Our Long Journey back home

This morning we begin our long journey home. Thousands of miles to get back to our own space. Thousands of miles and lots of hours to shift our minds from vacation mode back to reality. Causing me to reflect on our journey. To feel the process of separation from the idyllic lifestyle we have experienced over the last two weeks. The longest vacation I have ever taken in my work career. And am I ever glad I took this time for myself with my family.
It's amazing how perspective changes when we are driving to a place than when we are driving away from it. On our drive up to Sedona it seemed like we were driving through desert scenery after desert scenery. Anticipation mounting as to when we were going to see the Red Rocks Sedona is so known for. Pure joy when we finally caught sight of them.
However yesterday when we were leaving Sedona, we tried really hard to hold on to the red rock scenery for as long as we could. Tried to hold on to the image of the rocks for as long as we could. Holding onto the feeling we felt in Sedona. The peace. The love. The fulfilment and nourishment.
And then when the rocks were behind us, unlike when my husband and I left them some 15 years before, the feeling of fulfilment and the sense of gratitude and abundance remained with us even when we could no longer see them. The feelings remained with us for the whole drive. This time because we savoured the feel of Sedona the whole time we were there. Not taking any moment for granted. Not being sceptical about anything that came our way. Embracing all that was meant for us to experience and fully enjoying the experience. This time we were filled to the brim. Satiating our every need and beyond.
Leaving Sedona for all of us was bittersweet. A week full of fun and discovery. A week full of family togetherness and sharing. A week of pure and undeniable energy pouring into us. Both of our children saying they will really miss Sedona. The range of activities available to them. To all of us. The feel they felt there which they can't really articulate. But I understand. The feeling is not something that can be explained or expressed because it is so unique. So individual. My husband commenting that he so enjoyed himself in Sedona that he did not feel any regret about leaving. The feeling to remain in his heart forever as is the case for all of us. Leaving me feeling very happy that my family was happy.
Worried about what was ahead of me on my return because the last two weeks had been so idyllic. Looking up as we left Sedona and seeing a lone raven flying above us as if bidding us adieu, I relaxed knowing the Universe was shining down on us. And as I got that, the raven disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Leaving me grounded in the present moment. Not worrying about what was to come but savouring the journey ahead of us.
Allowing us all to see the beauty of the scenery that we were looking beyond on our drive up because we were too busy waiting to glimpse Sedona. But now that we were full with all Sedona could give us and all that we could experience, the scenery had changed from desert scenery in our minds to a beautiful and rolling scenery. Cacti that looked like it could get up and walk along side us. Rolling hills. A sense of space. A sense of openness.
As we got closer and closer to city with the sun shifting behind us casting a radiant light as if Arizona was sending us away with love and light. Filling us with possibility, I knew this trip was given to us as a gift. A gift for us to explore what we needed as individuals to grow, to expand, to see the more, and to accept we are where we are meant to be.
Recognising sometimes we have to step outside of our comfort zones in order to embrace the new as we did on this trip as a family. Today we will travel thousands of miles back home. Far away from our escape. A good thing as it give us time to transition back to reality. To savour our family vacation. To savour us. To appreciate all that we are. All that we have been exposed to. And all that is to come.
In gratitude for our journey to our escape and for our journey back to reality.

