Renewals and choices in time of transition – how to turn adversity to opportunity
A satsang webinar 04/12/2020
在轉變時的更新與選擇——如何轉逆境為機會
2020年4月12日線上講座
Swami Sitaramananda斯瓦米·悉達羅摩南達
Punyavati, Chandrika, Sivani翻譯校對
Happy Easter! On this meaningful day symbolizing renewal, awakening and eternal life, we are being reminded of our infinite potential, infinite inner resources and perfect love which always wins. This holiday celebrates the meaning of life and this is the time for us to remember the beauty and sacredness of our lives. Swami Sivananda said that the true goal of life is to get back to the source from which we came. Just as rivers flow restlessly till they join the ocean, the ultimate source from which they got their supply of water, so too, we would be restless here till we become one with the Peace in the True Self deep within.
In this constant flowing journey of life towards Self realization, there are transitions and challenges that we need to face graciously, taking these as opportunities for growth.
復活節快樂！這個意味深長的日子象徵著更新、喚醒和永恆的生命，提醒我們的無限潛能，無限的內在資源與完美的愛，而這些總是會獲勝。這個節日是為了慶祝生命的意義以及是去憶起我們生命的美麗與神聖的時候。斯瓦米•悉瓦南達說過生命真正的目標是回歸我們的本源。就像河流奔流不息直到匯入大海，那個它們終極源泉。我們亦將在此焦灼著,直到與內在深處真我之中的寧靜全然合一。在這個通往自我領悟的永恆流淌的生命旅程中，我們需要從容地去面對其中的轉變和挑戰，並將它們當做成長的機會。
1. how life is constant transition
生命是怎樣處於持續的轉變之中
2. how life has a positive direction, going in and up (and not going out and down).
生命如何擁有一個正向的方向，即向內與向上（而非向外與向下）。
3. In this journey, we are struggling but we are always progressing. The more the struggle, the stronger we become.
在這趟旅程裡，我們雖然掙扎但總在進步。掙扎越多，我們就會變得越強大。
4. We have the power of choice, we are not victims to circumstances. In any given circumstances we still have the choice to move forward in life. We need to exercise our power of choice.
我們擁有選擇的力量，我們不是境況的受害者。在任何境況中，我們仍然擁有跨過去的選擇。我們需要運用我們選擇力。
5. Seven stages of conscious self transformation and renewal. How to renew yourself consciously.
有意識的自我轉化及更新的七個階段。如何有意識地去更新你自己。
6. When our egos are rigid, we have difficulty making choices and making decisions, paralyzed by fears and anxieties. We can learn to make our life easier for ourselves by learning faith, trust and detachment. Mistakes are only stepping stones to success for a person who is aware and working on himself.
當小我僵化時，我們很難做出選擇與決定，因恐懼與焦慮而停滯不前。我們可以通過了解信念、信任和無執，學著讓生活變得對自己容易一些。對於一個有覺知的並在自己身上下功夫的人來說，錯誤只是通向成功的墊腳石。
7. Adversity is a perception. You can return to your untouched self. You are the master of your destiny. The Self is supreme. Nobody did this to you. Learn to become strong and accept the game of life. You and your experience are one.「There is no world out there besides you」.
逆境是一個主觀感受。你可以回歸到不受影響的真我。你是你命運的主人。真我至上。沒有人對你如何。學習變得強大以及接受人生這場遊戲。你和你的經歷是同一的。「你之外並無世界」。
8. Everything is an opportunity for practice.
每件事都是一次練習的機會。
Life is a journey. There is a direction to life. We are always in transition, between stages of life. There is a lesson to be learned at every step. Try to not get lost in the appearances and illusions of life. Our destination is to realize our inner peace that always has been here.
生命是一趟旅程 ，且這個旅程有著特定的方向。我們總是處在生命不同階段之間的轉變中。每一步都有我們未盡的功課。試著不在生命的表相與錯覺中迷失方向。我們的終點是去領悟到本就在我們內心的平靜。
Different times of transition: 轉變的不同時間：- Between life times (this life is only a chapter in the book of your life. Everything is not permanent.). Step back from your life and recognize the theme of this life.
- 兩次生命之間轉化（這一世只是你生命之書的一個篇章。每件事都不是永恆的。）向後退一步，去認識到這一世生命的主題。
- Between stages of life. According to our age and our maturity, we move through 4 stages of life, we learn our duties at different stages: student stage, householder stage, retirement stage, renunciation stage. Our struggles often reflect the lessons we need to learn at every stage. We also learn that our psychology and needs evolve with each stage of life.
