放下 (Letting Go)

Letting Go

替代流 (Alternatives flow) 中各條流道的存在，或可幫助心智釋放兩大壓力負擔：一是以理性解決問題的需求，二是對控制一切的執著。換句話說，前提是心智必須容許自己被解放。解放後，心智仍需某種程度上的理性解釋以便獲得安心。你或許已注意到，本書中許多描述顯得不夠理性，正因此，雖然 Transurfing 的目的並非要闡述宇宙結構，但我試圖驗證那些本來難以令心智接受的結論。

The existence of streams in the alternatives flow can potentially free the mind of two overwhelming burdens: the need to solve problems rationally and the need to control. That is, if the mind will allow itself to be freed. The mind will require a more or less rational explanation to be comfortable enough to let go. As you may have noticed quite a lot of what is described in this book is irrational which is why, although it is not the purpose of Transurfing to offer a description of the structure of the universe, I try to validate the conclusions I have drawn that would otherwise be difficult for the mind to accept.

為心智提供一個它能接受的解釋極為重要，因為心智不會僅憑信仰接受任何事物，而且要動搖那堅不可摧的常識之石實屬不易。心智要求證據與實際事實，而你若將 Transurfing 原則應用於實踐，便能自給自足地提供這些證明。我在此提供幾個可行的解釋，藉以安撫那懷疑的心智；否則，讀者恐怕不會嘗試 Transurfing 的原則，也不會繼續閱讀下去。而這僅僅只是個開始，前方還潛藏著諸多令人振奮的啟示。

Providing an explanation the mind can accept is actually essential because the mind will not take anything on faith and it is extremely difficult to shake the monolith of common sense. The mind demands proof and circumstantiation which you can provide yourself if you try putting the principles of Transurfing into practice. I offer a couple of feasible explanations here to sooth the incredulous mind, for if I did not, the reader would be unlikely to try out the Transurfing principles or read any further. And this is just the beginning. Many exciting revelations lie ahead.

我們從小就被灌輸了心智的重擔。孩提時期，我們不斷被責備：“用腦子思考吧！”“你知道你在做什麼嗎？”“解釋一下！”“寫作業，不用大腦你將一事無成！”“別那麼笨，難道你永遠學不會嗎？”教師與生活境遇共同塑造出一支隨時準備提出解釋、回答問題、評估情勢、做出決策並控制周遭的“士兵”。我們的心智被訓練成依靠常識，以實用的方式行動。

The burdens of the mind are placed on us in childhood. As children we are constantly being reprimanded: “Think with your head!”, “Do you realize what you are doing?”, “Explain yourself!” “Do your homework. You won’t get anywhere in life without a brain!”, “Don’t be so stupid. Will you ever learn?” Teachers and circumstances sculpt a soldier from our minds ready at any moment to produce an explanation, give an answer to a question, assess a situation, make a decision and control those around us. The mind is trained to act in a practical manner based on common sense.

我並非傲慢到主張徹底拋棄常識，恰恰相反，常識為我們提供了一套最低生存法則。然而，心智的錯誤在於它過於字面地遵循這套行為準則。對常識的痴迷反而讓心智無法打開視野，發現那些不符合常規的可能性。

I am not presumptuous enough to advocate getting rid of common sense altogether; quite the opposite. Common sense provides us with a minimal set of rules on how to behave in life in order to survive. The mistake of the mind is that it follows the behavioural code too literally. An obsession with common sense prevents the mind from opening up, looking around and noticing all the things that do not fit the rules.

世上有許多現像違背常識。理性心智無法解釋我們所見的一切奇特現象，也不足以保護個體免於遭受問題與失望。然而，倚靠替代流 (Alternatives flow) 中的流道，能彌補心智的局限。原因很簡單：替代流 (Alternatives flow) 中的流道都是帶有目的性的，而這正是心智所追求的。正如我們先前所言，這些流道順著最小阻力而行。儘管心智試圖以因果原則進行合理推論，但它的缺陷使其難以在外部世界中正確導航、尋找任何問題的最佳解答。

There are many things in the world that are inconsistent with common sense. The rational mind is incapable of explaining all the phenomena we witness in the world. Neither is it very good at protecting a person from experiencing problems and disappointment. However, relying on the streams in the alternatives flow can compensate for the limitations of the mind. The justification for doing so is very simple; there is purposefulness to the streams in the alternatives flow and this is a quality the mind seeks. As we have said before, the streams take the route of least resistance. The mind strives to reason sensibly and logically relying on the principles of cause and effect but the imperfections of the mind prevent it from navigating correctly in the external world and finding the one prime solution to any given problem.

事實上，大自然本質上是完美的，因此替代流 (Alternatives flow) 中的流道比起最精明的理性心智而言，更具目的性與邏輯性。即使心智再自信其推理無懈可擊，它仍然容易犯錯。如果心智不過度介入，不試圖強行解決問題，而讓問題自行解決，它便能減少錯誤。當你放手局勢、放鬆對控制的執著，你便給予了周遭更多自由，讓流動能順其自然地展開。

Nature is in essence perfect and so the streams of the alternatives flow have more purposefulness and logic than the wisest reasoning mind. However convinced the mind is that it reasons clearly, it will still be prone to making mistakes. The mind would make fewer mistakes if it did not try so hard to get involved and allowed problems to resolve themselves. When you let go of the situation and relax your controlling grip you allow the world around you more freedom and the flow can take its own course.

你已明白，試圖過度壓迫世界既徒勞無功又可能危險；然而，當心智失去與和諧流動相符的感覺時，就會產生過剩潛能 (Exceed potential)，進而產生障礙。Transurfing 展示了另一種存在方式。首先，如果你降低對障礙賦予的「Importance」(Importance)，障礙便會自行消散；其次，如果障礙不因你的努力而消失，試著繞過它，指引徵兆 (Guiding Signs) 便會顯現幫助你。

You already know that it is futile and even dangerous to try to pressure the world and yet when the mind loses a sense of harmonious flow it creates excess potential, which in turn creates obstacles. Transurfing demonstrates a different way of being. Firstly, if you reduce the importance you attribute to an obstacle it will fade of its own accord. Secondly, if the obstacle does not respond to your efforts to overcome it, move around it and guiding signs will appear to assist you.

心智的一大問題在於，它傾向於將任何不符合自己劇本的事件，都解讀為障礙。心智喜歡事先計劃、計算，當意外發生時，便努力抗拒，企圖讓它符合原劇本。遺憾的是，這只會使情況變得更糟。顯然，心智並無能力理想地計劃一切，此時應給予流動更多自由。畢竟，流動並無意破壞你的生活，因其本身缺乏目的性；真正能毀滅生命的，是那些設計不良的行動。

The problem with the mind is that it tends to interpret any event that fails to fit its script as an obstacle. The mind likes to plan everything beforehand, make calculations and when something unexpected happens it fights against it trying to make it fit the script. Unfortunately, this only makes the situation worse. Obviously, the mind is not capable of planning events ideally. This is where more freedom should be given to the flow. The flow has no interest is ruining your life as such an action would lack purposefulness. Lives can however be ruined by ill-designed actions.

心智總認為，「目的性」就是一切按劇本進行，而當發生偏離時便必然產生不受歡迎的問題。於是，心智便開始奮力解決問題，卻往往因此製造出新的問題，並讓道路佈滿無休止的障礙。

The mind would have it that purposefulness is what happens when everything is going according to the script and unwanted problems are what happens when something does not go along with the script. Problems have to be solved and so the mind sets about doing so with great gusto generating new problems and cluttering the path with endless obstacles.

想一想，人究竟何時會感到快樂、充實且滿足？莫過於一切都按計劃進行的時候。自我重要感 (Importance) 使心智不容許任何偏離原劇本的可能，否則便自動解讀為失敗。心智會想：“但我事先全部計劃並安排好了，我知道什麼對我最有利，我是理性的。”然而，生活常常送來未曾計劃的禮物，讓人心存抵觸，彷彿在説：“我想要的是另一個玩具！”生活很少給予我們預期中的玩具，因而我們滿懷不滿與悲傷。試想，如果心智能放下部分自我重要感 (Importance)，接受劇本偏離亦有價值，那生活該有多歡愉。

Think about it, when are people happy, fulfilled and pleased with themselves, if not when everything is going according to plan. Self-importance prevents the mind from allowing any possibility of deviation from the original script which is automatically interpreted as a failure. The mind thinks: “But I planned it all and worked it all out beforehand. I know what is right for me and what is not. I’m rational”. Life often delivers people gifts which they accept reluctantly because they were not planned. “I wanted a different toy!” Life rarely gives us the toys we planned on getting, and so we walk around dissatisfied and sad. Imagine how joyful life would be if the mind could forego some of its importance and accept the fact that deviations from the script also have their place.

我們其實都能調節自己的快樂程度。大部分人將最低快樂標準定得過高，因而認為自己不夠快樂。我並不主張那種可疑口號下的「要快樂，就快樂」的思想，因為這並非 Transurfing 所倡導的。你可以擁有你最想要的玩具，但我們稍後再談。眼下，我們重點在於如何避免失望，減少問題的發生。

We can all regulate how happy we are. Most people set their minimum happiness bar far too high and so do not consider themselves happy. I am not saying that you should always be satisfied with what you have in the spirit of the dubious slogan “if you want to be happy, just be happy”. This is not what Transurfing is about. You can have the toy you want most but we will return to that later. For now we are concentrating on how to avoid disappointment and experience fewer problems.

心智不願接受劇本偏離的狀況，阻礙了它利用替代流 (Alternatives flow) 中現成解決方案的可能。心智那強烈的控制慾，使生活成為與流動的無盡抗爭。如果心智能讓流動順其自然，而不是強行將自身意志附加其上，那將會大有裨益。心智最大的錯誤，就是力圖控制流動，而非調整自己在流動中的運動。這正是大多數人面臨問題與失望的主要原因之一。

It is the mind’s unwillingness to accept deviations from its script that prevents it from making use of ready solutions present in the alternatives flow. The mind’s compulsive desire to control everything turns life into an endless battle with the flow. If only the mind could allow the flow to go its own course rather than trying to force its will upon it. The mind’s greatest error is that it strives to control the flow itself rather than its own movement within the flow. This is one of the main causes of the majority of problems and disappointments that people face.

