The Transcription of the Sixth Valley CD

CD “The sixth valley” 

Part One

In the Name of God. We start the meeting by getting strength from the Almighty God. Hello friends, I am Hossein, the master of the ceremony.
Audience: Hi, Hossein
Please keep silent for 14 seconds and resort to God as our refuge in order to free ourselves from our strongest enemy, which is our own ignorance. (14 seconds of silence). Thank you friends, I would like to ask the honorable secretary Ms. Neda to announce the summary of the previous session and the agenda of today's session, which is the sixth valley.
Hello friends, I am Neda, a traveler. In the name of the Almighty God. Today is the fourth meeting of the 20th session with the agenda of “the sixth valley” that was administered by Mr. Dezhakam as the guest speaker and master of the ceremony on October, 23, 2012 at 09:00 a.m.
Hello friends, I am Hossein, a traveler. I correct the secretary's statement, we said one group of theologians are those researchers who work on [divine] words and actually deal with religion, like our own heavenly book, the Holy Qur'an, and they move based on those words, or Christians act based on the words  of the Bible, or the Judish work based on the words of the Torah or other religions based on their divine words. The divine  sources are the reference and source of everything, whether it is logically correct or not. They are called “Discourse Theologians”, meaning those who deal with the words.
Well, today's lesson is the sixth valley that says, we have to fully accept the ruling of wisdom as a perfect or just ruler. (The sixth valley reads: Wisdom's command, as the commander in chief, should be carried out accordingly).
In the previous session, I provided an introduction to Wisdom, which is not mentioned in the valley. The topic that we discussed in the previous session in the introduction of the wisdom was that, as far as I researched, I found very few people who really know where the wisdom is and where the place of the wisdom is, if they exist, they are very few. An obvious contradiction that we all have in our minds is that we are all sure and have full faith that wisdom is in our brain and the brain is the decision-maker.
Of course, the brain is the ruler of the entire body organism and the physical body, but it is considered a translator or a part of the wisdom system. The contradiction that we are involved in is that we all think that the wisdom is in the brain.
We all follow our religious leaders or our relatives, even when they pass away; we either ask them for help, share secrets with them or visit their tombs. In the previous session, we said that if the wisdom is supposed to be in the brain, the people who have died and left this world are all without wisdom, without memory, and without everything.
Therefore, it is a wrong idea to expect or talk to a person who lacks wisdom and memory, etc., but we believe that the wisdomis not destroyed with death, even memories, memory and such things don’t disappear with death. Some of them may be stopped or may be in the archive that we do not have access to.
When you sleep and dream, you have the information of your waking time inside you, but you don’t have access to it in your dreams, or on the contrary, when you are awake, you don’t remember the information that has happened to you in your dream, but it is stored in you, and everyone can access this information one day.
In general, it is said in the sixth valley, we have to fully implement the order of the wisdom as our a commander." [The sixth valley reads, Wisdom's command, as the commander in chief, should be carried out accordingly.]
In the previous valleys, we talked about contemplation, then we mentioned that contemplation can be positive or negative. You may contemplate discovering a disease or a positive issue, or you may contemplate robbing a bank or killing a person, so contemplation can be positive or negative. Therefore, we call what is logical and correct “rationality” and what is done with rationality is called “rational work”.
We call the contemplation that ends in a good and positive path, rationality and we call the contemplation that ends in a negative way, satanic contemplation or demonic contemplation or negative contemplation or anti-human and animal contemplation, we will talk about different categories of thinking.
Since contemplation can be negative or positive, there must be a system inside us that recognizes whether contemplaton or thinking is positive or negative. We want a criterion or a scale that tells us whether this work is positive or negative.
Therefore, we see when we contemplate or think, a higher authority or a higher monitoring system must monitor this thinking and tell us whether this thinking is right or wrong, and that the way I am going to end up in is a road or a well. This higher authority is called “Aql” (Wisdom).
Why is it called Aql (wisdom)? Some of our words have Arabic roots. A rope is passed through the nose of the camel [to control it], whose name is Eqal in Arabic. When a camel rider gets on the camel, he can guide the camel to the left or right by pulling the rope inside the camel's nose, which is like a horse's bridle. If the camel wants to disobey, the rider pulls the rope and stops it. That rope is called Eqal, which means guide. The word 'Aql' is derived from the Arabic word 'Eqal'.
Now, this system (wisdom) must be able to check [and control], so if we look [carefully], we realize when we claim a human being is like a country or a city or something very big, it really is.
Until now, we haven’t investigated what monitoring, control and planning systems are in our cogitation, of which we ourselves are not aware, at all. We think [everything is done easily], we go very easily, we come easily, we make decisions or we do not.
However, that Surveillance System is called wisdom (Aql). In order to understand whether something is right or wrong, the Wisdom needs a series of information and knowledge, it wants a series of documents and files.
If you look at many things shallowly, it is not important, but when you go to the depth of a matter, you see that right now there are all kinds of sounds in the hall, but you don't hear any of them, or your eyes see many sights and many things during the day, but you don't record everything, only the part you need, will be provided for you.
So where should this source of information be? We all know the things that are called basic concepts or first concepts. Last time, we said that we all know that a part is smaller than the whole, this table drawer is smaller than the whole table, or suppose we all know that now it is night or daytime or the seasons are changing.

