Transcription of the Ninth Valley CD

Transcription of the Ninth Valley CD, Part 1

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
With strength drawn from the absolute power of Allah, we begin the session.
Hello, friends. I am Hossein, a traveler and the guardian of the meeting.
(Hello, Hossein)
I kindly ask that we observe fourteen seconds of silence and seek refuge in the Almighty God for our liberation from our most powerful enemy which is our own ignorance and unawareness.
Thank you, friends.
I kindly ask the esteemed secretary, Ms. Neda, to present the summary of the previous session’s proceedings and announce today’s agenda.
Hello, friends. I am Neda, a traveler. (Hello, Neda)
In the name of the absolute power of Allah, today marks the eleventh session of the twentieth course, dated December, 12th, 2012, with the agenda of the Ninth Valley, under the mentorship and guardianship of Mr. Dezhakam and with myself, Neda, as the secretary. The session officially commenced at 9:00 a.m.
Thank you.
Hello, friends. I am Hossein, a traveler.
Hello, Hossein.
The subject of the Ninth Principle lesson from the year 2012 is titled “The Point of Tolerance.”
The title of the ninth valley reads: “When a force starts from a low level and gradually reaches a higher and higher degree, a point of tolerance is formed.”
We must increase our point of tolerance at all levels. At every stage, in response to every matter, and in reaction to every action, we need to develop the necessary endurance.
At the beginning of the Ninth Valley, there is a message that states: “This message is for those who have stepped into a new world.” This message is not for everyone; it is meant for those who have received new things—correct thoughts and perspectives—and have abandoned a set of wrong and useless ideas, stepping into a different stage of life. This "new world" does not mean entering an entirely new physical realm or making a discovery. Rather, by new world, we mean gaining a fresh viewpoint, a new way of thinking, and a renewed mindset.
It further states: “And for those who pay attention to their   "خویش خویشتن"which means true Self.” This phrase, “true self,” can be interpreted in different ways. One meaning is the Self of an individual, the conscious self. Another interpretation is the soul, which coexists in harmony with the Self. Additionally, "self" or خویش  [in Persian] can mean family, friends, and acquaintances. However, in this context, it primarily refers to the person who has entered a new perspective and is now focusing on their own self, their soul, and their existence.
It says: “It is necessary and essential for you to move from words to action.” We must move beyond mere speech and enter the realm of practical action. Just knowing things is not enough—it holds no real value. The next step must be to transition from thinking, reasoning, and speaking to actual implementation. If you claim to be a righteous person, you must demonstrate it through your actions. It’s not just about words. If you claim, "I have become a good person," yet do you still lie, gossip, or create disorder? You are not judged by your words, but by your actions.
We have both an outer aspect and a hidden aspect. Outwardly, one might appear truthful and righteous, but internally, they may be dishonest, chaotic, and deceitful or gossiper. Immediately after emphasizing the transition from speech to action, the text advises: "Pay attention to the earth and the sky."
Why should we observe the earth and the sky? By looking at the earth, we recognize the power of creation and God’s greatness. The Quran states:
"Do they not look at the camel—how it was created? And at the sky—how it was raised high?" [Surah Al-Ghashiyah, Verse 17].
The camel was specifically designed for the desert. Its broad feet prevent it from sinking into the sand, its long neck allows it to see far ahead, and its body can store water for several days without needing water. Similarly, other animals, such as horses, were created with unique attributes suited to their environment. Everything is well-designed and well-ordered.
Or the Holy Quran asks us to observe the sky, and see how it was elevated. What exists in the sky? The Holy Quran requires us to see the earth and the heavens, to understand how they are created and what mystery is behind their creation, and to recognize their fully designed and disciplined structure.
Then, “with deep contemplation, have firm faith in the mercy beyond [ultra-mercy].”
Deep contemplation means profound thinking, and mercy means to kindness. Ultra or Beyond signifies something higher—like "ultraviolet" means beyond violet, and "infra-" means below. When it says "have firm faith in the mercy beyond," it means to believe in God’s mercy, in the higher realm of compassion. If you observe the earth and the sky and witness the magnificence of creation, you will inevitably recognize and develop faith in that divine power.
"And know that your reward will extend a helping hand to you."
Once you develop strong faith and move from words to action, your reward will be something that itself assists you. What does this mean? It means that when I take steps on this path, my reward is you, the people who support and help me. The reward itself becomes a source of assistance.
"Then sow good seeds or valuable grains."
This phrase has both a literal and a symbolic meaning. Literally, if a farmer plants good-quality seeds, they will produce valuable crops. These crops will not only provide ample food but will also grow into trees that offer shade and protection from the heat—like apples, oranges, and walnuts, which provide both nourishment and shelter.
Therefore, “Sow good seeds”.  The phrase “Good seeds or valuable grains” means that you have to be truthful, kind, merciful, and helpful to others, and spread peace. All of these acts represent planting good seeds. When you engage in spiritual and meaningful actions, your sustenance and shelter will be provided. If someone follows the straight and spiritual path, God will ensure their sustenance and shelter [well-being]. Be certain of this! God’s promises are never false. There may be hardships at first, but in the end, everything will be set right.

One of the members shared an insightful thought:
"When you choose to walk the righteous path, initial difficulties may arise."
He gave the example of a thief who decides to quit stealing and go to the mosque to pray. What happens for him [on the first day of returning to the right path]? Someone steals his shoes.
This thief has turned away from wrongdoing and stepped toward worship, yet he immediately faces hardship. This illustrates that when a person moves toward goodness, they may first encounter struggles—a test and a trial.
You might ask, "What does this have to do with the Point of Tolerance?"
This is just an excuse to provide you with some information and awareness. With that knowledge and understanding, you can raise or lower your point of tolerance. We all need to acquire information, knowledge, beliefs, faith, and wisdom—otherwise, we can’t do anything. Once we know these things, we can act based on them and elevate our point of tolerance.
When humans were created and cast down from the heavens to the earth, they were beings with a higher level of intellect than any animal. Humans are naturally superior to animals. However, there’s an important point: both vices and virtues are embedded in humans as potentialities. The idea I'm presenting is in contrast to what many others believe. People often say that humans are born pure and clean—pure at birth, but I argue that humans are not like that. You may say humans start as a "blank slate," and that’s true, but here it is states that both good and bad traits exist in them as potentialities—they are not inherently pure. In every human, there is both the capacity for crying and for laughter; in every human, there is the potential for sorrow and happiness. Therefore, both vices and virtues exist in humans in latent form.
This does not mean that humans are potentially pure from the start. Rather, they have the potential for both good and bad. Let me give you a simple example: You, as a human, have the latent ability to express every curse and insult in the world. Similarly, you also have the capacity to speak beautiful, kind, poetic, and positive words. If people want to harm others, they have the potential for it, but they also have the potential for kindness. So, both vices and virtues exist in every human, it is not the case that humans are inherently pure, but they are potentially filthy, humans are placed above animals, but both vices and virtues are embedded in them as potentialities. They are not pure by default but have the potential for both purity and impurity.
Humanity was given full freedom to test themselves, and as a result, they faced a crossroads: one path leads to vice, and the other leads to virtue. Some say, "Humans are fallible", meaning they are allowed to make mistakes. Others say, "Humans are prone to error", meaning they can make mistakes. I believe humans are "free to make mistakes." Humans have the full freedom to make mistakes, but the consequences of those mistakes are their responsibility. They have the freedom to commit theft, but if they are caught, the consequences are different. The important point is that they are created with the freedom of choice, and they must answer for their actions, because they are naturally created this way.
Some people might try to hide or deny this truth, claiming humans are inherently pure. However, God says something different [Surah al-Balad, verse 10]:
"And We guided him to the two paths."
"And inspired him to be corrupt or to be virtuous."
So, the path of vice and virtue is inspired within each individual.
To be continued

