NAFPS Forum

It happened again! Another New Ager appropriating a Native American spiritual practice has died. The Arizona reports that a man was found near Williams, AR (That's around 65 miles from Sedona) Michael Snarski, a 43 year old man, left a note stating he was going on a vision quest and went off into the woods alone on July 24 of this year. His obituary states he died on August 13th. He found by cadaver dogs on August 15th. There was a FULL water bottle and food near him, so this was probably something he chose to do to obtain an instant vision. He was found seated on a blanket under a tree.
This marks the 13th person to die appropriating Native spiritual practices. Almost a quarter of them died in Arizona near Sedona.

News Links:

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Man-on-vision-quest-reportedly-found-dead-near-Williams-127794298.html

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Man-on-vision-quest-disappears-in-forest-near-Williams-127483613.html

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/newstimes/obituary.aspx?n=michael-a-snarski&pid=153270147

http://paysondailybugle.blogspot.com/2011/08/missing-person-michael-snarski-found.html

http://paysondailybugle.blogspot.com/2011/08/missing-person-michael-snarski-found.html

http://debssarstories.blogspot.com/2011/08/vision-quest-gone-bad.html

They never learn. :'(

The heat in AZ in August is at its most brutal, 120+ degrees. The elementary schools teach kids skills like a military survival school in case they get lost. (A lot of small town and suburban homes are literally at the edge of deserts.) And yet this man chose to wander off into the heat. Like you say, he seemed to have chosen to go without the water right next to him.
One of the links mentions a spot of blood on the clothing. Don't know if that's significant, if he might have had an illness or injury.
43 is way too old for a vision quest, at least triple the usual age. Why couldn't he have just chosen to meditate sitting in a country cabin?