Don Miguel Ruiz’s “The Four Agreements” highlights the power of words and the importance of being impeccable with your words. He refers to this cruel use of words as “casting spells”, as we make opinions and beliefs into our belief system. Every human is a magician, and we can either cast a spell on someone with our word or release someone from a spell. We cast spells all the time with our opinions, such as when we see a friend and give them.
However, it is important to be aware that these spells can be dark when we misuse the word and take things personally. People who love us do black magic on us, but they don’t know what they do. We must forgive them, as they don’t know what they do.
In the “Four Agreements”, Ruiz references White Magic and Black Magic, which are negative intents towards others. There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to us when we take nothing personally, becoming immune to black magicians and having no spells affect us.
In conclusion, Don Miguel Ruiz’s “The Four Agreements” emphasizes the importance of being impeccable with our words and actions, as they can cast spells on others.
📹 The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz | (Detailed Book Summary)
What are the four agreements? In The Four Agreements, bestselling author don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting …
📹 4 Spells That Will Change Your Life | The Four Agreements by Don Ruiz
I this video I speak about 4 spells that you can cast on yourself to revolutionize your life! These ideas are based on the book titled …
I am 88 yo, Mexican-American, born in a desert mining town during the Great Depression of the 1930s. I was very lucky to have been born into a wonderful Familia and during hard times when we ” Mexicans” were 2nd class in the eyes of the dominant society. As a child in my formative years immersed around decent, loving, poor people with stoic Christian values, I grew unknown strengths that I took for granted. My days as a child around my peers and cousins were glorious and filled with wonderments…. only poor kids can know. Here are a few to illustrate my point: 1. Hearing spooky stories in the dark, on the floor with kin, as the train approaches, rattles the shanty, and rumbles away to distant Los Angeles. 2. Going to city dumps on Sunday with your uncle and cousins to scavange and finding all kinds of treasures and curiosities to bring home proudly. 3. Walking miles upon miles through vineyards and orchards eating the very best of fruits you can imagine. 4. Eating the best Mexican foods ever made and served by aunts, cousins, granny… tortillas, albondigas, tacos, frijoles, enchiladas, etc, etc… On mismatched dishes, cutlery, from pots and pans all with stories to tell. My granny, “These came from China, see the 👸 princess… etc.” 5. Reading for hours in an old abandoned car in our backyard while the rain is pouring outside. 6. Everyone in spiritual awe perusal a spectacular meteor shower with you kin, and granny making comments about God and creation. 7. Mexican weddings, baptisms, wakes, burials, Christmas, 1st Communions, birthday parties.
Lately I have found myself to be very self critical and without motivation. This article summary of The Four Agreements has taught me that the negative words I tell myself can greatly affect my overall well-being, relationships with others, and career goals. I have purchased the book and with the small changes on how I perceive myself in my own thoughts has given me great motivation. I appreciate your summaries of these “self-improvement” books. Thank you.
The Four Agreements 1) Agreement 1: Be impeccable with your Word. -Your words are powerful -The word can enter our mind and change a whole belief for better or for worse. -The word casts spells -You are what you consume -Gossip is black magic and pure poison 2) Agreement 2: Don’t take anything personally. -Don’t take things personally -About them vs about you -When everything around you is great, everything makes you happy -We make agreements to help each other suffer -Keep the agreements with yourself 3) Agreement 3: Don’t make assumptions. -We have the tendency to make assumptions about everything -Why we shouldn’t make assumptions -We make the assumption that we know what the other person wants -What is Real Love -If you don’t understand something, ask questions 4) Agreement 4: Always do your best. -Your best will become better than it used to be -Action VS Reward -Forrest Gump -The first three rely on the fourth -Master through repetition
I love your articles, not only they are informative, you have given us a shortcut to the book key takeaways. they are really breaking barriers for many that don’t read but able to learn at the same time, especially those with ADHD. I am really curious of the tools and platform you are using to create these articles. I have so much to learn as I am a teacher myself and I would like to create something creative for my students to have fun while learning something new. I will truly appreciate if you could share with me your Secret sauce of how you are making these articles so good. 😊 thank you very much.
