Sedona Story

By Grace Moon

Living in Sedona, I often feel that the sky is very close. The clouds, the stars, and the moon, too. I looked up the elevation of Sedona, and found that it’s pretty high—4,423 feet.

I realized that if I went for a walk or a run here, I would get a more effective workout than I would in places with a lower altitude. So I went out in the evening and walked around Bell Rock.

Today I was satisfied because I got twice as much exercise as I would have if I were closer to sea level.

By Ilchi Lee

Whatever the path that brought you here
There is a reason why you came,
Though you may not realize it now.
Therefore, please open your ears.
Listen to the message that Sedona has for you.
The old juniper standing tall in the golden sunset just might tell you the reason.

Whatever fork in the road of life you stand at now
There is a question in your heart,
Though you may not realize it now.
Therefore, please open your ears.
Listen to the message that Sedona has for you.
The red rock that resembles the face of a Native American just might help you remember that question.

Whatever the question growing in your heart
You can find the answer to that question within yourself,
Though you may not realize it now.
So, please open your ears.

Listen to the message that Sedona has for you.
The rushing water of Oak Creek, shimmering under a full moon, just might give you the answer.

When the long howl of a coyote weaves its way through a night sky brimming with stars
When the afternoon monsoon shakes Thunder Mountain with thunder and lightning
There is a message from Sedona that calls to you with a roar far greater.

There is a world all living creatures have dreamed of together ever since the Earth came to be.
There is a world dreamed of by Mago, Mother Earth, and human beings, the heavens and the Earth, the mountains and the sea.
The old juniper tree, the red rocks, and the rushing water of Oak Creek share a dream.
Oh, friend who has come to Sedona, take this dream with you.

This dream is the reason why you have come to this place, and it just might be your question and your answer.
This dream just might awaken the greatest things within you.
A new Heaven, a new Earth, a new people, and a new life path,
A world of peace in which all life is harmonious in a sacred Heaven and an abundant Earth.
Though you may not realize it now, you are a being that has come to the Earth to turn this dream into a reality.

By EJ Lim

On May 22, I went hiking in Fay Canyon, one of the most well-known and loved, sacred places in Sedona. I was very lucky to be able to come here five years ago with Ilchi Lee, my spiritual teacher. Before that time, I only thought of it as a lovely trail, but as I listened to Ilchi Lee’s descriptions, the rocks, cave, flowers, and trees in Fay Canyon all took on exquisite spiritual significance.

There’s a Celestial Train and a Sacred Goblet, and there’s also a Gatekeeper, an ancient tree, that welcomes the people who come. An especially striking feature is a massive arch that looks like a cave. There’s a very special energy there, so anyone can let go of any burdens that have been festering in their mind and body and be refilled with fresh, new energy.

I’d like to show you some photos I took. Here’s a slideshow below.

Sedona Story, located at 207 N. State Route 89A in Uptown, Sedona is proud to announce “the Sedona Story Open Mic series.” The series is set to run for 8 weeks every Thursday between 4 pm and 5 pm starting Thursday, May 26, 2011. Open to anybody who wants to tell their Sedona story, the series aims to encourages all forms of expression including drumming, singing, storytelling, dance, live art etc. All performances may be taped for viewing at SedonaStory.com.

To sign up and reserve your space in advance simply drop by the store or call 928-282-3875.  Drop-ins are also welcome provided there is room on the list.

CONTACT:
Yolessa K. Lawrinnce
347-885-3456
yolessa@brconsultingglobal.com

By Lynn Moon

These are sunset pictures taken in the summer of 2004 from the Airport Mesa vortex, over towards Mingus Mountain and Cottonwood. I packed my camera and drove up to Airport Mesa as soon as I saw the colorful sunbeams outside. It was more spectacular than I had imagined. I clicked the shutter-release for over an hour. Truly exhilarating. I especially liked the silhouette of Cockscomb Rock, the comb-shaped ridge. I will upload more pictures in the near future.

By M. Seo

I recently started taking pictures of Sedona, especially the people who come here and the people who live here. Some of them I know, but most of them, I don’t. The encounters are precious and tend to be brief.

This is Donna and her mom, Adivon. They spent the weekend here together for Mother’s Day. So super cute. Mom had one of those disposable cameras, and Donna was using the camera on her Blackberry, so I offered to take their picture.

This is Heuiseon (it’s pronounced “hee sun”). She met her soul the first time she came to Sedona, and the second time, she dedicated her life to helping other people connect with their souls. She has a bright smile and sparkly eyes.

Another couple from that Canada group. I didn’t get to talk to them as much. They seemed very warm toward each other. They made yet another endearing couple passing through Sedona on their happy travels together.

By EJ Lim

I caught Dawn, her husband, and her adorable dog, Te Amo, just out of a yoga class. I asked if she would tell me her Sedona story, and she invited me to her house the following morning.

