By The Spiritual Explorer | Published 22 June, 2016
The Four Agreements
When Don Miguel Ruiz wrote The Four Agreements in 1997, it was met with much popularity. He seemed to synthesize within alternative psychology the four agreements necessary to insure freedom and a good life. The Four Agreements were based on a knowledge previously guarded and held by the Toltecs, known throughout Southern Mexico as “men and women of knowledge” thousands of years ago. At the time of this publication, Don Miguel Ruiz was guided to share the knowledge of the Toltecs, and thus The Four Agreements as a guidebook was born.
Like many philosophers on the subject, The Four Agreements is essentially about waking up to the “dream.” The dream is a set of conditioned realities and principles that we have bought into and agreed with to form a dreaming reality. What Don Miguel Ruiz is interested in is awakening people to the fact that they are living within this dream. However, through attempting to live with The Four Agreements in mind, men and women are given a chance to live a remarkable, sane and awakened life.
While many discourses have been held regarding the four agreements contained within this book, I am compelled to once again review them for the benefits of my readers:
The Four Agreements Always Relevant
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
If you decide to make a commitment towards following these four agreements, it is necessary to understand that you have surrendered to a lifelong reality and it is not that easy to suddenly do your life differently. For that reason, you are cautioned to attempt to follow these rules with a lot of compassion and awareness of yourself. Good luck to you!
If you have a question about “the four agreements,” or anything else, you can write me at Ask The Spiritual Explorer
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