There are many things that we know; we know that we shouldn’t eat some things, we are afraid of many things, we know what’s the height, we don't jump down from a height, even a child who has grown a little and can walk a little; from a height like a mountain or a building doesn’t jump down the street. If the child has grown up a little, s/he does not do these things. So we already know many things.
The issue is how this information has been collected and how there exists so much information. We have to make comparisons. Whatever we want to do should be immediately sent into our thinking system. The system of Aql (wisdom) should check it and find its records and similar cases to say whether this is right or this is wrong, just like a judge who has to investigate all the cases, read them, study them, listen to the plaintiff, listen to the defendant and then make a decision.
When a judge is examining and issuing a verdict, he must listen to the two parties (the plaintiff and the defendant), this process is just like a human being’s Aql (wisdom) system. These two parties [in our mind] start arguing, defending themselves and saying different things, but in the end the judge issues the verdict. So the judge should be fully aware of everything and his knowledge should be more than them.
Even if you read the following sentence for 500 years, I think few people will understand its meaning unless they are very astute; “In the evolution process, Aql (wisdom) operates on its own like a machine whereas the spirit with its unique and gentle characteristics is led by wisdom’s will.”
All of you might have a question, “what does it mean “to be led by Aql’s (wisdom)  will”?” It means that the Aql is higher than spirit. Spirit should be led by wisdom. Well, I’ve told you in the play “Edmond and Helga” that there exists an ego [Nafs] which is a character, and two other angels or characters called jinni and spirit.
Consider the Spirit as an angel who constantly guides you to the goodness, virtue and the right path. The jinni is also a symbol of the one who guides you to vice and evil and the judge is the the wisdom which is the leader of Nafs (ego). It has to make decisions, so you can see here that if the Spirit speaks or says something, whatever it says, the decision maker is the Aql (wisdom). The Aql (wisdom) can accept the Spirit’s words (its wants) or not.
Therefore, for this reason, it’s said here that “whereas the spirit has unique and gentle characteristics, it is still led by Aql, that is, the spirit inside us is given its orders by Aql (wisdom). Now the Aql is in Nafs (ego) and at the top of it, that is, Aql which is the centre of decision making process is located in Nafs.
In order to come to a conclusion, let's start reading the sixth valley (from the book Love: 14 Valleys for Recovery), of course, I didn't change its primary text too much. So the important point is how the wisdom can lead the spirit and it works as a function of itself and the wisdom increases itself gradually.
How does the wisdom increase itself? For example, you fell into the hole [by accident], so next time you won't pass that place again. When you don't know something, you will experience it, for the next time it’s been recorded in the process of the wisdom and you won't repeat it again, unless someone is very stupid. There are people who step into a hole a hundred times and still go through the same path. It’s said “once bitten, twice shy” [If you are bitten by a snake, you will be extra careful the next time]. However, some people are bitten by the same hole a hundred times [they do not learn from a mistake].
In this valley, we reach one of the most basic and main components of the hidden aspects of a human being, which is the wisdom that is really the most sensitive and important thing. The Wisdom is one of the most significant landmarks [in our life] which has neither a beginning nor an end and we must attain wisdom’s command in our revolution path.”
It is said that it is one of the most important things, and it is really one of the most important and one of the most decisive issues. It is really one of the main components of our existence that guides us. The more accurately the wisdom works, the more a human being lives in peace and tranquility.
The less human being’s wisdom is, the more miserable a person is. We said that the wisdom exists in all creatures that have thinking. I believe that even a stone has thinking and wisdom, but its amount is different. A plant also has wisdom, which means it can make a decision, but its amount may be low. For example, you can see that if we plant a tree here and build a 5-meter wall next to it, or if there is another tree behind it, the tree will bend itself to reach the light.
This tree that bends its own path, bends its trunk, bends its branch to reach the light, has a thought, it has a cogitation, it has a way, it knows something that does this. So its thought and cogitation is in accordance with itself. The roots that only absorb and draw water in themselves and pump for the tree with a system and perform some [specialized] operations, have thought and contemplation, but their wisdom is not like human beings’.
Plants and animals have thoughts and cogitations. Sometimes their thoughts are even more than ours. For example, termites build the buildings, towers, houses and skyscrapers that we can't [imagine and] keep up with them at all, so they have thought and contemplation, but their thinking and thoughts are different from ours, which has no beginning and no end.
We can’t say when our wisdom has started. It is true that we have a Whole wisdom that belongs to the entire system of existence and universe, but we individually also have [these types of] wisdom. We don't know when our wisdom started. we think that its mechanism is from the moment of birth, but no, the brain mechanism is from the moment of birth, but the wisdom is not from the birth.
Therefore, you see that every person who is born is different from another person. We want to reach the wisdom’s command in our entire evolutionary path, in fact, we want to approach it because we cannot reach it absolutely. In my opinion, to attain the wisdom’s command means to get close to it. Is this issue this much important? Yes, it is so important.
We, all human beings, know all bad and good deeds, we mostly know which act is bad and which is good, but we cannot implement it. Our misfortune is that we do not know how to perform it, but we know that this act is bad and this act is good. In any situation and at any age we are in, we need a series of good issues, and we know this very well.

Translated by Sepideh
Revised and edited by Elahe

But if we're 60 years old and try to behave like we're 25, it will look ridiculous. Deep down, we know that a 60-year-old can't act like a 25-year-old. If we still try to do this, it shows we're not thinking clearly we’re one brick short of a load and can't tell the difference between what's appropriate and what's not.

If we can do what is right and reasonable, it means we're getting closer to following wisdom's guidance. For example, I know that studying for 8 hours today would benefit my chances of getting into a certain field and help my future, but I'm struggling to do it.

I’m referring to wisdom, the kind that we can’t trace back to a beginning but inherently knows what’s right and wrong. There are moments in life when a person becomes unsure of what’s right or wrong—like not knowing whether someone they’re spending time with is a good influence or not. This uncertainty can lead to other complications. However, in most cases, people have a clear understanding of which actions are right and which are wrong.

We all understand this, and we can’t honestly say, 'No, I don’t know.' Everything we do in life is ultimately aimed at reaching a point where we act on what we know is right and avoid what we know is wrong. This is the wisdom’s command.

It's not something strange, and I’ve tried to make it clear and understandable for everyone. What does it really mean to reach the highest level of humanity? There are a lot of grandiose terms that get thrown around. For instance, what does it mean to attain the loftiest position as a human being? What exactly is meant by 'the loftiest'? What do we mean by 'a human being'? And what does it mean for us to achieve monotheism or to reach stages like 'Fanna-Fi-Allah' and 'Baqa-Bi-Allah' in mysticism?

We might not fully grasp these deeper concepts, but we do understand the command of wisdom. It means that a person navigates various challenges to align with wisdom's command, which we also seek in our prayers. We know what’s right and wrong. Prophet Ibrahim taught it, then Moses, then Jesus, and finally Prophet Muhammad—all of them clarified what is good and what is bad. So, we are aware of these teachings, but we still struggle to put them into practice. The challenge lies in implementation, and this is what is meant by 'the command of wisdom.

For example, some people might have a runny nose but haven't yet reached the level of wisdom where they simply blow their nose. Or they might have body odor but don’t take a bath, even though they know that bathing would get rid of the smell. Instead, they might just use perfume without addressing the root issue. This shows they haven’t attained the wisdom to take proper care of themselves. Similarly, someone might wear dirty clothes that need changing or continue to wear socks that haven’t been washed in two months and stink. These are all examples of not following the command of wisdom.

For example, the command of wisdom doesn’t require you to go beyond the universe, reach infinity, or communicate with the deceased or saints. It’s not about extraordinary feats. Instead, it’s about taking care of these small things.

Using cosmetics is perfectly fine, and I agree with that. However, applying a heavy layer of makeup can prevent your skin from breathing, which is not good for your skin or overall health. You know that letting your skin breathe is important and that excessive makeup can cause damage. The point is, the commands of wisdom are not about unusual or strange things—they’re about practical, everyday decisions.

For example, cleaning the house and washing dishes on time are part of wisdom's command. Wisdom suggests that if two glasses or three plates get dirty, you should wash them right away and set them aside. However, sometimes we delay washing the dirty dishes until they pile up at the end of the day. We tell ourselves, 'I’ll wash them tomorrow,' but then we keep postponing it, and before we know it, there’s a growing pile of dirty dishes.

Similarly, we should take out the garbage at the end of the day, but sometimes we put it off, leading to a bad smell in the house for several days. Handling these tasks on time is also part of wisdom’s commands.

To follow the command of wisdom, it's not necessary to tackle grand or complex issues. Even handling small, everyday matters—like avoiding toxic people who don't support us—can lead us to wisdom. We should be able to apply wisdom in all aspects of life, from the small things to the big ones. Reaching wisdom doesn’t require achieving mystical states like ‘Fanna-Fi-Allah’ or ‘Baqa-Bi-Allah,’ or deeply understanding poets like Hafiz and Rumi, or mastering practices like healing energy, yoga, and self-knowledge. It’s about doing what is sensible and following wisdom's commands in practical ways. This is the essence of wisdom's command, and it’s not something unusual.