The magical weave of the flute by Wolfs Robe

Last night my family had the privilege of attending a flute concert by Wolfs Robe, A Native American from the Shawnee tribe. Not only were we moved by his music but we were also moved by the history lesson Wolfs weaved through his music. Educating us about the importance of the flute to the Native American tribes.
A flute educator and maker himself, Wolfs explained how each flutes was made and could be traced to the person who made them based on its length which was the length of the maker's arm. And each one is specific to the individual maker based on the size of his hands and fingers. Sending us on a wonderful trip through nature and time with each flute he played. Placating us. Soothing us.
He then showed us the modern day flute which is ironically called the Native American concert flute. But he told us this flute has nothing to do with the Native Americans at all. And when he played it, the sound was not as sweet nor as soul stirring as the traditional Native American flute. Explaining to us that it is because the flute was mass produced rather than individually crafted therefore it lacked the soul of the individual flutes. Modern day flutes are produced to appeal to the masses. Whereas the traditional flute is made on an individual basis and therefore incorporates the soul of its maker. And carries his passion. Which can never be mass produced.
He also told us the modern day flute was designed based on traditional flutes that were confiscated during the European invasion. The Europeans took them because they believed the flutes were used for ceremony. So they believed there were along the lines of sorcery and because they wanted to "tame" the Native Americans, they took the one thing they thought would break their spirits.
He also explained the flute for a time lost its place within the Native American tribes because no one wanted to see the peaceful side of them. Most people when they think of Native Americans think of them in their war paint, drums and war clothing and that's what they want to see when they see them. War and violence rather than the sweet and gentle side of the flute. He says as a result the flute only made it resurgence in the 1960s during the hippy peace and love movement.
He explained during the first European invasion, thousands of flutes were confiscated but now only about 35 of them remain in the Smithsonian Institute. He says he is asked all the time whether he is angry about what happened. To which he responds, "I could look at the situation as the glass is half empty or half full and I choose to look at it as half full and to be grateful for there being 35 ancient flutes still left. I could hold that anger but did any of you in the audience steal the flutes so who would I be angry with? The people that stole from us and tried to break our spirits are all dead so why would I waste my time being angry with history when I can't change it. I am just grateful the 35 flutes are there for us to see."
I felt a chill go up and down my spine when he said this because his words of wisdom resonated with me profoundly. I was looking at a man whose ancestors used to roam the American continent as free people. People who lived off the land and respected the land. The flutes that were confiscated were designed to become one with the wildlife,  mostly birds, of the places where they lived. They were designed as instruments of nature such that when the maker closed his eyes and played his instrument it would be like he was out in nature, meandering through the woods with nothing but its sounds bringing him joy. And that connection to nature and to the soul was taken away from his ancestors first by the invasion and then by the missionaries when they came along and tried to convert the Natives  to Christianity.
But yet he has forgiveness in his heart for what had been done to his people and instead of reacting in an angry way, he has turned these sad periods in his ancestral history into an opportunity to educate people about the importance of the flute to his people and the part it has played in their history. And he does it by playing a tune from each different type of flute. Lulling his audience in unsuspectingly and then once he has them enraptured, he brings the audience back to reality by telling the history of each flute.
I believe Wolfs does well because he expresses gratitude for all he has and all that has happened. Respecting there is nothing that can be done to rewrite the pages of history but hopefully by educating people in a non threatening way, he can prevent a similar atrocity from reoccurring in the future.
Music is the universal language that soothes the soul. Drawing us in. Transporting us back to a place and time when ceremony was the way we connected. When we roamed freely before structure came and imprisoned us. Reminding us on a deep soul level about where we came from. When we were at one with nature.
Imagine an instrument that became most used by the Native American males in the 15th and 16th centuries to court the women of their dreams becoming such an instrument of scorn and hate by those who did not understand that man, love, and nature are one in the same? An instrument fashioned out of nature and its sounds to transport us back to the place of love, of beginning, of connection becoming one viewed by the non Natives as one of contempt or hate. Such a dark and destructive period in mankind's history that is now being turned into a forum for healing.
Wolf has learned to appeal to our souls and draw us in with gratitude, forgiveness, love and light allowing each person that attends his concerts to understand that if we want to be successful with anything in life we must first come from a place of forgiveness, gratitude and love. Only then will we be able to draw people in. Only then will be able to educate and promote Universal love. Only then will we have peace in this world. Because we will remember we were born of love and of light. And wherever there is music, there is joy.
I feel privileged to have been in the presence of a man who promotes such a powerful message through the Universal language of music. His website aptly states, "Our Native culture is like a delicate weaving, with each strand representing a part of our world. The flute is just one of those strands. If you cut one strand, over time you will lose the entire weaving, so I strove to keep this part of our Native culture alive, evolving and intact. I wish to share it with the world."
If you would like to learn more about Wolfs Robe and what he does, you may visit his website www.akaflutemanent.com.  

A Soul Awakening Family Vortex and Medicine Wheel Journey with Akal

Each one of us is journeying to and for the Source. Each one of us is searching to and for the Source. Each one of us has a seperate road to take. Each leading back to the whole of which we are connected.

