This Vantastic Life: The Accidental Vortex

If you’ve been following my Sedona “mini-series” you know I worked on “letting Sedona come to me” rather than curating the experience; letting go of expectations for that Sedona energy thing. I need to finish my story now. Because, although it took a bit of time, Sedona did arrive.

For three days I stayed in the back country, nestled way back on FR525 (Forestry Road) almost as far as one can drive. I didn’t feel compelled to spend time in town, in fact, I felt resistant. The furthest I’d gone was the dog park, where I took Pip daily. I was quite content to soak up the deep reds and oranges of the landscape and commune with the plants and animals. I did a lot of thinking and Pips and I did a lot of walking.

The first night I camped on the corner of FR525 and an ATV trail, frequented, I discovered, by at least two companies leading group tours. I quickly discovered I’d parked where tour guides stop to provide direction to the group before proceeding. They came by every hour on the hour it seemed,  between 9:00 am and 6 pm. There were also Jeep tours. Not as frequent, but frequent enough.

Now, I grew up in small town Ontario where neighbours sit on front  “stoops” after dinner with neighbours, greeting anyone walking by with a nosiness that has been practiced for generations. And you always wave when someone drives by. I learned to wave in my hood. I like to wave.

Despite my pleasure at being an unofficial Forestry Road Embassador while in Sedona, and learning a few things by listening to the tour guides, I was experiencing repetitive strain in my elbow by the end of the first day. However, once 6 pm arrived, it was a gloriously quiet and beautiful spot. This is also where I was visited by a coyote and a powerful dream, which I wrote about in the last post. So, it was special.

The next morning, before all the tours began again,  I drove to the end of the road out of sheer curiousity. On the way,  I discovered a side-road up to a beautiful spot on a high hill; valley on one side, red rocks on the other. It looked like the perfect spot for my second night camping, but my excitement evaporated when I was followed up by a group of Jeeps and then a handful of ATV-ers.  I felt really discouraged; I loved it there; it would have been perfect if it didn’t have the same noise and privacy issues as my first site.

So, I continued my drive and was delighted to find ruins at the end of the road. There was a fee, but my National Park Pass covered it. A short walk in, and I was able to visit a village ( circa 12-14th century) belonging to the same peoples who inhabited Montezuma’s Well and Castle. Cool petroglyphs as well. I particularly liked the one below.

On my way back, I returned to the hill ( I was really stuck on this hill!) only to find another group there, so I resigned, once again, to finding a different site. After some scouting, I found one in an area where there were five sites, but good privacy. I settled in for a quiet night.

The third day a friend joined me. We are new friends and she was eager to experience boondocking, as she is in preparation mode to downsize from an RV. I mentioned the hilltop site, but together we decided not to go that far, making the trip to town easier the next day, when she needed to head out. We had an awesome time; a wonderful hike, dinner, a fire and energetic sharing of stories. Energetic.

When my friend left the next day, I determined that no matter what,  I was going to spend a night on “my hill” – as I now thought of it.

I timed my arrival with the last Jeep tour, and while they did their “last thing of the day” on the red rock side, I settled into the valley side, pleased as punch.

And that’s when it happened.

One more Jeep came, and out jumped a camera crew and a woman being filmed. My left ear was very interested as they approached the little tree on my site and the man began explaining how this was a very unique vortex site with highly abnormal electromagnetic activity; a popular area of study for  scientists interested in such things. For about five minutes I watched them circle the tree, hands outstretched over the earth as if expecting a shock.

Well, what do you know!? I was accidentally  drawn to a vortex I found all by myself!

While I was sitting chuckling to myself at my fortuitousness,  two trucks arrived across the road to set up camp. They brought the magic of youthful energy and laughter to that little hill. I was instantly delighted to be sharing camp with them, and before long we were chatting. They were happy to have left cell phone service behind them and were looking forward to their very last night of an extended camping weekend.

I shared the story of the camera crew and vortex with them, and we laughed and danced about the tree. I couldn’t feel anything that I could call “electric” or “magnetic”  but I felt connection. Joy. The sort of friendship that sometimes springs up between strangers. Energy. A sort of child-like delight that was busily criss-crossing a generation.

 

The next morning they came to say goodbye and we lazily shared stories about our lives outside Sedona. It felt as though we didn’t want to say goodbye, as strange as that sounds.

But when we did, it was not a farewell but a “see you next year, here at our vortex!”

There was only 15 minutes before they left and the first Jeep-of-the-day arrived.

I packed up and headed for town, full of a gentle warmth and energy. I found myself turning into a store called “The Mystical Bazaar” and before I knew it, I’d asked if they had someone who read tarot. Within 10 minutes,  I was visited by Sedona once again.

In a mere 20 minute reading, a woman who knew nothing of me summarized the major themes currently playing out in my life: an injury that turned crossroads into an unexpected direction, the experience of “carrying my home on my back,”  and a strong pull toward writing, mentoring and sharing what Life has been teaching me. Also, she talked about the need to tackle the emotional “thing” that is holding me down. She even referenced a hot air balloon! Of all the metaphors she could have referenced!  If you have been following my journey, this might make you smile. I recently took my first hot-air balloon ride, tackling a life long fear of them! Here’s the full reading, for those of you interested.

After my reading, I decided I would try to visit a shopping area in town. I suppose I felt I “should” see “town” before I considered leaving.

As Sedona would have it, I missed a crucial turn and was spun through a series of round-a-bouts until I found myself expelled on the other side of town.

Sedona did indeed come to me, and now she was sending me on my way.