Friday, April 8, 2011

The 4 Agreements- A Toltec Wisdom Book

I just finished reading a very life changing book. The funny thing about this is that the way of life that the book talks about, in my heart I already knew it was true. I have been in agreement with this way of life, my whole life.

I could remember in high school battling depression, self pity, and ignorance. I remember many nights contemplating the meaning of life, and at age 17 I had figured it out. (I will get to the meaning of life later in the blog) Although i had figured it out, I hadn't always been the best practitioner of it.

I have always had a deep understanding of the human soul, the heart, and what people desired. I am very understanding of everyone's circumstances for the most part. I am great at putting my feet in other people's shoes. Yet in my own life, I failed to help myself...

Until the last few years of my life.

Through a lot of reading, deep thought, and searching for meaning. Through a lot of tears, smiles, cheers, and jeers I have begun to really appreciate the littlest things and found meaning in my own life. I became happy.

This book is more than just about the appreciation of life. It is about understanding what makes the human mind function the way it does and discovering the possibilities available to everyone. I just wanted to take some time to discuss this book.

It is much more than 4 simple agreements. As it says on the cover of the book it is a "Practical Guide to Personal Freedom". I will explain a little bit about the book and finish with my favorite quote from each agreement. Please understand that i am not giving away the secrets, because the book is much more in depth then I could be in this blog. I highly recommend you purchase it, go to boarders and read it, find it online, do whatever it takes but make sure you read this book!

Chapter 1- Domestication and the Dream of the Planet

In this chapter discussed is the reason we feel pain, anger, upset. The reason we do not believe in ourselves. It is the reason we are blind to the true beauty of life.

It teaches that what is right and what is wrong is really a relative term. We can not see the truth in ourselves because we are blind. We have been taught since birth to be, act, and live a certain way. It is not necessarily the right way. It is not necessarily the truth. but we have been taught and to be taught is to be domesticated. We have been taught through the system of reward and punishment, for our feelings and our actions. not only by our parents, but through our peers, teachers, media, etc. and that is why we develop our issues such as low self esteem, depression, anger, jelousy. etc. we have been taught to hide our true self for the satisfaction of others.

"All of humanity is searching for truth, justice, and beauty. We are on an eternal search for the truth because we only believe in the lies we have stored in our mind." pg 15


Chapter 2- The First Agreement


Be Impeccable with Your Words

If you break down the word Impeccable you get two parts "peccable" which stands for sin, or fault. The "Im" stands for without, as in the word Impossible- without possibility. So the word "Impeccable" means- without sin.  This is said to be the most important agreement because when you speak kind, positive, and happy. Eventually your thoughts will mimic those words. You will begin to see things more clear. You will begin to see things more optimistically. The word is very powerful. The old saying of "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words they go much more deep" is true beyond measure. Try to think of a time when you were ridiculed. you either a) got super defensive b) beat the person up c)spit poison back at the person or d) accepted it as truth. We hear stories daily of kids being bullied, of abusive relationships and so on.

Words are so powerful, they not only can damage the mind, they can kill.

Why would you ever want that type of pain inflicted on you. If you would not like it done to you, why inflict pain onto others. So therefore be impeccable with your words because when we are positive, we are happy. when we are happy, we dont feel pain. When we dont feel pain, we love.

Speak with impeccability not only towards others, but to yourself as well. for you must learn to accept your being. Love your being, and happiness will flow through your veins.

"Impeccability of the word can lead you to personal freedom, to huge success and abundance; it can take away all fear and transform it into joy and love." pg 45

Chapter 3- The Second Agreement


Don't take anything Personally

This chapter probably the biggest life changer for me. I will admit all my life I have been taking things personal. I felt responsible for the world. If someone slacked- I was responsible. If someone didn't like me- I was responsible. If someone lied to me- I was responsible, If someone called me a name- I was responsible. The general idea of this chapter is to be you, and if someone has a problem with it, it is a problem within themselves. You can only be you. No one can make you feel anger, sadness, heartache or pain. Everyone is living in their own hell and they are fighting their own demons. If they don't like you, it is not you that is the problem.You can only be yourself. why be someone other than yourself. Be happy with who you are. Do not try to conform to make someone happy,  odds are they will never be satisfied until they realize that the problem isn't you, it is them. Other people's problems are not yours. They are their own. All you can do is live your life. Accept your life and be happy. LOVE YOUR LIFE, LOVE YOURSELF and DONT TAKE ANYTHING PERSONAL. HAVE CONFIDENCE.