Universal wisdom is like the sun shining on everything. We, and everything in the world, are like houses with windows for the sunlight to enter. The more we cleanse ourselves, the larger these windows become, allowing the light of wisdom to shine through and brighten our lives.

Each of us has our own thoughts and reflections, and the entire universe has its own way of thinking as well. Imagine a farm with various plants like wheat, trees, and animals. Each of these has its own role and information. For example, each grain of wheat can be seen as an information cell of the universe, and each cluster of grains holds a part of the universe’s information. Every tree and even every worm living underground is also a part of this universal information network.

Even when these creatures disappear or die, their hidden forms continue to exist in another dimension or world. Each of them holds a piece of the universe’s information, and together they make up the total wisdom, much like a computer with memory units called bytes, where each byte represents a piece of information. The entire computer also has its own overarching information cell. Similarly, each of us holds partial wisdom, and as we grow, we get closer to understanding greater wisdom. The information of the whole universe works in a similar way.

This means that divine memory isn’t just like a library with documents and information about the universe. It encompasses everything from before creation to eternity. The universe itself acts as an archive, with all its creatures holding and recording information. Instead of a single central memory, this information is spread across all living beings. Each creature carries a part of this information and transmits it to others, creating a network of shared knowledge.

This means that the entire universe gathers all information and, once collected, reflects what is relevant back to us. Everything we research and explore on Earth eventually makes its way to the heavens. In another dimension, this information is reviewed, analyzed, and refined before being sent back to Earth. This ongoing exchange between Earth and the heavens is continuous. So, where does all the information we receive come from? It comes from the entire universe, drawing from all its accumulated experiences and knowledge, shining forth like the sun.

We are all like old houses with windows through which light shines in. Each of us is like a window, and the wider it is, the more light can enter. Similarly, the more we follow the right path, engage in self-purification, and make an effort to grow, the wider our 'window' becomes, allowing more wisdom and information to flow in.

In other words, the more we align ourselves with positive values and brightness, the wider this opening becomes, allowing more light (wisdom) to enter our lives. Conversely, as we move away from these values and towards negativity or darkness, the opening becomes narrower.

We know that moving towards negativity is harmful, but sometimes we still do it. For example, in our system (Congress 60’s system), it's advised to avoid people who are involved with drugs because they can destroy your life. Even with this warning, some people ignore the advice and continue associating with them, which leads them further into negativity. As a result, less wisdom or light enters their life. In other words, the more we align ourselves with positive values and brightness, the wider the opening becomes, allowing more wisdom to enter. Conversely, the more we move towards negativity, the narrower this opening gets, letting less light in.

Wisdom consists of elements we're not entirely familiar with. What exactly are these elements? We don’t know. What is the nature of the spirit? What is the essence of a dream? We don’t know. In our dreams, we see ourselves and others, but we can’t fully grasp their nature. What is the self made of? What is wisdom composed of? We don’t have answers to these questions. In my view, the most accurate response to such questions is that they remain unknown to us. What is the nature of God? We don’t know.

Wisdom is composed of elements beyond our understanding and isn't made of flesh, bones, or other physical materials. That's why it's eternal and indestructible, continuing beyond death. This raises a question about the brain and its role. The answer is that the brain serves as an interpreter for wisdom, much like the tongue is a tool for speech and taste.

The tongue and speaking are distinct functions. It’s not the tongue itself that interprets taste; rather, the sensation is sent to a specific part of the brain where tastes are recognized as spicy, bitter, etc. Similarly, our other senses work in a comparable manner. For instance, the eye functions as a sensor, much like a camera, but it doesn’t 'see' on its own. The eye consists of components such as the cornea, lens, and retina, which capture images and send them in a reversed form to the brain for interpretation.

Hearing and taste work similarly. These five senses—sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell—send information to a central area often referred to as the 'common sense.' It's like five streams flowing into a pond, where the pond represents this common sense. We don't fully understand how this process works and its nature. For instance, we know that specific parts of the brain are responsible for vision; if these areas are damaged, vision is impaired, much like how a damaged eye cannot see if there’s an issue with its cornea. But where exactly is the recognition of images happening, and what is its nature? These questions remain unanswered.

Wisdom functions as a great ruler within our universe, or within the realm of our physical body, having been granted its position by a supreme force. In other words, it embodies Divine Splendor.

Wisdom possesses divine splendor because it guides us towards positive outcomes, rewards, and the right path. Essentially, our inner ruler is our wisdom. Just as a country thrives under a just, insightful, and thoughtful leader, improving progressively, a country led by a poor and incompetent ruler will deteriorate and become troubled.

If a person’s wisdom, acting as a ruler, functions effectively and is orderly, that person will experience comfort and peace. However, if wisdom does not function properly, the person will face misery and hardship. To better understand this concept, we use the parable of a sultan or governor to represent wisdom or the ruler.

Adhering to the guidance of this great ruler leads us to the direct path and helps us achieve one of the highest human goals: a state of peace and tranquility. This goal represents reaching a level where one lives in harmony and contentment. In my book 'How Are You,' I emphasize that we all seek to attain such a state. However, it’s important to recognize that this peace and tranquility are often most fulfilling when accompanied by comfort and facilities. The ultimate aim is to create a life where not only inner peace is achieved, but external comforts also enhance this sense of well-being.

The principle is that we should strive to reach a state of peace and tranquility. By following all the instructions and laws of this wise ruler, we can stay on the right path and progress toward a higher level in our journey of growth. As we evolve, we may come to a point where we can achieve our goals effortlessly, as if by command—‘one day we will say 'be' and it will be.’ This phrase reflects our ability to accomplish tasks and fulfill our plans with ease, whether it's emptying the trash, brushing our teeth, washing our clothes, or handling any other routine tasks.

Many people have desires that are quite easy to fulfill, yet they struggle to make them a reality. They lack the ability to manifest their intentions effortlessly, as if by simply saying 'be' and having it done. This capability isn’t reserved only for divine beings. For instance, someone might have been planning to go to the cinema or theater for a year, or they might have intended to go on a picnic but haven’t managed to do so. The reason for these unfulfilled plans often lies in their lack of the ability to bring their desires into reality with ease. (saying 'be' and it will be.)

In other words, we would gain the ability to act according to our intentions. For example, if we resolve to maintain hope, stay positive, or stop engaging in harmful behaviors, we are more likely to succeed. When life doesn't go as planned and we are tempted to resort to unethical actions to escape the situation, an inner voice may urge us to persevere: 'Don’t give up, everything will be fine. This situation will change. Have faith, be patient, try harder, and avoid committing this immoral act!' This inner guidance helps us stay aligned with our values and goals.

We know that despair is harmful, so we choose not to give in to it. Some people, however, have a tendency to view everything through a lens of negativity. For them, everything seems dark or bleak—whether it’s the country, love, people, or life in general. Their perspective is fundamentally pessimistic. Similarly, there are individuals who are characterized by a constant opposition to everything. They don’t care what the issue is; their role seems to be to oppose it, regardless of the situation.

