Being Embodied
Christine Fiorentino
ABOUT CHRISTINE
Photo (above) by Drew Forsell
I have lived an extraordinary life.
After discovering my talent and love for dance as a young woman I saturated myself in the art form. I committed wholeheartedly and did nothing else for some years between the ages of 17 and 21. I became a professional, performing in Mexico and Korea and my career as a dancer looked promising. But after returning from Korea I quit. It was because of a lack of both self-esteem and the confidence that I had what it took to really make it as a dancer. And I was having a hard time psychologically.
I went to work in retail as a way to keep myself afloat all the while wondering what else I felt passionate about. I went to fashion school and then got a job with Leon Max, a clothing designer that I admired whose line Max Studio I loved to wear. But I found the fashion industry to be very aggressive and misaligned with my personal values.
So, I went back to school, this time to a junior college to try my hand at art. On the side I enrolled in a ballet class but I had no intention of going back to dance. I worked hard and thought for sure I was going to go to Artcenter College in Pasadena. I had my portfolio all ready to go. But the universe had other plans for me! Unexpectedly, I started to dream and imagine myself dancing again. Instead of submitting my portfolio I found myself auditioning for the dance program at California State University, Long Beach. I was amazed to be accepted. By this time I was in my early 30’s, way too old to dance, or so I had been told. But I set my sights on becoming a teacher. I had no idea where that would lead!
Through my years of life experience, I have been blessed many times over by the twists and turns and surprises that have come my way. After graduating with a BFA I took a huge leap across country and lived and danced in New York City. It was also in New York that I developed a deep love and interest in yoga. It was yoga that lead me to seek the healing that was long overdue for the psychological issues that were still haunting me from my youth.
When I moved from New York to Santa Cruz it was tumultuous but also there was magic afoot. I stumbled into one of the most important healing resources of my life. Through the free weekly paper, I discovered an organization offering support for those suffering from an impulse control disorder that matched a behavior I had been experiencing for many years. It was miraculous to say the least! Only in Santa Cruz. At that time, I had also enrolled in a yoga teacher training with Rodney Yee at the helm which I completed with a 650-hour certificate, and I had become a certified massage practitioner through the Twin Lakes College of Healing Arts. I was also involved with the local dance community in Santa Cruz and performed in some exciting and creative shows.
I finally felt like I was in the right place, doing what I loved and living in a part of the world I felt connected to. And I was doing important healing work on the inside. My internal healing began to reveal my true potential and all the possibilities for my life. Not my outer life, but my inner development, my maturation, the realization and actualization of being. I discovered Adyashanti, a wonderful and very real teacher who made a lot of sense and felt safe. It was through his sangha (community) that I met a good friend and partner and together we set out to explore our inner lives. This led us to become involved with the Ridhwan School of Spiritual Development in Berkeley, California where the method of the Diamond Approach is taught. I have been involved in the Diamond Approach now for more than a decade. I am also studying to become a teacher of this brilliant method of psychological and spiritual development.
I have learned and seen so much in my life and I have come far in my healing, growth and the actualization of what I know to be my true nature. It is my pleasure and a heart privilege to be able to share the value of my experiences with anyone who resonates with my life’s journey. I am grateful and humbled by the path I have walked and the love I have received all along the way. It is my honor to offer these benefits to the world.