At 8 o’clock the next day, Dawn and Te Amo gave me a warm welcome in her living room, from which we could see Bell Rock. Dawn said that she had been a pilot, and when she was flying over Sedona 40 years ago, she fell in love with its beauty. She decided to move to Sedona from Idaho five years ago.

Here’s Dawn’s Sedona story.

By Joseph Alexander

Jerry Walters, Docent and Chairman of Friends of the Forest Cultural Resources Committee

Recently, I visited V-Bar-V Ranch with Jerry Walters. He is the Chairman of the Cultural Resources Committee of Friends of the Forest, a volunteer service organization based in and around Sedona. The Friends of the Forest work closely with the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest, providing much needed support for the maintenance, protection and restoration of National Forest lands.  The group’s diverse activities include archaeological, agricultural, trail and waterway maintenance and a host of other projects.

A docent is defined as “a person who is a knowledgeable guide, especially one who conducts visitors through a museum and delivers a commentary on the exhibitions.” Though not necessarily museums, the cultural heritage sites within the purview of the Coconino National Forest are just as important. Jerry oversees the Docents who guide visitors to the sites. This was my first visit to V-bar-V Ranch. In fact, before I volunteered with The Friends of the Forest, I had not heard of the site. It must be one of the best kept open secrets in this area.

Like the rest of the area around Sedona, it is an incredibly beautiful environment. But not graced by the iconic Red Rocks. Indeed, it is a flat grassy landscape near the Beaver Creek that has hosted agriculture for millennia, including the more recent tenures of people of European descent as stewards of Arizona lands. However, over the years, the farmers and homesteaders who came to this land were special. They knew they had something remarkable on their land and they protected it, only letting trusted people know about it. One may ask what would a Northern Arizona farm hold that is so special—a reasonable question. Even the current name of the site gives no hint to its treasure.

V-Bar-V ranch, once a working cattle ranch and farm, contains an important Native American heritage site.  References on the internet mention the site having “petroglyhps” or “rock art.” These words are true, but do not do justice to the quiet majesty of the site. Upon entering what is left of the ranch (which has an interesting story in and of itself), a mile-long dirt path leads to a fenced-in area at the base of a cliff. The area is cooled by the large cottonwood trees and the nearby creek. At first glance, it looks like a piece of the familiar red sandstone was just plopped down in the field. But closer inspection reveals a craggy wall covered in hundreds of carvings. Anyone who has seen ancient cave paintings or carvings up close cannot help but be in awe that such simple expression can provide a glimpse into the distant past. I was content to admire the beauty of the carvings and guess at their meaning.

Thanks to Jerry, I didn’t spend much time guessing. Though we can not be exactly sure who made these carvings, the carvings at Honanki, or the paintings at Palatki, these pre-historic residents of the Verde Valley have been named “Sinagua.” Some believe they were related to the Zuni or were ancestors of the Hopi. They were farmers and traders whose water resource management prowess is still evident in the area. Pottery and other artifacts also provide clues about their culture. There is clear evidence that they were not the first people here and that they were well-spread out over this valley and that the cultural connection extended north beyond the valley.

Though ruins suggest settlements at 1.8 mile intervals along Beaver Creek, the site at the V-Bar-V Ranch is the largest known pertroglyph site in the Verde Valley. This suggests great, possibly ceremonial significance. The purpose of the site is one of many mysteries to be solved. Jerry has been visiting this site for years, but it is clear that it continues to fascinate him. I was most intrigued by a story he told me as he pointed out the various images carved in the stone.

It was uncharacteristically cloudy when we arrived, so the limited light helped me see the carvings in stark relief. However, when the early afternoon sunlight poked through the clouds, something magical happened. Two long parallel shadows formed a diagonal across the rock face as if it were a canvas. The rocks sitting in a crevice above suddenly became an active part of the artwork. Jerry explained to me how the previous chairman of the Cultural Committee made an archeoastronomical discovery, that the stones and petroglyphs comprise some type of calendar. Depending on the time of day and year, the shadows fell on or near certain carvings. The relationship between the stones and the carvings marks the solstices, the equinoxes and corn planting cycles.

A natural layer of “Desert Varnish” covers much of the stone face, highlighting the carvings

Close up reveals depictions of animals and humans with active Chakra points

Humans, animals, combinations of both, footprints, handprints, circles, and many other shapes fill the sandstone canvas like stars in the sky. The carvings took considerable time and effort since the natural “desert varnish” makes the stone much harder. The black varnish makes the carvings more distinct.

The carvings go high up the wall, indicating the use of ladders and even greater effort. Digging in recent years has revealed that the ground was once much lower, carvings along the rock face go much deeper and there are other indicators that this was a ceremonial and sacred space.  It is good that Forest Service is treating it with respect.

