Bodhisattvic Encounter on Cathedral Rock

Cathedral Rock is a must for any explorer where if taking enough breaks can be a moderate hike. However, be forewarned that there is one particular area that is basically a steep hike up a narrow crevice in between two large boulders. There are adequate foot placements but do require some lower body strength. 

Appropriately named, Cathedral Rock offers a spiritual experience unlike any hike, or travel destination, that I have experienced. The almost 360º view offers stupendous views of the neighboring red rock Sedona Mountains. I arrived at the hike at roughly 6:15am, the Sun was warming the lush landscape flowing with a glowing green from the daily night monsoon storm (apparently occurs July through August). The early sunrise reflected a silver shine off the non-red mountains beautifully brightening the view of the Sedona red rocks. You will feel the wonders of nature just within a few minutes of this hike, especially if there are not that many tourists visiting. 

Most likely resembling that of the Gothic Cathedrals with its intricate details and pillars, my personal spiritual experience was the peak of the trail within the pillars of rock. Within the center of the pillars, Cathedral Rock offered an expansive view of the Sedona scenery with the Cathedral Rock pillars covering the sides or your view in an almost cave like fashion. Within the crevices of the pillars were bird nests where birds called out in a harmonic echo that reflected off the pillars. In moments of silence, the birds offered us guests their own form of brainwave meditation therapy placing the few tourists who had reached the top in utter bliss. 

What seemed to be a few minutes was really almost an hour of my time that I had simply sat sheltered within Cathedral Rock. The feeling was surreal and my logical mind made many attempts to interpret, define, or find some metaphor to explain the experience. The first comparison was to the Amitabha Stupa visited the prior day near the Boynton Canyon trail. Eastern traditions have used the shapes of mounds or mountains for their religious structures known as Stupas, where the pillars of Cathedral Rock somewhat felt similar. However, it was the placement of the Bodhisatva Amitabha within the Stupa monument that I found myself most reflecting. The Bodhisattva was surrounded within a cave like structure with a Stupa mound on the top. On Cathedral Rock, I was surrounded by the pillars cave like structure where the pillars crown is reminiscent of the Stupa. Hence, I felt like I was sitting somewhere that a Bodhisattva would use to reach enlightenment or simply call home. 

Amitabha Stupa (Buddha of Infinite Light)

The second experience while hanging from this Sedona cliff was the home of the pineal gland known as the third-eye or the 6th chakra. The pineal gland is said to be the home of an individual’s higher-Self or the watcher as described by some. In my own meditations, I have often felt a buzzing feeling on the sides of my cranium in the areas known as the temples. This particular area houses the pineal gland in an almost cave like structure, at least that is my own personal feeling. On the Sedona cliff, in the moments of thoughtlessness, I may have embodied my higher Self, or the watcher whose only goal was to view the scenery (not interpret, not reflect, but simply just be). The side pillars were akin to the cranial temples within the moment buzzing with the echoes of wildlife. In connection to my first interpretation, a Bodhisattva may be nothing more than an individual with an activated pineal gland. 

Therefore, Cathedral Rock lived up to its name where my inner sanctum felt at peace. The hustle and bustle of the city and the illusion we call the past and future played no role in the present. Even a dragonfly decided to sit by my feet while I was in meditation position, undeterred by the human ego of nature domination. As was described to me by a relative the prior night (synchronicity), the dragonfly has 360º vision where comprehension of such vision is unfathomable by the predator human eye set. However, this delicate creature may have been simply attempting to tell me to use my inner eye for complete vision.