Books that go well with "The Four Agreements"?

topic posted Tue, January 23, 2007 - 11:40 AM by 
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I'm wondering what OTHER books people have read, that seem to mesh well with the ideas presented in "the Four Agreements".

Have you found that specific books seem to really FEEL 4-agreements-ish? Or, compliment nicely the things we've learned?

Alternately, if you have a favourite "self-help/self-wisdom" book that you have found to be extremely helpful in your personal development, please share!

(this is prompted by me FINALLY picking up "7 Habits of Highly Effective People". From what I'm reading so far, it sounds good, and meshes well with my 4 Agreements universe reading...)
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  • Re: Books that go well with "The Four Agreements"?

    Tue, January 23, 2007 - 11:53 AM
    Hi HeatherLyn,

    I can't say it's really "Four-Agreements-ish" but I really enjoyed Thomas Moore's "Care of the Soul"[1]. He's an archetypal psychologist (I think I'm remembering that correctly), so much of his work delves into the deeper meaning of myth and how it can be applied to our own lives.

    Also, I recently re-read M. Scott Peck's "The Road Less Traveled"[2]. This was recommended to me by my 12th grade English teacher. I read it back then and got a lot out of it. Upon re-reading it, though, I had to wonder what she saw in me to make the recommendation. I felt like there was a lot to the book that I must have missed on my first reading, because I likely didn't have the life experience to make some of the teachings more relevant. There's a strong religious/spiritual undercurrent to the book (and I'm a non-religious, not-particularly-spiritual person), but it's integrated in a very unassuming fashion that I found resonated with me very well.



    [1] www.amazon.com/dp/0060922249
    [2] www.amazon.com/dp/0743243153/
    • Re: Books that go well with "The Four Agreements"?

      Tue, January 23, 2007 - 3:47 PM
      Stuart (who is indeed, taller in person): I haven't been able to finish "The Road Less Travelled". I've tried, twice. It's a bit too dense for me to really get a lot out of it.... when I try again (it's taring at me from the shelf as I type) I might have to take it chapter by chapter, put it down, and work through the stuff.

      Although, I got a LOT out of the parts where he talks about the fact we can't love anyone if we want to change anything about them. That has stayed with me.
      • Re: Books that go well with "The Four Agreements"?

        Tue, January 23, 2007 - 4:07 PM
        << I might have to take it chapter by chapter, put it down, and work through the stuff. >>

        I've certainly had that experience with other books in the past. The first time I read _Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance_, it took me around three months. I'd read a little, set it aside and let what I'd read digest a bit (while reading something else a little fluffier), then come back to it.

        The second time I read it, it still took me three weeks!

        Of course, I don't spend a lot of time reading these days, so it might take me six months or a year if I were to read it again.

        Which is to say, in my long-winded fashion: If there are bits of the book you find compelling, mixed in with heavier sections -- by all means, take your time! If you need time to ruminate on a good fresh bit of grass, chew on!
  • Re: Books that go well with "The Four Agreements"?

    Wed, January 24, 2007 - 5:54 AM
    I assume you've seen "The Secret" by now? If you haven't, it's a really simple movie (so like a book but without all of that page turning stuff...) It's pretty much just a "talking heads" kind of documentary with an extra cheesy dramatic element at the beginning. The people yakkin' at you are very similar to the mixed bag of folks in "What The BLEEP Do We Know" and it focuses on the main aspect of the whole quantum physics notion of the power of intention. It's on DVD so it's easy to kick back for an evening and nod along to the information you probably already have heard in bits and pieces elsewhere.
    • Unsu...
       

      Re: Books that go well with "The Four Agreements"?

      Wed, January 24, 2007 - 7:18 AM
      Interesting, as one of the folks on The Secret was a canidate for president a couple of times running as Natural law party ticket in US, and is one of the Quantum physicist featured. If I recall correctly it was the '92, and '94 elections, and maybe one before that.
    • Then theres Create Your Day by Ramtha....which expounds upon the same principles that The Secret and What the Bleep do ...good stuff...I think we cannot ge tenough of this sort of thinking imagining visualising for a world thats so bent on negativity and drama...blessings..
  • Re: Books that go well with "The Four Agreements"?

    Tue, January 30, 2007 - 1:02 PM
    All of the "Right Use of Will "books,By ceanne DeRohan , "The Art of Dreaming"and "Magical Passes"by Carlos Castaneda,
    " The Witches Dream" by Florinda Donner Grau. , "Breaking the Death Habit" by Leonard Orr, and also other books on Rebirthing , "Conversations With God" by Neale Donald Walsch. These books Have supported me in my process tremendously especially The "Right use of Will Books
    Blesses Be
    Alente
  • This book recently changed my life and pulled me up out of the pit of despair: "Ask and it is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires."

    I shared several chapters in the Depression tribe, and caused such a ruccus that I was kicked out. Apparently one of the girls in the Tribe couldn't handle the information and accused me of being arrogant when I was only excited to share the message of hope that the book contains. Funny, the book actually said that it would be difficult to share with others because they won't understand it (because it places the responsibility of self-creation on their shoulders, it can be frightening for the unitiated). After this occurred today, I PM'd this girl a quote from Four Agreements which identified where she was coming from.

    "Making assumptions is a setup for suffering because usually we gossip about our assumptions. We make assumptions and believe we are right, then we defend our assumptions and try to make others wrong. All the sadness and drama you have lived in your life was rooted in making assumptions and taking things personally. The whole world of control between humans is based on that."

    ~The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz
    • Holy fuck, that quote was timely. Thank you.


      "Making assumptions is a setup for suffering because usually we gossip about our assumptions. We make assumptions and believe we are right, then we defend our assumptions and try to make others wrong. All the sadness and drama you have lived in your life was rooted in making assumptions and taking things personally. The whole world of control between humans is based on that."

      ~The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz

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