How to Feel Sedona's Mystical Energy: An Interview With Mr. Sedona, Author of What Is A Vortex?

Over four million people travel across the globe to visit Sedona's Red Rock Country each year, drawn by monolithic red rock formations, hoodoos and spires, luxury spas, fine restaurants, and a divine plethora of recreational activities.

But, is it more than just the beauty of the red rocks pulling travelers here? Is there an undercurrent of "subtle energy" drawing people in?

Thousands of visitors report personal and spiritual transformations while in Sedona and many of the locals, who've lived here for decades, will tell you that living in Sedona is kind of like living in a fish bowl – everything is intensely magnified.    

So, is it the vortexes? (And yes, that is the correct plural use of the word "vortex," as is "vortices.")

If you're planning a trip to Sedona, you'll likely want to answer this question for yourself. Perhaps you wonder, "What will I feel in Sedona?" Or, "How do I find the vortexes? What do I do when I get there?"

Whether you're seeking transformation, feeling cautiously pessimistic about the idea of experiencing anything unusual at all, or simply looking for a great vacation experience, knowing a little more about this phenomenon might help you, at the least, to get out in the red rocks (and on them!), and draw your own conclusions.

I sat down with Mr. Sedona, one of the area's foremost vortex experts and the author of the book What Is A Vortex? to answer some of the most frequently asked vortex questions.

Dennis Andres. Photo courtesy Dennis Andres

Mr. Sedona has been leading expeditions through Sedona, and to sacred sites around the world, for over a decade now. In fact, he recently released a new "Sedona Vortex App" for smart phones, designed to help visitors dig deeper into the mystical energy of our the magnificent red rock landscape.

What is a vortex? I'll let Mr. Sedona answer that for you, with a peak at the new “Sedona Vortex App.”

MA: Mr. Sedona, thank you so much for sitting down with us today! You've hiked over 10,000 miles in Sedona, helping hundreds of people experience the unique energy here. What is it, in your opinion, that makes Sedona's energy so extraordinary?

Mr. Sedona: I like to think of Sedona as a sacred site in the category of places like Stonehenge and Machu Picchu, Mt. Shasta, and Mt. Everest. These are places that native peoples found to have a special energy that’s tough to grasp in our modern, mechanical world. In the east, it would be called “chi” or “prana.” I call it “subtle energy.” Because we seem to have something of the sort here, I call Sedona, “America’s Sacred Site.”

MA: What can a traveler do to fully experience the energy of the vortexes in Sedona?

Mr. Sedona: I think that the key is to get out in nature. Sadly, most travelers pass through, and settle for a tour. In two hours, you can’t get far, and you’ll usually get stuck in a vehicle that never lets you out.

Sedona is one of the best places in the country for an easy hike. My advice is simple: go to the beauty, go to where you feel drawn. Once you find a trail into Red Rock Country, you can simply open your senses to what’s around you.

Cathedral Rock

MA: Can you recommend a couple of your personal favorite hikes, where getting that chance to "open up your senses" is most possible?

Mr. Sedona: Yes, I would recommend visiting some of the less well known spots, because there's fewer people around. It's hard to experience the vortex with five hundred other people sharing the moment with you! 

I like the Allen's Bend hiking trail in Oak Creek Canyon because it's cool and wet. Or, try Marg's Draw - it's big and bold, offers spectacular views as it passes Snoopy Rock, and it’s a little more gentle of a trail. Finally, the Aerie Trail, which is located off Dry Creek Road in the Boynton Canyon area, is wide and scenic, and another less-traveled spot you might try if you're looking for an area where you can really take in all of Sedona's beauty.

Screenshot (of app) courtesy of Sedona Video Productions

MA: Another great way to make the most of a visit to a vortex is to take a virtual tour guide with you, right? I hear you just released a new iPhone and Android app for travelers looking to find and experience the vortex sites on their own. That's very exciting. Tell me more about it!

Mr. Sedona: Our new “Sedona Vortex App” is the first of its kind, perfect for anyone with a smart phone, and produced by the team at http://sedonavideos.com/

The GPS gets you to beautiful places, and the entertaining videos allow me to guide you, teach you, and even lead you on a meditation!

MA:  My last question is for the visitors who ask, "What should I feel at a vortex site?" How would you respond to that question?

Mr. Sedona:The best question to ask is not, "What should I be feeling?" but instead, "How am I feeling?" Think of the energy as widespread, and you’ll realize that those more sensitive to this subtle energy may feel it everywhere they are in Sedona. Others might not feel it all. Either way, you can have an enjoyable experience just getting out in nature here.

People have mistakenly thought that they have to get out of their body to have a mystical experience. Actually, moving your body into nature is one of the very best way to experience Sedona's energy. Open your senses and your heart, too, and enjoy whatever comes to you. This isn't a test, so you can't get it wrong.

But if you stay in a hotel room or in a vehicle, you'll definitely be missing out!

MA:  Thank you so much for your fantastic insight into Sedona's vortex energy, Mr. Sedona. We'll see you on the trails!

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Like Mr. Sedona, I always tell people: the vortexes are what you make of them. If you come to Sedona expecting to have a great experience, you probably will. If you come to Sedona with an attitude of pessimism, expecting not to have a great experience, then you might get exactly that!

So, come to Sedona with an open mind, and create your own journey through Red Rock Country. Whether you believe in the vortex energy or not, this is a magical place, and we guarantee you can have a magical experience if you simply get out in (and on!) the red rocks.

About the Authors

Megan Aronson has been in the tourism industry in Sedona for eleven years, as a Concierge and the Host of her own T.V. show, “Out & About with Megan.” She is a full-time writer who enjoys hiking, biking, camping and uncovering new red rock discoveries in her own backyard with her husband and two children.

Mr. Sedona is Dennis Andres, the author of What Is A Vortex?, Sedona’s Top 10 Hikes, and Sedona: The Essential Guidebook. He is the founder of “Mr. Sedona Private Guides,” and the new "Sedona Vortex App." He leads adventures through Sedona and around the world. You can find him at http://mrsedona.com/

All photos courtesy and copyright Megan Aronson, except where noted. Feature photo: Sedona Red Rocks