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Toltec Wisdom
The Four Agreements Companion Book: Using the Four Agreements to Master the Dream of Your Life
The Four Agreements introduced a simple, but powerful code of conduct for attaining personal freedom and true happiness. Now The Four Agreements Companion Book takes you even further along the journey to recover the awareness and wisdom of your authentic self. This companion book is a must-read not only for those who enjoyed don Miguel’s first book, but for anyone who is ready to leave suffering behind, and to master the art of living in our natural happiness.
The Companion Book
• How to break the domestication that keeps you enslaved by fear
• Keys to recover your will, your faith, and the power of your word
• Practice ideas to help you become the master of your own life
• A dialogue with don Miguel about living The Four Agreements
• Success stories from people who have used The Four Agreements
“The Four Agreements are a tool for transformation, leading you to stop judging, mainly yourself, and to start practicing another way of life.” — don Miguel Ruiz
The Companion Book
• How to break the domestication that keeps you enslaved by fear
• Keys to recover your will, your faith, and the power of your word
• Practice ideas to help you become the master of your own life
• A dialogue with don Miguel about living The Four Agreements
• Success stories from people who have used The Four Agreements
“The Four Agreements are a tool for transformation, leading you to stop judging, mainly yourself, and to start practicing another way of life.” — don Miguel Ruiz
210 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
Miguel Ruiz
244 books5,723 followersMiguel 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
December 28, 2017
Only read this so I could complete my reading challenge. Terribly boring and not at all suitable for normal life. Especially the sections on gossip, and some of the sections on suffering. There's the usual idea that all gossip is is shuffling around mean things about others. There's a line in here that basically says don't even share what you feel about yourself, because other people can twist your words around and make it a 'poison'. Which sounds like terrible advice, to be frank. His writing style is annoyingly repetitive and doesn't really ever get the point. More of the usual 'if it doesn't feel good, you aren't doing it right,' glorifying the idea of 'detachment,' and loving everyone no matter what without ever grounding that in reality.
Spirituality really sucks. It's all head-in-the-clouds, practisable only by a select few who have an otherwise easy, happy life, but thinks it's for everyone and preaches to the common man that if they just unconditionally loved, pain & suffering wouldn't come into their lives anymore. So glad I'm finished with all these nonsense books, and even gladder not to have to return.
Spirituality really sucks. It's all head-in-the-clouds, practisable only by a select few who have an otherwise easy, happy life, but thinks it's for everyone and preaches to the common man that if they just unconditionally loved, pain & suffering wouldn't come into their lives anymore. So glad I'm finished with all these nonsense books, and even gladder not to have to return.
May 21, 2013
I honestly can’t believe that this book isn’t mentioned more. I really do feel like this book and “The Four Agreements” should just be one book. If anything, I got more out of this companion book than I did out of the “Four Agreements”!
This book was stunning. I really like that there are a lot of journal prompts in the book. I have been going through and writing them all down, and am planning on journalling my way through the questions this summer. There were a lot of questions in this book that were really insightful and showed how the agreements should work in everyday life.
This book is basically a continuation of the last little bit of the “Four Agreements”, so please make sure you read the other book first.
There were a lot of quotes and passages that I underlined in “The Four Agreements Companion”. I think it will be good to go back and even just look at those passages in the future. There is a lot of emphasis of mindfulness of your self in any situation. I think that this is something that anyone can incorporate into their lives, regardless of their spirituality or religion or philosophy on life.
I really liked the back third of the book, where there were question and answers regarding the four agreements and the philosophy behind them. It really added to the experience of the book.
I would like to give this book 5/5 stars. I am happy that I read both of these books back to back, and feel that they really made me think about what the author was arguing.
This book was stunning. I really like that there are a lot of journal prompts in the book. I have been going through and writing them all down, and am planning on journalling my way through the questions this summer. There were a lot of questions in this book that were really insightful and showed how the agreements should work in everyday life.
This book is basically a continuation of the last little bit of the “Four Agreements”, so please make sure you read the other book first.
There were a lot of quotes and passages that I underlined in “The Four Agreements Companion”. I think it will be good to go back and even just look at those passages in the future. There is a lot of emphasis of mindfulness of your self in any situation. I think that this is something that anyone can incorporate into their lives, regardless of their spirituality or religion or philosophy on life.
I really liked the back third of the book, where there were question and answers regarding the four agreements and the philosophy behind them. It really added to the experience of the book.
I would like to give this book 5/5 stars. I am happy that I read both of these books back to back, and feel that they really made me think about what the author was arguing.
August 6, 2012
This book able to contribute to making peoples' lives a lot more carefree and comfortable. I have no doubt that if each of the agreements are worked on even a little, people would start to see how they're causing a lot of their own grief. It has to do with giving an overhaul to very old beliefs about self esteem, needs and expectations, finally.
