《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》：如何成就个人的传奇？
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老桑说
倾听你的内心，
按它的召唤去做，
不顾一切的坚持。
这样，你就会活出独特的个人传奇。
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「 朋友，你好，我是老桑。」
老桑在费城科学史研究所
互动话题：你的梦想的奇幻之地在哪里？
来一场奇幻之旅，留言送门票~
即将迎来一个国内小长假，可以让我们自己从纷繁复杂的搅扰中脱身而出。有没有一个地方，能让你一往无前，来一场梦想的奇幻之旅？留言说说这个地方在哪里以及你梦想要去的理由，老桑会根据留言综合质量，挑选一位送出当地旅游门票1张（活动仅限国内哦）
我最近参观了费城的科学史研究所，它强调了化学在改善日常生活中发挥的重要作用。此外该博物馆还有一个关于炼金术的展览，1300年到1700年，炼金术闻名于寻求将铅转化为黄金并能制作长生不老药。
费城科学史研究所
通过这个炼金术时代的展览，我了解到炼金术是如何吸引、启发以及迷惑早期现代社会的。炼金术士通过研究自然和物质来揭开它们的秘密，通过这些秘密，他们激发出的创造力和好奇心塑造了我们对科学的现代理解。炼金术既是一种实验性练习，也是一种强有力的变革隐喻。
炼金术时代展览
当然，炼金术士从来没有成功地将铅转化为金或发现一种普遍的灵丹妙药，但他们发现了大量有关物质世界的实践性知识，创建了许多疗养、缓和、清洁的治疗方法。
这次展览也让我想起了一本畅销全球的小说《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》(The Alchemist)。
《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》是巴西作家保罗·戈埃罗（Paolo Coelho）于1988年出版的一部寓言小说，讲述了追寻梦想和人生奇幻经历的重要性。
前段时间我读了这本小说，这次展览激发了我再读一遍的灵感，并与大家分享这个故事。
奇幻之旅
Personal legends
」这本书讲述了一个来自西班牙安达卢西亚地区名叫圣地亚哥（Santiago）的牧童的故事。当他睡在一座废弃的教堂里时，产生了一个梦想，他要去埃及金字塔里挖掘一个隐秘的宝藏。经过一番内心的挣扎，他卖掉了自己的羊群，乘船前往北非。然后，他乘坐骆驼车队穿越撒哈拉沙漠。
圣地亚哥
当圣地亚哥犹豫着要不要离开西班牙时，他遇到了一位智者，智者将个人传奇故事定义为“你一直想要完成的事情”。每个人，当他们年轻的时候，都知道他们的个人传奇是什么。“他认为我们年轻时的奇幻经历其实是很明显的，但可悲的是，随着时间的推移，我们逐渐相信自己永远也无法实现它。
骆驼车队
当圣地亚哥到达金字塔时，他挖了一遍但并没有发现什么。小偷accost（引诱）他说出真相，圣地亚哥告诉了他们自己的梦。他们对圣地亚哥拳脚相向，还有一个嘲笑他有一个在废弃的教堂里找到宝藏的梦想。后来圣地亚哥立刻清醒过来，回到西班牙，在他最初做这个梦的地方发现了装满金子的宝藏。
正如书中所言，追求个人的奇幻梦想是你过上令人满意的生活的唯一途径。炼金术需要小心融合金属实现它自己变点石成金的传奇。同样地，对我们个人梦想的单一追求，可以让我们自己从纷繁复杂的干扰中脱身而出，同时也能带给自己满足的感受。
圣地亚哥必须战胜自己作为一个小牧童离开故乡的恐惧感，追求他跨越世界的梦想。他对自己说:“ 实现梦想的可能性，才使生活变得有趣。”
无论你现在年龄如何，无论你的人生阶段是什么，你都可以挖掘出属于自己的个人传奇。以下是如何“完善”自己，如何帮助自我“点石成金”的小贴士:
《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》讲述的是追寻梦想的力量和重要性。然而，在你追逐梦想之前，你必须先有一个梦想。炼金术士梦想着把铅变成金子，并找到miraculous（神奇的）治疗方法，这些目标推动了他们的探索。同样地，圣地亚哥的寻宝之梦促使他抛开杂念，一往无前。
也许从孩提时代起，内心里就有一个平静、柔和的声音向你倾诉，自己想要从生活中得到的东西。它可能会激发你去获得一些你目前没有的东西。设想它的存在。你可以问自己：“这个世界真正让我bug（疯狂）的是什么?”你的个人传奇可能就是去采取行动来解决这个问题。当然你要对自己诚实，因为这可能就是你的梦想之所在。
寻找治疗方法
带着一些紧迫感去追求你内心的渴望是这本书的关键之一。许多人一生都在等待正确的行动时机。圣地亚哥提醒我们，没有比现在更好的时机了。有梦想，但更要追求它……就是现在。
