(免责声明:微信公众号“衡⽣活”中所有⽂章的内容仅⽤于信息分享。它并⾮旨在诊断或治疗任 何疾病。这⾥的信息不能替代医⽣或其他医疗专业⼈员的建议。我们不做任何隐含或明确的保 证,即此处描述的任何内容能治愈任何疾病。)
(Disclaimer: The content of all articles in this WeChat public account “Life in Balance” is to share information only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any illnesses. Information here is not a substitute for advice from doctors or other health professionals. We do not make any implicit or explicit promise that anything described here will cure any illnesses.)
(阅读时间⼤约为两分钟。Approximate reading 2 minutes)
问⾃⼰这样⼀个问题:我是不是认同我⽆法回到从前去改变它?我是不是认同我⽆法跳到未来去强迫它?
——— ⼤卫·吉
Ask yourself: Do I agree that I cannot step into the past to change it? Do I agree that I cannot step into the future to force it?
——— David Ji
我⾃⼰的健康之旅和我对⾮传统健康领域的研究教给我最重要的道理是,我们的思想和意识对身体的健康有着⽆⽐巨⼤的影响。它有着⼏乎压倒⼀切的⼒量。如果内⼼⽆法平静,⼀直处于担⼼,焦虑,压⼒重重或其它负⾯情绪当中,那⽆论多么健康的饮⻝,多少运动,多好的保健品都⽆济于事, 你不会拥有真正持久的健康。
The single most important lesson I have ever learned, through my own health journey and my deep dive into the alternative health arena is that, our mind exerts immense power over our physical health. It is an overriding factor. If you don’t have peace of mind, if you are constantly worried, anxious, stressed out or drowned in other negative emotions, it does not matter how healthy you eat, how much exercise you do, how many supplements you take, you can never achieve truly lasting good health.
我对此感受深切。
I have known this too well.
⾃从很⼩的时候起,压⼒就成了我⽣活的⼀部分。我猜我是属于那种天⽣就极其敏感的⼈。我在学校是个优等⽣,这给我带来巨⼤压⼒,总是担⼼学习一旦退步⽗⺟就会失望伤⼼。⽗⺟过分严格的养育⽅式对我来说更是雪上加霜。我从很早就知道什么是失眠,我记得在⾼考前⼀天崩溃痛哭不⽌,我记得那些我⽆法听⾳乐或抬头看蓝天的⽇⼦,因为它与我内⼼的感受反差太⼤。
Stress has defined a big part of my life, ever since I was little. I guess I was one of those people that are born highly sensitive. Being a top student in school gave me tremendous pressure. i was constantly worried losing my good academic standing would let my parents down. My parents’ over-strict parenting style did not help. I remember suffering from insomnia early on, I remember breaking down crying the day before the college entrance exam, I remember the days I could not stand music or the blue sky because it is in such contrast to what I was experiencing inside.
当别⼈许愿或祈祷时,可能要的⼤多是⾦钱,名望,健康或其它可以给他们带来快乐的东⻄。我不是。我不祈祷快乐,财富甚⾄是健康。我想要的只是内⼼的平和。对我来说,内⼼平和的⼈才是最富有,最值得羡慕的⼈。
When other people make a wish or pray, they probably want money, fame, health or other things that make them happy. Not me. When I prayed, I did not ask for happiness, wealth, or even good health. All I wanted was peace. For me, people who have peace with themselves are the wealthiest people worth most of the envy.
这种⼼境陪伴了我很久,在很⼤程度上塑造了我,对我的影响有些我知道,有些我也许永远都不会了解。最终,我⾛了出来,但为之我付出了相当的代价和努⼒:两次抑郁的经历,多次的⼼理咨询,⼤量的阅读,以及坚持不懈的静⼼习练。
This state of mind accompanied me for a long time, shaping me in ways I know and many ways I don’t. Eventually I got better, but not after I battled with two bouts of depression, after numerous counseling sessions, countless books and hours and hours of mindful practice.
慢慢地,我学会了劝诫⾃⼰,学会了应对,学会了如何让⾃⼰的⼼安静下来。今天,我仍然像所有⼈⼀样⾯临很多⽣活的挑战,但是我不再挣扎。事实上,我相信我⽐我周边⼤多数⼈都更为平和从容。我找到了我⼀直渴望的东⻄。
Slowly, I learned how to talk to myself, how to cope, and how to quiet my mind. Now I still face challenges like everybody else, but I no longer struggle. In fact I believe I am more at peace with myself than most people around me. I found what I have longed for.
我们的很多痛苦,焦虑和恐惧其实都因为我们⽆法活在当下。我们花很多精⼒和时间为过去感到沮丧,愤怒和悔恨,我们花很多精⼒和时间为未来感到担忧和焦虑。我们忘记了我们的⽣活其实就在这⼀刻,就在眼前。
So much of our suffering, our anxiety, and our fear come from our inability to live in the present moment. We spend energy and time being upset, angry or regretful about our past, we spend energy and time being worried and anxious about the future, we forget to live our lives right here, right now.
埃克哈特·托尔(Eckhart Tolle) 的书《当下的⼒量》是我多年前精神之旅的开始。并不是它教会了我如何活在当下,这需要⼀⽣的修⾏,⽽是它唤醒了我,让我意识到,其实有另⼀种⽅式,⼀种更好的⽅式,也许是唯⼀的一种度过⽣命的⽅式。
I consider reading the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle the beginning of my spiritual journey years ago. It was not so much that it taught me how to live in the moment, which is a life long practice, but rather it woke me up to the realization that there is another way, a better way, perhaps the only way to live a life.
