I have been reading a wonderful book called The Four Agreements. I love this book! The teachings are very simple yet very profound, always a good combination! They are as follows:
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 think I will be working with number 2 for the rest of my life! I think that if we really work on applying these principles to our daily life our self-cultivation will be that much more powerful. In chapter 2 of the Daode Jing Laozi says:
Under heaven everyone knows that the existence of beauty
depends on the existence of ugliness.
Everyone knows the capacity of kindness
depends on the existence of the unkind.
Existence and nothingness are mutually born,
difficult and easy complete each other;
long and short shape each other;
tall and short rest upon each other;
sound and music harmonize each other;
before and after follow one another.
Because of this the sage
dwells in the world of non-action,
practices teaching without speaking.
The ten thousand beings rise and fall
and she does makes no claim on them.
She creates but does possess them.
She works but does not take credit for it.
Because she does not take credit for her accomplishments
they will last forever.
The combination of the Four Agreements with the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi will make our cultivation practices even more powerful!
Comments