But the journey for each of us is as distinct as our fingerprints. No two paths the same. No two journeys the same. Our paths may intersect. Criscross. But they are always unique to each one of us.

This fact was proven yesterday as my family embarked on a vortex journey with Akal from Sedona Red Rocks Tours. A man of the soil. Of the spirit. Gentle and powerful at the same time. A voice that pulls you in from the moment go. Not too overbearing but commanding at the same time. His presence all encompassing.

We all boarded the same vehicle. Set out in the same direction. But at each vortex, the message that came to each one of us was seperate and distinct according to what we needed. Even though we stood side by side, each experience, each lesson was designed for each one of us individually. Seperately but comingled with the Universal Oneness. Making our individual journeys that much stronger. Heartfelt. Shared.

The first vortex resonated the most with me. Perched high on a hill in a most unexpected form was a structure designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. So the lines were clean and linear. Tall and somewhat imposing but built on top of the rock. It was built as a cross between Christianity and Spirituality on Hopi Sacred Ground. Now called The Church of the Holy Cross.

Walking into the church with soft music playing, I was immediately drawn to one side of the church. Feeling the presence of Spirit more there than on the other side. So I sat and closed my eyes and gave thanks to the Universe. And there before me, appeared a feminine spirit with long black hair, hands outstretched. And before I could say a word, her image disappeared. But I could still feel her presence as my whole being tingled from head to toe. Knowing she was welcoming me back.

As we walked out the door, I could feel her stronger within me. Making it difficult for me to leave. But I did. Walked out to face the world again. Hearing the chanting of the Hopi who return to their sacred land.

The next vortex was Rachel's Knoll. Closed to the public some years before because the land had been sold to make a private golf course after Rachel died. But her son fought to make the Medicine Wheel area public again as that was the sitpulation of the sale. And after many years, he won the battle so the site is once again open to the public.

The site majestic. High up overlooking the Boynton Canyon and the Twin Buttes. My husband feeling the vibrations much stonger than any of us. Making me realise this journey, though iniatiated by me, was more his than mine. So I took a step back. Allowing him to fully experience his journey. To fully experience his emotions. To begin his awakening as I did mine some 15 years before.

This time the journey was his. Our children witnessing their father renewing his soul. Reconnecting with spirit. Awakening to all that he is. Our son by his dad's side for most of his journey. Though our son was not saying much. Lending his support just by being there. Without judgement. Aiding his dad with his presence. Standing at the edge of the mesas high above the ground with his father. Guarding him with his presence as ravens flew overhead in the clear blue sky. Without fear.

My daughter and I taking a back seat. Sitting back further from the edge. But closer than I would have otherwise dared because of my fear of heights and her fear of falling. Recognising together that it was our males' time so we let them be.

Without fear, our son stayed with his father silently guiding him through his rite of passage as was he experiencing, without realising, a soul awakening of his own. In his own way. I was so proud of my family. Proud of our togetherness in such sacred spaces. Proud of us knowing when to step back for one another. So the one who stood to benefit the most from the vortex could and would. And did.

And then we went to our final vortex, The Sacred Buddhist Stupas of Kunzang Palyul Choling. This site resonating with us all. Walking clockwise around the towering 36 foot Amitabha Stupa. Saying prayers silently. My husband and I stopping halfway as we faced the Buddha against the backdrop of one of the Vortex. Culminating in a medicine wheel ceremony. Where our daughter danced to the beat of the drum, the shaking of rattles and the lull of Akal's Native American style chant. Each one of us being moved in a way that allowed our spirits to soar.

I faced west taking in the strength of the third eye. Our son drummed. My husband reflecting while Akal sang chanted and drummed for us. Bringing our journeys back to the whole. Back to the centre. Strengthening us by allowing us to explore our inner most selves as individuals. Only to join at the end.

Ending this ritual as we walked back down from our Medicine Wheel ceremony on a different path that took us past the smaller Tara Stupa. Winding our way back down to civilization. Our hearts, minds and souls full of all that is, will be and was.

