Transcription of The Eighth Valley CD

The Eighth Valley

Part One
In the name of God, 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
Today marks the ninth session of the twentieth round, held on November 27, 2012, with the agenda of the Eighth 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.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Hello, friends. My name is Hossein, and I am a traveler.
Hello, Hossein.
The Eighth Valley of the year 2012 is different from the previous valleys of 2011. When I write these valleys, I don’t spend years or months thinking and planning them out. I don’t sit down with a structured program. Instead, I just take my notebook, recall my thoughts, and jot things down as they come to me. I go back and forth, revising them a couple of times. For example, I’ll read a part of it for you now. I’ve written half of it, but I haven’t finalized the ending yet. Typically, it takes two sessions to complete.
I’ll start by reading the first page of the Valley for you.
The year 2012, the date November 26, 2012—I wrote it, and I penned these lines myself.

The path reveals itself through movement.
Waves descend upon the earth like a whirlwind, carrying away whatever is meant to be taken, entrusted to their course. And this happens only by decree.
So, to those of you who make a covenant, reflect upon this: rise from the earth and set forth toward the place destined by command.
This was a passage from a message.
From stillness, nothing is born, and nothing comes into existence. Everything takes shape through movement—structures emerge, beings are created, and the journey through the cycles of creation begins and continues.

This is another separate paragraph.
One day, in the heavens, before the newly created being—humankind—brought into existence by the Absolute Power, one of the high-ranking angels or commanders rebelled and defied the command. He believed that with the power granted to him by the Absolute Power, he too could establish his own rule and authority.
I have read to you the first page, which is, of course, my handwritten notes. The entire content is ambiguous. If someone claims to understand it, I know they haven’t—because everything within it remains unclear.
Waves descend upon the earth like a whirlwind, carrying away whatever is meant to be taken, entrusted to their course. And this happens only by decree.
Who gives the command? What is this command? How does the whirlwind work? How does it carry things away? These questions all have their place, but for now, let’s get to the heart of the matter.

One day in the heavens—but where exactly? Before the newly created being—humankind. So, humankind was created. And the Absolute Power—who is this Absolute Power? Where is He? What is He like? One of the angels defied the command, and so on.
Now, you might say, “Mr. Dezhakam, all of this is unknown. Why would you bother writing things that are so ambiguous? Or, as we say nowadays, are you just messing with us by writing these things?”
Yes, these are indeed a series of unknowns. In the Eighth Valley, I introduced this topic, and my intention is to awaken a point of contemplation within you—to make you aware that behind the veil, there are further layers. Life and existence are not merely what we see. Or at the very least, what we perceive is only a small part of the whole.

As we’ve mentioned before, scholars and sages can be divided into two groups. One group consists of theoretical scholars and sages. For centuries now, most of the scholars we have fall into this category. Theoretical scholars, or debating sages, are those who have acquired knowledge through study, schooling, and formal education. We refer to them as theoretical sages.
Theoretical sages are highly valuable and respectable—we acknowledge and appreciate their contributions. Many great figures belong to this category. However, these scholars operate strictly within the realm of material existence and rely solely on the five senses. They cannot transcend the material world or venture beyond sensory perception. As a result, they struggle to focus their thoughts beyond this realm, find it difficult to believe in deeper realities, and often fail to grasp the essence of profound concepts. This limitation frequently leads them into contradictions and numerous challenges.
A theoretical sage may have memorized an entire holy book—perhaps the entire Qur'an with absolute precision. They may have studied and mastered every interpretation ever written about it. They may have memorized the Bible, the Torah, and other sacred texts. They might even speak ten different languages fluently. But still, they remain theoretical sages. They remain unaware of what lies beyond the veil.
It was partial intellect that tarnished the name of intellect itself. In my view, partial intellect is confined to the realm of the five senses. Within the limits of the five senses, one cannot conceive of angels—what are angels, after all? Within the five senses, one cannot truly comprehend the Absolute Power or believe in it. Within the five senses, the idea of Satan seems incomprehensible—what does it even mean? It appears meaningless. The Absolute Power cannot be grasped, nor can it be fully accepted, because it remains beyond the reach of limited perception.
Some theoretical sages still believe that Satan is merely an internal struggle or that angels are just symbolic figures—mere stories or legends. Of course, certain aspects are indeed symbolic, and some truths are conveyed through metaphors. But that doesn’t mean they don’t exist in reality.
Yet, these scholars, despite all their knowledge, appear on foreign media platforms—I've mentioned this several times before—and attempt to critique the Qur'an.

Now, let me be clear—I haven’t come here in the Eighth Valley to teach you religion or give you a lesson in theology. No, I’m not qualified for that, and I have no intention of teaching you religion or how to practice it. That’s not my field. What I am doing is teaching you about the philosophy of existence, helping you become aware of it.
I’m not here to tell you to become highly religious or to follow a certain way of life. That’s not my purpose at all. My point is this: If you have no religion, at least be noble, be a free thinker. You don’t have to follow a specific faith, but be free in your thoughts and in your approach to life.
There’s an old story about a philosopher who wrote a book proving the existence of God. God supposedly said, “Good thing you wrote that book—otherwise, no one would have believed in Me.” Some people try to prove things this way, while others attempt to disprove them in the same manner.
But really, if you’re going to challenge something, bring evidence from the source itself. If you claim to disprove a book, can you at least bring forth a single meaningful passage from it? Go ahead—bring it! It’s not just empty words or a joke.
"When the sky is torn apart, and the stars are scattered..."
"When the sun is darkened..."
Do you know where these words come from? Do you know when and how they were written?

For three hundred years now, we’ve been saying that the Earth is round. But some people still haven’t reached that level of thought and understanding.
Take one of these contemporary philosophers, for example—his name probably starts with "S." Many people admire and respect him. He has memorized Rumi and Hafez, he knows poetry and literature inside out, and he can recite them fluently. But as long as he remains confined within the five senses, he will never truly understand.
When he says, “All these words and revelations came from Muhammad’s chest”—the Messenger of God—what does he mean? Muhammad’s chest, like yours and mine, is made of bones, flesh, tendons, fat, and blood vessels—nothing more. So what could possibly come from that? What emerges from mere flesh and blood?
These are not matters to be taken lightly. No matter how much he tries, he won’t understand. Anyone who claims to comprehend it—let them explain just one or two verses from Rumi’s poetry for me.

"Five senses serve from within as his conduit,
Five senses act from without as his agent.
There are ten senses, and yet seven more—
Let them interpret what Rumi is saying about these ten senses and seven other faculties. What exactly does he mean?

Rumi speaks in a way that is entirely inspired and revealed—in a different manner. You may not believe what I’m about to say, but this is my personal belief: if you truly want to understand Rumi himself, read Fihi Ma Fihi. That book contains his own words, his own expressions, his own language. Everything else? That was inspiration and revelation.
"And He inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness." (Qur’an 91:8)
Rumi was inspired. By whom? By Shams. That’s what I wrote about in my play Taarof-e Khorasani. What I’m trying to say here is that there is something beyond what we currently understand—something real, something we have not yet grasped. These things are not imaginary; they truly exist.
The words Rumi spoke did not come from within him, just as the words of the Prophet did not originate from his chest. They came from somewhere else, like a fax, a phone call, a telegram—a transmission from another source.
We need to realize that our existence is not limited to this physical life. Life is not just about being born, living, dying, and then… nothing. If that were the case, life would be unbearably difficult, filled with hardships and struggles. But when we understand that there is more to life—that existence continues, that the human soul endures—then the whole story changes.
This is one of the most crucial points we must grasp:
The universe is not just what we see. The sky is real, not virtual. If something descends from the heavens, it truly descends.

Angels are not imaginary beings—they truly exist. However, they are not what we commonly imagine: a beautiful woman with wings. That’s just a symbolic representation.
For example, people name their daughters "Fereshteh" (Angel), but they rarely name their sons that. But in reality, angels are not bound by gender—an angel can be male or female, masculine or feminine. They exist. Inspiration exists. Satan exists. These are not just concepts; they are real, external entities.
They may not be visible to us in the way we expect, but they are there. Demons exist. Jinn exist. This is not just a story or a myth—it is reality.
So, this discussion is just meant to introduce us to these ideas. And if you don’t fully understand them right now, that’s okay.

