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may/june 2018yogajournal.com.au“GIVE ME YOUR HAND, and close your
eyes,” urges my guide, Mario. I turn and
look at him dubiously. We’re barely an
hour into a six-hour hike in Chile’s
Huerquehue National Park. I had taken
the lead on the well-marked Los Lagos
trail, keeping my gaze down to ensureGetting present
BY JEN MURPHY
CHILE
PHOTO: STOCKSTUDIOX;PEEPO/ISTOCKPHOTO.COMthat I wouldn’t trip on a tree root or rock
at my speedy pace. Hiking, for me, has
always been one part moving
meditation, one part high-intensity
workout. I get lost in my own head and
connect with my breath as I climb, my
heart rate rising.Mario’s request to play this game
irks me, as I’m starting to feel a chill.
But as I walk back toward him, I can’t
help but smile. Mario is dressed like an
old-school Patagonian explorer, down
to his wraparound Sherpa sunglasses
and oversized pack. He isn’t more than
30, but I can tell he’s wise beyond his
years—with a patience and calm I
envy. Mario reaches out one mitten-
covered hand to grab hold of mine.
“Now close your eyes,” he coaxes.
This seems like a dangerous game,
as the trail is about to slope steeply
downhill. “I won’t be able to see
anything,” I counter.
“You aren’t seeing anything other
than your boots at the pace you’re
hiking,” he scolds. “You don’t need to
see to be present. You need to slow
down so you can appreciate the forest.”
Like many travellers, I had come to
Pucón, Chile’s adventure-sports capital,
seeking adrenaline-fueled fun to
complement my morning yoga classes
at Hacienda Hotel Vira Vira, where I was
staying. Located in Chile’s Lake District,
this vast wilderness is considered a
mecca for kayaking, hiking, and skiing
with its crystal lakes, ancient forests,
and snow-crowned volcanoes.
Yet here I was, in one of the region’s
most famous parks, walking at a
snail’s pace with my eyes closed.