The First Agreement
The Four Agreements is an outstanding book by don Miguel Ruiz that I think everyone should read. It’s a common sense approach based on Toltec wisdom about how to find happiness, success and peace in your life. The premise of the book is that there are 4 basic agreements that create a templet for how we can have the kind of life we desire. Recently I have been drawn back to this wonderful teaching and I wanted to share some of my ideas on the subject.
The First Agreement is Be impeccable with your words. It seems like a simple concept. Choose your words carefully. Don’t say anything you don’t really mean or that you might later regret. But it should be expanded on as well to incorporate understanding exactly what it is you intend to say. Be careful of what you speak so as not to misrepresent yourself or cause pain to another. But also be conscious of exactly what it is that you are trying to share so that you may be clear about it.
I often say “How can the Universe make all your dreams come true if you don’t say what it is that you want?”. You have to be able to stand up for yourself, and your dreams, to be able to make them come true. What exactly is it that you want? Never mind how or when or in what order, just focus on figuring out the precision of your desire. Are you clear about your needs, your wishes and your expectations? Clarity is the key to understanding and understanding what it is that you want is the first step to figuring out how to achieve your goal.
Being impeccable with your words is also about taking care not to bring undue pain to another or to ourselves. Too often we say things without thought and end up hurting someone that we love or reinforcing negative thought patterns. Take care with your word choices and the intended message so as not to unduly create misunderstanding. Emphasize the positive, for this is the energy that you want to be encouraging in your life. The wheel of ka turns, Karma is everlasting and what we put out into the universe is what comes back to us 3 fold.
Are you expressing yourself with care? Do you really mean what it is that you are saying? How can you shift your inner dialog to reinforce your strengths instead of strengthening negativity? Can you express yourself honestly and with compassion? What is the message of your existence and is it truly what you intend?
