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Spiritual Travel in India 印度之游，心灵之旅

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Beginning in the late 1960s, a multicolored stream of hippies made their legendary overland journey from Europe to India in search of spirituality. Although true hippie culture has long passed, western fascination with Indian spirituality is very much alive. As yoga and meditation become a part of mainstream western culture, travelers are once again flocking to India in search of inner freedom.

从一九六０年代末期起，许多穿着千奇百怪、衣服颜色多彩多姿的嬉皮族为了追求性灵的提升，从欧洲涌入印度，成就了一趟传奇的跨洲旅程。虽然真正嬉皮文化已然成为过去，西方对印度的精神性灵向往有增无减。当瑜伽和打坐冥想成为了西方文化主流的一部份之际，人们再度集结前往印度，去寻找心灵内在的自由。

Social and technological changes have made today’s spiritual journey much easier. Unlike their sixties counterparts, today’s spiritual-seekers fly into a Kolkata that’s wired and ATM-ready. Rishikesh, known as the Yoga Capital of the World, is now overrun with Internet café and German bakeries. Spiritual tour operators have made this journey even easier by offering weeklong pilgrimages for the nine-to-five set who want peace of mind in a hurry.

社会和科技的改变，使得人们如今进行心灵之旅容易多了。不像昔日六０年代的前辈，现在进行心灵之旅的人飞到印度的加尔各答【注】，那儿已经是可以上网、也有提款机的环境了。而被视为世界瑜伽之都的里希克锡，现在则是充满网络咖啡屋和德国口味面包房的地点。从事心灵之旅的旅游业者更简化这趟行程，提供一周往返的朝圣套装产品，给想要快速享受心灵宁静的上班族。

Upon arriving in India, some are so overwhelmed by the filth and poverty that they jump on the next plane home. For others, months can pass as they wander the yoga or meditation circuits on an inner journey to find themselves. Like the hippies of old, many of today’s spiritual travels end up disappearing into an ashram or commune, while others even become monks or nuns. Some things just never change.

有些人初抵印度会受不了那儿的脏乱和贫穷，马上又跳上下一班飞机飞回去。至于其余人，可能花几个月的时间，参加各种瑜伽或静坐团体，进行内省以寻觅自我。就像当年的嬉皮，很多现代心灵之旅的旅人，有些人最后遁入修行所或静坐中心灵修，有些人甚至皈依佛门，成为比丘或比丘尼。看来，有些事情还是不会变的。

【注】：2001年1月以前印度最大城市「加尔各答」的英文拼法是「Calcutta」

Vocabulary

单词发音

multicolored [ˋmʌltɪ͵kʌlɚd] adj. 多彩多姿的

stream [strim] n. 潮流

hippie [ˋhɪpɪ] n. 嬉痞

overland [ˋovɚ͵lænd] adj. 横越大陆的

spirituality [͵spɪrɪtʃʊˋælɪtɪ] n. 灵性﹐对宗教[宗教事物]的热衷

fascination [͵fæsnˋeʃən] n. 迷恋，陶醉

alive [əˋlaɪv] adj. 活跃的

counterpart [ˋkaʊntɚ͵pɑrt] n. 对应的人（或物）

Kolkata [印度]  加尔各答

overrun [͵ovɚˋrʌn] v. 大量蔓延; 泛滥

operator [ˋɑpə͵retɚ] n.（企业）经营者

pilgrimage [ˋpɪlgrəmɪdʒ] n. 朝圣者的旅程

nine-to-five  九时至五时的(办公室等的正常工作时间)

set [sɛt] n. 一伙人；（特殊）阶层

in a hurry 迅速地

overwhelm [͵ovɚˋhwɛlm] v. 使受不了；使不知所措

filth [fɪlθ] n. 肮脏；污物

poverty [ˋpɑvɚtɪ] n. 贫穷，贫困

wander [ˋwɑndɚ] v.〔在某地方〕徘徊; 闲逛; 漫步

circuit [ˋsɝkɪt] n.（运动团，队等的）同盟，联合会

ashram [ˋɑʃrəm] n.〔印度教高僧的〕静修处

commune [kəˋmjun] n.〔生活在一起﹑分享财产﹑分担职责的〕羣居团体﹐小区

Sentence of the Day

Medication teaches us mind over matter.

