"当你走进树林看的时候,你会看到很多不同的树,有些树是弯曲的,有些树是直的,有些是常青树,有些是其他类型的树。你看着这些树,接受它们的样子。你明白为什么它会这样长,因为它没有得到足够的光照,所以才会这样长。你并不会因此而情绪化,你只是接受它。你欣赏这棵树。但是一旦你接近人类,你就会失去这一点。你总是不断地说‘你太这个了,或者我太那个了。’这种评判心态就出现了。所以我练习将人们变成树。这意味着欣赏他们原本的样子。"
— Ram Dass
Simplified Meaning:
Imagine you are walking in a forest and you see lots of different trees. Some are tall and straight, some are bent, some have green leaves all year, and some lose their leaves. You understand that each tree has grown in its own way because of where it is and how much sunlight it gets. You don’t think any less of a tree because it grew differently; you just accept it as it is. Now, think about how you judge people. When you see other people or even think about yourself, you might often think, "He's too quiet," or "I'm not smart enough." This habit of criticizing can make it hard to appreciate everyone for who they are. Instead, if we could look at people like we look at trees in the forest, understanding that everyone has grown in their own unique way because of their experiences, we might be kinder to others and to ourselves. For example, if someone is shy, instead of thinking that's bad, recognize they might have grown this way because of their life experiences. Practicing this approach can help you appreciate people’s unique qualities and accept them without judgment.