white cloud dragon and rainbow sun

     One of the reasons I love Sedona is that magical things seem to happen here more often than anywhere else I have been.   On Saturday I took a hike with my friend Eileen to a place called "Rainbow Bridge," by the Yavapai peoples who lived in this area for a long time.  Neither of us had ever been there, but I had read recently that it was regarded by the Yavapai as the place of the emergence of their ancestors from the previous world.  It was also regarded as the home of their ancient Grandmother god,  Creator and teacher of all their wisdom.  

       It was a gorgeous, sunny, clear day, no clouds in the sky, and around 60 degrees.  We went over a rough road to get to the trail head, but once we got there,  we were surrounded by incredible beauty.   As we hiked into the area we noticed a clearing of red earth to our left, and felt drawn to stand there and just feel the spirit of the place.  It felt like a place where ceremony had been done of old, and where elders (especially the grandmothers of the tribe) met in council.

     Eileen felt it was a major gateway for energy, and it felt like a portal to me too.  For the first time on our hikes,  Eileen took her ancient tibetan drum, and I had my flute with me.  We felt inspired to drum and flute together in that sacred place.  It sounded marvelous in that canyon, where the sound carried so beautifully.   Then we went on up the trail and as we did, we looked up, and lo and behold!   the sun moving up from behind the cliff up ahead,  surrounded by a rainbow.  Incredible!  It lasted and lasted and we stood off to the side of the trail and played our drum and flute some more.  People on the trail stood gaping in awe at the sight as well, and seemed to genuinely enjoy our playing.  They and we kept taking pictures of the sight, it was so incredible!

      Finally we moved on up the trail, and at the top of the steep natural stone stairs came to the bridge itself.  As we walked around it we looked up and lo and behold!  a white cloud dragon in the sky.  Or so it looked to me.  what do you think?

     The dragon shape connected in my mind with the feathered rainbow serpent of Mexican and South American mythologies.  We were at the rainbow bridge.  We had just seen a triple rainbow around the sun.   And then this morning in the unity church here in Sedona,  the lead musician sang "Somewhere over the rainbow."   Now that's magical.   

     Eileen is sure that our intention of gratitude and blessing for the place as we played our flute and drum was a catalyst for these marvelous manifestations of Mother Nature.    I choose to believe that too.  After all, isn't there a deep unity between us and the natural world?    

      Why was I not surprised tonight as we watched the opening ceremony of the Inauguration of Obama that the theme was "We Are One?"