E-ging Solutions is a world-leading Shanghai translation company with specialties in interpretation.
I am sure we all agree that one of
the basic requirements for a professional to deliver a successful
interpretation, be it in the booth or in a court or other environment, is first
to have a disciplined mind to render the task at hand free of distractions.
And,in order to have a disciplined mind,your physical body must be
healthy,relaxed, and rested.
During my over 30 years
in the business, I have tried a lot of methods to achieve this goal in the most
expedient and effortless manner. These methods have included watching my diet,
personal training, and practicing concentration techniques, but I found all of
them lacking in some aspect. Either they conferred better health without the
necessary relaxation and mental concentration, or they met some other
incomplete set of criteria. Then I discovered yoga.
Ultimately, the proof
is in the pudding, and I have been able to verify through my personal practice
that the combination of the three basic physical and mental disciplines of
yoga—postures, breathing exercises, and meditation—achieve a focused mind
exceptionally well.
Postures: Yoga postures
differ from traditional Western exercises that focus on developing large
muscles and disciplining the body. These postures are designed to affect both
the mind and body positively. Yoga postures are unique in that they also tone
up the body’s chief endocrine glands,such as the adrenal or suprarenal
capsules, the pineal and pituitary glands,the thyroid, carotid, and the
gonads,all of which produce hormones that regulate your body’s growth,
metabolism, and sexual development, as well as function. 1 We need a well-tuned
body to carry out the oftentimes stress-inducing work of interpreting,which in
time will affect us adversely if left unchecked. It should be noted that the
gonads are responsible not only for an individual’s sexuality, but also for his
or her remaining in an optimum state of health. They maintain youthful vigor,
prevent the onset of senility, and exercise a deep psychological and
physiological influence on the organism.
Breathing: By learning
to control our breathing, we can control our life energy, which we draw in
through the breath. The aim is to increase oxygenation of the blood. All
metabolic processes in the body are regulated by oxygen and work to rid our
bodies of waste and toxins. Our brains process billions of bits of information
each second, so even our ability to think, feel, and act requires oxygenrelated
energy production. Scientists now agree that oxygen plays a powerful and
primary role in our overall health and well-being. A growing number of
researchers have demonstrated that the best way to improve health may be
related to the optimum oxygenation of every cell. When energy is distributed
evenly through proper oxygenation, we achieve psycho-physical coordination,
which helps us rid ourselves of emotional complexes and the unbalances that
give rise to fear, anger,envy, or a sense of inferiority. Breathing is an
indispensable resource for an interpreter who may succumb to any of the above
during an assignment because of external circumstances or because of his or her
own sense of inferiority during a very demanding job. Proper breathing
counteracts anxiety swiftly and allows us to perform optimally.
Meditation: Finally,
and most important, there is meditation. The fatigue of the senses demands
rest, which is why we sleep at night. However, the mind is working subtly even
during sleep, so we do not achieve full rest.Real rest is only secured through
meditation. The entire mind and nervous system become reenergized.New
neural grooves, cells, and channels are formed,6 which allow you to experience
serenity, a sense of focus,one-pointedness of mind, patience, and contentment
at all times, even under stress. The neural pathways created during meditation
will help you control the wanderings of the typical mind, which often jumps
unrestrained from one thought to the next without respite. Meditation is an
invaluable asset in our field, where we have to render the thoughts and words
of others continuously, playing down the normal interference created by our
minds as a reaction to said input. It creates a space where our mind is stilled
and we can be creative in how we manage the output of what we are hearing.
