Laleh Park is the Hidden Gem of Congress 60
Dr. Amin Dezhakam, a senior teacher and Dideban (Watchman) of worldview in Congress 60, has always been regarded as one of the most influential professors of the Human Revival Society of Congress 60. Through his teachings, many members of the organization have found a path toward well-being.
We were fortunate to have the opportunity to meet with Dr. Amin Dezhakam at the Sattar Khan Branch. Despite his very busy schedule, he kindly took the time to visit the branch, and we welcomed the opportunity to sit down with him for a conversation.
What follows is the result of that conversation, dedicated to all travelers on the path toward serenity.
Interviewer:
Greetings and my sincere respect to you, dear master, and thank you for accepting this interview. Dr. Dezhakam, if there is an exercise we can practice to become observers without passing judgment, what would you recommend?
Dr. Amin Dezhakam:
There are certain things that people genuinely want to learn to do, such as becoming observers instead of judging others. Looking back at my own experience, I remember that around 2014 or 2015, I was struggling with these very issues. My thoughts would carry me away, and I would constantly find myself judging people I had difficulties with. I really wanted to focus on my work, get away from those thoughts, and have some peace of mind, but I couldn't seem to do it. Exercises do help. You might fast or meditate, things that have become popular recently, and they may give you temporary peace, but they are not the real solution to the problem. For example, suppose you hold a grudge against someone, or you are touchy, and anything someone says can quickly disturb your peace. Because of these attributes, one unpleasant incident can keep replaying in your mind. You start judging it: Why did he talk to me like that? Why did he look at me that way? I've been so good to him; that wasn't the way he should have responded to my kindness. These kinds of thoughts keep going around in your mind. But this metal (character of the person) has to change. For example, the level of resentment needs to decrease. That sensitivity, and the grandiosity that causes a person to take things personally, often comes from believing that we are very important or that we hold a very high status.
In the past, Mr. Dezhakam used to give an example that went something like this: “You called the king’s horse a donkey.” The king’s horse had a certain status and dignity, and now someone has called it a donkey, so it takes offense, it holds true for human beings. It's a humorous example. Our perception of ourselves, along with some of the expectations and other characteristics, needs to be corrected and balanced. We also need to lower our expectations of other people. So, we have to work on these traits within ourselves. If I were to suggest an exercise, I would say: Look within yourself and identify which of these traits you have.
Interviewer: I constantly analyze things myself, and it has become a problem for me.
Dr. Amin Dezhakam: Analysis is the effect, not the cause. Why do you analyze things? Because you are trying to arrive at certain answers and are pursuing a particular goal. For example, when someone hurts you, if that action is not important to you, you may decide to forgive them; or [it is important to you and] you may want to get revenge. If you want to take revenge on someone, you need to find their weakness. So, you analyze them to identify that weakness and then, at the right time, use it against them. Or you may analyze the situation to determine whether the problem was with you or with that person. Ultimately, analysis itself is the result of something else that has happened.
Interviewer: I’ve realized that I have a fear of failure. I was afraid that I might get hurt, so I would start analyzing everything, categorizing people and judging them. Now I want to stop doing that, but it keeps happening.
Dr. Amin Dezhakam: That trait within you has to change. You have to get off the king’s horse, and step down from the position of royalty. Then, many of the things people say will no longer upset you. If you have an unrealistically high opinion of yourself, “Because I am right, people should accept what I say,” that simply doesn't work. Of course, dignity is a different matter [from grandiosity]. For example, you might say, “Because I am right, you should accept what I say.” No, it doesn’t work that way. Just because you are right doesn’t mean that others have to accept what you say. Besides, how do you know that you are right in the first place? Even assuming that you are right, it doesn’t mean that everyone is supposed to accept what you say.
There are times when you have a responsibility, a position, and a defined area of authority. In that situation, yes, your pupils must take your word, although even that has its own conditions. But expecting everyone to accept what you say under every circumstance is not reasonable. For example, in my own case, if I expressed an opinion that I considered logical, well thought-out, and completely correct, and someone disagreed with me, I would become very upset. I would try to convince the person somehow, or I would hold a grudge against them, or simply become disturbed. Later, I realized that this was my opinion, one person might accept it and another might not, and that is ultimately the other person's choice. I cannot interfere with someone else's choice. I cannot say, “You have to see the world the way I see it, and you have to approve of it the way I approve of it.”
Once I corrected this quality within myself, many of those words and thoughts either never reached me in the first place, or, if they did, they quickly left my mind. I no longer fought with those thoughts. That thought is the effect, and I had found the cause. This is the approach that Mr. Dezhakam recommends: Find the water leak. You don't need to keep filling the wall that has been damaged by water leakage, with putty, paving over it, or waterproofing it. Fix the pipe that is leaking, the damage will stop, if you fix the leaking wall of [inappropriate] thoughts, they will no longer appear.