I started reading the Four Agreements back in the '90s, but a lot of things got in my way, like mostly my life! I finally got back to reading this book this past year (2011), and have actually been adapting some of it! I have chosen the agreement "never take anything personally" to focus on for now.
I've had a lot of practice with this agreement at work. I've had difficulty relating to some of my co-workers that happen to come from the far side of "woken up", if you know what I mean. They seem to get instantly vicious if they think they are being threatened even a little bit, and sometimes they don't even seem to realize why they feel threatened because their hackles go up too fast. Then in the frenzy, they're oblivious to the idea that maybe they've simply jumped to conclusions before they got all the facts, which is most often what has happened. They are always evaluating how the Universe is impacting them, not how they are impacting the Universe.
The agreements address this type of thing thoroughly, and help the readers see how they have set themselves up, then teaches them how to stop doing that. Unfortunately, there is no good way to expose people to the book when they are clinging to their old beliefs that everything is Happening To Them. It's like Catch-22: they are continually stressed because they're reacting in ways that are based on old beliefs, but their old beliefs will keep them from even trying to investigate the book.
I started reading the Four Agreements back in the '90s, but a lot of things got in my way, like mostly my life! I finally got back to reading this book this past year (2011), and have actually been adapting some of it! I have chosen the agreement "never take anything personally" to focus on for now.
I've had a lot of practice with this agreement at work. I've had difficulty relating to some of my co-workers that happen to come from the far side of "woken up", if you know what I mean. They seem to get instantly vicious if they think they are being threatened even a little bit, and sometimes they don't even seem to realize why they feel threatened because their hackles go up too fast. Then in the frenzy, they're oblivious to the idea that maybe they've simply jumped to conclusions before they got all the facts, which is most often what has happened. They are always evaluating how the Universe is impacting them, not how they are impacting the Universe.
The agreements address this type of thing thoroughly, and help the readers see how they have set themselves up, then teaches them how to stop doing that. Unfortunately, there is no good way to expose people to the book when they are clinging to their old beliefs that everything is Happening To Them. It's like Catch-22: they are continually stressed because they're reacting in ways that are based on old beliefs, but their old beliefs will keep them from even trying to investigate the book.
March 5, 2016
I must confess that if I did not have the compulsory need to finish every book I start reading, I would have never finished this one.
I found it to be a mere repetition of the book it was supposed to accompany. Merely a tool to get more money out of the 4 agreements. Such a pity, I found the first book interesting but after reading this I am no longer a fan.
So my advice to you: if you liked the four agreements, do not read the companion book. It will make you dislike them.
If you didn't like the four agreements book, you will definitely not like this one.
I found it to be a mere repetition of the book it was supposed to accompany. Merely a tool to get more money out of the 4 agreements. Such a pity, I found the first book interesting but after reading this I am no longer a fan.
So my advice to you: if you liked the four agreements, do not read the companion book. It will make you dislike them.
If you didn't like the four agreements book, you will definitely not like this one.
July 24, 2020
Excellent book. I struggled in the beginning, trying to get it right, but I realized I need to just read it through and get what I get at my current level of understanding. I will go back and read through it again and do the exercises more thoroughly and expand my understanding even further.
I've already gained value and have increased my enjoyment of life because of this book, and the first one, "The Four Agreements."
This is a great companion to "The Four Agreements" and expands on that book.
I've already gained value and have increased my enjoyment of life because of this book, and the first one, "The Four Agreements."
This is a great companion to "The Four Agreements" and expands on that book.
January 21, 2016
This book helped me a lot. It is one of the ' must read' books if you want to learn more about yourself and how to world functions.
November 17, 2017
There are some beautiful parts and I truly enjoy the philosophy and simplicity of the four agreements, but Ruiz's writing style isn't my favorite. He makes VERY broad generalizations and contradicts himself in places.
February 8, 2022
I read this seeking detailed application of the ideas of the first book.
The interview section and stories left me underwhelmed many times. The text just doesn't think very hard or clear about what it's saying. The limpid inspired clarity of the original text is gone, and in its place is an attitude of resigned acceptance.
The teaching on positive gossip was especially noteworthy. Most people only define negative information as gossip. I think saying kind things about others is kind, and that Ruiz overdramatises the risk of saying positive things.
The abstract chapter on reflecting on causes and effects was the theory and practice of change. It was surprisingly not very robust or practical. But it was the most useful chapter in the whole book because it was well thought out, and actually proposed something definite.
For all the above, I don't think this was anywhere near as strong a book as the first one.
The interview section and stories left me underwhelmed many times. The text just doesn't think very hard or clear about what it's saying. The limpid inspired clarity of the original text is gone, and in its place is an attitude of resigned acceptance.
