The Shaolin monks of China are famous for fighting skills and acrobatics, but above all, for their ability to somehow manage their senses.
Does this really not hurt or do they just not mind the pain? To prepare themselves for their grueling acts, the monks use one of the oldest forms of pain control—meditation.
“We have to focus 100 percent. We need willpower to channel our Qi, our spiritual energy. When we meditate, we channel this spiritual energy throughout our body.”
Meditation starts by changing how the body works: The heart slows, pumping less blood; the muscles relax. Relaxed muscles means[1] less tension, which means less pain.
But the strangest effect occurs in the brain. Astonishingly, although the brain is still alert, meditation lessens the emotional reaction to pain. It’s like turning down the volume. So when pain sensations hit, they have little effect. That’s how the monks can tolerate what for anyone else would be extraordinary pain.
Vocabulary Mix:
grueling: Physically or mentally demanding to the point of exhaustion.折磨的，使精疲力尽的：对生理或心理上的要求达到极限的。
参考中文翻译：
中国少林寺的和尚以格斗技能和杂技著称，但是最重要的是，他们控制自己感觉的能力。
是真的不痛还是他们不在意这种疼痛呢?为了准备好迎接那些类似折磨的行为，那些和尚们应用最古老的方法来控制疼痛——冥想。
“我们必须百分之百的集中注意力。我们需要自己的意志力来运气，我们的精神能量。当我们陷入冥想状态时，我们可以使我们的精神能量在体内贯穿。”
冥想从改变人体的工作开始：心跳减慢，泵出更少的血液;肌肉放松。肌肉放松意味着紧张度减少，疼痛减少。
但是最神奇的作用发生在大脑。令人惊讶的是，虽然大脑仍然是警觉的，冥想状态减轻了对疼痛的反应，就好象降低了音量。所以当疼痛来袭，基本上也起不到什么作用。这就是常人难以忍受的疼痛少林寺和尚却可以忍受的原因。
单词注解：
meditation 名词 沉思,默想;冥想
【宗】默念,默想
沉思录