Interviewer: Regarding Laleh Park Branch [Mr. Amin consistently encourages wrecked individuals to go to Laleh park for Fridays’ sports to get energy and start their journey of liberation from addiction], is the reason for people feeling better and experiencing an improvement in the quality of their journey mainly the education, or does this park’s environment also play a role?
Dr. Amin Dezhakam: I always say that Laleh Park is a hidden treasure. There was a Korean series called Jewel in the Palace. Now, Laleh Park is a hidden jewel of Congress 60, and many people may not know about it or recognize it. There are different juices within the hidden aspects of Congress 60, and one of the most refreshing and beneficial ones, particularly for those in their first journey that have sleep problems, lack energy or feel physically and mentally unsettled, and those who wake up without enough energy and struggle during their journey, those who need to take additional doses and have problem with their given schedules, is the Laleh Park Branch. I say this because I spent many years there myself, and I saw the impact it had on many people, including myself. Some of my own difficulties and inner knots were resolved at Laleh Park. I served there as a secretary for several terms, then as a guardian, and eventually became the agent of Laleh Park. I remained active there until around 2012 or 2013.
So yes, the environment can help a person. Some environments provide nourishing food, and carry positive energy. That nourishment and energy are necessary for the journey. The book Crossing the zone 60 Degrees Below Zero talks about it as nourishing and energy-rich food. You can eat fast food, unhealthy food, or poor-quality food, but it is obvious what kind of condition these foods will eventually create. You could end up in the hospital within a week. If you eat healthy and nutritious food, your body structure becomes stronger. Those places and environments can also provide you with energy, they provide energy for your hidden aspects. Of course, when you wake up in the morning and make the effort to overcome the difficulty of getting to Laleh Park, you are benefiting from the atmosphere and energy of that environment. Simply you can gain energy through overcoming the difficulty of waking up and going to the park, lack of sleep, and everything else, and it is not an easy thing to do.
But once you manage to get yourself moving, you gain confidence in yourself, you will travel your journey, receive a great deal of energy, benefit from that environment, and absorb useful and nourishing teachings. In the past, we used to say that the people who were treated through Congress 60 and eventually reached liberation were like carbureted engines, while those who attended Laleh Park were like fuel-injected engines.
Interviewer: How effective can the Covenant of the Eighth Valley be during the second journey?
Dr. Amin Dezhakam: I made the Covenant of the Eighth Valley myself in 2005, and I genuinely felt its impact. However, we recommend that people wait until they have been liberated from addiction and some time has passed. Then, if they are drawn to it, they can make the covenant. There is just one point I would like to mention. It is certainly beneficial and can be very helpful, but some people approach it with an overly idealistic mindset. They imagine that once they have made the covenant, they should immediately become like prophets or saints. Well, if you can reach that level, that's wonderful. Making the Eighth Valley covenant doesn't mean that if you make even the smallest mistake, you should go and commit hara-kiri! No. When you make the covenant, you simply commit yourself to doing your utmost to remain on the Straight Path. Something may happen that you make a mistake along the way, but you should do everything you can to return to the Straight Path. So, the idea that “I have to reach such a high level that, once I make the covenant, I will never make another mistake” is not correct either. Once you have reached a reasonable level of balance, you can make the Covenant of the Eighth Valley.
Interviewer: Could you please explain the use of D-sap as a spray, steam inhalation, or cream?
Dr. Amin Dezhakam: D-sap [an apple-based drink with various medicinal uses, discovered by Mr. Amin Dezhakam and developed by Mr. Hossein Dezhakam] made from grapes or apples can be sprayed for certain skin conditions. It has its own beneficial properties because D-sap is a strong disinfectant and also contains various nourishing substances and beneficial bacteria. Spraying it may eliminate certain types of skin fungus, but we should not become dogmatic about it. Some wounds need to be disinfected with Betadine, or you may need to see a doctor. D-sap also has healing properties and can help with skin repair and regeneration. It can act as an exfoliant as well, because approximately 25% to 30% of D-sap contains minerals, vitamins, and other beneficial substances, in addition to its disinfectant properties. Therefore, D-sap can be effective for certain skin conditions, including dryness and even some fungal infections.
Interviewer: How should D-sap cream be used?
Dr. Amin: It is usually best to use it after bathing or washing your face, especially at night. Massage it into your skin for one or two minutes so it can be absorbed. Once a day is sufficient; you shouldn’t use it more often unless your skin feels especially dry and needs it. For the first two weeks, you can use it twice a day, and after that, once a day is enough. Of course, I believe it would be better if you interviewed Mr. Dezhakam on this topic. The members of the Family Group [Female Companions] can also consult Ms. Shani Dezhakam about this.
Interviewer: In the Sardar Legion [a group of members who financially support Congress 60’s scientific research and branch development], there is a concept called generosity, and Congress 60 places great emphasis on it. How can we achieve it?
