In the name of the Absolute Power, God
The 14th session of the 83rd series of educational workshops for travelers and companions in Congress 60, was held by Mr. Hossein Dezhakam, as the guest speaker and the master of the ceremony and Companion Afrouz. The workshop began at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, January 23, 2025, with the agenda "Marriage."
Hello, friends. My name is Hossein, and I am in recovery.
I hope you are all doing well; by the grace of God, I am doing well too.
Today is the 3rd of Bahman 1403 (January 23, 2025), and it is 10:00 a.m. We are gathered here at the Academy building in Tehran.
In our last session, I discussed three topics. One of them was addiction treatment. The method we’ve developed for addiction recovery, known as the DST method, is, in my opinion, the only viable solution, not just now but for all time. There is no alternative path to properly treating addiction. While minor variations might exist here and there, the core of the method remains unchanged.
It’s like planting wheat—it takes eight months—or like the process of pregnancy, which takes nine months. These are fixed natural processes, and addiction recovery is no different. We have no other way.
It’s not as though, in the future, recovery will become faster. If, someday, they develop a way for a baby to be born in three months instead of nine, then perhaps we could talk about shortening the DST process. But even in that case, the baby would need to be perfectly healthy—not born prematurely or with complications.
The next topic is obesity. They say, “Once the puzzle is solved, it becomes simple.” The method we’ve implemented in the Congress for addressing obesity is as simple, straightforward, and effective as it gets. I receive photos from members who’ve lost 40, 50, or even 70 kilograms. But when I see these photos, their sagging, drooping skin is shocking—it’s truly unpleasant. You look at their arms and chest, and the loose, hanging skin is in a dire state. Interestingly, many of these cases are from the U.S., where people push their bodies to such extremes through rigorous exercise, showing incredible determination but ending up with such results.
Our approach is much simpler. We’ve identified the root problem: obesity stems from not knowing how to eat properly. If you eat correctly, everything falls into place. Many health issues, including irregular menstrual cycles, ovarian problems, and even infertility, are directly related to being overweight. For instance, a woman with 20 kilograms of extra weight struggles to conceive, yet she turns to doctors for artificial insemination without addressing the root cause.
Today, for example, I celebrated the progress of 7–10 individuals in overcoming obesity: one had lost 43 kilograms, another 45 kilograms, others 27, 17, and 15 kilograms—all achieved effortlessly. Obesity is now a solved issue for us at Congress 60.
Next is the issue of cancer. We’ve started gathering samples and conducting research, but we still have a long way to go before reaching definitive solutions. Right now, we’re confident about treating obesity—we know how to handle it. The same goes for smoking and addiction; our methods are proven and complete. But with cancer, there are still challenges to navigate, and we must work through them step by step.
What I’m about to share with all of you isn’t just because of Dsap itself because we don’t have enough Dsap and there’s a shortage of it. We’ve received numerous reports of its effectiveness, especially in treating breast cancer. Many individuals have achieved positive results using Dsap, and it has also shown promise in addressing other various diseases.
Dsap contains probiotics and Lactobacillus strains, along with other beneficial compounds, which significantly contribute to combating different illnesses. There are even scientific articles supporting its effects.
Using Dsap is highly recommended; however, in places where it’s not available, it’s essential to at least try using apple cider vinegar. While apple cider vinegar may not be as effective as Dsap—perhaps scoring 30, 40, or 50 compared to Dsap’s 100—it can still be beneficial.
For those who cannot access Dsap, creating natural apple cider vinegar is an alternative, but it must be pure. Ensure the process doesn’t involve mixing in watermelon rinds or any other waste materials, as some fruit vendors tend to dump leftover scraps into barrels at the end of the day. This is an area that requires future scientific oversight and regulation.
There are a few important points I need to address.
First, it has been observed again that some individuals are changing clothes in the streets. I have repeatedly mentioned that changing clothes in streets or alleys is unacceptable. Some people open the trunk of their cars and change there. We have designated areas for both men and women to change clothes, so please use them.
Marzbans should ensure that no clothes are left in the changing areas. Any clothes left behind should be disposed of in the trash. Those spaces are not for storing clothes, as they get dirty, smell bad, and create hygiene problems.
Another issue is that some participants from other cities, when attending Talaghani Park, have been observed removing and burning wooden sticks, although this happens rarely. Please pay attention to preserving the park—take care of the benches, wood, and all other facilities. This is a critical matter.
