​As I pruned roses and plucked encroaching weeds from the flower gardens, a surge of gratitude flowed through my fingers. My thoughts drifted back to late January, when I begrudgingly observed my eight-year anniversary as a city dweller in America's capital city. There, in the gloomy shadow of the Washington monument, I had minimal space and little time for gardening. And yet, metaphorically speaking, the landscape of my life begged to be weeded.

Remarking on my Tweet about this milestone, my Capitol Hill lobbyist friend Andrew joked that when I lived in DC, "One could say that when it came to gardening, you left mulch to be desired!" ​
​

​Pondering my transition from the negative vortex of Capitol Hill to the vibrant energy of Sedona's red rocks, I recalled the series of events that prompted my shift in consciousness and the deepening of my spiritual awareness ...

Geographically, the urban lifestyle I once loved left me weary and frustrated. Mentally, physically and emotionally, I was burned out from years of dedicated public service to not-for-profit, academic, corporate, and government organizations. Add to this scenario the impact of living just two blocks from the U.S. Capitol. These negative vibrational realities compelled me to reassess aspects I erstwhile appreciated about my life in DC.

During this time, my daughter Alecia suggested it might be time for a vision quest. “For a long time, I’ve been thinking perhaps your self-identity is too attached to your ‘backstory’ as the city girl who came Full Circle from France and now owns a condo on Capitol Hill,” Alecia mused.

This resonated with me because for weeks, I’d been rethinking my reasons for living in DC. So after extensive research, heart-to-hearts with close friends and colleagues, and hours of mindful meditation, I began to envision ways to "get into the vortex" as articulated by Abraham-Hicks.

Deciding what I didn't want, I envisioned what I did want — focusing instead on the JOY of that outcome and the greatest good of whatever that may bring. Deliberately recreating a new reality in my thoughts, I began to manifest the results of those realigned vibrations.

To fund my shift to Sedona, I dipped into my nest egg. That reminded me of a film my late husband Lenny and I loved. Entitled Lost in America, it chronicled the adventures of a yuppie couple (portrayed by Albert Brooks and Julie Hagerty) who became fed up with society, liquidated their assets, purchased an RV and headed west to "touch Indians." Their first mistake was stopping in Las Vegas, where the wife gambled away their nest egg.
​

​
While packing my possessions in preparation for my cross-country relocation, I ran across the book Wherever You Go, There You Are. Turning the cover, I smiled to read the benefactor’s inscription, scripted in curvaceous calligraphy:

My former British lover had given me this book to read before my first trek to Arizona more than a decade ago, when I visited my sister who was then living in Tucson. During that sojourn, I wanted to visit Sedona. Instead, we stayed in a cabin in the White Mountains. During a side trip down Route 66, we toured the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. But we never made it to Sedona.

As it turned out, a heart-shaped rock was the catalyst for my Sedona relocation in 2014. Yet even as the details for my shift to Sedona fell magically in place, I kept coming back to the concept of that book my lover gave me all those years ago. 

The intended message of Wherever You Go, There You Are is that you already have what you need to be happy. Some might surmise that had I stayed put in DC, things may have worked out. But I had a greater sense that I needed to follow my gut instinct and get the hell out of that soulless city.

Articulating these concerns to my dear friend Judy — a congressman's spouse who lived across from my courtyard — I asked her, "Do you think I'm running away?" I was heartened by Judy's response:

"For the longest time, you've felt like a prisoner in your own home because of your horrible condo association. So no, you're not running from ... you're running TO!"

M!NX 

Happy anniversary diVa girl !! You've come so far and so quickly. Sedona has welcomed you with an open heart and open space. Your oasis in the dessert is gorgeous. I soaked up your Milestone post and video. Your writing has so much meat to it. I love how you tied up the end to the beginning and everything in between. It is outstanding and you are outstanding. I'm misty eyed with happiness for you and your gratitude towards me. Thank you my dear friend! Here's to many more milestones.
Hugs   XOXO M!NX!E

​
KENDEL

Ooh, finally... pictures! Your new place looks beautiful! Such a contrast in so many ways. Not just the size, but the colors. I absolutely adored the bright cheerful colors of your condo, but what you have now looks so calm and relaxing. It looks like a big open space where you can spread your arms wide and take a deep, clean breath of fresh air, and I’m sure that reflects exactly what you are doing there. Beautiful pictures in the video, and the music choice was perfect! Thank you for the "walk-through" and I hope to see it in person someday.