我们每个⼈的内⼼都有着⼀个充满宁静,创造⼒和智慧的海洋,但是我们从来不去那⾥因为我们不知道怎么去。古今中外,冥想⼀直被⽤作通往内⼼的修⾏⽅法,它让喋喋不休的⼤脑内安静下来,让⼼灵和身体得到安抚和愈合。冥想对我帮助巨⼤。
We all have an ocean of stillness, creativity and wisdom within ourselves, but we don’t access it because we don’t know how. Meditation has been used by people across cultures and timelines as a way to connect to our inner selves, to quiet the incessant chatter in our head, to calm the mind and heart, and to heal. It has helped me tremendously on my journey.
我和⼈谈冥想的时候,最常听到的是这两个反应:
Whenever I talk about meditation with people, here are two comments I hear most often:
- 我坐不下来,没有办法集中思想,
I cannot sit still. I cannot concentrate my mind.
这其实不是你不能做冥想的原因,这正是你需要做冥想的原因。 在冥想的时候思维跳跃极其正常, 这正是修炼的⼀部分。
This is not the reason NOT to do it, this is EXACTLY the reason why you should do it. Having a monkey mind that jumps around during meditation is expected and is part of the practice.
- 我没有时间。
I don’t have time.
时间管理本身就是⼀个⼤话题。没有时间其实是“对我来说还不够重要”的代名词。雷·达⾥奥, 世界上最⼤对冲基⾦桥⽔公司的创始⼈,管理着超过1万亿元的资产。他每天做两次⼆⼗分钟的冥想。如果你觉得你没有时间做⼀次的话,那你就应该每天做两次。
Time management is a big topic in itself. No time is really a code name for “not my priority”. Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s biggest hedge fund that manages more than 100 billion USD assets, practices 2 sessions of 20 minutes meditation every day. If you don’t think you have time to do it once a day, then you should do it twice a day.
这⾥我们不详谈如何练习冥想。如果你感兴趣,可以找到⼤量的资源。我只想说,如果你想静⼼,减轻压⼒,减少焦虑,或者从疾病中康复,⾄少给冥想⼀个机会。
I won’t go to details as to how to practice meditation today. There are tons of resources out there for any interested person. I just want to encourage everybody who wants a calmer mind, who wants less stress and anxiety, and those struggling with illnesses to give it a try.
循序渐进。你不需要⼀下⼦坐下来开始⼀个⼩时甚⾄是⼗分钟的练习。你可以先找⼀个你可以做得到的⽬标。找不到五分钟的时间?两分钟呢?⼀分钟?先来五次深呼吸怎么样?
Start small. You don’t need to sit down and do an hour, or even a 10 minute session right away. Start with something that you can comfortably manage. Cannot fifind even 5 minutes? How about 2 minutes? How about 1? How about just 5 deep breathing?
刚开始最关键的不是冥想的时间⻓短,⽽是连贯。每次两分钟,每周四到五次,⽐每周⼀次三⼗分钟更为有效。
The key is not the time spent on meditation, the key is consistency. 2 minutes a day 4 to 5 days a week is much more effective than once a week for 30 minutes.
对⾃⼰多些耐⼼。时刻记住,完美不是⽬标,⽬标是进步。我开始练习冥想是在⼗年前,但我花了近⼋年的时间才做到可以每天习练。如果你发现只是时不时得做下,没有关系,尽你的努⼒,可能的时候就练习⼀次。越经常,你的收获就越⼤。
Be patient with yourself. Perfection is never the goal. The goal is progress. I started mediation about 10 years ago, but it took me almost 8 years to start doing it on a daily basis. If you find yourself only do it sporadically here and there, it is ok. Just do it whenever and wherever you can. The more consistent you are, the more benefit you reap.
当然冥想不是让你静⼼的唯⼀⽅式。⼤⾃然,深呼吸,太极,园艺等等那些让你放松身⼼的事情都对静⼼⼤有帮助。
Of course meditation is not the only pathway to quiet the mind. Being in nature, deep breathing, taiji, gardening, or any activities that relaxes you will be extremely beneficial to cultivate stillness within.
你的思维和⼤脑不是⼀成不变的,它其实有着极⼤的延展性。所有那些内心的纷杂,那些消极的思想,那些焦虑和压⼒你都有可能去改变。你绝对可以训练⾃⼰的⼼境,让它变得更安静,更富有同情⼼,更能够专注于每个当下的时刻。⽽你也会更加镇定,快乐和⾼效。
Your mind is not fixed, it is malleable. All that inner chatter, all that negative talk, all that worry and stress, can be managed. You can absolutely train your mind to be more still, to be more compassionate, and to pay more attention to each present moment you are in. As a result, you will be a much calmer, happier and more productive person.
最后,我想和大家分享⼀件我几乎每天要做的事情。我通常以这样的⼀句话结束我的冥想修炼:
I want to share something I do almost every day. I usually end my meditation with this affirmation:
今天,让我的每⼀句话,每⼀个想法,每⼀个⾏为都来⾃内⼼的宁静平和,同情与爱心。
Today, let every word, every thought and every action of mine come from a place of silence, stillness, compassion and love.
,