Understand these new words or phrases before you read this article.
1. serenity [si'ren?ti] n 平靜，寧靜
2. uplifting [?p'lifti?] adj. 令人振奮的
3. asset ['?set] n. 優點
4. compulsion [k?m'p?l??n] n. 強製
5. incessant [in'ses?nt] adj. 不停的
6. ingrained [,in'ɡreind] adj. 根深蒂固的
7. expertise [,eksp?:'ti:z] n. 專門知識
We enjoy inner peace and feel happy and satisfied when life flows smoothly and we have a good job, good relation-ships, good health, and our financial situation is good. When there is nothing to worry about, no tension and no hurry, we are at peace.
In day-to-day life it is not always like this. There is always something that causes worry, tension and lack of ease, and does not let us feel peaceful. In spite of this, we can enjoy peace regardless of our outer circumstances. Peace of mind is an inner state and is independent of outer conditions. Why wait for never for circumstances to be“right”? Why rely on outside circumstances to bring us peace of mind?
A person may be rich or poor. One may be healthy or sick, free, or live in closed cell. Inner peace and calmness is within reach of everyone. One can be a slave, the other free man, yet both have the potential to enjoy peace of mind.
Peace of mind seems to be in this world but out of this world. It is experienced here and now, yet independent of outer circumstances. Inner calmness and serenity can be experienced even under the most trying circumstances. Of course some training is needed first.
Thoughts and Peace of Mind
Thoughts arise in us and we think them. We may choose to ignore them and experience real inner freedom, or we may choose to water them with the power of our attention and make them grow.
When you have to think, choose only positive, happy and uplifting thoughts. Think about and imagine only what you really and truly desire and that will come to pass. Always remember that life is shaped according to your thoughts.
When the mind is silent there is happiness inside and happiness outside.
It is a great asset and advantage to be able to silence the mind when its services are not needed.
The attainment of serenity of mind, which is actually freedom from the compulsion of incessant thinking, is open for everyone, provided the proper training is taken. Just reading this article you will not bring you peace of mind. When you understand the value of inner peace, and you have a true desire to succeed, nothing can stand in your way. Though this is an inner power, the way to its attainment is not different from other tangible goals. Work and persistence are necessary.
Most people are enslaved by their thoughts. It does not occur to man that he can become free from their grasp. From the moment we wake up in the morning to the moment we fall asleep at night, this chatter of the mind continues incessantly. The habit of thinking is very deeply ingrained in the human race. Yet, this habit can be undone.
To change or stop a habit we have to act consciously in the opposite direction. Whatever new skill we develop, we have to work at it until it turns into second nature, and becomes easy to perform. The same is with mind control.
True control of the mind is not just the ability to concentrate on one thought and disregard other thoughts. It is the ability to cleanse the mind completely and make it silent. A great Indian sage said:“Mind is only a bundle of thoughts, stop thinking and show me the mind.”
When one is really free from thoughts he becomes free from the mind as both are one and the same thing. One comes to see and understand the illusiveness of the mind. When the clouds hide the sun, it is still there, beyond the clouds. Our Essence, our inner Self, is always here. We only need to remove the sheets and covers that envelope it in order to experience peace and calmness. These sheets and covers are our thoughts, ideas, habits and beliefs. I do not mean to tell you that you have to stop using your mind. You need it in order to carry on your life. I mean that it has to
be under the control of the Self. It should be your servant to serve you fight, and not your master. Advice forAttaining Serenity of Mind
You don’t have to feel uncomfortable with words such as Self, Inner Self Essence, Universal Consciousness etc. They may now seem to you meaningless“high”words, but they are not. They symbolize something very real, not hazy concepts. Concentration and meditation make these words meaningful. Advancing on the spiritual path is not something hazy, imaginative and unpractical as some may imagine. By personal experience you will come to really know what I mean.
Everyone can learn a new language, but not everyone can reach the same level of expertise. Everyone can engage in bodybuilding, painting or writing, but each will reach a different level. It depends on the inner aptitude, the earnestness, and the time devoted to this activity. Yet, everyone can benefit from these activities. So it is with training towards freedom from thoughts.
Try to calm your mind when you feel agitated. Take a step back in your mind and watch it. This has the tendency to calm and relax the mind. Develop concentration power and meditate. All these actions calm the mind and make it serene.
Following the suggestions and using the techniques mentioned above will start you on a marvelous journey. Practice, read articles and books on the subject and persevere in your training. One day you may meet someone who may teach you personally, as the saying goes:“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”
Try to watch your thoughts during the day, as if they are not yours, without being sucked into them. Become conscious of the fact that you are watching your thoughts. Then this awareness of watching will increase.