God Himself created Satan, and says: some humans are the evil tree and some others are the pure tree. These dualities exist; we cannot say that humans are entirely pure and sterilized. Therefore, complete freedom of choice was granted, and God said: You have complete freedom to choose any path you want, no one can stop you. If you decide to throw yourself off a height, no one will come to stop you. While someone may intervene to prevent you, they cannot always stop you. Whenever you want, you can do it. This freedom is within human nature. How much a person uses or refrains from using this freedom is a different matter.
Humans were granted full freedom to test themselves. As a result, they found themselves at a crossroads: one path leads to vice, and the other to virtue. “And He inspired it (the soul) with both its corruption and its piety” [فَالهَمَها فُجورَها " وَتَقواها"  Surah Al-Shams, verse 8]. One path is good, and the other is evil.
To guide humans in this process, the Absolute Power [God] provided two guides or two messengers for humans. One is the internal guide, which we can call conscience or Aql, and the other is the external guide, who are the prophets sent by the Absolute Power. One after another, God sent these external messengers to humans, to show humans the characteristics of each path and where they ultimately lead. They explained which path leads to freedom, salvation, and deliverance. These commandments and instructions of the Absolute Power were delivered by the prophets.
There was one inner prophet and one outer prophet who gave instructions. Now, it is said that the last prophet, whom we believe is the Prophet Mohammad, said all of these things. Moses and Jesus also said some of these things. Well, it’s clear! The source is the same, and the prophets come one after another, completing the message. They don’t bring something entirely new. For example, Prophet Moses (PBUH) came and said certain things, then Prophet Jesus (PBUH) came, he accepted Moses’ message, and completed it. Then, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) came and completed the messages of the previous two. The same applies to earlier prophets.
So, if we see that things are similar or some things are shared [in different religions], it’s not something strange. What do the prophets say? The commandments (the orders) of the Absolute Power are announced. What are these commandments? The prophets came for peace, friendship, and the comfort of human beings—not for war and conflict.
Now, if we imagine a person or a group shooting a thirteen-year-old girl with a bullet, it has nothing to do with the Prophets’ teachings. The first thing the prophets said is “don’t lie”, because lying is the mother of all corruption. Lying is the root of all evil. Moses, Jesus, Zoroaster, Noah, and Abraham all said don’t lie, don’t steal, and don’t accept bribes. Well, you might be very religious, but still accept bribes; that's not anyone’s [the Prophets’] fault.
Someone was saying: one of the neighborhood children who had a prominent role in a religious gathering, when noon came, would leave his shop, roll up his sleeves to indicate that he wanted to perform ablution, wear slippers, and walk two kilometers to a repair shop that had a faucet [of water] to perform ablution, then walk two kilometers back to his shop to pray. The point is that there was a faucet right at his shop. This behavior has nothing to do with Islam, the Friday prayer leader, or anyone else. This person was trying to use it as a trick to deceive others, making them think he was going to pray. He would then trick people, gaining their trust and stealing millions from them. This is not about any Prophets—it’s a deception. He had the plan in his mind [to deceive people, pretending that I am a religious person], but this has nothing to do with anyone.
The commandment says: Don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t accept bribes, don’t gossip, don’t have bad assumptions about others, don’t pry into others’ private matters, don’t be a defrauder, don’t take or give usury, don’t commit assault, don’t be an accuser or mock others, don’t break promises, don’t corrupt. If someone asks a question or seeks an address or directions, give them directions, don’t oppress, don’t take others’ inheritance, be kind to orphans, help those in need, give to the poor, pay your zakat, and know that wealth is for the comfort of life, not for accumulating more wealth [the last statement is mentioned by Saadi Shirazi, a great Iranian Poet].
If any of you implement these teachings, then you are a Muslim; if you don't, then don’t call yourself a Muslim for no reason. Can someone really follow all these practices? Some may argue, “Show me where they said these things, or that these teachings were written down by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?” Well, if the Prophet said all these things, why did he marry four women? So what if he did? What does that have to do with you? You should focus on following the teachings. What difference does it make? These are the same things that all the prophets said, and there are also civil laws, but we should focus on how we apply them.
So, are we acting on them? If we are, then we are faithful to the religion. Don’t take others’ inheritance. In courts, all the cases are about inheritance disputes—everyone is trying to take what they can from others as soon as possible, the orphans’ money, or the inheritance belonging to their nephews or nieces.
When we offer Nazri food (charitable alms) or Nazri rice, do we offer them in the right way? Do we do these things or not? You put up banners, flags, and decorations on the street [to celebrate Ashura], which is all very nice, very good. But how many times have you deceived people in an automobile exhibition? How many lies have you told? How much have you overcharged? How many millions have you stolen? You told lies, sold fake products, and took millions of others’ money. Now, you want to show off with a few public displays and say you're more religious than others?
That doesn’t work. People like that tarnish the reputation of the divine prophets or the religion itself [with doing seemingly religious things whose money is coming from fraud]. When people see this, they think this is what religion is. If being a Muslim means this, then they would reject it altogether. They would say, “This person has lied to me, stolen from me, and deceived me in many ways, and now they're trying to act like a righteous person.” There’s a difference between true spirituality and pretending.
If someone rolls up their sleeves and walks two or three kilometers to show that they’re going to perform ablution and then return so that everyone sees them, that’s a different story—one of showmanship. So, if a person is truly wise, they understand that wealth is meant for the comfort of life, not for accumulating wealth. This is a teaching of Saadi. Some people think God gave life to accumulate wealth. But no, God gave wealth so that we can live life comfortably. Money is for the comfort of life, not to waste your life trying to collect more and more wealth. And when the time [of death] comes, who is going to benefit from the money you have accumulated?
Mr. Dezhakam continues reading from the ninth valley: “And in the end, erase Khamr from your life; in Arabic Khamr means anything that creates a veil, a covering, or a destructive influence on your character, thoughts, or body—such as alcoholic beverages, drugs, or harmful medications. I wanted to add cigarettes to the list, but I didn't, as I didn't want to ruin your mood.
One of the harms of smoking that I mention every time is because simply telling you not to smoke or to stop doesn’t have an impact. However, when I explain one of its harmful effects, you become more aware. One of the components in cigarettes is carbon monoxide. When you smoke, the carbon monoxide enters your lungs, which are supposed to absorb oxygen and deliver it to the bloodstream, allowing it to circulate throughout the body. But when you smoke, some of the red blood cells, instead of carrying oxygen, carry carbon monoxide to the body. These red blood cells cannot carry oxygen because they are filled with carbon monoxide. As a result, the body compensates by producing more red blood cells.
For example, let's say you start with 100 red blood cells. After smoking, 20 of them end up carrying carbon monoxide, and the body produces more red blood cells (say, 30 more) to ensure that enough oxygen can still reach the rest of the body. This leads to an increase in the blood’s viscosity, or thickness. Why is viscosity caused? Because carbon monoxide has taken the place of oxygen.
This thicker blood can cause headaches, which are a sign of the body’s reaction to the excess blood cells and the carbon monoxide. So, as a smoker, when you want to quit, it's a good idea to help reduce the blood thickness by taking a baby aspirin, unless it causes you stomach problems.
This is just one of the harms of smoking that I wanted to share with you today. But if you continue to smoke, that's your choice, and I’m not against it. However, each time I’ll share some awareness on its effects. Ultimately, all of these harmful habits are acts of the devil. Alcohol, like these other harmful substances, creates a veil or cover over your better judgment and wisdom.
The key point here is that the commands (or divine instructions) are incredibly sensitive because the path of sin and vice, or anti-values, seems alluring and attainable at first glance. A person may feel that by following these paths, they will quickly reach their desires, but in reality, they are like poison with a sweet taste, contained in a golden cup. Drinking it may initially feel good, but it leads to destruction and illness.
On the other hand, the straight path (the path of values) is like clear water in a clay pot. Drinking it provides life and quenches thirst. The strange and surprising thing  lies in the fact that the path of against values seems easier and faster. For example, a person may take a bribe, instead of working hard for their wages. Someone else might spend a whole month working and earn a modest salary about 800-1000000 tomans, but another might take 10 to 20 millions of bribe money with less effort. The path of vice appears to bring results faster and easier, but it ultimately leads to ruin.
In truth, while the path of values may take time and effort, it is beneficial and pure, like fresh water in a clay pot, quenching thirst and promoting health. However, one might make money faster through dishonesty, deception, and fraud. The vice-filled ways may seem easy, but they are like a sweet drink that is actually poison. And the path of values is like clear water in a clay jug; it quenches thirst and is beneficial for human health.
For those of us who may find ourselves immersed in some of these vices, it might seem difficult or even impossible to immediately leave all of them behind. Of course, it says  “maybe some of us are immersed in anti-values”, it does not mean everyone. It does not mean that all of us are corrupt—certainly not. Rather, the point is that we might engage in bribery, whether giving or receiving, gossip about others, shortchange customers, tell lies, respond dismissively to those who ask us questions, or even seize an inheritance if the opportunity arises. Therefore, to avoid anti-values, we must gradually increase our tolerance and self-restraint.
