Ketut went on to explain that the Balinese believe we are each accompanied at birth by four invisible brothers, who come into the world with us and protect us throughout our lives. When the child is in the womb, her four siblings are even there with her—they are represen-ted by the placenta, the amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord and the yellow waxy substance that protects an unborn baby's skin. When the baby is born, the parents collect as much of these extraneous birthing materials as possible, placing them in a coconut shell and burying it by the front door of the family's house. According to the Balinese, this buried coconut is the holy resting place of the four unborn brothers, and that spot is tended to forever, like a shrine.

他继续说明巴厘岛人相信我们每个人出生时都有四兄弟陪伴，他们跟随我们来到世间，保护我们一辈子。小孩还在子宫的时候，四兄弟甚至已与他同在——由胎盘、羊水、脐带以及保护胎儿皮肤的黄色蜡状物为代表。婴儿出生时，父母将这些无关紧要的出生物收集起来，放在椰子壳里，埋在屋子的前门边。根据巴厘岛人的说法，埋入地里的椰子是未出生的四兄弟神圣的安息地，该地点永远像神庙般受人照料。

The child is taught from earliest consciousness that she has these four brothers with her in the world wherever she goes, and that they will always look after her. The brothers inhabit the four virtues a person needs in order to be safe and happy in life: intelligence, friendship, strength and (I love this one) poetry. The brothers can be called upon in any critical situation for rescue and assistance. When you die, your four spirit brothers collect your soul and bring you to heaven.

孩子从懂事以来即得知无论他去哪里，四兄弟都永远伴随着他，他们也将永远照顾他。四兄弟呈现让生命安全快乐所需的四种德性：智慧、友谊、力量（我喜欢这项）和诗词。在任何危急状况，皆可传唤四兄弟前来救援。在你过世时，四兄弟收集你的灵魂，带你上天堂。

Today Ketut told me that he's never taught any Westerner the Four Brothers Meditation yet, but he thinks I am ready for it. First, he taught me the names of my invisible sib-lings—Ango Patih, Maragio Patih, Banus Patih and Banus Patih Ragio. He instructed me to memorize these names and to ask for the help of my brothers throughout my life, whenever I need them. He says I don't have to be formal when I speak to them, the way we are formal when we pray to God. I'm allowed to speak to my brothers with familiar affection, because "It just your family!" He tells me to say their names as I'm washing myself in the morning, and they will join me. Say their names again every time before I eat, and I will include my brothers in the enjoyment of the meal. Call on them before I go to sleep, saying, "I am sleeping now, so you must stay awake and protect me," and my brothers will shield me through the night, stop demons and nightmares.

赖爷今天告诉我，他尚未把四兄弟禅修法教给哪个西方人，但他觉得我已做好准备。首先，他教我那四位看不见的四兄弟的名字——"AngoPatih""MaragioPatih""BanusPatih"和"BanusPatihRagio"。他指导我背住这四个名字，此生若有需要，请我的四兄弟帮忙。他说我用不着郑重其事像祈祷似的和他们说话。我可以用熟悉亲切的语气和我的兄弟们讲话，因为"他们是你的家人啊！"他告诉我早上洗脸的时候说他们的名字，他们就会与我会合。每次吃饭前再说一次他们的名字，让我的兄弟们一同分享用餐的愉悦。睡前再次召唤他们，说："我要睡了，因此你们必须保持清醒，以保护我。"我的兄弟们整晚将守护我，阻止恶魔与噩梦。

"That's good," I told him, "because I have a problem sometimes with nightmares."

"这很好，"我告诉他，"因为有时候我有做噩梦的问题。"

"What nightmares?"

"什么噩梦？"