Sole to Soul Travels - Part 1: The Land of Sun & Soul
Preface
This trip has been a long time coming. I’ve had the travel bug for quite some time, and my soul has been called to three places for reasons I can not put to words, Arizona being one of them.
Sometimes we don’t know or understand the ‘why’ behind being called to do something or go somewhere. These are the times we really must lean in and trust - trust our heart, trust our soul, trust our intuition, and trust what we feel we are being divinely guided towards in life. And when I say ‘divinely guided’, this doesn’t have to come from a place of religious ground. If it does, that’s beautiful too. What I mean is, being guided from a place of fully-embodied, visceral knowing - a place where every cell, every fibre of your being resonates with an all-encompassing ‘YES’....
This trip was all of the above and more for me. This trip was something I knew deep down that I wanted and needed, and proved to be an experience that brought me more sense of direction and alignment than I ever imagined.
So, I bought my ticket, found a beautiful soul-sister to join me on my journey, and set my A-type, plan-everything-ahead tendencies aside to allow whatever was meant to unfold happen as it was meant to be. The result was more incredible than I ever could have envisioned in my wildest of dreams.
Day 1: Travel Day, Hitting the Road, Letting Inhibitions Run Free
We flew from Calgary to Vancouver and Van to Phoenix, landing just in time for an absolute DOWNPOUR! Not at all what we expected as we exited the sliding glass doors of the airport. It was hot, humid and...raining cats and dogs. People left and right looked absolutely dumbfounded by the drops of moisture falling ruthlessly from the sky. We laughed. It really could only go up from here.
We got the keys for our vehicle - not only our set of wheels for our adventure, but also our home for the coming weeks. Yes, you heard that right, we were going full-hippie for this excursion. No fancy hotels, no set place to return to each night - just us, our rugged Exterra and what felt like the entire world at our fingertips.
First stop? Dollar store for snacks and water (and a quick behind-the-car-door change of clothes in the parking lot). The first thing we noticed as we ran a few errands in the city - no masks. People were smiling, eager to say hello, and really just emanating joy and an ease in demeanor that had been almost obsolete back home. It was a full-body sigh of relief to interact with others in such a way, to breathe fresh air and to feel the warm humid air caress our bodies.
Onwards!
Sedona was calling. I knew I needed to be in this highly-revered place. So, we turned the car in the direction of Sedona, and we just drove. We sang, we laughed, and we relished in the feeling of being footloose and fancy-free. The rain ceased rather shortly after leaving the city limits and the skies began to turn a beautiful golden-rose as dusk approached. We made a few spontaneous stops - some when nature called, others when we saw, gasp, “CACTUS” that spanned about as far as the eye could see, but we were so enthralled we just had to stop to investigate any and all of the prickly wonders that caught our eye. We also did a little off-roading and even did some exploring in the dark - just us, the light of our headlamps, and ALL of the creepy bug noises and the notion that any step forward could land us on a rattler or scorpion. We got really good at walking like kids playing ‘The Floor is Lava’ through the desert sand. No snakes or scorpions were encountered.
After a long day of travel, we found ourselves in Sedona well after dark. Eager to see what this land had to offer, we set a few intentions for the coming day and set up ‘camp’ in a parking lot.
