Do you need to hit rock bottom to book the trip? And do you need to “heal” if you aren’t that broken?
These were just some of the questions I asked myself upon arrival for my solo retreat, aka “Soul Adventure,” among the red rocks of Sedona. It was a trip–a timeout–strongly suggested by my inner circle. Burnout, overwhelm, perimenopause, the “ick.” Whatever you call it, I had it, and maybe a last-minute sojourn to Sedona would be the magic elixir to fix me.
I left Phoenix Sky Harbor and headed north. As usual, I was operating on very little sleep (deadlines!) and just wanted the two-hour drive to end. Then I turned on State Route 179, and the magic began. Locally known as the Red Rock Scenic Byway, this 7.5-mile highway showcases Sedona’s otherworldly burnt red vistas–a landscape that feels like God made a God-sized drip sand castle.
I arrived at Ambiente® Sedona, a luxe new “landscape” hotel just off the “Y,” Sedona’s busy main intersection. After being greeted with a glass of bubbles, I’m whisked to my Atrium, one of the property’s 40 elevated glass-shrouded stand-alone structures built above and alongside a flowing creek. Each Atrium is built into the landscape, rising and falling with the rocks. The property is barely visible from the highway, thanks in part to rust-colored rooftops that mimic the surrounding Brins Mesa mountains. The red rocks of Sedona are reflected brilliantly on the bronzed glass of each Atrium.
Accommodations at Ambiente® feature enormous Hinoki soaking tubs, wrap-around windows (with dreamy automated blackout curtains that make waking up a glorious experience), a spiral staircase leading to a rooftop observatory with a fire pit, and a perfectly curated complimentary snack and mini bar.
My first order of business was a massage at the hotel’s spa, Velvet, where I was asked to pick a ZENTS scent blend to accompany my experience. I chose Sun, a warming blend of vanilla, sandalwood, and amber. My “Ultimate Zen” massage was transportive. I float back to my Atrium, aware of how the consistent burble of water over rocks gives Ambiente® a feeling of calm. Koi fish swim in pools of water, and hummingbirds–so many hummingbirds–flit about overhead.
I’m aware, I’m noticing. This is good!
If my Soul Adventure sessions couldn’t shake me from my funk, I was pretty sure my serene and luxurious accommodations would.
When you travel alone, you notice synchronicities. As I parked my car outside where my first retreat session would occur, my rental car radio played “Beast of Burden.” I meet my practitioner, a Brit with a raspy voice. “You sound like a female Keith Richards,” I say. “I’m friends with his son, actually,” she says.
Just a little thing.
When we travel alone, we are seen for the first time, out of context, by strangers. Strangers who see us clearly without pretext. It’s enlightening. We see possibilities and linkages where, before, we just saw blocks. Ideas come quickly and easily. What might take a year to figure out in one’s everyday environment is resolved in a new landscape. In this way, time expands.
I didn’t think I could do the Holotropic Breathwork®. As someone who has always struggled with the concept of meditation, 75+ minutes of deep, accelerated breathing sounded exhausting and scary. But I did it, and I loved it. The time passed in what felt like 10 minutes–it was a time-bending miracle. I didn’t have to be “good” or “talented”; I just had to breathe.
This same practitioner who coached me through the breathwork gave me a piece of anxiety-soothing wisdom when I asked her where I should go hiking. “All of Sedona is a vortex. You don’t have to go to a special spot and hope to feel something. Just being here is the thing. That’s it.”
A medicine woman talked to me about “wild horse medicine.” I can’t tell you precisely what that means, but something curious happened. The next day, I saw a group of Native American artisans selling their wares along State Route 89A headed toward Flagstaff. I pulled over. A huge brown and white ring caught my eye. “That’s Wild Horse Turquoise,” the vendor said. I later look up the stone. Wild Horse is said to be a calming and soothing stone. It is believed to be a powerful emotional balancer. Wild Horse benefits those under extreme stress and who cannot release control. Wild Horse promotes joy and emotional harmony.
The next day, a friend, out of the blue, sends a video clip of The Rolling Stones recording “Wild Horses.”
What do these specific synchronicities mean? Who knows. Maybe nothing. I’m sure they happen daily, but we don’t notice if we don’t pay attention. Did Sedona fix my life forever? Definitely not.
But maybe it is like the instructor said: “You don’t have to go to a special spot….Just being here is the thing.” While that may be true for vortexes, Ambiente® Sedona proved a special spot with the ability to attune at least this guest to the magic all around us for a few glorious days.
My Picks
Eat and Drink
- Coffee at FreeForm
- Lunch at Indian Gardens
- Lunch at The Secret Garden Café
- Dinner at Elote Cafe
- Margaritas and tacos at SaltRock
See & Do
- Amitabha Stupa
- Chapel of the Holy Cross
- Boynton Canyon by Jeep
- Hike Cathedral Rock
Shop
- Tlaquepaque Village
*the first Friday of every month features gallery receptions, live music, and wine tastings - Garland’s (Navajo rugs)
- Crystal Magic (for a dose of woo-woo)
- Kachina House (for Native American arts and crafts)