"Whatever you think, whatever you feel, I know is your problem and not my problem, It is the way you see the world. It is nothing personal." pg 51

Chapter 4- The Third Agreement


Don't Make Assumptions

When we assume, we lack communications. As I mentioned in a previous blog, assuming makes and  ass out of u and me. We need to have clear communication through our relationships, jobs, family, friends. We need to be clear through every aspect of our life. If we assume someone knows how we feel. we will most likely be totally wrong. The key to a good life is good communication. For if you do not communicate, you will not get what you desire. You will feel left out, hated, disliked, sad, angry, and depressed. When really it is just poor communication. Once again everyone lives in their own mind. They have their own wants, needs, desires. They most likely do not mind the fact you have a red zit on your nose or the fact that you just farted a wet one. Do not assume that people care, do not assume that people don't care. The only way to truly know is to ask. Give the person a chance to tell you yes or no. it is their choice. And finally if their choice isn't what you wanted refer back to the second agreement. DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONAL. It is their choice. Not yours. Be yourself, and do not assume.

"We make the assumption that everyone sees life the way we do. We assume that others think the way we think, feel the way we feel, judge the way we judge, and abuse the way we abuse. This is the biggest assumption that humans make. And this is why we have fear of being ourselves around others. Because we think everyone else will judge us, victimize us, abuse us, and blame us as we do ourselves. So even before others have a chance to reject us, we have already rejected ourselves" pg 69

Chapter 5- The Fourth Agreement


Always Do Your Best

This is the agreement that will make all the other agreements second nature. If you always do your best, you can not regret. If you do your best then your life is in your hands, and you will meet all your wishes at the finish line. There is a great feeling of achievement when you put forth your best effort. In the feeling of achievement lies peace, love and happiness. All of which create a positive atmosphere of impeccable speaking, enjoyment of self, and enjoyment of others. Whenever I think to my greatest training sessions, when I gave forth all I had to my clients, when my mind was completely focused on them, that feeling I felt was nothing more than Heaven. When we play victim and blame others for not achieving our goals, we lose track of our best effort. So always do your best, you will not feel sorrow, you will not regret.

"Keep in mind that your best is never going to be the same from one moment to the next. Everything is alive and changing all the time, so your best will sometimes be high quality, and other times it will not be as good. When you wake up refreshed and energized in the morning, your best will be better than when you are tired at night, Your best will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick, or sober as opposed to drunk. Your best will depend on whether you are feeling wonderful and happy, or upset, angry, or jealous." pg 75-76

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The last part of the book  is a combination of 2 chapters and some prayers. In which the meaning of life becomes distinguished ( I told you I would touch on the meaning of life...If you have managed to read through this whole blog, God bless you, and I pray that I have helped you grow). As I told you I figured out the meaning of life when I was 17. Its crazy to think it has taken me 6 years to really manifest it into my mind. The meaning of life is nothing more than one simple word. LOVE

Love all, love yourself, love nature, love pain, love death, love life. Simply put love into everything you do. And happiness will follow.

The meaning of life is not big cars. The meaning of life is not money. The meaning of life is not even to change the world.

The meaning of life is to love.

For if you love. You will change the world. If you truely love all, you will have passion, if you have passion your life will grow. Your wealth will grow (not simply materialistic wealth, but spiritual, and emotional wealth as well).

Love, love love.

I hope i was able to bless you all with a little love today. and i hope you truly know that I am not lying one bit when i tell you.....


God LOVES you, Mike(y) LOVES you, so :LOVE yourself....

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