaking who we are – physically, mentally, and emotionally. I know that we each have the power to transform the world, but that process begins internally, not externally. We need to embrace personal change before we can generate societal change.

So have a look around. What is it about the world that really bugs you? Now take a look at your own life and see if in some small way the thing in the world that you detest actually resides within you. Root it out. Once you commit to personal change, change will begin to happen all around you. When you take up the act of personal transformation, everyone who comes into contact with you will begin to transform, too. That’s how we start a revolution, a revolution of consciousness. Light it up!

change, charity, community, creativity, peace

Leap: Google Teaches Us How to Create World Peace and Other Circumstances of Goodness

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest member http://pinterest.com/sconlon1978/

The New York Times ran a story over the weekend about Google’s efforts to increase mindfulness among its employees. The story, Ok, Google, Take a Deep Breath, featured Chade-Meng Tan (Meng), an engineer at Google and the creator of the Google team course, “Search Inside Yourself.” I clicked the link to watch a sample class on YouTube and I was both disappointed and annoyed.

Meng explains that he wanted to see a dramatic shift in world towards peace. Given the company’s policy to let all employees work on personal areas of research for a certain percentage of their work hours, Meng decided that the best investment of his time would come from figuring out how to generate world peace. It’s an insightful idea. What I hated about it was his conclusion that to get individuals and companies to care about world peace, we have to help them understand what’s in it for them. Meng went on to explain that no one is going to create peace just because it’s a good thing for society. They have to get something out of it on a personal level before they care about peace. We need to tap into people’s individual needs that make the objective of world peace an inevitable by-product. 

Gross.

I hate that conclusion. Is that what we’ve amounted to? A collection of 6 billion bodies who only care about themselves? I stewed on that as I ate my lunch, determined to prove that though Meng may be a very bright engineer, his conclusion on how to bring about peace was unfounded.

I couldn’t. I got more annoyed.

Thankfully, my post from yesterday on the value of having our personal philosophies unsettled was still top of mind. Why did Meng’s conclusion, one that I had a hard time refuting, bother me so much and what could I learn from it? Could I apply it to my own work? Was I already subconsciously already applying it to my own work?

A New York Times column that Thomas Friedman wrote for after 9/11. In it he explained that, “If you don’t visit a bad neighborhood, it will visit you. “ In other words, get out there and do something that’s good for you and good for others. The trick we have to benefit individually as much as we do collectively in order to get community efforts and acts of goodwill to be sustainable.

Environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility really took off when companies realized they could benefit financially and in terms of customer and employee loyalty. In these efforts, the win-win is what tipped the scales. We are beginning to see these same seeds planted in healthcare. Our current healthcare system is no longer sustainable, so we are beginning to see more emphasis on preventative health measures that give people a way to be well before they ever get sick. The same is true in education. We are beginning to see a proliferation of new channels for learning because entrepreneurs realized that they could profit from disrupting the traditional education system.

In all these examples, the answer to the question “what’s in it for me?” came into balance with the answer to the question “why is this good for society?” We need both side of the equation to really make an impact. Thanks, Meng, for stating the cold, hard facts, for not letting us let ourselves off the hook, and for showing us that we can make a positive impact on humanity by truly understanding humanity.

Incidentally, Fast Company ran an article this week with a similar conclusion, stated a little bit more diplomatically. Another solid, if philosophically unsettling, read. 3 Tips for Making an Abstract Idea Relatable to Everyone, Not Just Geeks.