we need to acknowledge that what passes through them - the ideas we entertain and the moods

我們需要承認，通過它們的東西--我們所接受的想法和情緒--是我們的目標。

we’re in - may have very little to do with the workings of these minds themselves.

我們所處的環境--可能與這些思想本身的運作關係不大。

It may - for example - suddenly seem as though we have a new and very specific take on the

它可能--例如--突然看起來好像我們有了一個新的和非常具體的看法。

world: we are sure that we should leave our job, say goodbye to our partner and never

世界：我們確信，我們應該離開我們的工作，告別我們的夥伴，並且永遠不要離開。

see our ungrateful children again.

再次見到我們這些不知感恩的孩子。

Or we may feel that we have come to a resolute new political certainty: that society is totally

或者我們可能覺得我們已經達到了一個堅定的新的政治確定性：社會是完全的。

corrupt and human nature inherently selfish.

腐敗和人類本性中的自私。

And yet, with hindsight, we may realise that these ideas were not necessarily logical or

然而，事後看來，我們可能會意識到，這些想法不一定符合邏輯或

true, they were just emanations of a hard-to-notice detail: that we had missed out on four hours

的確，它們只是一個難以注意到的細節的發散：我們錯過了四個小時的時間

of sleep the night before or hadn’t drunk anything since early morning.

前一天晚上沒有睡覺，或者從清晨開始就沒有喝過任何東西。

Much that we think about - though it seems to be rationally founded - stems in essence

我們所思考的許多問題--儘管看起來是有理性依據的--在本質上源於

from the ups and downs of the complicated bodily envelope we’re entwined with.

從我們糾纏在一起的複雜的身體包膜的起伏中。

Our thoughts can predominantly be the result of what we had for lunch, what time we went

我們的想法可能主要是由於我們的午餐吃了什麼，我們什麼時候去的？

to bed, when we last sat on the toilet and how our blood sugar level is doing.

睡覺時，我們最後一次坐在馬桶上是什麼時候，我們的血糖水準如何。

This can sound hugely insulting.

這聽起來可能有很大的侮辱性。

Surely we are wiser and cleverer than to be knocked off course by a sugary drink or a

我們肯定比被一杯含糖飲料或一杯咖啡打亂方向的人更聰明、更機靈。

poor night.

可憐的夜晚。

But we would be even wiser to follow, in this regard, the instincts of all good parents

但我們更明智的做法是，在這方面遵循所有好父母的本能

of young children.

幼兒的。

When they see their toddler swiftly turning furious, tetchy and jealous, they know that

當他們看到自己的孩子迅速變得憤怒、暴躁和嫉妒時，他們知道

they are not witnessing an inexplicable character transformation in their formerly pleasant

他們並沒有看到他們以前愉快的性格發生了莫名其妙的轉變。

charges.

收費。

They look at their watch, make their excuses and hurry upstairs to put the young one to

他們看了看錶，找了個藉口，趕緊上樓去把小傢伙送去醫院。

bed for an hour.

在床上躺了一個小時。

The mind will return to its usual state soon enough; it just cannot hope to do so while

心靈很快就會恢復到平常的狀態；只是不能希望在這段時間內恢復。

supported by a flagging body that’s done three hours of energetic cartwheels or ball

由一個做了三個小時精力充沛的側手翻或球類運動的疲憊不堪的身體支撐著。

games with the neighbour’s cocker spaniel.

與鄰居家的可卡犬做遊戲。

We should understand ourselves in similar terms.

我們應該從類似的角度來理解自己。

When we are filled with tragic thoughts, we should remember that there are always dark

當我們充滿悲慘的想法時，我們應該記住，總是有黑暗的

perspectives we might adopt.

我們可能採取的觀點。

When we do so therefore, it isn’t necessarily because our minds have uncovered new and solid

是以，當我們這樣做的時候，不一定是因為我們的思想發現了新的和堅實的

reasons to despair, it’s just that we lack the energy to bat away our fears and stay

我們沒有絕望的理由，只是我們缺乏能量來擊退我們的恐懼並保持沉默。

on the side of life and hope.

站在生命和希望的一邊。

We say ‘I’m having bad thoughts and I’m exhausted’; we should learn to say ‘I’m

我們說'我有不好的想法，我很疲憊'；我們應該學會說'我

having bad thoughts because I’m exhausted.’

有不好的想法，因為我很疲憊'。

We shouldn’t protest that there are ways of thinking that are primarily the outcome

我們不應該抗議，有的思維方式主要是結果

of having eaten too many chocolates and of not having been out of the house all day - and

吃了太多的巧克力，而且一整天都沒有出過門--以及

others that are the outcome of a brisk swim and a handful of dried cranberries.

還有一些是輕快的游泳和一把小紅莓乾的結果。

To know ourselves never means knowing just our minds; it means tracking the decisive

認識我們自己從來不意味著只認識我們的思想；它意味著追蹤決定性的

ways in which these minds are daily manipulated by our bodies and should, before we listen

這些思想每天被我們的身體所操縱的方式，在我們聽之前，應該

to them any further, be put down for a nap or sent on a long walk around

如果他們再不聽話，就會被放下來睡一覺，或者被派去走一走，走一走。

the park.

公園裡。