Soaking In Sedona

With all the anticipation I’d had looking forward to Sedona, I have to say even my highest expectations were exceeded. I heard a lot of “you’re going to love it there”, “there’s such great energy there” and “it’s going to be a great experience” so needless to say, the bar was set very high. Although I didn’t know what to expect, I expected not to be disappointed.

My main order of business was to hike as much as possible, despite the heat index warnings. I wanted to be ‘in’ these formations, soaking in the beauty and the energy I expected to find there. We hiked the Bell Rock Pathway, climbed up part of Cathedral Rock Trail and eventually the switchbacks to the summit of Doe Mountain. The interesting thing was that these trails were so similarly different. With just about every step we took, I couldn’t help but feel gratitude to President Teddy Roosevelt, for his foresight in protecting these lands for future generations to enjoy. Our National Parks are a treasure and I would hope people are taking the time to get to know them.

I loved learning about the rich history of the Sinagua Indians and their resourcefulness and ingenuity in building these impressive cliff dwellings, farming, trading and living in peace here between approximately 1050 and 1350 A.D. We hiked the Honanki Trail to reach this structure and thanks to our very knowledgeable guide Chris, we learned a great deal about this peaceful tribe. I thought the greatest bonus was getting there in a pink jeep but the real bonus was found in the incredible sunsets.

Aside from the amazing bargain at $5.00 for parking at these trailheads in The Coconino National Forest, it was impressive to see that, with the obvious magnitude of ‘traffic’ that these trails must encounter, people were as respectful of these trails as we felt. They were impeccable, yes, impeccable is the word without any signs saying “Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photographs” ordering anyone to be so.

The vortexes (yes, vortexes instead of vortices) were high on the list of priorities. Two of the nearby ones to be found were on Bell Rock Pathway and Cathedral Rock. On the trail to Cathedral Rock, we ran into a twisted juniper tree, which Jorge had read were thought to have been twisted by the energy of a vortex. I wanted to feel the energy of the vortexes, wanted to see what I would feel.

What I discovered is that the energy was all around us, everywhere we went, mostly because we were surrounded by the beauty of God. The energy came from the gratitude we felt for God’s unlimited generosity. We visited Holy Cross Chapel, known as the Chapel in the Rocks, an unbelievable structure and home to the first Catholic Church in Sedona. It was awe-inspiring. Jorge summitted Doe Mountain, which 3 years ago, might have never seemed like a possibility. Every view we looked at was more beautiful than the one before.

The greatest energy I felt was in being surrounded by all the beauty of God’s creation. I realized that, with as amazing and unbelievable as all this surrounding beauty was, I’d like to remind you that God is the greatest artist. You are designed by Him with great love and care. He created you in perfection and you are His masterpiece.

Enjoy and relish in your surroundings Dreamers. God is amazing!