Finally, in Congress 60, we operate based on our principles, which are outlined in the Congress 60 sanctity. This sanctity establishes our framework. It is read aloud twice during each session—once at the beginning and once at the end—to emphasize their importance.
Secondly, we live in Iran, and the laws of the country are the laws of the Islamic Republic, which we must fully respect. The Islamic Republic favors certain things and disapproves of others. As the saying goes, "Move carefully and quietly, so you don't stir up trouble." As long as we operate within our own framework, no one will interfere with us. We've been gathering in Taleghani Park for 20–25 years, with 2,000 to 2,500 people at times, and no one has ever objected. Women exercise on one side, men on the other, and we've never had any issues or received any warnings.
If just ten people gather somewhere, authorities immediately question their purpose. Meanwhile, some of our branches hold meetings with 700 to 800 attendees, and even here at the Academy branch, where large numbers gather, the street gets crowded with motorcycles and cars. Yet, no one has ever tried to stop us because they recognize that we are working on addiction recovery.
That being said, I once heard about something that happened at the Companions' Celebration in Shahr-e Rey. Apparently, some of the border guards took the microphone and invited people to come up and dance—right in front of the speaker’s table! (laughs) I told them, "If you want to dance, go up to the rooftop of your house and dance as much as you like. If you want to chant slogans, do it in your own home. Say whatever you want in the streets, in your shops, or in your offices—but not here."
In Congress 60, let’s keep this "island" intact and focused on its mission. We have 17,000 people relying on OT syrup for treatment—let’s not do anything that might change the system’s perception of us. When it comes to religious ceremonies like the Fatimiyyah mourning period, we must fully observe the appropriate customs, and we are doing just that. We follow the rules. If someone wants to be politically active, they should join a political party. In Congress 60, no one interferes in anyone else’s affairs.
When we sit in our legions, some people are staunchly Hezbollah, some lean left, some lean right—but they all remain friends and never discuss their political beliefs with each other. As soon as I heard what happened that Saturday, I immediately decided that the Shahr-e Rey branch should be temporarily closed. Members could still come to pick up and fill out their OT prescription forms, but no legions or meetings were to be held until a proper decision was made. We all need to act in a way that protects what we have built.
This was the case in Shahr-e Rey, but the situation in Qeydar is also problematic. I heard that some of the border guards there even removed their scarves and declared that they no longer wanted to serve in their roles. For now, the family group in Qeydar is also suspended until further notice. Families should not participate in sessions there until the border guard who abandoned their role formally steps down and refrains from further involvement.
In many villages, there’s always an "upper village" and a "lower village" rivalry. In smaller towns, the same thing happens—for example, people from Hidaj don’t get along with those from Khorramdarreh, and those from Khorramdarreh have issues with people from Abhar. These kinds of divisions exist.
But fortunately, in Congress 60, people attended sessions, and over time, these barriers started to fade away. Now, in places like Hidaj, Abhar, Khorramdarreh, and Soltaniyeh, these old grudges don’t exist within Congress 60. However, in Qeydar, some members still cling to tribal or family-based divisions.
In Congress 60, we do not recognize such divisions—there is no tribalism, no family-based favoritism, and no discrimination. We operate like a hospital: when you enter a hospital, it doesn’t matter if someone is left-wing, right-wing, or deeply religious—everyone is there for treatment. We are the same. People come here for recovery, to help each other, and to heal.
So, we must leave these issues behind and avoid getting involved in them. This is something we all need to be mindful of in every branch we work in.
Another important point is related to the matter that in law, there’s a principle that says new rules do not apply retroactively—they take effect from the moment they are established and do not impact past actions.
I previously stated that a person cannot simultaneously be in a DST legion, a Jones legion, and a smoking cessation legion. However, this rule does not apply to those who were already part of multiple legions before this decision. But from now on, if someone is in the Jones legion, they should not join the smoking cessation legion, and vice versa—unless they receive explicit permission from me. So, this is another point to keep in mind.
Next, Ms. Shani mentioned that we are planning to establish a theater group in Congress 60. We will announce the details soon, and they are considering performing Taarof Khorasani as one of the plays. All interested members should stay tuned, as we will make an announcement next week. Those who are already involved in theater or have a passion for it will be invited next Friday for an initial selection process to determine whether we can successfully set up this group. That’s all for this matter.
Let me share something with you that might be hard to believe—just how high our expenses are. You might not even be able to imagine it.
