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The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom [With Headphones] (Playaway Adult Nonfiction)

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Don Miguel Ruiz is known as a nagual, or shaman, of the Toltec tradition. The Toltecs were an ancient group of scientists and artists that was formed to explore and preserve the practices and spiritual knowledge of the ancient ones. It is not a religion, but a way of life that embraces spirit and honors all the spiritual masters who have taught on the earth. Toltec wisdom arises from the same essential unity of truth as other sacred esoteric traditions that are found all over the world.

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.

I have read so many books promising joy in my life, yet I have read none so simple and practical as that of the Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz. The book is a beautiful instruction guide to achieve a life of freedom and happiness. He teaches four lifestyle commitments, which can transform life into the realization of your own personal dream. Written from his heart, the Four Agreements has made profound changes in my life. What seemed insurmountable challenges became powerful lessons which I was able to embrace with faith and love. What is the dream that you hold for yourself? Allow the magic of don Miguel's wisdom to shift your life into a masterful awareness of all you want for yourself.Become the power that you want in yourlife, realize the opportunites before you and then you can live in a heaven created from the beauty of your own heart. I have given the book to many people, who, only reading it once, have initiated life changes. My personal experience with don Miguel is that no matter how little you are exposed to him, your heart will always be touched. He and his words are the touch of an angel. Treat yourself to a world without limits!

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.

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.

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.

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS is printed in an easy to read style, but has a powerful message when applied. The foundation of the book is based on Toltec wisdom, and the ancient spiritual knowledge passed down through the cultural "masters" called naguals(shaman). Ruiz underwent an event that changed his life's path from surgeon to nagual. Often times ancient wisdom is not so ancient when it still can be applied to modern living. What the book offers is timeless. It is about grabbing hold of a personal freedom that was always yours and using it to master your life and not allow others to master you. This is solid knowledge that can only add clarity to your everyday living.

If you follow and apply THE FOUR AGREEMENTS,which are "Be Impeccable with Your Word","Don't Take Anything Personally","Don't Make Assumptions", and "Always Do Your Best", you will find a security within yourself that provides you with a better perception of yourself and the world around you. We as people, and as individuals,are "conditioned" by our society. This book will help you to break away from that conditioning and most of the responses and reactions we assume as normal. It gets you to think in a different manner that builds stronger emotional resilience.

Although this book is based on spiritual wisdom,it offers opportunities not only in spiritual growth,but also personal relationships,personal growth,enhanced awareness and perceptions,better decision making,and builds emotional strength. THE FOUR AGREEMENTS easily falls in with those who would simply want to improve their everyday choices or decision making skills as applied to the workforce or business management.

Not quite sure if you are being taking advantage of,being made the victim,making the right choice,over reacting,being to sensitive,or tired of not meeting someone else's expectations, then this book is for you. I have given this book as gifts to several acquaintances over the years who have found themselves in life changing events that had left their emotions in turmoil and essentially could not be relied upon for a good decision. By reading this book and writing THE FOUR AGREEMENTS on a business card placed in their pocket,when a questionable decision or choice had to be made,they went down the list and used it as a guide to measure against to ensure a better choice or decision knowing they could not rely entirely on their own ability to make a sound judgment under the emotional strain they were feeling. Using THE FOUR AGREEMENTS as a personal tool added clarity to a seemingly murky emotional state, something I believe we have all experienced at one time or another.

I have not read any of the other books written by Ruiz,but have glanced through them at bookstores. I only found a personal connection with this publication and can only endorse this writing. This book is a great companion to the book AWARENESS by Anthony deMello and compliment each other well.

I've been poring through books about personal growth for years and I've found that if a book doesn't touch me, as in actually make me feel more alive, then all the words and ideas are just words and ideas. So when I read a review of Don Miguel Ruiz's "THE FOUR AGREEMENTS" where the reviewer actually said it felt good to read, I knew it was a book for me. The book is like taking a walk with a compassionate shaman who describes and lives simple truths. I particularly liked a passage on the third agreement ("Don't make assumptions") in which Ruiz describes a husband and a wife who fall out of relationship not because they don't love each other, but because they make assumptions such as the other member of the couple should be able to read their mind if they really loved them. How familiar! It really underscored the value of truthful communication for me.

The same reviewer also recommended "WORKING ON YOURSELF DOESN'T WORK" by Ariel and Shya Kane. This is an excellent book about REALLY living your life fully. And a perfect example of how the words are secondary to the feeling of well-being that jump off this book's pages. Thank you, kind reviewer, for two great gifts.

This book is indeed excellent. If you combine the wisdom in this book with the book insight contained in the book An Encounter With A Prophet you will most certailly attain a new and wonderful outlook on life.

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.

Reading this book is like talking with a wise and individual who seems to know your inner thoughts. It, much like the book An Encounter with A Prophet just plainly feels right. If you would like to get rid of some of your negative thinking, I would suggest reading both books..