For the remainder of our autumn session we will be revisiting “The Four Agreements” and exploring “The Fifth Agreement”. These two books, based on ancient Toltec wisdom, offer powerful insight into the source of human suffering and provide pragmatic tools to live a life of freedom and happiness. The Five Agreements are simple but are very difficult to implement:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don’t Make Assumptions
Don’t Take Anything Personally
Always Do Your Best
Be Skeptical, But Learn to Listen
According to Toltec wisdom, one cannot live by these agreements without first achieving the Mastery of Awareness and the Mastery of Transformation. Not surprisingly, what the Toltec called the Mastery of Awareness has many similarities to what modern teachers call mindfulness and presence.
“Thousands of years ago the Toltec encouraged us to see ourselves with truth, and they created a mastery just for awareness. The Mastery of Awareness, is the first step toward personal freedom, because we cannot be free if we don’t know what we are, where we are, or what kind of freedom we are looking for. In this mastery, we become aware of the fog that is in our mind.”
- Don Miguel Ruiz, “The Four Agreements Companion Book”
Ramana Maharshi used to say that to attain inner freedom one must continuously and sincerely ask the question “Who Am I?” He taught that this was more important than reading books, learning mantras, or going to holy places. Just ask:
“Who Am I?”
“Who sees when I see?”
“Who hears when I hear?”
“Who knows that I am aware?”
Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950) was a well known and respected teacher of Advaita (nonduality).
In his book, “The Untethered Soul”, Michael Singer writes that if you ask these question enough times you come to realize that you are not who you thought you were…
“You realize that you are not your emotions, you are the one watching them. You realize you are not the voice in your head, you are the one who hears the voice in your head. ”
WHO AM I?
“I am the one who sees. From back in here somewhere, I look out, and I am aware of the events, thoughts and emotions that pass before me.”
If you go very deep, that is where you live. You live in the seat of consciousness. You effortlessly look outside and see all thoughts, emotions and outer form. Behind it all, there you are. From that seat, you are aware that there are thoughts, emotions, and a world coming in through your senses. But now you are aware that you’re aware. The great mystery begins once you take that seat deep within.
- Michael Singer, The Untethered Soul
“The beginning of freedom is the realization that you are not the possessing entity - the thinker. Knowing this enables you to observe the entity. The moment you start watching the thinker, a higher level of consciousness becomes activated. You then begin to realize that there is a vast realm of intelligence beyond thought, that thought is only a tiny aspect of that intelligence. You also realize that all the things that truly matter - beauty, love, creativity, joy, inner peace - arise from beyond the mind. You begin to awaken.
- Eckhart Tolle, “The Power of Now”
The dream is alive, and it can change as fast as light, as fast as Life. When our awareness is there - in the light instead of the fog, in our faith instead of our knowledge - we recover our faith, our will, and our power.
- “The Four Agreements”, by Don Miguel Ruiz
Practicing Awareness
1. UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE DREAMING AND EVERYBODY AROUND US IS DREAMING, WITH OR WITHOUT AWARENESS
2. BECAUSE WE KNOW OTHERS ARE DREAMING, AND IT IS ONLY THEIR POINT OF VIEW, WE NO LONGER TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY
3. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE DREAM AND THE DREAMER ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING, IT BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS
4. WE THEN NATURALLY USE OUR INTEGRITY TO GUIDE OUR ACTIONS, REACTIONS, AND OUR INTERACTIONS WITH ALL THOSE DREAMERS WHO DON’T HAVE AWARENESS
Any belief that generates fears or feelings of unworthiness is false; it’s a lie. Our authentic self would never abuse us; it comes from love.
- “The Four Agreements”, by Don Miguel Ruiz
PRACTICING AWARENESS
1. BECOME AWARE OF THE RULES AND AGREEMENTS IN YOUR “BOOK OF LAW”. The Book of Law, even though it isn’t physical, creates a strong and rigid structure made by agreements, and we call it a belief system. Begin to challenge your Book of Law. Ask which agreements lift me up and give me joy? Which ones bring me down? Which ones are based on truth? Which ones are lies?
2. BECOME AWARE OF THE JUDGE INSIDE YOUR MIND, “THE VOICE OF KNOWLEDGE” THAT JUDGES EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE. Is your judge very fair and forgiving, or is it always harsh and unforgiving?
3. BECOME AWARE OF THE VICTIM INSIDE YOUR MIND THAT CARRIES THE BLAME, SHAME AND GUILT.
Through the word we manifest everything; we express our will, our intent, our love, and are faith, which are all the same thing.
- “The Four Agreements”, by Don Miguel Ruiz
Practicing Awareness
1. BEWARE OF COMMON PHRASES AND CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS (example: I’m sick and tired, I’m getting to old for this, I’m dying to, I can’t afford to…) Know that like attracts like when it comes to the word.
2.SELF LOVE BEGINS WITH SELF RESPECT
Notice what you say to yourself about yourself every day, are these words kind, respectful and loving?
3.PUT AN END TO GOSSIP
Notice when, where, and with whom you engage in gossip. Notice how gossip makes you feel, notice what you enjoy about gossiping. Take steps to avoid gossiping (changing the subject, saying something positive, staying silent).
4. LET GO OF THE NEED TO DEFEND YOUR OPINIONS AND ALWAYS BE RIGHT
Your opinion is nothing but your point of view. It is not necessarily true.
5. USE THE POWER OF YOUR WORD IN THE DIRECTION OF TRUTH AND LOVE
WASHING THE DISHES…
“While washing the dishes one should only be washing the dishes, which means that while washing the dishes one should be completely aware of the fact that one is washing the dishes. At first glance, this might seem a little silly: why put so much stress on a simple thing? But that’s precisely the point. The fact that I am standing there and washing these bowls is a wondrous reality. I’m being completely myself, following my breath, conscious of my presence, and conscious of my thoughts and actions.
- Thich Nhat Hanh, “The Miracle of Mindfulness”
Half-smile when you first wake up in the morning
Half-smile during your free moments
Half-smile while listening to music
Half-smile when irritated
- Exercises in mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh
Prayer of the Lotus Nectar
Beloved Kuan Yin, help me realize the connection to myself and to Life that I need to be able to live my highest vibrational life, where I am well, replenished, joyful and connected to the endless flow of divine energy and life force in our Universe. Please bring me clear guidance about how to best cultivate chi now, how to be open to receive the Nectar of the Lotus, the life force and love of the Divine Mother, for my highest good, so be it. Om Mani Padme Hum.
“Om Mani Padme Hum”
This is a powerful heart opening mantra.
It means ’the opening of the jewel in the lotus,’ or ‘may the heart awaken with divine compassion and may I know myself to be an awakened being of light’.