When commanded, waves descend like a whirlwind upon the earth, taking with them whatever is meant to be carried away—and this does not happen except by divine decree.
By that command, anything can be taken, even in its physical form. A person, in their bodily state, can be lifted and transported to another place entirely. This is entirely possible. In movies, we often see how someone transforms into pure energy and is then transported elsewhere.
So, those who make a covenant, be mindful that you are meant to rise from the earth and journey to the place where the command directs.
At the end of this path, there is a covenant—and those who take this oath should always remember the destination they are meant to return to—the place from which we were once separated.
Under certain conditions, it may even be possible to reach that place and return while still in this world—though this only happens to very rare individuals.
But for now, we don’t need to focus on that. Just knowing that such a possibility exists is enough.

Since the Eighth Valley states that "the path is revealed through movement," here, it also tells us that from stillness, nothing is born, and nothing comes into existence.
Nothing can be created from stillness. There is no birth, no production—nothing can emerge from absolute stillness.
In fact, there is no such thing as nonexistence. There is no such thing as nothingness. You cannot define what 'nothing' is—what does it mean for something not to exist?
Where is nothingness? Is it a place of darkness? Well, if darkness is there, then something exists.
Even I cannot truly imagine nonexistence in my mind—what would it mean? It is inconceivable. It does not exist.
This is why Shakespeare says: "To be or not to be, that is the question." But in reality, we do not have 'not being'.
Nonexistence is only in contrast to existence, yet in reality, there is no true nonexistence. For example, let’s say we die—do we enter some kind of nothingness? No. That is not the case. Take this moment: I am here now, but tonight, I will not be here. Does that mean I will cease to exist? No—I will simply be somewhere else. This morning, I was not here—where was I? At home. Now I am not at home, but I exist here. Later, I may leave this place—then I will no longer be here, but where will I be? Somewhere else—perhaps in the market. Existence simply moves. There is no "not being"—everything exists, but it may shift into different forms or locations. This shift can happen within this world or beyond it, in the physical realm or the spiritual one,
in this life or the afterlife. But there is no such thing as true nonexistence—only movement and transformation.

So, from stillness, there is no birth, and nothing comes into existence. Everything emerges through movement. That is why it is said: "With movement, the path is revealed." Because from stillness, nothing can be created. If something is to be born or brought into existence, if we want the challenges and problems in our lives to be resolved, this must happen through movement. Everything takes shape through motion. Structures emerge through movement.
As something begins to take form, gradually, its entire structure appears—whether it be the structure of thought, of ideas, or even a physical building. Everything has a structure, and it is through movement that all beings are created. Nothing is born from stillness. Even the creation of humans and animals happens through movement. Once they come into existence, their journey through the cycles of creation begins and continues. The journey through these cycles—through the worlds of creation—never stops. This includes this world, the next world, and beyond. It is the very world I spoke of earlier—the one where ten senses exist, along with seven additional faculties.
Yet, some philosophers claim that this is all just a story—that it is nothing more than words spoken from a human chest. And yet, they deeply revere Rumi!
If that is the case, let them take just these two verses of Rumi and explain them—
Let them translate them, let them tell us: What do they truly mean?

"You, O stubborn one, have witnessed hundreds of thousands of resurrections
At every moment since the dawn of existence."
So, what does this mean?
"The intellects of the first ones are long forgotten,"
"All that remains is intellect that is ever-transforming."
What does that mean? Why is it that everyone accepts Hafez? Why is it that Hafez says:
"If the divine breath of the Holy Spirit aids once more,"
"Others too can do what Christ once did."
Let them explain—
What does this truly mean?

Who is the Holy Spirit, anyway? What is the divine grace of the Holy Spirit? Why did Christ live the life of an ascetic? So, if you accept Hafez, then you must acknowledge that Hafez believed in the existence of the Holy Spirit. He recognized a higher power, a supreme force whose grace must be bestowed.
If that higher force, that celestial power, wills it, Christ revives the dead. And if that same grace reaches us, we too could raise the dead.
So, an external aid is at play—And the journey through the cycles goes on.
Even if we wish to annihilate ourselves completely, we cannot. If we reach absolute despair and decide to end our lives—Even if we escape this world, we will surface elsewhere. We lack the power to erase our existence entirely.
At best, we move from one room to another, from one floor to the next, From the street to our home—But we can never cease to exist. And so, this journey through the cycles continues indefinitely.

Once, in the heavens, before the newly created being—humanity—who had been brought into existence by the Supreme Power, one of the high-ranking angels or commanders rebelled. He defied the command, believing that with the power granted to him by the Supreme Power, he, too, could rule.
I haven’t spoken much about this before, but it’s mentioned in our holy book and in others as well—That when humanity was created, one rebelled and stood in opposition.
The Supreme Power cast him out from His presence. Yet, he asked for respite, a chance to retain his power. And the Supreme Power granted him time—until the appointed day.
Banished from the divine presence, he gathered followers and declared:
"With all my might, I will lead mankind astray. With the help of my allies, I will ensure that humans deviate from the path of the Supreme Power."
For he knew that humans had been created with free will—They could choose the path of piety, virtue, love, kindness, and honesty— Or they could fall into corruption, hatred, murder, betrayal, envy, and destruction.

Thus, Adam and Eve were placed in Paradise. But it wasn’t long before Satan’s scheme took effect— They disobeyed the command, just as he had. The Supreme Power called them to account, They repented and sought forgiveness.
Their apology was accepted, But they were told: "You must prove your loyalty." "Descend to Earth—for with movement, the path will be revealed."
Yes, this is a story, a parable—but one that holds deep and undeniable truths.
This is the foundation of the Eighth Valley— That humans have been granted complete free will and stand at a crossroad. And those who strengthen humanity’s inclination toward corruption can exist in both the physical world and the metaphysical realm.
"And He inspired it (the soul) with both wickedness and righteousness."
Thus, inspiration can come from both vice and virtue. It can be instilled in humans by other humans, Or it can have an independent, external existence.

It’s not just one set of forces at play. Just as angels aid a person in battle, Negative forces come to support the opposing side. When we stray from the straight path,
We become subject to the inspiration of corruption. At times, this corruptive influence becomes so strong that we are no longer in control— We become mere tools in the hands of other forces. Many people today have fallen into this trap,
Becoming puppets of dark forces. Some believe they have subjugated demons or jinn, That these entities serve them— But in reality, the exact opposite is true:
They are the ones being controlled.
Since this follows a narrative form, I won’t elaborate further—We have explored this many times before. But the key point is this:
Human beings are granted free will and always stand at a crossroads. And as long as we move forward, There will always be a fork in the road. With movement, the path is revealed. And that path will always present two choices.

Then, they were told: “Go down to Earth.” I’ve explained this story to you many times— With movement, the path is revealed. He said, "But I apologized!"
And the response is: "Apology accepted, but now you must prove yourself."
Imagine you hit someone and injured them. You say, "I’m sorry!" They accept your apology— But what about the damage you caused?
Or say you crashed into someone’s car and wrecked it. You apologize, and they say, "Alright, I appreciate that." Maybe this even helps smooth things over.
But what about the actual damage? If you say, "But I apologized!"— Yes, you did. But you still have to pay for the repair.
Adam and Eve said, "We’re sorry!"
And they were told: "Fine, but now go down and prove that you've learned your lesson." And with that, they received a clear warning:
"Satan is your open enemy—be aware."
Now, go. Let your actions and your movement reveal the truth:
• Who will remain steadfast in their loyalty?
• Who will be deceived by Satan’s alluring but terrifying path?
Go forth, for with movement, the path is revealed.
Up to this point, the lesson remains consistent with the previous ones, But I have greatly condensed it, leaving out many details for brevity.

In this Valley, there is a Law— This Valley itself is a Law, Just like the laws of mathematics. It is the very law that governs the Straight Path. A great thinker once said: "If you are a traveler of the Path, you must walk through blood."
But be careful— This does not mean the path of violence, crime, or gangsterism.
It does not mean the way of Al Capone and the mafia. It is about the struggles and sacrifices along the true path:
"If you are a traveler of the Path, you must walk through blood,
If you fall, you must rise and continue on."
And then:
"Just step onto the path—say nothing— For the path itself will show you how to walk it." Indeed—Once you start moving, the Path speaks to you.
It reveals itself: "Now comes a tunnel." "Now comes a steep turn." "Here the road is straight."It tells you when to speed up and when to slow down.
If you are on a mountain road, You cannot race ahead at 100 km/h— There, the speed limit is 20. But if you’re on a highway, You can go 120. The Path itself dictates the speed— It is not up to you.

