Discovering Ancient Wisdom in Spiritual Energy Vortexes: A Path to Personal Growth

🌀 Vortexes remind us that we’re always in relationship—with the Earth, with each other, and with the infinite, energetic web we live inside.

Sedona, The Great Pyramids, Stonehenge and Jerusalem are all places where people say there are energy or spiritual vortexes.

In Sedona, people go to be in nature and participate in spiritual practices like meditation and reiki, while in Jerusalem, you’ll find people on pilgrimage, crying and kissing stones at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the Via Dolorosa.

So, what’s the deal? Are spiritual vortexes real, or is this all just a mix of tourist gimmicks, New Age spirituality, and ancient wisdom?

As someone who has Masters degrees in Biblical Studies and Archaeology (the latter, from Israel), and who grew up interfaith, I have spent much of my adult life not only studying, but traveling solo to places that intrigue me because of their archaeology and ancient cultures.

Vortex locations do, in fact, have something special. The reason is a mix of reasons: the energy created by the earth and the energy created by the ancient people who chose the sites and used them, building their connections to each other and the earth in these locations for specific purposes.

It actually gets even deeper than that, but you’ll have to keep reading to find out!

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What Is a Vortex—and What Makes a Place One?

“Vortex” gets thrown around a lot in spiritual and travel circles—but what does it actually mean?

In short, a vortex is a place believed to hold heightened or concentrated energy. But the why, how, and even what kind of energy depends on who you ask.

There are three main theories people use to explain what makes certain places vortexes:

1. The Ley Line Theory – An early 20th-century idea that imaginary energy lines crisscross the earth like a giant grid, and that spots where these lines intersect (especially near ancient monuments) hold extra power.
   
2. Geological Energy Zones – Places with electromagnetic anomalies, crystalline rock formations, or geothermal activity may emit natural energy that humans can feel—even if we can’t always explain it.
   
3. Ancient & Indigenous Wisdom – Sacred sites where people have always gathered to connect, pray, heal, and honor the earth. These places carry generations of spiritual memory—and often, a palpable energetic presence.

Some vortexes check all three boxes. Others might only align with one. And as we’ll explore next, there are even more ways to think about vortex energy—especially when we look at what it means for you.

Theory 1: Ley Lines & The Birth of the Modern Vortex Idea

An amateur archaeologist named Alfred Watkins first came up with the theory in 1921 in Herefordshire. Watkins theorized that prehistoric societies built their structures, like standing stones and temples, along straight alignments for navigation and ceremonial purposes.

☀️ He also thought that standing stones on these lines, like those at Stonehenge, were used in conjunction with tracking the alignment of the sun.

The theory captured the imaginations of people, who followed these lines in search of the mystical and miraculous. Meanwhile, professional archaeologists (as well as scientists) dismissed the theory since these kinds of lines could easily be drawn between any points on the map, and because the shortest distance from one place to another, logically, is in a straight line.

Fast-forward to the 1980s, and Sedona, Arizona’s status as a vortex location was solidified thanks to one woman from Florida: Page Bryant. A psychic and author, Bryant claimed to have psychically identified four major vortexes in Sedona, publishing her findings in books and workshops.

The New Age movement, which was gaining momentum at the time, embraced this idea, and Sedona quickly became a hotspot for spiritual seekers.

👉 It’s important to note that while Sedona has long been regarded as sacred by Indigenous peoples, the modern vortex concept largely stems from Bryant’s work and the subsequent tourism industry that formed around it. One of my tour guides in Sedona told us about how Bryant’s vortex locations were all close to paved roads, which is pretty suspect!

However, there are more ancient line theories, and we’re going to cover those in a bit.

Theory 2: Geological Features and the Earth’s Energy

The ley lines theory and Bryant’s book aren’t the only things that make people consider places to be spiritual or energy vortexes. Another reason is geology-related.

Places where the earth has more activity, like volcanoes, hills and mountains, as well as stones like quartz, are thought to carry more energy from the earth itself.

