The Four Agreements: Guide to Personal Freedom

Toltec Wisdom

by Miguel Ruiz

Why this Book?

This book has been written for those readers who haven't already read the original book or had read the book. For those who haven't read this book, this book will help them to learn all the information and new entries of Toltec Theory, A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom. Whereas, for those who had read the Original book, this book will help them to remember the key points. Hope this book found to be useful. Peace.

Remember!! This book has been made using the main points of the real book. If Readers wants to enjoy the main content of the real book, this book is for them.

The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love.

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

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1997

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

[Jim Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a small book of 129 pages which I have read it many times. I suspect I will pick it up and read it again for as long as I can read. I don't have it on my bookshelf though, as I want to honor its special nature to me. In my nightstand by my bed is its home for now.

This is a book that challenges one to live up to four simple truths, and offers transformational results if one could live a life completely engaged in the four agreements. They are so concise that I can state them here. 1) Be impeccable with your word. 2) Don't take anything personally. 3) Don't make assumptions. 4) Always do your best. Simple huh? Track a day and see how many times you break an agreement (in your actions or your mind). To my constant amazement, I find myself stumbling over one or another of these agreements with some regularity. So it helps to remind myself with a yellow sticky note on my fridge, mental food for when I reach for the physical food.

I am not committed to these four agreements with a hope that I will attain some mystical state. I find the author's explanation of how our mind, our society, and importantly, our relationships work to be insightful, even though it is based on a paradigm that is completely outside my heritage of growing up in a small New England town. Understanding the Toltec dream metaphor is an essential part of realizing the deeper meaning driving our relationships within the world around us. Ruiz does a good job of helping these concepts become clearer. Especially relevant to me is the understanding of the role of judging and the resulting self-victimization that society attempts to impress on all of us.

Ruiz has helped me drop many of my limited belief structures and has opened up insights into living that are valuable to young and old souls alike. Lately, I have started to sense that some of his intricate explanations of how the dream takes control of our lives are based on a complex analysis that once reasoned through, only makes the simplicity of the four agreements more relevant to me in my daily life.

It is 2024, twenty-one years after I wrote this first review. There are only four agreements, but they are a challenge to keep, and I certainly feel my life has improved by striving to keep them actively guiding my life. It is a good read.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was surprised. I thought I would really like this book. A friend of mine told me the basic ideas were to be impeccable with your word, don't take things personally, don't make assumptions,and always do your best. To me, these sounded great: be honest, be forgiving, give others a chance to say what they think and try your best...or so I thought!

The ideas were actually more along the lines of: don't send out poisonous words that put spells on people, don't let others poison you with their spells (pretty strange, right?), don't have expectations of others, and yes, try your best.

My husband and I were going to read this together, but by page 16 he couldn't take it anymore! I needed to read it for our book group so I continued on solo.

I found the explanations for these ideas unnecessarily described as being from black or white magic, unnecessarily loaded with examples and I felt the author was talking down to me.

Also, by far the book's biggest flaw, the information, if it hadn't been so swollen by overexplaining EVERY single concept, could have been presented in half OR LESS of the length!!!! Really, an elementary student might need all the over-simplified explanations supported by numerous examples, but even a teenager would have felt that Ruiz is beating a dead horse! (As my husband and I did by page 16!)

Another friend told me that the ideas in this book reminded her of things she's heard before and gave as an example You Are Special, a great children's book by Max Lucado. I suggest reading that instead of this book.

The book's ideas felt religious and might be okay for someone who is without religion and looking for some principles to govern their life. But, for me, as a Christian, I felt that these concepts were not only familiar but succinctly summed up in "love one another" and "try to be like Jesus."

I really didn't like the book, but I suppose that I don't have to worry about the author taking it personally! :)

[Mikaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to propose this book as required reading for the course, Life. Make four simple agreements with yourself and living becomes so much easier, so much lighter:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

What I love about this book
* It's a short, captivating read. I love the efficiency of receiving so much thought-provocation in so little time.
* The agreements are applicable to everyone, everywhere, regardless of religion, gender, age, etc.
* Stories, anecdotes and examples from various beliefs are intertwined throughout, spotlighting their common bottom lines: love, life and peace.

Possibly the most life-changing book I've ever read. No, really. See?

:)

[Holly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trivial introduction to New Age ethics with a large side order of third-rate, rancid leftovers from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, all written for a third-grade reading comprehension.

Considering that the first agreement is "be impeccable with your word," it's ironic and even more horrifying that the words in this book are so lazy, careless, contradictory, infantile, incoherent, and devoid of integrity.

Miguel Ruiz thinks that the ideal human is--get this--a toddler:

If we see a child who is two or three, perhaps four years old, we find a free human. Why is this human free? Because this human does whatever he or she wants to do. The human is completely wild. Just like a flower, a tree, or an animal that has not been domesticated--wild!

Uh, yeah. That human also completely loses its shit if for some reason it can't keep doing what it wants, and if you were to leave it in the woods, like a flower, a tree, or an animal that has not been domesticated, it would die--like, really soon, unless it was, you know, adopted by wolves. In which case it would be useless as a human.

There's a reason people call the period of being 24 to 36 months old "the terrible twos." If you think about it, a toddler is basically "a living being who lives off of other living beings, sucking their energy without any useful contribution in return, and hurting their host little by little." Or at least, that's what toddlers would be if they didn't stop being toddlers. And that, by the way, is Don Miguel Ruiz's own definition of a parasite--but he's too dense to realize it. (And if you are inclined to protest that it's harsh to describe toddlers as as beings that suck the energy of their hosts without making a useful contribution in return, google reasons my kid is crying. )

At least the idealization of children explains the childish syntax and diction, the crudeness of the examples. This douche nozzle actually writes:

An example: I see a friend and give him an opinion that just popped into my mind. I say, "Hmmm! I see the kind of color in your face in people who are going to get cancer." If he listens to the word, and if he agrees, he will have cancer in less than one year.

