The Four Agreements Toltec Wisdom Collection: The Four Agreements/The Mastery of Love/The Voice of Knowledge

by Miguel Ruiz

This three-book set by bestselling author don Miguel Ruiz offers his most widely acclaimed works: mainly about ourselves.

Genres: Self Help, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Psychology

856 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2008

About the author

Miguel Ángel Ruiz Macías is a Mexican author known for his teachings on Toltec spirituality and neoshamanism. Best known for his 1997 bestseller The Four Agreements, Ruiz's work is embraced by the New Thought movement and has influenced many seeking spiritual enlightenment. His books, including The Mastery of Love and The Voice of Knowledge, have helped spread Toltec wisdom worldwide. Ruiz was named one of the Watkins 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People in 2018. He also co-authored The Fifth Agreement with his son José Ruiz and has continued to write and teach on personal freedom and love.

Reviews

[Saquina Akanni · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Four Agreements Toltec Wisdom Trilogy Collection is truly profound. I had purchased all three of these books and the collection was given to me as a gift. These are amazing books by a widely acclaimed author who inspired me on my journey to transformation and change. The collection offers insights on the first steps to transformation using Toltec wisdom, which illuminates wisdom and perspective on conduct, love and knowledge.

There are three books in the set: "The Four Agreements" is the first book and reveal concepts and beliefs feed to us as children. These beliefs become an inner voice as thought that limits our power, robs us of our innate joy and induces needless suffering. Here are the Four Agreements offered as ancient Toltec wisdom on conduct: 1. Be impeccable with your word, 2. Don't take anything personally, 3. Don't make assumptions, and 4. Always do your best. Each code of conduct is detailed in separate chapters and easy reading.

Book two "The Mastery of Love" presents insight on love, joy and happiness that is already inside us. Our innate source is Love. Miguel Ruiz provides stories and messages on life to show how one can heal emotional wounds, recover a joyful heart, resume a playful spirit and let go of control of others. This is vital in loving relationships.

Book three "The Voice of Knowledge" introduces us to our lying mind. The ego mind speaks from learned contaminated knowledge poisoned with beliefs that are not our own. Once we stop believing in lies that lead to constant "assumptions" that cause conflict, suffering and drama we can realize personal freedom. These subconscious lies undermine our own innate truth and relationships. Ruiz reminds us that we can access our truth within, find our inner peace and recover our faith through the practice of listening to our own innate inner wisdom and using common sense.

All three are short books and a "must read" for anyone's inspirational toolbox. The collection comes in a hard case and has a durable cover. It make a great gift.

Pass it on...

Sending Love and Light
Saquina Akanni
The Prosperity Doctor
www.saquinaakanni.com

[Bell Of The Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5-star for the year!
And This is a nonfic at that!
50% of the book's content I was familiar with as its in mult doctrines of faith and basic level morals.
But the other 50%?!
I've gleaned things that will forever be with me.
Making me a better ME.
Making This place a better place because I'm my best self.

Amazing nuggets to hold onto like:
*Gossip is the main form of human communication. Change it!
*The truth need not be defended.
*We were given zero opportunity to choose at childhood, even our own name. But as adults we have the chance to take all the power to change lies to truths, back.
*Assuming lives off the lie that it is "about me".
*Don't take ANYTHING personal, flattery or abuse. As people are responding out of their views, their world, their wounds. It's about themselves, not you.
*When you choose to change a lie you've believed to truth, all that energy it suck from you, returns to you!
*Lies take more energy than truth.
*We only let others abuse us as much as we abuse ourselves ( feeling we deserve it). We abuse ourselves the worst.

There's so much to take away from this little, quick, easy to read book.

But BEWARE: it isn't all easy to swallow at first! And def even harder to live out.
Because some lies have been a part of who we believe we are for SOooooo long, peeling them off of us scares us as to who we will be under there.
But know this...that being is beautiful. Free. Love. Lovable. True. Pure.
And most importantly, still there. Under all the lies.
Find them.
Rescue them.


(This book was the catalysts to me documenting my own recovery of my true self. And also a part of why I began a podcast all about rescuing ourselves.
You can find that at:
Flowergirlrescue on Spotify.
https://anchor.fm/ipb3 )

[Cindy Segura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read these books several times. They definately were life changing. I am still on a journey to spiritual happiness, but I am better than before ever reading Don Miguel's books. Thank goodness I found them:)

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beetje zweverig maar ideaal voor mensen die niet kunnen stoppen met alles overdenken

[Ridgewalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend recommended this book and I quite enjoyed it. This is a book that helps you discover yourself a bit more and hopefully helps you to move further in your efforts to let go of the "dream" that life has put you in; all those things that you do not question, that you believe are true, that are in fact lies. In this respect the parallels to Zen are very strong, in that both paths seek to help you to awaken from the dream you are in. This book takes the form of doing that through four agreements, which the author outlines. My favorite was number two: "Don't Take Anything Personally." Anything anyone does to you, good or bad, is a reflection of their dream, their past, their beliefs, both good and bad. For me, as I go through this book, the thing that is left is the truth that we are love, and that we are all connected.