Of course, it should be noted that we cannot move forward without preparation, study, and thought, simply saying, "With movement, the path will be revealed." While it is true that the path becomes clear through movement, we cannot proceed without thinking and reasoning. How can we traverse a mountainous, icy region without a map and proper equipment and expect to reach our destination safely? If we intend to travel through a cold, mountainous region for five or ten days, we cannot go without supplies, tents, or maps, merely relying on the idea that "the path will be revealed through movement." That would be like saying, "I trust in God" without taking any practical measures. No, the concept of the path revealing itself through movement follows a logical and calculated approach. We are now in the eighth valley, and fortunately, we have already passed through seven valleys, carrying their lessons with us—such as "With thought, structures begin to form," or "In vital matters, assigning responsibility to God means avoiding responsibility oneself," or "The command of reason" and "The mystery of discovering the truth." These principles are already with us.

This valley states that when we decide to move forward, we must gather sufficient information and understand the general path we are taking. It emphasizes that before setting out, we should have enough knowledge about our journey, but it is not necessary to account for every minor detail. For instance, we do not need to know exactly how many right or left turns a road has because signposts along the way will indicate them when the time comes. When choosing our route, we must collect essential information, but we do not need to worry about trivial details. Suppose we are traveling to Chalous—do we need to count every single turn along the way? That would be overanalyzing. Instead, we focus on the broader picture, make our decision, and move forward.

Exactly! The Eighth Valley tells us not to be afraid when we decide to move forward. It encourages us to be brave and take action because, without a doubt, the path will become clear as we move.
For example, if we face an external problem—unlike an internal one that can be solved through thinking alone—it won’t be resolved just by sitting at home and thinking about it. External problems, like patience issue, housing issues, or other life challenges, require action. If we simply sit and think, nothing will change. But if we think things through and then take practical steps, the path ahead will gradually reveal itself. Along the way, friends, acquaintances, or even strangers may offer guidance and help.
If we just stay at home lost in thought, our problem won’t be solved. The Valley tells us that beyond thinking, we must act. We must go out and seek solutions because, in doing so, we may come across new opportunities or resources.
Now, let’s examine a few key points from the Eighth Valley together. First, when taking action, our desire or goal must be clearly defined. Sometimes, we start moving without really knowing what we want.

For example, do we truly want to continue our education or not? Do we genuinely love someone, or are we unsure? Do we want to get married, or do we want to get a divorce? Do we want to save money? Do we want to buy a house? And so on—there are countless desires we might have. Sometimes, if we take the time to think carefully, we realize that even we ourselves are unclear about what we truly want.
So, the first step before taking action is to determine whether we really want something or not. We must be honest with ourselves and ask: Do I actually want this, or am I uncertain? Because there are many things in life that we both want and don’t want at the same time, meaning we are indecisive. And if the speaker doesn't know what they want, how can the listener understand them?
We must always think this way: Imagine that right now, in this very moment, the Genie from the magic lamp appears before us and says, “You have one wish—what is it?” Could you immediately state your wish? Who among us can answer without hesitation?
For me, if the Genie suddenly appeared and asked what I want, I would say, “I want Congress 60 to become a global organization.” That’s it—nothing more. I wouldn’t hesitate because this desire has been clear to me for a long time.

There are even a few jokes about this. I don’t remember them exactly, but it goes something like this: The Genie from the magic lamp appears and asks, “What do you wish for?” The person replies, “I want so much gold in my backpack that I can’t even walk.” The Genie grants the wish, filling the backpack with gold. Then, after struggling for a while, unable to move, the person realizes their mistake. The Genie asks, “What’s your next wish?” And they say, “Please take some of this gold out so I can walk!” (Laughter)
This just shows how sometimes we don’t really know what we want, and that can make things difficult. That’s why With Movement, the Path is Revealed—but for that to happen, our desire must be clear.
Do I truly want to continue my education or not? Do I want to study, or do I not? One moment I want to, the next moment I don’t. Back and forth. But I believe that if a person has a clear goal, they will achieve it.
God has created human beings in a way that allows them to attain their desires—logically and realistically—as long as those desires are truly theirs. I’m speaking about myself here, not about anyone else. Everything I have truly wanted, I have achieved—almost everything.
For example, from the eighth grade, I wanted to become an engineer. I would spend hours focusing on this thought, imagining myself as an electrical engineer in the future. My mind was completely set on it. Back then, there was no engineering university in Kerman—we had to go to Tehran. So, despite all the challenges, I studied, pursued my education, and eventually became an engineer. Now, I’m not saying being an engineer is good or bad; that’s not the point. The point is that desires must be clearly defined. If you are completely certain about what you want, you will achieve it.

You don’t even know if you want to get a master’s degree or not. Do you want to get a Ph.D. or not? Your desire has to be clear and locked in—like a key turning in a lock. Once you fully commit to a desire, you will definitely achieve it. That’s why it’s said that sometimes, even while moving forward, we are uncertain about what we truly want.
For example, do we really want to continue our education or not? Do we truly love someone, or do we not? These things need to be clarified for ourselves. Some people live with someone for 30 or even 40 years, yet they’re still unsure if they love that person or not.
Do I want to get married or not? A young person must decide this for themselves—clearly and definitively. If they make up their mind and are certain about their desire, then they will get married. Now, whether they end up with the right person or not, well… that’s another story! (Laughter) That part is not my concern. Whether it turns out well or not is a different matter, but if someone’s goal is truly clear, they will achieve it. It is absolutely possible.
The key is that their desire must be fully formed in their mind. The same applies to separation—do you want to leave, or do you not? One day you want to, the next week you don’t. Then you want to again, then you don’t. Back and forth. You need to make a firm decision.
Take buying a house, for example. Do you want to buy a house or not? In my opinion, anyone who truly wants to buy a house can do so—even if their monthly income is just a thousand tomans. If they make a firm decision, they can buy a house. Of course, deciding today doesn’t mean they’ll buy one tomorrow. It might take fifteen years, or it might happen sooner, but the process begins with making the decision.
Every wealthy person first decided to become wealthy. Some people just wanted to be rich for themselves, while others wanted to be rich so they could also help others. Those who only wanted wealth for themselves became stingy and miserly—even with their own families. They got rich, but they never shared. On the other hand, those who wanted to help others became wealthy and used their money for good.
So, the first key factor in all of this is desire. When we think deeply, we realize that sometimes our desires are unclear—even to ourselves. We lack persistence. But if we are determined, we can achieve anything.
If you want to quit smoking, for example, the people who firmly decided to quit and started chewing gum instead—they succeeded. But those who are still hesitant, saying, Oh, maybe just one more cigarette, just one more puff—they still have a problem. The decision must be absolute.
If you want to smoke, then smoke. If you don’t, then don’t. But the choice must be firm and final.

So, one of the key points is that when we set out on a path, our goal or desire must be completely clear. Sometimes, even while moving forward, we don’t fully know what we want.
For example, do we truly want to continue our education or not? Do we genuinely love someone or not? Do we want to get married or not? Do we want to get a divorce or not? Do we want to immigrate or not? Do we want to save money or not? Do we want to buy a house or not? And the list goes on. Sometimes, if we think deeply, we realize that even we are uncertain about our own desires.
2. Once our goal or desire is clear, we must fully commit to achieving it.
Just like a thirsty person desperately searching for water, we must continuously focus on our goal and stay completely dedicated to it. Once our desire is clear and undeniable, we can’t just say, That’s it! Now, with movement, the path will reveal itself! No, it doesn’t work that way. Our desire must be absolutely specific.
If I want to travel to Tabriz, Qom, or Isfahan, I have to be certain about my destination. Imagine sitting in a car, having packed all your luggage, with everything and everyone ready for the journey. But then, when someone asks, Where are we going?, you don’t know. What’s the plan? No one knows. Which direction should we go? We have no idea.
So, first, the goal must be clear. And once it is, we must actively work toward it.