走在最小阻力路徑上的那條帶有目的性的流道，無法產生問題與障礙；這些問題與障礙只會由心智的瘋狂行為所創造。啟動你的內在見證者，觀察至少一天，看心智如何試圖控制流動。也許你曾拒絕某些提議，或某人試圖說服你卻遭你敷衍；你可能與人爭辯，或者在介入他人事務時大加干涉；你可能反對一個解決方案，抱怨結果與期望不符。亦或是，有人讓你憤怒，或事情與你的劇本不符，你便急著糾正。或許你的情況有所不同，但這些描述中無疑蘊含著一絲真理。

The purposeful stream that takes the path of least resistance is incapable of generating problems and obstacles. These are created by the madness of the mind. Activate your inner witness and observe at least for one day how the mind tries to control the flow. Perhaps you are offered something but you refuse it. Maybe someone tries to tell you something but you fob them off. Somebody tells you their opinion and you argue. Someone does something their own way and you try to set them on the right path. You are offered a solution but you protest it will not work. You expect one thing but receive another and express your dissatisfaction. Someone bothers you and it makes you angry. Something contradicts your script and you go for the jugular to force the flow into the right channel. Maybe things are different for you, but there is undoubtedly a grain of truth in these words.

現在試著放鬆握持，讓流動獲得更多自由。我並非建議你必須與所有人同意，或接受一切發生的事；而是可以考慮戰術性地調整：將重心從掌控轉移到觀察。別急著迴避、反對、爭辯、證明或干涉，讓事情有機會自行解決。如果你不至於目瞪口呆，至少會驚訝於結果，因為某種矛盾的現象將會出現。當你願意放下控制，你所獲得的控制力反而會比以往更多。客觀的觀察者總比直接參與者更具優勢，這也是我常說「要學會保持超然」的原因。

Now try releasing your grip and giving the flow more freedom. I am not suggesting that you must agree with everyone and accept anything that is happening but you could consider making a tactical adjustment: move the centre of gravity away from control towards observation. Do not be in a hurry to fob someone off, object, argue, prove yourself, get involved, manage or criticise. Give situations a chance to resolve themselves of their own accord without active involvement or resistance. If not dumbfounded, you will at least be surprised by the result, for something quite paradoxical will happen. By being willing to release control you will acquire more control over a situation than you had before. The objective observer always has the advantage over a direct participant. This is why I so often repeat the words: exercise detachment.

回過頭來看，你會發現之前你所施加的控制，讓你偏離了自然流動；而他人的建議其實確有道理，爭辯亦無必要。你以為的障礙，其實根本不存在。當你放手，問題便會自行解決，且過程令人滿意；那些與計劃不符的事，最終也不見得那麼糟；偶然冒出的話語往往蘊含強烈意義；你的直覺與本能正是用來警示你的；你不再像以前那樣消耗大量能量，而你會發現自己變得相當快樂。這，便是我之前所說的流動帶來的豐盛禮物。

In retrospect you will see that the control you were exerting before was making you go against the flow; the suggestions other people were making did in fact make sense and it was not worth arguing about; your intervention was not actually necessary. What you thought were obstacles, were actually nothing of the kind. When you let go problems resolve themselves quite satisfactorily without your having to know how; the things that happen that do not fit with your plan turn out not to be so bad after all; chance phrases can actually have quite powerful meaning; your gut feeling and instincts are there to warn you; you do not waste the same amount of energy as you did before and find that you are quite happy. This is the sumptuous gift of flow I mentioned earlier.

當然，除了上述所有之外，我們也不能忘記那些老擺錘 (Pendulum) 「朋友」。當人們隨波逐流時，擺錘 (Pendulum) 會感到不快，於是試圖在每個時刻挑撥你，使你瘋狂地在水中揮打雙手。擺錘 (Pendulum) 憎恨流動中的流道，因為這些流道遵循最小能量消耗的原則。當你順應流動，你就不會耗費能量與水流抗衡，也就不會產生過剩潛能 (Exceed potential)，也免於成為擺錘 (Pendulum) 的口糧。唯有掌控內在與外在重要性 (Importance) 的投射強度，才是值得你關注的控制方式。記住，那過高的投射重要性 (Importance) 會使心智無法真正放手。

Of course, in addition to all that has been said above we could not forget our old pendulum ‘friends’. When people go with the flow it vexes the pendulums and so they try to provoke us at every step into beating our hands wildly on the water. Pendulums abhor streams in the flow for the simple reason that the stream moves in the direction of minimal energy expenditure. When a person goes with the flow of the stream they do not put energy into battling against the current, creating excess potential and fodder for the pendulums. The only form of control worth your attention is control over the intensity of projected inner and outer importance. Remember, that projected importance prevents the mind from letting go.

在許多情況下，放下局勢遠比堅持己見更加有效與富有成效。從孩提時期起，我們對自我肯定的追求便養成了一種證明個人價值的習慣。這種心態導致我們不惜一切代價證明自己正確，而這種追求自我重要感 (Importance) 的行為，便製造出過剩潛能 (Exceed potential) 與利益衝突。人們甚至會不擇手段證明自己的正確，即使最終的結果對他們的利益毫無影響。

In many cases letting go of a situation is much more effective and productive than insisting on getting one’s own way. Even from childhood our striving for self-assertion generates the habit of trying to proving ones personal significance. From this stems the harmful tendency to prove that one is right whatever the cost. This striving creates excess potential and a conflict of interests. People will go to great lengths to prove that they are right, even when the verdict either way will not directly affect their interests.

在某些人身上，內在的重要性 (Importance) 感會誇大到極致，即使是微不足道的小事，他們也固執己見。這種自我重要感會演變成一種狂熱，驅使他們強迫性地控制一切，心中暗自發誓：「無論付出何種代價，我都要證明自己是對的！」這是一個危險的習慣，讓生活變得異常複雜，尤其對那些極力捍衛自己真理的人來說，更是雪上加霜。

In some people the feeling of inner importance is so exaggerated, that they insist on their own way even in matters of very little relevance. Self-importance can develop into a mania that produces a compulsive need to control everything. “I’ll prove I am right, whatever it takes.” It is a grave habit that makes life much more complicated, especially for the one so intent on defending their truth.

只要你不冒著嚴重損害自身利益的風險，就放下局勢，讓他人也有機會自行展現。當你有意識地學會放手，那種釋然感遠超過爭辯得勝時的感覺，你會因為能夠放下而獲得滿足。與其固執於自我重要感 (Importance)，不如像一位睿智的父母般，平和地引導那些棘手問題。

As long as you do not risk seriously compromising your interests, let go of the situation and let others exercise their right to beat their hands on the water. If you practice letting go consciously the feeling of relief will be greater than when you succeed in proving your point. You will experience a sense of fulfilment knowing that you moved on. Instead of insisting on your own self-importance, you manage to act like a wise parent dealing with difficult children.

還有另一個例子，過度投入工作與忽略責任同樣有害。試想你剛剛獲得那份夢寐以求的高位，為了證明自己的潛能，你對自己要求極高。這本無可厚非，但若你過於熱忱地投入其中，長此以往你將難以承受壓力，尤其當工作任務極為艱鉅時。最終，你的效率會大減，甚至可能因壓力過大而導致精神崩潰。

Here is another example. Excessive commitment to work is just as detrimental as neglecting one’s responsibilities. Imagine that you have just taken on a new prestigious position that you have been dreaming of getting for a long while. You demand a lot of yourself because you want to prove your potential. There is nothing wrong with that in principle but if you throw yourself into the job too zealously you may find that you cannot take the pressure over time, particularly if the work tasks are very difficult. In any case, you will become less efficient and at worst you could earn yourself a nervous breakdown deciding wrongly that you are incapable of handling the position.

又有一種情況，你不顧既定秩序大肆行動，看到各種可改進之處後自信地推動變革，認為自己的作法非常合理；然而，若你的創新打亂了同事們日常穩定的運作，其結果往往適得其反。這類情形下，你的主動性可能會變成一個可受懲罰的罪行——明明你原本進入的是一個緩和、平和的環境，卻因為自己的魯莽行動而使局勢變得混亂不堪。

Another possible scenario is that you generate vigorous activity without observing the established order of things. You may see all sorts of things that could be improved on and initiate the necessary changes confident that you are behaving appropriately. However, if your innovations change the usual running of daily life for your colleagues no good will come of it. This is the kind of scenario in which using your initiative can become a punishable crime. You entered an environment with a slow, peaceful, even flow, and with your actions started wildly slapping the water with your hands, trying to swim faster.

這是否意味著你應該閉口不言、低頭順從？那未免太過極端。這個問題應以冷靜的心態來看待。只有當某人直接打擾你，且你的批評能實際改善局面時，才值得你生氣並直接斥責。對於已成定局、無法改變的過去，切勿加以批評。其它一切情況下，應以順流而行的態度對待，不是簡單地附和所有人，而是將重心從控制轉向觀察。多觀察，不必急於掌控；達到平衡無需過分著急，隨著實踐，一種健康的節制感自會產生。

Does this mean that you should keep your mouth closed and your head down? That would be a little extreme. The question should be approached with a sober mind. You should only consider getting annoyed and telling someone off if they are bothering you directly and then only if your criticism will change the situation for the better. Never criticize anything that happened in the past and cannot be changed. In everything else, go with the flow, not in a literal sense by agreeing with everything and everybody, but by moving the centre of gravity from control to observation. Observe more and do not be in a hurry to control things. There is no need to be concerned about getting the right balance. A healthy sense of moderation will come with practice.

