The Four Agreements--Okay, Make That Five

You may have seen the headline that George Orwell’s 1984 has reached the # 1 spot on Amazon’s best seller list.  The Associated Press also reported that It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis was #46 and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley was at #71.  When I went to Amazon to see for myself I saw that Lewis and Huxley had risen to #11 and #12, respectively. (The list changes hourly so these numbers change with it.)

What I also noticed was that the #20 spot is occupied by The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.  This is a book that I read several years ago and it kept popping into my head during the campaign and transition, and especially in the last few days as we have entered the realm of 'alternative facts.'  The book describes itself as a “code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love.” 

The Four Agreements are: Be Impeccable With Your Word;  Don’t Take Anything Personally;  Don’t Make Assumptions;  Always Do Your Best. 

This is a code of conduct that I wish our elected officials and their staff would agree to uphold and it is easy for me to demonize them when I perceive that they are not doing this.  How much simpler everything would be if we could all agree to be impeccable with our words.  Sigh.  But that is not happening right now so I am going to take Gandhi’s advice and try to be the change I wish to see in the world.  Therefore, in the days to come:

1.  I will be impeccable with my word.  I will not post any news on FB that I have not checked with the Associated Press or Reuters.  I will also concentrate on making sure my words come from a deep, quiet place that honors truth and wisdom.  I will measure my words and consider how they will sound to others before I make them public.  And, because I am only human, I will try really hard not to talk back to the television too much or make fun of public figures that I disagree with (except maybe occasionally in the company of my closest family and friends).  (See #4).

 2.  I will not take things personally.  What others say and do is a projection of their own reality.  It is important for me not to buy into someone else's reality because it can distort my own clear seeing, put me into reactionary mode, and disconnect me from my own wisdom and creativity.

 3.  I will not make assumptions.  This is a tough one because our brains are hardwired to jump to conclusions.  I read that in a book once.  But I realize that it’s important to seek clarification and try to understand things from a spacious, rather than from a narrow point of view.  Even though I may choose not to buy into someone else's reality, it's important to try to understand where they are coming from and honor that.

4.  And I will always do my best, which does not mean that I will be perfect, but I will try very hard not to slip into self righteousness, sarcasm, or cynicism. 

Of course, I can’t do any of this on my own so my Fifth Agreement is to stay connected to Spirit by practicing centering/contemplative prayer as described by Cynthia Bourgeault and Richard Rohr.  (More on this later.)

Note:  I linked the above books to Amazon, but it's always good to buy from local book sellers or borrow from your local library!