nirgal
11-28-2004, 02:00 AM
Practical Shamanism:
an interview with don Miguel Ruiz
by Tasha K. Taylor
Don Miguel Ruiz not only teaches the mastery of love, but he embodies love. The first time I met him, he gave me an unsolicited hug. Not really sure what to do at the time, I returned his hug, and found myself overwhelmed with the most amazing feeling of love. In his quiet way, he truly allowed me to feel what unconditional love was like.
Ruiz, the author of The Four Agreements (1997), The Mastery of Love (1999), and The Four Agreements Companion Book (2000), has gained international attention for his practical approach to Toltec shamanism. He presents this philosophy in a very simple style, giving his readers easily understood tools they can immediately utilize to transform their lives. Don Miguel has fully integrated the age-old traditions of his ancestors into the modern-day world, and he has demystified Toltec shamanism by developing tools that anyone can follow to become a spiritual warrior.
Born into a family of healers, don Miguel was raised in rural Mexico by a curandera (healer) mother and a nagual (shaman) grandfather. The family anticipated that Miguel would embrace their centuries-old legacy of healing and teaching, but instead he chose to attend medical school and become a surgeon. A car accident and near-death experience in the early 1970s changed his life, and he began an intensive practice of self-inquiry. He devoted himself to the mastery of the ancient ancestral wisdom. Since that time, don Miguel Ruiz has dedicated his life to sharing his knowledge of the teachings of the ancient Toltec people.
Ê
Tasha: What do you see as the cause of personal distress in our lives today?
Don Miguel: There is only one reason we suffer, and when we understand this it is easy to understand all our problems. The reason we suffer is because we believe lies.
The millions of lies that we believe cause us to suffer and keep us from living in our integrity. One big lie people believe is "I'm not good enough." People tell themselves, "I am ugly, nobody loves me, nobody likes me, I am stupid." Think about the lies you tell yourself and ask, "Does this make me happy, or does it make me suffer?" There is only one way to change this situation, and it is to stop believing in lies. So simple, but so difficult.
Because it is difficult to stop believing our own lies, which we have told ourselves for so long, I created the four agreements: Be impeccable with your word. Don't take anything personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best. These four agreements can help you to break apart your lies.
If you use these four agreements daily, your whole life will change. You will start to see your lies, so you can change them.
Tasha: Is there any way that people can use the four agreements against themselves, as another lie?
Don Miguel: Everybody can use any concept for manipulation. They can use loyalty for manipulation, also honesty and love. So of course they can use "don't take anything personally" in a manipulative way as well.
Depending on what point of view they are using, people can use the agreements against themselves, as another lie. "Don't take anything personally" does not mean "Do not take responsibility for your actions."
By not taking anything personally, you keep your clarity, and you can choose how to react. But as soon as you take something personally, you get emotional, and then it is more difficult to see the problem clearly and to see the solution. By not taking anything personally, we retain our clarity to make an active choice.
Tasha: How do you recommend that individuals work with the four agreements in their daily lives?
Don Miguel: They can use the four agreements by actively applying them to every decision and action, at work, with friends, and in relationship. If you continue to apply these agreements to all parts of your life, you will see how your lies used to run your life.
Tasha: How can your teaching and practices assist individuals in overcoming their personal relationship issues?
Don Miguel: People in relationships have to be honest with themselves. They need to be aware of where the relationship is, and if they really want that relationship or not.
Whether they really love that person or not, they have to be aware of up to what point they allow themselves to be abused. They need to be aware of what kind of agreements they have in relationship, and then they have to improve their communication. Communication creates new agreements, so you reinforce the agreements that are working and you break the ones that are not working.
Through forgiveness and respect, we have to allow each other to deal with whatever wounds we have in our minds. With respect, we don't need to control the other person or make them a certain way. We love them exactly for who they are.
They are responsible for their half of the relationship, and we are responsible for our half. We become a team, which means we play together, and not against each other. For a relationship to succeed, each person must open themselves to give and receive one hundred percent and to be loved one hundred percent.
Tasha: How do we learn to truly let love into our lives?
Don Miguel: You need to accept yourself just the way you are. You need to improve the personal relationship with you yourself. You need to learn to like yourself, and them to love yourself. At that point it is easy to love everyone else and to love yourself unconditionally. To do this, start by saying yes when you want to say yes, and say no when want to say no.
Learn to be yourself: don't believe your lies; don't take them personally. Trust what you want, and remember that you have the right to change your choices at any time you want to. You can change your mind to change your beliefs.
Tasha: What is the primary philosophy behind Toltec shamanism?
Don Miguel: Toltecs are artists of the spirit, dream masters. By becoming aware of their lies, they create a new dream, exactly as they want it. By removing their faith from the lies and agreements that make them suffer, Toltecs put their faith into creation and life, into respect and unconditional love, into seeing with the eyes of love instead of the eyes of fear or jealousy or doubt.
Tasha: What practical advice can you give a person who wants to begin the path to healing by becoming a Toltec shaman?
Don Miguel: It is all about action and awareness, and uncovering the truth of who you are. It is easier if you have people around you who also are working with the four agreements. Create a community of people dedicated to their freedom by sharing the four agreements with the people you love, the people at work, your family. Then you can support each other in creating a new dream, one based in love.