放手

Letting Go

"可能性流動"(alternatives flow)中的流的存在可以潛在地讓心靈擺脫兩個沉重的負擔：理性解決問題的需要和控制的需要。也就是說，如果心靈願意讓自己被解放。心靈需要一個或多或少的理性解釋才能足夠舒適地放手。正如你可能注意到的，本書中描述的很多內容是不理性的，這就是為什麼，儘管Transurfing的目的不是提供宇宙結構的描述，我試圖驗證我得出的結論，否則心靈會難以接受。

The existence of streams in the alternatives flow can potentially free the mind of two overwhelming burdens: the need to solve problems rationally and the need to control. That is, if the mind will allow itself to be freed. The mind will require a more or less rational explanation to be comfortable enough to let go. As you may have noticed quite a lot of what is described in this book is irrational which is why, although it is not the purpose of Transurfing to offer a description of the structure of the universe, I try to validate the conclusions I have drawn that would otherwise be difficult for the mind to accept.

提供一個心靈可以接受的解釋實際上是必不可少的，因為心靈不會憑信仰接受任何東西，並且很難動搖常識的巨石。心靈要求證據和佐證，如果你嘗試將Transurfing的原則付諸實踐，你可以自己提供。我在這裡提供了一些可行的解釋來安撫懷疑的心靈，因為如果我不這樣做，讀者不太可能嘗試Transurfing的原則或繼續閱讀。而這只是開始。許多令人興奮的啟示在前方。

Providing an explanation the mind can accept is actually essential because the mind will not take anything on faith and it is extremely difficult to shake the monolith of common sense. The mind demands proof and circumstantiation which you can provide yourself if you try putting the principles of Transurfing into practice. I offer a couple of feasible explanations here to sooth the incredulous mind, for if I did not, the reader would be unlikely to try out the Transurfing principles or read any further. And this is just the beginning. Many exciting revelations lie ahead.

心靈的負擔在童年時期就被加諸於我們。作為孩子，我們不斷被責備：“用你的頭腦思考！”，“你知道自己在做什麼嗎？”，“解釋一下！”，“做作業。沒有大腦你在生活中什麼都做不成！”，“不要這麼愚蠢。你會學會嗎？”老師和環境從我們的心靈中塑造了一個士兵，隨時準備提供解釋，回答問題，評估情況，做出決定並控制周圍的人。心靈被訓練成基於常識以實際方式行事。

The burdens of the mind are placed on us in childhood. As children we are constantly being reprimanded: “Think with your head!”, “Do you realize what you are doing?”, “Explain yourself!” “Do your homework. You won’t get anywhere in life without a brain!”, “Don’t be so stupid. Will you ever learn?” Teachers and circumstances sculpt a soldier from our minds ready at any moment to produce an explanation, give an answer to a question, assess a situation, make a decision and control those around us. The mind is trained to act in a practical manner based on common sense.

我並不自以為是地主張完全擺脫常識；恰恰相反。常識為我們提供了一套最低限度的規則，告訴我們如何在生活中行為以求生存。心靈的錯誤在於它過於字面地遵循行為準則。對常識的痴迷阻止了心靈開放，環顧四周，注意到所有不符合規則的事情。

I am not presumptuous enough to advocate getting rid of common sense altogether; quite the opposite. Common sense provides us with a minimal set of rules on how to behave in life in order to survive. The mistake of the mind is that it follows the behavioural code too literally. An obsession with common sense prevents the mind from opening up, looking around and noticing all the things that do not fit the rules.

世界上有許多事情與常識不一致。理性心靈無法解釋我們在世界上目睹的所有現象。它也不太擅長保護一個人免受問題和失望的影響。然而，依賴"可能性流動"(alternatives flow)中的流可以彌補心靈的局限性。這樣做的理由非常簡單；"可能性流動"(alternatives flow)中的流具有目的性，這是心靈所尋求的品質。正如我們之前所說，流走的是阻力最小的路線。心靈努力依靠因果原則進行合理和邏輯推理，但心靈的不完美阻止了它在外部世界中正確導航，並找到任何給定問題的唯一最佳解決方案。

There are many things in the world that are inconsistent with common sense. The rational mind is incapable of explaining all the phenomena we witness in the world. Neither is it very good at protecting a person from experiencing problems and disappointment. However, relying on the streams in the alternatives flow can compensate for the limitations of the mind. The justification for doing so is very simple; there is purposefulness to the streams in the alternatives flow and this is a quality the mind seeks. As we have said before, the streams take the route of least resistance. The mind strives to reason sensibly and logically relying on the principles of cause and effect but the imperfections of the mind prevent it from navigating correctly in the external world and finding the one prime solution to any given problem.

自然本質上是完美的，因此"可能性流動"(alternatives flow)中的流比最睿智的理性心靈更具目的性和邏輯性。無論心靈多麼確信它的推理是清晰的，它仍然容易犯錯。如果心靈不那麼努力地介入，讓問題自行解決，那麼它會犯更少的錯誤。當你放手並放鬆控制時，你讓周圍的世界有更多的自由，流動可以自行其道。

Nature is in essence perfect and so the streams of the alternatives flow have more purposefulness and logic than the wisest reasoning mind. However convinced the mind is that it reasons clearly, it will still be prone to making mistakes. The mind would make fewer mistakes if it did not try so hard to get involved and allowed problems to resolve themselves. When you let go of the situation and relax your controlling grip you allow the world around you more freedom and the flow can take its own course.

你已經知道試圖向世界施壓是徒勞無功甚至危險的，然而當心靈失去和諧流動的感覺時，它會創造過剩潛力，進而產生障礙。Transurfing展示了一種不同的存在方式。首先，如果你降低對障礙賦予的重要性(Importance)，它將自行消退。其次，如果障礙對你克服它的努力沒有反應，繞過它，指引的跡象會出現來幫助你。

You already know that it is futile and even dangerous to try to pressure the world and yet when the mind loses a sense of harmonious flow it creates excess potential, which in turn creates obstacles. Transurfing demonstrates a different way of being. Firstly, if you reduce the importance you attribute to an obstacle it will fade of its own accord. Secondly, if the obstacle does not respond to your efforts to overcome it, move around it and guiding signs will appear to assist you.

心靈的問題在於它傾向於將任何不符合其劇本的事件解釋為障礙。心靈喜歡事先計劃一切，進行計算，當發生意外時，它會反抗，試圖讓它符合劇本。不幸的是，這只會讓情況變得更糟。顯然，心靈無法理想地計劃事件。在這裡應該給流動更多的自由。流動無意毀掉你的生活，因為這樣的行為缺乏目的性。然而，生活可以被設計不良的行動毀掉。

The problem with the mind is that it tends to interpret any event that fails to fit its script as an obstacle. The mind likes to plan everything beforehand, make calculations and when something unexpected happens it fights against it trying to make it fit the script. Unfortunately, this only makes the situation worse. Obviously, the mind is not capable of planning events ideally. This is where more freedom should be given to the flow. The flow has no interest is ruining your life as such an action would lack purposefulness. Lives can however be ruined by ill-designed actions.

心靈認為，當一切按劇本進行時，就是有目的性，而當事情不按劇本進行時，就是不需要的問題。問題必須解決，因此心靈開始大力解決，產生新的問題，並在路上堆滿無盡的障礙。

The mind would have it that purposefulness is what happens when everything is going according to the script and unwanted problems are what happens when something does not go along with the script. Problems have to be solved and so the mind sets about doing so with great gusto generating new problems and cluttering the path with endless obstacles.

想一想，人們什麼時候感到快樂、滿足和自豪，如果不是當一切按計劃進行時。自我重要性(Importance)阻止心靈允許任何偏離原劇本的可能性，這被自動解釋為失敗。心靈想：“但我已經計劃好了一切，事先算好了。我知道什麼對我有利，什麼不利。我是理性的。”生活經常給人們送來禮物，他們勉強接受，因為這些禮物不是計劃中的。“我想要不同的玩具！”生活很少給我們計劃中的玩具，所以我們總是感到不滿和悲傷。想像一下，如果心靈能放棄一些重要性(Importance)，接受偏離劇本也有其位置，生活會多麼快樂。

Think about it, when are people happy, fulfilled and pleased with themselves, if not when everything is going according to plan. Self-importance prevents the mind from allowing any possibility of deviation from the original script which is automatically interpreted as a failure. The mind thinks: “But I planned it all and worked it all out beforehand. I know what is right for me and what is not. I’m rational”. Life often delivers people gifts which they accept reluctantly because they were not planned. “I wanted a different toy!” Life rarely gives us the toys we planned on getting, and so we walk around dissatisfied and sad. Imagine how joyful life would be if the mind could forego some of its importance and accept the fact that deviations from the script also have their place.

我們都可以調節自己的快樂程度。大多數人將最低快樂標準設得太高，因此不認為自己快樂。我並不是說你應該總是滿足於你所擁有的，像那句可疑的口號“如果你想快樂，就快樂”那樣。這不是Transurfing的宗旨。你可以擁有你最想要的玩具，但我們稍後會回到這一點。目前，我們專注於如何避免失望和減少問題。

We can all regulate how happy we are. Most people set their minimum happiness bar far too high and so do not consider themselves happy. I am not saying that you should always be satisfied with what you have in the spirit of the dubious slogan “if you want to be happy, just be happy”. This is not what Transurfing is about. You can have the toy you want most but we will return to that later. For now we are concentrating on how to avoid disappointment and experience fewer problems.

心靈不願接受偏離其劇本的情況，這阻止了它利用"可能性流動"(alternatives flow)中現成的解決方案。心靈對控制一切的強迫性渴望使生活變成與流動的無休止鬥爭。心靈如果能讓流動自行其道，而不是試圖強加自己的意志，那該多好。心靈最大的錯誤在於，它努力控制流動本身，而不是控制自己在流動中的運動。這是人們面臨的大多數問題和失望的主要原因之一。

It is the mind’s unwillingness to accept deviations from its script that prevents it from making use of ready solutions present in the alternatives flow. The mind’s compulsive desire to control everything turns life into an endless battle with the flow. If only the mind could allow the flow to go its own course rather than trying to force its will upon it. The mind’s greatest error is that it strives to control the flow itself rather than its own movement within the flow. This is one of the main causes of the majority of problems and disappointments that people face.