静坐冥想让我们学到心灵更胜于物质。

mind over matter 精神胜物质

课文讲解

Jeff runs into his yoga instructor, Lori:  杰夫碰见他的瑜伽老师萝莉：

J: Hi, Lori. Sorry for missing class last night.

嘿，萝莉。抱歉我上一堂缺课了。

L: That’s OK. You can catch up next week.

没关系，你下周再补上来。

J: Actually, I’ve lost my motivation to practice yoga. I just can’t seem to squeeze it into my schedule.

事实上，我练瑜伽的动机没了。实在很难把它排进我的生活时间表中。

L: Don’t be so hard on yourself – everyone has ups and downs. But I do know a surefire way to build up some enthusiasm for yoga: go to India!

不用对自己这么严格──每个人都会有高潮和低潮。不过我知道有个方法绝对能让你燃起对瑜伽的热情：走访印度吧！

J: Hmm ….. sounds exotic. I’ve read that spiritual travel is getting a lot more popular. After eco-travel and adventure travel, it’s the latest trend.

嗯…听起来相当具异国风味。我读过，现在心灵朝圣之旅愈来愈受欢迎了。在生态之旅与冒险之旅后，它现在可成了当红炸子鸡呢！

L: Yes, these mini-pilgrimages are all the rage. Not only do you get to study meditation and yoga, but you also get to see places like the Taj Mahal and the India Himalayas.

是的，这些精简的朝圣之旅现在很流行。你只是学习打坐和瑜伽而已，还有重点参访，像是泰姬玛哈陵和印度的喜马拉雅山脉这些。

J: I’ve always dreamt of going to those places, but I don’t think I could rough it in India. I need a hot shower and a comfortable bed to keep me happy.

我一向都梦想着要去那些地方，但我想我没办法忍受印度那儿太克难的生活。我必须要有舒舒服服的热水澡和床铺才感觉愉快。

L: You wouldn’t be staying at the Hyatt, but you wouldn’t be living in a cave either! Tour operators know what westerners need to stay happy: air-conditioning and Internet access.

你虽然不会像住在凯悦那么舒服，但也不会是住在山洞里那么简陋。旅行业现在对西方游客的需求摸得很清楚，晓得要有哪些东西他们才高兴：要有空调，要能上网。

J: That sounds more like it. I’ll look into it for my next vacation.

那才象话。我会去把它搞清楚，做为下次渡假的参考。

L: In the meantime, I’ll expect you in class.

同时，下一回上课时我希望你能出席。

－by Howie Phung

Vocabulary

单词发音

run into 偶然碰到

instructor [ɪnˋstrʌktɚ] n.〔运动或技艺的〕指导员; 教练; 教员

catch up 赶上,追上

squeeze [skwiz] v. 榨，挤; 榨出，挤出

ups and downs 盛衰，沉浮；起伏 the mixture of good and bad things which happen to people

surefire [ˋʃʊr͵faɪr] adj.【非正式】一定能成功的

exotic [ɛgˋzɑtɪk] adj. 异国情调的

eco-travel 生态旅游

be all the rage 风行一时 to be very fashionable

Himalayas [hɪˋmɑljəz] n. 喜马拉雅山脉

rough it 【口】在没有一般的舒适和便利的条件下生活 to live in a way that is simple and not very comfortable

look into 在……里查资料；深入地检查，研究；调查

Sentence of the Day

Yoga can help you find peace of mind.

瑜珈能帮助你寻找心灵的宁静。

Best of Rishikesh, India- top sights