Kim, this is the same guy that wrote the other article.....
an interview with don Miguel Ruiz
by Tasha K. Taylor
Don Miguel Ruiz not only teaches the mastery of love, but he embodies love. The first time I met him, he gave me an unsolicited hug. Not really sure what to do at the time, I returned his hug, and found myself overwhelmed with the most amazing feeling of love. In his quiet way, he truly allowed me to feel what unconditional love was like.
Ruiz, the author of The Four Agreements (1997), The Mastery of Love (1999), and The Four Agreements Companion Book (2000), has gained international attention for his practical approach to Toltec shamanism. He presents this philosophy in a very simple style, giving his readers easily understood tools they can immediately utilize to transform their lives. Don Miguel has fully integrated the age-old traditions of his ancestors into the modern-day world, and he has demystified Toltec shamanism by developing tools that anyone can follow to become a spiritual warrior.
Born into a family of healers, don Miguel was raised in rural Mexico by a curandera (healer) mother and a nagual (shaman) grandfather. The family anticipated that Miguel would embrace their centuries-old legacy of healing and teaching, but instead he chose to attend medical school and become a surgeon. A car accident and near-death experience in the early 1970s changed his life, and he began an intensive practice of self-inquiry. He devoted himself to the mastery of the ancient ancestral wisdom. Since that time, don Miguel Ruiz has dedicated his life to sharing his knowledge of the teachings of the ancient Toltec people.
Ê
Tasha: What do you see as the cause of personal distress in our lives today?
Don Miguel: There is only one reason we suffer, and when we understand this it is easy to understand all our problems. The reason we suffer is because we believe lies.
The millions of lies that we believe cause us to suffer and keep us from living in our integrity. One big lie people believe is "I'm not good enough." People tell themselves, "I am ugly, nobody loves me, nobody likes me, I am stupid." Think about the lies you tell yourself and ask, "Does this make me happy, or does it make me suffer?" There is only one way to change this situation, and it is to stop believing in lies. So simple, but so difficult.
Because it is difficult to stop believing our own lies, which we have told ourselves for so long, I created the four agreements: Be impeccable with your word. Don't take anything personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best. These four agreements can help you to break apart your lies.
If you use these four agreements daily, your whole life will change. You will start to see your lies, so you can change them.
Tasha: Is there any way that people can use the four agreements against themselves, as another lie?
Don Miguel: Everybody can use any concept for manipulation. They can use loyalty for manipulation, also honesty and love. So of course they can use "don't take anything personally" in a manipulative way as well.
Depending on what point of view they are using, people can use the agreements against themselves, as another lie. "Don't take anything personally" does not mean "Do not take responsibility for your actions."
By not taking anything personally, you keep your clarity, and you can choose how to react. But as soon as you take something personally, you get emotional, and then it is more difficult to see the problem clearly and to see the solution. By not taking anything personally, we retain our clarity to make an active choice.
Tasha: How do you recommend that individuals work with the four agreements in their daily lives?
Don Miguel: They can use the four agreements by actively applying them to every decision and action, at work, with friends, and in relationship. If you continue to apply these agreements to all parts of your life, you will see how your lies used to run your life.
Tasha: How can your teaching and practices assist individuals in overcoming their personal relationship issues?
Don Miguel: People in relationships have to be honest with themselves. They need to be aware of where the relationship is, and if they really want that relationship or not.
Whether they really love that person or not, they have to be aware of up to what point they allow themselves to be abused. They need to be aware of what kind of agreements they have in relationship, and then they have to improve their communication. Communication creates new agreements, so you reinforce the agreements that are working and you break the ones that are not working.
Through forgiveness and respect, we have to allow each other to deal with whatever wounds we have in our minds. With respect, we don't need to control the other person or make them a certain way. We love them exactly for who they are.
They are responsible for their half of the relationship, and we are responsible for our half. We become a team, which means we play together, and not against each other. For a relationship to succeed, each person must open themselves to give and receive one hundred percent and to be loved one hundred percent.
Tasha: How do we learn to truly let love into our lives?
Don Miguel: You need to accept yourself just the way you are. You need to improve the personal relationship with you yourself. You need to learn to like yourself, and them to love yourself. At that point it is easy to love everyone else and to love yourself unconditionally. To do this, start by saying yes when you want to say yes, and say no when want to say no.
Learn to be yourself: don't believe your lies; don't take them personally. Trust what you want, and remember that you have the right to change your choices at any time you want to. You can change your mind to change your beliefs.
Tasha: What is the primary philosophy behind Toltec shamanism?
Don Miguel: Toltecs are artists of the spirit, dream masters. By becoming aware of their lies, they create a new dream, exactly as they want it. By removing their faith from the lies and agreements that make them suffer, Toltecs put their faith into creation and life, into respect and unconditional love, into seeing with the eyes of love instead of the eyes of fear or jealousy or doubt.
Tasha: What practical advice can you give a person who wants to begin the path to healing by becoming a Toltec shaman?
Don Miguel: It is all about action and awareness, and uncovering the truth of who you are. It is easier if you have people around you who also are working with the four agreements. Create a community of people dedicated to their freedom by sharing the four agreements with the people you love, the people at work, your family. Then you can support each other in creating a new dream, one based in love.
Kim, this is the same guy that wrote the other article.....