How the hell does Ruiz know? Has he actually tried it? Is he such a horrible person that he would actually tell a friend that he looks like someone who's going to get cancer? I seriously hope not, because that most definitely does not constitute being impeccable with one's word; it's being wantonly careless, glibly harmful, and perniciously cruel with one's word. (Shame, shame on Miguel Ruiz. Bad, naughty Miguel Ruiz.)

I would like to hear from anyone who has evidence, however anecdotal, that supports Ruiz's claim about giving someone cancer with one's (utterly unimpeccable) word. In the meantime, I can offer this anecdotal evidence to the contrary: one of my relatives suffered for years with severe OCD related to medical issues. This person spent years convinced that they were developing cancer, but they just kept being wrong, because it turns out that mere belief is not necessarily enough to give someone cancer after all. More to the point, people are told all the time, "Don't smoke! Smoking gives you cancer!" And they say, "Meh. That will happen to someone else. It won't happen to me," and even though they don't believe the warnings, they still get cancer. Why? Well, it's obvious enough: the reason people started getting cancer from smoking in the first place isn't that they were told they would get cancer within a year; it's that smoking causes cancer. Freakin' DUH.

This book is so devoid of integrity that it even manages to make Hitler trivial and trite in ways not even the most egregious example of Godwin's Law on the internet could do. Seriously:

Take the example of Hitler. He sent out all those seeds of fear, and they grew very strong and beautifully (sic) achieved massive destruction. Seeing the awesome power of the word, we must understand what power comes out of our mouths.

The mind reels. Hitler didn't merely "send out all those seeds of fear," and his rhetoric alone isn't responsible for the "massive destruction" he so "beautifully" (?!) achieved. He invaded over twenty countries, including Czechoslovakia, Austria, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Britain, Yugoslavia, Greece, Soviet Union, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia. He established death camps and systematically murdered six million Jews and is also responsible for the murder of another ten million people, including Poles, Russians, Gypsies, people with disabilities, Communists, Socialists, Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, and Germans who opposed him for any reason.

Describing a genocide and that much deliberate savagery in trite terms like "seeds of fears" that "beautifully achieved massive destruction" is vile and something an intelligent reader should object to. The book manages to make evil banal in ways even Hannah Arendt could not have predicted.

But hey. Guess what will fix everything? TALKING MORE! TALKING BETTER!: "All human problems would be resolved if we could just have good, clear communication."

Except you know who excelled at clear communication? Hitler. And you know who's shitty at good, clear communication--besides, you know, Miguel Ruiz? "A child who is two or three, perhaps four years old." The "wild," "undomesticated" human that Ruiz posits as the ideal human totally sucks at the thing that Ruiz says will solve all our problems.

This would be a significant flaw if Ruiz were actually trying to formulate a sophisticated system that would offer human beings a coherent guide to ethics and behavior--if, that is, his work had any integrity. But it obviously doesn't. My guess is that Ruiz's one and only goal is to convince gullible people to buy the shit he's peddling, and he has clearly succeeded very well at that.

There is no wisdom in this book, only cheap platitudes. And if you can't recognize that The Four Agreements is full of bullshit, well, science says there's a reasonable chance that you're just not smart. See http://www.independent.co.uk/news/sci... for details.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK. So. I liked several parts of this book very much. I love that happiness is a choice. I especially appreciated reading about the third agreement: Don't Make Assumptions because communication is something I can always work on. I loved the parts about accepting and loving yourself and others. There is some amazing advise in this little book and I can see how it can be life changing for many people.

But.

I'm going to be honest and admit that Ruiz almost lost me at "Everything is God" in the introduction. Even though it sounds very pretty when said by a dude made of stars and fog, "Everything is God" is a meaningless statement. That's just something people say to blow everyone's mind and make themselves appear deeper than they actually are. Believe what you like about God, but saying everything is God is just the same as saying nothing is God, in which case you ought to go ahead and say what you mean and be a respectable atheist.

He almost lost me again at the John Lennon quote, just before the beginning of Chapter One. Little known fact: John Lennon quotes are a pet peeve of mine. Who knew- right? And then again when he kept using the word "dreamy-dream-dreamer" to make everything sound super emotive and enlightened. Not that there's anything really wrong with that- just not my thing.

And I admit I was annoyed by his over-simplifications, his vagueness about the evils of "the dream of the planet" (societal expectations) and again by his many generalizations- especially about how NO ONE is free to be herself because we're ALL "domesticated" (brainwashed) by society and our parents and teachers and church leaders, ALL blind, ALL narcissists. Which, you know, isn't entirely true.

I'm certainly not a conformist, but I believe there needs to be a balance- some things you should conform to. Like not stealing. Or speeding through residential neighborhoods. Whether I'm personally feeling it or not, many societal expectations aren't relative. They're necessary. On the other hand, if by "the dream of the planet" he means cultural customs like judging people for their hairstyle or the music they like then I agree that "the dream of the planet" is bad news. See, it would be helpful if he were slightly less mysterious in his approach.

Once I managed to sort through the new-age incense and magic (Not my flavor), I actually agreed with the four agreements. Imagine that. It turns out I've heard them before from Mother Teresa, C.S. Lewis, Dr. Seuss, Steven Covey, Jesus Christ, and many others. Life is infinitely better when you're honest and courageous enough to accept yourself, communicative in your relationships, positive, open and loving, forgiving of yourself and others, and continually trying to do your best. That is how we become a happy person. That is what most religions teach. That's what most schools encourage. That's what science shows. Its no secret- its just surprisingly difficult to remember and put into practice. Props to Ruiz for reminding me of this and for writing a book to help others. While his writing style made me vomit a little in my mouth, still he meant well and has assuredly encouraged many on the path to happiness.

