Physician Legion, March 4, 2016

The 27^th session of eighth round of the physicians’ legion was held in Taleghani Park on March 4, 2014 at 8 a.m. This meeting was held by Mr. Dezhakam as the master of ceremony, Ms.Qazala, as the guest speaker and, Ms. Azam as the secretary and the agenda was: Legion in and out of congress60.

Dr. Qazala:

I am Qazala Ibrahimi, a general practitioner. I graduated in 2006 and have been working in addiction field for 5 years. The agenda of this week is related to establishing legions in congress 60. Different problems that had happened during the time caused the addition of various components to congress 60 construction. These problems can make a person both progress and fall. This depends on our views towards the problems. We can let them defeat us or learn how to find a solution. In the first year after establishing congress 60, people in groups of three or two gathered together after the workshops. Since there may be a person with destructive and negative thoughts in every community, s/he must have corrupted others and take some actions against the rules of congress 60. These actions had no benefits except destruction.

Thus congress 60 decided to find a procedure to solve the problem. The first was to make them leave congress 60 but such people might have come back to congress 60. Afterwards the thought of establishing legions came to Mr. Dezhakam’s mind. Legion is a Latin word and refers to the large group of soldiers that form a part of an army. They gathered together in order to be more strengthened. It was thought in congress 60 that if people form groups their power will enhance and those destructive people would gradually leave the congress.

Although the issue was solved, other problems including replacing the legions were posed. At first congress 60’s rules suggested if somebody selected a legion she/he couldn’t replace it any more. Gradually it was experienced that the rules couldn’t be fulfilled, therefore a new rule was ratified saying replacing the legion for just one time is possible for everyone and it is not necessary for him/her to seek  his/her co-guide’s advice. The only thing that should be done is referring to the Marzban (the guards in congress60) and talk about replacing his/her legion.

Dr. Ardeshir:

Considering legions in congress 60, there are two academic and military features for them. It seems as a paradox. It is first necessary for a person to learn the appropriate culture and behavior of a human being. Otherwise s/he will be forced to learn some behavior and acts. If s/he doesn’t get the required trainings, s/he will be forced to learn. In congress 60 this training is done academically and militarily. Congress 60 has achieved its goal since it provides the traveler with these two features beside each other.

Dr. Reza:

There is a discussion in management science called positive entropy. It says that all objects and societies tend to reach to the most possible disorders unless a power prevents them. In fact it is the same subject in some societies and is based on the tendency toward anarchy. Establishing legions in congress 60 is one of wise actions taken and is used to prevent the system from disorders and also to make its members to be consistent. I have been working in clinics for years and I always wanted to have group therapy in my clinic. Today a legion is hold in our clinic and people receive it with more approval. There is little deviation because of the presence of the guide and we are so much satisfied from the legion performance in the clinic.

Dr. Atousa:

Whenever there has been a dilemma, a right solution has immediately been presented. The first meetings of congress 60 held in Enqilab Square and some people gathered together even in order to abuse drugs after the meetings. Mr. Dezhakam formed the legions to prevent them from such deviations. When a person is placed in a group and all of the group members follow one certain aim, s/he is more motivated to achieve the goal.

Dr. Alireza:

Considering the definition of the word “legion”, it refers to a special group with different attitudes while they follow a common goal and support each other. There is a person who is in charge of establishing discipline in the group. We witness in our clinics a kind of acceptable politeness among the members of the group. Thus we can use the same procedure in our group therapies because it has good outcomes. I hope that we can pay attention to addiction treatment using the same mechanism and view.

Dr. Azam:

The subject I have reached to practically and enjoyed so much is the energy transfer through the legions. This energy helps individuals to get motivated. When I attended Robat Karim Branch,  I saw that the legions were hold after the workshop and kept working without getting others into trouble. The members were sitting in the legions while listening to their guide wholeheartedly and maintaining discipline and order. I have never seen such a scene in which people gather together in an atmosphere of good order and follow the recovery goal shoulder to shoulder with each other. Besides the order governing in the community, the most important factor is a mutually respectful relationship among the members. From others’ points of view some legions may have better locations than others but it is not true. Because there is a rule saying the locations change monthly.

Dr. Fereydoun:

There is a feeling of strong interest among the group members. In congress 60 there are some piece of writings and prayers that have strong influence on the members mind and psyche. Another point is the healthy competition among the legions. The poor performance of a guide can cause the legion to be stopped. Being alone through the tough path makes the person leave and exit after making any small mistake.