I said that if your goal is to buy a house, you will buy a house—but only if you put in the effort, save money, and plan for it. So, once your goal is clear, you must want it with all your being to achieve it.
If you want to go to university, get a PhD, or earn a master’s degree, you have to study day and night. Studying three or four hours a day isn’t enough. Your entire focus—twenty-four hours a day—must be on studying, on learning, on absorbing knowledge. You have to immerse yourself in it completely.
Like a thirsty person searching for water, your desire must be that strong. As Rumi says: “Do not seek water, but create thirst.” That means—don’t just look for water, but become so thirsty that you’ll chase after it with everything you have. When your goal is clear, that’s not the end—it’s just the beginning.
It doesn’t matter whether your goal is immigration, education, marriage, buying a house—whatever it is, your desire must be unwavering.
God is the Most Merciful and Compassionate—not just in forgiving sins, but in granting life itself. Whatever we truly desire, that’s what we will get. That is “Be, and it is." With that in mind, we must relentlessly pursue our goals with full force and determination.
Of course, some goals take time to achieve. Just like planting a seed—we have to wait, nurture it, water it, and protect it until it grows and bears fruit.

When we have too many wants—I want this, I want that, I want everything—it doesn’t work like that. It’s like wanting the best of both worlds—and on top of that, asking for a share of the sweet too! You have to choose: Which one do you want?
Sometimes, achieving a goal takes time. Those who succeed quickly are the ones who clearly define their goal and then work tirelessly toward it.
Think of it like a tree. If your goal is to have walnuts, you plant a walnut seed. But it takes ten to fifteen years for that tree to grow and produce fruit. You can’t just plant the seed and walk away, thinking, I’ll come back in fifteen years and harvest walnuts. If you do that, you won’t even find a beetroot there, let alone walnuts!
When you plant that seed, you have to stay by its side every day. You must protect the tiny sapling so that goats, sheep, or cows don’t trample it. You must water it so it doesn’t dry out, shield it from the cold, and make sure it grows bit by bit—until it becomes a strong tree, producing thousands of walnuts every year.
Goals work the same way.
If you want to buy a house, decide now! Then save—little by little—for the next five, ten, or fifteen years.
Just like a grain silo is filled one grain at a time, and the Atlantic Ocean is made up of countless tiny drops of water, you, too, can save money bit by bit. A thousand tomans here, a hundred there, two hundred, five hundred—these small amounts add up.
Why do you think children in the past used piggy banks? They would drop in just one rial at a time, but over time, it added up to a significant amount.
So, the second key lesson is this: Don’t just look for water—become thirsty!
You must be determined in pursuing your goal. You must work on it every single day—think about it every single day—and focus on it completely.

It doesn’t work like this: Today, I want to learn guitar! You go, buy a guitar, play for ten days, and then say, Nah, I don’t like it.
Then you decide, Let me try the clarinet! You buy one, try it for a while, then say, No, this isn’t for me either.
Next, you pick up the flute. You buy one, play it a bit, and then leave it sitting in a corner.
Then you think, Maybe I should try karate! You go to a class, get hit a few times, and say, Nope, this isn’t for me either.
Then you say, How about water polo? But after a few training sessions, you realize it takes a lot of effort and breath control. No, not this either!
See the pattern? Jumping from one thing to another doesn’t lead anywhere.
When you choose a goal, you must commit to it fully. Some goals take time to achieve. You can’t expect immediate results.
Be patient. Stay focused. Let time do its part.

The Third Issue:
On our journey, we often come across multiple paths. These paths can generally be categorized into two main types: the righteous (value-based) path and the unrighteous (anti-value) path, or the divine path and the satanic path.
Each person, depending on their level of wisdom or lack thereof, chooses a route and continues forward.
However, some—like a gazelle that spots a lush patch of grass just off the main road—get distracted. Without much thought, they veer off course, lured by short-term temptations. As they continue down this deviation, they drift further and further from the straight path.
Eventually, they find themselves at a destination they neither intended nor desired—somewhere completely outside the scope of their original goals and aspirations.

The third key point in this valley is that when we set out on a journey, we inevitably encounter crossroads—places where multiple paths lie ahead.
As the saying goes, with movement, the path reveals itself. But this does not mean that life’s journey is a single, straight road from start to finish, bordered by fences to keep us from straying. On the contrary, there are countless detours, side roads, and intersections.
All these routes can ultimately be categorized into two main types:
1. The Path of Values – the righteous, constructive, and meaningful way.
2. The Path of Anti-Values – the deceptive, destructive, and misguided way.
A wise person, one with discernment, stays the course, remaining focused on their primary goal. They do not allow distractions to divert them from their purpose.
However, others may be like a deer that, while traveling the main road, notices a patch of fresh grass just off the path. Without much thought, it veers off to nibble on the greenery. A few steps further, it spots another enticing patch—and then another. Before long, it has strayed so far from the main road that it no longer knows how to return.
Many individuals follow this exact pattern in life. They set out with a clear objective, but along the way, they get drawn into distractions, temptations, or seemingly harmless diversions. Eventually, they find themselves in a place they never imagined—somewhere they never intended to be.
For example, a student pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree may initially be focused on academic success. But within their environment—whether a dormitory, a circle of friends, or other social settings—they might encounter people using drugs. At first, it seems harmless: "Just one time. Just a puff."
One indulgence leads to another, and before they realize it, their aspirations of earning a degree, securing a job, or achieving their ambitions have vanished. Instead, they find themselves in a rehabilitation center, a psychiatric hospital, a jail cell, or even involved in a crime they never imagined committing.
Like the deer chasing patches of grass, they wake up one day in a place they never expected—completely lost, far from the path they originally set out on.
This is just one example. There are countless other ways people can drift off course in life.

The third key point in this valley is that once you are on your path, you must keep your eyes on your destination.
Yes, you may pause at designated rest stops to recharge—perhaps to have a cup of tea and gather your strength—but you must not wander off the road to explore every inviting meadow or lush patch of grass. If you do, you may find yourself lingering too long, encountering unforeseen difficulties, and ultimately straying from your intended path.
During any journey, we inevitably face crossroads. These can be categorized into two main types:
1. The Path of Values – the righteous and constructive way.
2. The Path of Anti-Values – the deceptive and destructive way.
Each individual, based on their wisdom or lack thereof, chooses one of these routes and continues on their way.
However, some—like a deer lured by patches of fresh grass—may impulsively deviate from the main road without considering the consequences. Little by little, they drift further and further away from the straight path, eventually finding themselves in a place they never intended to be. A place that was never part of their goals or dreams.
If we reflect deeply, we can identify many more principles governing movement in life. However, if our ultimate goal is health, peace, comfort, love, kindness, or the promised paradise, we must remain vigilant. We must steer clear of anti-values and work to settle our negative accounts—whether with ourselves, our families, or society
Thank you very much.

Part Two

بIn 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 10th session of the 20th round of Congress 60 workshops, dated December 4, 2012 is held with the agenda “the Eighth Valley, part two” from the book “14 valleys for Recovery” written in 2012. The session started under the guidance and supervision of Mr. Dezhakam and me, Neda, as the secretary at 9:00 a.m. Thank you.
(Audience applauds)

I’d like to thank our honorable secretary. Before we begin today's session—since today is the 14th of Azar and tomorrow is the 15th—I want to wholeheartedly congratulate all of you on the birth of Congress 60’s Base (Applause from the audience) Thank you—thank you very much.
As we discussed in the previous session, the path becomes clear when we begin to move. But before we can start moving, certain conditions must be in place. The desire and the goal must be absolutely clear. Sometimes we don’t know what we truly want, and that leaves us feeling lost. We’re uncertain—do we want someone in our life or not? Do we want to emigrate or not? Do we want to study or not? There are countless other questions we struggle with. When we haven’t reached a clear decision, we remain confused and aimless. So the first step is to define our path with clarity.
Once we’ve identified what we want and where we’re going, we must pursue it with all our heart. Wanting something isn’t just about saying, “I want it.” You say you want it—but are the necessary tools and preparations in place? We must take real action toward what we want.
The third point is this: even when we’re on the right path, sometimes temptations and distractions appear along the way. We said that once you’ve stepped onto the straight path, you must keep walking. When you say, “God, guide me to the straight path,” remember—the goal isn’t just to reach that path. This is where the verse “Man shall have nothing but what he strives for” applies. God may place us on the straight path, but continuing along it is up to us—not God.
Congress 60 places a person on the right path to treat addiction. But from that point on, the journey is theirs to take. So being placed on the path is one thing—and staying the course is another. Getting on the right path is one matter; continuing on it is something entirely different.
Sometimes, even as we walk the straight path, we’re like a gazelle—tempted by a patch of green grass, some fresh clover, or soft meadow along the roadside. You veer off toward it, and before you know it, you’ve strayed from your path and fallen behind.

