The Four Agreements

I am not sure if this is the correct board to start this thread, but I see it as an affirmation; a way in which we can make our lives easier for ourselves and for others. I am posting The Four Agreements written by Don Miguel Ruiz and as they are a mainstay of my life, I'd like to share them.

If you accept and follow these Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, you can transform your life!

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.

Originally Posted by Valerian

I am not sure if this is the correct board to start this thread, but I see it as an affirmation; a way in which we can make our lives easier for ourselves and for others. I am posting The Four Agreements written by Don Miguel Ruiz and as they are a mainstay of my life, I'd like to share them.

If you accept and follow these Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, you can transform your life!

Well, that's nice. I don't know how you'll get through the vicissitudes of a business day though.

However, I edited out my first response because they are fine principles. Among real friends they're the kind of precepts that keep those real friends.




♥

I think in business, I would focus on doing my best.

I'd long since retired before I heard of these agreements, but as a social worker they would have been fitting. In big business they may have been much more difficult and I think I would have 'practiced' them with my family, friends and in the community first. They are the principles which guide us in another spiritual forum.

Thank you for responding, Lorelyen. X

[Brucely]

Cool i just read this recently for the first time. I love the opening 'dream of the planet' chapter and the 'smokey mirror' intro

Interesting.

Here's an illustration of one of these agreements going wrong.

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 responded to a topic today that included one of one, Abraham Hicks’ statements. (I understand that Abraham Hicks is a female by the way).
It was:

Stop trying to change your situation.
You are not your situation.
Your situation is you.
Change YOU to change your situation

I queried it. It’s as clear as daylight but doesn’t add up.
If your situation is you then you must be your situation.

The poster then reinterpreted it as
You're not a result of your situation.
Your situation is a result of you.
change you to change your situation.

Which is very different, relating cause and effect not adjectives about one's state.

It illustrates when this agreement fails. If Mr or Mrs Hicks had intended the reinterpretation why not say it in the first place?


♥

[baro-san]

Originally Posted by Lorelyen

Interesting.

Here's an illustration of one of these agreements going wrong.

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 responded to a topic today that included one of one, Abraham Hicks’ statements. (I understand that Abraham Hicks is a female by the way).
It was:

Stop trying to change your situation.
You are not your situation.
Your situation is you.
Change YOU to change your situation

I queried it. It’s as clear as daylight but doesn’t add up.
If your situation is you then you must be your situation.

The poster then reinterpreted it as
You're not a result of your situation.
Your situation is a result of you.
change you to change your situation.

Which is very different, relating cause and effect not adjectives about one's state.

It illustrates when this agreement fails. If Mr or Mrs Hicks had intended the reinterpretation why not say it in the first place?


♥

Don't be picky ... I'm sure you could've figured it out by yourself, if you didn't jump with your critique. The author of that quote just wanted to make a more striking statement. :)

Originally Posted by baro-san

Don't be picky ... I'm sure you could've figured it out by yourself, if you didn't jump with your critique. The author of that quote just wanted to make a more striking statement. :)

I wrote it like that to invoke thought. And yes i thought it made me sound smarter when i came up with it.

Lorelyen
full response from that thread explains this

Originally Posted by Badcopyinc

That quote in my sig is something I wrote. I'm not aware that anyone spoke those words before me if that's the case please let me know I don't want to take credit for something I may have stored subconsciously and reinvented thoughtlessly.

You're are not a result of your situation.
Your situation is a result of you.
change you to change your situation.

I wrote that quote specifically like that because I see a lot of people in my life who think they are what happens to them. They are their past experiences. Yes those things did help create you but you unknowingly caused those things by way of thought. So by stating that you are not the sum of your situation and your situation is a sum of you I'm directing the mind to see that by being in a better more positive state your life will reflect that.

Our reality is nothing but a mirror to our inner self. If your reality is bleak then so is your inner feelings your inner state. Your inner thoughts. Change your inner state by way of thoughts and feelings by way of actions. Hold yourself fully responsible for what you think say and do and make them all align with what you want and the universe will give you that no questions asked.

Originally Posted by baro-san

Don't be picky ... I'm sure you could've figured it out by yourself, if you didn't jump with your critique. The author of that quote just wanted to make a more striking statement. :)

I don't expect to have to "figure out by myself" false logic. The statement is
perfectly plain and is nonsensical. There's no need to state it in its original form
if something different is intended. It illustrates Valerian's point.

However, let's leave it at this, shall we?

♥

Originally Posted by Lorelyen

I don't expect to have to "figure out by myself" false logic. The statement is
perfectly plain and is nonsensical. There's no need to state it in its original form
if something different is intended. It illustrates Valerian's point.

However, let's leave it at this, shall we?

♥

You're the first person I had to explain it to out of the hundreds that have seen it.

But I will not insult your logic and perception and agree to let it at that. Thank you for noticing the flaw in my logic and wording.

I have a lot of respect for you and your wisdom you spread on here I will contemplate on what has transpired today.

Thank you

[H:O:R:A:C:E]

those Four Agreements seem to good principles to follow Valerian;
thanks for sharing. i think the fourth can serve to rescue the earlier
three if they're found to be imperfect in some way.