走阻力最小路徑的目的性流動無法產生問題和障礙。這些是由心靈的瘋狂創造的。激活你的內在見證者，至少觀察一天心靈如何試圖控制流動。也許有人提供給你某些東西，但你拒絕了。也許有人試圖告訴你某些事情，但你推開了他們。有人告訴你他們的意見，你爭辯。有人以自己的方式做某事，你試圖讓他們走上正確的道路。有人提供解決方案，但你抗議它行不通。你期望一件事，但收到另一件事並表達不滿。有人打擾你，這讓你生氣。某些事情與你的劇本相矛盾，你拼命想把流動逼入正確的渠道。也許對你來說情況不同，但這些話中無疑有一絲真相。

The purposeful stream that takes the path of least resistance is incapable of generating problems and obstacles. These are created by the madness of the mind. Activate your inner witness and observe at least for one day how the mind tries to control the flow. Perhaps you are offered something but you refuse it. Maybe someone tries to tell you something but you fob them off. Somebody tells you their opinion and you argue. Someone does something their own way and you try to set them on the right path. You are offered a solution but you protest it will not work. You expect one thing but receive another and express your dissatisfaction. Someone bothers you and it makes you angry. Something contradicts your script and you go for the jugular to force the flow into the right channel. Maybe things are different for you, but there is undoubtedly a grain of truth in these words.

現在嘗試放手，給流動更多自由。我不是建議你必須同意每個人，接受發生的任何事情，但你可以考慮做出戰術調整：將重心從控制轉向觀察。不要急於推開某人、反對、爭辯、證明自己、介入、管理或批評。給情況一個自行解決的機會，不要積極參與或抵抗。如果不是目瞪口呆，你至少會對結果感到驚訝，因為會發生一些相當矛盾的事情。通過願意放棄控制，你將獲得比以前更多的控制權。客觀的觀察者總是比直接的參與者更有優勢。這就是為什麼我經常重複這句話：練習脫離。

Now try releasing your grip and giving the flow more freedom. I am not suggesting that you must agree with everyone and accept anything that is happening but you could consider making a tactical adjustment: move the centre of gravity away from control towards observation. Do not be in a hurry to fob someone off, object, argue, prove yourself, get involved, manage or criticise. Give situations a chance to resolve themselves of their own accord without active involvement or resistance. If not dumbfounded, you will at least be surprised by the result, for something quite paradoxical will happen. By being willing to release control you will acquire more control over a situation than you had before. The objective observer always has the advantage over a direct participant. This is why I so often repeat the words: exercise detachment.

回顧過去，你會看到你之前施加的控制讓你逆流而行；其他人提出的建議確實有意義，不值得爭論；你的干預實際上並不必要。你認為的障礙，其實並不是那樣。當你放手時，問題會自行解決得相當滿意，而不需要你知道如何；那些不符合你計劃的事情，結果並不那麼糟糕；隨機的短語實際上可能具有相當強大的意義；你的直覺和本能會警告你；你不會像以前那樣浪費相同的能量，並發現自己相當快樂。這就是我之前提到的流動的奢華禮物。

In retrospect you will see that the control you were exerting before was making you go against the flow; the suggestions other people were making did in fact make sense and it was not worth arguing about; your intervention was not actually necessary. What you thought were obstacles, were actually nothing of the kind. When you let go problems resolve themselves quite satisfactorily without your having to know how; the things that happen that do not fit with your plan turn out not to be so bad after all; chance phrases can actually have quite powerful meaning; your gut feeling and instincts are there to warn you; you do not waste the same amount of energy as you did before and find that you are quite happy. This is the sumptuous gift of flow I mentioned earlier.

當然，除了上述所有內容之外，我們不能忘記我們的老朋友"鐘擺"(Pendulums)。當人們順應流動時，這讓"鐘擺"(Pendulums)感到惱火，因此它們試圖在每一步中激怒我們，使我們在水中瘋狂拍打雙手。"鐘擺"(Pendulums)厭惡流動中的流，因為流動朝著能量消耗最小的方向移動。當一個人順應流動時，他們不會將能量投入與水流的鬥爭中，創造過剩潛力和"鐘擺"(Pendulums)的飼料。唯一值得你注意的控制形式是對投射的內在和外在重要性(Importance)強度的控制。記住，投射的重要性(Importance)阻止心靈放手。

Of course, in addition to all that has been said above we could not forget our old pendulum ‘friends’. When people go with the flow it vexes the pendulums and so they try to provoke us at every step into beating our hands wildly on the water. Pendulums abhor streams in the flow for the simple reason that the stream moves in the direction of minimal energy expenditure. When a person goes with the flow of the stream they do not put energy into battling against the current, creating excess potential and fodder for the pendulums. The only form of control worth your attention is control over the intensity of projected inner and outer importance. Remember, that projected importance prevents the mind from letting go.

在許多情況下，放手比堅持自己的方式更有效和有成效。即使從小，我們對自我肯定的追求也會產生試圖證明個人重要性的習慣。由此產生的有害傾向是無論代價如何都要證明自己是對的。這種追求創造了過剩潛力和利益衝突。人們會不遺餘力地證明自己是對的，即使無論哪種判決都不會直接影響他們的利益。

In many cases letting go of a situation is much more effective and productive than insisting on getting one’s own way. Even from childhood our striving for self-assertion generates the habit of trying to proving ones personal significance. From this stems the harmful tendency to prove that one is right whatever the cost. This striving creates excess potential and a conflict of interests. People will go to great lengths to prove that they are right, even when the verdict either way will not directly affect their interests.

在某些人中，內在重要性(Importance)的感覺被誇大到如此程度，以至於即使在非常不相關的事情上，他們也堅持自己的方式。自我重要性(Importance)可以發展成一種狂熱，產生控制一切的強迫性需求。“無論如何，我都要證明我是對的。”這是一個嚴重的習慣，使生活變得更加複雜，尤其是對於那些如此專注於捍衛自己真理的人。

In some people the feeling of inner importance is so exaggerated, that they insist on their own way even in matters of very little relevance. Self-importance can develop into a mania that produces a compulsive need to control everything. “I’ll prove I am right, whatever it takes.” It is a grave habit that makes life much more complicated, especially for the one so intent on defending their truth.

只要你不冒著嚴重損害自己利益的風險，放手讓其他人行使他們在水中拍打雙手的權利。如果你有意識地練習放手，這種解脫的感覺會比你成功證明自己的觀點更大。你會體驗到一種滿足感，知道自己已經前進了。與其堅持自己的自我重要性(Importance)，不如像一位明智的父母一樣，面對難纏的孩子。

As long as you do not risk seriously compromising your interests, let go of the situation and let others exercise their right to beat their hands on the water. If you practice letting go consciously the feeling of relief will be greater than when you succeed in proving your point. You will experience a sense of fulfilment knowing that you moved on. Instead of insisting on your own self-importance, you manage to act like a wise parent dealing with difficult children.

這裡有另一個例子。對工作的過度投入與忽視責任一樣有害。想像一下，你剛剛擔任了一個你夢寐以求的新的高級職位。你對自己要求很高，因為你想證明自己的潛力。原則上，這沒有錯，但如果你過於熱衷於工作，隨著時間的推移，你可能會發現自己無法承受壓力，特別是如果工作任務非常困難。在任何情況下，你的效率都會降低，最壞的情況是你可能會因為錯誤地認為自己無法勝任這個職位而導致精神崩潰。

Here is another example. Excessive commitment to work is just as detrimental as neglecting one’s responsibilities. Imagine that you have just taken on a new prestigious position that you have been dreaming of getting for a long while. You demand a lot of yourself because you want to prove your potential. There is nothing wrong with that in principle but if you throw yourself into the job too zealously you may find that you cannot take the pressure over time, particularly if the work tasks are very difficult. In any case, you will become less efficient and at worst you could earn yourself a nervous breakdown deciding wrongly that you are incapable of handling the position.

另一種可能的情況是，你在沒有觀察既定秩序的情況下產生了強烈的活動。你可能會看到各種可以改進的地方，並自信地發起必要的變革，認為自己行為得當。然而，如果你的創新改變了同事的日常生活運行，這將無濟於事。在這種情況下，使用你的主動性可能會成為一種可懲罰的罪行。你進入了一個緩慢、和平、甚至流動的環境，並用你的行動開始在水中瘋狂拍打雙手，試圖游得更快。

Another possible scenario is that you generate vigorous activity without observing the established order of things. You may see all sorts of things that could be improved on and initiate the necessary changes confident that you are behaving appropriately. However, if your innovations change the usual running of daily life for your colleagues no good will come of it. This is the kind of scenario in which using your initiative can become a punishable crime. You entered an environment with a slow, peaceful, even flow, and with your actions started wildly slapping the water with your hands, trying to swim faster.

這是否意味著你應該閉嘴低頭？那會有點極端。這個問題應該用清醒的頭腦來處理。只有當有人直接打擾你時，你才應該考慮生氣和責罵，並且只有當你的批評會使情況變得更好時。永遠不要批評過去發生的、無法改變的事情。在其他一切中，順應潮流，不是字面意義上的同意一切和每個人，而是將重心從控制轉向觀察。多觀察，不要急於控制事物。無需擔心找到正確的平衡。隨著練習，健康的適度感會自然出現。

Does this mean that you should keep your mouth closed and your head down? That would be a little extreme. The question should be approached with a sober mind. You should only consider getting annoyed and telling someone off if they are bothering you directly and then only if your criticism will change the situation for the better. Never criticize anything that happened in the past and cannot be changed. In everything else, go with the flow, not in a literal sense by agreeing with everything and everybody, but by moving the centre of gravity from control to observation. Observe more and do not be in a hurry to control things. There is no need to be concerned about getting the right balance. A healthy sense of moderation will come with practice.