Now there’s another point the author makes:
“If we reflect a little, we can easily come up with more principles for the laws of motion and put them into writing.”
What he’s saying is this: if we think about it, he laid out three key conditions for the phrase “the path becomes clear through movement.” But those aren’t the only ones. You might sit down and come up with five or ten more—meaning there are likely many more principles to discover. These three are just examples—suggested as a model. There could be other paths, other conditions, other insights as well.
Then he says:
“But if our desire or goal is to reach health, peace, calm, comfort, love, and compassion—then first, we must settle our own accounts and move toward zero. That means making amends—to ourselves, our families, and society.”
So—what is it that we’re trying to do? We’ve stepped onto the straight path—okay, good. But what now? What are we really aiming for? What’s the purpose of being on the straight path?
Some might say, “We want to reach Heaven.” And that’s a beautiful metaphor—it’s completely valid. But there’s more to it than that.
He says: “If you want to reach health…”
Well, someone suffering from a truly terrifying illness is already in a kind of hell. If you want to reach health and peace, then “wa amiloo al-salihat”—you must do righteous deeds. Act in a peaceful way. If we’re constantly in conflict—with Hassan, Taghi, Naqi, with the government, with the country, with everyone—then we are not at peace.
Peace means not being at war with anyone.
If we want peace, if we want calm, if we want comfort—which means having our basic material needs met—if we want love and compassion…
Then first, we must bring our account to zero. We must make amends.

How do we bring our account back to zero? It doesn’t just happen by saying so! Imagine you’ve written fifty bounced checks—given them to Hassan, Hussein, and others for all sorts of reasons. Now today, you say, “I’ve repented. I won’t write any more bad checks. I’ll try to be a better person.” And God accepts your repentance. That’s very good—repentance is important.
But what about those fifty bounced checks you already handed out? What happens to them? Can God just forgive those fifty checks? After all, that money doesn’t belong to God. As some say, it’s “Haqq al-Nas”—the rights of people, not the rights of God. It’s not God’s right; it’s people’s right.
You went and bought a car on a check, a house and land on a check, borrowed money on checks—you gave those fifty bounced checks to people.
Now you repent and say, “From now on, I’m pious and a true believer. I won’t harm anyone anymore. God, please solve my problems and forgive me.” You stand behind that confessional window and confess to the spiritual guide that you wrote fifty bounced checks. And God says, “Okay, my son, you are forgiven.”
But that’s not how it works.
It says here: if you want to reach peace and calm, you must first make amends—which means you have to cover those fifty bounced checks, pay back the people you owe, and only then come back to talk.
As far as I know, repentance means returning. It means going back. Repentance does not mean forgiveness in the sense that you can say, “I wrote fifty bounced checks, and God now forgives me.” No one can forgive you—not a judge, not a ruler, not anyone else.
The only way to be forgiven is to return the people’s money. That is true repentance. Repentance is not instant forgiveness that happens just like that.

Even Adam and Eve made mistakes in Paradise, and then they repented. God accepted their repentance but said: “Go back to Earth and start over. Let’s see if you can make it this time!”
Empty words don’t carry weight—and not everyone accepts words alone. Words only count when backed by action.
Now, some things are solely God’s right. Scholars say God accepts those. For example, if you’ve never prayed in your life, have sinned, and then repent by saying, “From now on, I will pray,” that is God’s right—and God forgives.
But when it comes to others—people—you can’t just say, “I repented,” and expect God to forgive on your behalf. Sometimes we even put pressure on God, society, and the community by saying, “I repented, so everyone must forgive me!”
But repentance means we must first settle our accounts with God—bring that to zero—and return to the right path. That means paying back every one of those checks we wrote to people.
Here, the checks are a metaphor for many kinds of mistakes and wrongdoings.

“Making amends”—but with whom?
First, with ourselves. You might ask, “Do we really have to make amends with ourselves?” The answer is yes. There’s a saying: “What’s allowed at home isn’t allowed at the mosque.” The very first person we owe amends to is ourselves. We don’t worry about anyone else at first—just ourselves.
We may have knowingly or unknowingly caused damage to our own body and mind. In various ways, we might have harmed ourselves—our body, our mind, even our thoughts.
Anyone who damages themselves through wrong actions creates problems. I’m speaking from experience: today is the 14th, and God willing, tomorrow will be the day I finally quit nicotine. (Don’t applaud now—save it for tomorrow!) That will mark over ten months, similar to the DST method.
But here’s something you might find hard to believe: in these past ten months, I haven’t smoked over twelve thousand cigarettes! Can you imagine that? Normally, if I had continued smoking, I would have smoked that many by now.
It’s natural to calculate—about three hundred days, right? I used to smoke two packs a day—neatly and cleanly. By 11 a.m., my first pack was finished. Two packs equals forty cigarettes a day! Over three hundred days, that’s three thousand cigarettes times ten, which is thirty thousand, or if twenty a day, six thousand, thirty a day, nine thousand, and forty a day, twelve thousand. I haven’t smoked more than twelve thousand cigarettes in these ten months.
What I mean is the damage I did to my body. I used to take twelve thousand cigarettes into my lungs and destroy the alveoli there. I didn’t accept it, and I wouldn’t admit it either. So you see how much damage I caused my own body.
Damage can come from many things—alcohol, psychedelic pills, cigarettes, and many other sources. So, “we may have knowingly or unknowingly harmed our body and mind.”
The first step is that we must forgive ourselves.
So, what now? We caused harm and want to make amends. First, we have to forgive ourselves. We can’t keep torturing ourselves. I have to forgive my relationship with my cigarette habit. I can’t say, “Hit me fifty times a day so I’ll be forgiven.” No. I have to forgive myself here and now.
If a person has hurt themselves, the first thing they must do is forgive themselves. We can’t forgive the checks we wrote to others—but we can forgive the ones we wrote to ourselves. So first, we forgive ourselves.

First and foremost, we must forgive ourselves and take action to repair and rebuild our body and mind.
The very first step is to forgive ourselves, make peace within, and then begin the process of restoring our body, mind, and thoughts.
All it takes is to step back as an observer, quietly watching ourselves. Look closely, and soon enough, you’ll realize whether you have caused any harm to your body, mind, or personality. If the answer is yes, then be diligent in making amends.
Some may say, “No, I haven’t harmed my body at all.” But the advice is: stand aside as an impartial observer and take a good look at your actions, behaviors, manners, and everything else. See if you’ve done any damage to yourself. If so—take responsibility and make it right.
Damage isn’t only physical. For example, some people in society might see us as someone who criticizes or gossips behind others’ backs. That is also a form of harm. Someone who spies on others, spreads gossip, lies, speaks harshly, or says unfair things—that all causes damage and must be repaired. If this applies to you, please forgive me for pointing it out.
Now, let’s turn back to ourselves, knowing that everyone has their own lifestyle and habits. For instance, some people stay awake until two or four in the morning, sleeping during the day instead. This is damaging behavior.
We should rest at night and gather energy during the day when the sun rises. Humans are like mobile phones—they need to charge at night to work properly during the day. Sleeping during the day doesn’t compensate for lost sleep at night.

Now let’s turn to family and making amends with our family members.
“In a family, what is truly the role of the father? What are his responsibilities? What about the mother’s role? And the children’s?”
When we talk about family, we need to understand each person’s role clearly so we can see whether anyone has caused harm based on those roles.
In most cultures, traditionally, the father is responsible for matters outside the home, while the mother takes care of things inside the house. The responsibility for nurturing, raising, and protecting the children is shared jointly by both parents.
Of course, nowadays, some mothers work outside the home while some fathers stay at home. This is a bit like the old days with the gypsies, where women would go out begging, fortune-telling, palm-reading, and men would sit around smoking hookah and opium, playing games of chance, and doing other things. That was their lifestyle.
Today, it’s similar: some women go out to work while some men stay home.
“Often, women are more masculine than men,
and men are more at home than women.” (laughs)

Generally speaking, throughout history and across all societies, men have usually been responsible for economic matters and handling work outside the home, while women took care of the household. Even in agricultural and pastoral lifestyles, cooking and food preparation were the duties of the women. Women also worked in the fields, and children helped raise each other.
But one thing that’s not very clear or well-defined is: What responsibilities do children have toward their family, especially their parents?
I have never seen a clear definition of children’s responsibilities. The responsibilities of fathers and mothers are well known—they care for their children, provide money, food, clothing, education, and everything else. Conventionally, they do all this for their kids. Of course, some children grow up on the streets without anyone to care for them, but I’m speaking about “normal” children here.
So, what about the children’s responsibilities?
In the past, during agricultural and pastoral times, children worked alongside their parents in the fields or tending to domestic animals. Children were a very strong and effective force for the family.
Having many children was a sign of greater strength—more farmland, more sheep and cattle. With a father and mother and eight to ten children following the cattle and sheep, the father could cultivate more land. The family became stronger and more resilient. More family members meant more sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, and overall greater power.
From a young age, children worked in the fields alongside their parents.