Powerful beyond words on a picture perfect Sedona afternoon. Clear blue skies. Scattered to no clouds. Ideal temperature. The wind only picking up as we meditated letting us hear its strength. Ravens flying overhead. The silence loud enough for us to hear. Opening us to the Universe. To its abundance, gifts and treasures as individuals joined together as a family under the guidance of Spirit through the hand of Akal. Uniting us. Liberating us.

What a wonderful way to spend a family day. Full of reverance, ritual and worship. Beginning with the Christian/Spiritual Temple ending with the Buddhist Stupa. Showing my family regardless of what our religions, creeds, races or backgrounds may be, we are all looking for the way back to the One Source. To find meaning in our lives. To live meaningful lives. To matter. To have mattered. To love. To have loved.

And being out in nature. Surrounded by Spirit. Embraced by the light and love of the Universe. Showed me just how there is a natural balance to life when we remember we are journeying always. And if we remember to give thanks for all we receive, the Source will always find us no matter where we are. Namaste.

For more information of Sedona Red Rock Tours, visit www.sedonaredrocktours.com or email them sedonaredrocktours@gmail.com. Phone (928) 282-0993.

The Enchantment enchanting us once again

Yesterday my husband and I took a trip down memory lane. We went back to the place where we came 15 years ago when we fell in love with Sedona - The Enchantment. Enchanting us once again.
This time we did not go as a couple but as a family.
Taking our two children with us so they could share in our nostalgia. Showing them the place where we decided there was more to life than the life we were living at the time. The place where we were awakened to the all. Allowing us to make major decisions in our lives setting the stage for them to come into our lives. Neither one of us could have anticipated the magnitude of the feelings we experienced going back to where we made those major decisions all those years before.
The drive to The Enchantment was very different to the drive we took 15 years ago. Landmarks had changed. The town had expanded and there were more people and cars than when we were originally here. There were certain landmarks that had remained the same - The Heartline Cafe to be specific but was now surrounded by so much more stuff.
As we turned into Boynton Canyon, the mesas coming into full view, the memories of where we had been before came flooding back to the forefront. The scenery seemingly calling our names. Welcoming us back home to our first major awakening. I knew we were close to the entrance because I felt that familiar feeling of being on sacred ground - the golf course was built on a native American burial ground and I could feel the presence as I did 15 years ago of the wise ones who had been buried there. Sending out peace and blessings to the ancestors who helped pave the way for the rest of us as we crossed the line.
We parked in the parking lot and decided to walk around the resort. Going through the romantic arch of vines and fairy lights almost as if we were walking into fairy tale. Stepping out of reality and into that make believe world of yesteryear. Crossing over into Enchanted land where dreams come true. Fairies roam. A place where possibility abounds. Enrapturing us. Enlightening us. Our children marvelling at the way their parents used to travel.
We then decided to have a look at the restaurant where we spent our first night all those years before looking romantically into each other's eyes. The restaurant's name had changed but the location was still the same. The memories still remained the same. Of where we sat. Talking about the future. Deciding to become parents. As we stood on the threshold of the restaurant, time felt like it stood still. Like we were here the day before. But as I looked at our 14 year old son, as tall as I am, voice cracking and our 9 year old,blossoming before our eyes, I saw through them just how much time had really passed by.
