The first valley "All structures begin with contemplation; without contemplation, all that exist will decline" and its effect one me.

The fifth session of 60^th  round of the Academy Branch Workshops was held on 24 September , 2017 at 10 a.m., this meeting was held by Master Dezhakam as the master and Mr. Amir as the secretary and the weekly agenda was the first valley "All structures begin with contemplation; without contemplation, all that exist will decline" and its effect one me.".

Hello friends, I am Hossein, a traveler. We are gradually declaring the results of the guidance exam. From now on, we have not make-up exam anymore (for those who have failed to pass either of the exams in guidance exam including worldview and technical one). An effective work we did this year was to calculate the average of the two exams and based on this average mark, a person may pass or fail the guidance exam. This year we also consider a mark for serving positions, for instance if a person had been a border guard or the master of a ceremony in a branch, we have given a mark to this service and this mark was added to their exam mark. For a person who has been serving as a border guide, we considered .5 score for their worldview exam and a person who has been working in OT section, we considered .5 score for the worldview and .5 for the technical exam. If the cut-off score is 15 and a person gets 14.8, they will not be accepted in the exam; however if they have serving positions, this will help them and they will be accepted. We had many individuals who received 1.5 scores for their services and could be accepted in the exam. Serving is really important, a serving person can be a good guide. The newcomers' guides' score was considered two marks lower than the guides'.

Today's agenda is the first valley. This valley is one of the most important matters in Congresss60. From the very beginning in Congress60, it is mentioned that we are required to think. This is the fact that the addicts and their family disregard. The first thing that is mentioned in Congress60 is that all structures begin with contemplation; without contemplation, all that exist will decline. Some of drug-abusers might be less wise than others, however most of them have wisdom. Even a street-dweller is intellectually healthy. Only for some ice-abusers we say they might be mad.

The first valley teaches us that one of our problems was that we did not think before and we have to think now. Contemplation means choosing the best way. If we want to select the best way, we have to contemplate. We have 14 valleys in Congress60; however, if a person only learns the first valley, it will be enough for them, because the 14 valleys are summarized in the first valley.

We have to think about everything (we want to do), we should see if it is worth doing that or not? We should know why we do not consume drugs, we should know why we consume them, I should know why I am serving in Congress60 or why I am not doing so, I should know why I love to be a border guard and why I don't. These are the issues we have to think about. God has given us a scale called "wisdom" and a means called "thinking". We have to find the wise way with our thinking power.

In the first valley, we realize about which issues we should think and about which ones we should not. Sometimes lots of thinking is like doing a useless thing. We should know which issues are worthy to think about. Thinking takes a lot of energy. Sometimes we think why some people have a thing while I do not, or why someone has gone abroad, while I have not, these things waste a lot of energy.

When we contemplate, we realize that hatred in our heart will damage ourselves, all the hatred will change into diseases. Those whose heart is empty of hatred will not be sick. Our hatred and jealousy will come back to ourselves. I have never ever stopped any one from smoking drugs. I have never advised anyone not to consume drugs. A person came to me and said: "I want to smoke heroin" and I told him to go and use it. I have never ever told anyone not to use drugs. Just the opposite, I told them if you feel fine, go and consume. We have not come here based on our passion and excitement. We have come here on the basis of contemplation and we want to be liberated from addiction.

Few years ago, I was in the yard sitting near the fence and speaking with the members. One of them said that it was very nice if I could smoke heroin. I took him to my room and gave him some heroin and told him to go and consume. He said: "I want to inject it", and I gave him a syringe and told him: "now do it!" He said: "I am sorry, I was very much mistaken".  

When a person comes threatening for consuming drugs, tell them: "go and consume". If you become surprised and sensitive, they think they were right. This also refers to the first valley. I hope we will think in any stage of our life at any moment about whatever we are going to do and then we do that. The signs are for those who contemplate. In the Islamic seminaries also, they tell the newcomers to think first. I hope we contemplate at every stage of our life.

Translated by Elahe