Embracing the strange in Sedona
Quirky, spiritual or both, these experiences will put visitors into a New Age frame of mind
Sedona, Ariz., is a charming destination with pine trees to the north and deserts to the south. Hiking trails, scenic red-rock overlooks and the famous vortexes — where the Earth’s energy is said to be amplified — all are worthy attractions. After visiting family who relocated there last year, I quickly realized that to “get” Sedona, you have to venture out and embrace the strange. Even if you’re a cynic like my boyfriend, Jon, with whom I recently made a return trip. Here are my recommendations for exploring a few of Sedona’s elements.
Meditate at sunrise at the Airport Mesa vortex
The Airport Loop Trail offers access to one of Sedona’s most breathtaking, panoramic views. Said views are accessible both by hiking or by simply parking your car on the hill and climbing out. The mesa is especially fetching early in the morning. As the sun rises, the shadows fade, painting a different color in the sky and on the rocks below every few minutes, slowly revealing the town. I sat down with group of other visitors and meditated while bathing in the sun’s warmth, as ravens flew overhead and hotair balloons took flight. Even if you’re not a morning person, the experience delivers.
Peep Merlin’s magic at Whole Foods
Sedona, like any self-respecting New Age-savvy town, has a Whole Foods. A large statue of the wizard Merlin wearing a robe stands in front of the store. I’d been told by a local that “big magic” hid under his robe but thought it was a prank. Alas, after a hungerinducing hike on the Sugarloaf Mountain Trail, we found ourselves face to face with Merlin. I took a peek. Let’s just say you’ll be roundly impressed.
Get an aura and chakra reading with Rae at WynterWolf
Aura and chakra readings go hand in hand with Sedona’s metaphysical vibes. Rae, a sound healer and reader who goes by one name, facilitated our readings in a closet-size room. Jon went first, placing his hand on the sensor of the Inneractive Aura Video Station, which Rae told us would provide “bio-feedback” with our photos. “Smile for the camera, honey,” she instructed. Jon’s heart chakra and root chakra needed balancing, per the machine’s printed analysis. Rae suggested breathing techniques and getting out in nature to help him feel more grounded. Consulting my results, she said I should be a teacher, which I am. She showed me a picture of myself surrounded by turquoise, gold and orange. My Solar Plexus were in need of a tune-up, and she recommended keeping specific crystals in my classroom to help balance the energies of my students.
Pick out crystals at Crystal Magic
Next door to WynterWolf, this shop sells crystals at reasonable prices. I challenged Jon to let his heart choose a crystal from the store. After 30 to 40 minutes of browsing, Jon came back with an amphibole quartz crystal. “I had to get this one because … it felt sad,” he said. You felt sad, I asked, or the rock felt sad? “The rock. I think it wanted me to save it from that store.” Sigh.
Experience the sound bed at Sedona Sacred Sun
Ty Hudnall moved to Sedona because he felt “called” to the city. At his shop, Sedona Sacred Sun, Hudnall facilitates shamanic healing sessions using principles of numerology, astrology and Thai massage. He also uses a sound bed — a wood box filled strategically with speakers that emit tonal music that vibrates to purportedly heal certain body points — of his own design. “Sound emersion, sound deprivation, deep stress relief, homeopathic music” is how he describes it. Hudnall programs music based on your ailment and prescribes a regimen that can be done both in the sound bed and at home with a CD he creates for you.
Dip in hot springs at the ruins in Coconino National Forest
These remote ruins are at the edge of the Verde River, built into a mountainside deep in the Coconino National Forest. According to the forest service, they’re ruins of the Verde Hot Springs resort, though legend has it Al Capone once hid out here. Cement pools, stairs and stone walls are all that remain. The pools collect the hot spring water and provide all comers with a soothing, warm dip. Small murals and graffiti are evidence of hikers’ pilgrimages to the area.
Taste the Hike House cookies
Per its name, this visitor center/cafe is where to go with questions regarding hiking in the Sedona area. The staffers are extremely knowledgeable regarding hike sites, ability levels and gear. You can buy a hiking pass here, too. But the big-as-your-face, made-freshdaily cookies, in flavors such as oatmeal chocolate chip and white chocolate with cranberries, are an equal draw. You will want them for planned hikes, with your coffee in the morning and with tea in the afternoon.
Send prayers at the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park
Near the base of Capitol Butte, you’ll encounter both spiritualists and curious travelers, all invited to contemplate the idea of transformation and healing through the sacred architecture and geometry of the stupa, or Buddhist shrine. There are two of them here, embodying masculine and feminine: the 36-foot Amitabha Stupa and the 6-foot White Tara Stupa. Down a side path adorned with prayer flags, chimes and trinkets, there is a medicine wheel, the Native American stone circle. The site also contains a garden of rock statues built by tourists, which represent prayers or wishes being sent up to heaven. Jon found a picture of a young man held beneath two rocks and a crystal, and I thought about his loved ones praying for him.