Excellent. Thanks for this. Everything i already knew but a treat to hear it discussed & i never use spoken word. Now I know tho. God bless all of us 🙏Words will always hurt. Whatever u say your unconscious doesn’t understand it. It thinks u r referring to yourself. Don’t speak negatively about yourself even as a joke. Your body doesn’t know the difference. Words are energy and they cast spells, that’s why it’s called spelling. Change the way you speak about yourself, and you can change your life -Bruce Lee
I feel like if we are never taking the things other people say personally, we also know how we are the toxic people sometimes. Just a thought. But hey!! I’ve listen to this guy a few times now and I really like these articles I definitely subscribed thank you for taking the time to break down these big concepts!
Talking behind my back is what shaped my entire life, literally. It gives people the false impression that they can tell the motive, the ‘why’ behind whatever the other person does and they see their own distortion as a confirmation which leads to a spiral without an exit. It’s not that you accept their opinion, you even develop anxiety bc you realize whatever you do can be turned into something totally different and cause an absolutely unexpected backlash. You can’t change it bc it’s not in your head. It’s so easy to say ask questions when no one does.
The gossip part is inevitable and according to the book “The Power Paradox” is necessary. As much as I hate gossip (small minds discuss people), when you’re in an organization, everybody is perusal you, judging you, and talking about you. So I would rather just say, refrain from gossiping in your spare time.
Thank you for summarizing the book. I appreciate it. This was the second article I watched that you prepared and the first one (Atomic Habits) was far more well organized, you kept me interested and even directed me to see a couple of articles of Mr Clear himself on Youtube. Nevertheless, this one was exactly the opposite. Although I have read the book couple of times before and I liked the points you have made but not the presentation, at all. Sorry to mention this but it seemed to me that you didn’t work your lesson enough on this one. Your gaps in between the themes, and making the presentation board zoomed in and out might distract the concentration of the audience (at least it did on me). You might want to stick to your way of presenting these because I really like what you do. Thanks again.
Hey man, I just stumbled upon your website yesterday and listened to a few book reviews. The one about Atomic Habits actually inspired me! It gives real practical advice that can be implemented immediately. And I’m probably going to ;). And for anyone interested, here’s my honest response to the book review of this article. Disclaimer: it’s not positive aaaand it’s a bit on the long side. But hell, maybe you’ve got nothing better to do with your time than to read this youtube comment! I find that the points that this author makes have a tendency toward shallowness. Most of what he says comes down to “be good not bad”, quite similar to what you might hear in an average church sermon. I have 2 issues with such an approach to life. Number 1: as children we’ve all heard a million times that we should be good and not bad. Or to be honest and NOT LIE. The problem isn’t that we don’t know. The problem is, we don’t know WHY. Telling a lie can get you out of a LOT of trouble sometimes. That’s why we do it, right?! So why shouldn’t I do it? Because it’s ‘bad’?? No! The “be good not bad” story is lame. It doesn’t motivate anyone on a deeper level. So why should you be honest? It’s because honesty gives you a sense of purpose and meaning. It makes you trustworthy. In some situations honesty is very difficult. And that’s exactly why you should do it. Making hard choices builds your character! And a strong character is worth more than gold. Number 2: the writing lacks nuance. Let me give you an example.
Wowww the part about everyone is living in their own world is something I talk about a lot.. i say that we are all just trying to create the world we want to live in anf makes us happy. I sell food if someone says you should wear a hair net i just assume that in the world that they want to live in and be happy everyone who cooks food should wear a hair net. And i don’t get offended.
Some people take this “whatever someone says about you, is just a reflection of them or a projection…” waaaay to far. Sometimes there is criticism worth hearing, even critcism of character. Peoples egos are out of control, when everything is deflected with “You not liking what I said or did, just shows YOUR issues…”, even though the person might have really behaved like a toxic arse and needs to be set straight. I also cant observe in my life, that the people I choose to surround myself with are either purely negative or positive and that we are together because we fuel each others suffering. We have highs and lows, we are sad and discouraged sometimes and cant always be super supportive, and then there are times when we can. The types of people who are totally absorbed by these “positivity over everything”-stuff, shoo away from people so quickly when things get bumpy, that you cant even call them friends. Life is complex and there are valid reasons to not always be super okay and you have to let downs happen…the people who dont wanna be with you when you arent mr./mrs. sunshine, arent people worth having around in general.
I love love love these article books! And I also love this man’s voice. ❤️ Also is it possible you may have been a teeny weeny bit unprepared? The narration seems natural and perhaps you winged it? (Not saying it’s bad but it felt more like a podcast narration)… but different from the style in the other article books in your series, which were quite precise and succinct. Just seems like a different style.
