The Fifth Agreement

I recently finished reading a wonderful book and thought I'd review it for you.  I can wholeheartedly recommend The Fifth Agreement, by Don Miguel Ruiz, and Don Jose Ruiz.  As a book it offers a clear and accessible way of considering how to live your life. 

The First Agreement is: Be impeccable with your word.  In short, this means to be mindful of how you think, how you speak, how you communicate.  Are your thoughts and words in alignment with your highest self?  When you are impeccable with your word you do not gossip, or slander others.  Rather, your words and thoughts support an idea that everything is perfect.  You speak with integrity, and use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

The Second Agreement is: Don't take anything personally. Truth is that we are each living our own story.  You, me, and everyone else is experiencing the world through our own projected reality.  In turn, nothing that others do is because of you.  Anything that someone thinks about you is not a thought about YOU, but a thought about THEIR IMAGE OF YOU.  Once you realize this it suddenly becomes obvious that any opinion is only valid for the holder of the opinion.  It's not valid for you. 

The Third Agreement: Don't make assumptions.  Don't assume that you know what's going on for people as they are immersed in their projected reality.  If you believe someone is doing something and you do not feel good about it, then communicate with them.  But be clear that what you feel is a product of how YOU have interpreted your projection of reality.  And with meaningful communication we can avoid the sadness and drama that so often goes hand in hand with assumptions.

The Fourth Agreement: Always do your best.  Actually, this one really is, for me at least, about knowing that we are ALWAYS doing our best.  Our best may change from time to time, but we are always doing what we can in any given moment with what we have, believe, feel, and think.  Always know that you are doing your best.  When you can know and accept this you release self-judgement and regret.  This applies to others in your experience.  Always know that they are trying their best.

This is where the Four Agreements (obviously) left off.  For me the key is, when I am impeccable with my word, that not taking things personally, not making assumptions, and knowing that I'm always doing my best seem to make more sense.  It all starts with being impeccable with my word.  However, the first four are only a setup for what I believe may the most important agreement of all.

The Fifth Agreement: Be skeptical, but learn to listen.  Don't believe a word that anyone says, or that you say for that matter.  But learn to listen.  Learn to doubt.  Learn to listen for the intent behind the words.  Learn to listen to your higher self.  The power of doubt is the fuel of the seeker (or what the author calls the warrior).  The seeker will switch between knowing the five agreements, the Truth, and forgetting them.  Our spiritual practice requires that we doubt, and listen for the intent and Truth in everything.  We should ONLY accept that which resonates as truth and let everything else pass us by.

I have never done a book review on my blog before.  However, I feel this was worthwhile.  The Fifth Agreement really is a wonderful book.  Everything I read in it lines up with what I believe, but the author did a fantastic job of clearly articulating a process and mindset to follow.  And the bonus - the Four Agreements are included with the Fifth in this book.  If you haven't read The Four Agreements then do not worry; you get five for the price of one in this special deal.