The Four Agreements
His most famous book, The Four Agreements, was published in 1997 and has sold around 7.2 million copies in the U.S.[6] and has been translated into 40 languages. The book advocates personal freedom from beliefs and agreements that we have made with ourselves and others that are creating limitation and unhappiness in our lives.[7] It was featured on the Oprah television show.[8] The Four Agreements are:
Be impeccable with your word.
Don't take anything personally.
Don't make assumptions.
Always do your best.
The U.S. Air Force created a "challenge coin" engraved with The Four Agreements, and Ruiz is referenced as a "National Heirloom of Mexico".[9][unreliable source?]
He wrote a companion book to The Four Agreements, titled The Four Agreements Companion Book, published in 2000.
Don Miguel Ruiz's son, Don Jose Ruiz, has subsequently released a sequel with his father, The Fifth Agreement, which adds a further agreement:[citation needed]
5. Be skeptical, but learn to listen.
Quotes
"Life is like dancing. If we have a big floor, many people will dance. Some will get angry when the rhythm changes. But life is changing all the time."
"Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive - the risk to be alive and express what we really are…"
"Every human is an artist. The dream of your life is to make beautiful art."
"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…"
"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…"
"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…"
"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…"[10]
Works
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Wisdom (A Toltec Wisdom Book), 1997, Amber-Allen Publishing, ISBN 978-1-878424-31-0
The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship (A Toltec Wisdom Book), 1999, Amber-Allen Publishing, ISBN 978-1-878424-42-6
The Four Agreements Companion Book: Using The Four Agreements to Master the Dream of Your Life (A Toltec Wisdom Book)", 2000, Amber-Allen Publishing, ISBN 978-1-878424-48-8
The Circle of Fire (Toltec Wisdom), 2001, Amber-Allen Publishing, ISBN 978-1-878424-52-5
Wisdom from the Four Agreements (Charming Petites), 2003, Peter Pauper Press, ISBN 0-88088-990-X
Wisdom from the Mastery of Love (Charming Petites), 2003, Peter Pauper Press, ISBN 0-88088-425-8
The Voice of Knowledge: A Practical Guide To Inner Peace, 2004, Amber-Allen Publishing, ISBN 978-1-878424-54-9
The Fifth Agreement: A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery, 2010, Amber-Allen Publishing, ISBN 978-1-878424-68-6
The Toltec Art of Life and Death: A Story of Discovery, 2015, HarperCollins, ISBN 978-0-00-814796-9
The Three Questions, 2018, HarperCollins, ISBN 978-0-06-239109-4