Spiritual Destinations of the US (high school, beach, rating)

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Where in the US do you feel ...dare I say... closer to God? Or for the non religious but still spiritual what places do you feel intense positive spiritual energy? A particular beach, a national park, hiking a mountain somwhere, the energy vortex and red rocks of Sedona? Or it could be a cathedral or remarkable church somewhere. What destinations in the US do you feel are good places to catch spiritual enlightenment?

[DANNYY]

I straight up thought Santa Fe, New Mexico right off the bat.

Santa Fe, NM is where legends and myths and tales and stuff are told and the famous dream catchers are weaved and stuff like that. It's more like the Aztec or Inca type of spirituality that still remains there, I would say Tucson, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, & Sedona all have something like that going on but to a lesser extent.

[EpicEast]

The Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia on a warm late spring day

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by DANNYY

I straight up thought Santa Fe, New Mexico right off the bat.

Santa Fe, NM is where legends and myths and tales and stuff are told and the famous dream catchers are weaved and stuff like that. It's more like the Aztec or Inca type of spirituality that still remains there, I would say Tucson, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, & Sedona all have something like that going on but to a lesser extent.

I have to agree with Santa Fe, and also Taos, NM. I just feel a stillness in my soul when I'm there. We try to get there a couple times a year. It's a great place to just go and recharge my spirit.

[JKFire108]

I agree with the above posters who said Santa Fe and Taos, those places are Native American Indian places for spirituality. I liked going to Santa Fe and seeing many Native American Indian things, but I wasn't there long so I didn't have time to absorb the spirituality stuff. I also wish I could have gone to the Hopi Indian reservation in Arizona but they don't generally accept visitors unless they invite you, but are very deep into their spirituality and I really like their way of life and thinking.

If you're into Christian type things then you can go to Colorado Springs, and I went there and saw the World Prayer Center. I also went to Littleton, CO where I saw the grave of Rachel Scott, the girl who got shot and killed at the Columbine High School shooting and I thought that was spiritual.

Colorado also has Boulder, while I haven't been there, it is very New Age I heard and people there work with crystals and alternative medicine, which is a form of spirituality in a sense.

Seeing the World Trade Center in NYC also can be a spiritual experience for some I think.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

I was hoping to hear about Sedona, AZ from somebody who has been there. I've been reading about the earth energy vortex that exists there amongst the beautiful red rock, mountain, and forested scenery. It sounds fascinating. I've picked up on people praying, meditating, and recharging their spirit in Sedona as the energy supposedly is intensified there. Anyone ever been to Sedona?

[DANNYY]

Originally Posted by caphillsea77

I was hoping to hear about Sedona, AZ from somebody who has been there. I've been reading about the earth energy vortex that exists there amongst the beautiful red rock, mountain, and forested scenery. It sounds fascinating. I've picked up on people praying, meditating, and recharging their spirit in Sedona as the energy supposedly is intensified there. Anyone ever been to Sedona?

I've been to Sedona, and I remember going to Oyster Creek Canyon. There was this museum type of thing that showed you how old the layers of the Earth are, and it showed how old the Canyons in Arizona really are and they linked it to some form of spirituality and also a little bit to Buddhism.

I didn't pay too much attention to the details but the scenery in Sedona is beyond amazing! I loved it and surprisingly for Arizona its also very lush green. It was beautiful!! And one more thing, the place was pretty diverse for a small town.

[Westerner92]

I went to Sedona last summer, and I was impressed. It was a really interesting combination of desert Southwest and alpine-y scenery. I'm not into the New Age spirituality, so I didn't bother with the whole vortex thing. Also, Sedona, though beautiful, was a bit too commercialized, and there were too many people present for me to feel any sort of spirituality.

I personally feel closest to God in a very quiet place where it seems like there isn't anybody for miles. It doesn't have to be particularly beautiful either. Many parts of the West, West Texas, and some parts of the Great Plains are good for this.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

My spiritual places

Cape Cod, MA
Referring to Marconi Beach in Welfleet, Henry David Thoreau wrote "A man can stand there and put all America behind him." I walked this beach on a September morning to watch the sun rise over the ocean and there was really something magical about this place. There were tons of seals in the water riding the waves, the sandy bluffs that look like cliffs sculpted into sand dunes, the pines and green marshland approaching the beach all make Marconi Beach a special place. On the outer Cape the air is very salty and aromatic, very clean. Cape Cod National Seashore is awesome. That September morning I drove down there after a bad day and little sleep. Watching the sun rise over the ocean on Marconi Beach recharged me. I love this part of Cape Cod.

Hiking a 14'er in the Colorado Rockies.
I hiked up to the top of Mount Elbert in the summer which is just above 14,000 feet in altitude. It was exhilerating! From the base hiking through the aspen forest, then up through the spruce pines, then the top half of the mountain was treeless. The skies were deep cobalt blue. There is less oxygen up there so it gives a euphoric feeling. The view from the summit was phenominal, a 360 degree view of soaring Rocky Mountain peaks in every direction. Reaching the summit I felt a lot of gratitude to have the strength to reach the top and witness such spectacular scenery. It was a life changing experience. Definitely God's country.

Oregon Coast
I love the dramatic cliffs, mountains reaching right up to shore, evergreen forests, and monolith rocks scattered on the beaches of Oregon. The sunsets are amazing. One of my favorite spots is Ecola State Park just outside Cannon Beach.

[uptown_urbanist]

I'm not particularly spiritual in any sense of the word, but for what it's worth Mount Shasta in California has a reputation for that sort of thing. Very new-agey.