May 14, 2012
It wasn’t the heat that woke me up at 6:00 AM in a Walmart parking lot on this glorious morning but the sounds of a garbage truck emptying garbage bins. I woke up thinking, you get what you pay for! As soon as I dressed, I headed straight for Sedona, Arizona, only 20 minutes from Cottonwood. It was a beautiful, bright morning.
While driving to Sedona, I passed a hot air balloon that had just landed in the high desert.
After a hearty breakfast, I headed for the Airport Vortex to perform the “Speak Your Mind” invocation. I performed this meditation between 8:00 and 8:20 AM.
Note: My birthday is July 22. According to some sources, the “Speak Your Mind” angel listed above is one of two angels assigned to this day. For a bit of insight as to my strengths and the challenges I sometimes face, read the information listed below and at the top of this page.
As I approached the Airport Vortex, I recalled that the vortex was known to help with the following type of energy:
The energy at the Airport Vortex strengthens the masculine side. The male side builds strength at the high end and weakness at the low end. People who have a strong masculine side are self-confident. They have the internal fortitude to take charge of their own lives and claim their rights. This energy makes them good at standing up to people who try to take away their rights by force, intimidation, or manipulation. Having a robust masculine side means being good at taking risks when appropriate, being decisive when necessary, and being able to focus or concentrate on getting things done. It also means being good at figuring out how to get out of life what is desired, how to operate responsibly, and how to reason without distorting reality. Conversely, people who have a weak masculine side often doubt their abilities, and many things intimidate them.
Since I was heading north into Navajo and Hopi country, a profoundly spiritual, compelling environment, I figured I needed as much confidence as I could muster. I also chose this vortex to help bring clarity, especially to any choices I needed to make regarding the route of my journey.
While performing my morning invocation, I was fortunate to take in some fantastic scenery. Bell Rock was grounded firmly on the horizon to my south.
While meditating, a lizard visited me while sunning itself on a nearby rock. Lizard offered these messages:
- fearlessness,
- understanding dreams,
- renewing what’s lost,
- less ego.
As soon as my invocation was complete, I left my peace offering…
and then headed back to my van.
Wasting no time, I headed north. I wanted to get to Winslow, Arizona, as soon as possible.
As soon as I climbed out of the Verde Valley and approached Flagstaff, Arizona, I saw the most beautiful hawk. At that moment, I knew I was headed in the right direction.
About an hour later, I arrived in Winslow, and it only took me a few minutes to figure out that this would not be my final destination for the day. I did, however, take the time to drive downtown to visit the “Sittin’ On The Corner” park, which was inspired by the song, Take It Easy, by the Eagles.
After my brief visit to Winslow, I continued east to Holbrook, Arizona. Here, I stopped to figure out exactly where I wanted to go next. My choices included driving east to Gallup, New Mexico, southeast to Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, or north to Chinle, Arizona.
I called the Zuni Pueblo to see if anything was going on. They informed me they were having private religious ceremonies, which were closed to the public. I then checked Zuni off my list of options.
I got online to see if I could find anything in Gallup, New Mexico, and came up empty-handed there, too. So that left me with my third choice, which was Chinle, Arizona, and the Canyon de Chelly National Monument.
This destination would include a stop at the famous Hubbell Trading Post halfway between Interstate 40 and Chinle. During my deliberation, I remembered my relationship with the 36th Parallel. (See Day 11) The Hubbell Trading Post is located on the 35th Parallel, but Canyon de Chelly resides on the 36th Parallel. At this point, I realized I had made the right decision to drive north to Chinle.
Forty-five minutes after exiting Interstate 40, I pulled into the Hubbell Trading Post. As indicated by the colors in the following photograph, I felt angels surrounded me.
The Hubbell Trading Post was a fascinating place. During my visit I took the time to chat with some of the local people, to inquire about the region and possible places to visit. I then took in the trading post sites, which included a horse stable, a small store, and a display of some incredible, hand-crafted jewelry.
I soon left the trading post and continued north to Chinle, Arizona. I arrived approximately 45 minutes later. I stopped for a bite to eat and then drove to the campground to purchase a campsite for the night. Once I had my campsite, I headed into the Canyon de Chelly National Monument to take in the sunset.
I found it very difficult to capture the depth of this place in a photograph. One must stand on the canyon’s cliff to truly appreciate its vastness.
However, I was able to capture something extraordinary and unique in one particular photograph. I titled this photograph “The Eyes of Truth,” because it appeared the canyon walls were looking directly at me when I took the picture. I thought to myself, welcome to the 36th Parallel!
Once I finished exploring the canyon, I returned to my campsite and settled in for the night. I went to bed around 10:00 PM.