从书中提到的内容来看，如果你没有在有意地追求梦想，你将无法实现自己的奇幻之旅。你的内心充盈着丰沛的激情，刺激你去做特定的事情，以特定的方式生活。如果你压制了这些欲望，你可能会心不在焉地生活，从一个地方挣扎到另一个地方。但如果你听从内心的召唤，或许就能过上最好的生活。
智者向圣地亚哥保证，尽管他会在冒险的过程中遇到各种艰难险阻，但追寻梦想的道路上从不言败，他认为：“当你心有所求，全宇宙都会去帮你得到它。”不必在旅程中感到孤独，要知道自然有伟大的力量在推动你走向胜利。
我们都害怕失败，你可能经常会经历这种恐惧。我总是能从我的学生身上看到这一点——因为时常他们对我说:“我做不到。”当你让失败的恐惧在内心扎根，它就会阻止你实现或追求你的个人梦想。《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》提醒我们，不要让失败的恐惧阻止你追求梦想和目标。
当圣地亚哥到达在撒哈拉沙漠绿洲以后，他遇到了真正的炼金术士，那是一位传奇的治疗师与罕见神秘力量的拥有者。他收圣地亚哥为门徒，用智慧和鼓励的语言告诉他：“只有一件事情让人无法实现梦想：对失败的恐惧。”
炼金术士 (1937)
为了取得伟大成就，炼金术士认为我们需要抛开对失败的恐惧。为了克服这种恐惧，不断地提醒自己，你在哪里，你想去哪里，为什么你到达那里很重要。不断审视结果和过程。当你不断努力让自己变得更好的时候，整个宇宙都会帮助你实现你的梦想。
当圣地亚哥承认他害怕痛苦时，炼金术士回答说:“ 告诉你的心，对痛苦的恐惧比痛苦本身更可怕。在追寻梦想的过程中，没有任何一颗心曾经遭受过痛苦，因为每一秒的搜寻都是与上主的第二次相遇，以及永恒。“不如对自己也说说这些话吧。
炼金术与艺术
任何值得拥有的东西都是有代价的。只有那些愿意付出代价，冒着一切风险，不顾失败的恐惧而行动的人才能实现他们的梦想和目标。炼金术士们在实验中失败的次数比成功的次数还多，圣地亚哥在他的旅程中踉跄摔倒了。当他们没有得到自己想要的东西时，他们也获得了经验，增强了前进的动力。
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那些不会失败的人也注定不会成功。唯一真正的失败是根本没有去追求你的梦想。
”我在参加为期四天的托尼·罗宾斯“释放内在的力量”研讨会时，他强调认为知识不是力量，而是潜在的力量。根据我们的知识行动，释放力量。如果你不采取行动，无论学了多少或知道了多少，你都无法实现个人传奇。炼金术士们坚持实验，圣地亚哥继续前行。你能做什么?
在他的旅程中，圣地亚哥有很多机会选择放弃。一路上经历了抢劫和殴打，被爱情的兴趣分散精力，并且常常感到绝望或沮丧。但每一次他都要回过头来，通过专注于面前的障碍，并找出克服的最佳方法来保持自己的毅力。他对实现目标的信心也激励着他。
当他们trek（长途跋涉），穿过了沙漠，炼金术士对圣地亚哥建议说：“这世上只有一种学习的方法。那就是付诸行动。“采取行动不仅能让你迈向终点，同时也是所有学习方法的秘诀。
费城科学史研究所
我的朋友，《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》一书敦促你发现自己的目标，并积极地在每一天中追求它。如果你不能认清自己的梦想，那可能是因为对失败的恐惧蒙蔽了你的双眼。倾听你的内心，按它的召唤去做，不顾一切的坚持。这样，你就会活出独特的个人传奇。这可能是成就自身之greatness（伟大）的唯一途径。
本文部分图片来源网络。
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The Alchemist:
how to achieve your personal legend
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「 Hello, my friend！
I'm John Smagula. 」
I recently visited the Science History Institute in Philadelphia, which highlights the important role chemistry has played in advancing everyday life. The museum also has an exhibit on alchemy, which from about 1300 to 1700 was known for its quest to transmute lead into gold and produce an elixir to prolong life.