Day 2 - Exploring Sedona - The Land of Sun & Soul
In typical Sarah & Jackie fashion, we arrived with a ‘bang’ and began our first morning by waking up the entire town of Sedona as we set our car alarm off in an early-morning pee attempt. Unbeknownst to us at the time, when you lock yourself in the vehicle then open the door from the inside, the alarm will roar incessantly (even when you turn the vehicle on, yell profanities, push every button on the keys and door panels and do everything but wave a magic wand and yell “Wimgardium Leviosa”…
I still don’t remember how we managed to shut it off. Somehow between fits of laughter and utter mortification, we did get our ‘GOOD MORNING SEDONA’ alarm to cease its honking. Nothing like announcing our arrival by disturbing the peace. Nonetheless, we were about to experience a type of peace neither of us had ever embodied before, so this little mishap became rather insignificant thereafter…
As we had no set plans and intended to follow our hearts for the duration of this trip, we began the day with a sunrise hike. Don’t ask me the name of this particular trail, as we truly just went where we felt called to go…
In the midst of the days first adventure, we ran into a fellow wanderer who shared with us a few ‘must-see’ trails and destinations. We took notes and set forth to our next heartfelt destination. After driving with jaws-dropped in absolute awe of our surroundings, we found ourselves at the trailhead for Devil’s Bridge - a very unique and beautiful rock formation, and the largest natural sandstone arch in Sedona and the surrounding area. Located within the Coconino National Forest, the sights to see are endless, and this trail offers a wide variety of terrain. You begin walking down an off-roading jeep path (very exposed, so carrying lots of water is highly recommended). The 6.3km trail then traverses into the bush and begins to climb, landing you on this gorgeous rock bridge overlooking the valley.
This is quite a heavily-trafficked trail, but we lucked out in getting there rather early post sunrise-excursion, so we managed to get some shots on the bridge before the crowds began to flock in.
If you’re in Sedona, I would highly recommend adding this hike to the list!
After our experience at Devil’s Bridge we were eager to immerse ourselves more deeply in this magical land.
We headed back into Sedona in search of some information on the most noteworthy places to explore.
After chatting with a few locals and reading through some guides, we learned about the Seven Sacred Energy Centers.
Sedona is well-known for it’s spirituality and profoundly powerful energy. In fact, Sedona is regarded as one of the most powerful spiritual centers on Earth. Sedona’s energy is vast, but this energy has seven centers in which it is said to be most concentrated and to elicit the most noticeable effects on the human body, mind and soul. These centers are also known as ‘vortices’ and have become sacred places where many individuals have experienced profound healing and other experiences that are truly difficult to articulate to those who have not been there themselves.
Many account experiencing physical healing, emotional release, a deepened spiritual connection, and a variety of other physical and non-physical energetic shifts when visiting any of the seven vortices. Each vortex has something new to offer to each individual, and we were eager to experience them for ourselves.
The first site we set out to was the home of two vortices - Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte.
Bell Rock is a magnificent rock formation on the outskirts of Sedona - a bell-shaped red rock that looms high in the sky, its energy truly drawing any onlooker in to explore the vast and unique terrain.
The energy at the Bell Rock vortex is described to be of an activating nature - one which is said to increase physical vitality, enhance energy, and rejuvenate the body and soul. It is known to allow its visitors to release inhibitions, to tap into the inner-child and to reconnect to ones playful nature and free spirit. There are many accounts of individuals experiencing otherwise-unexplained physical healings during and after visiting the Bell Rock vortex. In my personal experience, this site was nothing less than magical.
We took our time exploring the rock formations at the base of Bell. Both of us felt drawn to remove our shoes, and we continued the second half of our journey barefoot - the red rock acted as a natural pumice stone, and its warmth felt ever-so soothing on our feet. The sense of peace I experienced here was quite magnificent and hard to put into words. We ventured mostly in silence, in awe of our surroundings and consumed by the sacred serenity that Bell encompassed us in as we climbed higher into the sky. Around us, fellow explorers sat in meditation, some performed Tai Chi and yoga, while others wandered wide-mouthed and in a dreamy daze. Everyone seemed to be enveloped in a blanket of calm. The environment was one of both playfulness and peace, movement and stillness.
As we reached the first rocky plateau, we came across some stones, small sculptures and crystals, all placed very purposefully as though they were some kind of offering or memorial. I wish I knew the deeper meaning behind them, but I do know there was great meaning in their presence. We peeked through the crevaces and gazed across the vast red-earthed land, both feeling as though we’d fallen asleep in our Exterra and awoken in some dreamland.
As we reached a higher plateau and false-summit, we sat and spent what I can only estimate to be an hour or so in meditation. It was here I was completely overwhelmed with emotion. Even as I sit here reflecting on these moments, my eyes well with tears. I was overcome with an immense sense of purpose and a reassurance that, though times have been greatly uncertain and filled with struggle, I was on the right path. I felt the presence of many loved ones I had lost. I felt the gentle touch of my inner child - the little girl that until this year had so desperately tried to come through to no avail. I felt the warm desert breeze, the intriguingly soft-feel of the rock beneath me, and the beaming rays of the sun blazing above.
