Don Miguel Ruiz, a shaman of the Toltec tradition, shares in his lovely book, The Four Agreements some wonderful lessons on the Path to Freedom–how we can change the Old Dream of the planet into the New Dream (the Toltec equivalent to the Promised Land, Nirvana, Heaven).

The Four Agreements are simple but not easy to implement. They require letting go of our prior “agreements” or beliefs about what life “should” be. They bring about transformation for anyone willing to experience the discipline of the Warrior. A final chapter addresses the “Initiation of the Dead: Embracing the Angel of Death”. It is an accelerated path of transformation, taking Death itself as our teacher.

Says, Ruiz, “What the angel of death is going to teach us to how to be truly alive. We become aware that we can die at any moment; we have just the present to be alive…You can live your life this way. By doing so, you prepare for the initiation of death. What is going to happen in the initiation of death is that the old dream that you have in your mind is going to die forever. Yes, you are going to have memories of the parasite–of the Judge, the Victim, and what you used to believe–but the parasite will be dead.”

It won’t be easy, explains Ruiz. The Judge and Victim will fight with everything they have in order not to die. We will feel that we are going to die.

When you live in the dream of the planet, it is as if we are dead. Whoever survives the initiation of the dead receives the most wonderful gift; the resurrection…to arise from the dead, to be alive, to be ourselves again…to become free again and heal our mind.

The angel of death comes to us and says, ‘You see everything that exists here is mine; it is not yours. Your house, your spouse, your children, your car, your career, your money–everything is mine and I can take it away when I want to, but for now you can use it.’

If we surrender to the angel of death we will be happy forever and ever. Why? Because the angel of death takes the past away in order to make it possible for life to continue…

When are we going to live in the present? That is what the angel of death teaches us to do.

In his opening pages, don Miguel explains about the Toltec heritage. Thousands of years ago, the Toltec were known throughout southern Mexico as “women and men of knowledge.” The Toltec were not a religion or a race or a nation, but rather, were scientists and artists who formed a society to explore and conserve the spiritual knowledge and practices of the ancient ones. The esoteric Toltec knowledge was veiled and kept secret for generations by the naguals or masters. Ancient prophecies foretold of the coming of an age when it would be necessary to return the wisdom to the people.

Born and raised in rural Mexico by his mother, a curandera (healer) and his grandfather, a nagual (shaman), don Miguel Ruiz today continues the nagual path in the Tradition of the Toltec–leading individuals to personal freedom. Ruiz was sidetracked in the modern life of medical school and work as a surgeon until a near death experience in the 70s changed his direction.

In The Four Agreements, Ruiz presents a practical guide to personal freedom. In this small guidebook, he reveals the source of our self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. The Four Agreements are a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness and love.

~ The Four Agreements ~
• 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 circumstances, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

The Four Agreements Copyright 1997 by Don Miguel Ruiz, MD.
Visit www.miguelruiz.com for more info on his books, teachings and workshops.

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• The science of subtle anatomy: the ancient models and the newest research on the unseen fields that determine our
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• True integrative care: how combining Eastern energetic modalities with Western scientific rigor yields optimum results

• Your Physical Body is an Illusion
• Your Real Body Is Energy
• Awareness has Magic
• You Can Improve Your Genes
• Time Isn’t Your enemy

And the Soul:

• There’s an Easier Way to Live
• Love Awakens the Soul
• Be as Boundless as Your Soul
• The Fruit of Surrender Is Grace
• The Universe Evolves through You

The 10 Steps to Wholeness

1. Nourish your ‘light-body’
2. Turn entropy into evolution
3. Commit yourself to deeper awareness
4. Be generous of spirit
5. Focus on relationships instead of consumption
6. Relate to your body consciously
7. Embrace every day as a new world
8. Let the timeless be in charge of time
9. Feel the world instead of trying to understand it
10. Seek after your own mystery

Wholeness must be seized at this moment, because eternity dawns only in a moment like this one.
~ Deepok Chopra

~ the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life
~ the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe
~ a person’s total self
~ an active or essential part

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It is my sincere desire that this simple and elegant practice of the Five Warrior Syllables, which is based on the highest teachings of the Tibetan Bön Buddhist tradition of which I am a lineage holder, will benefit many beings in the West. Please receive it with my blessing, and bring it into your life. Let it support you to become kind and strong and clear and awake. —Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche