The Thinking Yogi
by Kerry Maiorca

September 2006: Appreciating Nature within the City

Years ago I lived in Colorado for a short while, during which time I grew to feel at home in the mountains and loved any chance I had to interact with the outdoors. When I moved back to Chicago I went through a period of mourning, feeling that Nature was something that was no longer accessible to me now that I lived in a city. My idea of beauty in the natural world was grand mountainscapes and rushing streams, and I felt a lack of connection to Nature in a place where I heard the buzz of lawn mowers and honking horns, and felt hard pavement under my feet.

I had a dilemma: I was happy to be back in Chicago because I was surrounded by family and friends and was living in a place that just felt like home, but I missed the connection to the natural world I’d felt while living in Colorado. I’d convinced myself that I couldn’t enjoy Nature until I was back there, and I looked forward to getting out of the city and back to the beauty.

After several weeks of grumpiness over this loss, I realized how unproductive this way of thinking was. During an early morning walk I was taken aback by the freshness of the air and the stream of sunlight filling a bunch of tulips, even though I also heard the hum of a nearby air conditioner in the background. Nature was here too, though undoubtedly in a more understated version. The main difference was one of perception.

As I walked around the city, instead of focusing on the busyness, dirtiness, or noise, I began to challenge myself to find pockets of beauty within city life. Can a cardinal sitting on an electricity pole still be beautiful? Can I appreciate the grace of a swaying maple if there’s a Toyota parked beneath it? It certainly wasn’t easy, but as I practiced I found that there was a great deal of natural life to enjoy all around me.

We’ve just recently returned from a family reunion in Colorado where I was again thrilled by the grand display of Nature and thought how wonderful it must be to have access to that landscape full time. However, as we returned I felt a renewed love for the walk over the Wilson Street bridge where the Chicago River, though not pristine by any means, provided me with a glimpse of ducks and other wildlife. Upon our return I was more aware of the many birdcalls I heard as I walked through the neighborhood. I appreciated the fact that although I don’t have access to the mountains or rushing streams, I’m able to live in a great city where I can appreciate Nature on a daily basis. As my perspective changed, I no longer felt deprived and began to feel quite lucky!

In a similar way, as you practice yoga you may find that there are poses that seem inaccessible to you; perhaps you’re lacking in strength or flexibility, or maybe you struggle with balance. When you’re in class and everyone else is doing full wheel pose and the teacher suggests a simple bridge pose as an alternative for you, you may feel like the pose you’re doing is not providing you with the full experience. You might feel like if you’re not doing that more advanced version of the pose you might as well not be doing anything at all.

However, yoga practice is about being where you are today: city or country, bridge pose or full wheel. By practicing the basic version of a pose you’re learning to appreciate your body and your current limitations, learning to let go of the idea that only the big, dramatic stuff is worthwhile. Yoga practice is your chance to appreciate the subtler things, to enjoy a deep breath, to explore the sensations in your body as you get a nice stretch after a day of being on your feet, or sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Yoga brings balance to a life that might otherwise be disconnected and stressful.

Though it’s not all mountains and streams, not all deep meditation and advanced variations of poses, balance is what will enable you to pursue the joy in your daily life beginning right this very moment. On those busy stressful days you may find yourself dreaming of moving to Colorado, living among gorgeous mountains and practicing impressive yoga poses three times a day, but that isn’t the choice you’ve made. You’ve chosen to be here for a myriad of reasons, so you may as well get busy enjoying it!