Sedona Vortexes

The power vortexes* of Sedona, Arizona, are important sites for New Age adherents, who regard them as places of powerful mystical energy. First discovered by mystical methods in the 1950s, Sedona's vortexes have become so popular that the town has become a major center of New Age spirituality. But many nonbelievers are attracted to Sedona as well, thanks to the area's spectacular red rock formations - four of which happen to coincide with vortexes.

In New Age thinking, a vortex is a place of especially high mystical power or energy, located where hypothetical alignments called "ley lines" intersect with one another. The idea of ley lines began with the publication of Early British Trackways (1922) by Alfred Watkins, an amateur archaeologist and antiquarian.

Watkins noticed that straight lines could be drawn between ancient sacred sites like Stonehenge and Avebury and hypothesized that these lines were ancient trade routes. He associated these "trackways" with the Greek god of communication, Hermes, and suggested a Celtic/Druidic equivalent was the primary god worshipped in prehistoric England.

The New Age movement eventually took up the idea of ley lines, interpreting them as magnetically-charged sources of cosmic energy. Some also associate the lines with UFO landing sites and/or the "spirit lines" of ancient shamanic flights. Ley lines are now regularly discovered and mapped, most commonly through the use of dowsing rods.

New Age adherents believe that by meditating at these special locations, one can experience spiritual and sometimes even physical healing. Vortexes, where two or more ley lines intersect, are therefore especially powerful sources of energy.

Sedona's vortexes were discovered in the 1950s by New Age adherent Page Bryant through channeling. Bryant identified four "power vortexes" that coincide with spectacular rock formations in and around the small town of Sedona: Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock and Boynton Canyon.

Sedona's vortexes have since become so popular that visitor centers now offer handouts and maps map pointing out their locations. There are also guided tours, accompanied by commentary emphasizing Native American and New Age spirituality.

Fortunately, some of the most impressive geological features of the Sedona landscape are also considered vortexes, so visitors can experience some spectacular natural beauty while exploring the energy fields. According to some sources, a good way to identify where the vortex power is strongest is to look for twisted juniper branches. The four main vortexes are located at:

Follow links above for more details on each or see our Sedona Map for an overview of their locations.