Agree, this website is amazing. I’m terrible at reading and when I try to pick a book is so hard to been able to decide on something meaningful. My kid loves reading and I’m trying to encourage her on this kind of books to op n her eyes a bit more especially nowadays where everything is so fast the amount of information available drains people’s minds and affect dreams and goals
1. If you can speak “faultlessly” (a definition of impeccable. another is without sin lol) then congrats on the talent, but sin is subjective. Nobody is objectively faultless, but also no fault is not also a kind of strength in another way and different situation. The original Greek idea behind vices and virtues was to avoid both and sit in the middle, a happy medium without any downsides to anyone and yet both upsides. 2. You are a person, so you can only take things “personally” in one way, but if we focus on not getting overly focused then great. 3. Assumptions are indeed terrible, checking everything is ideal, but often not done because trust exists thankfully and sometimes not ideally. 4. Your best is beyond anything to truly be the absolute best. This is such a common phrase, but true best is impossible since there is always better beyond that best, we’re not linear beings at all. Every skill not only can be improved endlessly along a single factor, but also has endless other factors and situations to optimize in and then co-optimize into infinite potential and created situations. But sure, do well, and do better after observation.
Hi there ! Many thanks for your articles they are amazing ! These are excellent book content which are now super accessible thanks to you. I was wondering what is the mindmap app you’re using for the presentation ? I think it’s great for presenting in a very structured but also visual way. I would be very interested to use it too ☺️
I don’t agree with some of the messages this is espousing. If taking something personally means agreeing with it, and you shouldn’t take things personally, that means you can’t agree with anything. Also, one can’t live life without making assumptions. No one know everything, so will fill in necessary gaps with assumptions in order to progress/make decisions. Do your best as a good way to live life is ridiculous. You’ll do better in life if you do your best rather than not your best, thanks for that. Emphasizing being true to your word is the best part of this message.
i read this book then burned it…….this book is literally telling you to listen to the angel of death which in scripture is apolyon/apollo. there is only one agreement need and that is loving our heavenly Father will all our heart mind and soul……..everything else is vanity. Repent and seek the Way Truth and Life
Thanks for the content. I bought this book forever ago! I just thought the book was a waste of money my chronic inability to enjoy books because there can just too much b.s. is frustrating like the author using the word dream in place of reality, why do I have to decipher your book ya know? I understand your cultural Toltec translation of reality is dream or something like that but no need to add complexity like this I have shit to do ya know? Also the idea that life is but a dream is very common, even in Europe. This is why you are brilliant you turn a book in to a pamphlet basically, just like that app (summarize books app that I don’t know what its called anymore) Thanks!
Ironically, I used to make positive assumptions about others I loved but I was very mistaken. Falsely thinking positive about others and trusting them got me nowhere, untilI finally caught on and eliminated these false friends and family from my life. So this guidance on not making negative assumptions about people should be taken with great discretion. Being loving and trusting ended up giving me great betrayal, as I was surrounded by envious people that were competing with me behind my back. I had no idea there was a competition going on.
-you hit a lot of keen points that made me think and realize I’m guilty of, and on the upside that was the old me who cared too much & overthought what people viewed of me. It was some hard humbling lessons because I realized that it’s me that’s putting myself and attracting these negative situations into my life. My priorities were mixed up and I felt so helpless and miserable. It’s a tricky road to be on but as I got older I started to not care so much and realize my time is not to be wasted now when I look back in the past it’s to remember my wrongs and use them as a reference to not ever repeat them again. I take it one day at a time, because each day is different each day I discipline myself to better manage my emotions as well as energy. Today I came home with a huge smile because I was able to deflect not giving in to the gossip and holding my ground psychologically. If you’re reading this don’t give up you have so much to live for ❤️.
