Why You May Be Experiencing a Mental Midwinter?

为什么你可能会经历精神上的仲冬时节？

刘立军 供稿

TRANSCRIPT 

Every year, nature quietly takes us through a moral lesson that has much to teach us about how we might relate to certain of the more dispiriting and despair-inducing moments in our own development. Beginning in mid-October in the northern hemisphere, the temperature drops, the nights draw in, the earth turns cold and hard, fog lies low over the land and rain drives hard across the austere, comatose grey-brown landscape. There is nothing immediate we can hope for; now we have nothing to do but wait, with resigned patience, until something better shows up.

Far more than we can generally accept, our minds too have cycles. We cannot be permanently fruitful or creative, excited or open. There are necessary times of retrenchment when, whatever we might desire, there seems no alternative but to stop. We can no longer be productive; we lose direction and inspiration. We are immovably numb and sterile. 

It can be easy to panic: why should such a paralyzed and detached mood have descended on our formerly lively minds? Where have all our ideas and hopes gone? What has happened to our previous animation and gladness?

We should, at such times, take reassurance from the late November landscape. Certainly, things are lifeless, cold and in suspension. But this is not the end of the story; the earth is like this: not as a destination but as a phase. The deadness is a prelude to new life; the fallow period is a guarantor of fecund days to come. All living organisms need to recharge themselves; old leaves have to give way; tired limbs must rest. The dance and ferment could not go on. It may look as if nothing at all is happening, as though this is a trance without purpose. Yet, deep underground, at this very moment, nutrients are being gathered, the groundwork for future ebullience and dynamism is being laid down, another summer is very slowly collecting its strength.

As nature seeks to tell us, we cannot permanently be in flower. We need moments of repose and confusion. There is nothing to fear. Things will re-emerge. We should make our peace with our own midwinters ― and lean on nature’s wise accommodation to strengthen us in our pursuit of serenity and patience.

VOCABULARY

1. dispiriting adj. making sb. lose their hope or enthusiasm 令人沮丧的；使人气馁的。例如：a dispiriting experience/failure令人沮丧的经历/失败

2. austere adj. simple and plain; without any decorations 朴素的；简陋的；无华饰的。例如：her austere bedroom with its simple narrow bed 她那仅有一张窄床的简陋卧室

3. comatose adj. (humorous, used figuratively in the text) extremely tired and lacking in energy; sleeping deeply（有幽默意味，在文中为修辞用法）困乏的；无精打采的；酣睡的

4. resigned adj. being willing to calmly accept sth. unpleasant or difficult that you cannot change 安然接受的；顺从的。例如：He was resigned to never seeing his birthplace again. 他认命了，甘愿永不再去他的出生地。

5. retrenchment n. 节省；（开支）

6. sterile adj. lacking individual personality, imagination or new ideas 紧缩刻板的；无个性的；缺乏新意的。例如：He felt creatively and emotionally sterile. 他感觉自己既缺乏创造力又没有充沛的感情。

7. suspension n. the act of delaying sth. for a period of time, until a decision has been taken 暂缓；推迟；延期。例如：These events have led to the suspension of talks. 这些事件导致谈判延期。

8. prelude n. an action or event that happens before another more important one and forms an introduction to it 序幕；前奏；先声

9. fallow adj. (of a period of time一段时期) when nothing is created or produced; not successful 空闲的；休眠的；不成功的。例如：Contemporary dance is coming onto the arts scene again after a long fallow period. 当代舞蹈经过一段长时期的销声匿迹之后现在又回到了艺术舞台。

10. guarantor n. a person who agrees to be responsible for sb. or for making sure that sth. happens or is done 担保人；保证人。例如：The United Nations will act as guarantor of the peace settlement. 联合国将充当和平解决方案的保证人。

11. fecund adj. producing a lot of good or useful things 多产的；丰饶的

12. ferment n. (formal) a state of political or social excitement and confusion（政治或社会上的）动乱，骚动，纷扰。例如：The country is in ferment. 这个国家动荡不安。

13. trance n. a state in which sb. seems to be asleep but is aware of what is said to them, for example if they are hypnotized 昏睡状态；催眠状态。例如：to go/fall into a trance进入/陷入昏睡状态

14. ebullience n.（感情等的）奔放，兴高采烈；沸腾

15. repose n. (literary) a state of rest, sleep or feeling calm 休息；睡眠；平静；镇静

16. serenity n. calmness and peace 平静；宁静；安详。例如：The hotel offers a haven of peace and serenity away from the bustle of the city. 那家旅馆远离闹市，是一个幽静安谧的好去处。

QUESTIONS 

Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.

