So as I was spraying, this book resurfaced when recommended to me by someone who had been taught and taken through the inner 'journey' by author don Miguel's apprentice. These Four Agreements are pretty unassuming in their simplicity. Sort-of like the puissance of Billy Joel's voice, if you will. However...never underestimate the power of mindful, condensed offerings. They are often in small packages with great rewards. Kind-of like those little pills you'd pop into a bucket of water or, as per Bart's method, spray with the hose to unleash ferocious sponge T-Rex's.
These cornerstones feel obvious but hey, 'common sense' -- it's not so common! Thought I'd share to proliferate the care.
Expand your command:
1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
I feel a pattern emerging here. All these teachings are linked, share the same feelings of holistic and honest, integrity-bound intentions. It's not for me to tell anyone to change who they are. But, as a great text of a message made its way to my eyes tonight, it is paramount to know that "the more you extend kindness to yourself, the more it will become your automatic response to others."
Major lesson swirling around these past few...weeks, months, years -- the only person you can ever truly change is yourself ! (and maybe in so doing, change the worllllld! no, probably not the world. but maybe?! or at least your immediate surroundings, how about that?)
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