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Wisdom of the Shamans: What the Ancient Masters Can Teach Us about Love and Life
For generation after generation, Toltec shamans have passed down their wisdom through teaching stories. The purpose of these stories is to implant a seed of knowledge in the mind of the listener, where it can ultimately sprout and blossom into a new and better way of life.
In The Wisdom of the Shamans What the Ancient Masters Can Teach Us about Love and Life, Toltec shaman and master storyteller don Jose Ruiz shares some of the most popular stories from his family's oral tradition, and offers corresponding lessons that illustrate the larger ideas within each story.
Ruiz begins by explaining that contrary to the stereotypical image of "witchdoctor," the ancient shamans were men and women who fulfilled several roles within their philosopher, spiritual guide, medical doctor, psychologist, and friend.
According to Ruiz, their teachings are not primitive or reserved for a chosen few initiates, but are instead a powerful series of lessons on love and life that are available us all. To that aim, he has included exercises, meditations, and shamanic rituals in an effort to help you experience the personal transformation these stories offer.
The shamans taught that the truth you seek is inside of you. Let these stories, lessons, and tools be your guide to finding the innate wisdom that lives within
In The Wisdom of the Shamans What the Ancient Masters Can Teach Us about Love and Life, Toltec shaman and master storyteller don Jose Ruiz shares some of the most popular stories from his family's oral tradition, and offers corresponding lessons that illustrate the larger ideas within each story.
Ruiz begins by explaining that contrary to the stereotypical image of "witchdoctor," the ancient shamans were men and women who fulfilled several roles within their philosopher, spiritual guide, medical doctor, psychologist, and friend.
According to Ruiz, their teachings are not primitive or reserved for a chosen few initiates, but are instead a powerful series of lessons on love and life that are available us all. To that aim, he has included exercises, meditations, and shamanic rituals in an effort to help you experience the personal transformation these stories offer.
The shamans taught that the truth you seek is inside of you. Let these stories, lessons, and tools be your guide to finding the innate wisdom that lives within
205 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 2, 2018
1147 people are currently reading
2244 people want to read
About the author
Jose Ruiz
101 books59 followersDon Jose Ruiz, son of Miguel Ruiz and brother of Miguel Ruiz Jr, was born in Mexico but moved to the USA when he was 21.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
July 27, 2018
I recommend this book for anyone seeking a personal journey of truth and a enlightening walk with God. You will learn how to use every situation, event, interaction, and spirit to evolve as a being, a being void of manmade labels. It is a page turner that can be applied to everyday living because the author provided practical tactics and tips to improve your life to be better and to live in the now.
Dr. James Arthur Williams
Author of From Thug to Scholar
Dr. James Arthur Williams
Author of From Thug to Scholar
October 12, 2022
This was such an unexpectedly cathartic read!
I listened to it at work whilst doing odd jobs and I just became so absorbed - to the point that I've started listening again because there is just so much wisdom that I want to absorb.
There are shamanic legends within the pages that help to express the pillars of shamanic teaching, and I loved that aspect. I love myths and legends so this was such a great way for me to start thinking about these lessons. The narrator as well does an excellent job of remaining quite neutral in his tone so you can fully absorb what is being said.
Honestly, I bought this one on a whim and it gave me so much more than I was expecting. I'm actually really keen for the second listen because there's just so much content I want to properly consider.
There are activities, too, so that if you're keen to put things into practice you know where to start.
Fantastic read and highly recommend!
I listened to it at work whilst doing odd jobs and I just became so absorbed - to the point that I've started listening again because there is just so much wisdom that I want to absorb.
There are shamanic legends within the pages that help to express the pillars of shamanic teaching, and I loved that aspect. I love myths and legends so this was such a great way for me to start thinking about these lessons. The narrator as well does an excellent job of remaining quite neutral in his tone so you can fully absorb what is being said.
Honestly, I bought this one on a whim and it gave me so much more than I was expecting. I'm actually really keen for the second listen because there's just so much content I want to properly consider.
There are activities, too, so that if you're keen to put things into practice you know where to start.
