Illusions and the Mind:Perception is Reality

译/王祥钢 许效礼

Illusions and the Mind:Perception is Reality

幻象与心智: 感知即现实

译/王祥钢 许效礼

“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit1albeit〈正式〉尽管。a very persistent one.”

―Albert Einstein

“现实只是一种幻觉，尽管是一种挥之不去的幻觉。”

——阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦

Are you aware that every single person on this planet who has ever lived, lives now or will ever live, has a different perception of reality? The way each of us perceives the world is to some degree different than any other person’s perception of reality. What is absolutely real and right for you may be an illusion, or nonexistent, or completely false for another!

[2]It’s important to be aware of this and how you create your perception of reality. Because if you’re not aware,your perception, world view and reality are created for you by other people.For example, the news media loves to create drama2create drama炒作，虚张声势。drama戏剧性事件。and one of their favorite methods is to elicit3elicit引起。fear: fear of other people, fear of the weather, fear of the economy, etc. The news media tells us how to perceive the world―and if a person takes the newscasters at their word4take sb at his word 相信某人说的是真话。, they perceive the world to be very dangerous and hostile. Perception is reality. To that person, the mental images and emotions suggested by other people create aversion5aversion厌恶。of reality that is completely different from the reality perceived by someone who does not watch the news.

[3]Things are not always what they seem. For most people, seeing is believing, which is why magicians,artists and marketers are so successful.Just like the TV news, they show you only what they want you to see and it is perceived as reality. But how would that reality change if you saw what went on behind the scenes or what was left out? In fact,ALL communication is like this. Right now, you are reading what I want to tell you. If you want a different perspective,then you have to read something else or create your own interpretation of what I say.

What’s Your Story (Your Perception of Reality)?

[4]We all have a story. Any time you say, “I am,” you are telling a story of yourself. Over time, your story takes on a life of its own and you become your story.

[5]But who’s the author? Who wrote that story, and why did the author put so much crap6crap废话；废物。in there? All that unnecessary suffering, struggle,heartache, worry and pain… wouldn’t it be better to live a story without all that? Who would have written a main character with such low selfesteem? Who wants to live a story with that much boredom and unfulfilled longings?

[6]The story got its start when you were born, and was co-authored by you along with the influences in your life. Anytime you were influenced by someone or something, you unconsciously handed your pen over and said, “Here, you write this about me.” And you accepted what they wrote as reality.

[7]So you’re not even writing your OWN story! No one does―until they recognize that fact, and make a conscious decision to take control of the pen. You CAN write your story the way you want it to play out. Otherwise, other people are designing your perception of the world. Think about it: do they have your best interests in mind?

[8]Basically, your story as it is7as it is习语，意为“原样的”或“现在的”“现有的”。right now, tells you how to see the world.Do you like what you see? Do you like your circumstances? Are you on the right life path?

When you change your perception you create a new reality.

[9]It’s helpful to understand how the brain takes reality and fi lters it to create your unique perception of reality. It’s an automatic, unconscious action that is based on:

· physical experiences (which is why some optical illusions are extremely unsettling8unsettling令人不安（或紧张、担忧）的。)

· past conditioning9conditioning熏陶；长期影响。(how you are programmed to see the world)

[10]When you become aware of the fact that you are constructing your own reality, you can take charge and construct a reality that is more pleasing to you. If you change your story (or literally, change your mind, your vibration10vibration（感情的）共鸣。and your intentions) you can change your circumstances!

[11]It all starts in the imagination.Using powerful visualization11visualization形象化。and self-programming exercises, learn toautomaticallythink differently:

A saxophone player,or a woman’s face？

· Instead of, “I am a victim of circumstance,” imprint12imprint铭刻；使铭记。in your mind,“I am the co-creator of my life”―and automatically, your perception of reality changes as you come into your personal power and take control of your life. This gives you a happy feeling and creates a higher vibration within you.

· Instead of, “I am sick and tired of13be sick and tired of〈习语〉对……烦透了。…” imprint in your mind, “I am in control and enthusiastic about what I do” (did you know that saying, “I am sick and tired [of whatever]actually makes you sick, and tired? Raise your vibration by saying something positive whenever you say, “I am.”

· Raise your vibration by thinking,talking and acting more positively. As positivity becomes a mental habit, that change will become your new inner reality, which will soon manifest in your outer reality.

