The Sedona Vortex

Howdy, friends!  Here’s an interview with journalist Megan Aronson conducted for the website WanderingEducators.com

Sedona’s Mystical Energy Defined:  An Interview With Mr. Sedona, Author of “What Is A Vortex?”

Without a doubt, the one question that nearly every visitor to the crimson-colored countryside of Sedona, Arizona, asks is, “What is a vortex?!” Sedona’s reputation precedes itself when it comes to the metaphysical mysteries of our red rock landscape.

Even the most pessimistic visitors are curious. Everyone wants to know if it’s possible to have some kind of divine, transformative experience in Sedona, if you just step on the right red rock…or something!

An adventure through the red rock back country is sure to incite magic and wonder in any traveler. But, the question is, is this simply because of the beauty of the red rocks, or is there also a subtle undercurrent of vortex energy at work here?

So, what exactly is a vortex?

By definition, a vortex is, “Something regarded as drawing into its powerful current everything that surrounds it.”

Sedona certainly does seem to be “drawing” people in – over four million people visit annually, (believe it or not, that’s even more then the Grand Canyon!), and many leave telling tales of personal transformation.

But, in Sedona, the term “vortex” has a definition of its own. Just ask Mr. Sedona, one of the area’s foremost vortex experts and the author of the book, “What Is A Vortex?” Mr. Sedona has been leading expeditions through Sedona (and to sacred sites around the world) for over a decade now, helping visitors discover the mystical vortex energy of Red Rock Country.

I sat down with Mr. Sedona to find out more about this phenomenon. What is a vortex? Is it real, or mystical? Is it tangible, or ethereal? Is it quantitative, or simply experiential? We’ll let you be the judge.

MA: Mr. Sedona, thank you so much for sitting down with us today. Please tell us, once and for all, when it comes to Sedona, what exactly is a vortex?!

Mr. Sedona: The problem begins with the word itself, which gives people the impression that Sedona’s energy is physical, and located in one or more spots. A better explanation is to think of Sedona as a sacred site, in the category of places like Stonehenge and Machu Picchu, Mt. Shasta and Mt. Everest. These are places that native peoples found to have a special energy that’s tough to grasp in our modern, mechanical world. In the east, it would be called “chi” or “prana.” I call it “subtle energy.”Because we seem to have something of the sort here, I call Sedona “America’s Sacred Site.”

MA: What do scientists believe about Sedona’s vortex energy?

Mr. Sedona: Scientists tell us clearly that the traditional explanation – that Sedona’s energy is magnetic – is inaccurate. Although the rocks are red, the iron oxide that has given them this rusty look is not widespread. So far though, science has not slow in explaining why tens of thousands experience some physical or emotional phenomenon during their visit. Yet just because science hasn’t yet explained it does not make it scientific to ignore it. My experience with over 5,000 visitors interviewed suggests that Sedona exhibits the same subtle energy as other sacred sites around the globe.

MA: Where are the best spots, in your opinion, to experience the vortexes of Sedona?

Mr. Sedona: Think of the energy as widespread, and you’ll realize that those more sensitive to this subtle energy may feel it everywhere they are in Sedona. By contrast, those that are less sensitive may not feel it at all. Comically, my Mom always cries when she’s in Sedona, while my Dad wouldn’t feel it if it hit him like a sledgehammer. Setting aside the judgment that one is better than the other, then my advice is simple. Go to the beauty. Go to where you feel drawn.

 MA: I always tell people that a vortex is what you make of it – if you come to Sedona with the idea you will have a transformational experience, it’s likely you will have just that. If you visit a vortex with the attitude that it’s going to be a bad experience, the vortex is likely to oblige you on that, too! Would you agree?

 Mr. Sedona: Our intention is one of our most powerful resources, and that’s true anywhere you are in the world. In sacred sites with subtle energy, it is possible that this intention is increased. At the foot of a sacred mountain in the Himalayas some 20 years ago, I set my intention that I would only do work that I loved for the rest of my life. Here I am today, guiding to Sedona and the world’s most beautiful places.

