Recently, I travelled back to my old stomping grounds in Arizona to celebrate my brother's 50th birthday. It was a surprise and his wife got us all rooms in Sedona. For the few of you that might not be aware of this place, it is in about the upper center of the state, including Oak Creek Canyon. It is a gorgeous area with magnificent views in 360 degrees. Beautiful red rock, cut in unusual shapes by time, dotted with oak and pine trees and creeks. Back in my old days it was great fishing, great hiking and slide rock - a literal red rock slide in Oak Creek. In the last two decades it has become a place of spiritual power with medcine rings and vortexes - magnetic tornados of power?. It has been a subject of a Penn and Teller Bulls#&t episode. One of the crazy ladies they interviewed there is still there and thriving. Of course all of this is a growing business. I agree that the area is very spiritual - I am awestruck by the sheer beauty - I don't see why these woos need more than that to make it wonderful.
But I digress - my brother and I have a hiking history together that includes the Grand Canyon, the Superstitions, the Mogollan Rim and Sedona to name a few areas. We got nostalgic and decided to take a number of hikes on the Saturday we were there. That number turned into one and then we went for a beer - I am afraid we are not the men we used to be.
My SO, brother, his wife and I embarked on this beautiful little trail sandwiched between the resorts and cliff dwellings - what a contrast!! Now I tend to hike a little faster than the others keeping my own pace and this was true as we were returning to the trailhead parking lot. As I got within the last 300 feet, I came upon a stone bench shaded by a Palo Verde tree and sat down to wait for my companions. Up from the trailhead come these two women and the one in the back caught my eye for she was hiking with her left arm outstretched as if pointing in the direction of travel. She was walking stiff armed like that. As they got closer I caught the gleam of a little chrome pinched between her thumb and index finger. It was a tiny chrome dowsing rod - a chromed wire bent 90 degrees with one end in a small chrome tube. No doubt easy to find in one of the many shops that cater to the woos. I knew she was looking for the infamous vortex's.
As they passed, I asked, "'Found any yet?" She turned her head towards me to answer "no" but as she did her hand moved slightly and the rod swiveled around. She got very excited and said that ther must be one right here. I stretched my arms out on the bench as if feeling the vibes and said "I think I feel it". I was very tempted to say something about a bowel movement but I managed to avoid that.
They continued up the trail and that would be the end of the story except that, from my bench, the trail went away for about 100 feet and then turned sharply left, giving me a view of my companions and the woos as they approached each other. As I watched, my SO thrust her arm out and pointed at the two woos - so there was my SO approaching the dowsing woo like two jousters. They came together and polite hello's were exchanged. When my group got down to where I was at I asked my SO what she was doing. She said. "She was pointing at me so I pointed back"
That's my story and I will end it with this observation.
I fail to understand why it isn't enough. Sedona is awe inspiring, spritually renewing and beautiful. But somehow that isn't enough - there has to be magic - vortex's and such. When I refer to spirituality, I am referring to an emotionally effecting experience. I feel awe in the Redwoods, the Superstitions, the Grand Canyon, on Mt Rainier. Nature's wonders provide profound experiences that move me and inpsire me. It seems so childish and decadent to have to embellish it with fluff like this.
Here in the NW I live on the Skykomish river - it is my backyard. It is a white water river with merganzers, eagles and ospreys. Sitting on the bank patio is good for the spirit. My friend said it all - "You can actually feel your blood pressure lowering"
Now that's spirituality
Bentspoon
But I digress - my brother and I have a hiking history together that includes the Grand Canyon, the Superstitions, the Mogollan Rim and Sedona to name a few areas. We got nostalgic and decided to take a number of hikes on the Saturday we were there. That number turned into one and then we went for a beer - I am afraid we are not the men we used to be.
My SO, brother, his wife and I embarked on this beautiful little trail sandwiched between the resorts and cliff dwellings - what a contrast!! Now I tend to hike a little faster than the others keeping my own pace and this was true as we were returning to the trailhead parking lot. As I got within the last 300 feet, I came upon a stone bench shaded by a Palo Verde tree and sat down to wait for my companions. Up from the trailhead come these two women and the one in the back caught my eye for she was hiking with her left arm outstretched as if pointing in the direction of travel. She was walking stiff armed like that. As they got closer I caught the gleam of a little chrome pinched between her thumb and index finger. It was a tiny chrome dowsing rod - a chromed wire bent 90 degrees with one end in a small chrome tube. No doubt easy to find in one of the many shops that cater to the woos. I knew she was looking for the infamous vortex's.
As they passed, I asked, "'Found any yet?" She turned her head towards me to answer "no" but as she did her hand moved slightly and the rod swiveled around. She got very excited and said that ther must be one right here. I stretched my arms out on the bench as if feeling the vibes and said "I think I feel it". I was very tempted to say something about a bowel movement but I managed to avoid that.
They continued up the trail and that would be the end of the story except that, from my bench, the trail went away for about 100 feet and then turned sharply left, giving me a view of my companions and the woos as they approached each other. As I watched, my SO thrust her arm out and pointed at the two woos - so there was my SO approaching the dowsing woo like two jousters. They came together and polite hello's were exchanged. When my group got down to where I was at I asked my SO what she was doing. She said. "She was pointing at me so I pointed back"
That's my story and I will end it with this observation.
I fail to understand why it isn't enough. Sedona is awe inspiring, spritually renewing and beautiful. But somehow that isn't enough - there has to be magic - vortex's and such. When I refer to spirituality, I am referring to an emotionally effecting experience. I feel awe in the Redwoods, the Superstitions, the Grand Canyon, on Mt Rainier. Nature's wonders provide profound experiences that move me and inpsire me. It seems so childish and decadent to have to embellish it with fluff like this.
Here in the NW I live on the Skykomish river - it is my backyard. It is a white water river with merganzers, eagles and ospreys. Sitting on the bank patio is good for the spirit. My friend said it all - "You can actually feel your blood pressure lowering"
Now that's spirituality
Bentspoon
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