"In 1982, I met Solara Vayanian and a group of highly creative individuals who wanted to develop Transformational Theater here. We decided to become visible and opted to create a float in the St. Patrick's Day parade.  All kinds of metaphysical people showed up to put the float together--over at Alon and Alina's. Locals and visitors came to their Monday night meetings and had the chance to meditate and socialize.  We brainstormed on the name of Winged Fire and when a cold, rainy St. Paddy's day came, there were seven soggy dancers on the float, clowns and performers, adults and kids. But we had a ball. A real high. We won the most creative award.

"We had so much fun, three of us optimistically decided to open a dance studio in Old Town Cottonwood [20 miles from Sedona]. At our grand opening, we had a full house where we performed a number of dances. The head of the Performing Arts of the Red Rocks, Hanna Chansky, was there to observe. She was impressed enough to invite us to perform pre-performance for the Phoenix  Symphony's first visit to Sedona on the Poco Diablo lawn.

"In those early days, metaphysical gatherings were held at Mary Lou Keller's real estate office, where Hillside is today. There would be church gatherings there with Jon and Patricia Diegel, Michael Mola, and Lou Van Ault. James Hurtak, author of the Keys of Enoch, met with us there... Later, the Center for the New Age held its first fairs in that location...

"One six month period saw the Englishman/author/Sufi, Raced Feld, here in Sedona. He left in disgust at the way real estate was being developed in disregard for the ley lines. I think in part he was disappointed at the lack of 'worship' he felt from the local populace.  Still he was an interesting character.  And even in those days, Sedona had veteran metaphysicians of many years standing. Woe to the neophytes who thought they could teach these wise ones.  Never mind if they had success elsewhere; they had better be prepared to deliver the goods in Sedona or have half their audience exit before a break.

"One of the neat gatherings was for the Golden Word Bookstore owner, Pat Northrup's birthday party in the Episcopal Church. There must have been 100 people who came to honor her.  We danced, played and potlucked in celebration of our very first metaphysical bookstore's owner." [Golden Word Bookstore is still operating although it has changed owners in the past two years.]

"Around that time, perhaps earlier," continues Sophia, "there was a gathering at King's Ransom to bring the metaphysical community together, with committees formed to focus on gardening, arts, education and more.  Meetings went on and on over a period of a couple of years.  Things happened but it seemed to be more meetings than anything else. The core group was The Crystal Circle."

"For a while I was editor for a local Verde Valley newspaper and started to gather information about Sedona's spiritual community.  One of the most important organizations was the Sedona Foundation run by Joy and Roger Harter, lovely people whose hearts and intentions were very fine. Once in a while, the Sedona Foundation would sponsor an event and monthly full moon meetings, sometimes held in the meeting room at the former Railroad Inn [now Super 8-Sedona].  The Sedona Foundation would sometimes have their meditations at the Cross on Airport Hill.

"One of the finest metaphysical collaborations I have experienced in Sedona was the first meditation for world peace.  Pat Northrup called the meeting at the Golden Word and representatives from many of the New Age/metaphysical groups gathered to plan the 5 a.m. meeting December 31, 1986.  The planning drew 300 souls in very cold weather outdoors besides the Flicker Shack to meditate, sing, recite and more.  It was a stunning success.  Ron McLain [musician] and I visited every public school in Sedona for assemblies to give our large posters of an earth for the children to color and to write about world peace.  We had the kids singing.  It was a satisfying lead-in to the December 31st program which went on for several years.  The years following we were able to rent the Flicker Shack to get out of the cold.  There was always a nice turnout for this inspiring event.

"In 1987, a small group of meditators continued the meditation on the last day of each month meeting at churches or on Airport Mesa when weather permitted.  It was this core group that decided to be in the St. Patrick's Day parade and raise consciousness about world peace.  We called ourselves The Sedona Friends for World Peace. We painted a large world and tossed globes to the parade attendees back and forth-singing "Let there be peace on earth..." That's when I met Oman Ken [musician] for the first time.  We had a lovely collection of international musicians, singers and marchers.  One of our singers was an opera singer and another, Marge Thompson, local talented songstress.

"This core group decided to help organize the upcoming Harmonic Convergence.  A nice turnout at the adult community center shared great ideas from Jade Wa'hoo and Joseph Cohen and others about the event, inspiring many.  When that event happened, the city was filled with many out of town visitors for day long celebrations and meditations on Airport Mesa and other sacred spaces.  I remember heading for a sweat lodge early one [Harmonic] Convergence morning, passing by Bell Rock where the parking lot and roadside were chock full of visitors. A phone tree helped visitors to find homes which local residents opened free of charge to those gathering here. It was an incredible time.