The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
In his book, The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz captures a line of John Lennon’s to describe the state of most humans within the world today: “Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.”
To ‘see’ this, is to take a step towards understanding the Toltec knowledge, which arises from the same essential unity of truth as all the sacred esoteric traditions found around the world.
According to the Toltec mysteries, “women and men of knowledge”, along with scientists and artists, formed a society to express and conserve the special knowledge of practices of the ancient ones.
Calling themselves Naguals, they came together at Teotihuacan, the city of pyramids outside Mexico; the place where “man becomes God”.
In his books entitled Don Juan’s Teachings, Carlos Castaneda covered certain aspects of the “warrior’s path” in the 80s. Mushrooms, however, are not required to approach the truth of the 1997 exposition of the Naguals’ teachings by Don Miguel Ruiz.
The Naguals passed their knowledge down, keeping it secret within the lineage until people were ready to receive it and use it with wisdom.
In his books entitled Don Juan’s Teachings, Carlos Castaneda covered certain aspects of the “warrior’s path” in the 80s. Mushrooms, however, are not required to approach the truth of the 1997 exposition of the Naguals’ teachings by Don Miguel Ruiz.
Perhaps the time the Naguals envisaged - a time for humankind to step out of its half-crazed dream state - has well and truly arrived.
Ruiz points to ‘attention’ as the key to our ability to overcome the relentless domestication process that has imprisoned us in old dreams.
On a mundane level, this process is mirrored by the government taking over so much of our lives. Without waking up on a psychic level, there can only be ‘chains’ on earth.
“Attention is the ability we have to discriminate and to focus only on that which we want to perceive,” he says early in the book, explaining that “the adults around us hooked our attention and put information into our minds through repetition”.
Later, he points out that repetition is also the way out of our dilemma.
He asks us to focus our attention on four simple agreements: be impeccable with your word; take nothing personally; don’t make assumptions; and always do your best.
He tells what these four agreements mean with precision, humour and the deft touch of an artist who aims to be his own master.
The ability to let go of the past and live in the present moment is crucial. “Right here and now,” Ruiz urges.
“Letting go of the past means you can enjoy the dream that’s happening right now”, the implication being that this is far preferable to being lost in yesterday’s dreams and nightmares…
There is no bravado, strutting or self-aggrandisement in The Four Agreements, sub-titled ‘A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom‘.
It’s a Mountain Climber’s Classic - light in weight, simple in language, and profound in meaning.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz is a Toltec Wisdom book, published by Amber Allen (1997)
ISBN 978-1-878424-31-0