[12]The power of perception is immense. Choose to see more good than bad, more abundance than lack, more love than indifference and more success than struggle. ■

你是否意识到，在这个星球上，每个个体，无论是已故的、健在的，还是尚未出世的，对于现实都有着不同的感受。我们每人对世界的感受方式，在某种程度上，都有别于任一他人对现实的感受。对你来说绝对真实无误的东西，对另一个人来说，也许只是一种幻觉，或者不存在，或者完全靠不住!

[2]重要的是，要意识到这一点，意识到自己对现实的感受是如何形成的。这是因为，假如意识不到的话，在感受、世界观以及现实诸方面，你就会受他人摆布。譬如，新闻媒体是喜欢小题大做的。他们最乐用的手法之一就是引发恐惧：对他人的恐惧，对天气的恐惧，对经济的恐惧，等等。新闻媒体告诉我们如何感受世界——如果一个人听信新闻广播员的话，就会觉得世界是十分危险且充满敌意的。感受即现实。对此人来说，经他人暗示产生的心理意象和情绪造成了对现实的嫌恶，这与没看过这则新闻的人感受中的现实是截然不同的。

[3]事情并非总如表面。多数人认为眼见为实。魔术师、画家和营销人员能达成目的，就因为这一点。像电视新闻一样，他们只让你看到想让你看到的东西，让你信以为真。然而，如果你能看到幕后，看到被隐瞒的真相，“现实”又会发生怎样的变化呢？事实上，一切交流莫不如此。此刻，你读的是我告诉的。如果你想变换一下视角，那么就得读点儿别的，或者对我的话做出自己的解读。

你的故事（你对现实的感受）是什么？

[4]每个人都有一个故事。每当说“我如何如何”的时候，你就是在讲述自己的故事。或迟或早，你的故事会获得自己的生命，你就会成为故事本身。

[5]然而，作者是谁呢？故事是谁写的？为什么作者要塞进这么多多余的话？这么多原本不该有的苦难、挣扎、心酸、焦虑和痛苦……人活一场，免去这些不好吗？为什么要把一个主要人物写得如此自卑呢？谁会希望生活在一个如此乏味且充满缺憾的故事之中呢？

[6]故事打你一出生就开始写了，写故事的人就是你和你生活中受到的种种影响。一旦受到某个人或某件事的影响，你就会不由自主地把笔递过去，说道：“来，这段关于我的，你来写吧！”他们写什么你都会信以为真。

[7]这样一来，你甚至都不是在写自己的故事了！没人能够做到自己的故事自己写——直到认识到这一事实，并自觉认定，笔必须握在自己手里。你可以写得让故事的发展符合自己的心愿。要不然，在对世事的感知上，就会听由别人摆布了。想想吧：他们会想着怎么做对你最有利吗？

[8]基本上说，现已成型的这个自己的故事会告诉你该怎样看待这个世界。你喜欢自己看到的一切吗？对自己的境况满意吗？是行进在正确的生活道路上吗？

改变感知，你就能创造新的现实。

[9]了解一下大脑是如何把握现实，进行过滤，从而形成自己独特的现实感受，这样做是有益的。这是一种于不自觉间产生的、无意识的活动，靠的是：

·种种亲身经历（某些视觉幻象之所以令人极为不安，原因即在此。）

·过去的影响（你对世界的看法是如何事先设定的。）

[10]只有意识到自身现实是由自己来构建这一事实时，你才会有所担当，将现实构建得让自己满意。如果你能改写自己的故事（或准确地说，转变心思，激发活力，改变动机），那么，你就能够改变自己的境遇！

[11]一切都始自想象。借助强有力的形象化手段和自行编排的训练，学会自动换一种思维方式。

· 不要觉得“我是外界环境的受害者”。心中要牢记“我的生活，得有我来参与打造”——这样，在驾驭自身能力、把握自己人生的同时，你对现实的感受于不自觉间就变了。这会给你幸福感，在你内心燃起更大的激情。

·不要觉得“我对……烦透了……”心中要牢记，“我能够掌控，对所做的事情充满热情”。 （听说过这句老话吗？“[无论对什么]心里烦，反让自己病恹恹；心里厌，反招自己一身倦。”）每当说到 “我”的时候，言词积极些，让自己更富活力。

·以更加积极的态度去想、去说、去做，提升自己的活力。一旦积极成为一种心理习惯，这一变化就会成为自己新的、内在的现实，而内在现实将很快反映为自己的外在现实。

[12]感知的力量是无限的。要下决心，多看到好，少看到坏；多看到丰盛，少看到匮乏；多看到关爱，少看到冷漠；多看到成功，少看到挣扎。 □