The fifth session of the 59th round of the Academy Branch Workshops was held on 8 June 2017 at 15:30 p.m., this meeting was held by Mr. Amin as the master and Mrs. Zahra as the secretary and the weekly agenda was "Then, why?"
Mr. Amin: I hope you are all successful in Ramadan and we become closer to our own "Self" and I wish this month had a sense of healing and cure for us.
It is amazing that we donate Iftar in the month of Ramadan in all the Congress60's branches and the surplus money gathered for Ramadan is saved for buying land for Congress60. Congress60 holds a comprehensive viewpoint that all the capital will return to us and help us grow and develop.
Our first agenda is "then, why?" This question is posed when the "Self" and "Wisdom" are struggling with each other. When the "sensual" self wants to disarm the person and make the sense of disappointment and stop them, it asks this question: "then why"? It asks why you have made a great deal of effort or why you have worked so hard. Actually, this is a question which Self asks Wisdom. An undeveloped wisdom may have no answer to this question, and this results in the feeling of emptiness. However, if wisdom enjoys having knowledge, it knows that our attempts are not futile and fruitless and they will flower one day. Sometimes, this question is posed by wisdom to defeat the "sensual self". Therefore, this question is a weapon used by either wisdom or sensual self. If the sensual self asks such a question, the antidote is our knowledge. We have to have such weapons. The interesting point is that when a person is in the dark, they are always beaten by the negative forces and this question is always used against them; however, when a person comes out of the dark, this weapon is used against the sensual self. The weapon is the same. This weapon which was once used against wisdom is gradually brought back to us and now it is used against sensual self.
We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Natural Resources Organization. The origin of this agreement is rooted in the 12th Valley reading that when we are liberated from addiction and after our revival, we have to revivify the environment. We cannot be inconsiderate of desertification and the death of nature. As we progress, the range of the activities we have to do increases. The 12th Valley declares that for each year of redemption from addiction, we have to plant a tree.
With the attempts of some of Congress60's campers (who are responsible for Congress60's annual trip) including Mr. Mojtaba Dehghan and Mr. Alireza, we made an agreement with the Organization of Natural resources to take care of the trees and irrigate them after planting. Therefore, Master Dezhakam has ordered to establish the Trees' legion:
"The guides who have experienced being in Congress60's summer camp can register in the Trees' legions. They can irrigate the trees with their second-travel and first-travel (those who are on TDS .3 cc.) pupils on the basis of a written program. Trees' irrigation will be held on Thursdays on 3 or 4 p.m., because before that, in the morning, water will evaporate. Registration process and conditions will be declared in Congress60's branches."
Next week, we will hold the first session of irrigation in Tallo. It is necessary to mention that we are living in a dry country. The interesting point is that in England, it rains every day, however, they consume far less water than us. On average, we daily use 250 liters of water; however, in England, they use only 100 liters. This is because we have not recognized how to use water. While washing the dishes, we consume six liters a minute, meaning 60 liters in 10 minutes! Ladies use between 300 and 400 liters of water to wash the dishes. This is the same for taking bath. Let's try to use water thoughtfully.
We are 70 million people (in this country) and use daily 200 liters of water on average. If we can reach the standard of England (daily 100 liters), each Iranian can save 36000 liters annually. Each tree needs 300 liters of water. Therefore, each four Iranians can irrigate a hectare of trees with saving water. This means that our population can provide water for 20 million hectares of land.
The last session, we talked about blasphemy. The truth is that the divine sources are not for special time or people. When you get familiar with a science, the first thing you know is the definition of the concepts. If the definitions are correct, that science will be effective and everything goes right. However, if the definitions are wrong, that science will have no results. The same happens for the Holy Quran. If we can understand blasphemy, polytheism, the right fellowship and the left fellowship, then we can understand the Holy Quran. If you define Self the same as soul and define soul the same as the body, everything goes wrong.
Everything we do will return to us. If we prevent the truth and goodness, eventually the obstacle we made is placed in front of our own eyes. In this way, we will not see goodness and beauty and we cannot realize beauty. When we cannot realize beauty, a good trait in others of which we are jealous will become weaker and weaker in us.
The second topic is "art". In Congress60, we have a definition for science: the laws of change and transformation in the world which imply honesty and decency and express the truth. Whatever that can be included in this definition is considered as science. For instance, we believe that the DST method is science because it expresses changes and transformations. The DST method expresses how changes take place and implies decency and righteousness. Does this definition apply for detoxification method? Many addicts have used detoxification and negative changes have taken place in them; therefore, on the basis of the definition, this method (detoxification) is not a scientific method and it is unscientific.