Fantastic read and highly recommend!
December 10, 2018
This book was told with a very self effacing and humble spirit, even when it advocated self appreciation and love. It had a light hearted tone to it and was written in a way that was accessible to most people regardless of their spiritual literacy. I appreciated the format in which it was told, each chapter began with a short parable and then Ruiz broke down how that lesson was relevant for each of us to gain spiritual knowledge and self acceptance. I would recommend this book to anyone who is trying to get more in touch with their spirituality :). Although the tone was light, the teachings, if applied, are as potent as healing medicine.
October 2, 2018
This is a lovely little book filled with wisdom. It also has the 4 Agreements plus 2 as written about by his father and some information about the 5 Level of Attachments written about by his brother. And, then his own wisdom which is based on the Toltec stories he shares. It's fast and deep and powerful reading. It's the book you want to carry around with you. It reaches your core and is a reminder to be your best, most authentic, and most wise person.
August 22, 2018
A wonderful teaching about faith and life and love and how we can all learn from it. Real world and real life examples as well as ancient wisdom and stories. It also has exercises for meditation and self-care journaling as well. I really enjoyed the tales in this book and enjoyed the lessons they taught. don Jose writes very well and clearly in a way that makes you feel like you're talking to him. I recommend this book for anyone who feels like they are searching for answers that their normal meditation, prayer or self-care habits aren't providing.
June 29, 2021
This should probably be labeled as a children's book. Sort of joking, but personally I really dislike the overly simplistic writing style of the Ruiz family. Feels like being lectured to by the characters on Sesame Street.
Nothing wrong about the ideas that's being communicated, I agree with most of it, but packaging them in this form degenerates into obvious platitudes and they won't penetrate deeply. The typical self-help-trap, simple isn't necessarily better.
Supposedly a decent introduction to Shamanism - as concieved by the Toltecs - if you're about 10.
Nothing wrong about the ideas that's being communicated, I agree with most of it, but packaging them in this form degenerates into obvious platitudes and they won't penetrate deeply. The typical self-help-trap, simple isn't necessarily better.
Supposedly a decent introduction to Shamanism - as concieved by the Toltecs - if you're about 10.
November 30, 2019
These are just a list of gems I have highlighted throughout the book:
* "the shaman is the one who sees through the illusion to the interconnectivity between all things and beings." (Introduction)
* "Many of us are lost in the dream for many years before the seed of awakening begins to manifest in us, and when it finally does, it is more akin to a process of unlearning rather than learning."(Introduction)
* "a structure built on faulty foundations will ultimately collapse" (Introduction)
* "As my father's example illustrates, once the shaman awakens to who she really is, she sees that the best thing to do for herself and the world is to serve the great mother, or life itself. She sees the divinity in all beings, and she wants to help others awaken to this truth. She does so not out of any desire for personal gain (such as getting into heaven or gaining merit for rebirth), but because she has reached a state of peace, clarity, and awareness hitherto unknown to her. She has become a vessel of love, and when you fill yourself up with love, it begins to overflow. This overflow of love is what the shaman shares with others, because that is all that is left. That is why the shaman wants to help others wake up to the fact they are dreaming." (Introduction)
* "The Importance of Stories: One way that the shamans plant the seeds of awakening in others is through storytelling. Because the shamans realized that the mind is always dreaming and creating stories, they began to tell stories as a way to pierce the veil of the mind. In this way, the shamans were and are master teachers, as they use the mind's own love of stories to awaken it from the dream." (Introduction)
* "A nightmare, in the terms of Toltec teachings, is whenever you live life unconscious of who and what you really are, and the result is that you suffer needlessly. When you sleepwalk through life, you get caught in the traps of negativity and emotional poison, and you fail to realize that in so many cases you are the cause of your own suffering. The shamans in my family's tradition saw this pattern as a collective human condition that can be described as an "addition to suffering," and this addiction to suffering is a habit of the mind." (Introduction)