Here it says: Some of us may be in corruption, we are drowning in it; if we say we are drowning in corruption, it immediately offends everyone, and in response they may say “No, we're not corrupt, you're the corrupt one!” They think corruption means like a food that stays too long and starts to smell bad; but what is a corrupt person? A corrupt person doesn’t have strange appearance. Here, it’s very well explained; some of us, today, may be drowning in a collection of anti-values, and it may be very difficult, or perhaps impossible, to suddenly stop all of these anti-values. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we are all corrupt; no. What it means is that perhaps we take bribes—if we do, then we are corrupt; or we gossip, if we gossip we are corrupt; if we lie, we are corrupt; if we cheat, we are corrupt; or if someone asks us a question, we answer it dishonestly; or if a good opportunity comes up, we take someone's inheritance; if we do these things, we are corrupt.
Therefore, corruption doesn't have a strange appearance. It’s like reading all your prayers, fasting all your fasts, performing all the rituals, but still being corrupt—meaning you've used prayers and fasting as a cover for fraud and corruption. All of these are just covers for taking bribes, cheating, lying, embezzling public funds, which all are called corruption. Corruption is in the actions you take—secret actions, not visible actions that a person does—that’s why they are called corrupt.
Well, it says that if we are doing these things and want to suddenly stop them, it is difficult! We have to gradually change our actions. For example, if we have set up our system based on giving and taking bribes, and we want to suddenly solve this issue of anti-values, it’s very likely that all our systems will collapse.
Therefore, to avoid anti-values, we must gradually raise our tolerance level. For example, if it's based on taking bribes: let's say we work in an office, and every day we take bribes. When someone in an organization takes a bribe, it’s never done alone; there are several accomplices who support each other. If someone immediately decides [to leave the bad habit], saying, “I don't want to take bribes anymore,” he will face severe consequences; he has no longer control over his situation; it’s like a mafia organization, a person can easily join the mafia, but they cannot leave and return to their former life [after they regret].
In such cases, quitting abruptly may not be feasible. Instead, a well-thought-out plan is necessary to gradually detach from the system. Trying to exit all at once could cause significant disruptions, possibly even leading to the collapse of an entire structure. A more sustainable approach would be to set a timeframe—perhaps over a year—during which bribery is slowly phased out. This way, our tolerance for resisting and rejecting bribery increases until, one day, we can continue our life without bribes.
An important point to consider is that all anti-values should be addressed collectively. It is not effective to eliminate them one by one. For instance, one cannot resolve the issue of lying while continuing to engage in fraud or gossip. True ethical transformation requires a comprehensive approach, focusing on one anti-value is not working.
It says: You cannot solve the issue of anti-values individually; for example, you cannot say, “I will no longer lie, but I will gossip, take bribes, and cheat.” This doesn’t work like that; everything must be solved together; in my opinion, nothing can be solved in isolation in a person, not even a disease. Even a disease cannot be solved in isolation, and you cannot solve anti-values one by one. For example, if you have stomach pain or an ulcer, you cannot solve the ulcer just by treating the stomach alone. That is, you cannot say, “I will just fix your stomach ulcer using tracking therapy!” Your stomach hurts, but the real issue is not in the stomach itself; it’s in the nervous system.
The commands from the brain tell how much acid should be secreted, how much should not be secreted, and it is in control of that. It has nothing to do with the stomach; it’s about fixing the nervous system. For example, if you have osteoporosis, the cure is not just in the bones themselves. The treatment for osteoporosis involves other parts of the body, including the brain and other areas.
Lying is not just one isolated branch; if you want to fix lying, the entire person must change. Until you solve lying, you cannot solve depression. For many years, people have been trying to solve depression—who has been able to solve depression? Which psychological or psychiatric system has been able to solve it? They give you fluoxetine, amitriptyline, Xanax, and other medications.
Yes, I agree, these pills contain certain substances; the patients take them for a year or two, and then after two years the pills stop working, so they increase the dosage. But can you keep taking them forever? Opium, heroin, and methamphetamine also eliminate depression, but this view [prescribing pills] doesn’t solve the underlying cause.
The root cause must be addressed, otherwise, the person will have to take medication for life. Doctors say, “Well, because the depression is such and such, it’s like diabetes, and the person must take pills for life.” But this doesn't eliminate it; they just want to manage it. But you cannot get rid of any of these things by tackling them in isolation; they must be eliminated as a whole. So, solving the issue in isolation or one case at a time is not possible.
For example, it’s impossible for me to solve the issue of lying while continuing to cheat or gossip. It simply doesn’t work, and all of us have experienced this. We don't work on things in isolation. We work holistically on a person’s worldview. When you work on the entire system, everything else will solve itself. The path of corruption and immorality must change completely because anti-values are like a tree whose fruits are all bitter and poisonous. We cannot just fix the fruits of one branch. If the entire tree is fixed, all the fruits will become sweet.
The title of the ninth valley reads: “As for the threshold of tolerance, when a force begins from a small point and gradually increases, it reaches higher and higher levels, the threshold of tolerance appears.” Everything in existence has a threshold of tolerance, and if it surpasses its own threshold, it undergoes transformation and exits its own system. This change in the system often involves destruction and chaos.
For example, if we apply pressure to a metal or glass container, if the pressure exceeds the container’s tolerance, the metal container will crumple, and the glass container will break, thus exiting its previous system. Similarly, metals each have a specific melting point, such as gold, silver, copper, tin, and lead. If we heat these metals beyond their tolerance, each will begin to melt at a specific temperature, exiting its previous system. The concept is quite clear.
So, whether it’s humans, metals, or animals, everything has a threshold of tolerance. When we apply heat to metals, they don’t change, but at a certain point, they melt. Humans also have a threshold of tolerance, and that threshold eventually shows itself. Now, some people know the threshold of others. When they want to break someone, they know exactly how to disturb that person, what words to use, what actions to take, or what movements to make to break them and push them beyond their threshold. But the whole issue is that, while everything has a threshold of tolerance, we must increase our threshold of tolerance slightly. This is the core of the matter.
Similarly, plants have a threshold of tolerance. One plant cannot survive two degrees below zero, while another can tolerate temperatures as low as sixty degrees below zero. Animals follow this law as well, but humans are creatures that have various tolerance points, with a wide range that is completely different.
For example, each person has different capacities for accepting various issues, and if we apply pressure beyond their psychological and emotional capacity, they will lose control. Everyone has a capacity for psychological and emotional pressure, and if we increase this pressure on them, they will lose control. These individuals must raise their threshold of tolerance.
As we mentioned at the beginning, this means moving from words to action. It’s not just about saying “I know this or that repeatedly”; it needs to be put into practice. They must raise their threshold of tolerance from where it currently is to a higher level. People have different capacities, and if we apply emotional and psychological pressure beyond this capacity, they will lose control and, as we say, “hit the breaking point.”
We can observe this in intense arguments and loud exchanges of words between two or more people. For example, as a friend, boss, coach, parent, child, or spouse, we can impose our behaviors and words on others to a certain extent, and the other person will tolerate us depending on their capacity. But we must always be careful that if our actions and words exceed the other person’s threshold, they will lose control.
We can apply emotional and psychological pressure, words, and actions up to a certain point, but there comes a time when we push too much pressure on someone they will lose their control. At that point, it becomes detrimental to us. It’s not in our favor. Don't think it's in our favor. Do not think that deriving people out of control is beneficial to us. In such cases, we must await everything [everything can happen to us].
We can apply pressure within the family—father, mother, brother, friend, co-worker— this holds true everywhere. This pressure should only go so far; if we apply more pressure than that, it will create problems. For example, you want something from your spouse. You ask once, then twice, then three times, then four times, and keep asking over and over. Eventually, it pushes the person beyond their limit, and they lose control. At that moment, anything can happen. The person loses control immediately; their ears turn red, their face changes color, their heart rate rises, and their body starts trembling.
At that point, all boundaries of respect, hierarchy, and status—whether teacher-student, Master and Apprentice —are broken, and any kind of unfortunate incident may occur. This happens because we have exceeded the person's threshold of tolerance, pulling them out of their natural system and order, and pushing them to the brink of chaos. Therefore, we must always be careful not to push people into the threshold of chaos with our inappropriate behaviors.
From this, we conclude that all acts of disrespect, separations, failures, beatings, and even movements towards vices, disbelief, defiance, and rebellion against divine commands occur on the brink of chaos. We must recognize this and avoid it strongly.
I have defined the threshold of chaos. If you apply pressure to a stick, it will snap at some point; if you pull on a rope, it will break at some point. Everything has a threshold of tolerance. We must pay close attention to the threshold of tolerance and know how far it can go, because all arguments between spouses, friends, and anyone else occur on the brink of chaos.
In some matters, the tolerance threshold of individuals differs. For example, one person can only hold their breath for ten seconds, while another can sleep in a grave for ten days without breathing. One person may only be able to run five meters, while another can run five thousand meters, another  person may run fifty meters, while another can run five thousand meters. Similarly, in situations involving cold, heat, thirst, or adverse events and disastrous circumstances, as well as emotional and psychological matters, this threshold varies.
Therefore, people have different capacities and potentials. One person can hold their breath for ten seconds, another can sleep in a grave for six days; one person can run fifty meters, while another can run five thousand meters. Each individual has their own rhythm, pace, and unique characteristics.
Thank you up to this point. The rest, God willing, will be next week.
Thank you, thank you.