Every year, nature quietly takes us through a moral lesson that has much to teach us about how we might relate to certain of the more dispiriting and despair-inducing moments in our own development. Beginning in mid-October in the northern hemisphere, the temperature drops, the nights draw in, the earth turns (Q1) ______________________, fog lies low over the land and rain drives hard across the austere, comatose grey-brown landscape. There is nothing immediate we can hope for; now we (Q2) ________________________, with resigned patience, until something better shows up.

Far more than we can generally accept, our minds too have cycles. We cannot be permanently fruitful or creative, excited or open. There are necessary times of retrenchment when, whatever we might desire, there seems no alternative but to stop. We can no longer be productive; we lose (Q3) __________________________________. We are immovably numb and sterile. //It can be (Q4) ___________________: why should such a paralyzed and detached mood have descended on our formerly lively minds? Where have all our ideas and hopes gone? What has happened to our previous animation and gladness?

We should, at such times, (Q5) ________________________________________. Certainly, things are lifeless, cold and in suspension. But this is not the end of the story; the earth is like this: not as a destination but as a phase. The deadness is a prelude to new life; the fallow period is a guarantor of fecund days to come. All living organisms need to (Q6) ______________ themselves; old leaves have to give way; tired limbs must rest. The dance and ferment could not go on. It may look as if nothing at all is happening, as though this is a trance without purpose. Yet, deep underground, at this very moment, nutrients are being gathered, the groundwork for future (Q7) ____________________ is being laid down, another summer is very slowly collecting its strength.

As nature seeks to tell us, (Q8) ____________________________. We need moments of repose and confusion. (Q9) ____________________. Things will re-emerge. We should make our peace with our own midwinters ― and lean on nature’s wise accommodation to strengthen us in our pursuit of (Q10) _________________________.

KEY 

Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.

Every year, nature quietly takes us through a moral lesson that has much to teach us about how we might relate to certain of the more dispiriting and despair-inducing moments in our own development. Beginning in mid-October in the northern hemisphere, the temperature drops, the nights draw in, the earth turns (Q1) cold and hard, fog lies low over the land and rain drives hard across the austere, comatose grey-brown landscape. There is nothing immediate we can hope for; now we (Q2) have nothing to do but wait, with resigned patience, until something better shows up.//Far more than we can generally accept, our minds too have cycles. We cannot be permanently fruitful or creative, excited or open. There are necessary times of retrenchment when, whatever we might desire, there seems no alternative but to stop. We can no longer be productive; we lose (Q3) direction and inspiration. We are immovably numb and sterile. 

It can be (Q4) easy to panic: why should such a paralyzed and detached mood have descended on our formerly lively minds? Where have all our ideas and hopes gone? What has happened to our previous animation and gladness?

We should, at such times, (Q5) take reassurance from the late November landscape. Certainly, things are lifeless, cold and in suspension. But this is not the end of the story; the earth is like this: not as a destination but as a phase. The deadness is a prelude to new life; the fallow period is a guarantor of fecund days to come. All living organisms need to (Q6) recharge themselves; old leaves have to give way; tired limbs must rest. The dance and ferment could not go on. It may look as if nothing at all is happening, as though this is a trance without purpose. Yet, deep underground, at this very moment, nutrients are being gathered, the groundwork for future (Q7) ebullience and dynamism is being laid down, another summer is very slowly collecting its strength.

As nature seeks to tell us, (Q8) we cannot permanently be in flower. We need moments of repose and confusion. (Q9) There is nothing to fear. Things will re-emerge. We should make our peace with our own midwinters ― and lean on nature’s wise accommodation to strengthen us in our pursuit of (Q10) serenity and patience.

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