The Four Agreements

In don Miguel Ruiz's book, The Four Agreements, knowledge of the ancient Toltec wisdom of achieving happiness and personal freedom is outlined.

From the day we are born, we grow up making agreements with ourselves based on information and opinions from family and society. Some consciously and some unconsciously. We continue to live our lives according to the agreements we make with ourselves, of who and what we should be.

Being aware of this process gives you the power to create new agreements with yourself.

The Four Agreements are powerful codes of conduct that can transform your life in the most amazing way. Both professionally and personally. They can help you to break through possible limitations created by your previous biased agreements.

By making the below agreements with yourself, you can experience a new level of freedom, happiness, and love.

First Agreement - Be impeccable with your word

Humans are the only species on this planet that have been blessed with the ability to speak. With this ability comes great responsibility. Words are powerful and you can use them positively by speaking with kindness. You can also use words negatively by manipulating others or creating fear. Ruiz refers to the latter form of communication as black magic.

So what does it mean to be impeccable? It comes from the Latin pecatus, which means “sin” and im means “without”, so impeccable mean “without sin.”

It is in your control how to use your words and you possess the power to communicate beautifully about love and encouragement.

"Speak kindness."

Second Agreement - Don’t take anything personally

The second agreement is straightforward and can release you from needless suffering. Ruiz states that, “Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves.” Everything other people do or say is based on their own opinion and assumption and may not be the truth.

If you stop taking things personally, “when you are immune to the opinions and actions of other”, you will no longer suffer.

“Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves.”

Third Agreement - Don’t make assumptions

We are very quick at judging people and assuming why they do certain things. We may also be under the assumption that our family, friends, and peers know how we feel and what we need. Dare to ask questions and communicate with others as clearly as you can. By doing this, you will avoid misunderstanding, sadness, and drama.

Perhaps if people stop making assumptions about others, there will be more kindness and love in this world. Never assume something when you do not know the full story.

"Dare to ask questions and communicate with others as clearly as you can."

Fourth Agreement - Always do your best

The last chapter and the last agreement is to always do your best. Your best is relative. It will certainly change from day-to-day based on various factors, in or out of your control. For example, your best will be different when you are healthy opposed to when you are sick.

However, if you always do your best in the state that you are in, as Ruiz says, you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret.

Whether it is in a professional setting, nourishing a personal relationship or trying to make the above three agreements with yourself, always, always do your best.

"Avoid self-judgement, self-abuse and regret."

Spiritual teacher and internationally bestselling author

Don Miguel Ruiz

Don Miguel Ruiz grew up in rural Mexico as the youngest of 13 children in a spiritual family. His mother was a curandera (healer) and his grandfather was a nagual (shaman). After attending medical school and spending several years practicing neurosurgery, Ruiz's life changed dramatically after a near-fatal car accident.

He decided to devote his life to the teaching of the ancient Toltec wisdom and the Four Agreements. As a nagual, a person who guides an individual to personal freedom, he continues to share the Toltec wisdom all over the world together with his sons, don Jose Ruiz and don Miguel Ruiz Jr.

The Toltec Wisdom books have sold over 12 million copies and been translated into 46 languages.

Toltec Wisdom Series includes:

The Four Agreements, 1997
The Mastery of Love, 1999
The Four Agreements Companion Book, 2000
The Circle of Fire, 2001
The Voice of Knowledge, 2004
The Fifth Agreement, 2010

Sources:

Think-ist on the Four Agreements

Toltec

Don Miguel Ruiz

The book: The Four Agreements, Toltec Publishing, Amber-Allen Publishing,U.S., 1997, ISBN13 9781878424310

Photo credit:

Don Miguel Ruiz

The Four Agreements