* "The primary attachments we have are to our own beliefs and ideas, and they become potentially dangerous when we make them a part of our identity. When this happens, you can no longer see your belief as simply a belief, but as "the way things really are." If you become this attached to a belief and that belief is threatened, you can become fanatical about it. The truth is that beliefs and ideas only exist in one place: the human mind. They are not "out there" in the world, but rather the filter by which everything we perceive gets sorted. If left unchecked, they are how we can corrupt the world." (Chapter 2)
* "we often use our intelligence to try and subjugate another person to our point of view." (Chapter 2)
* "a conquistador is a person who invades other people's dreams because that person thinks others should always do things their way. This is how fanaticism is born." (Chapter 2)
* "in fanaticism, we have reached a point in our attachment to our beliefs where we think that our way is the only true way and anyone who believes differently is wrong." (Chapter 2)
* "Understanding the difference between what is happening in the world and what is happening only in your mind is key to finding your own personal freedom. Until you know the difference, your mind can continue to create stories based on your doubts, fear, and domestications, all of which feed its addiction to suffering." (Chapter 4)
* "By being aware of our mental constructs, we are better able to see through any beliefs, ideas, or stories that aren't true before they provoke a reaction in us. In this way, we are actually catching the mind as it tries to feed its addiction to suffering, and we sidestep the traps when they come up." (Chapter 4)
* "do not let your identity become attached to the approval of others." (Chapter 4)
* "agreement to Be Impeccable With Your Word, agreement of Not Taking Things Personally, agreement of Not Making Assumptions, agreement of Always Doing Your Best, agreement to Listen But Be Skeptical, Death, Life" (Chapter 5)
* "many people in the Dream of the Planet are currently divided. We see this schism politically, financially, and religiously. Rather than come to a compromise based in love and respect, opposing sides often want to domesticate the other to their own point of view. Some of these divisions have escalated into verbally abusive or violent conflicts, but to me they all have something in common: they are all the result of the mind's addiction too suffering." (Chapter 7)
* "importance of balance in relationships, of setting appropriate boundaries. This means saying no to someone while simultaneously respecting the divinity within them. In this way you can pour all the love in your heart into someone, but that doesn't mean you let them take advantage of you." Chapter 7)
* "Saying yes when you really mean no is disrespecting yourself, and it only sets you up for suffering in the future." (Chapter 7)
* "we are the ones that we have to live with, so we need to love and respect ourselves first and foremost. Holding respect ourselves first and foremost. Holding healthy boundaries accomplishes this goal. Everyone on this beautiful planet is creating their own dream, and you respect them enough to let them make their own choices. All choices have consequences, and these consequences are often how we learn." (Chapter 7)
* "judgement versus discernment; when we judge someone or ourselves, we are including ideas of right and wrong, morality and immorality, about what should or should not be; with discernment, we are simply taking account of the facts and making a decision based on them alone, there is no morality involved." (Chapter 7)
* "if you listen to others, they will tell you how they are dreaming. When you know how they are dreaming, them you will know the best way to help them." (Chapter 7)
* "When we see with absolute clarity that we are causing suffering in our own minds, we begin to live differently. We let go of who we are pretending to be and start being who we are; we learn to welcome what comes to us rather than fighting it." (Chapter 8)
* "the shaman is the one who sees through the illusion to the interconnectivity between all things and beings." (Introduction)
* "Many of us are lost in the dream for many years before the seed of awakening begins to manifest in us, and when it finally does, it is more akin to a process of unlearning rather than learning."(Introduction)
* "a structure built on faulty foundations will ultimately collapse" (Introduction)
* "As my father's example illustrates, once the shaman awakens to who she really is, she sees that the best thing to do for herself and the world is to serve the great mother, or life itself. She sees the divinity in all beings, and she wants to help others awaken to this truth. She does so not out of any desire for personal gain (such as getting into heaven or gaining merit for rebirth), but because she has reached a state of peace, clarity, and awareness hitherto unknown to her. She has become a vessel of love, and when you fill yourself up with love, it begins to overflow. This overflow of love is what the shaman shares with others, because that is all that is left. That is why the shaman wants to help others wake up to the fact they are dreaming." (Introduction)
