Recently, I found myself winding down Arizona’s state route 89A to experience this phenomenon for myself. I had heard that the Sedona vortexes included several hotspots which promote healing, self-reflection, and spiritual awakening. I was curious to see if the claims were true. When I arrived at the towering Cathedral Rock, and then the Twisting Junipers at Bell Rock, it was easy to see why these sights had become associated with the eternal. These massive natural structures put me in my place within the context of a grand environment, and I couldn’t help feeling a deeply human connection to the history and nature of these sites. It was a feeling that wasn’t tangible, something beyond words.
While Route 66 tells the story of movement and change, Sedona’s vortexes invite you to pause and reflect. It’s a bridge between the restless spirit of the open road and the stillness of inner exploration.
The allure of Sedona is not without its paradoxes. On one hand, the town has built an economy around its vortexes. Tour companies, crystal shops, and energy healers offer a curated spiritual experience. On the other hand, these natural formations are able to supersede this veneer. Their undeniable beauty, magnificence, and power, make clear why these locations were once sacred to the Native Americans. The commodification of spirit is nothing new.
While I was walking through downtown Sedona, I found myself thrust into a sort of New-Age Disney World. Everything from aura readings, UFO Tours, and psychic consultations was offered street side.
Yes, Sedona can be a tourist trap, but I saw these services as an entry point – a way for the novice to connect with something other-worldly. And isn’t that a good metaphor for 66 in general? It can be an escapist route, but it is inevitabally one of self discovery, as well. I’ll admit I had to stop to have my aura read. FYI, guys, my aura is orange.
Sedona’s reputation as a spiritual haven dates back to the 1980s, when psychic Page Bryant first identified the red rocks as vortexes. Today, many seekers from this first wave can still be found. Often, they are selling jewelry or rushing to catch a sunrise or sunset before the tourists descend. Younger generations and social media influencers have infiltrated the area as well. Drawn to the dramatic backdrops of the red rocks, and the promise of spiritual transformation, a new generation is either capitalizing or rising in consciousness on this sacred land. It was interesting to watch the two generations interact – sort of a microcosm of America’s cultural shifts. Both groups, in their own way, are seeking connection – to nature, to others, and to themselves.
Route 66 has always been about freedom and discovery. Sedona’s vortexes feel like an extension of that—a chance to discover not just a physical landscape but an inner one as well. It’s a rabbit hole along 66. A place to pause and delve deeper, dive inwards. Sometimes the interior journey is as robust as the road trip.
At the end of my first day in Sedona, I found myself sitting under the moon with a group of strangers. A comfortable silence came down upon us. Without having to say anything, we all knew that we were being gently held by the surrounding canyons. My takeaway was that there was something subtle yet undeniably magical happening in Sedona. We are small but held by mighty forces.
