Sedona Story

By Tonya Whelan

Sedona has a long St. Patrick’s Day tradition since one of the original settling families, the Johnsons, were Irish.

As part of this year’s parade and entertainment held on March 3rd, the Johnson family had a small reunion.

Sedona residents came out in force to enjoy the marching groups that included a number of armed services groups past and present and community groups such as the Boys & Girls Club, the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts, and the Sedona Korean American Association.

Dogs and kids were also everywhere, making the day a real family gathering.

By Franklin Hughes

Ah, we’ve had our first snowfall in Sedona; makes it a very magical time of year. It’s so nice to live in an area where we get the four seasons, but not too much of any one (except for summer). But, even in the summer, we still can open our windows at night and enjoy a perfect temperature for sleeping.

The title of this little story, “I didn’t ask to be born, but I’m glad I was”, is actually the title of a book I recently read, authored by Bill Cosby.

After reading it, the true Sedona spiritual / esoteric way of thinking about things got me thinking about my life (although I didn’t ask to be born) and how glad I am to be living here in Sedona (but I’m glad I was).

My “I didn’t ask to be born” happened in a little paper factory town in Pennsylvania. It had (and still has) a log house where George Washington was supposed to have slept (it’s close to Valley Forge). Although I’m not exactly young, I can’t personally substantiate that.

My childhood was a pretty normal one. I learned to ride my bike there. As you can see in the picture, I was really proud of it, but we still had the “training wheels” on it. Not being the bravest kid on the block, it took me a while to get rid of them (to my father’s consternation). Anyway, it moved me up from riding with a leg in my wagon, wearing out the knee of my pants.

At 17, I decided to go into the Navy as my grades in school were pretty bad. As you can see in the photo, they like to cut off all your hair, but I must admit that the service was probably the best thing to help me mature.

The last photo of me here is one that was taken as we crossed the Indian Ocean on our way to Vietnam in 1964. I just had to stick it in because it’s one of the few that make me look better than I really do. Now at my age, I’m approaching that Walter Matthau look of when he was in Grumpy Old Men (no photos please).

Anyway, to get back to real life, I’ve been fortunate enough to live in many places, Upstate NY, Atlanta, and even Europe, before moving to Sedona. I’ve had some trials in my life like losing a wife, but overall it’s been pretty decent to me. I don’t know if I believe in Guardian Angels or not, but things have always seemed to “fall into place” for me. Guess that I’m pretty lucky.

Being here in Sedona, I’ve come to realize that there is so much spiritually or soulfully, that I continue to learn daily. Things I felt impossible or even imaginary before, I try to be open to. Things continue to fall into place in my life.

Although I didn’t ask to be born, I’m happy that I was…

P.S. I find it enjoyable to be able to sit down and write a little blurb every once-in-a-while. I’m sure that you have some nice stories yourself, why don’t you share them with others right here on sedonastory.com. It’s really easy to do, and I’m sure that many people would like to hear about your experiences. The lady that keeps this site clicking is so nice and a joy to work with. But she needs more stories like what you can write.

Let’s see something from you soon…

Franklin…

I love coffee. I love caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, espresso, American coffee, Turkish coffee, Greek coffee, even the fake coffee you get from machines. I especially love it with a little cow’s milk (cold or steamed) and no sugar. I don’t need to have it every day of my life, but I truly enjoy it when I do. It takes me several hours to drink caffeinated coffee—yes, I drink it hot or cold—because I carefully dose myself on the stimulant according to what my body wants at the time.

Although I have the means of making coffee at home or at work, I’m luck to be living in the Village of Oak Creek, a part of Sedona somewhat separated from the rest by a section of road that is primarily red rocks with outlook turnoffs. From our cozy hamlet whose main road is AZ State Route 179, we can see stately Bell Rock watching over us from almost every section.

On the strip of Route 179 that passes through the Village of Oak Creek, which is about two miles long, there are four quality coffee shops. These shops are not just the diners and cafe`s and gas station that serve coffee, but bonafide coffee shops with barristas and flavor shots, and pastries and other edibles.

I’d like to provide you with a virtual tour of these four coffee houses. Each is an asset to our village and has its own character and merits.

1. Posse Grounds Coffeehouse

This coffeehouse is the furthest from the center of Sedona, but it’s close to the Hilton hotel and one of the local golf courses. My favorite part of this coffeehouse is its cozy sitting area in the back that is equipped with couches and a bookshelf with books you can read while you are there. It’s also in the same shopping center as the Sedona Library Annex, and sells a few books and natural products in addition to its food and beverages.