Transcription of the Ninth Valley Part Two

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
With strength drawn from the Absolute Power of God, we begin this session.
Hello, friends. I am Hossein, a traveler and the session guardian.
(Audience responds: Hello, Hossein!)
I kindly ask everyone to observe fourteen seconds of silence to seek refuge in the Almighty and free ourselves from our greatest enemy—our own ignorance and unawareness.
(Fourteen seconds of silence observed)
Thank you, friends. I now request our esteemed secretary to provide a summary of the previous session and announce today’s agenda.
Hello, friends. My name is Neda, and I am a traveler.
(Audience responds: Hello, Neda!)
In the name of the Absolute Power of God, today the fourteenth session of the twenty-first round, dated April, 15th, 2012 is held with the agenda “the first part of the Ninth Valley” from the book “14 valleys for Recovery” written in 2012. The session, under the guidance and supervision of Mr. Dezhakam and with myself as the secretary, officially started at 9:00 a.m.
(Audience applauds)
________________________________________
Our discussion was on the Ninth Valley — the point of tolerance. I repeat again, what is being taught and what is being presented has only a practical aspect. Its purpose is to help us increase our level of tolerance.
It’s about being able to handle situations — for example, if we get in a taxi and the driver says something rude, we don’t lose our composure. If we go to an office and something unpleasant happens, we don’t fall apart. If someone in the family says something to us, we don’t get upset. If a child accidentally knocks over a cup of tea, we don’t yell. If we’re washing dishes and a child or someone else breaks a plate, we don’t scream or make a scene.
The whole point is for us to reach a state of balance. We’re not getting into deep philosophical debates like “this was the minor premise, that was the major premise, and we deduce this from that.” We’re not analyzing things to say, “Why is this bent, why is that straight?” Even though we do consider such things, that’s not the focus. We’re not playing word games or being pedantic scholars.
If we wanted to go down that road, philosophy is full of such things — thousands upon thousands of pages have been written on these issues. But we are approaching this worldview from a practical perspective.
This tolerance we’re discussing — go look through all the books of mystics: do you find anything like this? Do you find it explained this clearly and plainly?
So, we are taking those key, practical points and we absolutely must apply them. If we don’t apply them, they are worthless. If we only want to memorize, even if you’ve memorized the entire Masnavi of Rumi, or the whole Divan of Hafez — if you don’t apply it, what value does it have? It only gains value when you put it into practice.

You could have the best prescriptions in the world — I’m talking about medical prescriptions. If you have all the medical prescriptions and read about all kinds of illnesses and diseases, over and over, but if you get a headache and if you can’t use any of those prescriptions to treat yourself, what good are they?
You might know all the medical prescriptions, all the illnesses and their corresponding treatments. You might have memorized them and know them by heart — but if your own ear starts hurting and you can't treat yourself, those prescriptions are useless to you. If you get a headache and can't make use of that knowledge, then what’s the value of it?
So what’s the use of knowing all this? What are you going to do with it if you can’t apply even a tiny bit of it? That’s why we need to be fully mindful — we need to know where and how to use even the smallest piece of this knowledge.

Now, building on what we talked about last time, the topic is the “threshold of chaos.” Have you heard this term in Persian? We say things like, “Don’t push me or I’ll snap,” or “He snapped,” — meaning someone has reached their breaking point.
Think of a musical instrument like the tar, which has multiple strings. The higher strings aren’t usually touched that much, but sometimes these initial stings are struck and things escalate to the point where you’re down to the last string — and when that one is struck, the situation becomes extremely intense and critical. That’s the idea behind the phrase.
Now, who brings things to that point? We do.
Humans have two sides — two faces. All people, and I say this as clearly as possible so everyone understands — all people have a dog-like side. That’s the best word for it — though I should say, dogs are actually noble creatures — but what I mean is even worse than a dog. People have one very kind and compassionate side and but their other side is full of anger and aggression, and. We all carry both.
This anger, this aggression — or more precisely, this animalistic instinct — exists in all of us. No one can claim that they don’t have it, that they don’t have a wild side. It’s there in everyone — but it’s hidden, restrained, kept under control.
That’s why people say, “Don’t bring out the other side of me,” [this is a literal translation of the sentence “do not drive me crazy”]. In Persian, we use it this way to signify that human beings generally have two aspects: the calm and good aspect and an aggressive aspect which is buried, hidden and concealed. But it’s there.