About a month ago, I signed a check for 180 million tomans just for the flowers we use in the Liberation Ceremony. And just this past Monday, I signed another check for 780 million tomans for more flowers. That’s a total of nearly one billion tomans just for flowers! Now, don’t shake your head in disbelief! (laughs)
To manage costs, we tried to purchase these flowers directly from China instead of buying them locally. Here, the same flowers would cost 20000 to 25000 tomans each, but we managed to get them for just 5000 tomans per unit—nearly a third or even a quarter of the price! We bought 84,000 flowers, which should be enough for an entire year. If we had bought them locally, the cost would have been around 3 to 4 billion tomans!
And it’s not just flowers—we also buy tea in bulk, sometimes spending 600 million, 800 million, or even 400 million tomans at a time. But thankfully, it’s your contributions that make all of this possible, and we ensure that every bit of it is put to good use! (laughs)
Thank you all!
I will now read the summary of the Didehbans (Watchment) Council’s resolutions from the meeting held on Monday, Bahman 1st. The topics discussed were as follows:
1. Rescheduling Guardian Week and Guide Week
Traditionally, Dideban Week falls at the end of Bahman (February). However, due to severe winter weather in recent years, many Didehbans have faced difficulties traveling to various cities, sometimes getting stuck in snow-covered roads. Since each Didehban must visit 10 to 15 cities, these travel challenges have been a recurring issue.
To address this, a proposal was made by Mr. Amin Dezhakam to swap Didehban Week with Guide Week, as guides do not need to travel and can celebrate the occasion in their own cities.
• Dideban Week will now be moved to Ordibehesht (May) 1404.
• Guide Week will take place in Bahman (February) 1403 as scheduled.
2. New Congress 60 Branches
• So far in 1403, 14 new branches have been established in Tehran and other cities.
• For 1404, 12 more branches are planned, with priority given to locations where land has been donated.
3. New Appointment in the Sports Division
• Mr. Ahmad Hakimi has been appointed as the Didehban of Sports and will also serve as the Secretary of the Congress 60 Sports Council.
I am the chief sports Gurdian for all sporting activities in Congress 60. While we have a Sports Council, I personally oversee it as its head, and there is also a secretary who is a Dideban overseeing its operations. In this regard, Mr. Ahmad Hakimi has been appointed as the Sports Didehban and Secretary of the Sports Council.
4- According to the decision of the Dideban Council, assistants in the Men's Travelers Group will operate under the supervision of a Dideban. Those appointed as assistants will report directly to a Didehban. The following appointments have been made:
• Mr. Javad Fallah from Mashhad has been assigned as the assistant to Mr. Babak Lotfi.
• Mr. Ebrahim Liravi from Shiraz has been assigned as the assistant to Mr. Amin Dezhakam.
• Mr. Bahram Mohammadi from Khomein has been assigned as the assistant to Mr. Asghar Mansouri.
8- During Guide’s Week, members of Congress 60 should express their appreciation to their Newcomer Guides. While you thank your personal guide on your liberation day, during Guide’s Week, you can extend gratitude to the Newcomer Guides. In general, this week is about honoring teachers, whether they are archery instructors, music teachers, sports coaches, or any other type of mentor.
9- As a pilot experiment, the one-year liberation celebration will be discontinued in the Mirdamad and Sheikh Baha'i (Isfahan) branches. Instead, the first major celebration will be held at the three-year milestone. This change is due to the high number of recoveries—we often have 500 to 600 individuals celebrating their one-year liberation, making it difficult to manage the events. I even joked that we should only celebrate at the 20-year or 25-year mark! (laughs). For now, in these two branches, we will skip the one-year celebrations and hold the first official celebration at three years of liberation, and we’ll evaluate how this works moving forward.
The following changes have been made regarding the Didehban Representatives overseeing different branches:
• Kish, Damavand, and Amir Kabir (Tehran) → Amin Dezhakam
• Tarem, Urmia, Azadshahr, Borujerd, Sarqum, and Damghan → Ahmad Hakimi
• Sirjan, Aligudarz, and Ardabil → Asghar Mansouri
• Boroujen → Majid Salami
• Salehi 2 and Pardis branches → Mohammad Sedaghat
• Dezful and Shushtar branches → Reza Tarabhkhani
With respect,
Session Secretary
Thank you! That’s the full announcement. (Applause)
Twenty minutes of the meeting have passed, so let’s move on to today’s topic: Marriage. The foundation of this concept rests on two key pillars—self-love and the instinct for survival. The most important of these is the instinct for survival, the desire to ensure that human life continues on Earth, and marriage is the primary means through which this happens. The second pillar, self-love, is what drives people to want to see their own lineage continue and preserve the human race.
