The four agreements give us a new positive plan that will allow us to live our lives. But we still have to detach ourselves from the old harmful agreements in order to obtain freedom. Gradually, these chords weaken them, like a toxin. Also by don Miguel Ruiz THE MASTERY OF LOVE A Practical Ouide to sort Art of The four AGREEMENTS COMPANION BOOK Usin3 the Tour Agreements to Master the Dream of /our Life LOS CUATRO ACUERDOS Una guia practica para la libertad personal A Practical Ouide to Personal Freedom A To [tec THE four AGREEMENTS Posted by Amber-Allen Publishing, Inc. Post Office Box 665 7 San Rafael, California 94903 Editorial: Janet Mills Cover Illustration: Nicholas Wilton Cover Design: Michele Wetherbee o Cover Photo: Barbara Simon Typography: Rick Gordon, Emerald Valley Graphics All Rights Reserved. This book cannot be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher, unless a reviewer may quote short passages in a review; similarly, no part of this book can be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher, stored in a calling system or in any way, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, taken or otherwise transmitted;] Despite its limitations, the book of law gives us the feeling of being safe. It is our understanding of how the world works, and it represents order in a world of chaos. We may not have chosen those agreements, but we have approved them. And they don`t change so easily – defying our own beliefs requires courage. One day, we`ll become our own servants. We don`t even need authority to threaten or punish us.
Our belief system – the book of law – governs our minds. The book of law is made up of all the agreements that we have accepted as truth. 2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ruiz, Miguel, 1952- The Four ACCORDS: A Practical Guide to Persona] Freedom/Miguel Ruiz. s. cm. (A Toltec Book of Wisdom) ISBN I-878424-31-9 (Alk. Paper) I. Lifestyle. 2.
Toltec Various Philosophy. I. Title. SERIES: Ruiz, Miguel, 1952- Toltec Book of Wisdom. BJI58I. 2. R85 1997 97-18256 299.792 dc2I CIP ISBN I-878424-31-9 Printed in Canada on acid-free paper distributed by publishers Group West to the Circle of Fire; Those who have left before, those who are present, and those who have yet to come. 34 33 32 31 31 30 29 27 26 25 24 24 23 22 21 Content Introduction 1 Domestication and the Dream of the Planet 1 2 First Agreement Be impeccable with your word 25 3 The second agreement Don`t take anything personally 47 4 The third agreement Don`t Make t AssumpmpTions 63 5 The Fourth agreement Always Do Your Best 75 6 The Toltec Path to Freedom Breaking Old AGREEMENTS 93 7 The New Dream Heaven on Earth 123 Prayers 131 Acknowleagments I would LIKE TO HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGED MY mother Sarita, who taught me unconditional unconditional love; my father, Jose Luis, who taught me discipline; my grandfather Leonardo Macias, who gave me the key to decipher the mysteries of Toltec; and my sons Miguel, Jose Luis and Leonard.