放手

Letting Go

另闢蹊徑之流 (Alternatives Flow) 中的溪流存在可以潛在地解放頭腦的兩個沉重負擔：理性解決問題的需要和控制的需要。前提是頭腦允許自己被解放。頭腦需要一個或多或少理性的解釋才能足夠舒服地放手。你可能已經注意到，這本書中描述的很多東西是非理性的，這就是為什麼，雖然Transurfing的目的不是提供宇宙結構的描述，我試圖驗證我得出的結論，否則頭腦很難接受。

The existence of streams in the alternatives flow can potentially free the mind of two overwhelming burdens: the need to solve problems rationally and the need to control. That is, if the mind will allow itself to be freed. The mind will require a more or less rational explanation to be comfortable enough to let go. As you may have noticed quite a lot of what is described in this book is irrational which is why, although it is not the purpose of Transurfing to offer a description of the structure of the universe, I try to validate the conclusions I have drawn that would otherwise be difficult for the mind to accept.

提供頭腦能接受的解釋實際上是必要的，因為頭腦不會僅憑信仰接受任何東西，動搖常識的巨石極其困難。頭腦要求證明和證實，如果你嘗試將Transurfing的原則應用於實踐，你可以自己提供這些。我在這裡提供了一些可行的解釋來安撫懷疑的頭腦，因為如果我不這樣做，讀者不太可能嘗試Transurfing原則或繼續閱讀。而這只是開始。前面還有許多激動人心的啟示。

Providing an explanation the mind can accept is actually essential because the mind will not take anything on faith and it is extremely difficult to shake the monolith of common sense. The mind demands proof and circumstantiation which you can provide yourself if you try putting the principles of Transurfing into practice. I offer a couple of feasible explanations here to sooth the incredulous mind, for if I did not, the reader would be unlikely to try out the Transurfing principles or read any further. And this is just the beginning. Many exciting revelations lie ahead.

頭腦的負擔在童年時被置於我們身上。作為孩子，我們不斷被責罵：“用腦子想！”、“你知不知道你在做什麼？”、“解釋一下！”、“做你的作業。沒有腦子你不會有任何成就！”、“別這麼蠢。你會不會學？”老師和環境將我們的頭腦塑造成士兵，隨時準備解釋、回答問題、評估情況、做決定並控制周圍的人。頭腦被訓練以基於常識以實際的方式行動。

The burdens of the mind are placed on us in childhood. As children we are constantly being reprimanded: “Think with your head!”, “Do you realize what you are doing?”, “Explain yourself!” “Do your homework. You won’t get anywhere in life without a brain!”, “Don’t be so stupid. Will you ever learn?” Teachers and circumstances sculpt a soldier from our minds ready at any moment to produce an explanation, give an answer to a question, assess a situation, make a decision and control those around us. The mind is trained to act in a practical manner based on common sense.

我不夠自負到提倡完全擺脫常識；恰恰相反。常識為我們提供了在生活中生存的最小行為規則集。頭腦的錯誤在於它過於字面地遵循行為準則。對常識的執迷阻止頭腦開放、環顧四周並注意到不符合規則的東西。

I am not presumptuous enough to advocate getting rid of common sense altogether; quite the opposite. Common sense provides us with a minimal set of rules on how to behave in life in order to survive. The mistake of the mind is that it follows the behavioural code too literally. An obsession with common sense prevents the mind from opening up, looking around and noticing all the things that do not fit the rules.

世界上有許多與常識不一致的事情。理性頭腦無法解釋我們在世界上看到的所有現象。它也不擅長保護一個人免受問題和失望。然而，依靠另闢蹊徑之流 (Alternatives Flow) 中的溪流可以彌補頭腦的局限性。這樣做的理由很簡單；另闢蹊徑之流中的溪流具有目的性，這是頭腦尋求的品質。如前所述，溪流走阻力最小的路線。頭腦努力合理和邏輯地推理，依靠因果原則，但頭腦的不完美阻止它在外部世界中正確導航並找到任何問題的唯一最佳解決方案。

There are many things in the world that are inconsistent with common sense. The rational mind is incapable of explaining all the phenomena we witness in the world. Neither is it very good at protecting a person from experiencing problems and disappointment. However, relying on the streams in the alternatives flow can compensate for the limitations of the mind. The justification for doing so is very simple; there is purposefulness to the streams in the alternatives flow and this is a quality the mind seeks. As we have said before, the streams take the route of least resistance. The mind strives to reason sensibly and logically relying on the principles of cause and effect but the imperfections of the mind prevent it from navigating correctly in the external world and finding the one prime solution to any given problem.

本質上，自然是完美的，因此另闢蹊徑之流 (Alternatives Flow) 的溪流比最智慧的推理頭腦更具目的性和邏輯性。無論頭腦多麼確信自己推理清晰，它仍容易犯錯。如果頭腦不那麼努力參與，讓問題自己解決，它會犯更少的錯誤。當你放手情況並放鬆控制的抓握時，你允許周圍的世界有更多自由，潮流可以走自己的路線。

Nature is in essence perfect and so the streams of the alternatives flow have more purposefulness and logic than the wisest reasoning mind. However convinced the mind is that it reasons clearly, it will still be prone to making mistakes. The mind would make fewer mistakes if it did not try so hard to get involved and allowed problems to resolve themselves. When you let go of the situation and relax your controlling grip you allow the world around you more freedom and the flow can take its own course.

你已經知道，試圖壓迫世界是徒勞且危險的，然而當頭腦失去和諧流的感覺時，它創造了過剩潛能 (Excess Potential)，這反過來創造了障礙。Transurfing展示了一種不同的存在方式。首先，如果你降低你賦予障礙的重要性 (Importance)，它會自行消失。其次，如果障礙對你克服它的努力沒有反應，繞過它，指引徵兆 (Signs) 會出現協助你。

You already know that it is futile and even dangerous to try to pressure the world and yet when the mind loses a sense of harmonious flow it creates excess potential, which in turn creates obstacles. Transurfing demonstrates a different way of being. Firstly, if you reduce the importance you attribute to an obstacle it will fade of its own accord. Secondly, if the obstacle does not respond to your efforts to overcome it, move around it and guiding signs will appear to assist you.

頭腦的問題在於它傾向於將任何不符合其劇本的事件解釋為障礙。頭腦喜歡提前計劃一切，進行計算，當意外發生時，它會與之抗爭，試圖使其適應劇本。不幸的是，這只會讓情況更糟。顯然，頭腦無法理想地計劃事件。這裡應該給予潮流更多自由。潮流沒有興趣毀掉你的生活，因為這樣的行動缺乏目的性。然而，生活可能因設計不良的行動而毀掉。

The problem with the mind is that it tends to interpret any event that fails to fit its script as an obstacle. The mind likes to plan everything beforehand, make calculations and when something unexpected happens it fights against it trying to make it fit the script. Unfortunately, this only makes the situation worse. Obviously, the mind is not capable of planning events ideally. This is where more freedom should be given to the flow. The flow has no interest is ruining your life as such an action would lack purposefulness. Lives can however be ruined by ill-designed actions.

頭腦認為目的性是當一切按劇本進行時發生的事情，不想要的問題是當某事不按劇本進行時發生的。問題必須解決，於是頭腦以極大的熱情開始解決，產生新的問題，並在道路上堆滿無數障礙。

The mind would have it that purposefulness is what happens when everything is going according to the script and unwanted problems are what happens when something does not go along with the script. Problems have to be solved and so the mind sets about doing so with great gusto generating new problems and cluttering the path with endless obstacles.

想想看，什麼時候人們感到快樂、滿足並對自己滿意？不是當一切按計劃進行時嗎？自我重要性 (Inner Importance) 阻止頭腦允許任何偏離原始劇本的可能性，這被自動解釋為失敗。頭腦想：“但我都計劃好了，提前都算好了。我知道什麼對我好，什麼不好。我是理性的。”生活常常送給人們禮物，他們不情願地接受，因為這些不在計劃中。“我想要的是一個不同的玩具！”生活很少給我們計劃中的玩具，於是我們不滿和悲傷地四處走動。想像如果頭腦能放棄一些重要性，接受偏離劇本也有其位置，生活會多麼快樂。

Think about it, when are people happy, fulfilled and pleased with themselves, if not when everything is going according to plan. Self-importance prevents the mind from allowing any possibility of deviation from the original script which is automatically interpreted as a failure. The mind thinks: “But I planned it all and worked it all out beforehand. I know what is right for me and what is not. I’m rational”. Life often delivers people gifts which they accept reluctantly because they were not planned. “I wanted a different toy!” Life rarely gives us the toys we planned on getting, and so we walk around dissatisfied and sad. Imagine how joyful life would be if the mind could forego some of its importance and accept the fact that deviations from the script also have their place.

我們都可以調節自己的快樂程度。大多數人將最低快樂標準設得太高，因此不認為自己快樂。我不是說你應該總是滿足於你所擁有的，遵循可疑的口號“如果你想快樂，就快樂”。這不是Transurfing的內容。你可以擁有你最想要的玩具，但我們稍後會回到這一點。現在我們專注於如何避免失望和減少問題。

We can all regulate how happy we are. Most people set their minimum happiness bar far too high and so do not consider themselves happy. I am not saying that you should always be satisfied with what you have in the spirit of the dubious slogan “if you want to be happy, just be happy”. This is not what Transurfing is about. You can have the toy you want most but we will return to that later. For now we are concentrating on how to avoid disappointment and experience fewer problems.

頭腦不願接受偏離其劇本的情況，阻止它利用另闢蹊徑之流 (Alternatives Flow) 中現成的解決方案。頭腦強迫性地控制一切的渴望將生活變成與潮流的無盡戰鬥。如果頭腦能允許潮流走自己的路線，而不是試圖將自己的意志強加於它。頭腦的最大錯誤是它試圖控制潮流本身，而不是其在潮流中的移動。這是人們面臨的大多數問題和失望的主要原因之一。

It is the mind’s unwillingness to accept deviations from its script that prevents it from making use of ready solutions present in the alternatives flow. The mind’s compulsive desire to control everything turns life into an endless battle with the flow. If only the mind could allow the flow to go its own course rather than trying to force its will upon it. The mind’s greatest error is that it strives to control the flow itself rather than its own movement within the flow. This is one of the main causes of the majority of problems and disappointments that people face.

