It’s impossible to put your finger on.
You can feel it, even breathe it in, yet you can’t touch it or explain what it is. As you climb the rock formations you begin to feel light and uplifted, while all your worries slip away. Your breathing becomes deep, your skin has a slight tingle and a smile forms on your lips.
When you reach the top to look over the strikingly beautiful landscape it hits you. You can’t remember ever feeling so relaxed, at peace and joyful.
Credit: Alaskan Dude
Welcome to Sedona
Sedona is a delightful small town in Northern Arizona with a little over 10,000 residents that is 30 miles (48km) south of Flagstaff and 117 miles (188km) north of Phoenix. It is one of America’s New Age spirituality centers, famous for its Red Rocks, red-hued sandstone buttes where strong vortexes (spiritual energy) emanate from the ground.
For thousands of years the area around Sedona has been a sacred area for American Indians who knew of the location’s significance. Today, it is the home of many mystics, psychics, healers and spiritual seekers, while large numbers of spiritual tourists arrive each year.
Credit: Alaskan Dude
Vortexes
Imagine a whirlpool or tornado, yet with a swirling invisible (magnetic or electric) energy that is subtly felt, and you have a vortex. Sedona is said to have four surrounding the city – the Airport Vortex (masculine energy), the Cathedral Rock/Red Rock Crossing Vortex (feminine energy), the Boynton Canyon Vortex (balanced energy) and the Bell Rock Vortex containing all three, thus being the most powerful.
You may not believe in such a thing, but visiting the vortexes will make you feel good, whether you want to or not.
Credit: xinem
Teachers and Healers
As a perceived global power spot, Sedona has turned into a spiritual crossroads for people of all backgrounds, beliefs and faiths. It is full of metaphysical teachers, alternative medicine practitioners and healers, intuitives and body workers. Buddhism, Tantra, Kabbalah, Sufism, Paganism, Shamanism – you name it and it’s there. In Sedona, it’s easy to find people who will help you ease the mind, feed the soul and nourish the body.
Credit: ellenm1
Connect with Nature
There are hundreds of hiking and biking trails that connect the city to it’s breathtaking outskirts. Several camp sites are located near the various trail heads making it easy to get up and go, while great picnic areas are never far away. Horseback riding and hot air ballooning are also popular activities. Don’t forget to watch the sunset when the fleeting light does magical things to the color of the rocks.
Credit: TLPOSCHARSKY
Other Activities
Sedona’s natural beauty and creative atmosphere also lures artists, musicians and writers. There are many festivals throughout the year which helps the locals showcase their talents while offering an enjoyable experience for visitors.
Sedona is also a great place to make a day trip to the Grand Canyon, less than three hours north by car. Monument Valley, Lake Powell and Las Vegas are less than four hours away.
Once in Sedona however, you will feel so good that you won’t be in rush to go anywhere.
When To Go
The best time to visit Sedona is from September to May in order to avoid the summer heat.
Climate
From September to May, the average high temperatures range from 50 to 86°F (10 to 30°C), low temperatures from 19 to 52°F (-7 to 11°C), and precipitation from 0 to 0.7 inches (0 to 16mm) each month.
Winters are cold and summers are hot. It’s very dry year round.
Getting There & Around
Sedona is located in central Arizona just south of Flagstaff.
The best way to get to Sedona is to fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, located 123 miles (198km) from Sedona, of Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, located 25 miles (40km) from Sedona.
The best way to get around Sedona is to drive or walk.
Average Costs
- Mid-range accommodations: $75-125
- Meals: $15-20
- Bottle of beer: $2.50
Do’s
- Dress in layers as it can get warm during the day and cold at night.
- See if you can spot the rock formation that looks like Snoopy from the “Peanuts” comic strip lying on top of his doghouse.
- Visit the view points in the morning or late afternoon when the sun’s angle provides more dramatic photos and views.
Don’ts
- Forget to wear sunscreen and lip balm year round. The air is very dry in Arizona.
- Miss the Slide Rock State Park just north of Sedona.
Fun Facts
- More than 90 feature films and countless video productions and commercials have been shot either in full or in part in the Greater Sedona area.
- Stonehenge in the United Kingdom, the Great Pyramid in Egypt and Machu Picchu in Peru all have unexplainable energy similar to that of Sedona.
- The red rocks of Sedona get their color from the eroding Mogollon Rim of the vast Colorado plateau.
Feature Image Credit: Raw Processor
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