Sedona

Sedona, Arizona is named for Sedona Schnebly (1877–1950), the wife of the city's first postmaster, who was celebrated for her hospitality and industriousness. During our vacation in Sedona this past week, we constantly remarked about the friendliness of the residents and the obvious commitment by everyone living there, to making sure the spirit of Sedona lives.

Unfortunately, the other lingering feeling deposited in my soul from this visit to one of the most beautiful places on Earth, is the truth about the Native peoples departure from this land (their home) in the Verde Valley of Central Arizona. In 1876, the Yavapai and Apache tribes were forcibly removed from the area to the San Carlos Indian Reservation, 180 miles southeast. 1500 people were marched, in midwinter, to San Carlos. Several hundred lost their lives. 

Sedona's main attraction is its stunning array of red sandstone formations, aka the "Red Rocks". The formations appear to glow in brilliant orange and red when illuminated by the rising or setting sun. Juxtaposed with the vibrant green vegetation and the clear blue sky, it is no wonder that this breathtaking landscape "moves" millions of travelers from all over the world, who believe they are experiencing a spiritual force beyond nature.

Our favorite part of the trip was our visit to 2 Native American historical sites, Palatki and Hanaki. These cliff dwelling ruins, and the pictographs on the walls of their canyons, are mostly from the "Sinagua" circa 650-1250 AD, while some of the abstract symbols and drawings date back 3000-6000 years from the "Archaic" native cultures. The history (always remembering these are just interpretations and partial truths assumed by archeologists based on the remains pottery chards and fossils), brings alive a time when the weather was different, wild animals were abundant, and peoples were experimenting with farming. 

My spirit is raised when I go to Sedona and I was reminded again of the first time I arrived there in the early 80's and realized I was HOME. (HOME is an acronym I created in 1975 for Heart-Open-Mind-Eternal.) Living in Sedona in simpler times found us part of a small community of like-minded people who were determined to build a foundation for the Sedona of today. You cannot miss the beauty of the architecture and the control of the development, amidst the inevitability of the expansion in America over the past 30 years. Sedona is a tourist mecca in harmony with itself ......... still one of this planet's must see locations.