Self-Transformation Through Mindfulness | Dr. David Vago | TEDxNashville · TEDx Talks
探索正念如何通过日常感知、情绪和思维重塑自我与大脑。适合练习正念冥想、自我认知和心理健康。
Transcriber: Eunice Tan Reviewer: Tanya Cushman
转录者：Eunice Tan 审稿人：Tanya Cushman
Thank you.
谢谢。
We are all born with a brain that has 86 billion neurons.
我们每个人出生时都拥有一个由 860 亿个神经元组成的大脑。
And throughout our life, we make relatively few new neurons.
在我们的一生中，新生成的神经元数量其实非常少。
In fact, we lose about 2 billion neurons throughout the course of our lifetime.
事实上，在我们的一生中，大约会有20亿个神经元死亡（或失去功能）。
So you may wonder - if we're losing billions of neurons and we're not making a lot of new neurons,
你可能会想：如果我们正在失去数十亿个神经元，同时又没有产生很多新的神经元，那会怎么样呢？
what's changing in the brain to support all those mental habits and behaviors that make up our self-identity?
大脑中发生了哪些变化，从而支持那些构成我们自我认同的心理习惯和行为呢？
Well, the answer is "activity-dependent plasticity."
嗯，答案就是“活动依赖性的可塑性”（即大脑神经连接的可塑性会随着特定活动的发生而发生变化）。
This is the function by which the brain is continually modified
这就是大脑通过其不断进行自我调整（或“改造”）的机制。
through the 150 trillion cell-to-cell synaptic connections that are made in response to your everyday experiences.
这些神经信号是通过你日常生活中的各种体验而形成的——具体来说，是通过那些数量高达150万亿个的细胞间突触连接来传递的。
One main point that I hope you take home today is that not only are they contributing to your self-identity,
我希望你们今天能记住的一个主要观点是：这些因素不仅有助于塑造你们的自我认同（即你们对自己是谁的认识），
but they are continually changing your brain and they are strongly influencing your health and longevity.
但这些因素一直在不断改变你的大脑结构，并且对你的健康与寿命产生着重要影响。
I hope to also demonstrate that a
我希望也能证明：
systematic form of mental training involving meditation can potentially transform your self and your mental habits in a positive way.
一种系统性的心理训练方法（该方法包含冥想练习），有可能以积极的方式改变你自身以及你的思维习惯。
In 2002, I was a graduate student in cognitive neurosciences - that was me.
2002年，我是一名认知神经科学专业的研究生——那就是当时的我。
I was studying the brains of rats to better understand the neural circuitry of learning and memory.
我正在研究老鼠的大脑，以便更好地理解与学习和记忆相关的神经回路机制。
And activity-dependent plasticity was a really important
而“活动依赖性可塑性”（即神经系统的可塑性会随着特定活动的发生而发生变化）确实是一个非常重要的概念。
concept for studying memory, but I was
这个概念是用来研究记忆的，但我当时……
interested in how that concept could be applied towards a neuroscientific understanding of the self through the lens of meditation and mindful awareness.
我对如何将这一概念应用于通过冥想和正念意识来理解自我的神经科学领域非常感兴趣。
Now, mindful awareness can be simply thought
现在，正念意识其实可以简单地理解为一种“对当下状态的觉知”。
of as a way of paying attention
作为一种表达关注的方式
in a way that is continually watchful and discerning for what is arising and passing in our minds and in the external world.
以一种持续保持警觉和敏锐的态度，观察我们内心以及外部世界中正在发生和消逝的一切。
Now, when I was in graduate school, there was barely any science of mindfulness.
在我读研究生的时候，关于正念（mindfulness）的科学研究几乎还处于起步阶段，相关的研究成果非常有限。
In fact, before the year 2000, there was the grand total of 39 peer-reviewed scientific articles on the topic.
事实上，在 2000 年之前，关于这一主题的经过同行评审的科学论文总数仅为 39 篇。
So for good reason, maybe, my mentor sat me down one day and said, "Dave, you will not be successful in academia by focusing on meditation.
也许出于非常合理的考虑，我的导师有一天把我叫到跟前，对我说：“戴夫，如果你只专注于冥想，你在学术领域是难以取得成功的。
Forget about all that Zen stuff."
别再纠结那些禅宗的东西了。
And I walked out of his office feeling rather disappointed, discouraged.
走出他的办公室后，我感到非常失望和沮丧。
But it did not deter me from this calling.
但这并没有阻止我追求自己的使命（或：这个职业）。
Fast-forward 10 years - I was a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, studying meditation in a neuroimaging laboratory.
十年后，我已经成为哈佛医学院的教员，在一个神经影像学实验室里研究冥想对大脑的影响。
And about that time, I was invited
就在那个时候，我收到了邀请。
to present my research directly to the Dalai Lama, along with five other emerging leaders in the field from around the world.
我的研究成果将直接呈献给达赖喇嘛，同时还有来自世界各地的另外五位该领域的杰出青年领袖。
Thank you.
谢谢。
That is very kind.
你真是太好了。
Yes, this was really an amazing opportunity.
是的，这确实是一个非常难得的机会。
And the advice he gave the six of us is something I will never forget for my lifetime.
他给我们的六个人的建议，是我一生中永远都不会忘记的。
He said, pointing his finger at each one of us, "You each have the great responsibility for helping to build a happy,
他指着我们每个人说：“你们每个人都有重要的责任，那就是帮助建立一个幸福、和谐的社会。
peaceful world.
一个和平的世界。
Millions of people want a happy, peaceful world but are lacking the knowledge of how to do so.
数百万人渴望一个幸福、和平的世界，但他们缺乏实现这一目标的所需知识。
Through carrying your experiment month by month, year by year, you will gain evidence to convince others.
通过逐月、逐年地持续进行你的实验，你将积累足够的证据来说服他人。
I will watch you, whether you are really - whether you are really helping to build a happy,
我会密切关注你的行动；无论你是否真的在为建设一个幸福的社会而努力……