2. Red Rock Coffee

I frequent this cafe the most because it’s across the street from where I work and because it has a cool atmosphere. Like Posse Grounds, it has a lot of tall windows that let in the bright Sedona light and spectacular views. The staff and customers are very friendly and it’s been great to see the place grow and find its groove from when it opened sometime last year. Maybe because it’s the most familiar to me, but it feels like the “place to be” in terms of hanging out with friends or your laptop.

3. Desert Flour Bakery

As the name implies, Desert Flour Bakery has the best baked goods of all of the coffeehouses in the Village. Their raspberry cheesecake is especially scrumptious, and they make cakes to order. Many of our office birthday cakes come from there. They even have something called a red rock doughnut, a specialty doughnut named after the area. Yes, their coffee is good too. But Desert Flour also serves other tasty food, including a full dinner menu. It’s atmosphere is more eclectic and it’s been around longer than the other two places I’ve written about so far.

4. Bike & Bean

Bike & Bean offers bike rentals, repairs, and tours in addition to my favorite espresso in the Village. My preference could be purely psychological, as the owner told me it was from Messina, Sicily before I tasted it. But my favorite part is the aftertaste. It has a special flavor even when it gets cold. It’s close to Bell Rock and many local bike trails.

By Franklin Hughes

One of the best places to watch the sunset in Sedona is at Schnebly Hill. I caught the setting sun and early twilight with my camera. I hope you enjoy its beauty as much as I did in real life.

By Michelle Seo

I was in West Sedona a couple of weeks ago on a rainy day when a large rainbow divided the whole sky. Rainbows make their appearance so easily here, where the sun often manages to peak out through the rain clouds. I took a quick picture with my camera phone to share with you.

By Frank Hughes

Every Halloween, Sedona residents large and small converge on the strip of State Route 89A that passes through Uptown Sedona. Creating a swirling medley of colors, they come as devils and angels, madmen and firemen, and of course, cats.

I spent the afternoon and evening in one of my favorite ways, behind my camera. During the afternoon I captured the many costumed guests at the grand opening of the Sedona Meditation Center on Jordan Road. Formerly the Sedona Mago Healing Center, the Sedona Meditation Center is a non-profit that provides a place where, according to their website, “individuals and groups can join in meditation and renew their connection to themselves, and nature.” In the evening I hit the streets. Here are a few of my favorite Halloween photos.

By Bette Castoria

My first visit to Sedona was in the summer of 1990. It was just a day trip. My mother, six sisters, and I were having a reunion in Scottsdale. After our dad died in 1987, we regularly got together to spend a long weekend of shopping, eating, and visiting. MaryAnn, my oldest sister, was living in Scottsdale at the time and she was in charge of our agenda. She planned a day trip to Sedona for an afternoon of shopping, followed by an evening dinner in the nearby town of Jerome. I had heard stories of the ‘spiritual’ town of Sedona—that it was one of the power center sites of the harmonic convergence in 1987. That was interesting to me, but I was too busy working and raising my daughter to take much stock in such things. I was immediately struck by the beauty of the landscape as we approached Sedona. In contrast to the Arizona high desert, which is very beautiful, the massive red rock cliffs of Sedona situated at the base of Oak Creek Canyon was spectacular. I could see why it was considered a special place. We had a delightful afternoon there—many purchases were made.

My second visit to Sedona was under much different circumstances. It was in November of 2005. I was driving out there with 2 women I had met at a Dahn Yoga workshop in Albuquerque. We were going to the Sedona Mago Retreat Center for a week long workshop called Healer School. I was very excited and nervous to be going to this workshop. At the age of 51, I was beginning to explore the spiritual side of my life. I had joined a Dahn Yoga Center 8 months before and my life was changing rapidly. I mean I was going to Sedona for ‘healer school’ not for ‘shopping’.

Again I was struck by the beautiful landscape as we drove in from the high pines of Flagstaff, down through the winding Oak Creek Canyon, and into the large red rock formations of Sedona. The town itself was impeccably groomed and clean. It seemed bigger and more populated.

Our first stop was at Bell Rock. We wanted to see the famous vortex that Ilchi Lee, the founder of Dahn Yoga, climbed so many times. We hiked around the base of Bell Rock but could not conceive scaling it’s steep cliffs to the top. The retreat center itself was not in the town of Sedona. We drove further south and then 16 miles on a bumpy dirt road to the remote location.

Sedona Mago Retreat Center is like a sparkling jewel in the desert. The vast variety of nature that gathers there paints a rich visual texture that delights the eye. It is a beautiful contrast of arid desert, and lush gardens, surrounded by mountains and rock formations ever changing in color, and framed by an endless deep blue sky by day, and blazing starlight by night. Exploring the grounds on the first night, I discovered the ‘Healing Garden’. A tranquil lake with a meditation walking path around it, several quiet sitting places, a delightful secret herb garden, and peaceful energy radiating from the center. I knew I was in a very special place.