The teaching on positive gossip was especially noteworthy. Most people only define negative information as gossip. I think saying kind things about others is kind, and that Ruiz overdramatises the risk of saying positive things.
The abstract chapter on reflecting on causes and effects was the theory and practice of change. It was surprisingly not very robust or practical. But it was the most useful chapter in the whole book because it was well thought out, and actually proposed something definite.
For all the above, I don't think this was anywhere near as strong a book as the first one.
April 2, 2026
I love this book, I might not agree with everything, but I get the point(s) he’s making and I love it!
“If you don't accept yourself, you are really rejecting yourself. Then because we make the assumption that other people believe what we believe and feel what we feel, we make the assumption that other people will reject us for the same reasons we reject ourselves.
Before other people can reject us, we reject ourselves.
Once you accept yourself, you also make the assumption that others accept you as you are.” -Don Miguel Ruiz
“If you don't accept yourself, you are really rejecting yourself. Then because we make the assumption that other people believe what we believe and feel what we feel, we make the assumption that other people will reject us for the same reasons we reject ourselves.
Before other people can reject us, we reject ourselves.
Once you accept yourself, you also make the assumption that others accept you as you are.” -Don Miguel Ruiz
August 5, 2019
Si te gusto el Alquimistas de Pablo Coehlo este libro te encantará. Sobretodo por que el cuarto acuerdo va muy de la mano con el mismo precepto del alquimista.
Los otros acuerdos fueron son maneras de cómo cambiar tu mente y mejorar tu vida: Tener cuidado con tus palabras ya que te dañas a ti mismo, no tomar las cosas personalmente y no confabular (crear cosas) donde no las hay.
Los otros acuerdos fueron son maneras de cómo cambiar tu mente y mejorar tu vida: Tener cuidado con tus palabras ya que te dañas a ti mismo, no tomar las cosas personalmente y no confabular (crear cosas) donde no las hay.
June 19, 2025
This one didn't quite struck the same chords as its predecessor, the 'regular' Four Agreements book.
It's not the rehashing of the ideas, but rather the Q&A style which didn't do wonders for me.
It's not the rehashing of the ideas, but rather the Q&A style which didn't do wonders for me.
May 30, 2026
Short read but insightful.
August 31, 2019
A very easy and short read. The bulk of the book is about the four agreements (obviously) and the author giving examples for each one. He has a lot of ideas but sometimes struggle with transitions from idea to another.
I love the main concept. Humans are all dreaming and dreams were made from "agreements" you made or enforced to you. These agreements originated from human domestication, years of forming human values passed from one generation to another. Some of the agreements established may be toxic to you but we find it hard to break free from them because the morals are instilled into our core (due to domestication); and so the mind's response if to send "poison" whenever we contradict them in the form of fear or anxiety. The author then gives us four agreements to help people reshape those toxic agreements.
I generally agree with the four agreements except for the last one. "Doing your best" is very vague and I wish the author was able to expound this better rather than speaking in a cliche manner.
I love the main concept. Humans are all dreaming and dreams were made from "agreements" you made or enforced to you. These agreements originated from human domestication, years of forming human values passed from one generation to another. Some of the agreements established may be toxic to you but we find it hard to break free from them because the morals are instilled into our core (due to domestication); and so the mind's response if to send "poison" whenever we contradict them in the form of fear or anxiety. The author then gives us four agreements to help people reshape those toxic agreements.
I generally agree with the four agreements except for the last one. "Doing your best" is very vague and I wish the author was able to expound this better rather than speaking in a cliche manner.
June 25, 2019
First 1Hour of this book was going above my head, but then everything started making complete sense. The author is simply talking about making 4 agreements with oneself (I know its confusing as to how one can have an agreement with oneself - but that is what is 1 hour of this book).
Agreements are:-
1. Be impeccable with your word - DO NOT S**T about anyone, very easy in theory but super difficult in practice.
2. Don't take anything personally - As it says
3. Don't make assumptions. - As it says
4. Always do your best. - As it says - do your best whatever you do, even after that things go wrong, you will still be happy that you did your best.
I would reread this book, just to imprint these agreements on me.
Agreements are:-
1. Be impeccable with your word - DO NOT S**T about anyone, very easy in theory but super difficult in practice.
2. Don't take anything personally - As it says
3. Don't make assumptions. - As it says
4. Always do your best. - As it says - do your best whatever you do, even after that things go wrong, you will still be happy that you did your best.
I would reread this book, just to imprint these agreements on me.
March 2, 2021
The 4 agreements are:
1. Be impeccable with your word. Live with integrity.
2.Don’t take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you.
3.Don’t make assumptions. Communicate clearly with others and express what you really want.
4.Always do your best from moment to moment, under any circumstance practice compassion with yourself as your best will be different when you’re healthy versus sick.
