On first glance, this seems a nearly impossible task. Control your thoughts? Instead of the other way around? But imagine if you could? This is not about repression or denial. Repression and denial set up elaborate games to pretend that negative thoughts and feelings are not occurring. What Richard is talking about is instead admitting to the existence of negative thoughts, understanding where they came from and why they arrived, and then—with great forgiveness and fortitude—dismissing them. This is a practice that fits hand-in-glove with any psychological work you do during therapy. You can use the shrink's office to understand why you have these destructive thoughts in the first place; you can use spiritual exercises to help overcome them. It's a sacrifice to let them go, of course. It's a loss of old habits, comforting old grudges and familiar vignettes. Of course this all takes practice and effort. It's not a teaching that you can hear once and then expect to master immediately. It's constant vigilance and I want to do it. I need to do it, for my strength. Devo farmi le ossa is how they say it in Italian. "I need to make my bones."

乍看之下，这项任务简直不可能达到。控制你的思考？而不是相反过来？但如果假想你做得到的话……？这可无关乎压抑或否定。压抑与否定，是去巧妙地假装负面的思考和感觉并未出现。理查说的是，就去承认负面思考的存在，了解其来源及发生的原因，而后——以巨大的宽恕与毅力——予以打发。这种练习与任何一种心理咨询治疗都相辅相承。你能利用心理医师诊所，了解自己最初何以出现这些毁灭性的想法；你能利用灵修，帮助你克服这些想法。当然，放掉这些想法是一种牺牲。使你丧失旧有的习惯、舒适的过节、熟悉的插曲。这些当然都得费力练习。这不是听一次就能预期立即上手的课程，这是日夜不懈的课程。我想做到，我得做到，为了我的力量着想。就像意大利人说的“Devo，意即“我得制作我的骨头”。

So I've started being vigilant about watching my thoughts all day, and monitoring them. I repeat this vow about 700 times a day: "I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts anymore." Every time a diminishing thought arises, I repeat the vow. I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts any-more. The first time I heard myself say this, my inner ear perked up at the word "harbor," which is a noun as well as a verb. A harbor, of course, is a place of refuge, a port of entry. I pictured the harbor of my mind—a little beat-up, perhaps, a little storm-worn, but well situated and with a nice depth. The harbor of my mind is an open bay, the only access to the island of my Self (which is a young and volcanic island, yes, but fertile and promising). This island has been through some wars, it is true, but it is now committed to peace, under a new leader (me) who has instituted new policies to protect the place. And now—let the word go out across the seven seas—there are much, much stricter laws on the books about who may enter this harbor.

于是我开始整天警醒地观察自己的思考，予以监控。我每天把这段誓言重复念上七百遍：“我不再让不健康的思考在此停泊。”每当出现消极想法，我便把誓言重念几遍“我不再让不健康的思考在此停泊。”头一次念，我内在的耳朵在听见“停泊”一词的时候扬了起来。我想到避难所进入的港。我想象心中有个港口——或许有点老旧，有点沧桑，但地点适中，水深刚好。我心中的港口是个开敞的海湾，前往自我（没错，虽是一座年轻的火山岛，但土地肥沃，前景看好）的唯一通道。这座岛的确经历过战争，如今却在新领导人（我）的指导下，真心维护和平，制定新政策，保护这座岛屿。而现在——让这消息传诸七海——有更严格的法律规定谁能够进入这座港口。

You may not come here anymore with your hard and abusive thoughts, with your plague ships of thoughts, with your slave ships of thoughts, with your warships of thoughts—all these will be turned away. Likewise, any thoughts that are filled with angry or starving exiles, with malcontents and pamphleteers, mutineers and violent assassins, desperate prostitutes, pimps and seditious stowaways—you may not come here anymore, either. Cannibalistic thoughts, for obvious reasons, will no longer be received. Even missionaries will be screened carefully, for sincerity. This is a peaceful harbor, the entryway to a fine and proud island that is only now beginning to cultivate tranquillity. If you can abide by these new laws, my dear thoughts, then you are welcome in my mind—otherwise, I shall turn you all back toward the sea from whence you came.

暴力的思考、瘟疫的思考、奴役的思考、恶劣的思考，都再也进不来——一概被拒之港外。同样地，装满愤怒或挨饿的流亡者、反叛者和煽动者、暴动者和刺杀者、铤而走险的妓女、皮条客和偷渡者的思考——你们也不得进入。同类相残的思考，出于显而易见的理由，也不再受招待。甚至传教士也得予以盘查，检查其诚意。这是和平港口，通往安详自豪，如今才开始培养平静的岛屿。你若遵守这些新规则——我亲爱的思想——我的心就欢迎你，否则，就把你赶回海上去。

That is my mission, and it will never end. Eat, Pray, Love
这是我的任务，永不结束。