Unfortunately, marriage across the world has become increasingly complicated, facing all sorts of challenges. At times, it even seems as if there are forces actively working to dismantle the family structure. In the past, there were two genders—men and women. But now, it appears that new categories have emerged: BGT, GBT, TBG… whatever they call it! (laughs) I mean, all this LGBTQ stuff—you guys probably know more about it than I do. (laughs) No offense, I was just joking! (laughs) But in any case, things seem to be shifting back toward their natural course.
In the past, these things existed, but they were just a part of human nature—there was no need for people to wave flags, march in the streets, or recruit followers like a political movement. This is what has complicated the situation, turning it into an issue that threatens the future of humanity. In some places, particularly in Europe, things have taken a turn for the worse. The situation in the U.S. is relatively better, and in Iran, it's even more stable. However, in our own country, we’re facing another challenge—marriage has become incredibly difficult. It wasn’t always like this; in the past, it was much more common. But nowadays, we see that it’s happening less and less.
As time goes by, young people are getting older without moving toward marriage, and the challenges only keep growing. The economic situation is a major obstacle—you need hundreds of millions just to buy a house, and rent prices are sky-high, sometimes 20, 30, or even 40 million per month. In many cases, rent alone costs more than an entire salary, sometimes even double. This has made things incredibly difficult.
However, in Congress 60, we’ve seen many cases where members have met and gotten married, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If two people are interested, they should approach it the way it was traditionally done—make a proposal, express their intentions, and wait for a response. If the other person agrees, great. If not, that should be the end of it. No one should insist, pressure, or cause any trouble just because they didn’t get the answer they wanted.
If members of our Congress 60 decide to marry, I’m genuinely happy for them—there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. In fact, it’s a great thing! But the important point to remember is that if you’re looking for absolute certainty in anything, that’s simply not possible. If you insist that your partner must already own a car, a house, and have everything perfectly in place, you’re setting unrealistic expectations. That kind of situation is rare and extremely difficult to achieve.
I remember how things were back in the day—even for me, it was no different. When my father married my mother, he used to say, ‘The only thing I owned was an oil lamp.’ He had one blanket and an oil lamp, and yet, over time, they built a family, a home, and a life together. It was the same for me—I had nothing when I got married, but little by little, we figured things out. So don’t get caught up looking for someone who already has wealth; you can start with very little and build a life together.
I know the circumstances aren’t ideal, but don’t let that discourage you. It’s not just you—if you haven’t married yet, don’t ask, ‘Why me?’ This is something affecting everyone; it’s like an epidemic that both young men and women are dealing with. So don’t overthink it. One thing I’ve always said—don’t be afraid! Islam, thankfully, is a good religion. If they weren’t good, you will give them back (laughs); it’s not the end of the world. There’s no need to fear marriage. In the end, it’s like picking a watermelon—you won’t know what’s inside until you open it! (laughs) So don’t get too caught up in finding perfection, because the ideal you have in mind may never fully exist.
In the past, grooms didn’t even see their brides before marriage. Everything was arranged by the families—by the parents. The groom wouldn’t meet the bride beforehand; the parents would go to propose, and at best, he might catch a glimpse of her while she was serving tea. That was it. Yet, despite this, they built families, had children and grandchildren, and lived their lives together. The key was managing expectations.
Fortunately, Islam acknowledges that if a marriage truly doesn’t work out, separation is possible—though of course, the hope is always that it won’t come to that. However, we must be careful not to bring up divorce over every little disagreement. It shouldn’t be the first solution to challenges in a marriage. In contrast, in Catholicism, divorce is not an option at all. Historically, even the King of England couldn’t obtain a divorce despite all his efforts. He appealed to priests, to Catholic leaders, but the law was absolute—marriage was permanent. It wasn’t even something directly from Jesus, but it became a strict rule. In fact, his struggle to divorce led to the creation of a whole new branch of Christianity (Protestantism), which allowed for separation.
Islam, however, takes a more balanced approach. It doesn’t encourage divorce, but it also doesn’t make marriage an unbreakable contract. When a relationship reaches an unbearable or destructive point, divorce is an option—though, again, it should always be a last resort.
So, when it comes to this topic, I’m not an expert in psychology, counseling, or all the ins and outs of marriage. I don’t claim to have all the answers. But from the perspective of life experience and wisdom, I’d say one thing—don’t overcomplicate it. If you’re interested in someone, just express it. If they say yes, great. If they say no, move on. Don’t get stuck on it, don’t pressure them, and don’t create unnecessary problems.