Blinking I could see my husband and I as that couple with stars in our eyes about where we were going and what was coming next. Only to blink again, seeing us expanded as a family. The four of us. The dynamics completely changed but better. Some 15 years later.
Seeing just how much we can't take time for granted. That even if we decide to stand still and wait for life, it will not wait for us. It just keeps moving.  Seeing through our children's growth that time waits for no one and we have to take advantage of every single second we have. Just like that 15 years gone by. There is nothing like seeing time than through the growth of children.
We felt so comfortable at the Enchantment that we decided to stay. It was like coming home. We decided on lunch at the more casual Tii Gavo Restaurant with  panoramic views of the Boynton Canyon. Birds of prey flying between the rocks. Our children finding a chess table. Settling down to a game of chess while my husband and I stood outside talking about life, looking at the Canyon. Hugging each other. Still with stars in our eyes. Still talking about our future. Against the staggeringly breathtaking Boynton Canyon.
And then we were shown to our table with views that were astounding beyond belief.  A perfect setting to watch the natural light show on the Canyon. Every second the light on the rocks changing showing us different images. Different shadows. Different meanings.
A large Native American image coming out of the rocks facing us, looking like he was seated guarding his Native home. To his extreme left, an image of a totem pole at the end of the Canyon. And in between them, faces of more ancestors looking out over the Canyon. Casting a spell over the Canyon. Mystical, mysterious and magical.
Even better than this beautiful experience was the fact that the day had been dull. The sun light seemingly obscured by the clouds. Yet the rocks were lit up constantly. Every time we looked at the rocks, they had light on them. And the light seemed to dance from one mesa to the next. Giving each section the spotlight for a time. Allowing each one it's time to shine. Giving each one the glow it needed to stand out in its time.
The whole experience so mesmerising, we didn't even attempt to photograph it. We knew there is  nothing that could recreate the images we were seeing. Each image personal to each one of us. Revealing  only what we were capable of seeing and believing. Only what resonated with our souls.
Making me realise, we are shown whatever we are capable of seeing. What we are meant to see. The light is constantly there even on our darkest days. Sometimes it's just not for us to see. It's for those that need it most. Those whose turn it is to shine as the light shone on different parts of the rocks. Lighting each one at a time as it does for each one of us. When the time is right. Only when the time is right.
And then to top of our magical day, last night my husband and I toasted each other for all that we have been through. My husband telling me he thoroughly enjoyed our vow renewal in Kauai because it was actually pleasurable to do. Both of us marvelling at the water that has travelled under the bridge for us since we were last here 15 years before. Marvelling at the love we share, the family we have created, the journey we are sharing. Embraced by the light always as long as we believe as the lights in Boynton Canyon at The Enchantment showed us in a very big way.
In gratitude to the Universe for us, for our abundance, for the choices we make every day. For the Enchantment in Sedona enchanting us once again some 15 years later, a couple now a family of four. Growing. Journeying. And ever grateful. Namaste.