Certain social issues and specific circumstances have caused that animalistic trait in humans to be suppressed or kept low. So, on one side we have the animalistic nature, and on the other side, a kind, angelic, or humane nature. It’s like there’s a face of an angel, and a face of a beast — one kind and gentle, and the other wild and aggressive.
Now, here's the key point — and it’s a very subtle and important one: We are the ones who cause people to show us either their animalistic side or their humane side. It is through our own behavior and actions that we influence others to reveal either their wild, aggressive side — or their polite, respectful, and kind side.
The interesting thing is that it’s in our hands. We always think it’s in the hands of others asking— “Why don’t they respect me?”, “Why do they insult me?”, “Why don’t they treat me well?”, “Why do they speak to me like that?” But the truth is, you are the one causing it.
You yourself are doing things that provoke aggression. You’re behaving in a way that leads to conflict. You’re acting in a way that makes others disrespect you. So ultimately, everything is in our own hands. Whether others treat us with respect or not — that is determined by us, not by them.
And so, in the discussion of tolerance, what it's really saying is: every human being has a capacity — a threshold.
When it comes to tolerance, you have to understand — once that some one’s capacity is full, it reaches what we call the threshold of chaos. And what is chaos? It’s disorder, it is confusion. It’s when everything falls apart causing havoc, conflict, and fights.
In the past, in the army, they used the “chaos trumpet”, or ‘war trumpet” which was the signal for battle — the moment when all structure collapses, and everything becomes chaotic.
Every person has a limit to how much they can tolerate. You make them angry and angry — and eventually, they reach that threshold. Imagine bending a stick — you bend it a little, then a bit more, and more… until snap — it breaks. Or pulling a rope — you keep pulling until it tears. Or lowering a bucket into a well — when it hits the water, that’s the point of no return. That’s what we call the threshold of chaos.
And at that point, nothing is controllable, nothing can hold someone back. Not their father, not their mother, not their faith, not morals, not tradition, not social status. Nothing. When someone hits that breaking point, even their own life stops mattering to them.
And ironically, that’s when everything can happen — violence, crime, assault, fights, stabbings, physical harm, shoving and brain stroke. All of this becomes possible at the threshold of chaos.
That’s why we must be careful not to push people to that point.
This concept doesn’t just apply to individuals — it exists within governments, societies, and nations too. When pressure builds up over time and exceeds a certain limit, the system collapses.
So we have to stay mindful — to treat people in a way that keeps them below that threshold, not push them over it.
When someone does reach that breaking point, you can see it instantly: their ears flush red, their face changes color, their heartbeat races, their body starts to shake. Their entire physiology is thrown into disarray. Why does it happen? Because chemicals begin to flood their bloodstream — and from that point on, they’re no longer in control.
At that moment, the barriers we respect, respect boundaries or limits like age, status, love, respect, roles like teacher and student, lover and beloved — all of them collapse. And anything can happen. Because we have crossed someone’s capacity for tolerance. We’ve forced them out of their natural balance and into chaos.
So always remember: do not behave in a way that a person reaches their breaking point.
Maybe all of you, at some point, have crossed into the threshold of chaos. I myself have entered that space once or twice.
I remember one time — back when my child, Shani, was in high school — I went to the school to see the principal. She had been a teacher there for twenty years and was now the school principal. He was the kind of person who nitpicked everything, always looking for unnecessary faults.
When I arrived, they told me to sit and wait for the principal. I sat down. Two hours went by. Then finally someone came and said, “The principal says she won’t see you.” The school janitor, who passed along the message, said, “He’s refusing to meet you.”
I got furious.
I said, “Who the hell does she think she is, saying she won’t see me? What does that even mean — ‘she won’t see me’? That’s not her choice! The authorities here are a public servant. You work for the people. You’re here to serve the children — not to act like some king ruling over them!”
I was so angry I smashed a window with my walking stick and turned the whole place upside down.
That was the threshold of chaos. But who drove me angry to break the window and say offensive words?
Actually, I never approve of what I did— absolutely not. But that was the threshold of chaos. This happened in the Stone Age of my life [many years ago when I was an addict]. But even then, the pressure she put on me, the emotional and psychological strain she caused, pushed me right to the edge. And when you push someone that far — that’s where chaos begins.
So, we must never push people to that point.
We have to always be aware of our behavior — and how it affects others. We must be careful not to drive people into chaos with our misbehaviors.
We then can conclude that every insult, every separation, every failure, every beating, murder, crime, descent into immorality, rejection of values, rebellion, blasphemy, enmity, or violation of human and social laws — all of it happens at the threshold of chaos.
And we must learn to recognize that line — and stay far, far away from it.
Sometimes the words we say might feel meaningless to us — like empty air. We speak without much thought, not really caring what we’re saying. But those same words can lead to someone else’s destruction — or their growth and transformation.
We often say things just to say something and we do not care what words we utter. And afterward, we brush it off saying: “Oh, I didn’t mean anything by it,” or “It was just a joke.” We move on, thinking my uttered words are trivial.
But the same words may drive the addressee to the edge of suicide and self-destruction. Sometimes it breaks them. And sometimes — that very same comment could spark a transformation in them and sometimes our words destroy people.
Our words have power — they can build or destroy.
One small sentence, one careless joke, one comment made in passing… can turn someone’s entire world upside down.
You might say something like:
“Wow, your nose is so crooked.”
Or: “Why is your nose so big?”
Or: “You’ve aged so much — what happened to you?”
And that single line might wreck and shatter them.
There are countless cases where a single sentence has led someone to suicide. Just recently, there was a report in the news — I think it was in the UK — about a nurse who took her own life. All because of a joke someone made, a casual remark. But she simply ended up hanging herself [This shows how powerful words can be].
These simple words can either lead to either Destruction, devastation or construction and development. You can say something to your child that destroys them or you can say something that uplifts and develop them.
It’s happened time and again — one sentence has changed a life, and led to one’s transformation; however, the other word has led to destruction and suicide.
So, we must be very, very mindful of the way we speak.
Let’s return to the concept of tolerance point. As we know, people’s tolerance levels can vary widely depending on the situation. For example, one person may only be able to hold their breath for ten seconds, while another can do it for five hundred. One might be able to run fifty meters, while someone else can run five thousand. The same applies to cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and in the face of emotional challenges, unfortunate events, and psychological pressure; the tolerance point is different depending on the situation.
People have different tolerance point both physically and emotionally. Regarding physical tolerance point, one person might be able to keep their head underwater for five seconds, another for 500 seconds. One might be able to run fifty meters, while someone else can run five thousand. Considering emotional tolerance, people have different tolerance point to handle the shock of emotional matters, unfortunate events, and tragic accidents.
But what we’re really exploring here is this: most of the time, a person’s tolerance threshold is acquirable. Through persistence and repetition over time, tolerance can be increased.
The important point to consider is that tolerance point is acquirable and humans can reach the point they desire. Human beings can build tolerance. If you live in a cold climate for long enough, your body and mind gradually adjust to the cold. If you live somewhere hot, you get used to the heat. Just by practicing, you can obtain tolerance. Tolerance isn’t purely genetic or something you’re just born with — in many cases, you can build it.
So, your tolerance level is not fixed. It can be expanded — in both positive and negative directions.

It is said that tolerance can develop in both positive and negative directions — and that’s absolutely true. You may have seen it in certain foreign films or shows where people enter competitions like eating 100 or 200 eggs, or maybe 3,000 sausages — yes, these things exist in both tales and many other issues. And if you really think about it, there are many negative examples too — though I won't want to name them all here. The point is: tolerance can be expanded in both positive and negative directions.
However, what's important to understand is that developing tolerance in negative or anti-values — such as drinking alcohol, taking psychiatric drugs (prescribed or not), lying, gossiping, or harboring jealousy — happens quite easily and simply. You don’t really need to endure much hardship or practice to increase your tolerance in those areas. Sometimes, increasing one's tolerance point in negative situations is accompanied by a feeling of pleasure.  That’s part of the design — perhaps even the illusionary trick of the grand architect of Existence, God. Tolerance point for destructive and negative behaviors is built very easily and it does not need any training and education.
Take smoking, for instance. You might start with just one cigarette today. Two years later, you're smoking twenty a day — without even feeling like it took any effort. But if you want to quit? That’s a real challenge.
Or consider drinking, gambling, or using certain medications. A person might start with one small dose of a sleeping pill like diazepam just to calm their nerves and fall asleep. Two years later, they may need twenty pills to feel the same effect. It happens without struggle, and often, even with pleasure. The tolerance just builds up gradually and silently.
Let’s consider an example, a person starts by taking three sedatives or painkillers a day. After two years, that number might rise to thirty. And there are even cases in certain communities where people started off with four or five diphenoxylate pills (a medication for diarrhea), and after five or six years, were taking 300 to 400 pills a day.
There’s a similar pattern in behavior. A person might begin their job of theft by stealing just one egg. Fast forward two years, and they’re stealing camels. You’ve probably heard the old saying: “The egg thief becomes a camel thief.”
Now — if this process happens in the positive direction, the reverse is also true. You start with small, good habits and build up to great ones. That’s the other side of the story — and I’ll tell you that tale too, if you're curious.

There’s an old story in our culture.
A man once stole a camel. During the theft, a conflict broke out, and in the chaos, someone was killed. The man was caught, sentenced, and eventually brought to the gallows to be executed.
Just before the execution, as is customary in some traditions, they asked him:
“Do you have any final request?”
He said, “Yes, I want to see my mother.”
They granted the request. His mother was brought to him, and when she arrived, he looked at her and said:
“Mother, you’ve done so much for me. You taught me many things. I just have one final wish—to kiss your tongue, because you have taught me many things.”
The mother accepts her son’s request and sticks out her tongue for her son to kiss. But instead of a kiss, he bits down hard, cuts her tongue off, and spats it to the ground.
Chaos erupted. Everyone was stunned. They asked him, “Why would you do such a thing?”
He answered:
“Because it was her tongue that ruined me. The first time I ever stole something, it was just a single egg. I brought it home, and instead of scolding me, she praised me. She approved of my bad job and said, ‘Well done, my son, you did great! Go ahead and do it again.’
Every time I did something wrong, instead of stopping me, she encouraged me. And so I went from stealing an egg… to stealing a camel… and finally, to murder.”
He continued:
“It was that first moment, that first praise — instead of teaching me right from wrong, she guided me down this path. That’s why I cut off her tongue — the tongue that cheered on my destruction.”
This story, while dark and tragic, has been passed down in our culture. It shows how easily someone can slip down the wrong path, you how easily the tolerance point increases in the negative and destructive issues and it brings pleasure. However, after a while, its destructive consequences will appear.
What is its pleasure? Take something as seemingly insignificant as an egg — maybe today it’s not worth much. But long ago, eating an egg or chicken was a luxury. People would only have rice once a year, maybe during the New Year. They ate chicken once a year. If someone could afford chicken, it was a big deal, the family had to be so rich that they could eat chicken.
So when this boy stole eggs and his family got to enjoy fried eggs and omelets every day — it felt good. It was easy and rewarding. When the boy stole chickens, his family enjoyed eating chicken, when he stole sheep his family enjoyed eating it — everything was prepared for them; however, this eventually led to his execution.