The four agreements 1st Agreement Summary: Be impeccable with your word -respect the power of your word, your word can creat great distraction of great positivity. Understand how the word can effect and our mind and our belief systems. We are always casting spells with out word. You are what you consume. The subconscious is very powerful and don’t gossip because gossip is pure poison. —————————————————————— 2nd agreement summary: Don’t take anything personal -if you agree with someone’s opinion, then you agree to take it personally. emotional poison is forming negative identities within yourself. Nothing someone says is about you, but is about them. Negative people tend to attract negative people, positive people tend to attract positive people. Always remind yourself to not take things personally. —————————————————————— 3rd agreement summary: don’t make assumptions -negative minds breed negative assumptions that lead to blaming things and negative assumptions. Life’s dramas are rooted in taking things personally and making assumptions. Never assume to know what your partner wants. Real love is finding someone you don’t have to change. Always seek the truth through questions. Don’t make assumptions —————————————————————— 4th agreement summary: Always do your best your bad days will now become less bad, and your good days will just get better. Put action over reward, never do thing because you think you’re going to get a reward. Next the first the agreements rely on the 4th agreement.
It’d be cool if you made The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk ! It’s a great catalyst for beginning ones healing journey with PTSD, complex PTSD, survivors of violence, etc. It’s written by a man who spent some of his life researching people who have survived sexual violence and domestic violence. Unfortunately, he also used his findings to carry out his own predatory behaviors and is not someone to let your kids be around. To this date however, it is one of the more articulate and clinical findings on how greatly trauma impacts daily life 🙂 it made me feel much less alone and made a big impact on viewing myself in a healthier light 🙂
Thank you for this summary. An Insight timer APP session I regularly attend with Rev Skip next week (Sept 2, 2022) will be discussing this book all month. Join for the positive vibes if you wish (free but donations accepted if able). Anyway, re requests I am interested in SIGNS – (The secret language of the Universe) by Laura Lynn Jackson, The Art of Quiet Influence by Jocelyn Davis & The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge M.D. Your article was phenomenally good from start to finish 😊btw and your voice very suited to this work❣ Thanks for posting it! Also if anyone has read the above books please let me know your thoughts❣
Love that you put time & effort into creating this so that these concepts can be more accessible but just didn’t sit right with me when u decided to use the author’s example as your “own” example i.e the child signing. I mean I guess u did put your own spin on it by switching the genders in your “own” example 🤷🏽♀️
I see aaaall the good critique and what not, but no one wondering why the man has horns? Are these not just the benefits of a negative thinking mind? A positive thinker wouldn’t care or have this kind of ego problem, – feeling obligated to transform yourself into some mental Ironman. Why is this so necessary? Please explain no joke
This is the best summary of the book on YouTube! It’s long enough to really get all the big details in a simple way. Subscribing and will check out your other articles 😁👍 (Also I wouldnt personally buy it, but I think other youtubers make these kinds of completed graphics into posters or other products to sell to viewers)
(Time 5:55) Not listed as reasons for opinion? It is possible criticism is for education. So say person doing the makeup is going to be fired form her job as she is repeatedly looking horrible when putting on her ‘face’ for the evening news. The opinion of what to change, what was only half measured or what was incomplete maybe be as it is constructive. This isn’t mentioned and for most humans, being told to ‘tighten up, clean up, shape up’…is an insult which then feels like an auto fail. A self victimize. I cant do better so therefore the standard I see I should insult the person who holds that standard because I am taking the challenge personally? No. Much of this is true of coarse which you explain here, but the building nature of following the teacher even if criticism stings is a foundation lost to what feels like self sympathy due to quitting before starting.
I would like to provide some positive feedback. I love what you’re saying, I love the way of delivery, but please put a filter on your smacking/saliva noises. It becomes a little bit of a nuisance after a while. I’m fully aware that this is just my opinion, but I’ve had to pause and come back to the article because I got fed up with the noises. Just some feedback. No ill intentions.
I think the really hardest part is no. 2! So, my questions is and anyone here in the comment sections can jump it if they have any input is this. How do you disagree of what someone said..? Meaning, if someone has called you ugly or stupid and to some throughout their life and from a group of people then how do you unaccept that? That’s the challenging part. If you meet someone, and somebody said something bad towards you, its not easy to think about it and not have self doubt. What is the easiest way to do this and for some people that have work for them? Thank you.
Thanks for summary, I often prefer your summaries to the actual book but I’m going to use an audible credit on this book because I want to see if there’s any more guidance on how to not take things personally. As per point 1, words are powerful and my parents incessant labelling of as sensitive hurts me because, I guess, I’m taking it personally. When I asked them to stop they told me I was angry and now they’re not speaking to me because I (stupidly) defended myself. How do I get out of this space where it continues to hurt me. That is the book I need.