The quality of the training I received during my week stay was the most rigorous I had ever experienced both physically and emotionally. In juxtaposition to the calm surroundings, quiet living (no TV, radio, or computer), simple but delicious food, my body was put through intense training such as stretching, tapping, dancing, walking, running, and hiking. The mind was exercised also through deep meditation and contemplation. We learned healing techniques to release stagnant and stuck energy in our physical and spiritual bodies. Being in a place like Sedona Mago Retreat Center while purifying your body and mind allows you to relax and deeply heal in the times of rest. I slept a deep and restorative sleep every night, waking up feeling strong and healthy for the next day of training.

My stay in Sedona was the beginning of my awakening. I started to realize that there was so much more to me than I had previously realized. I gained a sense of purpose and lost a lot of self-doubt and self-judgement. I left that beautiful spot in the Arizona desert with new hope for my life. I keep a piece of Sedona in my heart now. I have returned countless times to renew and grow further. It’s feels like I’m home when I’m there but the outside world always calls me back. That’s where my work needs to be done.

By Nikki and Steve

We try to come to Sedona every year for our anniversary. We got married here at Bell Rock 21 years ago. We just go with the flow while we’re here. We recommend not making plans when you come to Sedona. Don’t feel like you have to rush through it. Just give yourself the moment to feel it.

The stars above Bell Rock were UNBELIEVABLE during our trip this year. What amazed us in looking into the night sky is that we saw so many satellites. I mean literally no less than 9 in the time we were out there. That tells you how much our skies have changed from the days 21 years ago that we slept under those same stars.

After climbing onto Airport Mesa and Bell Rock, we were both exhausted and tired (this is where the realization of us getting older comes to play). It makes us really appreciate how fast time flies, and that it was just yesterday that we started our 21 year journey. Now we are much older, and much more appreciative of what we have with one another, as well as being much more in love today, than the day we started this journey.

Here are some of the pictures of the red rocks we took this year. Although the skies may change and we may change, they always seem to stay the same.

By Nicholas Fiorito

I have visited Sedona almost 10 times over the course of my spiritual journey. Every time has been absolutely amazing, but my most recent trip was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

The Meditation Tour through Sedona Mago Retreat I staffed in June of 2011 was absolutely incredible. I had the opportunity to go to many of the most famous vortexes in Sedona, including Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock. The energy was spectacular, and to actually feel the difference between them was also something very new to me.

When I am in Sedona I always experience a lot of “spiritual energy.” The environment itself seems to infuse my mind with so much light it is almost hard to process. This last trip, however, I had an absolutely astounding experience. One night, unable to sleep in bed, I felt so much energy surging through me that my body and mind began to go into what would normally be categorized as a “panic attack,” but it wasn’t that, and I knew it. The energy inside me was stirring up all manner of things from my unconscious. My heightened state of perception made it seem as though my brain had cracked open and I was staring at its contents under a magnifying glass.

I saw all my worries, fears, doubts, and memories. Each one I acknowledged in turn, and then dismissed. My heart was racing, I was sweating, the fear of deathn the most pervasive and basic of all fearsn was pulsing through my veins. I realized I was letting go of all my attachments—all the imperceptible, but nevertheless weighty, entities that burdened my soul. I kept “saying goodbye.” Goodbye thoughts, memories, fears. Goodbye everything. The last things to which I needed to bid farewell were my loved ones. I saw my parents, family, people I loved and cherished so deeply. I said goodbye to them, as though I would never see them again. And finally I said goodbye to myself and to the Earth.

At that final moment, having extinguished every last bit of “self,” I was overcome with a feeling that can only be described as unconditional love, but that term is too over-used and thus not appropriate. I became the Love that infused all things. It was incredible, and my heart no longer beat with fear of losing the things I loved, but now pulsed with a passion that embraced all life and all things. It was a transformative moment I shall never forget.

The next day I felt reborn. I slept for just a few hours after that experience, unable to really rest. Nevertheless I was incredibly energized. I was born anew, and given a clean slate in my life. I continue to live this way, and always come back to my yoga and spiritual practice to return to this empty state of pure love.

By Nikki and Steve

We used to raise wolves and do wolf education. These are some of them in their older days. They lived to be between 12 and 16 years old.

These are some of the pictures of Mystique (the Alpha female), Genesis, Dreamer, Dances, Spirit, La Luce (meaning the light), Cielos (meaning the heavens), Angel, and Spirit (the Alpha male)

Mystique and Dances were the daughter wolves of one of the wolves that was in the movie Dances with Wolves with Kevin Kostner (there were 3 wolves used in the making of that movie) Their father did the howling scene at the end of that movie when Costner was leaving the winter camp of the tribe.