I read before about the friend who gave you the heart-shaped rock, but I didn't realize until reading this backstory that you were referring to my sister-in-law the M!NX and my beloved brother stuART!


ALAIN

Victoria, you really have changed your life, for sure!! A complete shift. I can understand. Although not close to the canyon, I am living close to woods and birds… Much love from France,  Alain & Chantal


JASE

Your new place is so much roomier :) Congratulations!


MELISSA

Beautiful! Clean, pure, light-filled plus happier flowers outside! Love and light, Melissa


DIANA

I'm so happy for you! Does it feel like home yet? Or did it already feel like home? Love it when a place naturally 'fits' and has your heart before you even move there :)

DENISE

Happy Milestone to YOU!! –Denny  


ASHLEE

Happy 4 months QV! Your new home looks gorgeous!!! May you enjoy many more happy months…years…decades in your new home. 
Axxxxxx


TAMI

Victoria I love this story! You're making your own garden here in Sedona. You don't need the dirt and dismay of Capitol Hill. You're in a wide open space now and you're making it what YOU want to be ... in your own vortex!


BOBBY

I like how you tied the end to the beginning of this story. It's MULCH better!


JOLITA

Congratulations on your four-month milestone. Happy gardening! xx Jolita


BILL

I love this story of your transition and your continuing adventure, Victoria. I really get a sense of the opening of vistas for you. That old place, as colorful as it was, seems so cramped in comparison to what you are enjoying now, and you convey the contrast so well.


PATRICK

Wow. Six bags of mulch for your flowers. I'll bet you'll have enough left over for a veggie lunch with friends. But seriously, absolutely beautiful! Rock on Victoria, Rock on. The best is yet to be revealed.


ANDREW

Nice video! Since the planets are lined up in your favor, don't move too much "earth"!


DARLENE

That was spectacular. You are living the life! Beautiful peaceful surroundings & your villa is looking wonderful. You are doing a great job with the landscaping & all the natural flora around you. I work in my yard almost every day & I love mulch for its original purpose. But in Florida it brings ants. I hate ants. Much love for sharing. Hopefully someday I will make it out there! Peace & love from the sunshine state!


MOM

As usual, you wrote a very good story. As your dad says, you have a way with words.  Love\Mom


ARYNNE

I'm glad you are finding so much JOY in AZ! Love the updates! Love you! 


GIGI

Love this!!! You are so talented! You are definitely here to communicate new ideas and shift for the world. Thanks for being here.


MICHELLE

What a magical space you have created for yourself! I can't even imagine you ever living in DC, as you look so happy and at home in Sedona. I truly am very happy for you! You did such a good job with the video and music, capturing the peace and beauty of your surroundings. Just watching brings a sense of peace to my soul. Makes me want to get on the next plane to Sedona!! I sure do enjoy reading your blogs and living vicariously through you! I'll keep sending those happy thoughts your way and you keep sharing the "good" life with the rest of us ... Peace, love and light, Michelle in sunny Florida


EMMY

Sacred space..heartfelt gratitude...came thru very clear. You are HOME! Very beautiful..reflecting YOU!


CHRIS

lovely video, victoria. thanks for sharing your "shift to sedona" with george and me. we are lucky to have you, and the house looks happy to have you living there as well !! i can feel your loving energy in each photo and so happy that you are nestled snugly in your new home, which clearly reflects your creativity and eclectic sensibilities. hugs, chris

MISHA

QV you are incredibly creative & it shows!! Oh, how I loved what you wrote & the video you created!! Both brought tears of joy to my heart. I can fully & robustly appreciate where you (we) have come from & where you (we) are now ~ it is truly miraculous!! I love your place in Sedona & more importantly, that you are near me. Joyfully, Misha


VICKY

Victoria, I watched the video and read the backstory. I am glad you made the right choice and moved to a place that continues to give you so much happiness. From what I see, Sedona is a beautiful area. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful villa. Your place is so much larger than the home you sold in DC. I can just imagine how you put your talents into decorating your new place in Sedona. 


JUDY

Great to hear happiness from you! I smiled so many times watching your video. This really shows how free you are now. Just beautiful! You are such a talented gal. I am so happy for you and I am flattered to have been a part of your shift! Stay content and healthy! Love and miss you! XX


DENNY

victoria, this post is not "on the rocks" (as the bartender would say) -- it is "straight up." i feel blessed that you accepted this gift (quest) and are unwrapping it to share with all. 