走阻力最小的有目的溪流無法產生問題和障礙。這些是由頭腦的瘋狂創造的。啟動你的內在見證者 (Guardian’s Riddle)，至少觀察一天頭腦如何試圖控制潮流。或許有人給你什麼，但你拒絕了。也許有人想告訴你什麼，但你搪塞過去。有人告訴你他們的意見，你爭辯。有人按自己的方式做事，你試圖讓他們走上正路。有人提供解決方案，你抗議說這不會有用。你期待一件事，卻得到另一件事，你表達不滿。有人打擾你，你生氣。某事與你的劇本矛盾，你衝上去試圖強迫潮流進入正確的渠道。或許你情況不同，但這些話無疑有幾分真相。

The purposeful stream that takes the path of least resistance is incapable of generating problems and obstacles. These are created by the madness of the mind. Activate your inner witness and observe at least for one day how the mind tries to control the flow. Perhaps you are offered something but you refuse it. Maybe someone tries to tell you something but you fob them off. Somebody tells you their opinion and you argue. Someone does something their own way and you try to set them on the right path. You are offered a solution but you protest it will not work. You expect one thing but receive another and express your dissatisfaction. Someone bothers you and it makes you angry. Something contradicts your script and you go for the jugular to force the flow into the right channel. Maybe things are different for you, but there is undoubtedly a grain of truth in these words.

現在試著放鬆你的抓握，給潮流更多自由。我不是建議你必須同意每個人和接受任何發生的事情，但你可以考慮做策略調整：將重心從控制轉向觀察。不要急於搪塞、反對、爭辯、證明自己、參與、管理或批評。給情況一個自行解決的機會，無需積極參與或抵抗。如果你不震驚，至少會對結果感到驚訝，因為會發生一些相當矛盾的事情。通過願意釋放控制，你會比以前對情況有更多的控制。客觀觀察者總比直接參與者有優勢。這就是為什麼我經常重複“超脫自己”的話。

Now try releasing your grip and giving the flow more freedom. I am not suggesting that you must agree with everyone and accept anything that is happening but you could consider making a tactical adjustment: move the centre of gravity away from control towards observation. Do not be in a hurry to fob someone off, object, argue, prove yourself, get involved, manage or criticise. Give situations a chance to resolve themselves of their own accord without active involvement or resistance. If not dumbfounded, you will at least be surprised by the result, for something quite paradoxical will happen. By being willing to release control you will acquire more control over a situation than you had before. The objective observer always has the advantage over a direct participant. This is why I so often repeat the words: exercise detachment.

回顧時，你會看到你之前施加的控制讓你逆流而行；其他人提出的建議確實有道理，不值得爭論；你的干預實際上並不必要。你認為的障礙其實根本不是障礙。當你放手時，問題會自行解決得相當滿意，你無需知道如何解決；不符合你計劃的事情最終並不那麼糟糕；偶然的短語實際上可能有相當強大的意義；你的直覺和本能在那裡警告你；你不再像以前那樣浪費能量，你會發現自己相當快樂。這就是我之前提到的潮流的奢華禮物。

In retrospect you will see that the control you were exerting before was making you go against the flow; the suggestions other people were making did in fact make sense and it was not worth arguing about; your intervention was not actually necessary. What you thought were obstacles, were actually nothing of the kind. When you let go problems resolve themselves quite satisfactorily without your having to know how; the things that happen that do not fit with your plan turn out not to be so bad after all; chance phrases can actually have quite powerful meaning; your gut feeling and instincts are there to warn you; you do not waste the same amount of energy as you did before and find that you are quite happy. This is the sumptuous gift of flow I mentioned earlier.

當然，除了以上所述，我們不能忘記我們的擺錘“朋友”。當人們順流而行時，這讓擺錘 (Pendulum) 感到惱火，因此它們試圖在每一步挑釁我們在水面上瘋狂拍手。擺錘討厭潮流中的溪流，原因很簡單，溪流朝最小能量消耗的方向移動。當一個人順著溪流移動時，他們不將能量用於與潮流對抗，創造過剩潛能 (Excess Potential) 和擺錘的飼料。唯一值得你關注的控制形式是對投射內在和外在重要性 (Inner Importance, Outer Importance) 強度的控制。記住，投射的重要性阻止頭腦放手。

Of course, in addition to all that has been said above we could not forget our old pendulum ‘friends’. When people go with the flow it vexes the pendulums and so they try to provoke us at every step into beating our hands wildly on the water. Pendulums abhor streams in the flow for the simple reason that the stream moves in the direction of minimal energy expenditure. When a person goes with the flow of the stream they do not put energy into battling against the current, creating excess potential and fodder for the pendulums. The only form of control worth your attention is control over the intensity of projected inner and outer importance. Remember, that projected importance prevents the mind from letting go.

在許多情況下，放手情況比堅持自己的方式更有效和富有成效。從童年開始，我們對自我肯定的追求產生了試圖證明個人重要性的習慣。由此產生了不惜一切代價證明自己正確的有害傾向。這種追求創造了過剩潛能 (Excess Potential) 和利益衝突。人們會不遺餘力地證明自己正確，即使裁決對他們的利益沒有直接影響。

In many cases letting go of a situation is much more effective and productive than insisting on getting one’s own way. Even from childhood our striving for self-assertion generates the habit of trying to proving ones personal significance. From this stems the harmful tendency to prove that one is right whatever the cost. This striving creates excess potential and a conflict of interests. People will go to great lengths to prove that they are right, even when the verdict either way will not directly affect their interests.

在一些人中，內在重要性 (Inner Importance) 的感覺被誇大，以至於他們即使在無關緊要的事情上也堅持自己的方式。自我重要性可能發展成一種控制一切的強迫性需求的狂熱。“我要證明自己正確，不惜一切代價。”這是一個嚴重的習慣，使生活變得更加複雜，特別是對那些執意捍衛自己真相的人。

In some people the feeling of inner importance is so exaggerated, that they insist on their own way even in matters of very little relevance. Self-importance can develop into a mania that produces a compulsive need to control everything. “I’ll prove I am right, whatever it takes.” It is a grave habit that makes life much more complicated, especially for the one so intent on defending their truth.

只要你不嚴重損害自己的利益，放手情況，讓他人行使他們在水面上拍手的權利。如果你有意識地練習放手，你會感受到比成功證明自己觀點時更大的解脫感。你不會堅持自己的自我重要性，而是像一個明智的父母處理難相處的孩子。

As long as you do not risk seriously compromising your interests, let go of the situation and let others exercise their right to beat their hands on the water. If you practice letting go consciously the feeling of relief will be greater than when you succeed in proving your point. You will experience a sense of fulfilment knowing that you moved on. Instead of insisting on your own self-importance, you manage to act like a wise parent dealing with difficult children.

這裡是另一個例子。對工作的過分投入與忽視責任同樣有害。想像你剛剛獲得一個夢寐以求的顯赫職位。你對自己要求很高，因為你想證明自己的潛力。原則上這沒有什麼錯，但如果你過於熱衷於工作，你可能會發現長時間無法承受壓力，特別是如果工作任務非常困難。無論如何，你會變得效率低下，最壞的情況是你可能會因為錯誤認為自己無法勝任這個職位而導致神經崩潰。

Here is another example. Excessive commitment to work is just as detrimental as neglecting one’s responsibilities. Imagine that you have just taken on a new prestigious position that you have been dreaming of getting for a long while. You demand a lot of yourself because you want to prove your potential. There is nothing wrong with that in principle but if you throw yourself into the job too zealously you may find that you cannot take the pressure over time, particularly if the work tasks are very difficult. In any case, you will become less efficient and at worst you could earn yourself a nervous breakdown deciding wrongly that you are incapable of handling the position.

另一個可能的場景是你產生劇烈的活動，沒有遵守既定的秩序。你可能看到各種可以改進的事情，並開始必要的改變，確信自己行為得當。然而，如果你的創新改變了同事的日常生活秩序，就不會有好結果。這是用你的主動性成為可懲罰罪行的場景。你進入了一個平靜、和平的潮流環境，通過你的行動開始在水面上瘋狂拍手，試圖游得更快。

Another possible scenario is that you generate vigorous activity without observing the established order of things. You may see all sorts of things that could be improved on and initiate the necessary changes confident that you are behaving appropriately. However, if your innovations change the usual running of daily life for your colleagues no good will come of it. This is the kind of scenario in which using your initiative can become a punishable crime. You entered an environment with a slow, peaceful, even flow, and with your actions started wildly slapping the water with your hands, trying to swim faster.

這是否意味著你應該閉嘴低頭？那有點極端。應該以清醒的頭腦處理問題。只有當有人直接打擾你時，你才應該考慮生氣並責罵他們，而且只有當你的批評能改善情況時。永遠不要批評過去發生且無法改變的事情。在其他所有事情上，順流而行，不是字面意義上同意每個人和每件事，而是將重心從控制轉向觀察。多觀察，不要急於控制事情。不必擔心找到正確的平衡。健康的適度感會隨著實踐而來。

Does this mean that you should keep your mouth closed and your head down? That would be a little extreme. The question should be approached with a sober mind. You should only consider getting annoyed and telling someone off if they are bothering you directly and then only if your criticism will change the situation for the better. Never criticize anything that happened in the past and cannot be changed. In everything else, go with the flow, not in a literal sense by agreeing with everything and everybody, but by moving the centre of gravity from control to observation. Observe more and do not be in a hurry to control things. There is no need to be concerned about getting the right balance. A healthy sense of moderation will come with practice.