Though words cannot fully express the experience, I can say that I caught Jerry’s bug after hearing his words. I am envisioning what it would be like to visit on a solstice, what it would be like to meditate here, what it must have been like before the trees. Jerry says I should visit again, while a group is being guided, so that I can learn from some of the interesting questions or comments that visitors share when they pass through. I appreciate that subtle note of wisdom he shared with me. Even after many years, he keeps his eyes open to see something new at the site and he keeps his ears open to hearing something new, even when serving as a guide. Only good teachers know that they never stop being students, so I trust that I am in good hands.

A stand of large Cottonwood trees near Beaver Creek conceals a historical treasure

By Annabel H. A.

My whole family grew up living in rural Phoenix, the Laveen area, since the 50’s. I can not recall any summer spent in the valley. We ran wild like Indians with our great chief Dad, and wise mother Mom. Mom being part Black Feet mix from Minnesota, had no intention of melting in the valley of the sun.

So off we’d go, camping at virtually every State and National Park north of Mingus Mountains. Not too long after, we bought a summer cabin camp on the Mogollon rim, and by the 70’s we made exodus to the Verde Valley. For my Dad it was like goin’ halfway home, since he is a native from Flagstaff. What lucky ducks we were to have these great jumping off points to explore our State from. Oak Creek and Sedona were regular playgrounds of pure splendor in our lives.

This day of which I write, fell nicely on St. Patrick’s Day on the scheduled Saturday Parade, in the 80’s when the route was different than now. Me being a single mother of two young sons, I volunteered my 9-passenger station wagon to transport 3 moms and 5 young children, to this marvelous annual event.

I woke up terse that morning, driven, demanding, and was aggressively driving my precious cargo from Verde Heights to Sedona through the Village of Oak Creek Valley. I was acting like I was on a combat mission to secure my favorite parade spot, while driving straight into the face of Red Rock Rapture with oblivion and reckless will. Just then my son sitting mid-front said, “Mama! You never told me that our Maker was the best painter artist.” I always encouraged children to paint with all the colors at an early age. I often told my sons Delbert or Marcus that they were the best painters of the world. Then they ooh-ed and ah-ed, blew kisses and outstretched their arms to the beauty surrounding us. They were both sporting wrap around smiles that through osmosis caused me to see with my childlike eyes.

In that moment, I stopped, dropped, and restarted my whole day, and it was BIUTIFUL! I have retained this method of slowing down to get there on time, ‘cuz after all, on time is when you get there safely and happily. Hear! Hear! See! See! That’s How we live here.

Thanks Maker, thank you kids, thanks RRR’s.

The az acorn

By J. F. Ziegler

I am a “desert rat”. I have lived in the Valley of the Sun for fifty-five years. I saw the Phoenix Zoo take birth. I have lived in the Valley of the Sun for fifty-five years. I saw the Phoenix Zoo take birth. The freeways develop and eventually criss-cross the desert. the year 2009 gave me many gifts, but as with all of us, it gave me some hard knocks too. After 23 years in the medical community I was given my notice. (reduction in force – r.i.f.)

The opportunity presented itself for me to move to Sedona. I thought why not. Though I had never entertained the idea of Sedona as a place for me to live. One circumstance led to another and here I am a Sedonian.

The weather here is almost perfect even when it snows it does so with a gentle beauty. The summer nights with the stars so bright and the heavens so close make you feel a part of something far more important than yourself. I am sure the higher power was not practicing when Sedona was created.

The rock formations are alluring with the pinks and reds folded into each other so you can’t see where the beauty starts nor where it ends. Through the years, millions of visitors are drawn to see the beauty first hand and feel the vortexes. Seminars and gatherings are presented in the area because of the energy. To bike or hike Sedona is a thrill for no matter where you look nature is showing off!

However, I have found what makes Sedona an outstanding place to live or visit is the PEOPLE! Where else will you read in the newspaper garage sale section “church pulpit for sale,” or “brand new, never used, only once, sauna.” In that same vein I don’t think I will ever find another dining table with large angel wings attached to the sides of the wooden surface.

I have wondered about the volunteer work in the area. I entertained the idea that there were so many volunteers because of the sheer number of the retired population. Not so—it is all done with the idea of service and love. Most of all I think the inspiration of Sedona comes from the open-mindedness of the residents. Baptists are friends with Baba devotees. A Catholic Priest and a Metaphysician work side by side to heal the broken heart of a teen.

The busy medical community takes time with their patients and actually talks to and with them. I know my doctor would take a dozen eggs for my annual physical if he could.

The saying, “beauty is only skin deep,” includes Sedona because Sedona’s beauty too is only skin deep. It is the people that make her beauty shine. The earth can feel love. She needs love to flourish. Landscapes without love are drab and perhaps lonely. The inspiration of Sedona comes from the love of the residents infused into the work of God. That makes Sedona spectacular!