Now, let’s open the floor for discussion. Those who have experience—because I certainly don’t! (laughs)—should share their thoughts on this.
Thank you all for listening. I appreciate it!" (Applause)
Hello friends, I’m Hossein, a traveler. One of my friends who came from the United States was telling me that things have reached a point where they go to schools and tell 7, 8, and 9-year-old children that they can choose their own gender. Gender is something that a person can choose for themselves. If you’re a girl and want to become a boy, they’ll make that happen for you. It’s all about freedom, allowing people to decide their own gender, just like they decide many other things. What’s interesting is that parents have no say in the matter; if they intervene, they could even face legal consequences. This is the reality in some parts of the world today. These issues are serious. Let’s go towards participations, if anyone has a memory to share, feel free to tell us.
I want to point out a few things. People work hard to acquire things, but not to maintain them. When they buy a house, its value starts to fade away. The same goes for a bicycle; once they’ve bought it, its value decreases. Even some old kings cared more about conquering lands than keeping them. There are small details that play a huge role in a shared life. For example, housewives often wear the dirtiest clothes when they’re at home, and the same goes for men. But when they want to go outside, they make sure to look neat and well-dressed. At home, though, they wear pajamas, cover their hair with a scarf, sweat, and smell like fried eggplant and zucchini, and still complain. Some even eat garlic and their breath smells bad. No one can tolerate that. And men are sometimes worse. A man who hasn’t bathed in a month starts to smell bad, with the smell of cigarettes and burnt opium. How can anyone deal with that? Instead of working on shared points, they only focus on weaknesses. In life, we have common points and opposite ones. The art of living together is about working on what we share, not on what we dislike. When we talk, the other person should enjoy the conversation, and when you’re at home, they should enjoy your presence, whether you’re a woman or a man. The most important thing is hygiene – your body should always be clean and smell good. You should always wear clean and neat clothes. When speaking, be considerate and avoid talking about negative things or criticizing. For example, if a man buys watermelon, cuts it, and it’s not good, he says, ‘What kind of watermelon did you buy? You don’t even know how to pick one, you have no understanding!’ Next time, he won’t buy watermelon. If he buys meat and it’s not good, he’ll be criticized again: ‘What kind of trash meat is this? You don’t know anything!’ So, he won’t buy meat anymore. Criticizing everything will make the other person stop doing those things altogether.
Whenever you do a service, you should appreciate it, and the task you perform deserves recognition and gratitude. For example, if someone places a cup of tea in front of you, you should thank them, say 'thank you,' and express your appreciation. Small and seemingly insignificant details in relationships can destroy and break them. If you want someone to sit next to you, your body needs to be clean, right? You can’t expect someone to enjoy your company if you smell bad—it’s just not possible. You must be clean, neat, and take care of your hygiene. If someone hasn’t changed their underwear in three months and it’s gotten stinky, those are small details that matter. Many men might not pay attention to these things. One person was saying that people laugh at his beard, and I told him, ‘Of course, your beard must be funny if people are laughing. If it weren’t, they wouldn’t laugh at it.’ There are certain things we need to follow and observe, and we must know our limits—what we want to do and what we don’t. One of my friends said that in the next five years, it’s not part of his plans. It’s as if he thinks he’ll live for 500 years! But in reality, your back is bent and you walk with a cane. Maybe you still haven’t reached your goals. Success involves taking risks, and without taking risks, you don’t win. Those who succeed in life are the ones who take risks at the right moments. Those who don’t take risks never reach their goals. All wealthy people and successful businessmen have reached where they are by taking risks, because nothing is 100% certain. You can’t just say, ‘This is 100% guaranteed,’ and follow it blindly. Keep these points in mind.
Those who have a home and a family should try to preserve it with these little tricks. They should stay neat and presentable in their speech. If you like someone, you should be able to sense whether they like you back or not. Mulla Nasreddin once said that he liked the king’s daughter, and someone asked him how much of the issue was resolved. He said, '50% of the problem is solved.' They asked, 'What do you mean by that?' He replied, '50% is me and 50% is her. The 50% that is me is complete, now let’s see how she feels about it.' This shows that there is always a risk involved. You never reach a point where you can be 100% sure of something, and it’s always a difficult task.
Typed by: Companion Fatemeh, Salman Farsi Branch
Translated by: Companion Marjan
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January 25, 2025
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