You will have to remind yourself incessantly to practice watching your thoughts, as your mind will probably make you forget. Do not give up and you will succeed. If you practice as often as you can, you will be on the way to success. It may take some time, but the effort is more than worthwhile.
You can also increase your peace of mind by developing the power of concentration, by meditation, by physical exercise and by correct breathing.
The important thing is, practice, practice, and practice. Remember!
You are not your mind!
You are not your thoughts!
You are not your ideas!
You are not your beliefs!
They may be yours, but they are not you.
They are instruments you use, do not let them control you.
What remains after they are rejected is You, the real I.
When thoughts cease, you still exist. There is no vacuum, When the emptiness of no thoughts is reached, you begin to feel your existence, your being. This emptiness is filled with something great, wonderful, powerful and sweet. You start living in Peace. You sail on the water of the calm mind. This is Pure Existence.
When you realize this state you are free from thoughts.
Then you are really free.
In this state nothing can influence you. You stop acting instinctively on the prompt of each passing thought. You become a completely conscious being, alive, strong, beyond everything.
You stay in this world. Your life continues, but you are beyond.
True peace of mind is the gate to Enlightenment.
Think of serenity of mind as a feasible possibility. Calm your mind by autosuggestions, meditation and concentration, and start enjoying peace of mind.
我們享受到內心的寧靜，並感到快樂和心滿意足時，往往是生活之河平穩地向前流淌之時：擁有一份滿意的工作、良好的人際關係、健康的身體和優越的經濟條件。當我們沒有焦慮和壓力，也不繁忙時，便會平靜下來。
但是，日常生活並不總是如此。我們總會為一些事情焦慮、緊張和不安，無法平靜下來。盡管如此，我們仍然可以享受到寧靜，而忽略外在的條件。內心的寧靜是一種心理狀態，並不受外在條件的約束。為什麽一定要等到“合適”的環境呢？為什麽要讓內心的平靜取決於外在的條件呢？
一個人可能貧窮，也可能富有；可能健康，也可能患病；可能自由，也可能受約束。但內心的平靜和安寧每個人都能得到。不管是奴隸，還是自由人，都可能享受到內心的平靜。
在這個世界上，內心的平靜似有似無。但如果擺脫外在條件的束縛，此時此刻你就能感受到。即使在最艱難的條件下，你仍然可以擁有內心的安寧和平靜。當然，首先你要接受一些培訓。思索會讓內心平靜
我們會產生想法，並會去思考這些想法。我們可以選擇忽視它們，去體驗內心真正的自由。或者，我們選擇用更多的關注去澆灌它們，促使其成長。
當你必須思考時，隻選擇積極、快樂和樂觀的想法。要去思考和想象你真正的渴望，並相信他們遲早會實現。永遠記住，生活是由你的思想決定的。
當心靈靜默時，你就會擁有一種內心的幸福和外在的快樂。
如果心靈的需要得不到滿足，仍能保持靜默，這就是一筆巨大的資本和優勢。
要使心靈平靜，實際上是要從難以抗拒的不斷思考中解脫出來。人人都可以做到，隻是要經過適當的訓練，隻讀這篇文章並能讓你的內心平靜下來。當你懂得了內心平靜的價值，就會真正渴望成功，並在追求過程中克服一切阻礙。盡管這是一種內在的能量，但獲取它的方式與其他實際目標一樣，必須努力和堅持。
大多數人都沉迷在自己的思考中，很少有人能擺脫它，獲得身心自由。從我們清晨醒來的那一刻起，腦子裏一直在思考，直到晚上入睡為止。思考是人類根深蒂固的習慣，但這種習慣仍然可以改變。
要改變或戒掉一種習慣，我們必須有意識地采取相反方式的行動。不管我們是在學習什麽新的技能，都要努力學習，直到它轉化成第二天性，變得隨心所欲。控製心靈也是如此。