I would add, it is my personal belief that our reason for being- our purpose on earth is to learn to be happy. And truly happy people are always good people. Not perfect, but good. And I would add further that it stands to reason that the better a person is, the happier she becomes. Which is where religion takes the four agreements a step further, claiming that we are eternal beings and if so then we are day by day over an eternity either becoming more like God, or less like God. We are either progressing towards perfect happiness or perfect misery. Christianity also adds that we don't need to do this on our own, which idea rings true and logical and brings me comfort.

Wow. Ruiz inspired me to write my own book.

[Adam · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is juvenile. The universally acceptable platitudes that make up the four agreements are the only useful phrases in the book. Every explanation is conclusory, circular, and intentionally unclear. His conclusions aren't drawn from any deductive reasoning or analysis, and nothing rings true. I suppose you could find solace in the book if you wanted to blame your parents and society for your unhappiness, but I am not unhappy and I don't believe that anyone else is responsible for my happiness. Don't waste your time.

[Fergus, Weaver of Autistic Webs · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read this book in 1994, I was on a freefall through space. Stress at the middle management level can hit you like a banshee's scream!

But Ruiz grounded me.

It had turned out to be a result of dangerously high blood pressure (like, going thru the roof). Oh, well. In the weird world of hypertension, I was ushered into the beginner's level of hypertension meds.

I stabilized quickly.

And this book made me stop and smell the roses (just like the beautiful book Awaken the Starlight Within, in the slot this weekend).

I had to stop. An early retirement beckoned.

It had all started with Fred, may he rest in peace...

Fred was a retired Sergeant-Major who liked to mentor his new bosses, but I let him down badly on that count.

Fred, like the rest of my workers, was a man of the world, and I wasn't. When Fred had a heart attack, it shook me up. I was suddenly mortal by proximity.

I could see Fred's family disdained me, visiting him in hospital. Did I deserve their disdain? Probably. My management style had specialized in tunnel vision!

Self-doubt pierced my rigid armour.

That was my free-fall that spring into hypertension and insecurity.

Given a regimen of working half days by my doc, I recuperated with books like The Four Agreements. It spoke to me. It showed me the Good Sense I sadly lacked!

When I went back to work weeks later, I had become - finally - a people person. I worked harder on getting results, less on number-crunching and I tried to befriend my colleagues.

Though still no man of the world, Ruiz taught me to keep my feet on the ground and be affable:

And not a Distant Manager!

[Liong · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a bestselling book that has sold millions of copies around the world and stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for years.

The four agreements are as follows:

1. Be Impeccable with Your Word: Speak honestly and kindly. Don’t say hurtful things about yourself or others, and avoid gossip.

2. Don’t Take Anything Personally: What others say or do is about them, not you. When you stop taking things personally, you won’t get upset by other people’s opinions.

3. Don’t Make Assumptions: Don’t assume you know what others are thinking. Instead, ask questions and be clear to avoid misunderstandings.

4. Always Do Your Best: Try your best in every situation. Your best might change depending on how you feel, but doing your best helps you feel good about yourself.

Overall, the book can help you feel more peaceful and ready to make positive changes in your life. 😍

I always remind myself of these four agreements every day. Practical and effective.

[Krishna Chaitanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book is going to tear your heart open, put a light of love in it. This light will grow and become a fire, then you start spreading the love of light to your family, your community, your nation, to the world and to the universe.

1st Agreement: Be impeccable with your word.
The word impeccable derives from the Latin word impeccabilis, a combination of the Latin prefix in-, meaning "not," and the verb peccare, meaning "to sin."
To speak a word is a gift from god. Learned men would always have a firm grip on the words they speak, and they would never incur sin with harsh words.

2nd Agreement: Don’t take it personally
If you’re in a bus stand waiting for a bus and some random person says you’re stupid. Don’t react or get into fight, if you do so, then deep down you have a belief that you’re stupid.
Don’t take it personally even if someone shoots you in the face.

3rd Agreement: Don’t make assumptions
If you’re making assumptions, then you’re bringing hell in your dream (According to author, we all are living in a dream, yes, like in Matrix.). Don’t worry about your future, don’t ruminate your bad past incident. Be present.

4th Agreement: Always be your best.
This is difficult. If you wake up fresh and energized, then you progress your day with enthusiasm and positivity. But, if you had a fight with your spouse, then you feel sad and let your emotions take over and you make your day terrible.
Always be and do your best, whether you’re happy or not, whether you’re healthy or sick. In order to comply with the 4th agreement, first you must master the first 3 agreements.

It is not easy to master the above agreements, but don’t give up. If you break the 1st agreement by yelling, then start all over. Living in accordance with the above agreements is a way of living a good life.

[Suz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second time reading this book and I picked it up again because I felt I was compromising too much in my life and it was affecting my core. I have a chapter to go but here's the summary:

The book cites four agreements that, with practice, will lead you to a happier state of living, essentially and dramatically, lead you out of your living hell. The idea is focused 100% on you. You can only control yourself and only honor yourself.

1. Be impeccable with your word. Your word is your power to create the events in your life. It can create positive events or destructive events. Impeccable means "without sin". So the idea here is that you use your word without sin against yourself. You take responsibility for your actions but you do not judge and blame yourself. There is a big difference. And as you practice your impeccable word don't you think the very actions which might have caused you to judge and blame yourself before will decrease and it will become easier to truly know the difference between taking responsibility and punishing yourself (over and over again).