Scientific phenomena that may contribute to the feeling of “energy” in these places include:

• Electromagnetic Fields: Some locations have naturally stronger magnetic fields due to mineral compositions.
• Quartz & Crystalline Rock Formations: Crystals, especially quartz, are piezoelectric, meaning they can generate electrical charges under pressure.
• Ionization of the Air: Places with waterfalls, mountains, and certain rock formations generate negative ions, which can create a feeling of mental clarity and relaxation.
• Geothermal Activity: Volcanic regions, such as Hawaii, often have deeply spiritual significance, possibly due to their dynamic energy. According to NASA, Earth has a magnetic field that moves (it is not fixed). The reason Earth has a magnetic field, according to geophysicists, is that the Earth’s iron core is surrounded by hot liquid metal, and this flow of metal creates electric currents.

Even around Sedona you’ll find signs of past volcanic activity. The San Francisco Volcanic Field—just north near Flagstaff—includes over 600 volcanoes, with Sunset Crater being one of the most iconic. This ancient volcanic landscape adds another layer to the area’s charged, elemental feel.

While there’s no scientific evidence proving that these geological features create “spiritual energy,” they do have measurable effects on the environment and human perception.

Theory 3: Indigenous Beliefs and Sacred Sites

Today’s concept of religion is vastly different than indigenous tribal belief systems and spirituality, which wasn’t an organized religion; it was a way of life, survival and connection to the earth.

Many vortex locations around the world that are connected to indigenous peoples have a lot in common; for example, there are multiple places, even just in the US, where indigenous tribes believed the creation story happened, where people survived the great flood, or more things.

The Holy Mountain In Ancient Belief Systems

Most, if not all indigenous belief systems have a holy mountain that is central to their spiritual belief and practice.

Many of these don’t allow people to climb to the summit, as the presence of the divine or certain deities is thought to reside there as well as more beliefs, including power, paradise (Garden of Eden), ancestors and burial places, identity, sources of life and healing, and inspiration, renewal and transformation.

Some examples of holy mountains include:

• Blackfeet Tribe: Nínaiistáko (Chief Mountain) in Glacier National Park is thought to be the home of the thunder deity, Ksiistsikomm, as well as being located between two realms. People are not allowed to go on this mountain because the deity resides there.
• Israelites: Mt. Sinai is where Moses received the ten commandments from G-d. A while later, the Temple Mount became the place where worship and sacrifices took place.
• Shintoists: Mt. Fuji in Japan is named after the fire goddess, Fuchi, and the mountain is believed to be a gateway to another world. The same mountain was sacred to the Ainu, the aboriginal people of Japan.
• Native Hawaiians: Kilauea, the volcano is thought to be the goddess Pele’s body.
• Indians: Nanda Devi is the home of the goddess of the same name, the goddess of Bliss.

Similar to these mountains, sites like Sedona, Arizona have long been held as sacred by Indigenous tribes, such as the Yavapai and Apache, who recognized the land’s significance long before modern tourism rebranded it as a “vortex.”

There are also ancient man-made mountains, like the pyramids in Egypt and the Mesopotamian ziggurats, where the areas were considered to be sacred (and today, “vortexes”).

Traveling to sacred places isn’t new—it’s been part of the human journey for thousands of years. Sometimes, what we’re really doing is answering our own call to adventure.

Back to Theory 1: Ancient Line Theories and Astrology

Way before the ley lines theory, similar ideas were already a part of ancient Chinese cosmology. In feng shui (also called geomancy), “Dragon Lines” or “Dragon Veins” (龙脉, lóng mài) are thought to be the Earth’s energetic bloodstream—channels through which life force, or qi, flows across the land.

These lines are understood in terms of yin and yang energy, where mountains typically represent yang (masculine, active), and valleys or water represent yin (feminine, receptive). Practitioners of feng shui study these energetic movements to determine the most harmonious locations for everything from burial sites to homes to temples.

In this view, the earth isn’t just a backdrop—it’s alive, dynamic, and pulsing with energy.

Sacred landscapes, particularly mountains, are seen as places where the dragon’s energy is strongest—similar to how we think of vortex sites today.

