The following morning, I arrive right on time for the 4:00 AM meditation session which always starts the day here. We are meant to sit for an hour in silence, but I log the minutes as if they are miles—sixty brutal miles that I have to endure. By mile/minute fourteen, my nerves have started to go, my knees are breaking down and I'm overcome with exasperation. Which is understandable, given that the conversations between me and my mind during meditation generally go something like this:
隔天早晨，我准时抵达清晨四点的禅坐，这向来是一天的开始。我们预定静坐一个小时，可是我却像计算里程般来计算分秒——我不得不去容忍的三十公里漫漫长路。来到第七公里／分钟，我的神经开始瓦解，膝盖撑不下去，喘不过气来。这不难理解，若考虑到我和自己的头脑在禅坐期间通常如此进行对话：

Me: OK, we're going to meditate now. Let's draw our attention to our breath and focus on the mantra. Om Namah Shivaya. Om Namah Shiv...
我：好吧，我们开始禅坐。让我们关注在呼吸上，集中于咒语。唵南嘛湿婆耶。唵南嘛湿婆耶……

Mind: I can help you out with this, you know!
头脑：我帮得上你的忙，你晓得！

Me: OK, good, because I need your help. Let's go. Om Namah Shivaya. Om Namah Shi...
我：很好，因为我需要你帮忙。来吧。唵南嘛 湿婆耶。唵南嘛湿婆耶……

Mind: I can help you think of nice meditative images. Like—hey, here's a good one. Imagine you are a temple. A temple on an island! And the island is in the ocean!
头脑：我能帮你想出很好的禅修画面。比方——没错，这点子不错。想象你是一座寺庙，坐落在一座岛上！一座海上的岛！

Me: Oh, that is a nice image.
我：喔，这画面不赖。

Mind: Thanks. I thought of it myself.
头脑：谢啦。我也这么觉得。

Me: But what ocean are we picturing here?
我：我们想象哪个海？

Mind: The Mediterranean. Imagine you're one of those Greek islands, with an old Greek temple on it. No, never mind, that's too touristy. You know what? Forget the ocean. Oceans are too dangerous. Here's a better idea—imagine you're an island in a lake, instead.
头脑：地中海。想象你是希腊岛屿，岛上有座希腊古庙。喔，算了，那儿游客太多。这样吧，甭管什么海了。海太危险。我有更好的主意——把自己想像成湖上的岛吧。

Me: Can we meditate now, please? Om Namah Shiv...
我：现在能不能开始禅坐，拜托？唵南嘛湿婆耶……

Mind: Yes! Definitely! But try not to picture that the lake is covered with . . . what are those things called...
头脑：好！当然啰！不过，可别想象湖上到处是……怎么称呼那些玩意儿……

Me: Jet Skis?
我：水上摩托车？

Mind: Yes! Jet Skis! Those things consume so much fuel! They're really a menace to the environment. Do you know what else uses a lot of fuel? Leaf blowers. You wouldn't think so, but...
头脑：对啦！水上摩托车！那些玩意儿消耗太多燃料！对环境造成威胁。你知道什么东西也消耗很多燃料？吹落叶机。 你不这么想，可是……

Me: OK, but let's MEDITATE now, please? Om Namah...
我：好，好，现在开始禅坐好吗？唵南嘛湿婆耶……

Mind: Right! I definitely want to help you meditate! And that's why we're going to skip the image of an island on a lake or an ocean, because that's obviously not working. So let's imagine that you're an island in . . . a river!
头脑：没错！我确实想帮你禅坐！所以我们就别管湖上或海上的岛吧，因为这显然行不通。让我们想象你是……河上的岛！