2. Don't take anything personally. Don't take compliments or insults or anything in between personally. If you know who you are and are impeccable with your word (i.e.: being yourself, not going against yourself) then you will get better and better at not allowing others to shape how you feel about yourself. This particular chapter I struggle with because I personally like to build people up by showing them how I feel about them and what I think about who they are. It is a rare thing for me to tell someone something negative unless i am trying to be a friend to help them through something and they need to hear it. However, I will re-read this to try to gain more meaning and understanding out of it.

3. Don't make assumptions. This almost requires no comment. We do this ALL the time. I know I do. You hear someone explaining their situation and as they are you are summarizing it in your own words in your head, filling in blanks because you want to have the complete picture. Except it's not the complete picture because rather than ask questions to fill in the blanks, you used your own experience and assumptions to do so.

4. Always do your best so that you will not judge and punish yourself. Do things because you want to do them and do your best, not for some reward. Enjoy your life. Live it now. And your best may not be the same every day if you're sick, tired, or you've fallen victim to beating yourself up. Doing your best means doing your best with the previous 3 agreements also and it means you may not always live up to your desire to always honor them. But it's your best so don't judge yourself.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never thought I would fall for a book by someone who would allow this picture of himself to adorn the back cover:



I can't explain it. I'm not one to be floored by silly, little self-help books full of spirituality and cliches and horrible stories and simple advice. But I was. This book might just change my life.

I'll hand the rest of this review over to David Foster Wallace:

"It seems to me that the intellectualization and aestheticizing of principles and values in this country is one of the things that's gutted our generation. All the things that my parents said to me, like 'It's really important not to lie.' OK, check, got it. I nod at that but I really don't feel it. Until I get to be about 30 and I realize that if I lie to you, I also can't trust you. I feel that I'm in pain, I'm nervous, I'm lonely and I can't figure out why. Then I realize, 'Oh, perhaps the way to deal with this is really not to lie.' The idea that something so simple and, really, so aesthetically uninteresting -- which for me meant you pass over it for the interesting, complex stuff -- can actually be nourishing in a way that arch, meta, ironic, pomo stuff can't, that seems to me to be important. That seems to me like something our generation needs to feel."

[Mindi Ramsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Promoted as “A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom,” The Four Agreements was not my first choice to read in my spare time. Upon request of a dear friend, I forcibly attempted this 138-page book mustering somewhat of an open mind. Already, I have wasted many years as an idealist, grasping at wishful thinking as a way to truth. Being a childhood survivor of religious indocrination, I now err on the side of skepticism before embracing any proposal as legitimate. That preface made, I share with you my thoughts about The Four Agreements.

Not surprisingly, author Don Miguel Ruiz was born into a family of shamanism. This background led him to explore a path of self-inquiry and ancient ancestral wisdom. From his experiences, he penned the essay-like Four Agreements, expressing his viewpoint about the self.

He opens the book with an old tale about a man calling himself “The Smoky Mirror.” My skepticism nearly gagged at this point, and I was only through the roman numerals of the book pages. I could already see which direction he was headed. He launches into a romanticized dissertation about the Domestication of the Planet and ends with a statement of living in heaven on earth. If that’s not an overused cliché, what is? Now, we are ready for the life-altering Four Agreements…sarcasm intended.

What are the Four Agreements?

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

Was this a revolutionary message worth 138-pages of my time? What unique perspective could he shed on these hackneyed topics purported by flashy motivational speakers? I expected disappointment, but I suspended my disbelief initially. After reading some of the following statements, I no longer took his book seriously. It transformed from self-help into a humorous description of his biased utopia.

Here are (only) three of the outrageous statements that have no factual basis:

1. I see a friend and I say, “Hmmmm! I see that kind of color in your face in people who are going to get cancer.” If he listens to the word, and if he agrees, he will have cancer in less than one year. That is the power of the word. (page 29)
2. Love in action only produces happiness. (page 128)
3. The only reason you suffer is because you choose to suffer. (page 129)

As you deduced, this book seemed a shallow journaling of the positive-thinking-movement. I speculate that the writers of the publicized book, “The Secret,” found a predecessor in this book. For those who swear by The Secret’s principles, cozy up in your reading recliner with The Four Agreements and a steaming cup of coffee. Immerse yourself in the pages of this elementary-level read. Experience those warm and fuzzy feelings while you think happy thoughts and live in that fairytale land of Peter Pan.

[Agir(آگِر) · Rating 1 out of 5]

تکرار مکرررررات

غیبت نکنید تا دنیایتان زیبا شود...بیشترین تلاشتان را بکنید تا موفق بشوید...حالا پشت سرهم همه‌شو تکرار کن...مغزم رفت!!!!...بذار من یه نصیحت بهت بکنم آقای دون ميگوئل روئيز...نصیحتاتو رو بچپان آنجایت...مغز من کاروانسرا نیست!!!...ای دزد بی همه چیز...22 هزار تومن منو پس بده

[Raha · Rating 5 out of 5]

دومین باری بود که این کتاب رو می خوندم و حس می کنم که اثربخشی و تاثیرگذاریش به مراتب از بار اول هم بیشتر بود
^^
5/28/2019
-----
به تصور من "عمل کردن" همیشه سخت ترین بخش از هر کاری هست که تصمیم گرفتیم انجامش بدیم. اینکه مثلا بدونیم ورزش کردن برای سلامتی مون مفیده و تصمیم بگیریم انجامش بدیم اما هیچ وقت عملی ش نکنیم قطعا نمی تونه هیچ کمکی بهمون بکنه. حالا همین قضیه در مورد کتاب های خود کمک یاری هم صادقه . اینکه شما یک سری مطلب رو طوطی وار مطالعه کنید، فقط به صرف اینکه کتابی رو خونده باشید ، با اینکه شما همون کتاب رو ذره ذره و با دقت بخونید و به دستورالعمل هاش عمل کنید ، زمین تا آسمون با هم فرق میکنه