真正控製心靈，並不是僅僅在一種思考上集中注意力，忽視其他思考的能力，而是一種完全淨化思考並使其靜默的能力。印度有一位偉大的智者說過：“心靈隻是各種思想的綜合，停止思考，表露心靈。”
當一個人真正擺脫了思想的束縛，心靈也就不再受禁錮，才能認清並懂得心靈的幻覺，因為兩者是合二為一並且本質相同的東西。當烏雲蔽日時，太陽還在，隻不過被雲遮住了。我們的本質，內心的真我也一直存在，隻是需要除去包裹和封套，才能體會到平靜和安寧。這些包裹和封套就是我們的思想、觀念、習慣和信仰。我並不是讓你停止思考，你需要思考來延續自己的生命。我的意思是，你必須控製自己的思考，它必須是你的仆人，為你服務，而不是你的主人。
達到心靈平靜的忠告。
你不必對這些諸如自我、內在本質、普遍意識等詞匯反感，現在，它們對於你來說，也許是些“高深莫測”的詞語，但其實不是。它們象征著一些非常實際的東西，而不是一些朦朧的概念。集中精力和冥思苦想會讓它們意味深長。精神之路的探索並不是某些人想象中的那些模糊、虛幻和不切實際的東西。通過親身經曆，你就會明白我的意思。
每個人都能學會一種新的語言，但不是每個人都能達到相同的專業水平。每個人都可以塑造體型、畫畫或者寫作，但每個人所達到水平都會有所不同。這取決於內在的才能、認真的程度和從事這項活動所投入的時間。然而，從這些活動中，每個人都會有所收獲。所以，關於解放思想的培訓也是如此。
當你感到緊張不安時，試著平靜你的思緒。讓思緒退後一步，然後靜靜注視。這樣會慢慢平靜，讓思想放鬆下來，培養聚精會神的能力和思考方式。所有這些方法都能平定心緒，讓心靈寧靜下來。
遵循這些建議，並運用上麵提到的這些技巧，你將會開始一段奇妙的旅程。多練習、多讀這方麵的文章和書籍，並堅持訓練，總有一天，你可能會遇到一個願意親自教你的人。正如諺語所說的，“當學生準備好時，老師就出現了。”
試著關注你一天的思想，好像它們並不屬於你，不要陷入其中。要有意識地觀察你的思想，這樣，有意識地觀察能力就會增加。
你必須持之以恒地提醒自己去練習觀察你的思想，因為你可能會忘記。不要放棄，你一定會成功。如果你竭盡所能地去鍛煉，你將會踏上成功之旅。這可能需要一些時間，但得到的回報會比付出的努力更大。
你也可以通過培養聚精會神的能力、冥思苦想、體育鍛煉和正確的呼吸來提高心靈的平靜。最重要的是：鍛煉、鍛煉、再鍛煉。要記住！你不是你的心智！你不是你的思想！你不是你的觀念！你不是你的信仰！
它們都是你的，但都不是你！
它們是你的工具，不要讓它們控製你！
隱藏在它們背後的是你——真正的自己。
盡管思想停止，你仍然存在，並沒有與世隔絕。當你達到沒有任何思想的空虛境界時，你才開始感受到自我的存在和本質的所在。這種虛無充滿了一些偉大、精彩、強大和甜美的東西。你開始平靜地生活，你的生命之舟航行在平靜的海麵，這就是純粹的存在。
當你達到了這種境界，就真正從思想中解脫出來了。
那麽，你就真正自由了。
在這種狀態下，你不再受任何東西的影響，不再一時衝動地去行動。你變得非常理智、活潑、強壯，能夠超越一切。
你存在於這個世界，你的生活還在延續，但你超越了它。
心靈的真正寧靜，是啟迪智慧的大門。
把心靈的平靜當作一種切實可行的事物。通過自我暗示、沉思冥想和聚精會神來平靜你的心靈，開始享受心靈的平靜吧。
Seize Your Time
Do the following statements agree with the information in the reading text?
Write
TRUEif the statement agrees with the information
FALSEif the statement contradicts the information
________ (1) We have to choose to ignore them and experience real inner freedom, or we may choose to water them with the power of our attention and make them grow.
_______ (2) Whatever new skill we develop, we have to work at it until it turns into second nature, and becomes easy to perform.
_______ (3) The attainment of serenity of mind, which is actually freedom from the compulsion of incessant thinking, is open for ever yon.
Practicing for Better Learning
Please fill in the blanks with the proper words according to the given sentences.
1. Live a life of ________, not a life of regrets.
過平靜的生活，不要活在悔恨之中。
2. Support for human rights and human dignity is________in America.
對人類權利和尊嚴支持的思想在美國根深蒂固。
3. That_______ background music gets on my nerves.
那沒完沒了的背景音樂令我非常煩惱！
4. The spirit is positive and _______, self-adhere, indomitable.
精神層麵是積極向上，堅持自我，頑強不屈的。
5.An agreeable personality is a great _______.
令人愉悅的性格是一個很大的優點.