Dr. Amin: The very fact that you have begun your journey in Congress 60 means that you have already started to learn generosity. When you reduce your dosage in the first step of your addiction cure journey, you are learning generosity. The one-fifth principle [based on the DST method, reducing one’s Opium Tincture (OT) dosage by one-fifth at each step] is based on generosity. For a substance user, OT is extremely precious, and generosity begins when they learn to give up a portion of it. In fact, while speaking in the Sardar Legion, I said that the same mechanism is at work in both cases. In one case, we give up something such as cigarettes or OT; in another, we give some of our energy or food to others. Generosity is present in all these areas, and the same mechanism also operates in financial contributions. These are similar experiences and bring about similar effects. Those who make financial contributions experience changes and feelings similar to those they experience during their addiction cure journey.
Interviewer: How important do you consider the Healthy Nutrition Legion [Jones’s Legion] in Congress 60?
Dr. Amin: I believe healthy nutrition is a new chapter that has opened up, and many people around the world need it. Perhaps several billion people have the problem—maybe two or three billion—are either overweight or suffering from malnutrition. The Healthy Nutrition Legion can provide answers for billions of people, and we are doing this work in Congress 60. In Congress 60, Mr. Dezhakam is teaching us how to live, and healthy nutrition is an important part of life. Someone who is 20 kilograms overweight is, in effect, like someone who is 20 years older. A 60-year-old who is 20 kilograms overweight practically has the mobility and energy of an 80-year-old. You do not see people with obesity living long lives. Therefore, this legion is essential because it can increase our longevity and improve our quality of life. It also helps those who serve in Congress 60 have more energy to serve, attend to their families, and face a lower risk of premature death.
Interviewer: How is it possible that a person who has caused every kind of destruction in their life comes to Congress 60, becomes a Pahlevan [a title in Congress 60 awarded to those donating $10,000 in financial contributions to support scientific research and the development of new branches], engages in sports, restores their life to its natural course, and seeks to make amends?
Dr. Amin: Mr. Dezhakam made this [the entire process of transformation a traveler undergoes] possible through his discovery of the DST method [Congress 60’s addiction cure method: D for the Dezhakam 0.8 change coefficient used at each step, S for 21-day Steps, and T for Time—a cure period of at least ten months]. Through his discovery of the addiction cure, the DST method, and the DOD Triangle [which includes dosage, Opium Tincture (OT)], he succeeded in bringing about these transformations in people’s Existential Metal [Inner Essence]. Discovery means bringing something from a hidden state into a visible one. All these advancements have been made possible by Mr. Dezhakam’s method, and the DST method lies at the heart of it all. A person must travel this path over time, equipped with proper knowledge and the correct method, and guided by a suitable guide.
Interviewer: Could you please elaborate on Mr. Dezhakam’s recent remarks about the Greatest Name (Ism e Azam)?
Dr. Amin: The story is that God taught Adam the Names and also gave him free will. For this reason, He commanded the angels to bow down to Adam. But Iblis (the Commander of Devils) disobeyed and said, “In essence, I am superior to human beings.” God told him that he had shown arrogance, because only God—Allah, the Absolute Power—is superior in essence to all others. Mr. Dezhakam has explained this story very well in the book Adam and Eve (Edmond and Helia). Iblis passed the disease of arrogance on to Adam and Eve. If I want to reach the Greatest Name, I must undergo a transformation. We say: from anger to kindness, and from hatred to love, so that these qualities may come into being within us. When this transformation takes place, that Name becomes one of our own attributes. The Greatest Name is the Command of Aql (Wisdom). In other words, the Greatest Name we are seeking is the outcome of being able to carry out the Command of Aql. It means that a person reaches a point where they can carry out whatever their Aql commands. Because the Aql possesses divine glory, its commands guide a person toward good, not evil. An example of this is when a person intends to do something and is able to carry it out. For instance, you may want to wake up early in the morning and be able to do so. Now, if a person wants to reach the Greatest Name and carry out these commands, what must they get through? They must go through [and get rid of] the attribute that belongs to God alone, not to human beings or any other creation: arrogance. Therefore, a person must go through a process to cleanse their inner self of arrogance. They must go through hardships, purification, and refinement in order to give back to the Creator the attribute that belongs to Him. In return, God grants them good qualities. When a person develops these good qualities within themselves, works to strengthen them, and completes the process, they reach the Command of Aql. Thus, the person who overcomes arrogance is someone who has come to know the Greatest Name. When a person reaches the Greatest Name, they reach the truth.
Interviewer: We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to speak with us. We hope that, by putting your valuable words and guidance into practice, we can help light the way in our service and take even a small step in serving Congress 60.
Translated by: Traveler Arash, Artesh branch of Congress 60 and Companion Samira, Legion 7, Sheikhbahaei branch of Congress 60, Isfahan, Iran
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