In the Name of the Absolute Power, Allah
The sixth session of the 84th round of Congress 60 educational workshops—held for both travelers and companions—was held by Mr. Hossein Dezhakam as the guest speaker and master of the ceremony, and Traveler Mohsen serving as the secretary. The session, focused on the topic of "Order, Discipline, and Respect in Congress 60," started on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM.
Hello, friends. I am Hossein, a traveler.
I hope you're all doing well. By the grace of God, I’m doing well too. Usually, I don’t speak during the holy month of Ramadan—Amin takes over. But since he is at Shiraz University, I had to step in today. In any case, I hope you’re all in good health, and may this Ramadan be a blessed one for you.
This month is a great opportunity for health and cleansing—something you may know as autophagy. If you go without food for more than 11 or 12 hours, your body begins a natural detoxification process. Damaged or malfunctioning cells are broken down and eliminated, making way for new, healthy cells.
To give you a tangible example, imagine you run a copper smelting factory. Every day, you receive fresh copper ingots to process. Now, suppose there's a shortage, and no new copper is coming in. But you still need copper, so what do you do? You start scavenging around the workshop—collecting old copper scraps, worn-out utensils, broken wires, anything you can find. You strip the coating off wires, gather discarded metal, and melt everything down to extract the copper you need.
That’s exactly how autophagy works. When your body isn’t receiving food but still requires energy, it starts breaking down old and dysfunctional cells, recycling their components to build new, healthy ones. So, fasting isn’t just a religious practice—it’s a natural renewal process.
Of course, from a spiritual perspective, fasting carries great rewards. They say the sleep of a fasting person is an act of worship, their words are rewarded, and so on. All of that is true. But we’re looking at it from a health standpoint. As mentioned in our holy book: "Fasting has been prescribed for you."
It’s like a car—when they say, “An oil change has been prescribed for you,” it means the car needs fresh oil to function properly. Likewise, fasting has been prescribed for us, not as an obligation but as a necessity for our system.
Our bodies are not something we own outright; they are entrusted to us. Think of them like a vehicle—a mode of transport that allows us to experience life on Earth. Our physical form is like a garment we wear, a tool that enables us to perceive the material world.
For example, our eyes don’t actually see—we, the ones within this body, are the ones who see. The eyes are just windows through which we observe the world. Similarly, our body doesn’t possess awareness; rather, we exist within it and experience life through it.
So, Ramadan is a blessed opportunity. Whether or not you take advantage of it is entirely up to you. There is no compulsion here. In Congress 60, nothing is forced—if someone wishes to fast, they do, and if they don’t, that’s entirely their choice.
Today is the 15th of Esfand, meaning we've passed the halfway mark of the month and are rapidly approaching Farvardin. I have a few points to mention.
First, during the assistant meeting for female companions this past Saturday, a topic came up for discussion. In these assistant meetings—whether for female travelers, companions, or male members—we discuss and examine various issues that arise. One important matter that was decided is that anyone wishing to join the Healthy Nutrition Legion must first go through the Marzban team. The Marzban will be responsible for introducing them to the appropriate legion. In other words, no one can simply walk in and say, “I want to be a student in Legion X.” Entry must be processed through the Marzban team, whether for male or female travelers, or companions.
Additionally, anyone looking to switch their Healthy Nutrition Legion must also first consult the Marzban. These requests will be recorded in designated notebooks, ensuring proper documentation.
We've also prepared official registration forms for joining the Healthy Nutrition Legion, which will be provided to you soon. But from now on, all registrations and transfers must be formally documented. Also, if someone wants to change their guide, they must go through the Marzban team—this prevents unnecessary back-and-forth changes. This decision has been finalized and will be implemented moving forward.
Another issue: some members receive their Liberation Certificate from me, but instead of keeping it themselves, they hand it directly to their student. This should not happen. When I give you your Liberation Certificate, it is your responsibility. If you were just going to hand it off to your student immediately, then I might as well have given it to them directly. The certificate belongs to you—hold onto it. If later, outside, you wish to pass it on for any necessary procedures, that's a separate matter. But officially, this document is entrusted to you, not to anyone else. So, let’s ensure we handle this correctly.
There are always people looking to exploit opportunities under various pretexts. Of course, I’m not referring to Congress 60 members specifically—this happens everywhere. One major issue is online networks and channels that misuse Congress 60’s name to promote things like gold trading, real estate sales, or pyramid schemes. Some of these platforms have even registered four to five thousand members, falsely affiliating themselves with Congress 60.