The Aborigines called these “Song Lines“. In Peru, there are “Nazca Lines“, geoglyphs with lines in the ground that include both straight lines and images of plants and animals. These are so big it’s easiest to see them from the sky.

Some believe these lines serve as directions for birds, fish and other types of animals for things like migration, like a compass.

These lines also correspond with the constellations, connecting them to astrology and calendar systems.

Many ancient sites were not only built along energetic lines, but also aligned with the sun, moon, and stars. Temples and pyramids often face sunrise or sunset on the equinoxes or solstices, and constellations like Orion, Pleiades, and Sirius were tracked with stunning precision. These cosmic alignments weren’t just aesthetic—they were tied to agricultural calendars, creation myths, and spiritual rituals. Even today, people gather at places like Chichen Itza, Stonehenge, and Uluru for seasonal festivals that echo ancient traditions.

🔥 These moments—when time, light, and place converge—can feel charged, like the veil between worlds thins for a second (one example is the Celtic festival of Samhain). It’s no wonder fire, sun, and celestial cycles show up in so many spiritual traditions.

Astrological birth charts are done for people because the energy of the exact location (city/town) of your birth and the exact time of your birth show a specific energy and planet alignment that can tell you a lot about your personality and life path. The Mayans call this your “Nawal“, which also corresponds with their calendar.

Another way these lines are understood is that they are like the acupressure points in the human body, and from there the idea of the earth having chakras, just like the body.

Chakras: On the Earth and In Humans

The concept of the 7 chakras (“chakra” is the Sanskrit word for wheel) has been around since the most ancient belief system we know, Hinduism, to other major belief systems like Judaism (seen especially in Kabbalah).

The Chakras are the primary energy centers in the body, and we can work on balancing our chakras through things like meditation and chanting in the Hindu belief system (chakras become blocked by various things and can be opened up).

🧘‍♀️ The Body’s chakras are located as follows:

• Root Chakra: Base of the spine, rooting us to the Earth (Red)
• Sacral Chakra: Sexual center, governing our emotions and creativity (Orange)
• Solar Plexus Chakra: Stomach, our soul and life path/higher purpose (Yellow)
• Heart Chakra: Heart and healing (Green)
• Throat Chakra: Throat and truth (Light Blue)
• The Third Eye Chakra: Forehead, between the eyes; intuition, wisdom and higher consciousness (Dark Blue)
• Crown Chakra: Above the head, like a crown; higher states of consciousness, connection with the divine (Purple)

🌎 The Earth’s chakras are located as follows:

• Root Chakra: Mount Shasta, California
• Sacral Chakra: Lake Titicaca, Peru and Bolivia
• Solar Plexus Chakra: Uluru & Kata Tjuta in Australia
• Heart Chakra: Stonehenge, England; Glastonbury & Shaftesbury, England; and Maui, Hawaii
• Throat Chakra: Pyramid of Giza, Egypt; Mount Sinai, Egypt; Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel
• Crown Chakra: The Himalayan Mountains/Mount Kailash, Tibet
• The Third Eye Chakra is thought to move as the Earth moves on its axis, depending on each new astrological age. As we enter the Age of Aquarius, it’s near Glastonbury, England.

There are four spinner wheels in addition to the chakras, which correspond with the four elements:

• Water: Lake Rotopounamu in New Zealand
• Fire: Haleakala Crater, Hawaii
• Air: From the Great Pyramid in Giza to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem
• Earth: Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa

🌀 Just like energy moves through the chakras in spirals and cycles, personal growth often follows a similar path. I’ve made it a goal to visit more of these sites, drawn by both their history and their energy.

Vortexes, Quantum Physics and Etzem

Quantum physics says that everything is made up of subatomic particles, which are made up of more than just matter: they also contain swirling vortexes of energy.

Everything is made up of this energy, meaning you and I are, as well as everything on earth and beyond.

In Judaism, one of the core beliefs is that each human being is an entire universe, or the Etzem. The Mishnah says,

“Every human being is unique, and every human being is a copy of the prototype human being (Adam)…therefore, every human being must say, “For my sake the world was created.”