BEV

Yay Victoria! I'm happy for you! I know you are in a much better place, in many more ways than geographically! You are in a great place in Sedona, and when it's time for a change, you'll be guided to do what's next.


JAN

So beautifully done!! Sharing in your happiness, Victoria, and celebrating your gifts in abundance…Sending my warmest congratulations!

Christoper reached out to connect with me when I mentioned his “How to Become Spiritual” video on Twitter. I belly-laughed through his whimsical presentation in which he took a tongue-in-cheek approach to describe steps many (including me) have taken in the quest for spirituality . . . .
​

​After we exchanged a few emails, Christopher invited me on a hike to West Fork in Oak Creek Canyon. Along the way, I discovered that I was, at that time, where Christopher when he was drawn to Sedona in 1998. I told him that — awestruck as I was by the landscape and intrigued by people I met there — I still hadn’t caught my breath. Christopher said he hadn't either, even after living here for 16 years.

“I can say in all honesty that I have never ‘come down’ from my Sedona high. That's what was so confirming and amazing about my decision,” Christopher exclaimed. “I still awaken in wonder and gratitude when I look out of the window — hell, even with the window shut, I still feel it!”

As Christopher described it, he came here because he sensed a “warm presence” in Sedona. "When I first drove through, I remember the feeling of having my breath taken away. I knew this was my home, at least for however long the feeling of ‘home' remained,” Christopher muses. “Sedona was and still is my healing place where I could get away from the world and reconnect and grow my deepest desires in a safe environment.”
​

Christopher said that, like many who come here, he was initially searching for truth. "But I got caught up in theosophical induced fairy tales. Still, I would have had it no different because I love the wonder and imagination of the people in this town."

In an article published by Sedona Red Rock News, Christopher revealed that he originally sojourned to Sedona as part of a spiritual journey that gradually prompted him to ponder the impact of spirituality on humanity. “As I went deeper into the journey, I found that lingering under the glam of spirituality was the lost story of the individual,” Christopher told me.
 
Elaborating, Christopher said he now believes that spirituality and religion inhibit the actual healing that needs to take place in the life of a young or adult “primate.” Yet, while spirituality and religion exploit the "split-self," both can serve as a stepping-stone for a reunion of the abandoned magic within us, he said.

Christopher chronicled his personal journey and extensive research in his book, unSpirituality: Permission To Be Human. Choosing to self-publish via Amazon's CreateSpace, he exposes perceived delusions of “the spiritual self and its story” — from religious rhetoric to metaphysical absurdities.

“Self-publishing is great in that it provides a lot of freedom to do as you wish. But reaching a large audience is taxing, to say the least. So I appreciate when the content is shared,” he said. 

Confident that the message in his book is important, Christopher said the small market he’s reached has responded in “life-changing ways.” But getting his message out there on a mass scale has been daunting. “Still, I do trust the process. I am evolving so fast that sometimes I have to catch up to who the improved version of me is, while reflecting upon the funeral of my old self  serendipitously. And sometimes all this happens in nanoseconds." 

To broaden his reach and spur sales, Christopher launched unSpirituality.com, setting the tone for his project with a video he dubbed, "I Am Primate."  He said he was currently working on new musical creations for his unSpirituality content.

“I'm pretty much a born singer/songwriter/guitarist and my music has a story in itself, which I’m just now discovering in a more authentic way,” he said. “But rather than creating this music as a form of entertainment, I’m more about the message, in that the problems of our world stem from archaic child rearing that produces ‘identification’ and a socially acceptable split-self.”

During my interactions with Christopher, something he said struck me. Referring to his current musical endeavors, he remarked, “Mr. unSpiritual is quite spiritual...he just redefines the juice from a natural perspective.”

Like Christopher, in my own quest for authenticity, I scrutinize for clues that help me balance fairy tales with reality. That said, I can't say I concur with Christopher’s philosophies and research.

Something I do agree with, though, is that as writers and as individuals, it’s helpful to “allow the story” to unfold. I sense that when Christopher wrote that line into his "How to Become Spiritual" video, he was only joking.   ❤ v!ctor!a colette

► Postscript: A couple of years after I wrote this post, Christopher changed his name to "ZZenn" and deleted his "How to Become Spiritual" video. Hmmmm. 

People are drawn here for similar reasons, just as I was. While I sensed this chapter in my life would spur transformational growth, my quest was to ponder Sedona's energy from a grounded perspective, rather than allowing myself to be sucked up into a mythical mothership.