* "The Importance of Stories: One way that the shamans plant the seeds of awakening in others is through storytelling. Because the shamans realized that the mind is always dreaming and creating stories, they began to tell stories as a way to pierce the veil of the mind. In this way, the shamans were and are master teachers, as they use the mind's own love of stories to awaken it from the dream." (Introduction)
* "A nightmare, in the terms of Toltec teachings, is whenever you live life unconscious of who and what you really are, and the result is that you suffer needlessly. When you sleepwalk through life, you get caught in the traps of negativity and emotional poison, and you fail to realize that in so many cases you are the cause of your own suffering. The shamans in my family's tradition saw this pattern as a collective human condition that can be described as an "addition to suffering," and this addiction to suffering is a habit of the mind." (Introduction)
* "The primary attachments we have are to our own beliefs and ideas, and they become potentially dangerous when we make them a part of our identity. When this happens, you can no longer see your belief as simply a belief, but as "the way things really are." If you become this attached to a belief and that belief is threatened, you can become fanatical about it. The truth is that beliefs and ideas only exist in one place: the human mind. They are not "out there" in the world, but rather the filter by which everything we perceive gets sorted. If left unchecked, they are how we can corrupt the world." (Chapter 2)
* "we often use our intelligence to try and subjugate another person to our point of view." (Chapter 2)
* "a conquistador is a person who invades other people's dreams because that person thinks others should always do things their way. This is how fanaticism is born." (Chapter 2)
* "in fanaticism, we have reached a point in our attachment to our beliefs where we think that our way is the only true way and anyone who believes differently is wrong." (Chapter 2)
* "Understanding the difference between what is happening in the world and what is happening only in your mind is key to finding your own personal freedom. Until you know the difference, your mind can continue to create stories based on your doubts, fear, and domestications, all of which feed its addiction to suffering." (Chapter 4)
* "By being aware of our mental constructs, we are better able to see through any beliefs, ideas, or stories that aren't true before they provoke a reaction in us. In this way, we are actually catching the mind as it tries to feed its addiction to suffering, and we sidestep the traps when they come up." (Chapter 4)
* "do not let your identity become attached to the approval of others." (Chapter 4)
* "agreement to Be Impeccable With Your Word, agreement of Not Taking Things Personally, agreement of Not Making Assumptions, agreement of Always Doing Your Best, agreement to Listen But Be Skeptical, Death, Life" (Chapter 5)
* "many people in the Dream of the Planet are currently divided. We see this schism politically, financially, and religiously. Rather than come to a compromise based in love and respect, opposing sides often want to domesticate the other to their own point of view. Some of these divisions have escalated into verbally abusive or violent conflicts, but to me they all have something in common: they are all the result of the mind's addiction too suffering." (Chapter 7)
* "importance of balance in relationships, of setting appropriate boundaries. This means saying no to someone while simultaneously respecting the divinity within them. In this way you can pour all the love in your heart into someone, but that doesn't mean you let them take advantage of you." Chapter 7)
* "Saying yes when you really mean no is disrespecting yourself, and it only sets you up for suffering in the future." (Chapter 7)
* "we are the ones that we have to live with, so we need to love and respect ourselves first and foremost. Holding respect ourselves first and foremost. Holding healthy boundaries accomplishes this goal. Everyone on this beautiful planet is creating their own dream, and you respect them enough to let them make their own choices. All choices have consequences, and these consequences are often how we learn." (Chapter 7)
* "judgement versus discernment; when we judge someone or ourselves, we are including ideas of right and wrong, morality and immorality, about what should or should not be; with discernment, we are simply taking account of the facts and making a decision based on them alone, there is no morality involved." (Chapter 7)
* "if you listen to others, they will tell you how they are dreaming. When you know how they are dreaming, them you will know the best way to help them." (Chapter 7)
* "When we see with absolute clarity that we are causing suffering in our own minds, we begin to live differently. We let go of who we are pretending to be and start being who we are; we learn to welcome what comes to us rather than fighting it." (Chapter 8)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2019
The wisdom you seek is inside you...