Dr. Masoud:

All members in a legion follow a common goal, either positive or negative. In congress 60 the common goal is so important and sacred. In addition, the other important matter is the process of participating in discussions. In congress 60 every one should be engaged in the discussions. That is not the case that a member would sit somewhere in the legion, listen to others and just criticize them. The last point is that no one should argue with others in the legion. They should just express their own opinions. The issue can be the best way to practice democracy and also to increase our tolerance.

Dr. Jahanfar:

Man can solve most of his problems cooperatively. He is developed by being in group and is influenced by others because there is a power in group that absorbs him. Group formation is recommended by different psychology and psychiatry schools. It is also one of the best innovations in congress 60. These groups are promoted by new trainings and rules every year and everyone coming to Taleghani Park can witness all their performances.

Dr. Parham:

Let's consider the subject from a different viewpoint. Legions have continuously been progressing in congress 60 and today they have got a favorable outcome. I think making a copy of what is done in congress 60 is better than doing trial and error in our clinics.

Mr. Dezhakam:

We have always selected the terms with no backgrounds in mind. For example when I say “America”, a picture comes to your mind. It means that you associate the word with a special feature. For instance, instead of having "boss or supervisor", we have the word "Negahban" who is in charge of the session and controls congress 60's educational meetings. The reason why we have selected new words is that previous words may remind the individuals of connotations which are completely different from what we want to refer to.

Legion was copied based on this belief. When it is said leech therapy, it means that the leech do the job. Or in water therapy treatment is done by water. However, saying group therapy we don’t mean that the group treats addicts. The group can even be destructive, like gangs and drug dealers. In this way they may learn negative points from each other. I believe it is better to replace “group therapy” with “treatment in group”; that is a treatment done by group-work and needs profession, knowledge and experience.

When we formed legions, the number of the guides increased 10 times and our work noticeably decreased. As each legion has a guide, consequently we didn’t involve the sick person and his or her problems. We just deal with the guide. For example, when a legion is responsible for cleaning the hall and they don’t do it well, the guide is reprimanded. Or if two legions clash with each other in Taleqani Park, they are prevented from coming to the park for some time. Some mechanisms are needed to manage legions. As Dr. Nader said you need to involve the sick in a game. You see how better it will be when they get involved with an educational game (in which not only do they enjoy but also they learn something). The more it is instructive, the better it is.

If you explain a philosophical topic to an individual by complex words and terms, s/he absolutely gets bored and shows no interest in learning the subject. But it will be different if it is in the form of a game. Coming to the park, taking some responsibilities regarding parking the cars and etc. is a kind of game for members. If one is taken a responsibility, s/he will do it in any condition whether s/he is a high-rank general or a doctor, or even an ordinary person. Everyone does the voluntary service with no pride but with love and interest.  There is a criterion in congress 60 saying the more one does a service, the more others like him/her.

Establishing legions led to the prevention of negative forces' entrance (to the congress 60).  In the army there is a wake-up time at 5 a.m., their military exercises are always done, their force is regularly checked and so on. It is the same in our system and legion work is checked all the time. Sometimes the members get so interested in the place of their legions; however, it is not the case that there would be a certain place for each legion. The legions' location will change monthly so that justice will be well done. The guides of each legion change every four years, it means each guide have to hand over the legion to a fresher and more energetic guide.

The number of each legion incomes and outcomes is regularly checked. With the passing of time the number of legions has increased and today we hold legions like: physicians’, William white’s, Jones’ for losing weight and financial legions belonging to those who cannot be guides and Marzban but because of their good financial position they are the members of the financial legion. These members must pay 5 million Tomans (about 1400$) every year and try to find and attract financial resources for congress 60. There is one more legion that is related to research work on some diseases like MS and Colitis and so far we have achieved some good results. There was a person with colitis in Dubai who has been suffering from the disease for 30 years and now her pathology and colonoscopy results are described as satisfactory.  We are going to present this achievement as a research article to the world.

After the session, accompanied by the physicians, Mr. Dezhakam planted a tree and then the physicians did the same to celebrate Arbor Week (in Iran, we celebrate Arbor week in the third week of the last month of solar year: the 6^th of March.)

Translated by Marjan Moradi