Hope is the only thing greater than fear

A cold and windy day in Sedona yesterday. Completely different from the day before when we were basking in the sun but that's desert life for you - unpredictable and no two days the same. Teaching those that live in the desert to always be prepared for the unexpected. To just go with the flow.
My son and husband went out first thing in the morning for a mountain bike ride through the vortex. Father and son out in the elements. Testing each other against the elements. Riding together amidst the energy. Bonding in a manly way as our son is beginning to test the waters of manhood. A great way to get our fourteen year old out in nature with his dad.
My daughter and I relaxing together. Her resting. Me doing all the stuff I needed to do. Each of us doing what we needed.
As time wore on, the weather deteriorated slowly but surely. Wind picking up quickly. Strong. Gales. Sun hidden behind heavy and dark clouds. Cold bitter winds. Temperatures plummeting to the 40s from the high 70s the day before. A day to stay indoors and relax.
By the time my husband and son returned flushed with the outdoors and a feeling of euphoria from making it through the challenge of the elements, we were all famished and ready to eat. So we decided to go into the town of Sedona to explore. Not realising just how much the drop in temperature would chill us to the bone.
The town very different from the one my husband and I remembered when we were here 15 years before. More built up. More sanitised. More trendy than we remembered it. But we both liked the feel. The energy different in the town than it was out on the vortex but inviting just the same despite the cold.
We found the Taos restaurant. A Mexican restaurant our son had read about and wanted to try so we did. Great food. Great service. Great family conversation. After eating, we dared to brave the cold and rain to explore some of the town. The rocks providing a dramatic backdrop to the town. The light somehow still finding its way to the tops of the rocks.Lighting them that little bit to add a glow.
When the rain came down harder and the wind howled that much more, we took shelter in a little museum that told us about how the town Sedona got its name. Confirming the story the school teachers told us nights before. We then decided the weather was telling us it was a good day to vegetate. To do nothing but snuggle indoors and watch movies we had rented.
When we drove back to our complex, we were staggered to realise we are actually staying in the condo directly across the street from the original stone hotel where the original Sedona and her husband lived many years before. As if beckoning our Sedona to take up where the original Sedona left off. Our daughter proud but somewhat unnerved by it all.
We came into the condo digesting all the signs of the Universe. All the evidence that our lives are in major transition. Each of us being touched in different ways by this special trip. We came in to relax. To just be. Our son choosing The Hunger Games for us to watch. A book series I had resisted getting for him years before because I thought it sounded too violent. Too exploitive of children. But he eventually asked us for it. After having read just about every age appropriate books. And not wanting to discourage him from reading, I relented and got the series for him. So when he chose the movie I was less than enthusiastic about watching it because I did not like the premise. But decided to watch it as our family was looking to do something together.
Cynically I sat down to watch the movie, not expecting to like it at all. But was enraptured from almost the beginning when President Snow said, "The only thing greater than fear is hope." And then I knew why I was compelled to watch this movie. A direct message from the Universe.
Taking me back to the words famously spoken by Churchill, "the only thing to fear is fear itself." When we have hope, fear becomes secondary. Fear takes a back seat to hope because hope allows us to see beyond our fears. It gives us that glimmer of what lies ahead for us. It takes us out of our present circumstances for that split second and allows us to understand whatever we are facing, it too shall pass.
When we have something worth living for, fighting for, believing in, and worth reaching for, we allow hope in. Making way for us to move beyond our fears and on to what we must do to get to the next stage of our lives. The Hunger Games may have been about the exploitation of children but it is more about hope. The main character in the film had made a promise to her little sister that she would come back to her and that was what kept her going. What allowed her to rise above her fears and limitations, what gave her the strength to beat the odds.
A lesson for us all, in order to move beyond our fears, we must hold on to hope because it is the bridge to faith allowing us to know all will be well. Remembering always the only thing greater than fear is hope. One of the most powerful tools we can ever have in this world built upon fear which ultimately is designed to keep us away from our dreams.
In gratitude to a rainy cold day in Sedona for allowing me to hear the message, never to give up hope.