- 在人生的不同階段間轉變。根據我們的年齡和成熟度，我們會走過生命的4個階段，我們學習在不同階段的職責：學生階段，家庭階段，退休階段，棄絕階段。我們的掙扎常常反映在每個階段需要學習的功課。我們也學到自己的心理和需要會隨每個生命階段而進化。
- Between occupations: Our ideal occupation is the one reflecting our inner state of being, from being unconscious with no self awareness, instinctive living, survival thinking and living only for enjoyment, to the idea of a self centered self, making the best out of separated life, to being more responsible of our fellow beings and our actions, and last, to becoming selfless, understanding our oneness and acting out of the vision of oneness.
- 職業之間轉變：我們的理想職業是一個反映我們內在存在狀態的工作，從無意識沒有自我覺知、本能生存、生存思維和為享樂而活，到以自我為中心而活，最優化個體生命，到對我們的同胞及我們的行動負責，再到最後，變得無私，理解我們的合一性並基於合一的願景去行動。
- Between gunas, moving from tamas (darkness), to rajas (activity) , to sattwa ( purity, balance, wisdom) . Our journey is the journey of purification where we unveil ourselves from our own veils and recognize the light and knowledge within.
- 在三大性向（guna）之間轉變，從惰性（黑暗），到激性（活躍），到悅性（純淨、平衡、智慧）。生命之旅亦是淨化之旅，揭下自帶的遮蓋，並認識到我們內在的光明與智慧。
- Between periods of our karmas . Our lessons are learnt in time and following sequences. According to vedic astrology, our lives revolve from one karmic expression to another, from dasha period to another where we have to learn : self confidence (sun); psychology and emotions (moon), action and energy (mars) , intelligence and reasoning (mercury) , righteousness and wisdom (Jupiter) , devotion and enjoyment (venus) ,Self discipline and forbearance (Saturn), desires and compulsion (rahu) , detachment and renunciation (ketu). Everything is set up by heavenly energies for us to learn. The lesson of enjoyment is 20 years, the lesson of self discipline is 19 years, the lesson about desires is 18 years, the lesson of intelligence is (16 years) , the lesson of wisdom is 16 years, the lesson about the mind and emotions is 10 years , of energy and action is 7 years, detachment is 7 years, ego self is 6 years.
在我們的業力周期之間。我們的功課是隨時間來逐漸學習的。根據吠陀佔星，我們的生命周旋於一個業力的表達到另外一個表達，從一個運勢期到另外一個，我們必須從中學習：自信（太陽）；心理和情緒（月亮），行動與能量（火星），智力與推理（水星），正義與智慧（木星），虔誠與享受（金星），無執與棄絕（南交點）。一切都是由神聖能量安排給我們學習的。享受的功課是20年，自律的功課是19年，欲望的功課是18年，智力的功課是16年，智慧的功課是16年，頭腦與情緒的功課是10年，能量與行動的功課是7年，無執的功課是7年，自我的功課是6年。
- Between seasons and weathers: Like the season revolving, winter gives rise to spring, spring to summer, summer to fall and return to winter. Life is cyclical. We just have to step back and enjoy the seasons changing and revolving. The changes of temperatures and weathers affect the moods, and our health. This contemplation helps us to accept change.
- 在季節與氣候之間。如同季節的輪轉，冬季生發春季，春季到夏季，夏季到秋季又轉回冬季。生命是周而復始的。我們只需退一步，去享受四季的更替與輪轉。氣溫與天氣的變化影響著我們的情緒和健康。而這樣的沉思能幫助我們接受變化。
- Between hours of the day: the changes we feel might reflect not only the changes of seasons, but also the changes of energies between periods of the day, the sunrises, sunsets, the middays. Doing things in the right timing would influence the outcomes.
在一日的每個時辰之間轉變：我們感覺到的變化不但受到季節的更替的影響，還受到一日之間不同時刻的能量變化的影響，如日出、日落、正午。順時而為會影響結果。
- Between waking, dreaming, deep sleep. Our daily landscape also keeps revolving between our different states of consciousness, the waking, the dreaming and the deep sleep state. The idea is to learn to become the observer, the witness to all these changing phenomena inside and outside of us.
- 在清醒、睡夢與深睡眠三個意識狀態之間轉變。我們每天生活的樣子也總是在我們的這三個意識狀態之間變換。核心思想是學會去成為觀察者，去觀照我們內在與外在所有這些變化的現象。
In fact, we are always transitioning and we indeed never stay still. We renew ourselves constantly. According to Master Sivananda, 「Life is a school, in which every sorrow, every pain, every heart break brings a precious lesson. The world is your best teacher, there is lesson in each experience. The world is the best training ground.」 Learn to be in the world and be untouched by the world like the lotus flower growing out of mud.
事實上，我們總是在轉變，我們的確永遠不是靜止的。我們不斷地更新著自己。根據大師悉瓦南達所說，「生命是一所學校，其中的每次悲傷，每個疼痛，每場心碎都會帶來寶貴的一課。世界是你最好的老師，每一次經歷之中都有教訓。世界是最好的訓練場。」學著入世，而又出世，猶如蓮花出淤泥而不染。