Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park ~ Sedona, AZ

Buddha of Infinite Light

Although we had lived in Sedona for many years, we had never visited the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park.  Thanks to a friend, a recent trip to Red Rock Country from the Valley of the Sun brought us to this sacred ground, situated at the base of Thunder Mountain.

Amitabha Stupa with Chimney Rock in background

Stupas have graced the Earth for over 2,600 years and are said to be the physical embodiment of the Buddha’s enlightened mind.  One of the oldest forms of sacred architecture on the planet, their blessings are immeasurable and their presence in the West very rare.  For millennia stupas have been built to deepen the spiritual life and promote healing, peace, and prosperity, and are a place for meditation and spiritual renewal.

Rosie & Terry at the Stupa

Stupa’s crown

Medicine wheel on the Stupa grounds

Offerings at the base of the Stupa

Red rocks with dusting of snow

Construction on the 36-foot tall Amitabha Stupa began in July, 2003, with a final 3-day consecration ceremony taking place on August 1, 2004.  On this final day, marked with offerings, song, and dance, prayers began in the early dawn at 5:00 AM.  At this hour the Stupa was bathed in moonlight, but when the rising sun shone on the face of the Amitabha Buddha, the Stupa was born.  Since then the Amitabha Stupa has been radiating blessings of compassion day and night.

The external beauty of the Stupa covers many offerings within its walls.  A sok-shing, tapered 4-sided, 21-foot long cedar column runs along the central channel and is the life force of the Stupa.  It is carved at the top like a stupa and has a thunderbolt at the bottom.  A large copper cauldron has been placed in the center  as a symbol to protect the environment and replenish the five classical elements (earth, water, fire, air, and space) and is said to restore the Earth’s vital energies. Along with this are holy relics, rolled mantras, semi-precious stones and crystals, and other deity statues.

Red rock serenity

Sacred ground in the high desert

Can you spot Coffeepot Rock?

Image of Amitabha in faceplate

Prayer flags fluttering in the breeze

When you arrive at a stupa, Buddhist tradition teaches that there is great benefit in walking clockwise around the stupa at least three times, while making personal prayers for those suffering and for world concerns.  A small offering can be made after this journey to dedicate the merit of these prayers for the greater good.

After the three of us had made the journey around the Stupa, we quietly absorbed the serenity of our surroundings.  Soon a lone coyote’s cry pierced the silence.  Native Americans feel the coyote teaches us that only when all illusions have fallen away will we connect with the source ~ beautiful symbolism experienced on this sacred ground.

Prayer flag mantra

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Hiking in Red Rock Splendor

We set aside a good deal of time while in Sedona to catch up on tune-ups for our vehicles, tune-ups for ourselves (doctor appointments), and catching up with friends.  We did manage to squeeze in a few hikes, which we would have sorely regretted if we had not taken the time.

Sedona has such a network of hiking trails.  I won’t even venture to guess how many; the list goes on and on, with many taking on the names of their beloved namesake rock formations; i.e.  Rabbit Ears, Coffepot Rock, Cowpies (no kidding), and Bell Rock, just to name a few.

Rabbit Ears

Coffeepot Rock

The hike we decided upon was a combination of three connecting trails, Teacup, Soldiers’ Pass and ending on Brins Mesa, with some absolutely stunning views throughout.  The hike totaled 8 miles with the added bonus of most of it being downhill on the way back.  It is one thing to see the red rocks as you head into Sedona by way of a vehicle but to get out into this wilderness and explore adds another dimension of beauty.

Can you see the priest and 3 nuns in the background to the right?

For those who do not enjoy hiking but would like to get out and see some of the spectacular views and learn a little more about the history of this part of Arizona, many of the better known rock formations can be seen from the road and there are numerous Native American ruins in the area, two of which I have included photos of below.

Montezuma Castle

Tuzigoot

It is time to say goodbye to our Sedona friends.  From here we are heading to Mesa to the Usery Mountain Regional Park where we plan to soak up the sun and enjoy more desert hikes.

Raven silouette captured while hiking

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Red Rock Beauty

We plan to spend the next couple of weeks in Sedona, where we previously owned a home.  No matter how long you live in this area, it is difficult not to have a jaw-dropping experience when you turn off the highway and get your first peek at the red rocks.  There is a real beauty here and some would say it goes beyond the physical, if you read any number of articles/books written about the vortices and paranormal activity that some feel is pervasive here.  Whatever resonates with you, I don’t think anyone can come here and not feel the magic that has been bestowed on this area in the way of nature.

We spent Christmas day with our good friends Rosie and Jim, taking a hike into the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness area, 56,000 acres of spectacular red, orange, and cream-colored sandstone cliffs, dotted with pinion, juniper, and cypress trees.  The glassy, Verde river snaked through the canyon, and although something we would not entertain in December, swimming holes found here would be a welcome respite during the heat of the summer.

In prehistoric times, the canyon accommodated the Sinagua Indians and as you descend further into the quiet of the canyon, you can almost hear the whispers of these ancient peoples as the wind weaves its way through this vast wilderness.  Or perhaps, as some believe, it is a transdimensional being that has descended from a UFO, or Bigfoot moving through the shadows.

One Sedona author, Tom Dongo, finds Sycamore Canyon to be “just a flat-out weird place”, stating that he “wouldn’t spend the night there by myself”.  Dongo says that “people from Sedona often see things going in and out of the canyon.  I’ve seen UFO’s many times.  There seems to be an alien/government tunnel system there, too.”  Whatever you believe, Sycamore Canyon, in the light of day, is an amazing slice of wilderness but alas, we did not sense any unseen beings walking next to us.

Golden shrubs against a backdrop of verdant willows

Red rock reflections

Happy Holidays

As most of you know, we headed north of the border in early December to spend time with family and friends during the holiday season.  The first leg of our journey began in Phoenix, where we had stored our vehicle and personal belongings.  When we opened our storage unit and began to pare it down even further, we were struck by what minimalists we have become, which made me reflect on what is important to us and what we all (if we are honest with ourselves) at times lose sight of, with the hectic event that has become our daily lives.

We spent the first two days in Phoenix with our good friends Carl and Marcia, whose kindness and generosity of spirit are so uplifting and my hope is that each of you have someone in your life who gives so freely of themselves as they do.

Carl, Marcia, Jassmine (Jazz), Me, and Terry

From Phoenix we headed to Sedona for several days, to spend time with our friends Rosie and Jim, as well as Barb and Pete.

Rosie and Jim, as always, were generous with their time and opened their home to us. Jim went out of his way to keep us fed, cooking for us and others daily. Thank goodness we hiked most days to counterbalance the additional calories we consumed.  I don’t know what made my stomach hurt more; too much of Jim’s good cooking or his wacky sense of humor, which kept us laughing.

Me and Rosie

Jim

Jim and Rosie's Christmas Steer

Last, but certainly not least, are Barb and Pete, two special friends that we always look forward to spending time with in Sedona.  Most of you have already heard me speak of Barb.  Barb is my anam cara, my soul friend, who has been ill for many years.  She and her husband Pete have such courage and strength in the face of adversity.  I pray that I could conduct myself with the same grace that they do everyday if I were faced with the same challenges.

Pete and Barb

Barb's Amazing Nutcracker Collection!

We are fortunate to have friends spread across the country, as well as friendships developed in Mexico.  Kevin and Erin are two we met in Mexico, friends and mentors, who so generously give of their time and their knowledge and made our transition to Lakeside so easy, and we feel blessed to have them in our lives.

It would be lovely to spend the holidays with all our friends but obviously, this is unrealistic, so here is to all our friends fondly remembered at this time.  May we all step away from the stress of the commercialism of the holiday season and take a few moments to practice loving kindness for family (those close to us and those estranged), friends, and all those known to us and unknown who are suffering  at this time.

This year we are fortunate to be spending the holidays with family, unlike years of the past.   May this season find you embracing family and friends and may 2011 bless each of us with a sense of peace as we navigate through the waters of our lives.

Happy Holidays!

Hello Retirement!

This is my first official blog since stepping across the threshold of retirement.  This word, for me at times, has evoked some less than positive thoughts, so I decided to review its definition as provided by good old Webster’s.  His definition of retirement is as follows:  “withdrawal into privacy or seclusion”, with the lovely synonyms of “desolation”, “quarantine”, “separation”, and “solitude” thrown into the mix.  Who wouldn’t want to sign up for that?  Well, if you are not yet totally depressed, let me tell you that, although I enter this new phase of my life with a little trepidation, I do not intend to embrace Webster’s depiction of retirement, but choose instead to open my mind to discovering what is possible, both through the eyes of nature and exploring the inner dimension.

I am enjoying my first few weeks of “seclusion” in Sedona, Arizona, where my husband Terry and I resided before we ventured into the wilderness of Yellowstone National Park and all of its wonders.  Since Terry and I will be doing some traveling and will spend a good portion of our time south of the border for the forseeable future, I could not leave before feeding my soul by visiting my friend Barbara for a few weeks.

I met Barb approximately 5 years ago at a company picnic where I spotted her across the lawn and our lives have remained entwined ever since.  Barb is a gifted artist and musician whose life took a sharp turn when she was exposed to heavy metals in her studio back east.  She is now confined to a wheelchair, and although she is entrapped in her physical body in many ways, her mind and soul still soar with the eagles!  She is so in tune with nature (delighting in her plants and the birds in her garden) and expresses herself beautifully in her artwork and her writing, all perfected on the computer with the use of her big toe!

One of the simple joys for me when I am with Barb is our bedside chats, which actually is me crawling in bed with her to say good morning and sharing personal thoughts and reflections.  At these times I feel we are standing before each other, stripped down, being true to ourselves, no pretenses, no judgments.  Barb has a way of cutting through all that is irrelevant.  Does she realize what lessons she is teaching to those of us who are blessed to know her in this way?  I think not.

Barbara is my anam cara (soul friend), the one who reminds me not to be afraid to show the world the real me, the person who I am and the one I want to be.  It is fitting that I should begin my retirement in a place of beauty like Sedona, alongside the beautiful spirit who is Barb.  It is fitting that my initial blog honor Barb, the one who sees me as I am, loves me as I am, just as I love her.

Please enjoy the photos of Barb’s garden and those of Sedona and, for those who are venturing into retirement, already there, or on the path to getting to know and honoring their true self, “take your candle and go light your world”.  ~Kathy Troccoli~

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