For me, staying grounded is a challenge in a place like Sedona — which brings me to the backstory about Christopher Loren and his unSpirituality.com crusade ....
​
❤ v!ctor!a colette

Envisioning a gala evening of enlightening conversation and appetizing canapés, off I went.  Google Maps steered me to the West Sedona address that, turned out, was a row of small office suites behind Domino's Pizza. Really Google? Are YOU sure? Approaching the door, I peered through the window and scanned the room. No tables with appetizers or bubbly beverages. And no one dressed in social gala garb. In stark contrast, people were sitting in folding chairs arranged in a circle. Some folks appeared to snooze as one woman spoke in low, modulated tones. 

Awkward! Entering the room, I spotted an empty chair, then took care not to click my heels as I crossed the slick vinyl floor. The talking woman paused to say, “Welcome. Please remove your shoes.” Stowing my heels under my chair, I focused my eyes on her as she continued her discussion — something about planetary matters of great portent and empowered missions. Then she began to muse about entities she referred to as "Ashtar One" and "Galactic Command."

My mind’s eye pictured some giant mothership that would soon hover over Sedona and provide refuge for those who are, as the speaker described it, “aligned with the intent to take our designated places and where everything we need is provided for our enlightenment.” Rest assured, she emphasized, “we will ascend gracefully into our new levels of empowerment for our intended missions, journeys and service roles.”

I became aware of this site during a magical mystery tour with LaLa and Emmy. During our outing, I also learned about a Native American practice involving circular patterns, cardinal directions, cyclical seasons and the rhythm of life. 
​

LaLa navigated our way to the obscure site, which she previously visited with a hiker friend. The less-traveled path is accessed via a dry desert wash adjacent to a private residence. Hiking up the rocky trail, we passed fallen trees and prickly pear cactus that seemed to point the way. Once we found the site, sun rays beamed directly into the center of the medicine wheel. 

​To many Native Americans, the term "medicine" refers to forces of nature fused with our personal power for spiritual well being and healing — which starts from within and expands outwards. As I understand it, a medicine wheel is used for meditation, prayer, introspection, enlightenment, and healing. The wheel (also referred to as a circle of life) involves the Great Spirit and one's own spiritual universe. Some believe the wheel facilitates physical connection points with the spirit world, and creates a healing energy vortex that flows from the earth and spirals into the environment — benefiting every living thing. 

​Mirroring the shape of the moon and sun, the meaningful design of a medicine wheel incorporates ... 

• four directions ~ east, south, west, north 
• four elements of life ~ earth, fire, water, wind 
• four colors representing sacred races ~ red, yellow, black, white 
• four seasons ~ spring, summer, autumn, winter 
• four times of day ~ sunrise, noon, sunset, midnight 
• four stages of life ~ birth, youth, adult, death 
• four trials ~ success, defeat, peace, war 
• heavenly beings ~ sun, moon, earth, stars 
• numerous other symbols and elements​ 

Emmy taught us that the medicine wheel involves a ceremonial ritual in which everyone participates. Empowered by her training in spirituality, shamanism and other woo-woo stuff (a phrase attributed to certain "spiritual" practices in Sedona), Emmy conducted our ceremony — maximizing potent precious rocks she brought with her, along with cornmeal and dried white sage.  
​

I was aware of smudge sticks used in numerous Native American traditions to summon positive energy. Smoke from the burning smudge stick is believed to bless, cleanse, and heal the person or object being smudged. (I often used them to rid my home of negative energy when I lived two blocks from the U.S. Capitol.) 

Before we stepped inside the medicine wheel, Emmy smudged LaLa. Working in a clockwise fashion, she “wanded” the burning sage while simultaneously "sweeping" the smoke — to drive out negative energy and summon positive influences. After Emmy repeated the ritual with me, I smudged her in turn.  

Once purified, we approached a painted boulder designed as an altar, to offer our gifts before entering the circle. Chanting a blessing, Emmy sprinkled cornmeal onto the altar and then offered a rock as her gift. Following suit, I placed a freshly picked branch of lavender from my garden, along with an apricot from a neighbor's tree. 

​Stepping into the circle, Emmy perched on a rock, pulled out a couple of tuning forks, and began to meditate. Sitting cross-legged, LaLa meditated on the magnificent vista from this high desert hilltop. Awed by the beauty surrounding me, I turned my attention to artistically painted boulders arranged at cardinal points of the circle. 