The book has a down to earth matter of fact narrative throughout that makes it very accessible. It is a quick read at 140 pages.

[Diana Bogan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the principles of the four agreements. The analogies used and the author's overall writing style just weren't for me.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely worth reading and practicing! The four agreements are helpful to use as a mantra while meditating.

[Juliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book the whole world must read ! Ready , beautiful and just perfect! I ready in one flight as I couldn’t put it down. I look forward to read again and tell the world to read too

[Pınar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because of this book, now I understand better people who complain everything and think negatively all the time. I understand and don't judge them anymore. I understand and accept them as they are and know that everyone has a different perception of reality. The only person we can change is ourselves. The more we change positively the more we have much more joyous lives. The key is to heal ourselves, our minds. The rest takes care of itself.

[MaryLynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a strange book. I found the artwork and the layout of the book distracting. I found parts of the book completely hokey. And yet, the concepts and insights of the four agreements were powerful and liberating. It felt like a complete mishmash, but I would still recommend it highly. I would suggest trying to find an edition that is not so stylized in the layout. Give me a simple, straightforward book every time!

[Karie Herring]

A great read about simple living and the outlook on life. To finding inner peace and happiness. Relinquishing the ideals of control.

[Erick French · Rating 5 out of 5]

How does our integrity connect us to our soul? Read this book.

[Amanda Madany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very spiritual self-help style book - not surprised I didn't enjoy it.

[Boneza Hanchock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great lessons for life and love. Perfect book to re-read again and again.

[carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these agreements contradict each other; you can’t take anything someone says personally, but you need to trust yourself in deciphering whether a person is lying to you/themselves or not. Yet, in the 3rd agreement, it says that you must not make assumptions, and in order to do this you need to ask questions in order to obtain the truth. How do you decide whether the information someone says is truth or not? Unless everyone acts in this manner, the way in which you go about making no assumptions can still cause miscommunication regardless of how hard you work.
Also, by not taking anything personally, am I supposed to not feel anything when someone i care about talks to me? Should they not care when i say things to them? I understand that these agreements are important in the grand scheme of things, but I feel that in many specific situations, it would not work. As someone whose love language is primarily ‘words of affirmation,’ I wonder if I somehow need to change myself in order to become the ‘white magician’ this books claims is the purest form (I won’t get into the way this is very ignorant phrasing)

What is ‘doing my best’? Is it just what makes me feel good? There’s a lack of an explanation here, and I’ve always struggled with determining whether I’ve done my best in a situation or not.

‘It’s so simple and logical that even a child can understand them’ well thanks for that.

Overall, I do think this is a must-read for everyone, this book is so eye-opening to many aspects of life we never even think about. HOWEVER there is a fair bit I disagree with, or that I feel doesn’t make sense. But it could be that I just need context from other DMR books.

[HONLUE Musa Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book Miguel reveals the Toltec wisdoms to help humans find peace and love.
The four agreements are:
- Having an impeccable word: this means sharing love and live. Using our words to elevate, praise and celebrate others. Using our words to build people around us. Avoid all sorts of curses using our words and always try to say the truth.
- Don't take things personally: whatever people say or do around us, what ever situation happening, we should learn not to take things personal and live and unconditional love to ourselves and our fellow humans.
- Do not make assumptiins: always ask questions when you don't understand and learn to communicate and not always think that others have bad intentions toward us.
- Always do your best: not more, not less.
The world has modeled us through domestication in a dream with a set of written and unwritten rules to which we have agreed consciously or not. These rules now govern our lives and we have been trapped in a life that is not ours.
To break the rules and enter in a state of paradise on earth, the four agreement according to the Toltec wisdom is the way.
We can gain back true and unconditional love by reprogramming our systems to the 4 agreements and live the paradise on earth.

[BookPusher D · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly the "wisdom" parts are all written in the Bible. If you actually study the Bible it will be ear. Of course this is told as if you have full control of everything and of course it tells you to empty yourself like all Cult-ish teaching. As a psychologist I see this a lot. Biblical principles regurgitated as human made wisdom. Meditation or breath work to empty the mind instead of meditating on God's Word to feed the mind and soul. This may be broken down in our modern English so it's easier to comprehend, but there are many Bible teachers today who show you how to study the Bible and gain far deeper wisdom than this book can provide. The first few agreements are good for those who chose to believe in only themselves and what they see. Maybe our society and modern culture can finally stop being so sensitive and impulsive ruled by fear and anger.

[Megan Mathieu · Rating 4 out of 5]

self-help book that presents four principles for personal freedom and self-mastery. The four agreements are:

1- Be impeccable with your word
2- Don’t take anything personally
3- Don’t make assumptions
4- Always do your best

The book explains these agreements as a way to break free from limiting beliefs and societal conditioning, and to achieve a more authentic and fulfilling life.