Let me be clear: Congress 60 has absolutely no involvement in such activities. There are also many online channels claiming to speak on my behalf or operate under Congress 60’s name—none of these are official. You should not join them. If you have already joined, I urge you to exit those groups immediately. These networks recruit people into investment schemes or business chains, and if any Congress 60 members are part of them, they should leave at once to prevent further misuse of our name. This is a very serious issue, and experience has shown that while things may seem fine at first, the consequences down the line can be harmful. I am not here to judge what these organizations are about, but the fact remains that they are misusing the name of Congress 60—whether in the digital space, gold trading, or any other venture. Under no circumstances should you get involved.
Officially, Congress 60 has only one verified Instagram account and one official website. Any other accounts or platforms, no matter how similar they may seem, are not legitimate.
Another important point: when accessing the Congress 60 app to purchase CDs, many people have had trouble finding the Cooking CD. This is because you need to type the word Cooking with a capitalized "A" (آ). If you write it with a lowercase "a" (ا), you won’t find it. Also, remember to include spaces correctly—don’t write the word all together. In general, when searching in the digital space, you must type exactly as it appears; otherwise, the system may not recognize it.
Another matter we addressed recently was regarding the Guides’ Celebration and the selection of a session guardian for that event. In the past, choosing a guardian led to disagreements—whether the person should be someone experienced or a newcomer—so we decided to have the Guides' Guardian take on this role instead. That decision was implemented, but now a new issue has emerged.
The Guides' Guardian functions similarly to a session guardian, but not like the overall guardian of Congress 60. Some people have mistakenly thought that the Guides' Guardian is in charge of all guides, but that is not the case. The Agent of each branch remains the primary authority over the guides. The Guides' Guardian is simply the session master of the ceremony for the guides’ meetings, not their overall supervisor. However, this has now caused some confusion—some believe the Guides' Guardian is responsible for all guides, while others argue that the Agent holds that role.
To clarify: In every branch, the Agent is the one responsible for all guides. The Guides' Guardian will continue their role until June 1st, after which this position will no longer exist. From that point onward, the Agent will fully oversee all guides within their respective branch, ensuring proper coordination and supervision.
Additionally, the Agent will have the authority to select the Secretary for the guides’ meetings. The secretary will be elected through a vote among the guides, but the Agent remains the overarching supervisor.
To summarize:
• A Session Guardian is only responsible for overseeing that specific meeting and has no authority beyond it.
• The Congress 60 Guardian (the overall Guardian) has full oversight of the entire organization, including all travelers, companions, men, and women.
• The Guides' Guardian will remain in place only until June 1st, after which the Agent will fully take over their responsibilities.
This decision is final and aims to eliminate any further confusion or dual leadership issues within the branches.
We have a principle called order, discipline, and respect. There's an old saying: "The respect of a mosque comes from its caretaker." Have you heard it before? It means that the person who runs the mosque—his behavior and conduct—determines the level of respect it receives.
The same applies to Congress 60. People respect it based on the character of those who represent it. If I were to become reckless, if I acted carelessly in meetings or dismissed everyone with a wave of my hand, saying, "Forget it, none of them are worth it," then naturally, people would treat Congress 60 the same way.
A guide’s dignity comes from their own actions. It is their behavior and approach that earn them respect from others. The same goes for an agent—how they conduct themselves determines whether they are respected or not. A camp-guard’s attitude and actions decide how people will treat them.
Ultimately, it’s in our hands. The way we carry ourselves shapes how others respond to us.
Back in 1998 or 1999, I appeared on television for the first time—on Channel 5. It was a live program marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse. Many experts were present, and for the first time in a live broadcast, I openly introduced myself as someone who had been an addict.
The host, Mr. Aliqoli—may he rest in peace—looked at me and asked, "Mr. Dezhakam, now that you've publicly admitted to being an addict, don’t you worry that people will always see you that way?"
What he meant was, “Now that you’ve said it, won’t people judge you wherever you go?”
I smiled and replied, "I make society respect me."
Not through force, but through my behavior, my conduct, my mannerisms. The way I engage with people and respond to situations compels them to respect me. I don’t beg for respect. I don’t argue with people, demanding, ‘Why don’t you respect me?’ I don’t complain about people talking behind my back.
