The wisdom contained in The Four Agreements, by don Miguel Ruiz was originally known through an oral tradition, sustained hundreds of years through a lineage of select people living in Central Mexico known as Artists of the Spirit. This wisdom is alive in the Pyramid City of Teotihuacan just 40 km north east of Mexico City. As a child, Miguel, like many Mexicans, visited Teotihuacan many times with his family, and heard the stories that have carried the wisdom through the centuries. His mother a famous healer, and his grandfather a powerful shaman, were his teachers.
Miguel shares that he wrote The Four Agreements because he knew intuitively that this wisdom would be crucial in these transformative times. Never has this wisdom in this classic book been more applicable to the world today. Though originally published twenty years ago, it is clear that integrating these four simple agreements into our world culture now would minimize the conflict, confusion and fear many are presently experiencing.
The Four Agreements are:
Be impeccable with your word;
Don’t take anything personally;
Don’t make assumptions;
Always do your best.
While the teachings of don Miguel Ruiz are simple, they are in no way easy. Many people attempt to practice The Four Agreements only to become overwhelmed by the myriad of ways they take things personally; how they are not impeccable with their word or in deed for that matter, how they make assumptions and believe them, and how general complacency has led to the chaos they now experience, that is people have not been doing their best to participate in governing as citizens in a democracy.
I observe the present political climate, replete with words and actions that are more autocratic (http://www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2010/how-to-deal-with-autocratic-leadership/) than democratic--- A system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives.
At this time, the words below have appeared in our language that represent the shift from democracy to autocracy.
Newspeak-- speech or writing that uses words in a way that changes their meaning especially to persuade people to think a certain way. George Orwell coined the word in his book 1984.
Post Truth-- Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief: 'in this era of post-truth politics, it's easy to cherry-pick data and come to whatever conclusion you desire.
Alternative facts-- When truth is so unfavorable to one who cannot give up control, that they must invent a whole new category of lies to describe their nakedly intentional acts of deception.
I know that if we were all schooled in The Four Agreements, we would instead be making Agreements that supported and valued the uniqueness of individuals, that personal importance, and ego driven behavior would be quickly recognized, that assumptions masking as truth would not be tolerated, and that a lack of wisdom and information by over-the -top self-selected autocrats would not be accepted.
For me personally, at an age when I planned to retire, and after living with deep study of The Four Agreements for over 15 years, I am re-activating teaching and coaching the Toltec Wisdom of The Four Agreements. I have developed practices and exercises to support people to recover personal power, shift and broaden their point of view, master their attention, and stop emotional reactions, while developing awareness of all the self-limiting fear-based beliefs that run their lives. I am actively teaching and sharing the wisdom of The Four Agreements. I have been joyfully living The Four Agreements for over 15 years, and am again actively teaching their practical wisdom and application.
Presently, I am seeking individuals and groups of people who want to see through the veil of delusion to create happier and more productive lives in which each individual is honored as the expression of their uniqueness and in which power is vested with all the people.
Please read the flier below to see my present teaching schedule in Waynesville North, Carolina at The Creative Thought Center.
Contact me through phone, text and email to discuss how we can work together creating lives of personal freedom, happiness and conscious community.
Phone 828-665-1673 (land) 516-395-5724 (message) email: Michele@HumanPotentialUnlimited.com