Visit Sedona Arizona Soon
by https://visitsedonasoon.com
Natural beauty spawns spirituality. In fact, it has been said that, “Beauty is God.†So we have an instinctual yearning to seek out beautiful locations to relax, renew, and get in touch with that inspirational and spiritual part of our lives, both outer and inner. The more connections we can make with the majestic wonders of our planet earth, the greater the likelihood of connecting with the divine presence that abounds all around and through us. When we search for these beauties of nature; whether going to an ocean, meadow, mountain, lake, river, cave, forest, or canyon, we are also searching for that greater, higher, and better part of ourselves, the spiritual.
[The closer we are to Nature, the closer we are to God. — Johann Goethe (1749-1832) German Writer and Scientist]
Arizona is home to some of the most awe inspiring beauty that exists in the world. The Grand Canyon is certainly one of the greatest natural treasures that the planet holds. To venture to the Grand Canyon is to see one of the worlds most magnificent geological sights, which invoke the sense to seek adventure in an outward way and to seek spiritual fulfillment in an inward way. Visiting here is an easy way to revitalize yourself and to get a sense of a greater presence, call it the divine, or spiritual, or God, makes no difference, because you get the point that there is a greater something that we may connect with that will allow us to become greater than we are presently. This magnificent site opens us up to the hidden mysteries that await our discovery. And, there is no higher mystery to be known than that of the spiritual realm. We just need to seek it, find it, and join it.
[The first act of awe, when man was struck with the beauty or wonder of Nature, was the first spiritual experience. –Henryk Skolimowski, Philosopher]
A most inspiring and new age spiritual center is Sedona, Arizona. It has been a sacred site for the regional Native Americans for thousands of years. More recently it has become international gathering place for spiritual speakers, retreats, seminars and conferences. Sedona’s beauty and mysterious land power points, known as vortexes, draw several million visitors each year. In fact, the May18, 2003 USA Weekend Annual Travel report named Sedona, Arizona as the number one most beautiful site in America. In any event, it is certainly one of the most beautiful locations in the United States.
Many spiritual seekers make a pilgrimage to the Sedona area to connect with the divine presence that they say is here in abundance within the red rocks and vortex energy centers. There are new age groups which refer to Sedona as a Spiritual Mecca. Everyone who visits Sedona’s red rocks and natural towering monuments, all say that this is a special place that brings a peaceful appreciation of nature’s grand sculptures.
[God created the Grand Canyon, but He lives in Sedona. – Unknown Author]
The largest group of Native Americans in America are the Navajo. The “sacred center†of the Navajo world is Canyon de Chelly (pronounced “de Shayâ€). It is located on the Navajo Reservation and is the second largest canyon in Arizona. The canyon system, which consists of Canyon de Shay and Canyon del Muerto, takes up an area of over one hundred miles. Both canyons can be visited and explored. To tour the canyons you need to first hire a Navajo guide at the Visitor Center located in Chinle, Arizona, and then have the use of a four wheel drive vehicle. There are also group tours, one that originates from the Thunderbird Lodge in Chinle and another tour which is conducted by Canyon de Chelly Jeep Tours. The Park Visitor Center has the information on these tours.
[I believe in God, only I spell it Nature. –Frank Lloyd Wright (1869-1959) American architect]
Vision quests have been an important spiritual part of Native American life. It is special sacred blend of rituals, purifications, fasting, counseling with holy men, journeying to remote spiritual centers in solitude, and waiting until they are worthy of receiving a sacred vision which is to provide guidance for their life’s path or to gain a closeness with Wankan Tanka (Great Spirit). It is a time of fasting, praying, and being in nature. It is meant to seek an inner revelation, a vision, which provides profound insight, meaning, and direction to the aspirant. A vision quest can also be a preparation for the Sacred Sundance Ceremony or just to give thanks for gifts already received. A vision quest may last from one day and a night up to four days and four nights. Rarely does it go beyond the four day and four night period. The isolated Chiricahua Mountains, located in southeast Arizona, have been a place for Vision Quests for thousands of years. It is an untarnished and beautiful wilderness area which can stir your senses and renew your spirit.
[The crisis we face today demands more than superficial adjustment. Increasingly, it is realized that any efforts to safeguard and cherish the environment needs to be infused with a vision of the sacred. –Carl Sagan (1934-1996) Astronomer]
These spiritual sites sometimes must be protected legally. For example, the September 2004 victory which was won in the State of Arizona 9th Circuit Court of Appeals which upheld the state’s protection for Woodruff Butte. This site is held sacred by the Hopi, Zuni and Navajo Nations. This court case prevented the mining of materials from this sacred area.
[Every natural object is a conductor of divinity. –John Muir (1838-1914) American conservationist]
It is in places of inspirational natural beauty that we gain a motivation to expand our awareness into the mysteries of life. This is why so many people go on pilgrimages to the various beautiful sacred sites in Arizona so as to imbue the spirit of seeking the hidden spiritual truths and eventually experience a spiritual communion with the Divine. An earnest spiritual seeker is denied nothing. Spiritual Arizona beckons all those who seek a greater understanding of our sacred planet and our relationship with it.
[The deeper we look into nature, the more we recognize that it is full of life, and the more profoundly we know that all life is a secret and that we are united with all life that is in nature. Man can no longer live his life for himself alone. We realize that all life is valuable and that we are united to all this life. From this knowledge comes our spiritual relationship with the universe. –Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) French philosopher and physician]
[I believe in the cosmos. All of us are linked to the cosmos. Look at the sun: If there is no sun, then we cannot exist. So nature is my god. To me, nature is sacred; trees are my temples and forests are my cathedrals. — Mikhail Gorbachev, First democratically elected President of the Soviet Union, 1990]
Copyright © 2005 Bill Barnum – All rights reserved