The Fifth Agreement: A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery (A Toltec Wisdom Book)

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All the holy books refer to angels as messengers. They are right based on the origin of the word (Greek: messenger). So, could the angel that talked to Mary, in the Bible, be some sort of messenger of life? I prefer to understand it this way, rather than the interpretation the catholic church gives. We set these standards, we live by them, and we agree with the system. We learn because we pay attention, and we pay attention to the symbols that teach us about life, people, and the world. As a child, we might be shown a picture of a heart. Later we learn that a picture of a heart isn't simple. It can be interpreted and interrogated in a range of different ways, depending on context. Does it mean love, passion, heart health, romance, the organ that pumps to keep us alive?

With awareness, we recover the control of our story. That is the good news. If we don't like our story, we are the authors; we can change it.

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However, what this also proves is that all human knowledge must rely, to some degree, on common symbology. Unless at least one person agrees with you that the big brown and green thing is called a tree, or that there’s vitamin C in oranges, or even that 1+1=2, you can’t call these things facts, let alone true. In this guide, we’ll begin by exploring the idea that each person’s reality is separate, relative, and unreal; we don’t see the “real” world, and we don’t see the same world. Then, we’ll learn how to escape that false reality through the five “agreements,” or five steps on the path to enlightenment. Part 1.1: Doubt Your Perception Love is important as an end result of the respect that we have for others and non-attachment to any knowledge we have gained from our infancy. However, it does not have much of a place as a motivating factor. In fact, as long as we live whatever dream makes us happy and respect others, what we do in life and say to others if of little importance. I don't buy it. Of course it doesn't fit with my Christian view of the world, as he says that we need to save ourselves and not rely on a Savior or anyone else.

When it comes to religion and matters of faith, science can't help us come up with a definitive answer. So we have to learn to think critically and question what we're being sold through religious narratives. How do we perceive religion? And, although there are no real answers to these questions, the whole point of The Fifth Agreement is to cultivate a sense of curiosity and skepticism about the world we live in. Furthermore, it's our duty to educate ourselves about other people's beliefs, and listen to what they say, regardless of whether we agree with them or not. So it's always a good idea to harness the power of doubt. We need to be critical and skeptical when new symbols come along. We need to remember that just because something is glittering, it may not be gold. Even though the book is simply written it challenges important beliefs regarding gods, religion & society. It also promotes rewriting the stories we tend to tell to ourselves and the opinion we have about others. While striving to do your best, the naguals explain that it’s critical to maintain a realistic expectation of what your “best” is: Like everything else in our world, your “best” is relative. In short: Your best is whatever you can do right now. That capacity will change from moment to moment, and day to day.Take your time with this book as well. Soon you’ll be introduced to a new perspective – which indicates why patience is key in life.

I like that they remind us that even though the past is over, as a species we tend to punish ourselves for years with guilt, etc. from actions long gone. I also like this line: Be open to other people’s views, but protect your viewpoints – would be the most accurate description, briefly presented. Tell the story, don’t be the story But skepticism can go in two directions. One way is to pretend to be skeptical because you think you’re too smart to be gullible. “Look at how intelligent I am. I don’t believe in anything.” This is not skepticism. To be skeptical is not to believe everything you hear, and you don’t believe because it’s not the truth, that’s all. The way to be skeptical is just to be aware that the entire humanity believes in lies. You know that humans distort the truth because we are dreaming, and our dream is just a reflection of the truth. 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. 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. The Third Agreement – DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONSWe open by exploring their foundational principle—that reality is subjective—in Part 1.1, and follow that in Part 1.2 with a discussion of the nature of and path to enlightenment. In Part 2, we discuss the five “agreements,” or adjustments, the authors recommend we make in pursuing our personal freedom. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll call these the five steps on the Toltec road to enlightenment. Our Reality Is Subjective As the name suggests, the book adds a fifth guiding principle, but it also re-explains the four previous ones: Ultimately, these assumptions can’t possibly reflect the truth of who you are because nobody has a clue what’s going on inside your head.