Within every one of us is the light, the divinity....Each one of us has our own truth inside ourselves. The quest of the shaman is to find, live, and express it. from the intro
This small book is a treasure trove of practical advice and exercises meant to increase self-awareness and self mastery, presented in an unpretentious and accessible format that demystifies the terminology and empowers the practitioner willing to drop preconceived notions.
Our perspective of life is really just a complex set of overlapping stories, held together by our concept of time.... from intro xxii
The truth is that any story of your life is just that, a story, and its collapse is a beautiful thing, because when it collapses you find out who you really are. from intro xxviii
Within every one of us is the light, the divinity....Each one of us has our own truth inside ourselves. The quest of the shaman is to find, live, and express it. from the intro
This small book is a treasure trove of practical advice and exercises meant to increase self-awareness and self mastery, presented in an unpretentious and accessible format that demystifies the terminology and empowers the practitioner willing to drop preconceived notions.
Our perspective of life is really just a complex set of overlapping stories, held together by our concept of time.... from intro xxii
The truth is that any story of your life is just that, a story, and its collapse is a beautiful thing, because when it collapses you find out who you really are. from intro xxviii
Read
August 17, 2019''The simple truth is that every person is an artist, and the art that
we create is the story of our life.''
we create is the story of our life.''
July 24, 2019
Like similar books since the Four Agreements, this is a short book with a number of wisdom stories and sound advice. It had both practical ideas for leading a good life and useful tips for those who chose to become shamans. While it isn't as focused as the Four Agreements, it is a little more wide-ranging. That does tend to make it a bit less memorable, since it is less concise, but if I weren't comparing it to the Four Agreements, and just let it stand on its own, I wouldn't find fault with it. It's a worthwhile book on its own merits.
October 25, 2018
This is a great book a reread even for me which has never happened before. This book is about the shaman Don Jose Ruiz and the teachings of the almost unknown belief of shamanism and its benefits. The special thing of shamanism is that there is no one true god, instead their belief is the belief that by awakening themselves to lose all negative domestications and live life their own unique way. It goes in depth of all the things that can help you both mentally and physically like for example parasites which in the book is more of a meaning of the negative thoughts in our heads keeping us from doing what we want to like searching for a new career or job and giving ways to deny the parasitic thoughts from negatively affecting your life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2019
No pense que me fuera a gustar tanto, no es una lectura a la que este acostumbrada, pues no es el tipo de libros que suelo leer, pero me gusto mucho las lecciones y ideas que tiene, es un libro con pequeñas historias y grandes mensajes. Te ayuda a entender y abrirte un poco mas a las cosas del mundo, tanto fisicas como emocionales. Lo recomiendo.
May 6, 2019
This is a very good Bible-type book for those wanting an overall education in the Toltec religious philosophy. It blends Mexican culture with shamanism & Buddhism (very syncretic!) Recommended for those interested in world religions, comparative religion, shamanism, Mexican culture, folklore, and/or psychology.
January 19, 2024
Will be gifting this book I am sure. A great insight into Ruiz' beliefs, family connection to Toltec tradition and the wisdom within. Brilliantly captivating, I know I will read this again, I hope to absorb much of the teachings featured.
November 18, 2018
It was a nice little book. I was hoping for more information about shamanism, but this turned out to be a self help guide using Toltec shamanistic parables.
January 2, 2019
I didn't expect to like this. I did. Probably because I just needed to hear some of these suggestions in a long December.
August 13, 2020
More impactful than 15 years of of so called education, essential reading for those feeling the changing winds.
She is waking and waiting for us with open arms.
"I dream of a world as it was before,
one with nature, forevermore." - The Mushroom Raven lol
She is waking and waiting for us with open arms.
"I dream of a world as it was before,
one with nature, forevermore." - The Mushroom Raven lol
November 29, 2021
Eerst keer dat ik een boek over spirutaliteit lees. Prima geschreven, maar nog geen idee of het echt iets voor me is. Kan de oefeningen altijd gaan proberen in ieder geval om daar beter achter te komen.
March 1, 2021
Todas las enseñanzas que me dejó este libro no tienen explicación, me ayudó a conectarme con mi ser interior y saber manejar mi mundo exterior. Seguro lo leeré nuevamente.
July 14, 2024
Amazing book! Resonated with it deeply. Looking forward to reading more of Don Jose Ruiz’s work.
March 20, 2025
I’m just out here trying to stay enlightened ✌️
March 7, 2024
This book contains great lessons that sometimes we forget. I have really enjoyed it.
March 31, 2022
لأول مرة أعيد قراءة كتاب بفاصل زمني قصير، لقد أهداني كتاب حكمة الشامان أجوبة على أسئلة فضولية في الحياة. كم هو كتاب رائع.
31.March.2022
-
تعاليم رائعة من رويز الإبن فيما يخص الحياة والموت. كتاب لتقرأه مرة بعد أخرى، يمتاز باسلوب عذب سلس وقصصي مستساغ وومتع. حكمة الشامان التي يمتزج فيها الماضي والحاضر والمستقبل، لمحات من الاتفاقيات الخمس، والتي تعينك على حلم الواقع، وتربطك بالحياة على مستوى أعمق، وبالطبيعة وعناصرها بنقاءً أوضح، مع تأملات سهلة، ويومية تقودك إليها الصفحات.
16.March.2022
31.March.2022
-
تعاليم رائعة من رويز الإبن فيما يخص الحياة والموت. كتاب لتقرأه مرة بعد أخرى، يمتاز باسلوب عذب سلس وقصصي مستساغ وومتع. حكمة الشامان التي يمتزج فيها الماضي والحاضر والمستقبل، لمحات من الاتفاقيات الخمس، والتي تعينك على حلم الواقع، وتربطك بالحياة على مستوى أعمق، وبالطبيعة وعناصرها بنقاءً أوضح، مع تأملات سهلة، ويومية تقودك إليها الصفحات.
16.March.2022
January 10, 2021
I've recently become interested in Shamanism. It started when I found a book in a used bookstore about a guy named Bradford Keeney. He is an American academic who began studying and practicing primitive religions overseas. He ended up leaving his post as a professor to study among practicers of "primitive" religion in South America and Africa. I found Ruiz's book from reading about Keeney first.
The Wisdom of the Shamans is by a guy named Don Jose Ruiz. His dad wrote a book called The Four Agreements that draws upon the Toltec tradition. His family has been practicing Toltec Shamanism throughout his life and they publish books that package their beliefs in easy to understand ways. In this book, Shamanism is defined as the spiritual tradition of native cultures around the world. Ruiz says all Shamanism has three things in common: a profound respect for nature, a belief that all life is sacred and a reverence for one's ancestors. As an American in the 21st century, I am very familiar with the religions embraced and espoused by colonizers. My curiosity, however, spurs me towards the ancient religions that came before the wolrdviews peddled by conquerors.
I will touch upon a couple of Ruiz's ideas that I found especially insightful. The first is what he calls "the collapse of our story." Modern Americans look at personal tragedies as negative. If someone loses their faith, their job, or their house this is perceived as a very bad thing. Ruiz would say that a personal tragedy is not necessarily a negative. He would say that it could be the first step towards something more spiritually fulfilling. In many cases this is true because 21st century Americans often pursue the wrong dreams for their lives without realizing it. If you pursue the wrong aspirations, then that dream falling apart is actually a good thing. Now you can build towards something that may be more valuable.
Ruiz also brings an interesting perspective in his discussion concerning fanaticism. He says that fanatics have been hypnotized by their own perceptions of the world around them. When someone turns to zealotry, their limited view of the world becomes a part of their false identity. A false identity is fragile and it is something that takes great effort to maintain. People will often go to great lengths to defend their limited perspectives. Great suffering is brought about by people that view their narrow perspective as something that needs to be protected at all costs.