MA: So, what can a traveler do to make the most of a visit to a vortex spot?

Mr. Sedona: Sadly, most travelers pass through, and settle for a tour. In two hours, you can’t get far, and you’ll usually get stuck in a vehicle that never lets you out. Instead, Sedona’s is one of the best places in the country for an easy hike. My books (“What Is A Vortex?” and “Sedona’s Top 10 Hikes) and the friendly folks at the brand new Hike House are great resources, or they can hire us for a private adventure. Once you find a trail into Red Rock Country, you can simply open your senses to what’s around you.

MA: Another great way to make the most of a visit to a vortex is to take a virtual tour guide with you, right? I hear you just released a new iPhone and Android app for travelers looking to find and experience the vortex sites on their own. That’s very exciting. Tell me more about it!

Mr. Sedona: Our new Sedona Vortex App is the first of its kind, perfect for anyone with a smart phone and produced by the team at SedonaVideos.com. The GPS gets you to beautiful places, and the entertaining videos allow me to guide you, teach you, and even, lead you on a meditation!

For those who want a more intimate experience, the Mr. Sedona Private Guides team provides a private experience of Red Rock Country. Not only do we share you off-the-beaten path places, but we lead guided meditations designed to help people connect. Doing so at the most unspoiled, away-from-the-crowds locations is an exceptional experience.

MA: Long before Page Bryant coined the term “vortex” for Sedona’s energy sites in 1980, the Native Americans of this area regarded Sedona as a sacred site. How do the ancient and present day Native Americans view Sedona?

Mr. Sedona: We must first admit that each Native American may have a different opinion. Moreover, the ancient Sinagua peoples of Sedona left the area seven centuries ago, leaving us no one to ask! However the general idea of treating nature as alive, sacred and worth protecting is one native peoples around the world counsel. I follow this guidance.

MA: I know you’ve lead dozens of expeditions to other sacred sites around the world. How would you say the “Sedona experience” compares to the experiences you’ve had at Macchu Picchu, (fill in other sites here please) etc.?

Mr. Sedona: Each place is of course unique. If I were to say what is different about Sedona, I’d say it is the combination of comfort and accessibility that goes with its mysticism and beauty. It’s easy to get to Sedona, and you don’t have to fly around the world, risk getting malaria, or engage in exotic rituals to see it. To me, it’s like a modern pilgrimage: Gorgeous and spiritual outdoors, but with a nice restaurants, hotels, art and shopping indoors at day’s end.

MA: That brings up another question – are there other places in the world with vortexes like Sedona?

Mr. Sedona: If we say “vortexes,” then places in Oregon, for example, can be shown to have a magnetic energy so powerful that it is palpable. If instead we say “sacred sites,” then researcher and author Martin Gray suggests there are two kinds. There are those places of stunning natural beauty, and places where something special happened to someone saintly. Grand Canyon, on the one hand, and Lourdes, Fatima or Jerusalem, on the other. I think there are plenty of such places, but few are as easily accessible and as stunningly beautiful as Sedona.

MA: Thank you, Mr. Sedona, for helping our readers learn more about the mystical vortex sites of Sedona. Can you leave our readers with one last “insider’s” tip on a must-see Sedona spot they can only read about here?

The must-see spot? Trust me: Your eyes will be filled and thrilled with nature spots while you are here. You can’t miss! Yet although nature is alive here, people can’t see the energy with their eyes. They can only listen with their heart. So that’s the spot, that the must-see: Your own heart.

Mr. Sedona is Dennis Andres, the author of “What Is A Vortex?”, “Sedona’s Top 10 Hikes” and “Sedona: The Essential Guidebook.” He is the founder of “Mr. Sedona Private Guides,” and his website is at www.MrSedona.com

Megan Aronson is a freelance writer and an editor at WanderingEducators.com

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