A Great Read

The Four Agreements

Synopsis

According to don Miguel Ruiz, everything we do is based on agreements we have made – agreements with ourselves, with other people, with God, with life. But the most important agreements are the ones we make with ourselves. In these agreements we tell ourselves who we are, how to behave, what is possible, what is impossible. One single agreement is not such a problem, but we have many agreements that come from fear, deplete our energy, and diminish our self-worth. In The Four Agreements, don Miguel reveals the source of self-limiting agreements that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. When we are ready to change these agreements, there are four deceptively simple, yet powerful agreements that we can adopt as guiding principles. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, 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. The Four Agreements are:

  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 tired as opposed to well-rested. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

Way of the Peaceful Warrior

Synopsis : Way of the Peaceful Warrior’s enduring appeal has as much to do with the author’s compelling personal story as with his message. Dan Millman’s journey began during a period of spiritual crisis when he met a powerful old warrior named Socrates at a gas station at 3 a.m., and found himself tempted by an elusive woman named Joy. Thus began an odyssey that led him to the concept of the “peaceful warrior” – and on toward a final confrontation that would either deliver or destroy him. His discovery that the life and practice of the peaceful warrior is action helped him make sense of his life and find a sense of purpose, which he was able to impart to others. For the peaceful warrior, the messages are simple but resonant: “What you give, you receive. Doing is understanding. And you can do anything when you find the heart and courage for it.

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