Sedona welcomes us with open arms and lots of energy

Sunday our first full day in magical Sedona. Talk about feast or famine. From one extreme to the other in less than two days. We have managed to go from the wettest place on Earth - the interior rain forest in Kauai with 450 inches of rain per year to the desert Sedona with about 13 inches of rain per year.
Topography that went from lush and green full of flowers to topography full of cacti and shrubbery. But the one thing both these places have in common is the energy. As soon as we drove into Sedona and hit the vortex my husband and I looked at each other and said did you feel that? Immediately my ears felt like they were clogged. My body tingled. My husband felt giddy. Surprising us both because when we were here 15 years ago, we were not aware of the energy until we were driving away.
This time the enegy hit us as soon as we drove in. We are not sure if it is because we were already atuned to the vortex because of our Kauai experience. Because we had already been opened to the energy centres there. There was no doubt about the effect of the energy on us this time. No denying it. No getting around it. It was like every fiber, every cell, every atom in our bodies had suddenly been awakened. Charged. Set on fire.
Driving in was magical. We had gone from desert scenery. Not much changing and then there they were - magestic red rocks. Like the scenery had just been painted and was bursting with life. Colour. Bright red. Reminding me of the blood flowing through my veins. That which keeps us alive. Pulsating. Invigorating. Fuelling us.
Seeing the red rocks, the sun hitting the rocks at different angles casting varying light and shadows over the rocks. Sometimes the rocks looked bright red like they were on fire. Other times orange like the sun. And then when they were in the shadows they even looked green. The light and hues changing as the light shifted. Sometimes showing faces. Lots of guardians looking over the valley and all those who entered. And I could feel the stories of days gone by coming out of the rocks. Like they were reaching out for me. Inviting me back in. Inviting us back in.
Our children were sniggling at us in the back of the car. Joking with each other about the energy they were not feeling. Making fun of their kooky parents who think rocks give people energy. And we understood their doubt. Their lack of belief because we were very much like them 15 years ago. Energy flows where energy goes. We are what we believe and think.
Their awareness of the energy that connects us is not mature yet. They have not grown into the interconectedness of the us all yet. So we just let them laugh at us and told them in time they will understand. We want to let them be the children they are without trying to change their beliefs through words. Rather by helping them through our actions and exposing them to as much as we can so they can form their own beliefs.
Even though my husband and I had chosen to come back to Sedona to introduce our daughter to the place we had chosen to name her after, it still felt strange driving into a place where everywhere we turn is the name Sedona. Even stranger for our daughter because her name is so unusual and now to be surrounded by her own name was overwhelming for us and for her. She both loves having her name repeated over and over again and feels uncomfortable with it at the same time.
The sacredness of this place is overwhelming and invigorating. We hope our daughter can understand just how special she is by being in this sacred space. By seeing why we called her Sedona. To experience the beauty and power of her name as we did all those years before. To understand how much honour we have bestowed upon her to name her after such a geological wonder and energy mecca.
Our first day was spent playing tennis, mini golf and exploring our resort. Discovering wind sculptures that almost reduced my husband to tears. So much beautiful energy being out doors. Meeting interesting people and people who truly love what they do and where they live. Their energy refreshing, inviting, and full of love. People of like energy drawn to a place full of energy.
We then decided to go for a walk along the Bell Vortex pathway. The heat of the day easing with an afternoon breeze. As my husband and I walked along the path, we were both taken aback by the strength of the energy emanating from the vortex. While walking between two vortex,  The Bell Rock and the Courthouse, I felt the vibrations particularly strong. The sound of  silence  almost deafening. The peace unlike anything else we had experienced. It's amazing how time allows us to grow into our appreciation for nature. Our appreciation for how interconnected we all are and the need for silence. Beautiful.
We ended our evening last night by going out for an easy dinner at the restaurant in our resort. Where we laughed and had such a great time because of all the good clean fresh air we had experienced for the day. There was table of ladies sitting next to us who said they wanted what we had because we were having so much fun laughing. And as we were leaving they stopped us to talk to them.
And it turned out they were retired school teachers from Phoenix so they knew a lot about the Sedona area and told us the very resort we were staying in was where the original Sedona, the wife of the man who named this town Sedona, used to live and farm. They told us there is a stone cottage still on the property where the orginal Sedona used to live. One of the teachers also told us she taught the grandson of the original Sedona. There are no coincidences in life. None what so ever. We were met to cross paths with the retired teachers so we could learn why we had been sent to this place to stay for the week.
To show our children and to remind us that everything happens for a reason and we are always in the place we are meant to be in when we are open to the Universe to learn the reasons why.
What a wonderful start to our stay in Sedoona and we look forward to the rest of the week.