کتاب چهار میثاق یکی از همین کتاب های خودکمک یاری هست. کتابی که باید به هر چهار میثاقش عمل کنید تا به خودتون کمک کنید که زندگی بهتر و روحیه ی بالاتری داشته باشید. این چهار میثاق در ابتدا خیلی ساده و ابتدایی به نظر می اومدن اما موقع عمل که می شد می دیدم که حتی برای یک روز کامل هم نمی تونم بهشون عمل کنم چه برسه برای یک عمر!!... با این حال تجربه همیشه بهم ثابت کرده که زمان حلال مشکلاتی هست که نمیشه با عجله حلشون کرد

من این چهار میثاق رو برای خودم روی چندتا کارت نوشتم و اونا رو جاهای مختلفی گذاشتم تا دائم جلوی چشمم باشن و همیشه بهم یاد آوری کنن که
با کلام خودت گناه نکن
هیچ چیز را به خودت نگیر
تصورات باطل نکن
و همواره بیشترین تلاش خودت را بکن
7/3/2018

[BookOfCinz Reading Retreat Host · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020: January
As with every year I try to re-read this gem of a book. Will this be the year I practice all four agreements? Stay tuned to find out.

2019: November
According to Goodreads, this is my 6th time reading this book. Every time I pick it up I feel renewed that I need to find a way to implement all four agreements.

2019
One of my favorite books to re-read at the start of the year.

2018
There are four simple agreements, if we are able to stick to these four things, our lives will improve significantly. These four agreements are:
The Four Agreements are:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best

While these are "Simple" agreements, there is nothing simple about not taking anything personal, not making assumptions and always doing your best. I do believe these are four really great principles to live by and I look forward to putting these into practice.




2017
At the beginning of every year I try to read this book, maybe this year I will make it a monthly read. This book challenges us to do four "simple" things in order for us to live a more fulfilling life. I love how practical these challenges are, but each year I fail to live up to all. For the most part, I try to be impeccable with my word because I am firmly believe that your words create worlds. I keep telling people about the power of their words so this is an agreement I try to live as closely to as possible. The others are a little difficult but I think with constant reading and practice it will become a habit.
This should be mandatory reading for everyone.

A very powerful, life changing book, providing you do as instructed. Granted I have heard all of the Four Agreements in some form or another, but in this format I really "got it".
The Four Agreements are:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best
All Four Agreements are things that can be done, but will be really hard. After reading this book, I honestly saw how I sometimes get in my own way, in the way I speak, how I take things personally and by making assumptions. I honestly do believe if you work at these Four Agreements, your life will change in phenomenally.

PLEASE READ.

[Kalyn Nicholson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my third time returning to this book, and each time I absorb it more in-depth and find further wisdom within the words. I love that it's a quick read, so it's easily doable in a day or on a long car ride home. It sounds simple to believe we can live our lives based on four main agreements to overcome things like frustration, anger, sadness, envy, or any other difficult emotion. That assumption would be correct in the sense that it isn't just about implementing the four agreements broken down within the book. It's also about breaking the agreements we've accepted from an early age, which takes years of repeated trial and error and overriding the impulse to please others.
This book is a definite read for anyone looking for a straight to the point pathway to transformation and inner freedom. Taking action on the four agreements within the book is a lifelong process. Still, even within the few moments of learning about the Toltec way, you'll be able to start mentally releasing any unnecessary burdens or suffering and begin walking a lighter path.
This one will always be a favourite I'll come back to throughout the years.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many lessons we can learn from past cultures...this book is rich with wisdom that comes from the past, yet still can guide us to a better future. The core of this book (for me) is that we have to come into agreement on how we will go through life; if you are untrue to yourself how can you be true to anyone else? Uplifting and inspirational!

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Four Agreements is a simple and short presentation of some very deep wisdom. In a world filled with spiritual reading material, this one's a goodie. It just made a lot of sense to me.

These lessons come from the shaman culture of Central America. "Toltec knowledge arises from the same essential unity of truth as all the sacred esoteric traditions found around the world. Though it is not a religion, it honors all the spiritual masters who have taught on the earth. While it does embrace spirit, it is most accurately described as a way of life, distinguished by the ready accessibility of happiness and love. introduction pg x. Happiness and love! Sign up the Hippie Librarian, pronto.

The book goes on to talk about how everyone has unconscious beliefs that we pick up as children. We view and experience our world through these beliefs. Most folks aren't even aware that they have them and this causes a myriad of misunderstandings and problems: "We keep searching and searching, when everything is already within us. There is no truth to find. Wherever we turn our heads, all we see is the truth, but with the agreements and beliefs we have stored in our mind, we have no eyes for this truth. We don't see the truth because we are blind. What blinds us are all those false beliefs we have in our mind." pg 17.

So, how do you cut through the fog of these beliefs to see clearly? Ruiz suggests using The Four Agreements.

The first is: "be impeccable with your word... you begin to see all the changes that can happen in your life. Changes first in the way you deal with yourself, and later in the way you deal with other people, especially those you love the most." pg 46. This includes your inner voice, the way you talk to yourself and how you narrate your reality.

Ruiz mentions that some people talk to themselves in a manner that they would find unacceptable to use with the people they care about. Change the way you speak and, Ruiz claims, your life will follow.

The second agreement is: "Whatever people do, feel, think, or say, don't take it personally. If they tell you how wonderful you are, they are not saying that because of you." pg 59 This helps you because: "When we really see other people as they are without taking it personally, we can never be hurt by what they say or do. Even if others lie to you, it is okay. They are lying to you because they are afraid. They are afraid you will discover that they are not perfect." pg 63.