The key point here is that, when it comes to increasing tolerance for negative behaviors, we don’t need education, thinking, or experience. For example, when you start smoking, and then the habit increases over time, no one needs to teach you how to increase your smoking. It happens gradually on its own. The same goes for any wrongdoing: stealing, cheating, or dishonesty — these bad habits build up bit by bit. It doesn’t require much education to fall into these things. Although there is an element of learning in these behaviors, it doesn’t require intense effort or experience.
On the other hand, when it comes to increasing tolerance for positive behaviors, such as in sports, the arts, learning foreign languages, quitting smoking, or stopping lying, education, thinking, and experience are absolutely essential. If you want to learn a foreign language, or you want to get better at a sport, or quit smoking, or stop telling lies — or simply stop engaging in negative behaviors — you need proper education and training.
To improve in any positive, value-based pursuit, we must have knowledge. Without knowledge, it’s difficult to make meaningful progress. It’s important to understand that if we approach an issue from a place of ignorance, no matter how many times we experience it, we won’t be able to achieve positive results. To counter negative behaviors, our awareness must increase. If we lack awareness, it becomes impossible to combat negative values.
Let’s take any negative behavior — in order to stop it, our awareness needs to grow. If our awareness doesn’t increase, there’s no way forward. Just like when light enters a dark room, darkness will leave only when there is light. If we continue to act based on ignorance repeatedly, it will only pull us deeper into darkness. It’s like a swamp: the deeper you go, the harder it is to get out, no matter how much you struggle.
By repeating a negative behavior, we might even build a “ladder” leading us deeper into that darkness, where we might eventually deny all that is good. For example, if we try to stop a harmful behavior like taking drugs, but we don’t have the necessary knowledge, experience, and awareness, we’ll keep harming ourselves in the process. If someone is trying to quit taking psychotropic drugs, they’ll experience physiological shock every time they attempt to stop. Similarly, when someone tries to quit smoking, they’ll face physiological difficulties and shocks on their body.

It's like a paperclip that we keep bending and straightening again. Eventually, with all the bending and straightening, it will break. When someone fails in that process, they can become so lost in darkness that they deny everything.
Imagine this: A person who has engaged in all sorts of negative behaviors, someone who has been cast out from their home, family, and society, and now lives in isolation. They have developed a deep tolerance for negative behaviors, but they view and interpret everything with ignorance and a completely misguided perspective. This person might curse everything, blaming the universe, blaming creation itself, but never looks inward to realize that they were the root cause of their problems.
Consider someone who falls into destructive habits, like addiction to drugs. Every time they attempt to overcome it, because they do not know the method and lack the necessary knowledge and understanding, they fail and get even more trapped. They might try twenty times, or maybe a hundred, but with every failure, they sink deeper into darkness. Eventually, they might lose everything — their home, their family, their job, their place in society. When they lose it all and sink further into despair, they begin to deny everything. They’ll never acknowledge that their path was flawed; instead, they might say: “I tried, I took action to improve, but I didn’t succeed, so there must be no God, no justice.”

They begin to curse everything, but never realize that their own actions were wrong. They end up living in isolation, accumulating a vast tolerance for negative experiences. With a mindset filled with ignorance, they interpret everything differently, blaming the heavens and the earth, blaming all of creation, but never looking within to understand that they are the root cause of their own problems.
This is common among many people in prisons, in misery, living in slums in isolation. They blame everyone except themselves. Similarly, many of us do the same — we blame everyone but ourselves. And there are people driven by extreme jealousy, which is rooted in ignorance. People filled with jealousy, foolishness, hatred, vengeance, and gossip, all of whom are in a state of explosive negativity, with no peace within themselves. They, too, have a strong point of tolerance for these negative constructs.
You’ve seen people so consumed by jealousy, hatred, foolishness, and revenge that their capacity to endure these feelings grows immensely. As their jealousy deepens, their foolishness, hatred, and need for revenge intensify, and they develop a vast tolerance for these negative constructs. They will never find peace because they are constantly in a state of turmoil.

These individuals always blame everyone except themselves. In order to find peace, they must change direction and, through proper education, experience, and thoughtful reflection, move towards positive values. They must gradually shift from negative behaviors (anti-values) to positive ones, they must decrease their tolerance point in negative issues step by step and distance themselves from wrong doing. It does not mean making a sudden change overnight; it’s about returning, step by step, to the right path. Toba (توبه) or repentance means returning — the path they took must be reversed.
Now let’s examine the process of increasing one’s tolerance for positive things. If I want to talk about these topics, I could easily speak for ten minutes, fifteen, or twenty minutes on each point. I can provide various examples, but the important thing is that we understand the concepts well enough to work through them so that we can accomplish reading and interpreting the Valleys in a shorter time. Afterward, it’s essential [for you] to study, read, and listen to relevant material. When you watch these concepts on a CD or listen to related lectures, sometimes you need to repeat them ten, twelve or thirteen times to internalize the lessons.

One point I want to mention in my talk is that many of Congress 60 members requested that I make these teachings visual. For example, the CDs  of my speech I’m currently preparing could be turned into a visual format. At first, everyone might say, “This would be great!” But I have my reasons, and I’m going to explain why making it visual is not a good idea. Right now, when the content is audio, you can put the CD in your car CD player and listen to it while driving home. Or, you might play it on your mobile device, listen to it while walking, or even listen before sleeping at night. You can be flexible with how you engage with the material.
However, if it were a video, you’d have to sit down at home, or in front of a computer or TV to watch it. Now, imagine you want to go home and watch the second section of the ninth part, but your child, spouse, or someone else wants to watch Tom and Jerry, or a TV series. This creates a conflict, and you may even end up receiving some harsh words. So, do not think that changing vocal CDs to visual CDs. Sometimes, a visual presentation is used to show an acrobatic operation, a kind of illusion or spectacle. But right now, I am sitting and speaking and you can hear me.

“On Tuesdays, especially, I can't rotate the camera to show your faces, as this would compromise your privacy, which must be preserved. So, it's not possible. That's why audio is far better in this case. Interestingly, now all the groups are using the CDs, and it's almost like all the members of the Congress are personally receiving an hour of my teachings [weekly]. I can’t go to Isfahan, or Tabriz, or Bushehr, or Abadan, but the teachings I am giving today are exactly the same ones the people in Bushehr, Abadan, Mashhad, and Isfahan are receiving. Everyone is benefiting from them. I just wanted to mention this in passing.”

Now, let’s explore the concept of increasing our tolerance threshold with a positive example. A regular person starts running, and it’s completely natural that after running fifty or a hundred meters, their heart rate skyrockets, and they start panting, unable to continue. This is natural for someone who hasn’t been running, who hasn’t trained that after running fifty meters, they’ll be out of breath, and it’s very normal for their heart rate to rise. If they try to keep going, it could lead to problems, even potentially dangerous situations like a heart attack. So, the person’s tolerance for running is only fifty meters. But we know that this person can eventually increase their tolerance, going from fifty meters to five thousand meters. We know that if they can run fifty meters, they will eventually be able to run five thousand meters. This is just an example.

This rule applies to all situations, provided they practice running every day and gradually increase their distance. After, for example, one year, they could reach five thousand meters. If they start with fifty meters, they can gradually increase to five thousand meters, but they need to practice every day, maybe half an hour, one hour, or fifteen minutes each day, to build up to that distance. After a year, they’ll reach five thousand meters. So, for increasing one’s tolerance, two key points are necessary:
• A) Regular repetition of the activity
• B) Gradual increase over time.

To increase tolerance, they must:
A) Run every day, consistently.
B) Over time, they should increase their distance, not just run the same fifty meters every day. Slowly, day by day, they should increase their distance, maybe by a little each week or month.

Now, let's move on to another topic related to tolerance. We often try to avoid problems and view them as curses. However, sometimes problems might actually be blessings. In other words, for a person to increase their tolerance, they need to combine two forces and use complementary potentials to reach the highest level of tolerance. But this last part, you probably didn’t fully catch what I just said. To put it another way, we often think that we’re running away from problems, that they are a curse from God. But in reality, problems can often be a blessing from God.

Here, we don't quite understand the concept from the book. “In other words, for a person to increase their tolerance, they must combine two forces and use complementary potentials to reach the highest level of tolerance.” This means combining negative and positive opposites, like blending difficulty with ease. Now, with the example I will follow up with, we’ll understand that the two complementary forces revolve the entire universe.
You’ll grasp this concept completely after I explain further what it means to combine two forces. According to ancient wisdom, the world is built on opposites. It was said that the world is founded on opposites. The four elements—wind, earth, water, and fire—created existence, and it’s also been said that humans recognize everything based on its opposite. It’s like the four opposing elements—wind, water, fire, and earth—that are in constant opposition. Water extinguishes fire, earth muddles water, and water erodes earth. These elements are opposites, yet they exist together. In the same way, we understand everything in terms of its opposite; without problems, we wouldn't be able to recognize ease.