One day, on the way to the swimming pool, a friend of mine shared a story about dissenting individuals. In the story, Mullah Nasruddin's wife had drowned in a river. The villagers gathered and began searching for her in the deeper part of the river, where they thought she might have been carried by the current. Mullah Nasruddin, however, suggested they search upstream instead. When they questioned him, saying that the water flows downstream and she would have been carried to the river’s depths, he replied, 'No, I know this woman well. She was always contrary. If she went into the river, she would have swum against the current. Go look for her upstream.'
This story illustrates the nature of some people who are inherently dissenting, regardless of the situation. Sometimes, a person decides to stop being disappointed or dissenting and instead focuses on resolving their own issues.

When someone finds themselves in a challenging situation and decides not to repeat an anti-value action, they might say, 'I won’t do this bad thing again.' However, when they encounter a similar situation, their inherent wisdom will quickly reveal itself.

When someone is ill, they can sometimes contribute to their own suffering. For example, if they keep repeating things like, 'I will never get better, I’m always in a bad mood,' they reinforce their own negativity. By continuously saying, 'I’m not fine, I won’t get better, I’m going to die,' they make their condition worse and become increasingly sicker.

When someone feels tempted to give in to despair again, an inner voice might encourage them: 'Don’t give up; everything will be fine. This situation will change. Have faith, be patient, try harder, and avoid making unethical choices.' However, another voice might immediately counter this optimism with dark thoughts: 'Didn’t I tell you that life is meaningless and worthless? Eventually, death awaits you. Death might be better than living like this.' This voice, filled with negativity, seeks to lead us toward darkness and despair, often suggesting things like, 'Seize the day—no one will ever know!

When we resolve not to despair or to avoid seeing everything as dark, especially when faced with illness or difficult situations, an inner dialogue often emerges. One voice, which could be seen as representing the character of a jinni, might urge us to give in to despair and negativity. It might say things like, 'Life is meaningless; death is better than living like this.' Conversely, another voice, representing the spirit, encourages us not to give up: 'Don’t despair; everything will be fine. Have faith, be patient, and make the right choices.' In this internal struggle, wisdom is contrasted with the spirit, guiding us toward a more hopeful and constructive path.

Now we understand that the first voice, which might lead us toward despair and negativity, represents our lower self—a focus on immediate sensory pleasures and indulgence. In contrast, the voice that encourages us not to despair, to be patient, and to strive toward goodness reflects the Divine Splendor and embodies wisdom. This guiding voice, which invites us to act with patience and perseverance, is aligned with higher values and wisdom. On the other hand, the voice that tells us to give up or indulge in fleeting pleasures represents the lower self.

Sometimes, the lower self can influence a person so strongly that it leads them to the point of suicide. For someone in this state, everything seems black and hopeless, and they may feel that everything has been destroyed. They might think, 'What’s the point?' and be driven to complete despair. This highlights the profound impact of our thoughts and internal dialogues. The commands of wisdom and the influence of the lower self are crucial, valuable, and deeply formative for our lives.

We should recognize that the central issue and much of the internal struggle lies in the battle between our higher self and lower self. Inside each of us, there is a conflict where one voice says, 'Don’t despair,' while the other counters with, 'Be disappointed, life is futile.' One voice might argue, 'People are not so bad,' while the other insists, 'No, everyone is bad and out to get you.' This internal conflict is crucial, as one side must ultimately prevail. The main problem and part of this internal battle is indeed the struggle between wisdom and the lower self. The lower self represents a powerful and cunning force that distracts us from following the guidance of wisdom. Now we clearly understand that this opposing force is what we call 'The Lower Self.

Indeed, inside each person, there is an ongoing conflict between wisdom and the lower self, or between the spirit and the jinni. This internal struggle is constant, with both forces often mocking and challenging us in various ways. The lower self tends to pull us towards its own desires and needs. It represents the most primal aspects of our nature, akin to the highest level of animalistic instinct. For example, just as a donkey will eagerly eat hay regardless of who it belongs to, the lower self seeks to satisfy its cravings without regard for higher values or consequences.

Part Two

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

We begin the meeting, drawing strength from the Absolute Power.
Hello, friends, I am Hossein, a traveler and the guardian of this meeting. I kindly ask you to observe 14 seconds of silence for our liberation from our most formidable enemy, which is our ignorance and lack of awareness, and to seek refuge in the Great God.
Thank you, friends.
I would like to ask the esteemed secretary, Ms. Neda, to present a summary of the previous meeting's report and today's agenda.
Hello, friends, I am Neda, a traveler.
In the name of the Absolute Power of God, today marks the sixth meeting of the twentieth session with the agenda of “The Sixth Valley, part two”, held on 16/8/91, under the guidance of Mr. Dezhakam and my secretaryship, Neda, starting at 9 o'clock. Thank you.

Hello, friends, I am Hossein, a traveler.
Our discussion today is about wisdom, and we previously covered the first part of the sixth valley. In the sixth valley, it is stated, "We must accept and implement the judgment of wisdom as an absolute ruler." We held two sessions regarding wisdom: one titled "Introduction to Wisdom" and the other covering the first part of the sixth valley.
To get to the core of today's topic and to keep everyone informed, I will read a bit from the previous session to bridge us to today's discussion. We likened the city of the human existence and body to a city. In the Holy Book, it says, "I swear by this city," which is often interpreted by scholars as referring to the city of Mecca. My perspective is that this could represent the human body, as in the continuation of the Surah, discussions arise about the tongue, lips, parents, the creation of humans, and the physical body itself. "We created man in hardship," and these topics are addressed.
So, one interpretation might be that the city represents the body—the body that we have is this existential city.

Now, we liken our body or existential city, both internally and externally, to a land, and we create characters for the cells of the body, wisdom, the self, and other forces to make the topic clearer. It's as if we are staging a play in this country, where all types of people can be found, including wild tribes, corrupt individuals, righteous people, and advanced ones.

In this land, there exists a council where the leaders of all tribes gather, and all decisions and desires are examined in this council. The outcomes are then presented to the ruler or sovereign, and if the ruler deems it appropriate, they issue commands for those desires and decisions to be implemented, which are immediately executed.
Now, the important point is that as long as this council makes logical and rational decisions, there are no problems, and everything remains in peace and tranquility. However, when the council, under pressure from the leaders of corrupt and deviant tribes, makes illogical decisions, the situation changes because the great ruler or wisdom does not issue commands for execution.

We have likened the human being or the existential city of a person to a city. When it is compared to a city, a series of rules are necessary for its governance. Even the tribes of Native Americans, wild tribes, or African tribes all have their own set of laws. There is always a tribal chief and a tribal council. In modern life, it’s the same. Right now, in America, the tribal chief is Obama. Until today, that’s clear. Tomorrow? It’s uncertain. The tribal council is represented by the U.S. Congress, the legislative bodies in America, and in some countries, the president is the tribal chief.
 

In that country, the assembly is the tribal council. This model has been the same in the past and continues to be so now. So, this model is universally applicable, just in different forms. Sometimes the tribal chief is the president, sometimes he is a king, at times an emperor, and sometimes a leader. It doesn't matter. In this case, the chief is represented by wisdom, and the council is made up of the people of this city. Naturally, in every city, there are all kinds of people—some are good, some are educated, some are hardworking, and there are also the unwholesome ones. It's the same in our own system. Now, imagine that in our system, we are moving towards the straight path of values. If in our system, or any other system, those negative elements increase, what happens? Power shifts to them, and then corruption and decay manifest everywhere.

