This is the fourth installment in a chapter or section of the book about my first trip to Sedona.
Links to previous installments:
Crystal Magic
My regret for not going to the Twin Towers lingered, palpable and heavy. I resolved in that moment that no matter how permanent something appeared to be, I’d never say “I can always come back.”
I had no idea if or when I’d ever return to Sedona. With that new internal compass in place, I laid down my resistance and we were off to Crystal Magic.
The shops in Sedona are made to blend in with the landscape. The exterior walls are shades of brown and red brick, with green trim. Even the McDonalds has green arches instead of the trademark bright yellow.
Crystal Magic is in an unassuming brown building with dark yellow trim. Like most of the shops in Sedona, the exterior of the building is made to blend in with the palette of the landscape. Even the McDonalds arches are green, so as not to
Almost the entire front of the store is plate glass windows. By day, Crystal Magic blends into the backdrop. But by night, the interior glows like a bright jewel.
With the blinding desert sun setting in our eyes, we pulled up in the parking lot and I was still grumbling to myself that I’d rather be somewhere else. But when we walked inside, I was immediately caught in a tractor beam of fascination. The stores in Toronto paled in comparison.
Everywhere I looked, glass shelves were full of every conceivable kind of crystal, stone or other spiritual paraphernalia. I had no idea what it was all for. It was overwhelming and fascinating. I began to explore each section, combing through the shelves.
Some crystals were long, squared off on the sides, and pointy at the end. Others seemed to be in a rougher state. The rainbow of color was beautiful. Hues of purple amethyst, pink and white quartz, and rocks of every conceivable color filled the shelves. Larger pieces sat on the floor, and pendulums hung from metal hooks. Pieces of jewelry filled glass cases. And that was just the stones.
Spiritual books and tarot cards filled the shelves. I picked up the card decks and turned them over in my hands. The illustrations ranged from light and airy to more dark and sinister looking. I had no idea what they were for, and found them fascinating and a little scary. Posters and silk flags with the seven chakras hung on the walls. Because of my recent foray into yoga, I was casually familiar with what they are – some kind of energy centers in the body.
Everything about Sedona seemed to come down to energy. I didn’t understand it, but I knew how I felt there – connected to the earth, like I was silently humming on the inside. In the midst of all the 9/11 fear and chaos, I was happy to be alive.
📷 Last Sunset, Sedona, Arizona, October 2001