Respect isn’t something we can demand—it’s something we create. People are mirrors. The way we treat them reflects back on us. If we respect others, we receive respect in return. If we don’t, then we shouldn’t expect it either.
A person’s character is something they build for themselves. That’s why it’s called “character”—it’s personal. In essence, a person’s character is nothing but their behavior and conduct, and it is they who shape it.
Respect, too, is entirely in our own hands. How we interact with others and how we treat them determines how they respond to us.
There’s an important lesson in public speaking: never start your speech with a joke. Some people do, thinking it will lighten the mood. And yes, the audience laughs, but the problem is that after that, no one takes them seriously. No matter how serious or important their words are, people still laugh. Why? Because they set the wrong tone from the start.
The same applies to life. Whether we’re a guide, a first traveler, a second traveler, a shopkeeper, or just going about our daily business, everything comes down to our behavior and conduct. If we show respect to society, it will come back to us. If we don’t, that too will reflect back on us.
So, if we feel that people don’t respect us, if we wonder why they act a certain way toward us, or why they talk behind our backs, the answer lies within ourselves. We can’t force respect—we create it through our actions.
At the end of the day, you are the one who determines how the world treats you.
The next topic is discipline and order. Discipline makes our lives easier and saves us from a lot of unnecessary trouble.
Let me illustrate this with a simple example. In the past, if someone went for a job interview, things were quite different. Back in the '60s, '70s, and '80s, smoking wasn’t frowned upon—it was even considered a kind of social norm. Buses had built-in ashtrays on the seats, airplanes had ashtrays in the armrests, and smoking was allowed almost everywhere. Over time, this changed, and now you won’t find ashtrays on new planes or buses.
Now, imagine a job interview from those days. The manager, who was also a smoker, lights a cigarette and casually asks the candidate, "Do you have a lighter?" Most people back then smoked, so it wasn’t an unusual request. One candidate starts frantically searching through his pockets—left, right, inside, outside—trying to find his lighter. The manager watches this and simply says, "You’re not fit for the job. If you don’t even know where your own lighter is, how can I trust you with responsibilities?"
Then another candidate, when asked the same question, smoothly reaches into the right pocket of his vest, pulls out his lighter in an instant, and hands it over. This small act shows discipline and order—he knows where his things are.
That’s what discipline is all about. Think about your car keys or house keys. Do you always put them in the same place? Or do you spend every morning searching for them—under the rug, in the kitchen, in random drawers—wondering where you left them? The same goes for your socks: you find one, but where’s the other? You waste time searching.
The solution is simple. When you enter your house, install a hook on the wall and always hang your keys there. Some people use a coat rack, which works just as well. That way, every time you need your keys, you know exactly where they are.
Everything should have its designated place. In my own pockets, I have a system. My house key is always in the right pocket of my jacket. My office key is in the left inside pocket. When I enter my office, I place my keys in the same spot every time, so when I leave, I don’t have to search for them.
This is discipline. It’s about knowing where things belong and keeping them there.
Discipline means having a set routine—going to bed at the same time every night, whether it’s 10 PM, 11 PM, or 7:30 PM. When you follow a consistent sleep schedule, your body’s physiology adapts to it. If you always sleep at 10 PM, your body will naturally begin producing serotonin, adrenaline, and other sleep-inducing chemicals at that time, making it easier for you to fall asleep. But if one night you sleep at 12, another night at 1, and then another at 9, your body never adjusts, and you end up struggling with sleep.
This applies to everything—eating, waking up, and daily tasks. When we establish consistency in our habits, we create order in our lives.
In Congress 60, we have built this sense of discipline. Our sessions always start at 5 PM sharp. If a session is scheduled for 10 AM, then it must begin at exactly 10 AM—not at 10:30, not at 10:45. Unfortunately, our society has become so disorganized that arriving early is now seen as “uncool.” If you show up at 7 PM for an 8 PM event, people think it’s inappropriate. Somehow, disorder has become the norm, and bad habits have turned into values.
Now, imagine if you can’t even start a simple meeting on time—how do you expect to manage large-scale projects like building roads? If you can’t stick to a basic schedule, how can you handle the responsibility of completing thousands of kilometers of construction?
This is what discipline is all about. It means that when we set rules—like requiring members to check in with the Marzban before entering the Healthy Nutrition Legion—it prevents chaos and ensures that everything runs smoothly. Discipline means that you are allowed to complete your journey only once—you cannot start over again. Everything has its place and order.