 
The unknown individual (or group?) who designed this medicine wheel is clearly passionate about nature and art. I was captivated by the boulder painted with a multi-colored tree of life. Within its center, there’s a double-triangle Star of David. Drawn at the base of the tree of life, Mother Earth stands her ground. Broader brushstrokes within the overall drawing depict forces of nature — among them, lightening bolts, snowflakes, rain, and a rolling river. 

​S​hutterbugging as Lala and Emmy sat beneath a twisted juniper tree, I captured rainbows, sunbeams and orbs in my photographs, which we like to think indicates we summoned the great powers that be. Fusing these forces with our own energies, it was our intent to harness spiritual powers aligned with the natural order of nature.

​After our ceremony as we trekked back down the wash, we built a cairn to express our gratitude. While gathering stones for the cairn, I found a fragile spiral amongst prickly pear cactus and glittery red rocks. Fittingly, I later affixed that spiral (with découpage) to the heart-shaped red rock that summoned me to Sedona.

To learn more about our ceremony, peruse my captioned photo-backstory about the medicine wheel in the Village of Oak Creek. ❤ v!ctor!a colette

Accompanied by their canine companions, we  headed into the wild via Bobby’s beat-up van that he fondly refers to as the “HEAP” (Heavy Equipment Excursion Platform). Unfortunately, the HEAP lacks roll bars, which would have been helpful during the jolting ride along rugged Forest Service roads 618 and 645A. 
​
After reaching Red Tank Draw, we disembarked and hiked down a steep, rocky canyon. Along the way, they pointed out several varieties of cactus and other desert plants. (Tami has extensive knowledge as a former guide for a Sedona jeep tour company.) Seeing that I lacked a hiking cane, Bobby scouted a piece of dried wood to steady me on the rubble of rocks in the wash.

"What's the difference between a wash and a creek anyway?" I asked.

"A wash is where the water runs. A creek is where the water is," Tami explained.

"Go figure," I mused, seeing the creek bed was completely dry. Bobby assured me that during monsoon season, water gushes over these rocks, and the creek is deep and fierce.

When we reached our destination, I was awestruck by intricate carvings of deer, elk, antelope, turtles, lizards, people, crosses, spirals and other mystical depictions chiseled into 40-foot high sandstone canyon boulders. The Southern Sinagua culture — ancestors of the Hopi — created these petroglyphs between A.D. 1150 and 1400.

After we climbed and descended the ancient site, Bobby led the way to a swimming hole deep in the canyon. As he stripped down to his skivvies and took a dip with the dogs, I found a spot under a shade tree and practiced the local preference to "Don't just do something...sit there!"

Later this afternoon when a new acquaintance stopped by for tea, she told me that in some cultures, the spiral represents the flow of water. Digging deeper, I read that in every ancient culture in the world, spiral petroglyphs can be found. Spiritually speaking, the spiral symbol can represent the path leading from outer consciousness (materialism, external awareness, ego, outward perception) to the inner soul (enlightenment, unseen essence, nirvana, cosmic awareness)."

Gratitude to Bobby and to Tami for sharing this rare experience and for treating me to lunch after our hike. To round out my slideshow, Bobby uploaded images he captured as I pondered the significance of chiseled spirals that, to me, represent happiness on the rocks. ❤ v!ctor!a colette

Those who’ve maneuvered the curves and roundabouts of State Route 179 know that Red Rock Scenic Byway is one of the world’s most spectacular scenic routes. When I wasn't cruising those byways in my sunshine yellow VW Beetle — sun roof open, hair flying about my face — I gazed out the windows of my southwestern-style villa, appreciating breathtaking vistas.
​

In 10 minutes or less, I could surmount the summit of a splendorous, prehistoric red-rock formation that sloped into my street, about 200 paces from my front door. And my home was less than five minutes from the famed Bell Rock, believed by psychic healers and spiritualists to be a gateway to other dimensions. (There's another backstory there....) 

