By Linda Potter
He’s a gentle, soft-spoken Nagual — a shamanic teacher and healer in the Toltec tradition. He is also the celebrated author of the internationally acclaimed book, The Four Agreements. Don Miguel Ruiz has changed the lives of over 4 million people around the world with a handful of simple, but powerful “agreements” that he says can pave the way to happy, joy-filled lives.
An agreement is an exchange of promises. All of our relationships are based on agreements we have forged — agreements with other people, with God, and with life itself. However, Ruiz tells us, the most important agreements are the ones we make with ourselves.
In his landmark 1997 bestseller, Ruiz offers a simple, yet very effective code of personal conduct that can help us live lives of true fulfillment and happiness. He proposes four agreements we can make with ourselves which will dramatically change how our lives unfold:
1. Be impeccable with your word.
2. Don’t take anything personally.
3. Don’t make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.
“The four agreements slowly help you to recover your authentic self. With practice, these four simple agreements take you to what you really are, not what you pretend to be, and this is exactly where you want to be: what you really are,” he says.
Now, 13 years later, Ruiz has introduced one more agreement. Co-authored with son, don Jose Ruiz, the Fifth Agreement makes us aware of the kind of messages we are giving to ourselves and others:
5. Be skeptical, but learn to listen.
“Don’t believe yourself or anybody else,” he explains. “Use the power of doubt to question everything you hear: Is it really the truth? Listen to the intent behind the words, and you will understand the real message.”
Ruiz believes this final agreement brings us into alignment with the truth of who we are. “The fifth agreement is ultimately about seeing your whole reality with the eyes of truth, without words. The result of practicing the fifth agreement is the complete acceptance of yourself just the way you are, and the complete acceptance of everybody else just the way they are. The reward is your eternal happiness.”
Don Miguel Ruiz and son, don Jose, bring their Toltec wisdom to St. Louis in April. Ruiz’ talk in St. Louis is one of a very limited number of live appearances. Absent from the lecture circuit for several years following a serious heart attack in 2002, don Miguel is now partnering with his son to introduce select audiences to The Fifth Agreement.
Father and son will be appearing in St Louis Thursday, April 8, 7:00 pm at 560 Music Hall – 560 Trinity Avenue, Delmar Loop /University City, Corner of Delmar and Trinity. Tickets ($40 general admission) are available online at www.BrownPaperTickets.com or by calling 970-443-0732.
For further information, contact BellaSpark Productions, 970-443-0732, www.bellaspark.com.