Age of Alchemy Exhibit
Through this Age of Alchemy exhibit, I learned how alchemy intrigued, inspired, and mystified early modern society. Alchemists studied nature and matter to uncover their secrets, through which they released a creativity and curiosity that shaped our modern understanding of science. Alchemy served as a laboratory exercise as well as a powerful metaphor for change.
Age of Alchemy Exhibit
In the end, alchemists never succeeded in turning lead into gold or discovering a universal panacea, but they did establish a body of practical knowledge about the material world and create other remedies to heal, soothe, and purify.
This exhibit also reminded me of the international bestselling novel The Alchemist. Published by Brazilian author Paolo Coelho in 1988, The Alchemist is an allegorical novel that tells a story about the importance of following your dreams and personal legend. I read the novel some time ago, and this exhibit inspired me to read it again and share the story with you.
Personal legends
The book tells of a young shepherd boy named Santiago from Andalusia, Spain. While sleeping in an abandoned church, he has a dream that he will find a hidden treasure at the Egyptian pyramids. After some internal debate, he sells his flock of sheep and travels by boat to Northern Africa. He then crosses the Sahara Desert by camel in a caravan.
As he wavers about leaving Spain, Santiago comes across a wise man, who defines one’s personal legend as “what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is.” He was saying that our personal legend is obvious to us in our youth, but sadly over time, we become convinced we’ll never achieve it.
Santiago
When Santiago arrives at the pyramids, he digs but finds nothing. Thieves accost him, and Santiago tells them his dream. They beat and rob him, and one mocks him, saying he has his own dream about finding treasure in an abandoned church. Santiago instantly understands, returns to Spain, and finds the treasure full of gold right beneath where he first had the dream.
According to The Alchemist, the pursuit of your personal legend is the only means by which you can live a satisfying life. Alchemy entails coaxing metal to achieve its own personal legend to turn into gold. Likewise, the single pursuit of our own individual dreams, cleansing ourselves of sullying distractions, can also bring us to a perfecting fulfillment.
Santiago had to triumph over his fear of leaving his life as a shepherd boy to pursue his dream of traveling the world. He said to himself, “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
No matter how old you are or what your stage in life is, you can still unearth your personal legend. Here’s how to “perfect” yourself, how to convert your leaden self into one of gold:
The Alchemist is about the power and importance of following your dreams. Before you can follow your dream, though, you actually have to have one. Alchemists dreamed of turning lead into gold and of finding miraculous cures, and these aims drove their search. Likewise, Santiago’s dream of treasure propelled him to cast aside distractions and run full speed ahead.
Perhaps there has been a still, soft voice speaking within you since childhood that tells you what you want from life. It may inspire you to want something that you do not currently have. Visualize it. You can ask yourself, “What really bugs me about the world?” Your personal legend may be to take action to fix it. Be honest with yourself, as it may be your dream speaking.
Alchemic Roots of Chemistry
Pursuing your heart’s desire with some urgency is one of the key lessons of the book. Many of us spend our lives waiting for the right time to act. Santiago reminds us that there is no better time than the present. Have a dream, but also pursue it…now.
According to The Alchemist, you will not fulfill your personal legend if you do not consciously pursue your dreams. There is a seat of passion lying within you, prompting you to do certain things and live life a certain way. If you squelch those desires, you may go about life absentmindedly, floundering from place to place. But if you follow your heart and answer its call, you will live the best life possible.
The wise man assures Santiago that despite the challenges and obstacles he will find along this adventure, there is no failure in pursuing your dreams, saying, "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." Do not feel alone in your journey, and know that higher forces are propelling you to triumph.
We all fear failure, and you may experience this fear quite often. I see it in my students all the time—with each time they say to me, “I can’t.” When you allow the fear of failure to take root in your spirit, it keeps you from achieving or pursuing your personal legend. The Alchemist reminds us not to let fear of failure keep you from pursuing your dreams and aims.
