Designing a passionate life creates an experience of freedom, joy, and fulfillment. Don Miguel Ruiz, author of "The Four Agreements" offers very simple but powerful methods for transforming your life into one of joy and love.
This book is organized in a manner that is easy to follow. There is an introductory chapter, the four agreements and then a chapter about the future. The four agreements are based on ancient toltec wisdom that is very simple and powerful. Ruiz speaks about each agreement and gives suggestions on how to live each of the agreements. The emphasis is to keep these four agreements with yourself and then with others.
I will give you a brief description of the four agreements with my own interpretation but this is simply the tip of the iceberg. To fully understand each of these agreements you have to read the words of Don Miguel Ruiz. I have summarized the agreements below.
The Four Agreements from the book are:
- Be impeccable with your word - Always speak with integrity, don't gossip, and don't speak negatively about yourself.
- Don't take anything personally - What others do or say has nothing to do with you because it is a projection of their own issues. This is a powerful lesson to learn and one that can potentially set you free. How many times have you been hurt by what you perceived as some sort of insult?
- Don't make assumptions - Ask questions to facilitate clear communications. It is so easy to make up stories when we make assumptions. Maybe you pass Sally in the hall at work and she didn't acknowledge you, so you think that you did something wrong and Sally is mad at you. Another story that could be just as true is that Sally just received some really bad news and couldn't possibly see you because she was in her own world processing the bad news. If you don't know what someone feels, then ask questions to clarify. Don't make up a story.
- Always do your best - No matter what state of mind or body you are in, do your best. What you do when you are sick will not be the same as what you can do when you are healthy and vibrant. If you always do your best, you will avoid self-judgment, regrets, and negative thoughts.
I found a lot of wisdom in each of the agreements and I absorbed the information from the book that I needed to incorporate into my life. I think the book has a lot of ancient wisdom in it and you could gain a gem or two from the book. I highly recommend it.
What would happen if you simply practiced the first agreement in terms of living a passionate life. What would your life look like?
Use the Following link to locate Ruiz's book (search by the title)
"The Four Agreements"