Now, the real question is:
What is the responsibility of children toward their families today?
This is something I’ve raised in today’s society: What exactly are children accountable for?
Has modern urban life turned children into “born creditors” of their families?
Are they born feeling entitled—feeling that their parents owe them everything? Is that their only role?
Has today’s city life raised a generation of children who see themselves as inherently owed something?
And in that case, are love, affection, and every form of support meant to flow endlessly from parents to children—while the children hold no duty, no commitment, and no responsibility toward their parents or family?
If they do have a responsibility, then please—say it. Define it.
I’m speaking generally. Of course, this doesn’t apply to all families.
Let me read you the rest of the statement:
“There are certainly many children who, from the depths of their being, wholeheartedly take responsibility for their family and parents without being told. They act with love, loyalty, and care.”
But the point of discussion here is different. It’s about those of us who have hurt our families—those who acknowledge the harm and need to make amends.
Many children deeply value their parents and remain lovingly obedient to them. This isn’t about them.
I’m talking about the ones who act as if they were born with a permanent claim on their parents. Parents dedicate their entire lives to their children, but some of these kids won’t give back even a single night of care. A mother carried them in her womb, raised them tooth and nail—and now, can that child stay up just one night for her sake?
Some simply can’t. They’ll say, “I want to watch my movie,”
“I’m busy with my videos,”
“I want to chat online,”
“I’ve got my own plans.”
What’s their responsibility?
We’ve created a group of people who walk around like entitled creditors by birth. Out of a hundred parents who sacrifice everything, maybe one child gives something back.
In some cases, children have gone so far as to trick their parents into signing away the house they live in. The sons-in-law or daughters-in-law then sell the home—and the parents, stripped of their money, their home, and their life’s savings, are dumped in a nursing home like beggars.
What kind of relationship is that?
Who defines this dynamic?
Who determines what that child’s responsibility is?

In European countries, they say age eighteen is the turning point. When a child turns eighteen, they say, “Alright—off you go!” Whether it’s a boy or a girl, they leave the house and start living independently.
But what about our children? How long does it go on?
East or West?
In some parts of the East, we see many children who lovingly care for their parents. Even when the father is ninety, the mother is ninety, the children still nurse them, take care of them, honor and respect them, prepare their food, and handle everything they need.
And yet, there are others—those born creditors again—who only want and want and want.
This is something we need to think about seriously.
If we’re not careful, some of these children may go astray, become corrupt, or turn into destructive individuals. That’s why we must take a closer look at what their responsibilities are toward their family and parents within our society.
Have parents come into this world just to give everything they have to their children—while the children keep taking more and more and growing more and more ungrateful?
Some of them have caused damage. These are the ones who should sit down and reflect.
They keep making demands of their parents without ever asking themselves, “What have I done for my parents?”
As the old saying goes—among the Kermani people, they call a sparrow “choghuk.”
They say, “This year’s choghuk teaches last year’s choghuk.”
In other words, the little sparrow that just hatched this year is trying to instruct the mature bird that already lived through the past spring, summer, and winter!
Sometimes, these same children try to instruct their parents. They say:
“Sell your house and buy somewhere else.”
“Sell the house and invest in gold or foreign currency.”
“Sell your home so we can move to Canada or Australia together.”
And then what happens? They end up in Canada or Australia, living like beggars—some of them dying alone in unfamiliar homes, without anyone even noticing.
So this is where we have to stop and reflect:
If we are among this group, then yes—we have caused real damage to our parents.
Let me repeat: I’m speaking to those children who have hurt their parents, who continue to cause harm, yet believe they’re the ones owed something. These children must make amends.

After making amends within the family—which may take many forms—it could be between a spouse and their partner, between parents and their children. In many cases, it’s the father who has caused damage to the family. A father has responsibilities, and sometimes he refuses to accept them.
Having children isn’t just about bringing them into the world—it’s about raising them, nurturing them, and taking on countless other responsibilities.
But what happens when a father doesn't accept responsibility for his own child?
Doesn’t feel responsible for the family’s expenses?
Doesn’t feel accountable for their upbringing?
We’ve seen plenty of such people—fathers who have wives and children but live as if they have none. They follow their own agendas and completely abandon their family.
This, too, is a form of damage. It’s a mistake.
We also see mothers who fail to fulfill their duties. Some behave poorly toward their children, their husbands, and the family as a whole. Some are caught up in their own selfish desires or chasing appearances. That’s another type we come across.
So, when we talk about making amends within the family, every individual has a role and a responsibility toward the others. And the person most affected—often the one most overlooked—is the child.
That’s why I’ve placed so much emphasis on children—because no one seems to talk about their responsibilities. No one really asks, “What is a child supposed to do?”
In the past, we said children helped in the fields, and in doing so, they gave something back. But today? What do they contribute?
Of course, this doesn’t mean that fathers or mothers can ignore their responsibilities.
When it comes to making amends within the family, both parents are responsible.
There are fathers who work eighteen hours a day and are never home—
This is also a mistake.
There needs to be balance.
Work shouldn’t come at the cost of the family, and the family shouldn’t be sacrificed for work.
Yes, your job is demanding. Yes, you have obligations. But doesn’t your family deserve some of your time?
Even an hour a day? Even one day a week?
That too is a mistake if ignored.
So as you can see, this is a shared responsibility—between the child, the father, and the mother.
There are fathers who have dumped every responsibility onto the mother and walked away—
and there are mothers who’ve done the same.
These are all critical points we must reflect on—and take seriously.

Then there’s the damage we cause to society.
Once we move beyond the family, we enter the broader community.
We always have expectations of our society—and that’s completely natural.
But shouldn’t we also ask: What does society expect from us?
Whenever we enter a system or organization, we tend to have certain expectations of it. That’s normal. But shouldn’t we also consider what that system expects of us?
Just as we expect things from our family, shouldn’t we stop and ask: What does my family expect from me in return?
Let’s take one example:
If society has invested in me—paid for my education, helped me gain knowledge and expertise—do I have the right to destroy myself?
If someone becomes an engineer or a doctor, or gains advanced knowledge in physics or chemistry, it’s important to realize: society has invested in that person.
Let’s set aside for a moment the fact that nowadays many schools and universities are private and expensive—just imagine a system where the government covered the cost.
That means society paid for that person’s education.
Teachers were provided.
Schools were built.
Salaries were paid.
All so that this child could begin at the age of six or seven, work their way through high school, go to university, and eventually become an expert.
So can they now just throw all that away?
Absolutely not.
Because it’s not just their life anymore—it’s the society’s investment.
It took twenty years to become an engineer.
It takes more than twenty years to become a doctor, or a pilot.
It costs a great deal—and that individual no longer belongs only to themselves.
Now, that’s just one example.
We’re not even talking about major damage or grand societal catastrophes.
We’re not diving into vast cosmic matters like “The Realm of the Command of Reason,” or venturing into the stars and the infinite.
Let’s stay grounded.
Let’s talk about the simple, everyday things.
Because if we can understand and internalize these basic things, life will become much easier for us.

