Apart for the red rocks, a huge part of what makes Sedona the desert dreamscape that it is are the Pinyon and Juniper trees that call the high desert home. These hardy and hearty trees comprise the forest of the high desert that spans the Colorado Plateau,of which Sedona is a part.
These beautiful trees hold a gentle and powerful energy in the desert southwest. In addition to holding the soil in place so that other plants and animals can survive, they provide seeds, sap, and other gifts freely. We owe much to trees and this week I celebrate the Pinyon and Juniper trees that – like me – call the desert southwest home.
And how magical it is to meditate with these ancient beings!
Pinyon tress are pine trees that produce small pine cones filled with Pinyon seeds. They are a delicacy in the desert for humans and animals alike. Additionally, Pinyon trees produce a beautifully fragrant sap that has antiseptic and healing properties. I use it as incense for my Sedona Full Moon Meditation experiences each month.
Juniper trees are the other prolific tree in the high desert. Not to be confused with their Cedar cousins, Juniper trees are expressive in their shapes and half-dead-half-alive appearance. They produce seeds that are encased in light blue berry-like balls, as shown in the header picture, above. The little seeds inside are eaten by birds and small critters.
Energetically, Pinyon trees help us with cleansing, balancing, and mental strength. Juniper trees are associated with boundaries – defining and enforcing them, as well as helping to connect with ancestors.
Like all desert plants, these long-lived trees have deep taproots and have evolved to survive in the harsh environment. They do well in the intense sunlight of the summer, freezing temps and snow of the winter, and persistent winds in the spring and fall. They soak up the monsoon rains and fill the air with their fragrance that is deeply associated with the desert southwest – as is the pollen of the Juniper trees!
So join me today in a meditation of appreciation for the Pinyon and Juniper trees of Sedona (and beyond).