Travel, Photography
Magical Sedona
A response to Dennett’s SNAPSHOTS challenge
When my husband and I were a lot younger, and were at a bit of a crossroads in life, trying to figure out the trajectory of the future, we sold pretty much everything we had and spent a year living in Sedona, Arizona. We used Sedona as a “home base” and explored much of the Southwest — sinking our Land Rover Discovery in a river in Canyon de Chelly (but discovering an ocean of stars that night), hiking down and up and the Grand Canyon in a single day, wandering through remote Sinaguan and Anasazi Indian ruins, and even venturing to Peru for a month with just what we could fit into two backpacks.
It became a place for us where we could always come back to center, a place where we can dream, a place where we have always felt like we left a part of ourselves when we had to come back to “civilization” and make a living again in Southern California.
With all of the radical changes in the world right now, we felt the need to touch our toes in Sedona’s red dirt again last week, looking for a little grounding, and a little nudge from the universe to guide us forwards.
The photo at the top is from Chicken Point. These days the Pink Jeep tours end up here, depositing tourists with their cameras on the rocky shelf beneath the “Two Nuns.” But it used to be a lot quieter. I used to do early morning runs from our little rented house up to my “meditation spot” up on that ledge. I still like to hike in to see it every time we visit.
We always hit the trails in Sedona. Most of the tourists stop off in “uptown,” where they take in the views, buy a few crystals, and then move on. The trails, especially the ones that are not the top ones in the trail guides, are (most of the time) blissfully quiet. Sometimes, we venture off the beaten path onto some of the trails that only the locals know. In the “old days,” we used to often see bits of desiccated tiny corn cobs and pottery shards in the ruins we would climb up to (my lips are sealed as to these locations though!).
I’ve been a bit obsessed with photographing the moon lately. This shot is from the top of Schnebly Hill road. It’s a pretty major four-wheel-drive feat to get up to the look-out spot, but it’s sooooo worth it.
We also visited the Amitabha Stupha Peace Park, while we were there.
And, of course, no visit to Sedona would be complete without a sunset visit to Red Rock Crossing, where you can watch Cathedral Rock glowing.
And, do you see that saddle, up high on Cathedral Rock? This next shot is the view from up there, looking down towards the river.
Since the yoga studio, where I’ve been teaching for twenty years, closed down (due to the pandemic), I’ve been feeling a little lost. I sense the universe is pushing me to follow my heart’s greatest desire and pursue writing and photography full time, but it’s a little scary to let go of something you’ve done for so long. So, I had a tarot card reading from Rachel at Bohemian Dreamer. And, just as I guessed, it indicated transition, cutting cords, and creativity.
We met up with some friends a few days into our trip, and I did a sound bath for them (I brought all my singing bowls along).
And now, after our time in Sedona, I’m feeling a little more balanced and have emerged, ready to finish putting together the book I am working on and to truly launch the photography business that I have been idling with.
I hope that you have the opportunity to visit Sedona one day. It truly is a place where dreams are made and visions are manifested. And the red rocks vistas will take your breath away!
I hope that you enjoyed traveling along with me to Sedona, Arizona. You might also enjoy:
Story and photos ©Erika Burkhalter. All rights reserved.