Now let’s take a look at some of the so-called “trivial” things—small actions that, in reality, can be hugely important in a society.
Is it not damaging to society when we roll down our car window on a street or highway and throw trash out?
We’re not talking about massive acts of destruction here—just the little things.
But let’s be honest: many of us have done these things before.
Throwing out empty sunflower seed packets…
A puffed snack bag…
An empty soda bottle…
We roll the window down and casually toss it out—onto the street, the road, the desert, or the freeway.
Or maybe we just finished eating an orange, and without thinking, we throw the peels right out the car window.
I’ll admit it—even I used to do this back when I smoked.
But now, ask yourself:
Aren’t these acts a form of damage to society?
Would you do the same thing inside your own home?
What if a guest came over and started peeling an orange and tossing the peels onto your carpet?
Or cracked sunflower seeds and dropped the shells all over your floor?
At first, you’d probably give them a sharp side-eye…
And eventually, you might just stand up and grab them by the collar! (laughter)

Isn’t it damaging to society when we roll down the car window on a road or highway and throw out our trash?
Isn’t it harmful to nature when we go hiking or camping and scatter garbage across the mountains and plains?
I rarely travel, but on the few occasions I’ve gone up north, I’ve honestly felt ashamed of myself—not just as a person, but as an Iranian.
I feel embarrassed.
It’s painful for me to even say, “I’m Iranian,” because of how ashamed I am by what I see.
The road to the north… the beautiful, green trees… the bushes and fresh grass—all littered with old plastic bottles, dirty rags, rotting watermelon rinds, spoiled melon peels...
And it’s mostly us—the folks from Tehran—who’ve gone up there and done this.
Isn’t that a kind of destruction?
Isn’t that damage to nature and to our society?
If you go into nature, just clean up after yourself. Gather your trash and throw it into a bag.
But no—when it comes time for claims and boasts, we’re the loudest of all!
We act like the rest of the world doesn’t even matter.
Whatever anyone says, we respond with,
“We had it first!”
The Greeks? Oh, they came and stole our knowledge from the Achaemenid court during Pythagoras’s time!
They say the Earth is round—we say our scientists already discovered that long ago.
And the ridiculous ones:
They say Hitler—he must’ve been Iranian! Because originally, his name was “Hite-lor,” and over time the “lor” became “ler” in German! (laughter)
We’re always saying “We… we… we…”
But really—who are we?
Why are we so loud about our so-called civilization and glory?
We brag endlessly about a couple of second-rate ancient ruins and refuse to let go of them.
Go to Egypt and see what real ancient wonders look like.
Go to Brazil, go around the world—see what’s really going on out there.
We need to humble ourselves a little.
Because if we’re really that great—
Why are we so filthy?
Why are we destroying our natural resources?
Why are we polluting and ruining our environment?
We spread germs, viruses, filth.
If we truly had “civilization,” then why are we dumping our household sewage into the street gutters?
Why are we pouring our waste straight into the rivers?
If we’re really so talented, skilled, and wise—why are we doing this?

Isn’t it a form of destruction when we go into nature and scatter our trash all over the mountains and deserts?
Isn’t it damaging to throw garbage into the streams and rivers?
There used to be a river right in front of our house—thank God they finally covered it up!
When a river is open, it’s beautiful—the sound of flowing water, the sight of it rolling along… it brings a kind of peace to your soul.
But the city had no choice—they had to cover it up.
Every shop across the street—mostly fruit vendors—would dump their rotten oranges, spoiled crates, old tomatoes, whatever leftover produce they had, straight into the river at night.
It’s like that river had become the garbage dump for the whole neighborhood!
People would bring out their trash cans from home and dump everything into it.
One person even used to toss bags of trash from their window right into the river.
And to be honest… I used to do it too. (laughs)
Yeah, I used to throw stuff right out the window and into the river.
But it’s been years since I’ve changed. (laughs)
That river basically turned into a trash pit.
Isn’t that damage?
They had to seal it off so people would stop dumping garbage into it.
And then what happens? All that trash gets stuck under the bridges, and with just a little bit of rain—floods.

“Now someone might say: ‘They destroyed thousands of hectares of forest and no one said anything—so what’s the big deal if I tossed a bit of trash?’” That’s always our go-to. Anytime someone says something, we immediately shoot back with comparisons. Someone says, “Why did you pick my pocket?” and the answer is, “Go after those who stole three thousand billion tomans—why are you coming for me?” But that doesn’t give you a free pass to steal! What they did was wrong—why not copy the good things people do? Why is it that we always choose the worst behavior to imitate? Someone tells us not to litter, and we say, “Why don’t you go stop the people cutting down forests?” That’s our typical reaction. Someone calls us out for being disorderly, and instead of reflecting, we say, “Well, look at that guy!” But what does that have to do with you? Why are you doing it? We’re always quick to find some excuse and say, “Well, others are doing it too.”

“Now someone might say: ‘They destroyed thousands of hectares of forest and no one said a word—so how can you call me tossing a bit of trash a real loss?’ Well, yes—your littering is a form of damage. And the illegal destruction of thousands, hundreds, or even just dozens of hectares of forest? That’s not just damage; that’s called theft, betrayal, and a crime.”

What you did counts as damage; what they did is theft, it’s a crime, it’s betrayal. But that’s not your business—mind your own actions. If someone is destroying the forests, that’s their betrayal, that’s their wrongdoing. You shouldn’t follow their lead. So yes—your littering is damage, and illegally destroying thousands, hundreds, or even just dozens of hectares of forest is called theft, betrayal, and a crime. We need to understand that the wrongdoing, theft, or betrayal of others can never be used as a justification or license for the harm we ourselves cause to society. Someone else stealing or committing a crime doesn’t give me the right to steal or to do damage. It’s not an excuse. Why don’t we try copying the good examples instead? Why is it always the bad ones we imitate? Now, when it comes to making amends, it’s not about going back five years and trying to pay someone back for a bag of rice you might’ve stolen back then. Let that go. What matters now is to focus on the things you can fix—the everyday things. Just know this: someone else’s wrongdoing is never a valid reason for you to cause harm.

Well, it’s up to you now. If you feel like you’ve caused damage and want to make amends, then the first step is to stop causing more damage to society. If you’ve littered before, then don’t do it again. Don’t roll down your car window and throw trash out. If you go up north and enjoy a picnic, take a trash bag with you—gather all your waste and drop it off in a proper garbage bin. That’s the first step: stop adding to the damage.
Then, start making up for the past by doing good deeds—counter those negative actions with positive ones.
Let me say it again: one of the most misused tools we humans cling to—whether in the family, in society, or anywhere else—is that whenever we make a mistake and someone points it out, we immediately shift the blame to something else. Someone says, “Why’d you throw trash on the street?” and we answer, “Why are the forests being destroyed?” They say, “Why did you run that red light?” and we reply, “They hand out licenses for bribes anyway.”
How is that your business? We always have a “whataboutism” ready. We act like the mistakes of others somehow excuse our own.
You cheated—why? And then you say, “Well, didn’t Desdemona betray Othello?” (laughs) Or, “Why shouldn’t I, when Sudabeh flirted with Rustam?”—I don’t even remember exactly, it’s all from Shakespearean drama or something.
The point is, when someone asks us, “Why did you do that?” we instantly bring up something that has no relevance. “Why did you spill water on the carpet?”— “Who left the glass there in the first place?” “Why haven’t you washed your face?”— “Nobody washes their face. People don’t even shower once a year!”
We always point to something “bigger,” as if that justifies what we did. And honestly, this is something all of us do—it’s our classic human way of dodging responsibility.

In the Eighth Valley, a covenant was introduced regarding human beings and the mistakes they make. It’s said that if a person speaks about their wrongdoings, they might feel a little lighter—and it can actually help a lot. You’ve probably seen those confession scenes in movies, where someone stands behind a small window and begins confessing their sins to a priest. Sometimes, in movies, it turns out it wasn’t the priest at all—it was someone else sitting there, and suddenly everything falls apart! (laughs) Let’s just assume all the conditions are perfect and things are being done the right way—but even then, these systems can lead to all sorts of complications in society.
Take a village, for instance, where the priest knows everyone’s secrets. Now, the village mayor or governor might exploit that, blackmailing others or using it to his own advantage. A lot of things can happen.
In other cases, people might confess to someone older or wiser than themselves. Maybe not a priest—maybe a psychologist or psychiatrist. But even that can bring complications. Personally, I believe if someone wants to turn away from anti-values and confess their past, it’s best if that confession remains between them and their God.
There are certain things that should stay with a person forever—things they should take to their grave. They're not meant to be shared. Every human being has secrets, and those secrets are theirs alone. Others don’t need to know.
In my view, when others are brought into those confessions—whether it’s a priest or anyone else—it brings more harm than good. There might be some benefit to sharing, but the potential damage is far greater. It’s like a gain that brings the highest possible loss. What if those confessions are used against you?
Even in a court of law, they warn you: anything you say may be used against you. And it’s the same here—anywhere you confess, there’s always the risk it could be turned against you. These things are private. They belong in a person’s chest and should stay locked away there.
Now, if someone really feels the need, they can express it under special circumstances—maybe for spiritual, psychological, or personal growth—but even then, let that confession be between them and their God. And if someone doesn’t believe in God, then talk to the mountains. There’s a story of Imam Ali who used to cry into a well—he poured out his heart into a well, not to other people. That says a lot. Now, you can speak your heart to the mountain, to the sea, to the plain, to the earth, to the trees—wherever you wish. And if you believe in God, then share it with God, or with the Supreme Power. But in the end, it makes no difference.