放手

Letting Go

替代流中的流的存在可以潛在地使思維擺脫兩個壓倒性的負擔：理性解決問題的需要和控制的需要。也就是說，如果思維允許自己被解放。思維需要一個或多或少的理性解釋，才能夠舒適地放手。正如你可能已經注意到的，這本書中描述的許多內容都是非理性的，這就是為什麼，儘管Transurfing的目的不是提供宇宙結構的描述，我仍然試圖驗證我所得出的結論，否則思維將難以接受。

The existence of streams in the alternatives flow can potentially free the mind of two overwhelming burdens: the need to solve problems rationally and the need to control. That is, if the mind will allow itself to be freed. The mind will require a more or less rational explanation to be comfortable enough to let go. As you may have noticed quite a lot of what is described in this book is irrational which is why, although it is not the purpose of Transurfing to offer a description of the structure of the universe, I try to validate the conclusions I have drawn that would otherwise be difficult for the mind to accept.

提供一個思維可以接受的解釋實際上是至關重要的，因為思維不會對任何事情抱有信仰，並且非常難以動搖常識的巨石。思維要求證據和證明，如果你嘗試將Transurfing的原則付諸實踐，你可以自己提供這些證據。我在這裡提供幾個可行的解釋，以安撫不信的思維，因為如果我不這樣做，讀者不太可能嘗試Transurfing的原則或繼續閱讀。而這僅僅是開始。許多令人興奮的啟示在前方。

Providing an explanation the mind can accept is actually essential because the mind will not take anything on faith and it is extremely difficult to shake the monolith of common sense. The mind demands proof and circumstantiation which you can provide yourself if you try putting the principles of Transurfing into practice. I offer a couple of feasible explanations here to sooth the incredulous mind, for if I did not, the reader would be unlikely to try out the Transurfing principles or read any further. And this is just the beginning. Many exciting revelations lie ahead.

心靈的負擔是在童年時期加諸於我們身上的。作為孩子，我們不斷受到責備：“用腦子想！”、“你知道自己在做什麼嗎？”、“解釋一下！”、“做你的功課。沒有腦子你在生活中是無法走得更遠的！”、“不要這麼愚蠢。你會學會嗎？”老師和環境將我們的心靈雕塑成隨時準備提供解釋、回答問題、評估情況、做出決定並控制周圍人的士兵。心靈被訓練以基於常識的實際方式行動。

The burdens of the mind are placed on us in childhood. As children we are constantly being reprimanded: “Think with your head!”, “Do you realize what you are doing?”, “Explain yourself!” “Do your homework. You won’t get anywhere in life without a brain!”, “Don’t be so stupid. Will you ever learn?” Teachers and circumstances sculpt a soldier from our minds ready at any moment to produce an explanation, give an answer to a question, assess a situation, make a decision and control those around us. The mind is trained to act in a practical manner based on common sense.

我並不自以為是到主張完全擺脫常識；恰恰相反。常識為我們提供了一套最基本的規則，告訴我們如何在生活中行為以求生存。心靈的錯誤在於它過於字面地遵循行為準則。對常識的痴迷使心靈無法打開，四處觀察並注意到所有不符合規則的事物。

I am not presumptuous enough to advocate getting rid of common sense altogether; quite the opposite. Common sense provides us with a minimal set of rules on how to behave in life in order to survive. The mistake of the mind is that it follows the behavioural code too literally. An obsession with common sense prevents the mind from opening up, looking around and noticing all the things that do not fit the rules.

世界上有許多與常識不一致的事物。理性的心靈無法解釋我們在世界上目睹的所有現象。它也不擅長保護一個人免受問題和失望的侵擾。然而，依賴於替代流中的流可以彌補心靈的局限性。這樣做的理由非常簡單；替代流中的流是有目的性的，這是心靈所追求的特質。正如我們之前所說，這些流採取最小阻力的路徑。心靈努力依賴因果原則進行合理和邏輯的推理，但心靈的缺陷使其無法在外部世界中正確導航並找到任何給定問題的主要解決方案。

There are many things in the world that are inconsistent with common sense. The rational mind is incapable of explaining all the phenomena we witness in the world. Neither is it very good at protecting a person from experiencing problems and disappointment. However, relying on the streams in the alternatives flow can compensate for the limitations of the mind. The justification for doing so is very simple; there is purposefulness to the streams in the alternatives flow and this is a quality the mind seeks. As we have said before, the streams take the route of least resistance. The mind strives to reason sensibly and logically relying on the principles of cause and effect but the imperfections of the mind prevent it from navigating correctly in the external world and finding the one prime solution to any given problem.

自然本質上是完美的，因此替代流中的流比最智慧的理性心靈更具目的性和邏輯性。無論心靈多麼相信自己推理清晰，它仍然容易犯錯。如果心靈不那麼努力地參與，讓問題自行解決，它會犯更少的錯誤。當你放開情況，放鬆你的控制時，你會讓周圍的世界有更多的自由，流可以自行發展。

Nature is in essence perfect and so the streams of the alternatives flow have more purposefulness and logic than the wisest reasoning mind. However convinced the mind is that it reasons clearly, it will still be prone to making mistakes. The mind would make fewer mistakes if it did not try so hard to get involved and allowed problems to resolve themselves. When you let go of the situation and relax your controlling grip you allow the world around you more freedom and the flow can take its own course.

你已經知道，試圖施壓於世界是徒勞的，甚至是危險的，然而當心靈失去和諧流的感覺時，它會產生過剩潛能，進而造成障礙。Transurfing展示了一種不同的存在方式。首先，如果你減少對障礙的重視，它會自動淡化。其次，如果障礙對你克服它的努力沒有反應，繞過它，指引的標誌將會出現以協助你。

You already know that it is futile and even dangerous to try to pressure the world and yet when the mind loses a sense of harmonious flow it creates excess potential, which in turn creates obstacles. Transurfing demonstrates a different way of being. Firstly, if you reduce the importance you attribute to an obstacle it will fade of its own accord. Secondly, if the obstacle does not respond to your efforts to overcome it, move around it and guiding signs will appear to assist you.

心靈的問題在於它傾向於將任何未能符合其劇本的事件解釋為障礙。心靈喜歡提前計劃一切，做計算，而當意外發生時，它會與之抗爭，試圖使其符合劇本。不幸的是，這只會使情況變得更糟。顯然，心靈無法理想地計劃事件。這就是應該給流更多自由的地方。流對於毀掉你的生活並不感興趣，因為這樣的行為缺乏目的性。然而，生活可以因設計不當的行為而被毀掉。

The problem with the mind is that it tends to interpret any event that fails to fit its script as an obstacle. The mind likes to plan everything beforehand, make calculations and when something unexpected happens it fights against it trying to make it fit the script. Unfortunately, this only makes the situation worse. Obviously, the mind is not capable of planning events ideally. This is where more freedom should be given to the flow. The flow has no interest is ruining your life as such an action would lack purposefulness. Lives can however be ruined by ill-designed actions.

心靈認為，當一切按照劇本進行時，目的性就是發生的事情，而當某些事情不符合劇本時，不想要的問題就是發生的事情。問題必須解決，因此心靈以極大的熱情開始解決問題，產生新的問題，並用無盡的障礙擠滿道路。

The mind would have it that purposefulness is what happens when everything is going according to the script and unwanted problems are what happens when something does not go along with the script. Problems have to be solved and so the mind sets about doing so with great gusto generating new problems and cluttering the path with endless obstacles.

想想看，人們何時快樂、充實並對自己感到滿意，如果不是當一切都按照計劃進行時。自我重要感使心靈無法允許任何偏離原始劇本的可能性，這自動被解釋為失敗。心靈想：“但我已經提前計劃好了一切，並將其全部算清楚。我知道什麼對我來說是對的，什麼是錯的。我是理性的。”生活經常給人們帶來他們不情願接受的禮物，因為這些禮物並不是計劃中的。“我想要一個不同的玩具！”生活很少給我們計劃中想要的玩具，因此我們四處不滿和悲傷。想像一下，如果心靈能放棄一些自我重要感，接受偏離劇本的事物也有其位置，生活會是多麼快樂。

Think about it, when are people happy, fulfilled and pleased with themselves, if not when everything is going according to plan. Self-importance prevents the mind from allowing any possibility of deviation from the original script which is automatically interpreted as a failure. The mind thinks: “But I planned it all and worked it all out beforehand. I know what is right for me and what is not. I’m rational”. Life often delivers people gifts which they accept reluctantly because they were not planned. “I wanted a different toy!” Life rarely gives us the toys we planned on getting, and so we walk around dissatisfied and sad. Imagine how joyful life would be if the mind could forego some of its importance and accept the fact that deviations from the script also have their place.

我們都可以調節自己的快樂程度。大多數人將自己的最低快樂標準設得過高，因此不認為自己快樂。我並不是說你應該總是滿足於你擁有的東西，遵循那句可疑的口號“如果你想快樂，就快樂吧”。這不是Transurfing的主旨。你可以擁有你最想要的玩具，但我們稍後會回到這個話題。現在我們專注於如何避免失望，經歷更少的問題。

We can all regulate how happy we are. Most people set their minimum happiness bar far too high and so do not consider themselves happy. I am not saying that you should always be satisfied with what you have in the spirit of the dubious slogan “if you want to be happy, just be happy”. This is not what Transurfing is about. You can have the toy you want most but we will return to that later. For now we are concentrating on how to avoid disappointment and experience fewer problems.

心靈不願接受偏離其劇本的情況，這使它無法利用替代流中現成的解決方案。心靈強迫控制一切，將生活變成與流的無盡戰鬥。如果心靈能讓流自行發展，而不是試圖強加自己的意志，那該多好。心靈最大的錯誤在於它努力控制流本身，而不是在流中自身的運動。這是人們面臨的大多數問題和失望的主要原因之一。

It is the mind’s unwillingness to accept deviations from its script that prevents it from making use of ready solutions present in the alternatives flow. The mind’s compulsive desire to control everything turns life into an endless battle with the flow. If only the mind could allow the flow to go its own course rather than trying to force its will upon it. The mind’s greatest error is that it strives to control the flow itself rather than its own movement within the flow. This is one of the main causes of the majority of problems and disappointments that people face.

