【D.G. Wander ⎮沉思 / Contemplation】

沉思，是在綜合各種衝突與矛盾之後，深刻進行的自我探索。平靜思考的力量是很強大的，而這是我們現代人最容易忽略的能力之一。

Contemplation is a profound self-exploration after various conflicts and contradictions. The power of meditate is extraordinarily strong, and it is also one ability which is quite-easily ignored by every modern human.

現在社會被許多瑣碎的事物切分、碎裂，使得原本完整的你變得脆弱易碎。維繫自我的力量少之又少，卻偏偏被半途殺出的鳥事給耽擱，錯過療癒自我的最佳時機。窮忙不只是沒方向的瞎忙，還要花時間在不對的人、不對的事上面。說到這裡是不是很有共鳴呢？在現代人的邏輯裡，許多事情就是這樣運作的。

Modern society is divided into many small and minor things, and it makes you changed from complete to pieces. It’s not easy to maintain the complete you because shit happens from time to time, and you would miss out the best timing for healing yourself. Busying with no purpose and benefit is awful, such as spending your time on wrong people and meaningless agendas. Sounds familiar right? Almost everything works this way in modern society.

還好，我們有沉思。沉思的好處很早就被發現了，可說是古希臘羅馬時代的優良傳統，能言善辯的哲學家都是優秀的沉思者。羅馬帝國的皇帝奧理略，寫了一本書命名為《沉思錄》；名留青史的法國雕刻家羅丹，最廣為人知的代表作就是《沉思者》。關於沉思的種種事蹟，在人類歷史的長河中處處可見。

Fortunately, we have ability to contemplate. The benefits of contemplation have been discovered very early, and it is a Predominant tradition in the ancient Greek and Roman periods. Philosophers who debate well are also excellent contemplators. Marcus Aurelius, the emperor of the Roman Empire, authored a book called "The Meditations"; the famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin, the most well-known masterpiece is " The Thinker ". All kinds of deeds about contemplation can be seen everywhere in human history.

然而，你會在上班前沉思嗎？你會在上班期間沉思嗎？你會在下班後累得跟狗一樣還在沉思嗎？很遺憾地，現代人不像古代閒閒沒事幹、櫻櫻美代子的哲人，據說他們一天只工作3小時，當然有充裕的時間想些有的沒的啊！但是，有人再忙再累還是會跑健身房，同理，你再忙再累還是可以沉思。

However, do you meditate before going to work? Do you meditate at work? Do you meditate after getting off work, even as tired as a dog? Unfortunately, Modern people are not like the idle philosophers of ancient times. Many of them said that they only work 3 hours a day. Of course, they have plenty of time to think about anything! However, no matter how busy or tired, some people still go to the gym. On another hand, you may meditate no matter how busy or tired you are.

還是回到古希臘吧，畢竟這裡可是人類文明的發端之一。被列為世界遺產的阿波羅神廟上面刻著一句箴言：「認識你自己。」認識你自己……這句話竟然被刻在古希臘的神廟上！是否有些驚訝又疑惑？仔細回想，學生時代需要選填志願，還有「生涯規劃」的相關課程，其實這些都跟「認識你自己」大有關係。

Let's go back to ancient Greece. After all, this is one of the origins of human civilization. The Temple of Apollo, listed as a World Heritage Site, is engraved with a motto: "Know thyself. " Know yourself! This sentence is actually engraved on the temple of ancient Greece! Are you surprised or even confused? Recall back to our school days, you need to fill applications for college and courses, and there are also some courses related to "life planning"… In fact, these are all relevant to "Know thyself."

不認識自己，我們無從規劃自己的學業和工作；不認識自己，我們無法定位人生的方向；不認識自己，我們無法找到適合自己的路；不認識自己，我們將處處碰壁，無所適從。要找到人生的方向，要先認識自己；而要認識自己，先從沉思開始吧！

We can never plan well for school or work while we don’t know ourselves. If you don't know yourself, you could never locate the direction of life; If you don't know yourself, we could never find your own way out and you'll hit a wall wherever you go. To find the direction of life, first we must know ourselves, and to know ourselves well, we may start with contemplation!

現代社會變動的速度太快了，繁雜的資訊像洪水一樣不斷襲來，光是要吸收消化就已用盡全力，又怎能有餘力產出新鮮的事物？我們的注意力一直被分散，我們心神的力量都被無限增生的事物追著跑，永無止盡。有沒有一種選擇，讓我們慢下來、靜下來，反觀自身，讓我們更靠近自己一點，更認識自己多一點？！

Modern society is changing too fast, and the complicated information is constantly coming in like a flood. It makes us exhausted on absorbing and digesting it already, how can we have spare energy to produce new things? People’s attention is constantly being distracted, and our minds are endlessly chased by infinitely proliferating things. You need to make a choice to slow down and be still, see your self-reflection, and get closer to your mind and know yourself much more.

沉思可以讓我們平靜下來，讓我們有更多的時間，去漫無邊際地思考。這不是消極的擺爛或躺平，而是一種藉由思考獲得智慧的方式。閒暇的沉思，是靈光乍現的時刻，這種天啟式的靈感很難在繁忙中獲得，它更可能在你沉思的時候，在突然之間橫空出世。

Meditation calms us down and gives us more time to think out of the box. This is not a passive act, but a way of gaining wisdom through thinking. Leisure contemplation brings inspiration. This apocalyptic inspiration is difficult to process in busy time. It is more likely to appear suddenly when you are meditating.

期待你能從沉思中，更認識自己，並發現意想不到的事物。

We hope you can learn more about yourself and discover things much more than you expected from meditations.

《川里堤與路西法》的有聲書