So, if everything is moving correctly on its path now, it's because that overall wisdom, that collective knowledge, governs the entire system. When one or two undesirable elements appear, they are immediately suppressed—either they are educated, warned, or they leave voluntarily, or in other words, they are removed from the system. Therefore, in the city of existence, it's the same. Every person has a series of desires, which is entirely unwisdomable. If someone sees a ring on a shelf, they want to take it and put it in their bag, or if they need something they don't have, they want to obtain it at any cost. This exists in humans as well.
Well, a good ruler always wants the best for their country; it’s rare to find a ruler who desires the harm of their people. In any government, I don't think there is such a person who wants ill for their nation. It's like a father in a family—no father wishes bad for their family members. A father might be negligent, but he doesn’t want harm for them. The owner of a factory doesn’t want the factory to fail; they want it to thrive, even if they lack wisdom or understanding. A leader, an emperor, a president, a king, or a ruler does not want the downfall of their country. They never wish for their nation to be devastated or for the people to suffer; however, due to their ignorance, they might create problems or be given incorrect information, leading to wrong decisions. Humans are the same.

So, the wisdom always desires goodness; it never seeks harm. But sometimes, those "wild tribes"—ignorance, foolishness, selfishness, self, arrogance—can grow stronger and try to impose their desires, pulling wisdom down from its higher place. When the council or the body of decision-makers comes up with irrational and illogical laws and presents them to the wisdom, the wisdom doesn't accept them. It says, "I won’t approve this, I won’t sign off on it." If the council passes a decision that harms the people or the nation, it’s presented to the ruler, and the ruler says, "I won’t sign this; you're being unjust, you're causing harm." When the ruler refuses to sign, they may pressure him, stage a coup, or force him to comply under duress.

They say, “We’ll do this and that,” but here’s where the situation changes: the great ruler, or the wisdom, no longer issues commands for these decisions to be carried out. They say that the wisdom has to sign off on it, and nothing will be implemented without the wisdom’s approval. At this stage, the chiefs of the wild tribes, who are always chasing after their animalistic desires, join forces with some corrupt and autocratic leaders. They start plotting deception, spreading hopelessness, and committing acts of betrayal. They hand over the leadership of the council to the commanding self and try, through all sorts of tricks, tempting promises, or utterly disheartening tactics, along with countless false justifications and lies, to align the rest of the ignorant masses with their plans.

When the chiefs of the tribes present their demands and the ruler or leader refuses to sign off on them, these desires can be seen as totally illogical and irrational. The mind doesn’t agree and won’t approve them, just like a ruler in a city who refuses to sign certain decrees. When this happens, the tribal chiefs gather and start conspiring with other negative elements, aligning themselves with corrupt and autocratic leaders. They use all sorts of tricks and deception, just as it happens in any system—a country, a company, a group, or even a family. You see the negative elements unite, finding others like them, presenting reasons, forming alliances, and slowly expanding their influence. They begin to develop and spread within the system, using autocratic figures, trickery, deceit, and the planting of hopelessness. They betray trust and elevate a corrupt and negative individual as their leader, who represents the commanding self.

Essentially, we’ve said that the nafs (self) is singular—there’s only one self, but it can exist at different levels. A person remains the same, whether they have a doctorate, are uneducated, or hold any level of academic degree. The self, likewise, can be the commanding self (nafs al-ammarah), the blaming self (nafs al-lawwamah), or the secure self (nafs al-mutma'innah). It’s the same self, yet what varies is its rank and level of awareness and knowledge.

At lower levels, with weak awareness, the self uses empty and false arguments to align others who are equally unaware with its intentions. When a conspiracy is underway, the knowledgeable resist, while the ignorant, due to their simplicity, are quick to accept—they don’t realize the implications. The wise understand that such actions ultimately harm them, so they don’t consent. However, the ignorant agree and follow along. When they succeed in gaining enough support, they elevate one of the unruly or corrupted individuals to lead them.

Once they appoint this person as their leader, they essentially place the commanding self (nafs al-ammarah) in charge, meaning it becomes the head of the council. It issues orders at will. With this shift, a silent coup occurs against the wise ruler, pushing reason aside. Although reason still exists, it’s sidelined and ignored, left powerless in a symbolic role—occasionally giving orders but having no real control. Instead, the commanding self now holds the reins.

In this state, reason, like a deposed ruler, has no real say; decisions are in the hands of irrational desires. In a person, this means their unreasonable wants—urging them to lie, betray, indulge in fleeting pleasures, use drugs, or take that "one last pill" with the thought that no one will notice. These urges prompt endless harmful actions, sidelining reason completely. Initially, reason might give occasional orders to maintain appearances, but the commanding self carries out its endless desires without restraint.
As a result, the inhabitants of this “inner city”—the person’s entire being—become immersed in corruption, negative thinking, greed, revenge, amassing wealth through unethical means, and the reckless consumption of drugs, alcohol, and various intoxicants. They’re caught up in pride and indulgence, blind to the destruction these behaviors are causing.

When things reach this point, the commanding self and the unruly figures throw open the treasury, inviting everyone to take whatever they want. They encourage people to raid stores, eat all they want at restaurants without paying, stay in hotels for free, indulge in drinks without charge, park wherever they wish—no traffic rules, no limits, and no consequences. At first, this chaotic freedom fills everyone with excitement and elation. They think they’ve reached a dreamlike state where anything goes: parking anywhere, eating anything, doing whatever they please without restrictions.

But in reality, if a city were to function like this, it wouldn’t last even six months—perhaps not even three—before it falls apart. Without order, it would descend into ruin, with no safety for anyone. In the beginning, this lack of control might feel thrilling, even liberating. It could seem like a dream come true, living without boundaries or responsibilities. But, inevitably, it leads to disaster, bringing only hardship and misery in the end.

When a person gets entangled in certain vices—such as corruption, negative thoughts, despair, or greed—they stray from balance and start desiring more than their fair share, which is what we call excessive desire. Sometimes, they also become consumed by revenge. Revenge is incredibly dangerous; it entraps a person in endless cycles and often delays their progress, keeping them under constant pressure, wasting their time, and pushing them away from true purpose.

Consider this: someone hurt you deeply, and you set out to hurt them back, believing that once you’ve avenged yourself, it will be over. But in reality, this is only the beginning of a new cycle of retaliation. Let’s say someone took a loved one from you, and in return, you take the same action, seeking to hurt them even more. You think your revenge is complete, but for the other person, the drive for revenge has only just begun. They will come after you, and then you will seek to retaliate again. It becomes a never-ending cycle, like children hitting each other back and forth, never realizing that neither is winning but rather both are just hurting and losing in the process.
Such a person may become so fixated on revenge that they are willing to destroy their own belongings if it means harming the other person in some way. They think, “I’ll burn my car if it means scratching theirs; I’ll ruin my own property if it affects theirs.” In the end, they’ve wasted their entire life over something that wasn’t worth it. Why live like that?
This is why, in divine wisdom, God established the principle of qisas (retributive justice) but simultaneously urges forgiveness. God says we may seek retribution if we choose, but He is forgiving and merciful. In essence, God is showing us a path to forgive rather than to seek vengeance, encouraging us to rise above petty cycles.

