Spiritual Healing

my last couple days in arizona were pretty low-key, mostly because i no longer had full function of my legs. i attempted a hike in sedona, but it started sprinkling and i was having no more wet underwear adventures. i took a jeep tour instead, and the sun came out. the area has an amazing backdrop of giant red rock formations. it almost looks like a painted set. i can't imagine living in sedona with that in my backyard.

i took the mystical vortex tour and learned all about how the electromagnetic field created by the spinning of the earth's core emanates from the surface more strongly at fault lines. when these fault lines cross, a vortex, or energy center, is created. apparently these exist all over the world -- machu picchu is one and so is new york city -- people just don't notice because they are generally disconnected from the earth these days because they don't go outside, and when they do, there is a layer of concrete separating them from the ground. however, the local indians thought the vortexes in sedona were sacred (without detailing it in terms of electromagnetism) and traveled days just to sit "in" it & pray. this is cathedral rock, the second-most photographed rock formation in arizona (after the grand canyon). the creek is a fault line, and therefore a vortex.

the guide also taught us how to transfer our negative energy to a tree by placing our right hand on it and concentrating on expelling negative thoughts. don't worry, he said it didn't hurt the tree. you can also suck good energy from the tree by placing your left hand on it and concentrating. i think i will try this at home on my own trees to see what happens -- it can't hurt.

the tour itself was very interesting and informative. there were two other people besides the guide and me. the guy was a high school biology teacher who asked a lot of questions about the science behind the vortex, which i found disappointing because i understood it, and i am not teaching science for a living. the girl on the other hand, announced as soon as we reached the vortex that it was "really heavy on the solar plexus." what does that mean??!?!?!?!?

what exactly (allegedly) happens at the vortex is hard to say and i tried to be open, but it was difficult to evaluate the situation objectively for several reasons. 1. the area is SO beautiful and peaceful that it's hard not to feel better when you're out there in the middle of it than you did 15 minutes ago being bounced all to hell in a 4WD vehicle. 2. a watched pot never boils. i was watching myself, other people were watching me, and the whole time i was thinking "do i feel different? how about now? how about now?" here is a picture of me sitting on the vortex trying to soak up the magic through my butt.

i was rewarded for my tolerance of this hippie nonsense with a beautiful, sunny, blue sky the next day, so i went to the sunset crater, which was a lot like being on the big island of hawaii, except in the middle of arizona. i also visited some indian ruins at wupatki national park. they were pretty red against the blue sky and well-made, often built into the side of a hill or using gigantic rocks for foundations. i discovered that they were made of limestone when i climbed into a secret room to pee and the floor started fizzing. whoops.

i stopped by montezuma's castle national monument (although this is a misnomer because montezuma never made it this far north) on my way to phoenix for my flight home. it is really amazing how high up the structure is -- the indians got in and out using wooden ladders -- and how enduring. this photo has some people in it that can be used for scale. the "castle" has 20 rooms and was built over a thousand years ago.

mark, one of my saviors from humphrey's peak, graciously offered to show me around while i passed the time until my 11PM flight. i didn't see much of phoenix -- only a lot of blue moon and the three killer whales inhabiting his pool out back, which was perfectly fine with me. and i was lucky to hang out with some really smart, really funny, really interesting people before i returned to my normal life in cuckoo, VA. NOTE: please let the official record show that i kicked everyone's ass at balderdash -- though the competition was steep. seven years of higher education occasionally has practical application. but has not improved my handwriting.