Desperately seeking something: On the trail of energy vortexes in Sedona, Arizona

In my first 10 hours in Sedona, I’ve already earnestly browsed and purchased a selection of crystals, received a “mindful massage” from a stranger in a bar, and wept in a Buddhist prayer garden. So far, so Sedona. Back home, such theatrics would put me in line for a hefty dose of hard mockery, but this small town in northern Arizona is not a place for cynics or sceptics.

Home to dramatic terracotta buttes, ponderosa pines and huge cerulean skies, this jaw-dropping landscape attracts everyone from Instagrammers seeking money-shots to spiritualists with more metaphysical motivations. Located two hours south of the Grand Canyon, almost three million people arrive in this desert town each year seeking relaxation and spiritual healing due to its international reputation as a major global energy hub, rich with what are known locally as vortexes.

Similar to other sacred sites, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza, Machu Picchu and Uluru, Sedona is believed to be a place where points of energy rise and fall beneath the earth, with some convinced these bestow a sense of “spiritual realignment”. Visitors often report experiencing a sense of calm, a palpable tingling sensation on their skin, or a sense of emotional release during their time here. As well as being an ancient sacred site for indigenous people, the energy here is said to be so strong that juniper trees twist and bend themselves in response to its force.

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When it comes to matters spiritual, I’m more familiar with a pomeranian dog than a downward one – and if my aura does exist, it’s long overdue for a cleanse – yet I’m unmistakably moved by the majestic scenery. Determined to do as the Romans do, I down a shot of spirulina and prepare to open my mind.

My first stop is a Pink Jeep Tour. These ubiquitous pepto-pink four-wheel drives can be seen whizzing tourists to and from the town’s many natural attractions, but I’ve opted for the Touch the Earth experience, a three-hour tour that takes in Airport Mesa – one of around seven major vortexes in Sedona – Mystic Visa and Lover’s Knoll. Our amiable guide gives us an excellent overview of the history of vortexes in Sedona, tells us about the significance of some of the city’s sites to Native American cultures, and takes us to some incredible viewpoints to gaze at the big wide open. There’s no disputing the majesty of these hallowed spots and the peace is a welcome tonic for my city-weary soul – but I’m seeking a more visceral experience.

The following day, I head to SpiritQuest Sedona Retreats for a vortex experience. A decidedly more intimate affair, my wife and I are joined only by Trey, a man so chill we’re at risk of developing frostbite in his presence. Before setting off, he asks us “what our intentions are for the next few hours”. It’s a big question. To feel… something? The three of us drive a short distance to the start of a trail, where we hike for about 10 minutes before it opens out onto a large terracotta plateau known as Secret Slickrock, and a startling vista directly facing Cathedral Rock. This giant edifice surrounded by green – pines, juniper, Arizona cypress trees, plus prickly pear cactus and agave americana – is largely believed to be the most “powerful” of Sedona’s vortexes. It’s nothing short of spectacular.

Trey lays down blankets he has brought, hands us each a small quartz crystal that is said to “amplify energy” and encourages us to lie down on our back and close our eyes. Simply relaxing in nature with the sun on our faces already feels good. He talks us through doing some deep breathing, encourages us to “let go of judgement” and then begins to play a singing bowl above us. The sound is mesmerising and I feel a deep sense of relaxation. Later, he produces a pack of Medicine Cards – a kind of divination system – from which we pull one at random, while he talks us through the reading. Critics will find plenty to object to here, but there’s no disputing that I feel significantly more at peace after the experience. Granted, I’m yet to feel any tingling sensations, but maybe simply chilling out in stunning surroundings is the winning formula.

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It may all sound a bit woo-woo, but the theory is somewhat shored up by Pete A Sanders, an MIT graduate who studied biochemical chemistry and brain science and turned down a place at Harvard Medical School to pursue his independent exploration of all things mind, body and spirit. The antithesis of a tie-dye wearing New Agester, Pete is just one of numerous scientists who have studied Sedona and its vortexes – but he’s considered the local expert.

Over a juice, he tells me that he wants people to go beyond “the vortexes” and, instead, focus on “the vortex effect”. He describes the latter as a combination of physics, gravity and brain science that explains why sites like Sedona’s vortexes work. “Sedona has the best combination of characteristics for triggering ‘the vortex effect’,” he says. “It has the perfect visual characteristics: neuro-stimulating red-orange rock, hope-inspiring green (Sedona is green year-round), and blue sky visual vastness.

“A lot of people who come here and aren’t into vortexes arrive and say, ‘God, I feel like I can heal here better’ – whether that’s physically, mentally or emotionally.”

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Two of my four fellow passengers on the Pink Jeep Tour are certainly hoping so. A woman aged around 30 tells us she’s in recovery from cancer, while her companion is terminally ill and barely a day over 40. It’s a sobering reminder that, as well as being beautiful to look at and easy to poke fun at, Sedona is also a magnet for people seeking their own personal miracle. Confronted by this reality, I bite my tongue, count my own blessings, and simply admire the knockout view.

British Airways, American Airlines, Finnair and Iberia all fly direct to Phoenix Sky Harbor, Arizona from London Heathrow multiple times a day. 

From Phoenix, you can either hire a car for an easy drive to Sedona, almost all of which is on a single, well maintained road (Interstate 17), or take a shuttle bus from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, which runs several times a day.

The pet-friendly Sedona Reál Inn and Suites is a good budget option, with doubles from $204 (£170), B&B, including parking.