Excessive desire, revenge, and the accumulation of wealth through illicit means are all paths that lead to a cycle of dissatisfaction and chaos. Even if you were to gather wealth through legitimate means, one must ask: what is the ultimate goal?

When you go to sleep at night, you only need one bed, one pillow, and one mattress. You can't sleep on more than one, no matter how many you have. The same applies to food; you can only eat one serving of kabob at a time. Even if you amass countless plates, it won't change the fact that you can only consume one.
Money and wealth operate similarly. How much of it is truly necessary? How much time and energy will you spend chasing after it? These thoughts lead to negative thinking and a sense of emptiness. Instead of finding fulfillment, individuals often drown in excess and arrogance, forgetting what truly matters in life.
The pursuit of excess—whether in material possessions, substances, or wealth—ultimately leads to a disconnect from what is essential and meaningful. When individuals become lost in this cycle, they may find themselves in a state of euphoria and pride, yet blind to the destruction and emptiness it brings to their lives and their communities.

When a person is corrupt and completely immersed in corruption, constantly seeking revenge, endlessly greedy, always wanting more—obsessed with accumulating wealth—spending all their time collecting money, doubling every penny, turning two into three, in the end, surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return. (Holy Quran). One day, suddenly, you hear, "He’s gone."
There are people, seventy, even eighty years old, who are still hoarding wealth. They have enough to last them seventy thousand years, yet they keep accumulating more. Sometimes, their heirs don’t even get to use it. They stash their money away in secret accounts, in banks no one even knows about. And when they die, those banks—foreign and domestic—take it all.

When people are consumed by these things—negative matters—they don’t even realize the destruction they’re causing. Either that, or they end up drowning in despair, losing their self-confidence, and eventually falling into illness or misery.
There are a few key factors that contribute to our illnesses. For example, diseases don’t have just one cause—they stem from multiple factors. In the past, in a small town, there used to be one hakim bashi (traditional healer). And funny enough, medicine wasn’t even his main profession! Imagine—he might have been a wool merchant or a coal seller, yet he also worked as an orthopedist, setting and healing broken bones. If someone got sick, he’d treat them. He’d even pull teeth, perform circumcisions, and do all sorts of other medical work. He was the go-to person for everything in town.
Now, every neighborhood you go to has sixty doctors. They’ve built entire medical complexes everywhere—especially in our country. Meanwhile, in some countries, it’s a different story. A friend of mine once told me that Austria has only three medical universities, and each one has been around for two, three, even four hundred years. And how many medical universities do we have in our country?

I think in every village you go to, there’s a medical school. A friend of mine once told me that, until a few years ago, there were ninety medical universities just within the private university system. As for public universities, I think we might have about two hundred medical universities. In Iran, it feels like there’s a medical school in every village, everywhere you go. The problem is, these students don’t receive proper education, and there are so many doctors, but there’s no work for them.
Now, my question is: Why have all these diseases come about?

1. Lack of Movement: Lack of physical activity prevents the body from absorbing the nutrients from food, so they end up being stored in the body. Why does a person eat food? Have you ever thought about why we eat? We eat because we want to enjoy it, because it’s delicious. But food is also a form of energy—it’s like gasoline for a car. You fill the tank, and when it’s full, you start filling the trunk, then maybe the backseat or gas cans, until every single space is packed with gas. That’s like us: no matter how much we eat, all the fat and sugar gets stored in our bodies.

This is one factor—the food we eat can’t be absorbed because we’re not moving, and that’s one of the biggest causes of disease.
2. Not Knowing How to Eat Properly: Eating fast food and leftovers. I remember when we were kids, sometimes our dinner would be left over. For example, when neighbors would bring food over, it was from the previous day. My mom used to say, "My kids don’t eat food that’s a day old; it needs to be fresh for them to eat it." But now, people hold on to food for months or even years, and then eat it. You store food in freezers for six, nine, or even twelve months. You take out that meat or those vegetables and eat them. Canned goods, too—food that’s been in cans for two, three, five years—and people still eat it. Fast food, too. You see ketchup sitting in a jar for five years. You wonder what kind of chemicals they’ve added to preserve it.

Half the people have damaged intestines, suffering from colitis, or have problems with their stomachs, small or large intestines, or digestive systems in general. A high percentage of these issues are related to our diet.

Another important factor is nutrition. And then there’s stress. What causes stress? It comes from hopelessness, lack of self-confidence, greed, revenge, and negative thoughts. These things lead to illness—they can cause cancer, leukemia, heart disease, vascular problems, and colitis. These are just some of the factors that manifest as disease.
So, to avoid these illnesses, we need to eat fresh food. But these days, it’s become a trend—some people take vitamins constantly. They take calcium every day, for example. Well, if you take calcium daily, it builds up and can lead to kidney stones. Some medications are good, but only in moderation. Taking vitamins every single day can actually cause various health issues.
A 20-year-old, a 30-year-old, even a 40-year-old—do they really need to take vitamins every day? Multivitamins, vitamin C, iron—this and that? These are meant for 80- or 90-year-olds who no longer have the strength to chew properly, whose digestion isn’t working well. That’s when they might need to take a few vitamin pills.
If you want vitamin C, why not eat fresh foods? Have some lemons, oranges—real, natural sources. But the problem is, people don’t eat these things anymore.

And so, all of this manifests as different illnesses. When the inhabitants of this "city"—meaning the human body—become consumed by corruption, negative thoughts, greed, revenge, illicit gains, competition, excessive medication, alcohol, and indulgence, they fail to notice the damage they’re doing to themselves. They don’t even realize where their problems are coming from.
“Why am I sick? Why did I get this disease?” they wonder. Sure, some illnesses may be genetic, but what about the rest? Some people develop diseases that have never existed in their family—not in their father, not in their mother—yet they suffer from them. That’s the result of stress and arrogance.
People need to remind themselves: I’m just a human being, like everyone else.
Every filmmaker who has ever approached me to make a movie or TV series about our work has said the same thing at first: I want to make something that’s never been done before. They all say that. And in the end, they just make a mess of it.

People are the same way. Sometimes we think we’re special, that we’re some kind of exception. Like the sky cracked open, and we just fell down, separate from everyone else. But in reality, we’re all the same—there’s no real difference between us. If we really pay attention, we’ll see that.
Sure, some people know a little more, and some know a little less, but other than that, what’s the difference? We all have two eyes, a nose, a mouth, eyebrows, hands, and feet. Nobody has anything extra. Maybe someone’s nose is bigger, someone else’s is smaller. And if their nose is too big, well, they get surgery—no problem! (laughs)
Just last night, Shani was telling me that he was walking down Andisheh Street, near Seyed Khandan, past that shopping mall. He saw six young guys walking together, and all six of them had nose jobs! I feel bad for you ladies—these are your future men, all with surgically altered noses.
Ah, those were the days... Louti Heydar, Louti Ghanbar, Louti Mofrad, Qalandar—real men, full of kindness and loyalty (a piece of a folkloric poem) But those kinds of men are gone now.
Anyway, the point is, all of these things—our mindset, our obsessions—they’re what make us sick.

