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yogani
USA
5201 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 07 2005 : 2:03:10 PM
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1. BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD - Speak with integrity. Say 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-judgement, self-abuse, and regret.
From "THE FOUR AGREEMENTS" by Don Miguel Ruiz
"A Toltec Wisdom Book and Practical Guide to Personal Freedom"
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 2:04:29 PM
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Hi Yogani,
This is such an excellent quote and they are truly great agreements.
Do you think making this a "sticky topic", to serve as a guideline on this forum" would be a good idea?
Anthem11
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yogani
USA
5201 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 5:57:06 PM
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Hi A & M:
The Four Agreements is an excellent little book that I highly recommend to anyone who is looking for yama/niyama (spiritual conduct) suggestions. With some inner silence added via daily deep meditation, it can be very effective.
As for making this topic sticky (perpetually on top), I don't want to be one-upping anyone here more than I have already, so I am shy to do that. So many have equally good quotes and poems to post here, I'm sure. If enough people add replies here, we can consider making it sticky -- by popular demand. A full-fledged discussion on The Four Agreements in "Books" or "Yamas & Niyamas" would be be a good way to go also.
It is up to you all.
The guru is in you.
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sadhak
India
604 Posts |
Posted - Jul 11 2006 : 9:27:50 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by yogani
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.
I see these two agreements as in line with the yama of 'truth' and niyams of 'cleanliness' and 'contentment'. But somehow, reading them as the agreements makes it more organic and 'in context'. The yamas and niyams not expanded into the full notation stand bleak like emaciated, starving monks on a bare,windy mountain top. The agreements are on the green grass in the valley... everyone can access them. Think I should put these up to re-read every so often. |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2006 : 07:15:58 AM
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I had forgotten about this. Thanks for bringing it back Sadhak. 
Thank you Yogani for sharing this. |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2006 : 11:35:09 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by sadhakThe yamas and niyams not expanded into the full notation stand bleak like emaciated, starving monks on a bare,windy mountain top
I know what you mean!
But the advantage to disseminating teaching through ultra terse sutras is that it allows understanding to brew naturally and gradually from each reader (the more you fill in and clarify, the more there is to be misunderstood, and the more you're feeding the minds rather than the souls of the seekers reading you). The disadvantage is that until that brewing happens, it can seem like scant pickin's. And teachers are often unbrewed themselves, so they convey the thorny dryness rather than the rich brew. |
Edited by - Jim and His Karma on Jul 12 2006 11:35:36 AM |
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sadhak
India
604 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2006 : 10:54:45 PM
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convey the thorny dryness rather than the rich brew.
Chuckle, ... this is so apt! |
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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2006 : 02:17:12 AM
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[quote]Originally posted by yogani
Hi A & M:
The Four Agreements is an excellent little book that I highly recommend to anyone who is looking for yama/niyama (spiritual conduct) suggestions. With some inner silence added via daily deep meditation, it can be very effective.
**
Hi Yogani & All,
A few years ago, my oldest daughter (now 23) and I had the privilege of attending an evening event with Don Miguel Ruiz.
We honestly weren't impressed with him or his teaching.
Nope.
Not at all.
Stunned is more like it.
Blown away. Slain. Humbled. Grateful to the point that my eyes are misting up right now, just remembering the purity and unconditional love of this awesome human being.
Heck, I don't even consider the book(s) to be in my spiritual Top Ten, but I'll remember my very brief interaction with the author for as long as I live.
(And that's not to diminish the power of his teachings or writing in any way at all -- I concur that they're quite good, and potentially valuable -- we all just resonate with different things, and I find that when the teacher teaches even "louder" than his teaching -- well, that's always a good thing!)
After the event, Don Miguel had a little table set up in the foyer of a local Unity Church (in Austin, Texas),as touring authors tend to do, and people were getting their copies of Four Agreements signed.
My daughter and I got up to the table -- and Don Miguel wouldn't sign our books, because he had something he had to do first.
He took my hand in one of his hands, and my daughter's hand in his other hand.
He looked deep into her eyes, with complete presence, and with the sweetest and deepest smile you can imagine, and said, "I love you".
He then turned to me, looked deep into my eyes, with complete presence, and with the sweetest and deepest smile you can imagine, and said, "I love you".
The three of us shared a timeless moment of unspeakable purity and infinite love.
To some, this may sound somewhere between hokey and dramatized.
What it was, was sacred.
What it was, was real.
What it was, was reality.
It was powerful enough that my daughter and I each bring it up at least once a year -- and this was in 2001.
I haven't even felt all that drawn to Don Miguel's books, or inclined to work with him or attend his retreats -- but I can tell you that every time I think of him, my heart swells just a little, and a smile comes to my face -- and my entire being.
I am approximately 100% confident that my dear daughter would say exactly the same.
So, before any of you go jumping into this Four Agreements stuff -- I thought you should know what this Don Miguel guy is really like.
Peace & Namaste,
Kirtanman |
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Eddie33
USA
120 Posts |
Posted - Nov 08 2007 : 11:09:03 AM
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wow that's a cool story.
i remember when i got into the four agreements the first time what i liked most about the whole was that man rediculously genuine smile on the back of the book.
seeya |
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emc
2072 Posts |
Posted - Nov 08 2007 : 4:28:13 PM
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Oh, what a joy to see Yogani recommend this book! Haven't seen this before. Thank you Eddie for activating the thread!
I loved Ruiz's books, and I spread them to all my friends. They are easy starters into the spiritual world for friends who wonder if I'm loosing my sanity! (When in fact I'm just regaining it... hahaha!) |
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munda_kamaal
6 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2007 : 2:48:54 PM
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| very nice.. thanks. |
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zinon
Morocco
17 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2014 : 08:58:09 AM
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hi ,
i didnt understand why working on our words will transcend our being ? |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2014 : 11:21:02 PM
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Hi Zinon,
We are all connected and our karma has to do with cleaning up problems we have had with our connections to other people. So working on our words works on our karma.
Also our reality is created by the way we use words.
Of course, there are times when words are transcended, but as long as we are interacting with people, words
are the primary basis of interaction. |
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Purohit
India
43 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2014 : 02:27:41 AM
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Thanks Zinon for bringing this topic up...and Yogani for the suggestion towards the book.
I got inspired to the book and its mindblowingly useful for my present state of being.....
In gratitude
Govind
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zinon
Morocco
17 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2014 : 09:24:32 AM
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thank you for answering etherfish .
you are welcome purohit.
hmm but still I dont get the power of our words over ourselves , I know there is a connection , it was underlined in all religions and cultures , but I cant see the truth behind it :D
love |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2014 : 09:40:08 AM
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We create our reality with our beliefs, words, thoughts.
The words we choose to use are a reflection of our beliefs.
If you describe your world using the words of a victim for example, it shows you believe you are a victim.
Some people seek to change this by changing the words, and using affirmations.
But their beliefs stay the same, so they don't believe the affirmations.
Once you beliefs change, your words automatically change.
The easiest way to change beliefs is to have faith in God, which puts the power outside yourself.
Then you don't get bogged down in the complicated way your beliefs are held in place. |
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The Four Agreements