When Santiago reaches an oasis in the Sahara Desert, he meets the real Alchemist, a legendary healer with rare mystical powers. He takes Santiago as his protégé, offering these words of wisdom and encouragement: “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
Early Italian Pharmacies
To achieve greatness, the Alchemist says we need to cast aside our fear of failure. To overcome this fear, constantly remind yourself of where you are, where you want to go, and why it is important that you get there. See the result as well as the process. As you consistently work to better yourself, the universe will conspire to help you actualize and achieve your dreams.
When Santiago confesses that he fears suffering, the Alchemist replies, ”Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.” Speak these words to your own heart.
Electroplated Tea Service
There is a price to everything worth having. Only those who are willing to pay that price, risk it all, and act despite their fear of failure will achieve their dreams and aims. Alchemists failed in their experiments more than they succeeded, and Santiago stumbled and fell along his journey. When they didn’t get what they wanted, they gained experience, fortifying them to progress.
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Those that don't fail also don’t achieve. The only true failure is failing to go after your dream at all.
”When I attended the Tony Robbins four-day Unleash the Power Within seminar, he emphasized that knowledge is not power, it is potential power. Acting on our knowledge releases the power. If you’re not taking action, you won’t fulfill your personal legend, no matter how much you learn or know. Alchemists experimented, and Santiago plodded ahead. What can you do?
During his journey, Santiago has many chances to give up. He is robbed and beaten, distracted by love interests, and often just hopeless or despondent. But each time he snaps back, maintaining his perseverance by focusing on the obstacle in front of him and working out the best way through it. The faith that he will achieve his goal also motivated him.
As they trekked through the desert, the Alchemist advised Santiago, ”There is only one way to learn. It’s through action.” Taking action not only moves you toward the finish line, it also is secret to all learning.
My friend, The Alchemist urges you to discover your purpose and actively pursue it every day. If you can’t identify your dream, it may be that the fear of failure is blinding you. Listen to your heart and act on its calling, persevering against all odds. This way, you’ll live out your unique personal legend. It may very well be the only way to achieve personal greatness.
{ 今日英文速记卡 }
1.Accost \ ə-ˈkȯst \
a)含义：v. 引诱；引出
b)例句：
i.Thieves accost him, and Santiago tells them his dream.
小偷引诱他说出真相，圣地亚哥告诉了他们自己的梦。
ii.She was accosted in the street by a complete stranger.
在街上，一个完全陌生的人贸然走到她跟前搭讪。
c)近义词：affront, approach, corner
2.Miraculous
\ mə-ˈra-kyə-ləs \
a)含义：adj. 不可思议的；奇迹的
b)例句：
i.Alchemists dreamed of turning lead into gold and of finding miraculous cures, and these aims drove their search.
炼金术士梦想着把铅变成金子，并找到神奇的治疗方法，这些目标推动了他们的探索。
ii.If you could feel the miraculous structure of your own being now, how you would wonder!
如果你现在能感觉你自己存在神奇的结构，你会多么惊奇啊！
c)近义词：magical, phenomenal, preternatural
3.Bug \ ˈbəg \
a)含义：n. 热衷；着迷
b)例句：
i.You can ask yourself, “What really bugs me about the world?”
你可以问自己：“这个世界真正让我疯狂的是什么?”
ii.She only did it to bug her parents.
她这么做只是为了让她父母心烦。
c)近义词：aggravate, annoy, bother
4.Trek \ ˈtrek \
a)含义：v. 艰苦跋涉
b)例句：
i.As they trekked through the desert, the Alchemist advised Santiago, “There is only one way to learn. It’s through action.”
当他们长途跋涉，穿过了沙漠，炼金术士对圣地亚哥建议说：“这世上只有一种学习的方法。那就是付诸行动。”
ii.During the expedition, they trekked ten to thirteen hours a day.
在探险期间，他们每天都要走十到十三个小时。
c)近义词：journey, tour, travel
5.Greatness \ ˈgrāt-nəs \
a)含义：n. 伟大
b)例句：
iii.It may very well be the only way to achieve personal greatness.
这可能是成就自身之伟大的唯一途径。
iv.We respect the power of knowledge and scientific greatness.
我们崇尚知识的力量与科学的伟大。
c)近义词：distinction, excellence, supremacy
Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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