The companion book dives into the application of these four agreements in one’s perception of the world, being authentic, and creating the life you want.
The book has interesting vocabulary and a metaphysical approach. It’s like existentialism for the 21st-century.
1. Be impeccable with your word. Live with integrity.
2.Don’t take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you.
3.Don’t make assumptions. Communicate clearly with others and express what you really want.
4.Always do your best from moment to moment, under any circumstance practice compassion with yourself as your best will be different when you’re healthy versus sick.
The companion book dives into the application of these four agreements in one’s perception of the world, being authentic, and creating the life you want.
The book has interesting vocabulary and a metaphysical approach. It’s like existentialism for the 21st-century.
February 2, 2016
This little book has so much for me to think about, learn from and add to my daily life. Just a few simply agreements can change your life. I suggest everyone keep a copy of this in hand. I'm done reading for the first time but I won't be taking it off my I'm reading now statis. I will continue to revisit it every so often.
July 5, 2018
This companion to The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom is as worthwhile as the first. I recommend this brief read too.
December 24, 2018
Es una manera simple y clara de entender algunas de las lecciones más importantes de la vida. No creo que te enseñe nada nuevo, pero la claridad de las palabras que utiliza el autor permite claridad de mente respecto de las lecciones.
May 25, 2019
I'm sure I've read The Four Agreements before and I've been wanting to read his other books so I picked this up to refresh my memory. I definitely agree with some of the things here but some concepts (or the way they were presented) didn't connect.
February 1, 2020
The book changed my perspective in the way that it helped me extenuate the pressure that I put on myself. If you are a person who always seeks the mistake on yourself, this book will make you feel relaxed. However, as everyone said, it is repetitive.
June 1, 2013
Not much different to all the other self-help books I've read in the past. Eventually got bored just over half-way.
May 20, 2014
Cheesy, romanticization.
September 15, 2015
Favorite "self help" author.
February 10, 2016
Simple, captive reading. The teachings are quite profound. Simple changes that can lead to a better and a happy life.
July 6, 2017
I felt I was reading the ramblings of a lunatic- a positive, loving one - but, still a lunatic. I did take a few positive reminders from it.
October 18, 2017
Aside for some quibbles about the role of gossip, this is good life advice/ stuff I’ve found to be true.
October 8, 2018
AS good as The Four Agreements. Don Miguel is onto it; he really does live what he preaches.
January 4, 2019
As others have said already, this should be part of the original book! So good. I recommend to anyone serious about wanting to implement the agreements and lifestyle.
October 25, 2026
I had this book sitting on my shelf for quite some time. I initially picked it up after reading The Alchemist and wanting to read something similar (which I think it’s not). Either wayI couldn’t connect with it.
Then, during a difficult period in my life, someone gifted me this book, and this time I finished it within two days. I completely soaked it up.
The book starts by exploring how our minds are conditioned throughout our upbringing, how we develop an inner critic, and how certain beliefs become so deeply ingrained that we accept them as truths. These limiting beliefs can shape the way we see ourselves and experience life.
It then introduces four simple agreements that can help us challenge these beliefs and stop allowing them to limit our lives, while also becoming more conscious of how we reinforce limiting beliefs in others.
To me, there’s something reminiscent of the Hermetic principle “As above, so below; as within, so without.” Although the book doesn’t explicitly discuss this principle, I see a similar idea in how the way we treat ourselves is reflected in how we treat others, and vice versa. So, these four agreements are not only about improving your relationship with yourself, but also about how we collectively interact with one another. If we become more conscious of our own words, projections, beliefs and behaviour, we can contribute to a more conscious and compassionate way of relating to others.
Four simple agreements, yet potentially transformative, so yes, I strongly recommend reading this book.
Then, during a difficult period in my life, someone gifted me this book, and this time I finished it within two days. I completely soaked it up.
The book starts by exploring how our minds are conditioned throughout our upbringing, how we develop an inner critic, and how certain beliefs become so deeply ingrained that we accept them as truths. These limiting beliefs can shape the way we see ourselves and experience life.
It then introduces four simple agreements that can help us challenge these beliefs and stop allowing them to limit our lives, while also becoming more conscious of how we reinforce limiting beliefs in others.
To me, there’s something reminiscent of the Hermetic principle “As above, so below; as within, so without.” Although the book doesn’t explicitly discuss this principle, I see a similar idea in how the way we treat ourselves is reflected in how we treat others, and vice versa. So, these four agreements are not only about improving your relationship with yourself, but also about how we collectively interact with one another. If we become more conscious of our own words, projections, beliefs and behaviour, we can contribute to a more conscious and compassionate way of relating to others.
Four simple agreements, yet potentially transformative, so yes, I strongly recommend reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews