Arena Heidi

I wrote this short bio to accompany my article on the Association for Spiritual Integrity website:

Arena Heidi has lived a simple, dedicated spiritual life in Vermont. Seamlessly, over a span of 30 years, she has eased into a sense of inner fruition. She has a BFA from Tufts University, and enjoys learning and exploring the natural world, the subconscious, human nature and a vast unknown. She appreciates comments and inclusive discussion that welcomes sensitive and diverse perspectives. She is looking to collaborate with others around non-hierarchical ways to impart spiritual insight and empower those whose voice has been suppressed.

About my name:
Arena is a religious name given to me when I was born that most people have called me since the 1990s. It's pronounced with a soft 'e' similar to the word “sand” in Spanish. Heidi has been my legal first name since birth. Relatives, physicians, librarians, etc. still call me Heidi. Online, I decided to just let people choose which name to call me. Using both names together integrates all parts of who I've been.

The difficulty of bio writing:
I apologize for not having more information about myself here. When I first created this website, I wrote an elaborate bio for myself. I worked hard on it, harder than anything else I’ve posted. But when I shared what I’d written with my husband and a few close friends, they all gave feedback that it wasn’t good! I somehow had failed to capture my story. I’ve written obituaries and bios for others, and have skill in capturing the essence of someone’s life—just not my own!

A bio for oneself is especially difficult for those on a spiritual path, because there’s reticence around promoting self and ego. It’s difficult to honestly convey what one’s life has been about, without aggrandizing the self and making illustrious sounding claims. I fully intend to try again. Until then, I hope that who I am and what I value shines through on each webpage. Please check back again. Eventually, a longer bio will be here.