When we lose hope and lack self-confidence, we end up drowning in illness and misery. That’s why we said—if we want to feel at ease, the first step is realizing that we’re no different from anyone else. We’re just human, like everybody else. We’re not special, and we shouldn’t be too full of ourselves.
Once we accept this, we can breathe a little easier. We can live like normal human beings, without unnecessary stress. But if we get caught up in negative thoughts, wealth, pills, arrogance, and self-importance, we’ll never reach that peace of mind. Instead, all of it will manifest in different illnesses, and we’ll spend our lives going from one doctor’s office to another, from one lab test to the next.
And when that happens—when we get consumed by these things—slowly but surely, destruction begins. And it doesn’t stop. We push our own existence toward collapse, to the brink of total ruin.
Little by little, it all starts to break down—our body, our mind, our thoughts, our behavior. It accelerates aging. People who are constantly worried, always anxious, always hopeless—they age faster.

This kind of lifestyle leads to premature aging. You see people in their twenties or thirties—bent over, their faces pale and lifeless, completely drained of vitality. Then they try to cover it up with layers of makeup, but underneath, their complexion is like a lifeless corpse or the cold glow of a fluorescent light.
This destruction starts from within, slowly taking over, manifesting as different illnesses. They push their own existence—their very bodies—to the brink of total collapse. And this continues until one of the great figures of this "council" steps in: the blaming self.
This process of self-destruction keeps going until, at some point, the blaming self finally speaks up: Hey, what’s going on? What are you doing? Where are you heading? What are these thoughts? This is leading to ruin, to misery!
At that moment, the blaming self rises within and tries to stop the commanding self from taking full control. It shakes the others awake, warning them of the destruction ahead.
This is what we call conscience. It steps in and says: What are you doing? Where is this leading? How much is enough? Stop! And if it manages to take control—with wisdom, cooperation, and without force, war, or chaos—it gradually reclaims power from the commanding self, preventing total destruction.

When a great force—our conscience—finally wakes up and asks, where are you going? What are you doing? It must coordinate with the other forces within us and take power away from the commanding self (Nafs-e Ammara).
But here’s the key point—something I strongly believe in, and I think people have been getting wrong for centuries: You can’t take this power by force. You can’t overthrow it through revolution or seize it in a coup. War and bloodshed won’t work. And even if they do, the results won’t last.
Take addiction, for example. Some try to fight it all at once, like a war, like a sudden coup. But that never works. You can’t just strip addiction away overnight. Change doesn’t happen instantly. You can’t take an uneducated person and turn them into a scholar in a moment. Someone who doesn’t speak English won’t suddenly start speaking fluently like a native.
Transformation has to happen gradually, step by step. If you try to force it all at once, it will never succeed.
Look at history—did the Russian Revolution really succeed?

Take France, for example—at the beginning, it went through multiple upheavals, with violence and bloodshed. That’s why this process must be guided by wisdom. When power is taken away from the commanding self, it must be done with awareness and understanding.
Many great figures have tried to transform a so-called "bad" person into a "good" one overnight through self-denial and strict discipline, but that simply doesn’t work. You can’t turn a negative force into a positive one through sheer austerity—it has to be done with knowledge and awareness.
That’s why one of the wise must awaken the others from their deep slumber, and through careful planning and the cooperation of other enlightened individuals, power must be gradually and peacefully transferred from the commanding self to the blaming self—without war, bloodshed, or a coup. Power is taken from one and given to the other.
After all, the commanding self is still a part of us—it’s not something we can simply eliminate. When we were ignorant, it held all the power. But once we become aware, we must acknowledge its efforts, thank it for what it has done so far, and let it know that while it still has its place, from now on, we must follow the guidance of the blaming self.

Of course, the blaming self is actually exhausted—it doesn’t have the energy to keep going anymore. In situations like this, we see that the blaming self, like a tyrannical ruler, is worn out and at its limit. Running an orderly system is easy, but managing chaos is incredibly draining—it takes up a lot of time and energy.
A country that is well-governed allows its president to have an easier life. Take the U.S., for example—sometimes you see President Bush spending two weeks at his personal ranch, taking time off in the Alps, going on vacation, attending concerts, and still managing to take care of his personal life and responsibilities. But in a place like Afghanistan, the president barely has a moment to breathe. The second he takes a break, there’s news of a bombing, an attack, an assassination—there’s no peace, and eventually, exhaustion sets in.
The same applies to Congress 60. If our system were chaotic, I’d be overwhelmed. I’d get so tired and frustrated that I’d want to give up altogether. But when the system runs smoothly, I can do my job, live my life, and handle everything with balance.
The point is, when the commanding self keeps running things this way, it eventually wears itself out. It’s exhausted from all the drug use, alcohol, and pills. It’s drained from endless greed, revenge, and deception—cheating others, hoarding money, constantly scheming. It’s completely worn out. But when it reaches that point, it doesn’t need a coup or destruction. Instead, we should simply acknowledge its efforts, thank it for what it has done, and let it step aside.

Of course, the blaming self—which is also us—gets exhausted too and loses the will to continue. At this point, the wise ones once again seek out the great ruler, or reason, and bring it back to power—but with conditions and limitations, not absolute authority.
They go in search of reason, the leader of the council, and say, “If you wouldn’t mind, please return and take charge again for a while—but under certain terms,” because things are still not fully settled. Power is restored, but not in its entirety.
However, this story continues, and gradually, the state of affairs improves. Sometimes, the wise leaders and the people choose the right path, and other times, they make mistakes. The interesting thing is that whenever they go astray, they immediately feel concerned and remorseful, and they start seeking the straight path once again.

Sometimes, everything is peaceful and in harmony, while other times, things become completely chaotic and unsettled. But overall, both the council and the city's inhabitants are constantly refining and purifying themselves, striving to distance themselves from anti-values and follow the path of true values. Until one day, another great figure rises from the council.
When the commanding self was in charge, it kept giving orders—"Do this, do that"—pushing for irrational and wrongful actions. But then, another leader steps in: the blaming self. What does that mean? It’s essentially the conscience. When a person commits a wrongdoing, they feel regret afterward.
For example, someone might take a bribe and feel proud, thinking, I’m smart! I outwitted the system—good for me! Or a thief on a motorcycle might snatch a woman’s bag. If she resists, he drags her across the asphalt and even kicks her before taking off with her belongings. Afterward, he might feel triumphant, thinking, I really got her! Why should she have money when I don’t?
But when the blaming self takes over, everything changes. If he commits the same wrongdoing, regret sets in. His conscience starts questioning him: How would you feel if someone did this to your wife? What if someone stole your sister’s bag, dragged her across the pavement, and punched her in the face? What would you do? Would you accept it if it happened to your mother, your friend, or your neighbor?
At that moment, he wakes up—his conscience rebukes him. And that is exactly what the blaming self is: the voice of conscience.

At the stage of the commanding self, a person commits wrongful acts without feeling any guilt. But when they enter the stage of the blaming self, they may still make mistakes, but now, regret follows, and they begin to reproach themselves. Sometimes they do wrong, sometimes they do right—sometimes they take one step forward, sometimes one step back. There are moments of peace and moments of turmoil. But through this process, they are gradually purifying themselves.
For example, most of us here are currently in the stage of the blaming self. Then, at some point, another great figure rises from the council—this time, it is the perfected self. And we know well that if the perfected self ever takes power, that will be the day when the just ruler, reason, gains absolute authority. That will be the day when we come closer to living under the command of reason.
So, this journey continues until one day, another ruler—a new leader of the council—takes the throne: the perfected self.
What does the perfected self mean? It means everything it says is reasonable, everything it commands is logical, and everything it pursues is practical. It is stable, unwavering, and completely trustworthy. When a person reaches the stage of the perfected self, their inner self and reason become fully aligned, working in perfect harmony.