The third agreement is 'don't make assumptions': "If others tell us something, we make assumptions, and if they don't tell us something we make assumptions to fulfill our need to know and to replace the need to communicate." pg 74. Now that I've been looking for this, I've caught myself assuming things all the time.

It's funny how quick hurt feelings evaporate when I just put an "assumption" label over any stories I've concocted. It has actually been world-changing for me: to realize how many stories I make up because I'm bored or confused or simply don't know what someone else is thinking. And to realize that they're not real is such a relief. Really.

Finally: "Just do your best - in any circumstance in your life. It doesn't matter if you are sick or tired, if you always do your best there is no way you can judge yourself. And if you don't judge yourself there is no way you are going to suffer from guilt, blame, and self-punishment. By always doing your best, you will break a big spell that you have been under." pg 85.

This was another big one for me. I used to get down on myself about how circumstances played out even if I had nothing to do with it. Now, I just pause and give it a quick think over, "Did I try my best?" Generally, yeah, I was trying my guts out.

And that's all I can ask of myself, really. I can't control the uncontrollable, I can only do the best I can with what I've got in front of me.

The Four Agreements may help readers live in the now and experience life as it is rather than as they've imagined it to be. At least, that's what it has done for me. Also recommended for readers who may be interested in spirituality but want a easy place to start. This one is simple and packs a big punch in a very few pages.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Struggling somewhat to rate this one. There were a few nuggets that were very enlightening but a lot of unoriginal concepts or overly fluffy statements as well.

I found myself thinking "hey, that reminds me of..." very frequently while reading this book. The book reads like retreads of various scriptures, warm fuzzy stories, and self-help manuals. It's not a new concept that words are powerful and we should think and speak positively about ourselves and others. Not taking things personally is another not-new self-help idea. Same with not making assumptions and always doing your best. A lot of the advice is couched in "fuzzy" terms that just irritate me...black magic vs. white magic, visualizing and imagining, we live in a dream of hell? While the concepts behind the language may be accurate I just had a hard time taking it too seriously with language like that.

I particularly struggled as a parent reading the first chunk of the book. We have to teach our children something, just so they can function in society and have a structure to hang their lives on, but Ruiz seemed so against "domestication" that he almost seemed to advocate not passing our beliefs and teachings on to our children because they have no real choice in whether or not to believe them when they are young. I suspect if I had the chance to actually have a conversation with him, he could clarify the confusing and sometimes contradictory passages in the book, but I don't have that opportunity. And I'm left with a book that seems to have some good, though not really original, ideas - with no real outline for how to apply them.

For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.

[Fabian {Councillor} · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miguel Ruiz' self-help nonfictional work could easily be summarized in a few words, and if - upon reading the book's blurb here on Goodreads, which basically provides such a summary - you find nothing worth investigating in this novel, then maybe you should rather choose another book. Ruiz' ideas are very insightful and thought-provoking, but in their core nothing ground-breaking and some of his examples are actually rather questionable.

Ruiz basically implies the importance of standing up for yourself, not allowing others to influence your thoughts and your way of living in a negative way, instead living the way you want to live and not allowing expectations raised by society to affect your life. The tone of his prose was rather straightforward, but also condescending at certain points. All the time Ruiz repeated the same formulaic idea that nobody should take things personal, but his writing gave the impression of something along the lines of "but please do take those things personal which I am telling you about right now". Ruiz divides his book into four major steps, so-called 'agreements' which you have to adapt to in order to successfully change your life for the best, according to him. Those four agreements are called 1) be impeccable with your word, 2) don't take anything personal, 3) don't make assumptions and 4) always do your best. He also offers lengthy explanations and nonfictional examples to support those agreements.

Miguel Ruiz used to work as a surgeon until a near-death-experience convinced him of changing his life and delving into the deepest parts of himself, parts of which can be found in this book. Ruiz' enthusiasm about the concept he is living by basically flows through the entire text, allowing it to turn into a very uplifting book of highly readable and rather simplistic messages, yet Ruiz successfully managed to provide food for thoughts.

Even though I personally liked Ruiz' self-help novel a lot (it has actually been my first self-help novel, if you forget about disguised self-helpers like Jonathan Livingston Seagull), I can see why others would disagree with some of his messages, especially with his examples. Ruiz' concept of the 'dream of the planet' seemed far-fetched, and it always felt as if he was trying to make everything sound too simple, as if he didn't take different factors into account which would affect those four agreements in certain ways. I am going to give this book 4 stars since Ruiz' prose is incredibly readable, and his basic ideas and concepts resonate well with my own perceptions. Recommended for readers who are generally interested in this specific genre.

[Anita · Rating 1 out of 5]

New age psycho babble that nearly had me giving up, but it was so short I persevered. The middle part was good, how to change your life with the four agreements: speak impeccably, don't take things personally, do your best and some live each moment or something. Good stuff, but not ground breaking or earth shattering. We know all this stuff, but it is nice to be reminded and hopefully inspired to do better. Unfortunately it ended with more new age stuff. It's sort of a sandwich and just like an Oreo, the best stuff is in the middle. It's most redeeming quality is that it is very short.

[Maria Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

¿Sabéis esos libros que subrayarías la mayoría de sus frases; incluso si eso representaría para algunos maltratarlo? Pues así lo he dejado: subrayado electrónicamente... Vamos, que pocas páginas se han salvado de mis dedos :) Sé que cuando un libro nos gusta (enamora), se produce en nosotros un querer contagiar a otros este subidón, pero en este caso solo os pido que leáis la primera página; solo eso. Si os convence, adelante, sino, pues hay tantos libros por escoger que no vamos a quedarnos atorados en éste. Sencillamente es como un cuento explicado al fuego de una hoguera. Un susurro de los ancestros mientras nos cubrimos los hombros con una manta y tomamos una bebida bien caliente. Un soplo de brisa...