Surrounded by this energy, it felt as if I'd relocated to a different planet, leaving DC in the concrete dust. I hadn't watched CNN in weeks and I didn't miss anything about my former home on Capitol Hill. Flanked by striking vistas of pinion-covered Coconino National Forest and Arizona desert buttes, I preferred the view and the vibe from this vantage point.  When I wasn't out forging new trails, discovering new interests and making new acquaintances, I rambled around my 1,850 square-foot, three-bedroom abode, which seemed spacious compared with my prior petite city dwelling in D.C.
​

From the front door of my Capitol Hill condo, I walked seven paces to reach my tiny bedroom. In this new "villa in the Village," 40 steps marked the passage from the front door to a roomy en suite. Along the way, I admired the open floor plan of the living room, kitchen, dining room and wet bar. A vast cathedral ceiling canopied this space, where sunlight streamed from two large windows, and sliding glass doors led to a secluded sandstone patio. Turning into winged hallways, I passed my office with its whimsical rounded windows framing a splendorous southerly view. Next to that was a spare bedroom for visiting guests, along with the guest bathroom. On the north side of my villa, et voila, my sizable chambre à coucher.

In the evening, with the press of a remote-control button, an artistically arranged assortment of battery-operated candles flickered in my fireplace. At day's end, I strolled outside to watch an awesome show as the sinking sun seemed to set the red rocks afire. And when darkness painted the sky, I gazed up at a brilliant canvas painted with shimmering swirls of the galaxy — listening to the hoots of owls along with the yips and yowls of coyote.

Each morning, Arizona’s glorious sunshine lured me outside. Settling into cushioned outdoor furniture, it was a serene setting to relax and breathe in the scent of roses, irises and lavender blooming in my flower gardens as I practiced my new mantra: "Don't just do something — sit there!"

Still, I felt a sense of eagerness to move forward, checking all the boxes intrinsic in my cross-country relocation. And as I sat at my desk chronicling experiences for my book, ideas and words flowed like a wash during monsoon season. 

​Simultaneously, I felt compelled to curb the deadline-driven mindset that propelled me during the past decade. So, twice a week, I hiked with friends and attended lectures or events that boggle the mind. I continued to meet interesting and interested people, many of whom I entertained in my home.

​As a new acquaintance observed, "It seems Sedona is welcoming you in and you will be very productive here. With all that being said, I know living in Sedona you receive a lot of invitations, so I honor your focus of keeping your mind set on your book. Let your spirit lead you, and have fun!"

❤ v!ctor!a colette

"He told us that we take the energy back with us and that it will always be with us," m!nx!e wrote, explaining the concept of Sedona’s potent vortex energy.

Enclosed with the brochure she created for me, m!nx!e gifted me with a red rock she picked up during her hike in Boynton Canyon. She'd taken the stone home and asked her husband stuART to whittle it into a heart shape for me.

​For several months, that rock sat vibrating on my desk as I wrestled with the vicissitudes of life in America's capital city. All the while, I was clueless about the rock's energy and spiritual significance.

During that six months, a series of events compelled me to move to Sedona. When I announced that intent, m!nxie told me, "I hoped the positive energy I sent in the form of the rock would take root for you while you were still on Capitol Hill. But I guess you do have to open yourself to it. And maybe the energy just isn’t transferable. Or maybe you just had to journey through all that other stuff first." 

In retrospect, if "all that other stuff" hadn't happened, I probably would not have opened my mind to other possibilities elsewhere. And as the details of my relocation fell magically in place, the heart-shaped stone played a mystical part.  ​

Five years have passed since m!nx!e picked up that rock for me in Sedona's Boynton Canyon, where I frequently hiked while living in Sedona. Since then, I've relocated several times and currently reside with my life partner in beautiful Tucson ~ where the sun shines 350+ days out of the year.  In May 2018, he and I took a road trip to Sedona and hiked in Boynton Canyon, where our paths crossed with m!nxie's kindhearted hiker.

His name is Robert Sechrengost and he is actually a bit of a celebrity in Sedona. (I previously met Robert when I lived there in 2014/2015.) Since 2010, Robert (born in 1952) has been handing out his heart-shaped rocks to hikers and playing his Native American flute atop Sedona's red rock vortex spires. 

As we reached Boynton Canyon Vista trailhead, we could hear Robert playing his flute. When we reached the summit, we found a safe perch on the rocky ledge, cradled within the exposed, brawny roots of a twisted Juniper tree. We both watched in awe as Robert balanced cross-legged atop the rock formation known as "Kachina Woman" and played his melodious flute tunes.  Later, Robert scrambled down from the formation and gifted us both with a heart rock that, as he explains it, "embodies the energy of the vortex and represents unconditional love."

Yet again, I find joy and inspiration from these heart-shaped "milestones" that likewise inspired Happiness on the Rocks.

❤ v!ctor!a colette ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