Spirit Wind

A Sedona Arizona Spiritual Quest

Having recently graduated from the Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge, MA as a massage therapist, my life plan should have been moving along as predicted. A recent grad, a new career, my own practice (Mill City Bodyworkers) in Lowell, etc., etc.. Had I not had some eye opening experiences while going through school, that would have been the plan. As many friends have recently told me "all things happen for a reason" and as you'll read, some forunknown reasons.

Life decided to change my path again! The Masters in the game of Spirituality have all been saying; your life plan, your path, the road you're on, your destiny... yada, yada, yada. Having lived it the past 44 years I finally realized that there may be something to it!

I joined the AMTA (American Massage Therapy Association) while a student at MTI. This helped to guide my professional direction once I graduated. Having had delays with licensing in Lowell, I decided that I would volunteer some time on the Law and Legislation Committee for the Massachusetts Chapter of my association. This is where my plan would change again. I was asked if I would like to attend the National Conference in Phoenix, Arizona as a representative and delegate for the Massachusetts Chapter of the AMTA. Not being one to jump on opportunities, I told them "my bags are packed"...smile

I asked if they would mind if I went down early to get in some sightseeing and they said, "no, not at all"

We left Boston with temperatures in the 80's only to get into Phoenix during the end of one of the hottest summers on record. It was 110 degrees on arrival. Having spent two days in Phoenix I decided that I wanted to get cooler and more Spiritual. So it was off to Sedona!

About 120 miles North, 12 degrees cooler and 4,500 feet higher, I was finally there. Driving up Highway 179 into the Village of Oak Creek was like Dorothy's arrival in Oz. The beautiful red rock vistas of Sedona are just incredible.

The Sedona region was sculpted out of the landscape by erosion for over 350 million years. Native American cliff dwellers inhabited the area about 1,400 years ago due to the mild climate, the vegetation and the precious waterways. Their apparently sudden disappearance is a topic for debate by historians.

My spiritual quest to Sedona was due to the fact that some of the world's energy vortexes are located here. These vortexes are subtle energy centers where spiritual and psychic powers are enhanced. To say I was a little curious was an understatement. My hotel room window afforded me an unobstructed panorama of one of these energy vortexes known as Bell Rock. That would be my first hike on my quest.

About half way up Bell Rock I got "stung" by a cactus. I now believe porcupines evolved from cactus because 5 "spines" indoctrinated me to the southwestern plant life. It wasn't the sting that hurt, it was the removal and blood loss that was tough to take. It was my Native American introduction to bloodletting. I settled on meditating at an outcropping about half the way up the rock. My first experiential taste of the energy vortex was what I've called my spirit wind. With beautiful blue skies, sunshine and a setting moon this very subtle wind would flow upon my every thought. At first I thought little of it, yet the more I tuned into it I realized I wasn't alone. I felt at peace and nurtured. This was why I was drawn here. Getting back to my car, starting it up, my lights and windshield wipers started on their own...too weird!

Next: Exploring The Village of Sedona