Ancestors Speak - Montezuma's Well

"Stillness at Montezuma's Well"  by S. Roger Joyeux copyright March 2007

In March of 2007, Roger and I visited Montezuma's Well.  The site is fascinating because it pumps warm water up from Mother Earth at a rate of 1.5 million gallons per day.  The water is guided out of the Well by an aqueduct or irrigation ditch as the National Parks label it, estimated to be approximately one thousand years old.  The water from the ditch is used by locals .

We had been in Sedona for several days, climbing Bell Rock and hiking, and visiting vortexes.  Through out our activities, various people, even waiters in restaurants, would say that we should visit Montezuma's Well.  We have both learned that when something is repeated to us many times, we need to pay attention.  And so we planned a day trip to the Well. 

When we arrived, there were few tourists around because it had been raining and was overcast.  We followed the trail to the Well and as we walked we both began to feel some anxiety about getting there more quickly.  We felt pulled.  The Well is located about eleven miles from the archeological and historical site known as Montezuma's Castle.  It was the main source of water for the Sinagua People who created the five story apartment block in the cliff (Montezuma's Castle) and the aqueduct. 

As we arrived at the trail leading down into the Well, other tourists arrived and there was a flurry of activity for about twenty minutes, and then it got quiet.  We wandered down the path, and we felt like there were many walking with us, unseen yet somehow tangible.  We could hear the words - "This way. Come this way."   We saw some lizards and birds, and they seemed to ignore us for the most part.  We arrived at the end of the path, and looked at this place where Ancestors lived and marvelled at their engineering skills.  They built homes and built steps and constructed canals to move and filter the water.

I always carry tobacco and water and seed when I am outside, even when I am walking the dogs.  And so we offered tobacco and spring water to honour what the People had built that endured so long.  We heard an echo through the Well that was like a sigh of relief.   We turned to start back up the path, and felt the presence of people, invisible, but almost real, around us.  We could smell smoke from fires and food cooking.  It seemed that we were being asked to stay for a visit. 

Each of us had separate experiences with the Ancestors.  We sat on the rocks and talked.  During that time, no other tourists came down into the Well.  There were many there that now felt ready to cross from this plane to the next that would be their home.  What we understood was that they had been here so long, they had forgotten how to move onward, and they asked us to help them.  We did a release ceremony for the Ancestors.  Those that wished to cross, did so.  This took about twenty minutes.  We were surprised that there were as many as twenty or more that did not move on.  They indicated that they were Guardians and would stay on.  The energy shifted, and tourists began coming down the path.

As we walked back uphill, a small black and white bird swooped down in front of us.  We stopped, very startled!  The bird then flew down on to the rock beside us, and began an animated conversation in song and chirps.  We understood that we were being thanked and that we too were being honoured as we had honoured the Ancestors.  Another tourist stopped and noted the bird's behaviour and asked us if that was normal.  We laughed and walked up out of the Well.

In memory of the Ancestors,

Judith