These are just a couple of Ruiz's observations. There are certainly many more. I gave this book three stars because it is a good introduction to Shamanism, but it occasionally lapses into a fluffy, maybe more palatable description of primitive religion. This was just my take though. It is definitely worth the read, especially for people that feel like they are hitting a wall in solving some kind of existential or spiritual problem in their lives. Personally, I find that when modern people can not find solutions in expected places, it is best to search outside of the widely accepted margins. There is nothing that we face today, that has not been faced before. We should seriously question people who are not open to searching outside their limited perspectives. A once life-giving philosophy can gradually transform into something insidious and destructive if we are not careful and honest.
The Wisdom of the Shamans is by a guy named Don Jose Ruiz. His dad wrote a book called The Four Agreements that draws upon the Toltec tradition. His family has been practicing Toltec Shamanism throughout his life and they publish books that package their beliefs in easy to understand ways. In this book, Shamanism is defined as the spiritual tradition of native cultures around the world. Ruiz says all Shamanism has three things in common: a profound respect for nature, a belief that all life is sacred and a reverence for one's ancestors. As an American in the 21st century, I am very familiar with the religions embraced and espoused by colonizers. My curiosity, however, spurs me towards the ancient religions that came before the wolrdviews peddled by conquerors.
I will touch upon a couple of Ruiz's ideas that I found especially insightful. The first is what he calls "the collapse of our story." Modern Americans look at personal tragedies as negative. If someone loses their faith, their job, or their house this is perceived as a very bad thing. Ruiz would say that a personal tragedy is not necessarily a negative. He would say that it could be the first step towards something more spiritually fulfilling. In many cases this is true because 21st century Americans often pursue the wrong dreams for their lives without realizing it. If you pursue the wrong aspirations, then that dream falling apart is actually a good thing. Now you can build towards something that may be more valuable.
Ruiz also brings an interesting perspective in his discussion concerning fanaticism. He says that fanatics have been hypnotized by their own perceptions of the world around them. When someone turns to zealotry, their limited view of the world becomes a part of their false identity. A false identity is fragile and it is something that takes great effort to maintain. People will often go to great lengths to defend their limited perspectives. Great suffering is brought about by people that view their narrow perspective as something that needs to be protected at all costs.
These are just a couple of Ruiz's observations. There are certainly many more. I gave this book three stars because it is a good introduction to Shamanism, but it occasionally lapses into a fluffy, maybe more palatable description of primitive religion. This was just my take though. It is definitely worth the read, especially for people that feel like they are hitting a wall in solving some kind of existential or spiritual problem in their lives. Personally, I find that when modern people can not find solutions in expected places, it is best to search outside of the widely accepted margins. There is nothing that we face today, that has not been faced before. We should seriously question people who are not open to searching outside their limited perspectives. A once life-giving philosophy can gradually transform into something insidious and destructive if we are not careful and honest.
July 9, 2019
I love this book i'm glad that i found it. Alot of tools that useful in our life path and story telling was really deeply meaningful inside this beautiful piece. i would recommended to anyone who willing to receives great life lesson, open-minded and wanna feel how life is really beautiful , pick up this book and have a great time with it ! thank you Mr.Don Jose Ruiz for sharing the wisdom through this book, thank you so much
January 11, 2021
This simplicity of his writing made this much more palatable to my mind than others I have read. I enjoyed it immensely, enough to finish it in one day. The wisdom in the stories will be of use for my project. I knew of Quetzalcoatl previously, but not the origin story as told in this book. Amazing! And the esoteric meaning watered my own soul.
February 12, 2020
One of my favorite books, gives a new perspective on life and a different way of approaching life. I highly recommend it.
There were a few things that I didn’t completely agree with but then again that’s okay. This book is very well written for how short it is.
There were a few things that I didn’t completely agree with but then again that’s okay. This book is very well written for how short it is.
December 10, 2018
I do love fables and a couple of these stories will stick in my head, like the little snake with the POWER of IMAGINATION and the man whose ghost wife is like NO UR DEAD
June 2, 2019
Literally the best book I have ever read in my entire life. It is educational, spiritual, and insightful.
November 19, 2023
This should have been called "children's guide to spirituality" such a basic book.
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