[Hussein Dehghani · Rating 5 out of 5]

چهار میثاق، کتابی است که خِرَد سرخپوستان تولتِک را به زبانی ساده توضیح می‌دهد. در این کتاب از قوانین شخصی، قضاوت‌های درونی و خشونت‌هایی که نسبت به خود نشان می‌دهیم، صحبت می‌شود و چهار پیشنهاد (میثاق) برای بهبود کیفیت زندگی و سعادت ارائه‌شده است.

این کتاب نوشتۀ دون میگوئل روئیز، نویسندۀ مکزیکی است که برای مدت طولانی پزشک و جراح بوده و پس از تصادفی که از آن زنده مانده، تصمیم می‌گیرد برای آموزه‌های شامنی، نزد مادربزرگ خود برود. شامن در فرهنگ سرخ‌پوستان به فردی گفته می‌شود که راهنمای دیگران برای رهایی از محدودیت‌های خودشان است. برای رهایی از گرفتاری‌های ذهنی که می‌تواند علت بسیاری از بیماری‌های روحی و جسمی باشد.

دون میگوئل پس از یادگیری‌های شامنی و تجربه‌های خود درزمینه‌ی پزشکی، با استفاده از خِرَد قدیم و دیدگاه جدید، تصمیم می‌گیرد که کتاب چهار میثاق را بنویسد.

در ایران این کتاب توسط دل‌آرا قهرمان ترجمه‌شده و در مقدمه، چهار میثاق را این‌گونه معرفی می‌کند:

این کتاب حاصل تجربیات و اندیشه‌های مردی است از تبار سرخپوستان آمریکای مرکزی، که باورهای بنیادی تولتک‌ها را به زبانی ساده با مثال‌های قابل‌فهم و طبقه‌بندی بسیار مفید و مؤثر به نسل‌های جدید ارمغان کرده، با این امید که رؤیای سیارۀ زمین را تغییر دهند.

همان‌طور که از نام کتاب پیداست، این کتاب به چهار قسمت اصلی تقسیم می‌شود.

چهار میثاق
در فرهنگ واژه‌های فارسی، میثاق به معنی عهد و پیمان ترجمه‌شده است که به نظرم در خصوص این کتاب، مناسب‌ترین واژۀ جایگزین برای نام اصلی کتاب است. از این لحاظ که تا زمانی که هرکدام از میثاق‌ها درونی نشود و عهدوپیمانی برای انجام آن بسته نشود، اتفاق خاصی هم برای زندگی ما رخ نمی‌دهد. اگر این‌طور نباشد و میثاق‌ها در روزمرۀ ما جا پیدا نکنند و تمرین نشوند، یادآوری‌های این کتاب نه تنها بی‌فایده، بلکه تکراری خواهد بود.

میثاق اول؛ با کلام خود گناه نکنید
به گفتۀ خود نویسنده، این میثاق مهم‌ترینِ آنهاست. به قدرتی که در کلام وجود دارد، شک نکنید. آن چیزی که از طریق کلام منتقل می‌شود، بسیار مهم و تأثیرگذاراست و از طرفی می‌تواند همان‌قدر مخرب باشد. به نظرم خشونتی که در کلام وجود دارد، در اغلب رفتارهای خشن فیزیکی وجود ندارد. خشونت‌های رفتاری زخم‌های عمیقی در ما ایجاد می‌کنند که مانند خراش‌های روی بدن، به‌زودی التیام نمی‌یابند و علاوه بر تخریب روح به جسم هم آسیب می‌رسانند. پیشنهاد می‌کنم که در گفتار روزمره از واژه‌های مناسب بامنظورتان استفاده کنید و برای هویت واژه‌ها، ارزش قائل شوید.

میثاق دوم؛ هیچ‌چیز را به خود نگیرید
آن چیزی که دیگران از ما می‌بینند یا تصور می‌کنند، ربطی به خودِ واقعی ما ندارد و زاییدۀ قضاوت، ذهنیت و شناخت خودشان از ما است. بنابراین شرایط زندگی را نمی‌توان و نباید بر اساس تصورات دیگران و آن چیز که واقعی نیست بنا کرد.

برای من مهم نیست که شما درباره‌ام چه می‌اندیشید، و آنچه را می‌اندیشید به خودم نمی‌گیرم.
– دون میگوئل روئیز، چهار میثاق

میثاق سوم؛ تصورات باطل نکنید
ذهن ما همیشه در حال کار کردن است. آن‌قدر کار می‌کند، که برای جلوگیری از کار کردنش نیاز به تمرین مرتب داریم. ازآن‌روست که اهمیت مراقبه، تمرین‌های تنفس و حضور در لحظه روزبه‌روز بیشتر و بیشتر آشکار می‌شود. در پس ذهنیات ما، تصوراتی هم‌شکل می‌گیرد که با آنچه واقعیت دارد، فاصله و اغلب تفاوت دارد. اگر من فکر می‌کنم زمانی که با دوستم تماس می‌گیرم، ممکن است فکر کند من تنها هستم و حوصله‌ام سر رفته و ازاین‌رو با او تماس گرفته‌ام، این فقط تصورات ذهنی من است، نه آنچه که او می‌اندیشد.

