The Four Agreements

[Lori Anne]

Most of us know these like the back of our hands, but for some that do not, I think the Agreements are an important part of not just a Toltec Path, but a life guide for all.


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 these agreements we tell ourselves who we are, how to behave, what is possible, what is impossible



The Four Agreements®

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

~

[dana]

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret. 

~

I am making this my task for the week, possibly longer.  Always do my best.  I shall.

~

[Zamurito]

~

As I re-read these, my mind drifted off to 'Four Agreements' we work with in Aikido.

Let me explain them, then I'll lay an idea on ya'll 

FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES TO COORDINATE MIND AND BODY
SHIN SHIN TOITSU NO YONDAI GENSOKU

1. Keep one point   rule of mind
2. Relax completely   rule of body
3. Keep weight underside   rule of body
4. Extend Ki   rule of mind

   
The Four Basic Principles are four ways to view the coordination of mind and body.  The student need only choose one of the four views to focus on.  All four ways are essentially the same; merely four ways of looking at or expressing the same thing - coordination of mind and body.  If we are able to gain even one of these four ways, then we possess them all.  Likewise, if we lose even one of these ways, we lose them all.

In reality, the mind and body may not be artificially separated.  The use of the "rule of mind" and "rule of body" classification here is to indicate a direction or view of approach.  Number one and number four are described as "rules of the mind".  The mind is without shape, form or physical restriction, and can be used freely and powerfully.  Only the limits of one's imagination, limit the potential of one's mind.  Number two and number three are described as "rules of the body".  The body is controlled by physical laws that limit its strength and development.  However a living body is more than a mere physical object.  A body that is infused with a calm mind is a body that can respond to Ki.  Strong Ki can move through a mind and body which is calm and relaxed.

Now, let me lay this on you...

Would this hold if I said that the Four Agreements as described by Ruiz are similiar to Ki Aikido's Four Principles, as well as, If we are able to gain even one of these four ways, then we possess them all.  Likewise, if we lose even one of these ways, we lose them all.  If we are impeccable with our word, are then then doing our best and not taking ourselves to seriously? 

Whatcha think??

z

[Skyflower]

~



FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES TO COORDINATE MIND AND BODY
SHIN SHIN TOITSU NO YONDAI GENSOKU

1. Keep one point   rule of mind
2. Relax completely   rule of body
3. Keep weight underside   rule of body
4. Extend Ki   rule of mind

   
 All four ways are essentially the same; merely four ways of looking at or expressing the same thing - coordination of mind and body.  If we are able to gain even one of these four ways, then we possess them all.  Likewise, if we lose even one of these ways, we lose them all.


Would this hold if I said that the Four Agreements as described by Ruiz are similiar to Ki Aikido's Four Principles, as well as, If we are able to gain even one of these four ways, then we possess them all.  Likewise, if we lose even one of these ways, we lose them all.  If we are impeccable with our word, are then then doing our best and not taking ourselves to seriously? 

Whatcha think??

z

I think you might be onto something here.  If we are impeccable, we naturally do our best, don't make assumptions and don't take anything personally.  Does it go the same way for all of the agreements?  I think possibly so.
Let's see:
If we don't take anything personally, we won't make assumptions, we will act impeccably, always doing our best.  What do you think?  Am I reaching?

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word

2. Don't Take Anything Personally


3. Don't Make Assumptions

4. Always Do Your Best


~

[Zamurito]

~

I like it!  I like it!

z

[Skyflower]

BUMP!!|

For Adrian.
 

[Lori Anne]

"Don't believe me, don't believe anyone else, don't believe yourself." They were powerful words, which don Miguel has now labeled in his new book, The Fifth Agreement.

If you listen closely to the words imbedded in things you say everyday – to yourself and others – you will discover distinct stories. Your stories. The human mind makes up stories in an attempt to explain and understand what is going on in each particular moment. These stories are neither good, bad, right nor wrong. However, here is good question to ask yourself now and again: Is what I’m saying true? Is it REALLY TRUE?