One of the best quotes from the book is, "The first agreement is the most important one and also the most difficult one to honor. It is so important that with just this first agreement, you will be able to transcend to the level of existence I call heaven on earth." This quote speaks to the book's overall theme of the power of the word and the importance of integrity in one's communication.

Another powerful quote is "The second agreement is not to take anything personally. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering." This quote highlights the theme of the power of detachment and the importance of not taking things personally in order to avoid unnecessary suffering.

The book also explores the theme of the power of personal responsibility and the importance of breaking free from limiting beliefs and societal conditioning. One of the best quotes that encapsulate this theme is "The third agreement is to not 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."

[Alexandria · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was recommended this book, I scoffed. Usually I see self help books as total bullshit that someone somehow made money off of weak-minded people. However, after reading, I didn't have that vibe from this text.

One of the four main agreements is "don't make assumptions". This is something that I struggle with so much that while reading, I felt I really connected with each word written on the page.

Finally, the metaphor of heaven and hell in discussing these principles really made sense and was something that I thought was eloquently and intentionally chosen to relate to a particularly wide audience.

Overall, the principles are truly something to live by, and as the author notes, this isn't something that is an easy task.

[Florence Dambricourt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read and great four principles to put in practice. True. I am fully biased 😁, I give similar advices in my book Swim Like a Fish, an easy guide to developing your self-leadership. Hence could not help feeling great with this impression "great mind feels alike". The four principals? Be impeccable with your words aka choose your words choose your world. Don t take anything personally, a great echo to "perception is projection". Don t make assumptions, a favourite of mine that I like to associate with "seek clarification as often as needed". And last always do your best. All four principals leaving to this key notion "love yourself", even if it feels weird or uncomfortable, accept (and decide) to love yourself. Enjoy the reading, and enjoy the love 🤗.

[Magaly Borrero-Vazquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost stopped reading this book after the 1st chapter as it was describing domestication and dreaming. I sticked with it and I am glad that I did. The book reminds us that in order to make new habits we have to let go of old ones. I love the simplicity in which the author, Miguel Ruiz, describes each agreement: 1) Be impeccable with your word, 2) Don't take anything personally, 3) Don't make assumptions and 4) Always do your best. I ended up taking notes in my journal about each agreement. These notes, I review often and are my north star guiding my path towards becoming the best version of myself I can be.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 3.5! This is the 2nd time I have read this. The first time, I didn't like it much at all. This time, I saw how these simple agreements could make life more like heaven than like hell. However, the author would tell you what to do to be happier and be your true self, but offer no practical ways of how to do this! It seemed as if the author suggested that you just choose to be a certain way, and it automatically happens. I believe that our thoughts and choices have a lot of power, but I don't think changing our lives is that simple!

[Noellie Rousseau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je suis toujours assez septique à l’égard des livres de développement personnel, mais je dois reconnaître qu’il y a des principes intéressants dans celui ci et je me suis retrouvée dans pas mal de situations qui m’empêchent de vivre plus sereinement. À la fin de cette lecture je me suis sentie apaisée et j’ai envie d’essayer de tenir certains accords. Plein de sagesse et qui donne envie de réfléchir au sens que l’on souhaite donner à sa vie. De loin le meilleur livre de cette catégorie que j’ai pû lire.

[Starr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know everyone loves this book. I mean, it was good. But I kind of didn't love it. I made me feel a little weird.
I liked all the things it taught & appreciated that I got to learn about other traditions. I also appreciated that it mentioned Jesus.
It didn't teach anything contrary to what I believe.
I think it added a layer of anxiety to me because it showed me where I am lacking.
Time to get to work.

[Maryam Ishak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really basic advice and very low reading level. Might be helpful for young teens. Basically tells the read about the strength of our words and advises to think before you talk, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, good or bad, when people say or do things to you, it’s driven by their own self, work your hardest and do your best always.

[Vidhisha Anand · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple book, based on the ancient Toltec wisdom, urges one to redirect the perspective on life, to where it really should have been, if not for the "domestication" one is subjected to, right from childhood..
.
THE FOUR AGREEMENTS:
Be impeccable with your word
Don't take anything personally
Don't make assumptions
Always do your best

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all other self-help books this book gives great advice and how to improve your life by forgiving others and even forgiving yourself it is a great read. How can anybody bash a book that has been to improve your life... if you have an answer for that then you should read this book.

[Marlee Martel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book has a place and a way in which it would appeal to many.
I personally found it a little over simplified. Still, that made for a quick read. I don’t at all disagree with the book’s intent though.

[Martina Mázdrová · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love this book. I feel like this book should be read by every person. The agreements may seem obvious buy there are less obvious in our practice... Life would be so much easier and much more joyful if we were all following these

[Shaghayegh Akhbari · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun quick read i found educating in a spiritual new way.
Basically everything said in the book, we know it all. But none of us have probably given it much thought.
Gave it a three star because I've read way more moving books. But it was good to read.