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Sedona, Arizona, takes the spotlight as the top mystic destination on the fourth episode of “Traveling Black.”
Suppose you have been keeping up with TheGrio’s latest travel show, “Traveling Black.” By now, you should have experienced the underground South Pacific rituals of Hawaii, the Latin and Caribbean fusion history of Miami, and the Asian charm of San Francisco. But for episode four of the series, host Noel Cymone Walker takes it up a notch by diving into the ancient spirituality of Sedona, Ariz.
Sedona may have been popping up on your feed in the last couple of years as tourism has boosted in the area, and for good reason. Sedona is a desert town enveloped by red rocks, mountains, pine forests, and canyons so panoramic you might want to visit for an Instagram backdrop, if nothing else. However, Sedona tourism has also ramped up lately due to the mysticism of the locale.
With many spiritual practitioners in residence, as well as workshops and retreats available in the area, Red Rock Country — a namesake for the area — is an ideal destination for meditation, yoga, breathwork, shamanic practices, and psychic guidance — and it’s getting more abundant by the day.
The lure of the locale is not only due to its inherent beauty but also through the oral tradition of the area’s Indigenous groups. Native American tribes such as the Havasupai lived in the canyons of Arizona for over 800 years, regarding Sedona as so sacred many would not reside in the immediate area, solely going into the city for ritual practices.
Sedona is also known to have one of Earth’s highest electrical magnetic fields, known as vortexes, whirlpool-like energy centers where energy either enters the Earth or projects out of its plane. Such areas are sought after due to the belief they are conducive to healing, meditation, and self-exploration; Sedona has not just one vortex but four.
In the episode, watch as Noel explores a variety of fun and mystic things to do in Sedona, including a hot air balloon ride, enjoying the finest view of one of the most stunning places on the planet, and healing spa treatments at Ambiente Sedona, the first “landscape hotel.” Noel also takes the plunge with a fire ceremony with Native American shaman teacher Uquallah at the Sedonya Conscious Living Center, who schools her on standing in life and with Earth. Check out episode four above to see how it turned out.
Noel Cymone Walker is an NYC-based writer specializing in beauty, fashion, music, travel, and cultural anthropology. She has written and produced visuals for several notable publications such as The Recording Academy/The Grammys, The Fader, Billboard, OkayPlayer, Marie Claire, Glamour, Allure, Essence, Ebony, and more.
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