6. Qasab
6. 交替呼吸法

It is often difficult to keep the mind in condition during some breathing exercise. In the purification breaths, it is not enough to keep the mind on the syllables Ya Shaffee — Ya Kaffee. At first, the thought will bring strength and purity, but the advancing Talib should ever bear in mind that this practice and all practices are means of uniting the soul to God. God is the healer, and the practice is His medicine which is used to heal and purify His vehicle so he may occupy and use it.

在進行某些呼吸練習時，往往很難使頭腦維持在適當的狀態。在淨化呼吸中，只把頭腦放在 Ya Shaffee——Ya Kaffee 這些音節上並不足夠。起初，這個思想會帶來力量與純淨，但不斷進展的求道者應當始終記得，這項修持以及所有修持，都是使靈魂與神合一的途徑。神是療癒者，而這項修持就是祂的藥，用來療癒並淨化祂的載體，使祂可以居於其中並使用它。

In the same way, the practice of Qasab can become more potent when faculties are unified. Concentration on the practice helps, but if difficulty occurs, it is not wrong to do some self-examining. All conditions are reflected in the breath, and if any obstacles persist, one should consult the spiritual teacher. At the same time, proper meditation also helps, for any thought whatever has a harmful effect on a breathing practice.

同樣地，當各種能力整合為一時，交替呼吸法（Qasab）的修持也會變得更有力量。專注於修持本身會有所幫助，但如果出現困難，進行一些自我檢視也沒有錯。一切狀態都會反映在呼吸之中；如果任何障礙持續存在，就應當請教靈性老師。同時，適切的冥想也有所幫助，因為任何思想都會對呼吸修持產生不良影響。

Activity of the mind greatly alters the rhythms. Therefore, Qasab is more related to concentration than to meditation, only it should be natural. So before all practices, a meditation is of benefit, during which time, by the suppression of thought, the breath takes on a natural rhythm, invigorating the body and healing the mind, which makes the practice of Qasab easier.

頭腦的活動會大幅改變節奏。因此，交替呼吸法與專注的關係比與冥想更密切，只是它應當是自然的。所以，在一切修持之前先進行冥想是有益的；在這段時間裡，藉由止息思想，呼吸會呈現自然的節奏，使身體恢復活力並療癒頭腦，也使交替呼吸法的修持變得更容易。

The goal of all meditation is balance, and in balance the goal itself is to be found. In the progress toward that goal, rhythm may appear to be more important than balance, yet nothing should be done to force the breath in its depth, in its power, in its otherwise natural movements. Disease and crime are often the result of irregularities of the breath, so of all things, this order and balance should be preserved, and it is best preserved through meditation.

一切冥想的目標都是平衡，而在平衡之中就能找到目標本身。在朝向這個目標前進的過程中，節奏看起來也許比平衡更重要；然而，無論是呼吸的深度、力量，或其他原本自然的運動，都不應受到強迫。疾病與犯罪往往是呼吸失去規律的結果，因此，在所有事情之中，這種秩序與平衡都應當受到保持，而最能保持它們的方式就是冥想。

Therefore, it is not necessary to consciously strive to alter the breath rhythms, but the steady repetition of those spiritual exercises which have been given to one by the teacher helps more than anything else on the path toward God.

因此，沒有必要刻意努力去改變呼吸的節奏；相反地，穩定反覆進行老師所給予的那些靈性練習，比任何其他事情都更能幫助我們走在通往神的道路上。

---