You see, your reality is often not about what is actually happening but instead what you have decided it means. Closely examine the stories you tell about yourself and everyone else and you just may discover a few things that are simply not true.


Why is The Fifth Agreement So Powerful?
It's All About Eliminating Beliefs
In a nutshell, The Fifth Agreement is what don Miguel would often tell us, "Don't believe me, don't believe others, don't believe yourself."

Eliminating belief systems are one of the core teachings of the Toltec Path. Whenever you have a belief, you no longer perceive what is. You see only what Toltecs call, the smoky mirror. You see the world through colored glasses. For example, in Japan they have the number four symbolizes death. The word 'shi', which means four in Japanese sounds like the word death, 'shinu' in Japanese. Due to this belief, they eliminate the fourth floor in their buildings. Correspondingly, the number 13 is often considered unlucky in western cultures, and the 13th floor is sometimes eliminated from buildings. Depending on their beliefs, each culture perceives things differently.

Another quick example - in the west, suicide is thought to have dire consequences in the afterlife. This is due to the prevalence of Christian beliefs about heaven and hell. In Japan, on the other hand, the Samurai considered suicide as honorable. If defeated, a warrior considered it an honor to be able to commit suicide. To this day, suicide is perceived very differently in Japan than it is in the West.

Why is this important on a spiritual path? It is important because in order to see the truth, to see reality clearly and unbiased, one must be free of belief systems. In order to grow and evolve, one must change the way they see themselves and the world. Toltecs call belief systems inventory. In order to perceive reality and beyond into what Toltecs call the second attention, the world of energy, they strive to eliminate all inventory. This is much like seeing the world through the eyes of a child, or what Buddhists call 'The Beginners Mind'.

It is easy to see how things like racial prejudice and discrimination are often based on belief systems. If one believes that a race of people are inferior, they will actually see things that validate their beliefs. They see the world through lenses colored by their beliefs.

One of Don Miguel Ruiz's dreams is to transform the world to a better place. To do so we must first transform our personal dreams. We must become clear, free from old knowledge and beliefs that bind us. This is the power of the Fifth Agreement.

http://www.squidoo.com/the-fifth-agreement

Personally,  sounds to me a lot like one of my favourite Buddha quotes:
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."
Hey,  anything that sounds like something the Buddha said,  sounds good to me.   Besides Don Miguel Ruiz is a pretty smart guy, too!
Have a great day y'all and watch out for falling beliefs!

[guest147]

much obliged: i don't

[Lori Anne]

"Don't believe me, don't believe anyone else, don't believe yourself."

What is the purpose of the Fifth Agreement?

Be skeptical, but learn to listen!  Watch for beliefs as they can be filters through which we see the world.  When we see through our beliefs we don't see things as they are.  We are clouded.

That’s what the fifth agreement is — to be skeptical of our own beliefs and be in truth at all times. Then we can begin to listen with the heart — the heart and common sense.

By being skeptical, we don’t believe every message we hear; we don’t put our faith in lies, and when our faith is not in lies, we quickly move beyond emotional drama, victimization, and the limiting belief systems our “domestication” has programmed us with.  Then we can  listen...

The result of practicing the fifth agreement is the complete acceptance of yourself just the way you are, and the complete acceptance of everybody else just the way they are. The reward is your eternal happiness. The fifth agreement is made with words, of course, but its meaning and intent is beyond the words. The fifth agreement is ultimately about seeing your whole reality with the eyes of truth, without words.

According to the Ruizes, The Fifth Agreement prepares us to return to our innate wisdom, and live our lives based on truth.. The truth leads to self-mastery, to a life that’s very easy; believing in lies leads to needless conflict and human suffering. As messengers of truth we are free to express ourselves and can live a life without fear, regret, or shame.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzSFK8_iGYo&feature=player_embedded

As messengers, do we deliver truth or do we deliver lies??

[guest147]

\!!the messenger should not be killed for delivering the truth.
actually, the messenger should not fear being killed either.

the more important messages today come out of very thin air, imho!