اگر دیگران چیزی به ما بگویند، بر اساس آن تصوراتی می‌کنیم، و اگر چیزی نگویند، سلسله تصوراتی می‌کنیم تا نیاز به دانستن خود را ارضا کنیم و آن تصورات را جانشین نیاز خود به ارتباط برقرار کردن نماییم.
– دون میگوئل روئیز، چهار میثاق

میثاق چهارم؛ همیشه بیشترین تلاشتان را بکنید
این میثاق برای یادآوری و تمرین سه میثاق قبل است. ما نیز مانند همه‌چیز در طبیعت پیوسته در حال تغییر هستیم و تنها با پیوستگی و توجه می‌توانیم درس‌های نهفته در پس رویدادها را درک کنیم.

در هر شرایطی، همیشه نهایت تلاشتان را بکنید، نه بیشتر و نه کمتر. اما به خاطر داشته باشید که بیشترین تلاش شما همواره یکسان نیست.
– دون میگوئل روئیز، چهار میثاق

http://walkineden.com

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Four Agreements is a book about four critical agreements that you make with yourself so that you can live the life of your dreams. Ruiz indicates that our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive and to be true to ourselves.

The four agreements are:
* Be Impeccable With Your Word. This means to use your energy to believe in yourself and to take responsibility for your actions.
* Don't Take Things Personally
* Don't Make Assumptions
* Always Do Your Best

These four agreements can help you transform your life and help you stay in the present.

3.5 stars

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I almost feel bad giving this such a low review only because people that I love and respect really liked it. But I just hated it. And it's not that I completely disagreed with everything in it. I just thought it discounted major things, like HOW to put things into practice. Also, the fact that no man is an island. We live in relationship with other humans. Every negative thing that someone says about you is not all on the other person. Some of that stuff is about you. Also, the idea of never taking anything personally, whether good or bad, is just not possible. If someone you love tells you you're stupid and ugly it's going to hurt, no matter what you believe to be true about yourself. Granted, it's better to say only nice things and to always do your best, but is that new? This book didn't teach me those things. I could go on and on. In fact, maybe I will. I'll write my own book where I repeat over and over again that you should be nice to people and forgive and work hard. And then I'll make a bajillion dollars because apparently people think these thoughts are revolutionary. And then I'll buy a new car, which will give me the inner peace I'm looking for.

[Swati Tanu · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Whatever happens around you, don't take it personally... Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves.”

It's written in a simple manner, but it addresses difficult issues that can help you make significant changes in your life.

Ruiz describes the Toltec word Mitote near the opening of the book, which translates to "an illusion in one's head formed out of what other people say." He goes on to say that the majority of us have been living our lives based on the perspectives of others rather than how we want to see ourselves and conduct our lives. The first section of the book explains how each of the agreements might influence how we think about ourselves and how we interact with others.

The latter part of the book is dedicated to explaining the Four Agreements, which are:

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

A section called "Be Impeccable With Your Word" was really helpful to me. This agreement covers how to avoid gossip, lying, empty promises, and other ways that our words might cause issues. Only express what you mean, and be aware that if you're not careful, you could hurt someone.

You might like to wander through a few artistic journals — they’re full of sparks and surprises.

[Claudia · Rating 1 out of 5]

This quick read was interesting in that I gained a new perspective on how others view the world. The book itself is quite simply written and very repetitive, and although brief, could have been about 1/8 the length to get the main points across. There are definitely some good takeaways that we should all apply to our lives. I always struggle with individualistic worldviews, even if the goal is to love others, so that might have been difficult for me to get past. Additionally, the book was sprinkled with pot shots at various mainstream religions, but when they lack any substance, that also leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I'm glad I read it for insight into others' views, but didn't glean much additional deep insight into the world and was not impressed with the writing.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. I thought there were some good messages spread throughout it but I had such a hard time getting past the author's writing style.

To me, it seemed like a lot of short sentences using similar words. For example, it starts, "What you are seeing and hearing right now is nothing but a dream. You are dreaming right now in this moment. You are dreaming with the brain awake. Dreaming is the main function of the mind, and the mind dreams 24-hours a day. It dreams when the brain is awake, and it also dreams when the brain is asleep." I would have liked it better if it said something more like, "Your mind dreams 24-hours a day whether you are awake or asleep."

Some of the thoughts I did like were:

"We create an image of how we should be in order to be accepted by everybody . . . but this image is not real."

"The way we judge ourselves is the worst judge that ever existed."

" . . . nobody has ever abused you more than you have abused yourself."

"Taking things personally is the maximum expression of selfishness because we make the assumption that everything is about 'me'".

"You will know you have forgiven someone when you see them and no longer have an emotional reaction."

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

I was given this book as a Birthday present from my little brother. He said its teachings can be life changing. I ENJOYED it a lot!!! As with any self help type of book you gotta "take some" and "leave some" if you know what I mean? For me this was a definite TAKE way more than leave. My brother and I have similar personalities and I can see very much why he gave me this book. As soon as I read the inside cover I knew this was going to be something that connected with me, my life, and my way of thinking. Honestly, I think anyone and everyone who reads it can benefit and take something away making their life better. The bottom line in this book is that life is all about love---how to give it and receive it. This has been a long time belief of mine---that life is all about learning to love, unconditionally loving the way our Creator loves.

INSIDE COVER:
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.

[Kharismatic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruiz used to be a surgeon, until he fell asleep at the wheel one night and crashed into a wall. He recalls being outside of his physical body pulling two people from the wreckage. The near-death experience woke Ruiz to the teachings of his people, The Totecs, and thus renewed his original commitment to learn the Four Agreements.

This book spoke to me on a universal level because its principles are in harmony with the methodology of many other transformational techniques, and most importantly, with God himself. Ruiz breaks down the four agreements into simple language with spiritual undertones. He stresses that just doing your best in everything you do will help you keep the other three agreements: 1) Being impeccable with your word, 2) Don't take anything personally, and 3) Don't make assumptions.

Reading this book will touch, move, or inspire you with its possibilities for living a powerful and happy life.