This is the method of taking the Covenant: “This stage is carried out voluntarily by individuals who wish to review their own account. Permission is granted by the guide, and if the guide has not gone through it themselves, permission must be obtained from a higher authority.” Of course, ordinary people who aren’t connected to Congress 60 can also do this under special circumstances on their own, but if it’s within our system, then the guide brings them to me, and I grant the permission.
Where should it take place? “By a river, or the sea, or in the desert or mountains.” It must be somewhere where no one is around, and no one can see you—at the end of the valley or the end of the stage, it says to choose a place where you can clearly see your surroundings and be certain that no one can hear your voice. You must be alone.
“The time to begin the Covenant is at twelve noon, and it ends at four in the afternoon.” The ceremony always starts at 12 p.m. and ends at 4 p.m.
So, how do we go about doing it?
Requirements:
• a) Wash your body before heading to the location. Since it's by the sea, mountains, or desert and not in the city, you bathe beforehand.
• b) Wear clean clothes and a white shirt or white scarf.
• c) No one should be around you.
• d) No one should be close enough to hear your loud voice. For example, if I’m reading this text aloud, that’s a loud voice—no one should hear it within 50 meters.
• e) Abstain from eating and drinking during the Covenant. However, those who are used to smoking can smoke—there’s no restriction on that.
Supplies needed for the Covenant: a mat to sit on, a pen and paper, and a box of matches.
The Covenant ceremony has two parts:
1. Writing the confession list.
2. Making a request to the Supreme Power.

Step one: writing the confession list of mistakes; the writing time is from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m.—that is, we have one and a half hours to write our mistakes—and the reading time is from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. We write from 12:00 to 1:30 and read from 1:30 to 2:00. The point at this stage when writing mistakes is that it is better to record your mistakes in a list format—that is, write only the headings and not the full details of the events; it is said that when you want to write the list of your sins and mistakes, write its headings so that you understand them yourself. For example, if an incident occurred in Yazd, write “Yazd.” For example, write a certain date or something as a marker. The intention is that when writing this list, your information and awareness should not fall into someone else’s hands; it should remain known only to you—that is, you are writing your list of mistakes: three pages, ten pages, five pages, and suddenly someone comes secretly and takes your pages away. You have written your sensitive and important life matters on ten sheets of paper, and suddenly someone comes and wants to take them all from you—meaning you are faced with destruction. It is even anticipated that it is better when you want to write your list of mistakes to write its headings in list form and then when reading them, look at the heading and speak; for example, I write “purple”—I only wrote “purple” and then I speak about it, saying, “Yes, I have a scarf, one and a half meters in length; it is purple; its fabric is chiffon; on its left side, there is a mark,” and then I mention the rest myself. I personally believe very strongly that a person’s private matters should remain secret, preserved for oneself and one’s God; therefore, here it is said, note that nothing should happen suddenly. Even though you have looked around and done all you can, still be careful in this matter, “because the material in this stage must be considered such that if, by any means, someone suddenly appears above us and takes our list, they cannot use any item or matter from its headings against us, since this list is a matter between us and the Supreme Power; in other words, no one should become aware of its content.” So the stages of writing are as follows.

Now, regarding how to write it: “First, in front of the Supreme Power, we observe the etiquette in any manner we deem appropriate for thirty seconds.” If we believe in God, we do this before God; if we believe in the mountain, then before the mountain; the forest—then the forest; nature—then nature; whatever religion or belief system you follow, or whatever holds importance and value for you, consider that as the Supreme Power. “First, in front of the Supreme Power, observe the etiquette in any manner that suits your culture for thirty seconds, declare your intention, and then write down on paper whatever we have done in the past that, according to our own understanding, we consider a mistake or anti-value or sin.” What we consider to be an anti-value or wrong action according to our own belief—we write that, not what others say. We must come to a realization ourselves that our action was wrong; otherwise, it is useless. “We write it on paper, and after finishing, we read all the written material three times aloud in such a way that we can hear it ourselves.” That means we write until 1:30, and once the writing is done, after 1:30 we read them three times aloud so that we can hear it ourselves—not silently. If we’ve written a list, we look at the list and speak based on it. We look at the list, see “purple scarf,” and talk about the purple scarf. We do this three times. “Then we ask God to guide us and, if possible, forgive us, and we pledge that from this day onward we will try not to commit anti-value actions and that He may give us the opportunity to make up for our past mistakes through service to others, especially to those who are suffering.” We ask God to help us, and we also try and strive to achieve our goals, and for God to help us as well.

“After a brief moment of reflection, we burn our writings for one minute.” After writing until 1:30 and reading them three times, we take a moment of silence for one minute. “Then we burn our writings and entrust them to the water, sea, or wind. Then, if there is still time until 2:00 PM, we remain seated in our place and spend the remaining time in silence, allowing our thoughts and mind to soar wherever they wish. We make no effort to control or direct our thoughts.” We don’t try to steer our thoughts; we let them go wherever they want and remain in silence until 2:00 PM.
“Note: A reminder has been given to be very cautious while burning the writings so as not to cause a fire around us or at the covenant site.”
If the area has dry grass, leaves, or a haystack, or if there is a strong wind, we must be careful not to start a fire. This is very important—some of you are laughing, maybe as if you’ve already started a fire before.
“The second stage: Requesting from the Supreme Power.”
The first stage was about the mistakes. We addressed our mistakes—now what’s interesting and included in this covenant is that after stating your mistakes, it asks: what do you want? You’ve come before the ruler, the Supreme Being, and say, “Sir, I’ve made these mistakes.” Then it asks: “Very well, what do you want now?” You say: “I want my mistakes to be forgiven and I want to make amends.” It says: “Very well, make amends. What else do you want?”
Here, it says: now, what do you want from God? What do you expect?
This is the second stage of the covenant, where one becomes centered and focused on what they truly want from God.

«In this stage, whatever we desire from the Supreme Power, or whatever we want for others, or any prayer we have, we write on a piece of paper and make a covenant that we ourselves will also strive and think with all our power to fulfill our desires.» This stage is about our wishes—whether for ourselves, for someone else, or prayers for others. Whatever they are, we write them down, and unlike the previous list of mistakes, there's no need to write these as a list.
«Now, the wishes we have written, we read them aloud three times and ask the Supreme Power to grant our wishes.»
In this covenant, both stages consist of one and a half hours of writing and half an hour of reading. So here again, you write until 3:30 PM, and from 3:30 onward you read.
«Now, the wishes we have written, we read them aloud three times and ask the Supreme Power to grant our wishes. Once again, we show respect to the Supreme Power and remain silent for one minute, and then we tear our writings into small pieces and gently entrust them to the river, sea, or wind.»
The part about mistakes is burned to ash. Here, the part about desires is released into nature—as a kind of witness or helper—to carry your intentions and support their realization.

Again, we pay respect to the Absolute Power and observe one minute of silence. Then, we tear our writings into small pieces and gently entrust them to the river, sea, or wind. We must remember that the river, sea, desert, and mountains throughout all stages have been witnesses and testimony to our covenant. After that, we return to our place and until four o’clock in the afternoon, we let our thoughts soar in complete silence.
Important note: To carry out the covenant ceremony, it must be done in such a way that no one under any circumstances can suddenly appear over us and take our list. We know this covenant is only between us and the Absolute Power, and no one should be informed about it—even the closest, closest, closest person to us.
This part is deliberately included; for example, it says: “Well, I am your husband; I should know what you wrote about me so that you are not hiding anything.” No! They cannot hear it. “I love you, you love me, and everything is between us.” This does not exist here; no “I love you” or anything like that. No one should be informed, and this is emphasized three times—even the closest, closest, closest person to us.
So, in this stage, we write our wishes and according to the same rule, write from two until three-thirty, and read from three-thirty onwards. After reading, we take some extra time, observe one minute of silence, then after the silence, we crumble these pieces and entrust them to the wind, river, or water.
There is also a warning given:
At the end, it says:
“The beloved found peace, may it always be so
His disbelief all turned to faith, may it always be so”
Four o’clock is the end time, the ceremony concludes. Best wishes.
 

Translated by: Companion Marjan
3/1/2025