Cathedral Rock Vortex

CATHEDRAL ROCK: One of the four main vortexes in Sedona, Cathedral Rock resonates with those who are sensitive to the energy of the vortex. If you visit art galleries in Arizona, you will see one of the most photographed rocks in Arizona.  There is a particular scene that photographers and painters long to capture at Cathedral Rock.   The scene most portrayed is when the afternoon sun highlights the rocks which are then reflected in the water of Oak Creek.


We drove out to Chavez Ranch to Crescent Moon State Park to hike to that well sought after view.  Now here is a little serendipity for those who know what this means to me.  For those who do not, let me just say I have a thing for the crescent moon.  It was a good sign for me.

We quickly came to a beautiful spot on Oak Creek, but learned from a young couple that the spot we were looking for is further down the path.  Little did we know we were standing in the right spot. A better spot.  A perfect spot.

The couple offered to take our picture.  Serendipity.

Boone and I were surprised to see there are a lot of people that hang out for hours in the water waiting for the sun to move onto that rock for that photo. The park makes a lot of money on the admittance fee charged so people can make their dream come true. I like the photos and the paintings I have seen in the galleries, but neither Boone nor I wanted to compete for a spot in the creek to get our own photo.  Nor did we want to stand waist deep in the creek for a couple of hours to hold our spot.  We walked on leaving this crowded spot and welcoming the serenity offered up by the park.  Eventually Boone and I ended up in a beautiful spot where we were among very few people.

Some of the best photos we got were after we left the park...just riding down the road.

While I did not get that sought after photograph, I was satisfied with a more unexpected experience.  You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need.
Bucket List ✓

Schnebly Hill Vortex

SCHNEBLY HILL:  This is a lesser known vortex area.  Boone and I came here our last night in Sedona with a private tour guide, Mike Krajnak. Mike owns Southwest Outside Adventures. Check him out at www.southwestoutside.com.  He is worth every penny. We hiked a short distance to a spot he knew would offer a great view of the sunset.  There were a few clouds in the sky which made for a gorgeous golden sunset.  This was the first night we had seen color in the sky at sunset.  The rough road leading to the parking area was completed in 1902 as the road to Flagstaff.  Carl Schnebly wrote to the USPS suggesting a post office for the area and thought Schnebly Station would be a great name for the station. USPS disagreed with the name. Carl's brother suggested he name the town for his wife, Sedona.

SPECTACULAR ✓

Getting Vortexted at Bell Rock

The vortexes in Sedona are swirling centers of subtle energy.  Dennis Andres writes in his book "What Is A Vortex?" : "A vortex is a place where the Earth is at its healthiest and most alive.  The remarkable natural beauty of the area is the physical indicator of the aliveness.  More importantly, the aliveness shows up in an increased energy that is present.  The energy acts as an amplifier, magnifying what we bring to it on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels."

What proof is there that a vortex exist? Well, there is no scientific evidence, but to many people there is a life force in Sedona that cannot be denied. Experiencing a vortex is a personal experience. It is different for each person who feels the energy and it feels different in the various spots that a vortex is believed to exist. While it is believed that Sedona has many places where people connect to energy, there a four main spots: Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock and Boynton Canyon.  Some think there is a special energy at the Chapel of the Holy Cross and Schnebly Hill.

BELL ROCK: The first vortex spot Boone and I were exposed to happened upon our arrival at Canyon Villa Bed and Breakfast (www.canyonvilla.com) located in The Village of Oak Creek in the Verde Valley.  Bell Rock is one of the first rock formations you see when you arrive in The Village. People say they experience an electrical charge of energy when walking the two trails here.

You can practically throw a rock at Bell Rock from our room. No pun intended...I just realized what I said!

We watched the sun roll across Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte each morning as we sipped coffee in bed and from the balcony of our room.

I cannot imagine a better spot to be in during our stay.  Bell became our favorite among all the beautiful rocks. She seemed to follow us in our travels.

If she was not in our sights, we looked for her until she appeared again. Bell encouraged me to let go the magic.

BUCKET LIST ✓  SPECTACULAR ✓

Getting Vortexted at Airport Mesa and Chapel of the Holy Cross

AIRPORT MESA:  the view is spectacular.  We enjoyed it while lunching at Mariposa.  The butterfly was another good omen for me.

We had reservations for dinner, but a woman in a gallery earlier strongly suggested we have lunch there instead.  Sedona is a Dark City, which means that with the restrictions they have put in place to control light pollution it is DARK at night.  You would not believe how these majestic rocks disappear from view after sunset.  She was absolutely right.  We enjoyed lunch on an enclosed porch that exposed this incredible view. And metal butterflies.

We drove back to Airport Mesa to see the sunset as everything you read says it is a must do.  Trouble is, you are competing with a couple hundred other people who  have been told they must watch the sunset from this location.  We paid our $3 to park, walked over to the spot offering the view, but quickly walked back to the car once we saw the number of people we had to compete with to see what we saw at lunch without competition.  Serendipity.  The unplanned journey we had after leaving here was unbelievable.  I will write about that later.

CHAPEL OF HE HOLY CROSS: This small church is built on the rock called Madonna and Child. It was built in 1956 and was the idea of Margaret Straude. The view from the top, like so many in Sedona, is spectacular.

I think my hair got vortexted.  By the way, vortexted is not a word.  More on that later.

The Grand Canyon - Letting Go The Magic

What can I say about The Grand Canyon?

That says it all.