A white knuckled journey on a six seater aircraft

Okay so I have checked flying in a small six seater airplane off my bucket list now. After coming back from my serene journey with El, I met up with my husband and children to go on a small plane tour over the Island. Because I felt so at one with nature, the Universe and everything in it, I had no fear about going on the six seater aircraft. I felt on top of the world like there was nothing that could harm me or my family.
Even boarding the little prop plane did not bother me. Neither did taxiing down the runway. I felt so excited about our new adventure. That is until the flight took off and if you don't know by now I am terrified of heights. So much so that just seeing someone standing on the edge of a drop makes my toes ache and my insides churn. I never thought I would feel the heights on the six seater because flying on large airplanes I do not feel the height because of the way the airplane is shaped and because of the size of the windows.
Not the case on a six seater aircraft  The windows are large. Designed that way so everyone can have a panoramic view from wherever they sit on the aircraft. So taking off in that little prop plane felt like I was on a roller coaster ride that kept rising and rising. Bile immediately rising  in my throat as I clutched my son's seat until I thought my fingers were going to come off. Or arthritis was going to kick in. Or rigamortis whichever came first. To say I was terrified was an understatement. My body was shaking in places I didn't even know could shake.
The plane started to vibrate and pitch and careen so I couldn't help but ask the pilot, Paul, if the entire  flight was going to be like that.  To which he responded, oh it's just a little bit of turbulence in his nonchalant cavalier sort of way. Just a little bit of turbulence I wanted to scream. This stupid little plane feels like it is going to fall apart. Shudder apart I wanted to scream back at him but I didn't. Instead I clutched the seat even harder. I swear my fingers were almost white from the blood draining out of them.
As the plane rocked around, I asked Paul if I had told him I was afraid of heights. To which he responded then don't look down just look out and enjoy the scenery. Enjoy the scenery I wanted to shout back at him. Turn this damn plane around and let me out but I didn't. I nodded sweetly. Closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep. But that only made matters worse. So I opened my eyes again. Trying desperately not to look out the windows at what was below us. All I wanted was for the flight to end.
To make matters worse, my daughter turned to me to say,"Mommy, I'm scared." Her eyes watery. Her face terrified. Looking at me like I could do something to help her but I couldn't. The worst nightmare for a mother because I felt like I had intentionally put my family in danger on this little prop plane that was capitulating all over the place like a little fly in the wind.
I then did the only thing I could. I told Paul I have a terrified daughter and then asked him how long we would be up? To which he responded we only just got started. I wanted to tell him to turn around so badly but I knew it was my husband's choice to be up there so I needed to swallow my fear. To suppress the bile that was threatening to violently project across the airplane and everyone in it. My husband reached back and squeezed our daughter's knee asking her if she was okay. She bravely shook her head. My son quiet not saying a word. All of us were in shock I believe.
In that instant the airplane ride smoothed out as much as a prop plane could. And I somewhat relaxed. Daring to look out the window at the scenery below. I have to admit the mountains looked menacing and enchanting at the same time from the heights we were flying. Mysterious yet inviting. Beautiful waterfalls softening otherwise harsh cliffs. We flew over the Jurassic Park waterfall, the Fantasy island waterfall, Julia Robert's home, Pierce Brosnan's home, inaccessible beaches and waterfronts.
And just as I started to get used to the motion of the aircraft, my husband asked the pilot if that was a whale over yonder. To which Paul said let's go check it out. And to my absolute horror, he put us in a commando style dip. The plane feeling like it was tipped on its side. My stomach in my throat. My fingers gripping so hard on the seat in front of me, they ached.
 I wanted to kill my husband at that point. Instead I said false alarm no whale in sight. And just as I said that I saw the tell tale spout of a whale slightly to the left of where we were. But I dared not say a word as I did not want to experience another dipping of the wings again. Too late Paul spotted it as well. And he turned the plane back, taking us closer to the water showing us the whale. My heart nearly stopping in my throat as we circled that whale closer and closer almost as if the wings could touch the water.
Despite my absolute terror and panic, I was in awe of the whale putting on a show for us. Coming up out of the water then diving back in. Showing us every marking on his body through the clear water. A peace washing over me as that whale seemed to say everything is going to be all right. That is until Paul decided to circle the area where the whale had surfaced to try to catch a glimpse of the whale again.
I told Paul the whale had gone. What I really wanted to say was, if you circle the ocean one more time I will scream but I didn't. I told him again, it's gone. And then he took off. Taking us back on our journey around the Island. Where we saw Princeville, the north end of the Island where we were staying. Even catching a glimpse of our condo. Paul  telling us Princeville is the most expensive place to buy a home in Kauai. Surprising us because it seemed so low key.
Leaving the coastline and the light, Paul flew us through dark clouds and into what he deemed to be his favourite part of the flight - the rainforest. The interior of the Island only seen from above. Inaccessible by land. The place where it is fabled the original Hawaiians, the Menehunes, still live. Beautiful green rugged terrain interspersed with waterfalls. Flying us over the wettest spot in the world. Said to get about 450 inches of rain per year was an unforgettable experience. A true rain forest. Lush inaccessible greenery. Setting my imagination on fire about what could possibly be living in that interior yet to be discovered by man. And quite possibly never to be discovered by man.
And then when we were getting into the rhythm again, we came in for the landing. The wheels touching the ground like a little tinker toy. I have never experienced such relief in my life as I did when those wheels touched the ground. I peeled my fingers off the back of my son's seat. Adjusted my legs to being on the ground again. Telling them not to wobble so much . The thrill was over. I thanked the Universe, the Divine, and every other Higher Power I could think of for getting us safely back on the ground.
So how can I describe our adventure in the six seater airplane? I think my husband summed it up best, exhilarating  Both the most exciting and the most terrifying experience all wrapped up in one. An experience I'm glad to have had but not one I care to do again any time soon. It's now safely and proudly checked off the bucket list now. Been there done that,  no need to do it again, sort of experience.
But for those daredevils who love a bit of adventure, if you ever want to see the whole of Kauai, the six seater is the only and best way to do it. And Paul truly is a good pilot. Just not my cup of tea.