So, how do we recognize everything? We recognize everything based on its opposite. Darkness contrasts with light. Without darkness, we wouldn't even understand light. White contrasts with black, sadness contrasts with happiness, divine force contrasts with demonic force, and beauty contrasts with ugliness. All of these are opposites and complementary. Darkness and light complement each other. So, from a very high perspective, pay attention, I’m not trying to lead you toward evil, but notice that forces with destructive or restrictive qualities, with all their negative characteristics, play the role of complementary forces in existence. Perhaps existence itself couldn’t continue without them. In other words, destructive forces—though they are harmful and ugly—serve as complementary forces. For example, without bacteria, we wouldn’t have advanced to a high level in medical science.

In other words, the negative forces that are highly destructive and have darkened our lives and will continue to do so are, in fact, designed to help us grow. It is up to us to stand firm against them with knowledge, thinking, and perseverance, pushing them out of our way. With knowledge, thinking, and perseverance, we must remove them from our path. For example, let’s take a look at how these negative forces serve as complementary forces to us and contribute to the cycle of life. If wild animals like lions, tigers, leopards, and wolves didn't exist, what would happen? Some might ask: Why didn’t God create them as herbivores? Or why should a lion tear apart the beloved zebra, the dear deer, or the graceful buffalo? Well, many people ask such questions, and some even sit in lofty positions, pretending to be wise, as if they know everything. They might say, “If God were truly God, why did He create the devil?” Or, “If God were truly God, why did He create tigers and leopards? Why couldn't they be herbivores?” Or, “If God were truly God, couldn't He have prevented sickness or bad things from happening?”
Then, sometimes, we pray. At the end of Congress 60’s meetings, the Guardian asks the individuals to pray and only imagine one request. However, some of us in the prayers of Congress 60, we ask God to heal all the sick and release all the prisoners. But if God were to release all the prisoners, there would be chaos. If He healed all the sick, doctors would be out of work. Nurses and hospital staff would be unemployed! Of course, I'm saying this humorously, but it’s a real point—everything has its own balance and purpose.
Now, let's consider the work of a tiger or a leopard. Do you think the job of a deer, zebra, or gazelle is harder than the work of a tiger, leopard, or wolf? The work of a tiger, leopard, or wolf is much harder than that of a cow, camel, sheep, deer, or zebra. A deer or a zebra simply eats grass and fills its stomach, and there’s plenty of foliage around. But a lion, on the other hand, has to hunt down a single animal. Do you know how difficult it is for it to catch its prey?

In the Nature Documentaries, sometimes you see a pride of lions that go three or four weeks hungry, starvingly in search of prey to eat. The work of a deer and the work of wild animals is much harder than that of other animals. Now, some might ask: “Why didn’t God create these animals as herbivores? Why did He create lions?” If God is just, why did He create the lion to hunt down the beautiful deer and zebra? The answer comes here: It’s certain that if we think about it for a moment, we will realize that if these wild animals didn't exist, the gentle zebras, the graceful deer, and the magnificent buffalo would eat and sleep so much that they wouldn’t even be able to walk. They would fall prey to a wide range of diseases, would never maintain their unity, and would become so lazy and overfed that they would be unable to migrate or cross difficult paths. If there were no predators like wolves, tigers, and leopards; the deer, zebras, and gazelles would overeat, their bodies would accumulate fat, their uric acid levels would rise, and their blood sugar levels would go up. Don’t laugh! Fat, uric acid, and blood sugar aren’t just for humans. A deer could also have high blood sugar, high cholesterol, or high uric acid—just like us. If it doesn’t move, everything builds up inside it, and that's a serious issue.
It’s certain that if we think about it, we will realize that without these wild predators, the deer, zebras, and buffalo would be so overfed and lazy that they would no longer be able to walk and would be susceptible to all kinds of diseases. These diseases would spread, and they would die from stroke, infections, or simply from being out of shape. Their bodies would start to rot, spreading infection throughout the herd. The entire herd would be doomed to death and extinction.
The wolf, lion, and leopard were created so that these animals would always stay agile, always be runners, stay healthy, alert, and in top shape. Without these predators, they would have lost their unity, become weak and sick, and would no longer be able to migrate or survive the tough paths they needed to cross. Sometimes, they must migrate thousands of kilometers to reach a new area. Without staying fit and active, they wouldn't make it and would die right where they stood, from overeating, laziness, or hunger. They would destroy all the vegetation and ruin the grazing fields.
Have you ever seen how quickly the lion hunts and the deer escapes? Have you seen in the movies how fast a deer runs to avoid being hunted? What is it that creates this agility, health, and physical strength—or the deer's threshold for endurance?"