🦋 The Etzem can be found in everything – much like quantum physics. This means that just as vortexes exist in the world, we also contain our own energetic fields.

What Vortexes Mean for Seekers Today

We can learn from the earth, as well as from ancient traditions and indigenous people, who were and are more connected to the land. We can learn from ourselves and each other, too.

In Judaism, when a person does a mitzvah, or a good deed – no matter how small or insignificant – you’re holding your part of the Etzem, like a drop of water. It’s one part of the whole, and you’re making the difference you, an individual, can make.

💧 We are each a drop in the ocean, and at the same time—we are the ocean.

🗻 Think about it this way: You can be at Mount Shasta or Mount Fuji, or in your own town, and see the same sunset. A drop of rain at your house might have come from anywhere and everywhere in the world; it’s part of the whole.

🌀 Just like a single vortex can shift the landscape around it, our smallest actions can create ripples we may never see.

🦋 That’s the butterfly effect at play: one small shift in your own energy can change someone else’s day, which can echo into something even bigger.

🌍 Vortexes remind us that we’re always in relationship—with the Earth, with each other, and with the infinite, energetic web we all live inside.

You can travel to vortex locations and have spiritual and energetic experiences, but you can also experience these things anywhere you choose or happen to be, right now, especially when there’s energy involved, like through meditation alone or, even more, with a group.

Sometimes it helps to get into a new place, to have a guided or collective experience, or to be in a location steeped in ancient spiritual meaning. But often, what we’re really doing is trying to shake loose the static—to step out of the systems, routines, and roles that keep us stuck.

But I say, don’t let that hold you back from seeking what you’re looking for no matter your circumstances or location.

While looking at a photo of a spiritual experience in Sedona might lead you to go and experience it for yourself, you also can’t have your expectations too high, right?

🌌 You don’t have to go far to find something sacred. You already carry a universe inside you.

We hold multitudes—stories, traditions, pain, resilience. Vortexes aren’t the only things layered with history and power. We are, too.

🌍 Locations Around the World Thought to Be Spiritual or Energy Vortexes

Here are more of the locations around the world thought to have energetic and spiritual vortexes:

• 🌊 🏴‍☠️ Bermuda Triangle
• 🗻 🇯🇵 Mount Fuji, Japan
• 🌺 🇺🇸 Maui, Hawaii
• 🌊 🇳🇿 Lake Taupo, New Zealand
• 🧘 🇮🇩 Bali, Indonesia
• 🌲 🇺🇸 Big Sur, California
• 🏜️ 🇺🇸 Sedona, Arizona
• 🌵 🇺🇸 Joshua Tree, California
• 🏔️ 🇺🇸 Mount Shasta, California
• 🌋 🇺🇸 Crater Lake, Oregon
• 🍊 🇺🇸 Ojai, California
• ⛰️ 🇺🇸 Mount Mitchell, North Carolina
• 🏞️ 🇺🇸 Monument Valley, Arizona–Utah border
• 🌄 🇺🇸 Taos, New Mexico
• 🎰 🇺🇸 Las Vegas, Nevada

Vortexes, real or not, are a testament to humanity’s deep desire to connect—with the Earth, with history, and with something greater than ourselves.

🌍 So—are vortexes real?

Maybe. Maybe it’s about the science. Maybe it’s the stories. Maybe it’s the stillness we find when we finally step outside our routines.

For me, it’s not about proving the energy exists—it’s about paying attention to what happens when I show up somewhere new, stay open, and let the land speak in its own way. The places we’re drawn to often reflect something back to us we didn’t even know we needed.

✨ Whether you’re following ancient trails or just trying to find a little more clarity in your everyday life, maybe the real vortex is the one inside you—the pull toward truth, transformation, and connection.

I’ve made it a personal goal to visit more of these sacred sites—not just because of their beauty or fame, but because of the questions they stir and the insight they offer. There’s wisdom in the land, and there’s wisdom in you, too.

🌀 Let the journey keep unfolding.

👉 Read about even more spiritual destinations around the world in this guide next!

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