走向最小阻力路徑的有目的流無法產生問題和障礙。這些都是由心靈的瘋狂所創造的。啟動你內心的見證者，至少觀察一天心靈如何試圖控制流。也許你被提供了某些東西，但你拒絕了。也許有人試圖告訴你某些事情，但你卻打發了他們。有人告訴你他們的意見，而你則爭論。有人以自己的方式做事，而你試圖將他們引導到正確的道路。你被提供了一個解決方案，但你抗議它無法奏效。你期待一件事，但卻得到了另一件，並表達你的不滿。有人打擾你，讓你生氣。某些事情與你的劇本相矛盾，你則全力以赴地強迫流進入正確的渠道。也許對你來說情況有所不同，但這些話中無疑有一絲真理。

The purposeful stream that takes the path of least resistance is incapable of generating problems and obstacles. These are created by the madness of the mind. Activate your inner witness and observe at least for one day how the mind tries to control the flow. Perhaps you are offered something but you refuse it. Maybe someone tries to tell you something but you fob them off. Somebody tells you their opinion and you argue. Someone does something their own way and you try to set them on the right path. You are offered a solution but you protest it will not work. You expect one thing but receive another and express your dissatisfaction. Someone bothers you and it makes you angry. Something contradicts your script and you go for the jugular to force the flow into the right channel. Maybe things are different for you, but there is undoubtedly a grain of truth in these words.

現在試著放開你的控制，給流更多的自由。我並不是建議你必須同意每個人並接受正在發生的任何事情，但你可以考慮進行戰術調整：將重心從控制轉向觀察。不要急於打發某人、反對、爭論、證明自己、參與、管理或批評。給情況一個機會讓它們自行解決，而不需要主動參與或抵抗。如果不驚訝，你至少會對結果感到驚訝，因為會發生一些相當矛盾的事情。通過願意放開控制，你將在情況上獲得比以前更多的控制。客觀的觀察者總是比直接參與者有優勢。這就是為什麼我經常重複這句話：保持超然。

Now try releasing your grip and giving the flow more freedom. I am not suggesting that you must agree with everyone and accept anything that is happening but you could consider making a tactical adjustment: move the centre of gravity away from control towards observation. Do not be in a hurry to fob someone off, object, argue, prove yourself, get involved, manage or criticise. Give situations a chance to resolve themselves of their own accord without active involvement or resistance. If not dumbfounded, you will at least be surprised by the result, for something quite paradoxical will happen. By being willing to release control you will acquire more control over a situation than you had before. The objective observer always has the advantage over a direct participant. This is why I so often repeat the words: exercise detachment.

回顧過去，你會發現你之前施加的控制使你違背了流；其他人提出的建議實際上是有意義的，並且不值得爭論；你的干預實際上並不是必要的。你認為的障礙，其實根本不是障礙。當你放手時，問題會在沒有你知道如何解決的情況下相當滿意地自行解決；那些與你的計劃不符的事情最終並沒有那麼糟糕；偶然的短語實際上可以具有相當強大的意義；你的直覺和本能在警告你；你不再浪費與之前相同的能量，發現自己相當快樂。這就是我之前提到的流的豐盛禮物。

In retrospect you will see that the control you were exerting before was making you go against the flow; the suggestions other people were making did in fact make sense and it was not worth arguing about; your intervention was not actually necessary. What you thought were obstacles, were actually nothing of the kind. When you let go problems resolve themselves quite satisfactorily without your having to know how; the things that happen that do not fit with your plan turn out not to be so bad after all; chance phrases can actually have quite powerful meaning; your gut feeling and instincts are there to warn you; you do not waste the same amount of energy as you did before and find that you are quite happy. This is the sumptuous gift of flow I mentioned earlier.

當然，除了上述所有內容，我們不能忘記我們的舊擺錘“朋友”。當人們隨著流動時，擺錘會感到煩惱，因此它們試圖在每一步挑釁我們，讓我們在水面上狂亂地拍打雙手。擺錘厭惡流中的流，因為流以最小的能量消耗的方向移動。當一個人隨著流的流動而行時，他們不會將能量投入到與水流作鬥爭中，從而產生過剩潛能和擺錘的飼料。唯一值得你注意的控制形式是對內外重要性的強度的控制。記住，投射的重要性會阻止心靈放手。

Of course, in addition to all that has been said above we could not forget our old pendulum ‘friends’. When people go with the flow it vexes the pendulums and so they try to provoke us at every step into beating our hands wildly on the water. Pendulums abhor streams in the flow for the simple reason that the stream moves in the direction of minimal energy expenditure. When a person goes with the flow of the stream they do not put energy into battling against the current, creating excess potential and fodder for the pendulums. The only form of control worth your attention is control over the intensity of projected inner and outer importance. Remember, that projected importance prevents the mind from letting go.

在許多情況下，放手一個情況比堅持自己的方式要有效和富有成效得多。即使從童年開始，我們對自我肯定的追求也會產生試圖證明個人重要性的習慣。由此產生了以任何代價證明自己是正確的有害傾向。這種追求會產生過剩潛能和利益衝突。人們會不惜一切代價證明自己是正確的，即使無論結果如何都不會直接影響他們的利益。

In many cases letting go of a situation is much more effective and productive than insisting on getting one’s own way. Even from childhood our striving for self-assertion generates the habit of trying to proving ones personal significance. From this stems the harmful tendency to prove that one is right whatever the cost. This striving creates excess potential and a conflict of interests. People will go to great lengths to prove that they are right, even when the verdict either way will not directly affect their interests.

在某些人身上，內心重要感的感覺是如此誇張，以至於他們在非常不相關的事情上堅持自己的方式。自我重要感可能發展成一種強迫症，產生對控制一切的強迫需求。“我會證明我是對的，無論付出什麼代價。”這是一種嚴重的習慣，使生活變得更加複雜，尤其是對於那些如此堅持捍衛自己真理的人來說。

In some people the feeling of inner importance is so exaggerated, that they insist on their own way even in matters of very little relevance. Self-importance can develop into a mania that produces a compulsive need to control everything. “I’ll prove I am right, whatever it takes.” It is a grave habit that makes life much more complicated, especially for the one so intent on defending their truth.

只要你不冒著嚴重損害自己利益的風險，就放手這個情況，讓其他人行使他們在水面上拍打雙手的權利。如果你有意識地練習放手，會感到的解脫感會比你成功證明自己觀點時更大。你會體驗到一種滿足感，因為你知道自己已經向前邁進。與其堅持自己的自我重要感，你不如像一位智慧的父母一樣，處理困難的孩子。

As long as you do not risk seriously compromising your interests, let go of the situation and let others exercise their right to beat their hands on the water. If you practice letting go consciously the feeling of relief will be greater than when you succeed in proving your point. You will experience a sense of fulfilment knowing that you moved on. Instead of insisting on your own self-importance, you manage to act like a wise parent dealing with difficult children.

這裡有另一個例子。對工作的過度承諾和忽視自己的責任一樣有害。想像一下，你剛剛接受了一個你夢寐以求的新的高級職位。你對自己要求很高，因為你想證明自己的潛力。這在原則上沒有錯，但如果你過於熱衷於工作，可能會發現自己無法長期承受壓力，尤其是當工作任務非常困難時。在任何情況下，你的效率會降低，最糟糕的情況是你可能會因為錯誤地認為自己無法處理這個職位而導致神經崩潰。

Here is another example. Excessive commitment to work is just as detrimental as neglecting one’s responsibilities. Imagine that you have just taken on a new prestigious position that you have been dreaming of getting for a long while. You demand a lot of yourself because you want to prove your potential. There is nothing wrong with that in principle but if you throw yourself into the job too zealously you may find that you cannot take the pressure over time, particularly if the work tasks are very difficult. In any case, you will become less efficient and at worst you could earn yourself a nervous breakdown deciding wrongly that you are incapable of handling the position.

另一種可能的情況是，你在沒有觀察到既定事物秩序的情況下產生了劇烈活動。你可能會看到各種可以改進的事物，並自信地啟動必要的變化，認為自己行為得當。然而，如果你的創新改變了同事的日常生活運行，則不會有任何好處。這是使用你的主動性可能成為可懲罰罪行的情況。你進入了一個流動緩慢、平靜的環境，卻因為你的行為而在水面上狂亂地拍打雙手，試圖游得更快。

Another possible scenario is that you generate vigorous activity without observing the established order of things. You may see all sorts of things that could be improved on and initiate the necessary changes confident that you are behaving appropriately. However, if your innovations change the usual running of daily life for your colleagues no good will come of it. This is the kind of scenario in which using your initiative can become a punishable crime. You entered an environment with a slow, peaceful, even flow, and with your actions started wildly slapping the water with your hands, trying to swim faster.

這是否意味著你應該閉嘴低頭？那會有點極端。這個問題應該以清醒的頭腦來處理。只有在他們直接打擾你時，才應考慮生氣並告訴某人，並且只有在你的批評能改善情況時才這樣做。永遠不要批評任何過去發生的且無法改變的事情。在其他一切上，隨著流動而行，不是字面意義上同意一切和每個人，而是將重心從控制轉向觀察。多觀察，不要急於控制事物。無需擔心獲得正確的平衡。健康的適度感會隨著練習而來。

Does this mean that you should keep your mouth closed and your head down? That would be a little extreme. The question should be approached with a sober mind. You should only consider getting annoyed and telling someone off if they are bothering you directly and then only if your criticism will change the situation for the better. Never criticize anything that happened in the past and cannot be changed. In everything else, go with the flow, not in a literal sense by agreeing with everything and everybody, but by moving the centre of gravity from control to observation. Observe more and do not be in a hurry to control things. There is no need to be concerned about getting the right balance. A healthy sense of moderation will come with practice.