In movies, you’ve seen how quickly a deer can escape, and how sometimes even a lion, running at speeds of 80 kilometers per hour, or a leopard, can’t catch it. What is it that gives the deer this incredible speed? It’s always ready to protect its life, just like the military forces. Every army in the world practices this every day. Every army wakes up at four or five in the morning, does their drills, and carries out their duties. Why do they do this? Well, they could stay home, sleep in; when there’s no war. Then, why do they practice every morning? Because they need to be prepared. Animals are the same way. So what is it that gives the deer its agility, health, and physical strength? Is it anything other than the fear of the sharp, bloodthirsty claws and teeth of the lion? Is it not this fear that makes the deer’s running so strong, forcing it to stay alert at all times?
Now, in our own system, if no one is ever held accountable, if no one is ever scolded, then people become lazy, weak, and useless. When someone makes a mistake or errors, they have to be questioned, if they do the wrong repeatedly, disciplinary committees will be involved, questions are asked: “What are you doing? What aren’t you doing?” It’s just like the deer, the tiger, and the lion. The pressures placed on people are meant to raise their tolerance levels, to make them agile, disciplined, honest, truthful, and successful in life. Otherwise, if you go easy on anyone, it turns into a meaningless mess.
So, with a little thought, we realize that the presence of fierce, bloodthirsty animals has resulted in strong, agile herds of herbivores that always stay prepared for any escape or relocation, and we are faced with a generation of healthy and energetic animals. It is because of the tiger, leopard, and wolf that the deer and these herds are strong, resilient, agile, and full of life. Now, you might ask: why didn’t God make the tiger, for example, an herbivore? We are so unaware, often thinking of matters in a very shallow and simplistic way, and sometimes imagining that if we were God, we would have made much better plans.
It is just like the verse in the holy Quran [Surah Yunus] reading “فَأۡتُواْبِسُورَةٖمِّثۡلِهِۦ وَٱدۡعُواْمَنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ” which means if anyone can bring like these verses, or like these words, anyone can bring something like this, go ahead, each of you come up with a plan that’s better than this.” The same story holds true here, you can go and draw up a plan where, for example, the way things are could be improved—if, for instance, God has made cows herbivores; now can you make them carnivores? Or if we made wolves carnivores, can you make them herbivores better? If you can go ahead and do it.
Some people went to Australia, to Canada, or wherever it was—there were groups formed to get rid of the wolves to stop them from destroying the deer and elk. So many wolves were hunted, and young people with guns hunted the wolves thinking they could fix the problem. They thought the system was a bit off and they wanted to correct it. They killed all the wolves, and guess what happened? These animals became lazy, sluggish, and their sugar and fat levels went up, and they died. They got infected, and forests and all the creatures were headed toward destruction. They came to the conclusion that they had to stop interference and let nature take its course.
The text continues: Now we are facing a generation of healthy, energetic animals, and those who couldn’t prepare themselves, those who couldn’t make themselves strong, become prey for the bloodthirsty predators. And this is true justice. I might be a bit extreme in my thinking, but I really believe it because justice means balance—everything in its rightful place. It says that those who weren’t prepared and couldn’t maintain their strength become the prey of bloodthirsty predators, and that’s justice. Those who couldn’t protect themselves, whose physical state wasn’t maintained, are condemned to extinction.
This process of survival of the fittest starts from the very beginning [of the Creation]—the moment a fetus is formed, from the moment an egg is ovulated. It all begins there. Millions of sperm race toward the egg, but only one makes it. The rest die off. We don’t notice it because we can’t see it, but at the time of sperm competition, bloodbath occurs and it’s horrible. If you could enlarge that process, magnify it, a [horrible] movie can be made from this process, with millions of sperm fighting to reach the egg, and only one succeeds, while the others are doomed to death. But no one has ever paid attention to this, because it’s small, it’s invisible, so we think it doesn’t matter. But it does.
In comparison to the Earth, or the universe, we are insignificant and tiny. Even a mosquito has its own world, its own life, its own existence. So, everything has value, even the smallest of things. This is true justice: in herds, those who are weak or unprepared will be destroyed. The same applies to humans. People who are lazy, ignorant, and lack thought or wisdom, who refuse to challenge [either the themselves or difficulties] or those who refuse to endure hardship, are also doomed to destruction, doomed to vanish. Those who scream and shout, who don’t adapt to their environment, who don’t value others, who are useless consumers—they only know how to consume everything for themselves—are of no use to the world. Their existence is only for eating and taking up space. They have no real purpose. These people are condemned to extinction, to nothingness. You might ask: is this not justice? I say, it is. Go, become strong if you want to live, because in the natural system, the weak are trampled [ a poem by the Iranian Poet, Ali-Akbar Golshan].
I heard something interesting, a very strange news. In the world, there are humans who die from hunger—this we all know. But they found that the number of people who die from overeating is three times higher than those who die from hunger. It’s quite fascinating. You see, especially in the United States, where I watch movies, everyone seems to be overweight and buffalo-sized. Have you seen their drinks? The size of their cups is enormous. People weigh 140 to 150 kilograms, maybe even more. And now, it’s official data—those who die from overeating are three times the number of those who die from hunger. This is recent news I heard just a few nights ago. So, you see, having too much food at our disposal can sometimes cause death. Eating too much, all the time—burgers, steaks, fries, chips, sauces—it’s all just eating, eating, eating like a factory. This excess food leads to problems. If this becomes widespread across the world, people will die more from overeating than from hunger.
People ask, “Why did God create Satan? Why did God create suffering? Why did He create problems?” But the truth is, problems are a mercy. It’s through problems that we are forged. It’s through solving problems that we become stronger, wiser, more capable.
So, to put it another way, I can't quite finish it yet, there are still a few more pages left—one, two, three, and four. If I can, I’ll finish it up. Well, for now, let’s stop here, and I’ll mark it. I wanted to finish everything in two sessions, but it didn't happen, so I’ll stop here. Today is Azar, the 28th, 1391, December 18th 2012].
I want to mention something that has become a trend recently: people keep saying that the end of the world is near, December 21st, the end of the world, the world will end, and some crazy people have started going to France, to a mountain, claiming that the base of that mountain won’t be destroyed, and that the sun will be dark for three days. Some people in certain countries even attacked supermarkets for food and to take control of stores. And especially, there are two countries with the simplest, most naive people—one is the US and the other is Russia. Yes, the US and Russia. Superstitious! We, as Shi’a Muslims, aren’t superstitious at all, I swear. Muslims, in general, are not superstitious.
Can you believe that the so-called powerful poles of the world—America and Russia—are so simple that they actually got scared and terrified by this news, thinking the end of the world was coming, that the sun would be dark for three days, and all these things would happen? They based it on some historical interpretations and predictions. But as far as I know, no one knows when the world will end. The Quran says, “And when the sky is split open, and when the stars fall, and when the Earth is shaken with its final earthquake [Surah Al-Infitar, verses one to three] meaning the Earth itself will collapse and everything will be in chaos. No one knows when this event happens. You can’t figure out metaphysical matters with history. No one has given a concrete prediction about the end of the world. Not even Nostradamus, with all his predictions, has a date. He says things like: “In the land of the rising sun, a two-legged bear will attack a one-eyed zebra.” Maybe something like that. But he never gave specific dates or times, and later people will claim that the “land of the rising sun” was either Iran or Japan. And the one-eyed bear? It’s just a symbol. It’s all metaphors. People don’t know the real meaning behind these symbols. It’s all predictions without clear dates or historical context. They might later interpret them in many different ways, but none of it has a solid foundation in history. So, the point is that these superstitions and predictions are often just vague metaphors, without concrete details about time or reality.

Nostradamus says: For example, in the land of the rising sun, a two-legged bear attacked a one-eyed zebra—just imagine it. Or in the land of the sun, in the land of brightness, in the land of sunflower seeds, or in the land of the white bear—this incident happened, but it has no history, no specific time. Later, people will say: for example, was the land of the sun Iran or Japan? That bear attacked a one-eyed creature—perhaps it attacked Israel. And Israel, whose commander was Moshe Dayan, had one eye. So, does that mean the one-eyed bear represents Moshe Dayan? Suppose the sun symbolizes something else; later, people will interpret it this way, realizing that the metaphors used were symbolic. These are considered prophecies but have no historical basis—people don’t know. What is the one-eyed bear? They don’t know. What is the two-headed scissors? They don’t know. What is the so-called tiger?

For example, in a land where people might not know much about French beans or chickpeas, they later realize that chickpeas are widely produced in places like Afghanistan. So, they start calling Afghanistan the “land of chickpeas.” Why? The main reason is that someone like Nostradamus might have seen a vision, and in that vision, he noticed one of the characters had a blindfold over one eye. He didn’t know the name of the character, but he gave it a name based on the event, a blind-folded bear. Then, as the events take place, people can realize that symbol stands for what.
There’s no clear evidence to pinpoint exact events like these, and as far as I know, there isn’t anything that confirms such events happening exactly on specific dates. Those seers cannot predict the exact time, no specific time has been predicted by them.  I've said it many times before: it's not just about December 21, 2012, at 8 p.m., it’s not just a specific moment. Just take this as an example, back in 1800, a priest predicted the end of the world, and people were thrown into chaos. Then, in 1900, other figures like scientists made similar predictions, but events like this have happened multiple times throughout history.
It’s important to understand that these prophecies and predictions don’t hold true. But, based on ancient calendars, the world was once divided into four periods: the Iron Age, the Copper Age, the Golden Age, and so on. These periods were identified in a way that, for example, the Iron Age represented a time of war, because iron was the metal used for swords, and everything was about conflict. The following period, the Golden Age, was envisioned as a time of peace and prosperity.
Some people still believe that after the end of the Iron Age, a fourth stage will open up, which could bring about a new era of peace, blessing, and harmony. This fourth stage could symbolize a turning point—when the “gates of heaven” metaphorically open, signaling the start of a new, better era. This idea is something I've mentioned in my writings before, as a symbol of change and renewal.
As I mentioned earlier about the Fourth Dimension, in some of my writings, I talked about how human life unfolds in three dimensions. Looking at it from this perspective, life can be divided into three stages: the first stage is childhood, the second is youth, and the third is adulthood and old age, which begins around the age of forty. In childhood, a child is unaware of anything. Then comes youth, a time filled with the pride and passions of being young. As one enters their forties, they reach the third stage of life, where it’s expected that they will start to focus on spirituality, knowledge, and awareness—seeking greater wisdom. However, many people, after turning forty, become consumed with material things, such as accumulating wealth or pursuing other worldly desires.
Yet, there are people who, in the third stage of their lives, continue to deepen their spirituality, gaining insight into the secrets of other realms of creation. This is what’s referred to as the fourth dimension: being grounded on Earth while also being aware of the heavens or the Fourth Dimension. This means these people are living in the world, but they can discover the truths of other worlds too, i.e. they are living on the earth and are aware of the heavens.
Generally, the prediction of “the end of the world” is not something to fear or be anxious about. I assure you, nothing will happen on this date. Don't worry, and don’t let yourself be misled. Just as people in the United States and Russia have been overly simplistic about certain things, some people are so afraid and easily swayed. For example, our relatives mentioned how people in Russia or Ukraine were buying up candles because they believed the world would go dark for three days. But how can the sun just “turn off”? Or how could it disappear in such a way? Maybe there could be an eclipse or a situation where the sun, Earth, and moon align, causing temporary darkness. But there’s no way the sun would remain dark for three days. It's not physically possible for the Earth to be in complete darkness for that long.
In any case, let’s get back to the point: there’s no such thing as the end of the world. No one knows when or how the world will end, except for God. It’s still far too early for that. There’s still so much left to do. I am hopeful that the gates of heaven will open, but it will be for good, for knowledge, for growth, and for goodness—not for destruction.
I sincerely thank you for listening to what I’ve shared.
 

TO BE CONTINUED

Translated by Elahe