How about "art"? Can we have a definition for "art"? Originally, what is the use of these definitions? Knowing these definitions help us select the correct options in life. You can determine which work is art and which one is not, and when you know that, good events will happen. Honar (Art) in Persian comes from a Pahlavi word Sunara: Su means goodness and Nara means males and females. Art is categorised in seven types: Cinema, Sculpture, Painting, Music, Poetry, Dance, and Performing (theatre).
Usually, artists create something and this creation has an effect on (the life of) human beings. Generally, the artists have not a usual life and they may do special works. Then, can we consider anything as "art"? Any sound or image which can tell the truth in the least possible structure and result in revival and reconstruction is called "art". In other words, art brings balance and exultation.
When we want to tell the meaning of a poem, we realize that the meaning is much more than the poem itself. The greater that meaning and the lesser the place it takes; the higher the value and the effect of that poem will be.
Does this apply for theatre? Have we any sentences to replace Shakespeare's and transfer meaning better than that? No one has been ever able to do that. If a text can convey meaning in the least possible words and the most beautiful way, we call it a masterpiece or an immortal work.
Does this work help people progress or destroy themselves? Look at this poem: "Capable is he who is wise - Happiness from wisdom will arise". It conveys much in the least possible structure and words. On the other hand, we have a poem in the least possible structure, after which people commit suicide.
What an artist produces and we call it "creation" is the matte of reception. First, the person receives the message and then conveys it. To receive something, one must have a strong receiver. For having string receiver, one must have strong senses. Because sense acts like a reporter in the world to gather information. If they have this sense, they must experience some special tings to strengthen their senses. Any person who has undergone many difficulties has strong senses. The next trait of an artist is to have knowledge to receive pearls and jewelry. Otherwise, he goes 200 meters under water and brings garbage. The person must have the insight to find the concepts truly.
If that capacity or insight or knowledge has not been established in the person, an explosion will take place. As the person's senses get stronger, their knowledge or insight must increase too, so that firstly, they can receive the content and then the reception of information does not lead into the explosion of sense and diversion of thinking.
The third characteristic of an artist is that they must know the skill. An artist must know the musical notes so that they can easily change the sounds.
One may have a great sense, the required capacity is made in them but they do not know the skills. They will learn the skills. Later on, when the muster realizes that the verve exists in the person and they have the required knowledge and insight, the master tells the pupil to continue his way, because he knows that the pupil can be an artist.
If we have these three parameters in us, we can enter a situation in which we can receive art and produce artistic works. If one of these parameters is absent, we will stop.
Great musicians have not created anything themselves, they can receive the contents from another place; if they can convey that meaning in a more beautiful frame, their work will be more valuable.
It is not necessary for all the people to receive art, because it is a very very difficult. However, we can enjoy it. We can learn how to play an instrument and read poems. Therefore, we cannot consider anyone as an artist and anything cannot be called "art".
Master Dezhakam: I hope you are all fine and I am fine too. I have to tell you some points:
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The time for receiving the sign of redemption is 14 days after that date. For instance, the person who wants to get his three-month sign of liberation from addiction, they can receive it only 14 days after that day.
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Follow-ups must be done in the due time. The person who does not do that is not considered as the second-traveler. A person who does not do the follow-up, the person who does not participate in follow-up has a problem or weakness. Those who want to celebrate the anniversary of their redemption of addiction must take part in the follow-ups.
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The person who does not participate in follow-up cannot attend their legion.
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Another important matter is the point that Amin discussed. We have signed an Understanding Memorandum with the Natural Resources Organization. This is very important and very valuable. Maybe it is helpful in Congress60's Academy University in future. And we may use it in extra-curricular activities of Congress60's members.
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Another issue which will be important from now on is the matter of applying eighth valley's pact, planting and the summer camps. They are included in the worldview area. We have some psychological and physical activities and now we have some worldview ones.
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We have planted the trees. Planting is only two per cent of the work. We have to take care of them. We have to establish the planting and irrigating legions. Those who are volunteers can take their pupils to irrigate the planted tree once a week. The legions which can do that can register and the Marzbans (guards) and Didebans (watchers) will tell them how to do that officially.
About the agenda (then, why?), we have a triangle of the doer, the topic and the result. I want to treat my addiction, I am the doer, the topic is treatment of addiction and what is its result? I am backbiting others, what is the result of that? Backbiting is a knife whose blade is in your hand and you want to hurt people with its handle. Gossiping about people is like pouring acid on people using your mouth. You fill your own mouth with acid to pour on the people. The first damage of backbiting returns to yourself.
"Then, why" has three sides: the doer, topic and the result. From very beginning of the morning till the tome you sleep, you are involved with this agenda. We sleep at night, "then why"? We eat breakfast, for what reason? We work, why? If we consider "then, why?", all the things become different and we will understand everything.
Translated by Elahe