The Journeying Engineer

In my visit to Sedona almost 10 years ago, it was evidently a pleasant experience due to the sheer beauty of the place. It was my first immersion to the red rocks of the USA and the awe-inspiring scenery was what I took to memory.

This recent weekend visit with relatives was a bit different. This time around, we went with a purpose above the appreciation of the natural scenery: to experience the energy vortex. According to visitsedona.com, a vortex is believed to be a special spot on the earth where energy is either entering into the earth or projecting out of the earth’s plane. But what form of energy is this exactly? Psychic, metaphysical, or spiritual – however you describe the things beyond natural laws – as it is not actually measured. Is it real? I’m not the type to believe so, but went with a cooperative mind.

At first, we thought of visiting at least 1 spot as stated in websites. There are 4 main sites commonly believed to have high concentration: Airport Mesa, Bell Rock, Boynton Canyon and Cathedral Rock. With our plan being vague anyway, we took the attractive pink jeep tours instead, specifying our main purpose to the tour guide.

We had a bubbly tour guide named Jordyn (not sure about the spelling), who prepared a tour different from what we were thinking. Basically, they consider the whole Sedona a vortex. And some believe (including her) that the high concentration areas changed over time. So instead of going to the famous spots, she brought us to those with an indicator. That, and we only had 3 hours after all.

What is that indicator? Twisted juniper trees. This phenomenon on juniper trees may be attributed to other forces, wind currents, perhaps? But there is something mystical about this occurrence because it is not common to the trees, even to those that are adjacent to each other. Thus, it is associated to the vortex.

So the tour guide took us to 2 sites with twisted juniper trees. The first one took us through Boynton Pass road, but the pink jeep went off road to the left, on the side opposite Boynton Canyon. After about 10 minutes of rough road, we had a brief hike to the small plateau. But before reaching the top of the plateau, we had our first vortex stop: one twisted juniper tree.

We followed the tour guide’s usual way of feeling the energy: We closed our eyes, then put hands together in a praying position, rubbed the palms, and then touched the tree. I felt relaxed. But it wasn’t special. It’s just the typical relaxed feeling I get when stopping to appreciate the beauty of nature. The others said they felt something good in there.

Our next stop was at a site with a few twisted juniper trees within 10 meters from each other. From this site, you will see the Cathedral Rock across. We did not have to hike a trail for this one. On the nearest tree (second of the tour), I did the same ritual as first. I felt nothing. Ok. On to the third tree. The tour guide calls it grandma tree, as from her experience, it’s the one that brings the feels to most guests, and to her.

Having not felt anything on the second, I just approached grandma tree nicely, without any ritual, eyes open. As soon as I touched the smooth branch, I weirdly had the feels. Not just the smooth sensation on my hand, but internal feels, more than the relaxed feeling in the first juniper tree. I will try to give analogy so you can imagine. The initial feeling I got was like the one you get when a child embraces you.

“Wow, this feels good.” I said, whilst caressing the tree. The pleasant feeling lingered even after letting go. I gave way to the others, and just hovered around, and then a more powerful feeling was evoked in me. It’s like the feeling you get when you witness human triumph – you empathize and feel happy that you cry. I almost cried – so it’s a bit like that. 😀

There is another twisted tree, that the tour guide said she doesn’t like. She gets negative energy from it that she sometimes call it the grumpy tree. I touched it too, but felt nothing. Besides, I was still thinking of the grandma tree’s effect.

After that stop, we went to the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout before ending the tour.

Energy vortex or not, that unexpected experience is a welcome addition to my memories of Sedona.

P.S. If you’re going back to Phoenix from Sedona, you may take a detour passing by 89A North along Oak Creek (going past Slide Rock) for a scenic route. When you meet I-17 right when you enter Flagstaff, then you can head south. This detour was recommended by our tour guide.