I really can’t articulate the rest of what I felt or experienced in the moments that followed. This place is one you have to truly see and feel for yourself. All I know is that Bell Rock provided the most beautiful welcome to Sedona I could have ever asked for.
At Bell Rock I breathed deeper, thought clearer, and felt more aligned than I had in months.
Bell is beautiful, bountiful and becoming.
If you have the chance to experience Bell, do it. And if you can, do it barefoot and breathe in every ounce of energy she has to offer.
After our experience at Bell Rock, it’s safe to say we were eager to experience the other vortices. We happened to be a hop, skip and a jump away from the next - Chapel of the Holy Cross.
The Chapel vortex is much less of a physically-taxing adventure than Bell Rock, as you are able to drive to the parking lot located just below the immaculate structure. The Chapel itself is visible from Bell Rock, and is quite the site to see from a distance, and ever-more immaculate in nature up-close.
The Chapel was built in 1956 and is said to be a vortex of powerful energy, embodying love, harmony, unity and oneness.
The Chapel is a place of silence. When you enter, you are invited to light a candle at the altar and sit or kneel in reflection or in prayer.
Despite this sacred sanctuary having a reputation for its powerful and loving energy, I had a very different experience within the walls of the Chapel. Perhaps it was a reflection of the trying times we are faced with in the world, or simply a combination of the energies of those who knelt around me in the Chapel that day, but what I felt was an immense and heavy energy - one of darkness, despair, fear, sadness, confusion and loss. I was overwhelmed with waves of emotion that were much the polar opposite of those I experienced at Bell Rock. Both Jackie and I looked at one another with a “do you want to get out of here?” expression, and immediately exited the premises.
The Chapel itself was beautiful, nonetheless. I’m sure there has been a great deal of healing here. On this day, though, the energy reflected that of home, and it was one I did not wish to be immersed in for one moment longer.
Who settles for two vortexes in one day? Not us! We began our day with a sunrise hike and decided to end our day on a high note by watching the sunset from the third of the seven vortices - Airport Mesa.
Described as being “one of the best sunset views in Sedona,” this destination is a must-see. Despite sunset being one of the busiest times to visit, it is well worth it! There are many trails in the area, so you can quite easily find a secluded space to take in the sights and spend some time basking in the last rays of sunshine, though I would highly recommend making your way up to the lookout for the prime hours of sunset.
Airport Mesa offers a breathtaking panoramic view of Sedona and this vortex is said to be a powerful center for increasing consciousness, enhancing psychic abilities, balancing the Chakras and uplifting physical energy.
While at Airport Mesa we engaged in some uplifting conversation, watched a wedding unfold in the valley below, listened to the drumming and flute-playing of a fellow sunset-gazer perched on an adjacent peak, observed others engage in various forms of yoga, meditation, martial arts and dance, and were again awestruck by the energy that flowed both from the Mesa and from the beautiful souls we shared these moments with.
Sedona is something…
Golden Hour in Sedona is a whole new level of beauty
As our spectacular first day came to a close, we decided to set the intention to start the following day with yet another sunrise hike and another vortex adventure. Eager to be the first to set foot on the trail, we drove to the base of Cathedral Rock to get some shut-eye (and also hoped that being out of town, we’d be less likely to have another 5am car-alarm-mishap…)
What followed was a night I will never forget. We ended up connecting with a medicine man, sun dancer, vibroacoustic bodyworker, and several other beautiful souls with whom we engaged in a night of song, dance, laughter and unity. It was an experience I will never be able to describe in verbal or written word, and one that I will forever hold near and dear to my heart. It reminded me that, no matter what happens or where I end up, I will always find a place to call home and people to share this life and its incredible experiences with. That night, in the middle of a parking lot at the base of Cathedral Rock, I knew I was home - not because of where I was, but because of who I had become.