Some people, when their medication dosage reached 0.4 cc, would go to their guide and say, “I don’t feel completely recovered; maybe I should start my journey again.” Then, they’d go to the disciplinary committee, pay a fine of 500 or 600 toman, and begin a second journey.
Yesterday, I told Mr. Sedaghat that from now on, if someone reaches 0.4 cc and insists on starting over, they must stay away from Congress 60 for six months before being allowed to return. Once you’ve reached 0.4 cc, that’s it—this isn’t a casual arrangement where you can come and go as you please. So much effort goes into this process; millions are spent to ensure you complete your 10-month journey successfully. Your treatment alone costs 60 to 70 toman. After all that, when you finally reach 0.4 cc, you say, “I want to start over”?
By enforcing this discipline, Congress 60 becomes even more structured. Now, if someone wants to restart their journey, they’ll have to stay away for six months—making them think twice before giving up. This approach ensures that people take their treatment seriously. We know exactly what we’re doing. The DST method is a precise treatment plan—it doesn’t fail.
Yesterday, Mr. Kennedy, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, announced that all research budgets had been cut. I’ve mentioned this before: he stated that three diseases are considered strategic priorities in the U.S. This goes back 50 years to President Nixon’s time when the same issue was raised. Back then, they identified three major public health crises—addiction, cancer, and obesity—declaring them the most dangerous diseases that threaten national security.
Now, the current health minister has brought the same three issues back to the forefront, saying, “Yes, these are still the priorities, and we are allocating 80% of our research budget to these three areas: addiction, cancer, and obesity.” This decision has sparked outrage across research institutions.
Meanwhile, here in Congress 60, we have already achieved what they are pouring millions of dollars into researching. They are still searching for the so-called ‘addiction gene,’ while we, in Iran, have already solved the problem of addiction. It’s no longer a challenge for us. Obesity? We’ve tackled that too—our members easily lose 30 to 40 kilos smoothly and naturally. As for cancer, we’ve made significant progress. While we haven't fully reached the solution, we’ve identified its blind spots. Since cancer involves complex medical evidence, we need to compile proper documentation and present it to the authorities. But even here, we have made great strides.
Recently, we published a study on controlling metastasis in breast cancer, which has gained a lot of attention. So, even in a small organization like Congress 60, without billions in funding, we have made groundbreaking discoveries. And all of this has been possible under the principles of discipline and order.
In the end, two things form the foundation of our work: respect and discipline. Everything comes down to us. As I’ve said many times before, it is our own behavior that determines how much respect we receive. The way we conduct ourselves shapes how others treat us.
Where do our boundaries lie? We must move within our own space and not encroach on others. Everything should be clear and well-defined, including our personal limits. Even when you take a private taxi, you must agree on the fare beforehand. If you do, everything runs smoothly—you sit comfortably, and when you reach your destination, you pay the agreed amount. But if you don’t settle the fare in advance, problems arise. The driver may demand 200, and you argue, “Why 200? I always pay 50.” He insists, and suddenly, a simple ride turns into a dispute.
It’s the same in life. Everything must be well-structured. Each task should have a designated person in charge. If responsibilities aren’t clearly assigned, confusion and problems will inevitably follow.
This brings us back to the issue of respect—it all comes down to us. We decide whether others respect us or not. It is our behavior that determines whether people honor us or dismiss us. The way we carry ourselves dictates whether we remain part of the game or get sidelined.
The second fundamental principle is discipline. Congress 60 is built on discipline. It is our foundation. We even have a disciplinary committee, and we take pride in it. Why? Because without it, this place would be overrun with disorder. Without rules, Congress 60 would become a gathering spot for people who just come to take OT, reach 0.4 cc, and then start over again as if nothing happened. That’s not how it works.
If someone relapses, they must go before the disciplinary committee and explain why. If a traveler reaches the end of their journey and wants to start over, they must justify their decision. Without this structure, Congress 60 would become a revolving door for people unwilling to commit to real change.
This is why discipline is the backbone of our work. Without it, there is no foundation.
In Congress 60, everything is built on discipline and structure. The Watchmen, assistants, agents, and guards—all of them function like clockwork within this system.
