The Four Agreements are very simple, but very profound. To embrace and live each of the Four Agreements is to find yourself experiencing personal freedom--possibly as never before. The Four Agreements are:
Be Impeccable With Your Words
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best
From the cover of the book:
Be Impeccable With Your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
Don't Take Anything Personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
Don't Make Assumptions: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
Always Do Your Best: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.
This book may be small in size, but it packs a hefty punch in terms of shattering personal illusions and opening up a path to personal freedom. I consider this book a must-have for anyone wanting to become more conscious and wanting freedom from personal stories and agreements that cause suffering.The author says the we have chosen to believe what we have been programmed to believe. Recognizing how difficult it is to change core beliefs, he merely makes practical suggestions about how one can view things differently. All of the rhetoric, pro and con, about this book may stimulate the intellect; however, the ultimate question to ask about new ideas is `How well do they work". These Four Agreements work. This is precisely why an open mind is so important for spiritual growth. With an open mind one can experiment with new ideas instead of sitting around debating the merits of the ideas.
If you doubt the validity of what this author says, I would invite you to call up any one of your friends and see if they can carry on a conversation for 10 minutes without engaging in character assignation. The author says they can't, and I discovered he was right.
If you are open to new ideas, this book will be beneficial to you.
If you have the courage to further question what you have been programmed to believe, I would strongly recommend the book An Encounter with a Prophet by Clyde A. Lewis. An Encounter with a Prophet enabled me to give up my programmed beliefs about God -beliefs that were causing me a good deal of disturbance. The book also provided practical suggestions that I could experiment with. Those suggestions also worked.
Buy The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom Now
Some years ago, I read this little book and shared it with a friend out in California, calling it a 'gem' so, when I found it again, it was like coming home to a 'friend' who had been waiting until I needed to be reminded of his soul-searching and (could be) life-changing practical knowledge. This time around, this is what spoke to me specificially:#1
Through your word, you express your creative powers. The word is the most powerful tool you have as a human. It is the power you have to express and communicate, to think, and tereby to create the events in your life. The word is so powerful that one word can change a life. The truth is the most important part of being impeccable with your word. Only the truth will set us free. One little piece of misinformation can break down communication between people. Gossip is poison. Impeccability of the word can lead to personal freedom.
#2
Your point of view is personal to you. It is your version of the truth. You have to trust yourself and choose to believe or not what someone says to you. When we really see other people as they are without taking it personally, we can never be hurt by what they say or do. Healing is on the way, and it's just a matter of time before things will be better for you. You are never responsible for the actions of others; you are only responsible for you. You can experience inner peace and happiness.
#3
The problem with making assumptions is that you believe they are the truth. It is always better to ask questions than to make an assumption. When the truth comes out, we find that it was not what we thought it was at all. Have the courage to ask qustions. Perhaps you need to gather more facts about a particular situation. Real love is accepting other people the way they are without trying to change them. If you don't understand, ask for an explanation. Find your voice to ask for what you want.
#4
When you wake up refreshed and energized in the morning, your best will be better than when you are tired at night. Your best will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick, or sober as opposed to drunk. Regardless of the quality, keep doing your best. If we like what we do, if we always do our best, then we are really enjoying life. We are having fun; we don't get bored; we don't have frustrations. Be aware and learn from your mistakes. Letting go of the past means you can enjoy the dream that is happening right now. You are a master of speaking your language because you practiced.
You must have a strong will to keep these Four Agreements. You don't have to be religious or go to church every day. Live one day at a time, and don't be concerned about the future. Like the brave butterfly, let your spirits fly high and wide. These are the teachings of the Toltec knowledge. In southern Mexico, they were the scientists and artist, men and women of knowledge. They group together in the ancient city of pyramids outside Mexico City.
Don Miguel Ruiz's mother Sarita was a 'healer,' his grandfather, Leonard Macier, a 'shaman.' His father, Jose Luis, taught him discipline. His other books include THE MASTERY OF LOVE, BEYOND FEAR, THE VOICE OF KNOWLEDGE (2004) and his newest, THE SPIRIT RECOVERY.
Read Best Reviews of The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom Here
Naomi Salvarezza, English 100 4/11/00 The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz is a very special book. Don Miguel puts forth many teachings which are very enlightening. These agreements in the book are a guide to personal freedom and happiness. Don Miguel writes "Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victum of needless suffering." Don Miguel smoothly blends his native teachings with the hectic pace of the modern world. Teaching us how to live without all the useless stress and worries and how we can be clean in clear in our energy, living a positive life. Another beautiful quote from Don Miguel is "Find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want. Communicate with others clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, drama. With just one agreement, you can completly change your life." I highly reccomend this book to anyone. It has helped me to become stronger in my spirituality and path. I know you all will find this book to be equally powerful and lovely. My thanks to the author for putting out such a good and beautiful message.Want The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom Discount?
This book s interesting but enlightening:1. Be impeccable with your words 2. Don't take things personally 3. Don't make assumptions 4. Always do your best
Sounds simple huh? Not so quick! Rooted in Toltec beliefs, Miguel Ruiz has done us all a great favor to explain and illustrate the above four agreements. This book serves as a practical guide to how we live daily. Language: Words, assumptions, thoughts, pre-occupation can always lead to misunderstanding and a break of relationship. Miguel Ruiz goes step-by-step, with practicals and examples, to help us achieve these four agreements. Say what you really mean to say. Don't circumvent or evade. Don't make assumptions because assumptions always lead to misunderstanding. Ruiz has so much to offer in this brillantly written book. Highly recommended.



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