Imagine a country where all members of the council and government are righteous, pure, and obedient to the law. Their ruler is wise and knowledgeable, blessed with divine grace. If these two—wise leadership and virtuous citizens—work together, how prosperous and flourishing could that nation become? That is when we truly approach the rule of reason.
Here, the story of the deposed ruler and the council’s leadership is actually our own story. The allegory of governance, councils, and rulers is a reflection of us—because it is the incompetence and selfishness of the commanding self that has seized power, throwing our inner world—our body and soul—into complete chaos, leading us to the brink of destruction. For some of us, this is exactly what has happened: under the rule of the commanding self, our lives have spiraled into misery. And for some, this destruction is still ongoing.
Some battles we have overcome, but others still remain. Take those in the first travel. Every time they decide to let go of despair, hopelessness, failure, or destructive behaviors, the commanding self—the head of the council—immediately issues orders, summoning an army of rebels and wild soldiers to attack their inner world. These figures represent the flood of negative thoughts that invade their mind, shaking their entire existence with doubt and hopelessness.
It’s like when we finally decide to move forward—we tell ourselves, Enough! Let’s leave despair and nihilism behind and focus on life. But the moment we are still under the influence of the commanding self, an avalanche of negative thoughts rushes in:
"Forget it, life is short! Why are you even bothering? In the end, what does it matter? Just enjoy the moment. Who knows what tomorrow brings? Why are you putting yourself through this? Why do you even exist? If you’re going to die in five years, why not just end it now?"
These thoughts are like inner demons, whispering constant negativity, trying to pull us back into darkness.

Some even go as far as attempting suicide. The moment they try to make a positive change or take a good step forward, despair and hopelessness are immediately instilled in them, pulling them down. What’s the point? Things will never change. I knew from the start it would all go wrong. I was never lucky. I was doomed from the beginning. I shouldn’t have been born in the first place. Who even asked for me to be here?
Thoughts like these keep circling in their mind, hitting them relentlessly. Just as they begin to move toward something positive, an intense wave of negativity crashes in, overwhelming them. And this isn’t just in their head—it actually happens. When a person is transitioning from one stage to another, the negative thoughts and self-doubt intensify.
Sometimes, real obstacles even arise to block their path. For example, someone who has decided to stop stealing might suddenly find themselves in a desperate situation with money right in front of them, tempting them. Or someone who wants to quit wrongdoing might end up in circumstances that push them toward it.
But if they manage to push through that phase, things get easier. That’s why, whenever you decide to stop doing something harmful, it feels like every negative force suddenly comes crashing down on you.

A flood of negative influences rushes toward you, trying to block your path and prevent you from moving to a higher level. At that moment, you are still in the realm of the blaming self, surrounded by negative forces. The moment you try to step into the realm of positive forces, the negative ones won’t let you go so easily—they will do everything in their power to hold you back.
But here’s the thing: even the positive forces won’t just welcome you with open arms. They don’t immediately accept you because they need to be sure you’re truly ready. What if this is just temporary? they wonder. What if you’re not serious? They will test you before allowing you in.
So now you’re caught between two battles. On one side, the negative forces refuse to let go. On the other, the positive forces demand that you prove yourself before they accept you. In this stage, you face intense pressure, stress, and inner turmoil.
And just then, the head of the council—the commanding self—issues an order, unleashing an army of rebels and wild soldiers to storm the entire nation of your being. These invaders represent the flood of negative thoughts that sweep through your mind, shaking your entire inner world with fear, doubt, and hopelessness.

I mentioned before that some people constantly instill hopelessness. Some writers even pen books full of negativity that ultimately lead people toward suicide, despair, and nihilism. This is exactly the kind of trap we’re talking about.
In any case, the solution lies in one thing: from this moment onward, we need to focus on following the command of reason. And to begin this journey, we don’t need to take drastic actions or perform miraculous feats. The path to freedom is simple: we must start, step by step, by listening to the command of reason.
And when it comes time to follow the command of reason, you don’t need to perform extraordinary acts. You don’t need to delve into the universe, uncover its secrets, or step outside your body and soar through the heavens. You don’t need to discover hidden truths, and you certainly don’t need to communicate with angels. No, no, these things can be left aside.

In any case, the solution lies in one thing: from now on, let’s try to follow the commands of reason. And to do this, we don’t need to take grand actions or perform extraordinary feats. For instance, if reason tells us to take a shower, put out the trash, cut unnecessary expenses, save money, or not interfere in other people's affairs, we should listen to it. By doing so, we’ll be able to gradually carry out bigger tasks.
The first thing reason will ask us to do is something small. It won’t tell us to suddenly fly through the air or walk on water, for example. I’ve said this before: if you want to fly in the air, be a fly; if you want to walk on water, be a piece of debris. What’s the point? What does it really accomplish? If you jump in the air, a fly will also be flying. If someone says they walk on water, a piece of straw can do that too. What does that prove?
Think about it—if each of us were able to fly in the air or walk on water, then what? What would change? What’s the point of it? A fly flies, a twig floats on water, but it’s the heart that matters if you want to be someone.

So, we don’t need to perform grand actions. Instead, if reason tells us to, for example, take a shower, some people ignore it. They smell bad and when you sit next to them, it’s suffocating. But they still procrastinate, saying, “I’ll go tomorrow,” or “I’ll go on the weekend,” or even think of getting a nose job but won’t even bother taking a shower. They do all sorts of ridiculous things but can’t even manage simple tasks.
And really, the tasks we’re asking of you are simple. We’re not asking you to spend forty days in seclusion for spiritual purification, eat almonds for your brain, undergo rigorous rituals, or recite mantras. No. We’re just asking you to listen to reason. If reason says, "Take a shower," then go take a shower. Simple things. If it says, "Take out the trash, put it by the door," then do it. If it tells you to cut unnecessary expenses, then do it. Save the money if you don’t need to spend it. If it says, "Don’t interfere in other people’s business," then don’t. As they say in Kerman, “Why worry about the neighbor's pastry? We don’t need to concern ourselves with the neighbor’s sweets.”
Some people are good, bad, expensive, cheap, pretty, ugly, busy, or unemployed. But so what? Why should we meddle in their affairs? Just focus on yourself. If we can pay attention to these simple commands, it’ll gradually help us follow the bigger commands of reason.

We start with the small things, and gradually, we move on to bigger commands. And we must understand that until we become obedient to reason, we will never be able to become a worthy commander. If we do not obey reason, we will never become a capable leader. In the end, the distance between being commanded by reason and being commanded by the lower self is less than a hair’s breadth in terms of space, but in terms of time, it may take thousands and thousands of years.
The distance between the command of reason and the command of the lower self may be less than a hair’s breadth in terms of space, but in terms of time, it could take thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of years for the command of the lower self to transform into the command of the assured self or reason. So, let’s do what we are commanded to do.

The end of the sixth valley.

Translated by: Marjan

2/18/2025