Sedona: Consciousness, Spirituality, Vortexes & Crystals

It’s been awhile since we were last in Sedona, but it’s home to all things spiritual and of course, known for its vortexes. While the four best known vortexes are found at Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock and Boynton Canyon—there are other lesser known ones to be found as well.

Some feel the vibration radiating from them whereas others don’t have such a physical reaction to it.  Think of them as energy flowing upward or spiraling downward, the latter of which has a more grounding effect.

Renee and Anthony at the Sedona Stupa

The last time we were in the area was a few years ago when we checked out the After Life Symposium in Scottsdale, which brought together researchers, scientists, healers, channelers, teachers, authors, musicians and more all under one roof. We did a Phoenix and Scottsdale foodie round-up at that time and a Sedona Red Rocks tour with Detours American West, which takes you to Native American ruins and the local artisans of Sedona. We also were able to see the Montezuma Well which is a flooded limestone sink hole 55 feet deep formed by the collapse of a large underground cavern as well as the Tuzigoot National Monument. Here, there’s also a picnic area and foundations of a Hohokam pit house, which is protected by an iron roof.

Montezuma Well

Here, you can see Sonoran mud turtles and limestone cliff dwellings built by the Sinagua Indians around the 14th century.

Inside the museum

We loved the energy and messages we received at the Amitabha Stupa in Sedona, which is beautifully positioned among the pinion pines, juniper pines and crimson spires. The stupa is known to be one of the oldest forms of sacred architecture on earth, dating back to the time of the Buddha, 2600 years ago. It is considered to be the living presence of the Buddha so represents the Mind of Enlightenment.

Renee and Anthony at the Amitabha Stupa in Sedona.

Among red rock in all directions, you take a short trek up winding trails brings you to the 36 foot Amitabha Stupa and then, you’ll also discover a smaller Tara Stupa for prayer, meditation, healing, and the experience of peace in a sacred place. We love that the Amitabha Stupa is open every day from dawn until dusk and there’s no charge to experience it. Below are some shots of the grounds and the surrounding natural beauty.

Anthony at the Amitabha Stupa.

From nearly every point in Sedona, you are greeted with the vivacious and ever so energizing red rocks.

There’s the infamous pink jeep tours of course, which we’ve done quite a few times over the years. If you’ve never done it, then it’s a must do, but if you’ve done it once, I’d suggest another tour or perhaps a private tour if your budget allows.

Want to see Sedona from above? Then check out one of the helicopter offerings. We went with Sedona Air Tours several years ago and I have to admit: the views are spectacular.

Also, to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross, you head up Highway 180 roughly 3 or so miles to Chapel Road and follow Chapel Road to your left until you reach the spot – you can’t miss it.

Aside from all things nature and spiritual, there are tons of great shopping – think art, crystals and jewelry for my favorite picks. There are even large displays of crystals in coffee bars around town.

If you want rarer finds and a wider selection, then check out Crystal Gratitude at Creekside Plaza. Here you can also sign up for Reiki sessions, massage treatments and more. They also have a great display of crystal bowls which you can play as well – with permission of course. They offer sound healing sessions and sound baths. They also have Peace Place Gifts along Jordan Road in Sedona as well.

As for food, we didn’t dine out once this trip, largely because of several house party invitations and our busy schedule.  A gem from past trips includes our five star experience at Che Ah Chi at the Enchantment Resort, which is set on 70 acres in Sedona Arizona’s Boynton Canyon. Check out our review from several years back. My favorite spot is Dahl & Deluca, where romance meets old world Italian cuisine. We wanted to stop in and say hello to Lisa Dahl (chef and co-owner) who we’ve met a few times over the years and have always felt a great connection.

We also love René Restaurant on 336 Hwy 179 in the upscale Tlaquepaque shopping plaza, which is surrounded by a Mexican courtyard and bubbling fountains. The food and wine pairing is out of this world in this Southwestern Swiss/French blend, open for both lunch and dinner. Read my previous write-up which includes tons of yummy photos.

We DID get to quite a few coffee bars this trip however because we needed a spot with strong wifi to work on a presentation and who doesn’t love coffee, especially in the winter? A few great picks are Theia’s, Synergy (small, but funky with velvet couches and chocolate), Kota’s Coffee House, Creekside Coffee and Bakery which overlooks some of Sedona’s most exciting rock formations, Oak Creek Espresso, Elote Cafe and the Chai Spot. The latter is super funky and located at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village — they also have one in Manhattan. We also sampled some delicious Indian fare from the fojols.com food truck. (below)

Fojols.com Food Truck

We were there to speak at the Ascension Equinox Retreat which was held at Unity Sedona. Bringing together speakers and experiences from both the worlds of science and spirituality, it was an interesting experience for us. We focused on the multidimensionality of who we are as energy beings and how knowing more about non-local awareness and consciousness can bring more joy, peace and serenity into our lives.

Above and below, Renee and Anthony speaking at Ascension Equinox Retreat.

Below, Suzanne Ross, the host and producer of the conference with Jimmy Church, radio show host.

Suzanne Ross and Jimmy Church

Maureen St. Germaine, teacher and author

Alan Steinfeld, author and host of New Realities

Nick Hawk

Speaker Dinner

Speaker Dinner

Above: panel discussion

Outside of Unity, there are countless statues across cultures and belief systems as well as a patio sitting area to relax in between sessions.

Outside Unity Sedona

Renee & Anthony at Unity Sedona

Tanjila, Renee, Peter and Anthony at Unity Sedona.

Event after party, partially under the stars and partially by the fire

We also led a smaller gathering on Friday night at the Sedona Quantum Consciousness Center, organized by our friend Tanjila Islam who is the founder of a new online platform called Soul Search.  Soul Search curates those who offer their skills and services around all things consciousness and spiruality, from therapists and masseuses to wellness and Reiki practitioners, channelers, biofield healers and beyond. We have a listing on her platform which you can find here — it’s a great way to let others know about what you’re doing and to connect with others in similar industries.

Let’s not forget that dawn and dusk are magical times in Sedona — the sun is always illuminating the rocks, enhancing their colors so much so that you get glimpses of them in shadows, reflections and even the sky itself. We saw a double rainbow when we were there that we didn’t manage to capture well on my older iPhone but let’s just say it was magical enough for us to pull over and sit with it for a half an hour.

We also did a small event separate from the conference at

Getting There

We have driven to Sedona from the west coast believe it or not (roughly 13-15 hours which you can split up over 2-3 days if you have time) or you can simply grab a shuttle out of LA or SFO. Alaska Air has direct flights from SFO to Phoenix and although we’re relatively new to them, it’s a great way to go. The flight is only around an hour and a half and then you can pick up a rental car at the airport (via shuttle bus) and go exploring from there. And, the views are spectacular. Check out their latest routes.  #FlyAlaskaAir

We are looking forward to returning when we have more time to take in some hikes and trails — it’s always such a magical place to be in nature among the powerful vortexes, red rock, canyons and cactus.

Renee Blodgett

Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.

She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.

Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.

Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.