If we truly care about Congress 60, we must uphold two key principles:
1. Treat every individual with respect.
2. Maintain discipline and order at all levels.
Discipline doesn’t mean behaving carelessly—like opening the trunk of your car on a busy street to change from trousers to shorts (laughs), or standing under someone’s window at 3 AM and talking loudly. That’s not acceptable behavior. Within Congress 60, we even have designated spaces for changing clothes.
We must conduct ourselves in a way that earns respect from others. It is because of our discipline and respectful behavior that people outside of Congress 60 treat our members with dignity. Authorities respect us, and no one disregards us in meetings or gatherings.
That’s why we emphasize proper attire. Wear clean and presentable clothes. If you can, polish your shoes. Avoid the trend of ripped jeans patched back together—there’s no place for such absurdity in Congress 60. Why wear torn jeans? If you prefer jeans, fine, but they should be neat and well-kept. Don’t think wearing ripped clothes makes you stylish—it doesn’t. In fact, it’s unappealing and inappropriate.
A polished appearance reflects discipline and order. When we maintain a neat and organized outward presentation, it naturally extends to all other aspects of our lives.
That’s enough for now. Thank you for listening.
We have over eighty parks, and Mr. Ashkezari serves as the Watchman overseeing them. This means he must supervise all the parks, the guards (Marzbans) assigned to them, and the activities taking place within them. To fulfill this responsibility, he needs to visit and monitor these locations. However, it is not possible for him to manage this task alone.
That’s why each Watchman has several assistants. While the Watchman personally inspects some areas, there are others where he cannot be present, so he sends assistants to conduct inspections and assess the conditions on his behalf. When an assistant visits a park, they act as the Watchman’s representative. Their observations, evaluations, and any discussions they lead regarding the park are entirely in line with Congress 60’s regulations—as if the Watchman himself were present and speaking.
Hello, friends. I am Hossein, a traveler.
We have allocated five minutes for the Eleventh Law, and from now on, every session should have at least five minutes for it—not just one or two minutes. Many people want to make their contributions, but there isn’t enough time. If they get up from their seats, they won’t contribute anymore (laughs). Their minds start working after the fact. We need to come up with a solution so that members can swipe their cards before the session begins.
This is a crucial matter. It could amount to hundreds of millions of tomans for us. If we fail to collect these contributions, we will face a significant shortfall because our expenses are extremely high. I think our costs are approaching one billion tomans. Writing checks doesn’t make money appear. We have 180 branches—if each one collects one million tomans more, that’s 180 million tomans. If it increases by two million tomans per branch, that’s 400 million tomans.
This is a very significant figure. It’s not just about one session—it applies to all Congress 60 sessions. If just one session collects one million tomans less, and we have 180 sessions, that’s a loss of 180 million tomans. Since we hold three sessions per week, that would be three times 180 million tomans. We also have companions’ sessions, so you can see how much of an impact this has.
We must come up with an effective solution for processing these contributions. Members need to cooperate because our running costs are covered by these donations. We should plan accordingly. We should have at least two or three card readers available so that transactions can be made before or even after the session. If there’s congestion at one machine, there should be others available. I will discuss this with the accounting team to find the best solution and ensure that those who wish to contribute have the opportunity to do so. Thank you very much.
The topic of the session is discipline and order. The foundation of everything is discipline including both the DST, and the John’s Legion or healthy nutrition. When it comes to healthy eating and weight loss, all that’s required is following a structured routine—nothing more. People eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner; nothing is restricted. Everywhere you go, they tell you, “Don’t eat this, don’t eat that. Eat this, but not that.” It’s always a list of dos and don’ts. But that’s not how we do things. We say, “Eat whatever you want—just in moderation. Learn how to eat properly.”
Have breakfast at a set time. Do the same for lunch and dinner. Follow the principles. Eat salad before your meals. Have protein in the morning. There are individuals who have lost 40 kilograms, yet their faces haven’t lost volume. That’s because they consume eggs and protein, which help maintain their appearance.
All of this is rooted in discipline. When I started my journey during Ramadan, it was based on structure and order. Discipline and order play a vital role in every aspect of our lives.
Typed by: Companion Fatemeh F, Salman Farsi Branch, Isfahan
Translated by: Companion Marjan
.jpg)
3/11/2025
https://www.congress60.org/News/394667/%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%A2%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B4%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%E2%80%8C%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%86%DB%8C-%D9%86%D8%B8%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B6%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B7-%D9%88-%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D9%86%DA%AF%D8%B1%D9%87-60