Sedona Arizona Has a Lot to Offer
Sedona – it was never a bucket list item. What could Sedona have to offer? I’d never even really heard much about Sedona. Arizona never really appealed to me: too hot, too dry, no ocean or lake. I love rain, oceans, moisture, trees, rivers, lakes, and green lush forests. My friend Jackie had told me about this cool little town but I was not sold.
Then I decided to go on a writer’s retreat and it happened to be in Sedona. So, I did some research. Well, it did sound interesting. Vortexes, red rock formations, psychics, card readers, yoga, spas, crystal therapists, meditation retreats, witches, new age therapists, churches, elders, cacti, cherry blossoms, mystics, monsoon rains, holistic healers, art galleries, film festivals, shaman. I was excited to check this place out. Sedona is described as a spiritual mecca and global power spot that attracts healers, intuitives, artists, and spiritual guides from around the world.
I arrived in the middle of the night: I woke the next morning and thought I’d take a hike or catch a cab to check out the famous red rock mountain formations. I walked out my door and was shocked. I was surrounded by these unusual brilliant orange and red sandstone formations that seemed to be glowing in the morning light. I was mesmerized and wandered for a few hours, taking multitudes of pictures. I noticed people meditating and practicing yoga on the mesas or at the base of interesting formations. I even heard a flute playing in the distance in the mountains, near what looked to be a dead and gnarly tree (later, I learned this dead tree was at the site of one of the famous vortexes of Sedona).
Vortexes (or vortices) are believed to be special spots where energy is entering or exiting the earth’s plane in a spiral. There are various sacred sites in the world that are known for having vortexes: Ayers Rock in Australia, Machu Picchu in Peru, Bali, the Great Pyramid in Egypt. Sedona’s vortex energy is thought to be so great that even those that do not believe in the energy, feel it. People often say there is just “something” about Sedona and it’s not just the natural beauty. All of Sedona is considered a vortex, however, there are certain spots where the energy is more intense. Chapel of the Holy Cross and Cathedral Rock have been identified with intense feminine energy. And Bell Rock and Airport Mesa are described as strong in masculine energy. Boynton Canyon is a combination of both feminine and masculine energy. The vortexes are popular for mediation, yoga, and energy clearing.
After exploring the red mountains, I wandered into town and was enthralled by the galleries and how almost every other store front featured a tarot card reader or psychic. It seemed mystical. I found my place. I have always been a bit of a closet wierdo while living in conservative Alberta. I love exploring the arts, spirituality, crystals, chakras, and energy healing. My kids think I’m a quirky old hippy. In Sedona, I fit in; in fact, I was quite conservative for Sedona. What fun!
Actually, everyone fits in, in Sedona. It’s a bustling little cultural center. There was an international film festival while I was there and I saw a premiere film. The food is fabulous and Sedona is very welcoming. Their jeep and trolley tours allow tourists to glimpse some of the magic and legendary stories. There are world famous star gazing night tours, that boast some of the best conditions in North America, due to virtually no light pollution, the high altitude, and predictable dry clear nights.
The coyotes serenade and the air is clean, dry, and warm. Treat yourself. Surprise yourself. Visit Sedona. It will change you.
