and peace. Today, Native Ameri-
can tribes continue to use various
places in Oak Creek as places for
ceremony. The peace and beauty is
apparent even if viewed only from
the car.
l Sedona Arts Center (SAC) A
proverb tells us, that “wherever God
lives, artists follow,” and the Sedona
Arts Center deserves credit for be-
ginning a legacy of art dedicated to
peace and beauty in Sedona. Nassan
Gobran, its creator and a renowned
Egyptian artist, arrived in Sedona in
1950 (population: 350 at that time).
As an artist he was stunned by the
beauty of the landscape, and real-
ized that Sedona was a place where
the arts would flourish. Through
his dedication, SAC opened in 1961
in the old wooden apple-packing
barn at the end of the Jordan farm.
There you will find Gobran’s “Peace”
sculpture. The original barn now
houses SAC’s classrooms and offices.
(Sedona: Legends and Legacies, Kate
Ruland-Thorne, 1989.)
l Airport Vortex. Travelling
up Airport Road to the parking
area on the left, you will discover
a trail to the broad space between
the hills marked by twisted juniper
trees, said to be indicative of vortex
energy. Believed to be masculine in
nature, this location along with sev-
eral others close by have the added
advantage of offering spectacular
vistas of Sedona. (Photo left)
l Peace Bell. The Peace Bell Is
located in a garden located on the
grounds of the St. John Vianney
Church. The bell itself was chosen
for its beautiful tone and its long
resonance. The vision is that when
one strikes the bell “a prayer of
peace goes out not only for your
own soul and consciousness, but to
the world as well.” Stay, stroll and
enjoy the surrounding gardens
as well.
l Labyrinth. The labyrinth,
open to the public from 11 to 3 each
day, is similar to ones found in
many indigenous cultures which
are said to activate one’s spiritual
energies. Mindfully treading its
spiral path inspires reflection and
meditation leading to an experience
of grace, peace or holiness in one’s
heart, spirit and soul.
l Amitabha Stupa AND
Peace Park. A short well marked
trail through the 14-acre Peace Park
takes you to the Amitabha Stupa.
It was the vision of the spiritual
director of Kunzang Palyul Chöling,
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo, to cre-
ate a place of great benefit where
anyone can come to meditate or
offer prayers. A stupa is one of the
oldest forms of sacred architecture
on earth, dating back to the time
of Buddha 2,600 years ago. Stupas
have been built to create peace,
avert war, end famine, and promote
prosperity and healing. Their sole
purpose is to bring benefit to all
beings, and the mystical accounts
of their healing powers are well
documented. The Peace Park is open
from dawn to dusk 365 days a year.
(Photo above)