The four Toltec agreements are simple rules, inherited from a pre -Columbian civilization, which help us transform our lives and relationships. How? They allow us to identify and challenge the sources of limiting beliefs that deprive us of joy and create unnecessary suffering.
It’s been a quarter of a century that this classic of personal development was published and, for many, he remains the most precious work to help the individual to overcome his limiting beliefs. You know, all these thoughts that we have developed since childhood Under the influence of our parents and our education and which ended up constituting our great “Book of Laws”.
Don Miguel Ruiz’s bestseller thus became a reference to rethink his beliefs and therefore his way of seeing and approaching the world. In The 4 Toltec agreementshe explains that what we usually consider to be “reality” would actually be just a dreamor rather the collective consolidation of individual dreams, transmitted between generations and extended by the fantasies of each.
What is the tooltec culture?
Don Miguel Ruiz has taken over Four large precepts Coming from the Toltec tradition, allowing to live with more serenity. Toltic culture (whose Aztecs proclaimed themselves the direct descendants) is a civilization which developed near Teotihuacan (Mexico) between 900 and 1200. The term “tooltec” designates “the Master-Bâticeseurthe great architect ”.
Considered a people in love with wisdom, the toolteques would have identified Four contracts (the 4 Toltec agreements) that the “warrior” passes with himself to free yourself from the grip of all its other commitments who keep him in pain or suffering:
- May your word be impeccable.
- Never make a personal business.
- Don’t make any assumptions.
- Always do your best.
Better understand the 4 Toltec agreements
1. Let your word be impeccable
The first of the four Toltec agreements insists on the power of oral expressionbut also interior voice which whispers in each of us. In life, we can quickly get angry and let our words go beyond our thoughts. A fair word is a word that does not disperse in lies, backbone or slander.
In public, let’s always try to Choose our words and expressions with tact and thoroughness To remain honest, benevolent and positive. But the word is also interior. Impeccable speech is that which avoids permanent self-criticism, judgments and comparisons. So she starts with FTire area of untimely chatter From this critical inner voice, which would claim to judge everything.

2. Never make a personal business
The second agreement tells you that what happens around you is neutral: you do not have not to react in a passionate way Because it happens to you. You are not the center of the world …
It is a question of not taking the events in the first degree, by involving your ego there, when someone you lack respect for example. This person projects an inner conflict on you on you that does not concern you. With this detached posture, you are engaged in the situation, but you do the share of things: you do not react Not with your egowho has nothing to do in this case.
This agreement is to accept themoment present as it is, to better be able to act on the situations staged there. It’s a way of put surface events into perspective, By using a deeper inner experience.
3. Do not supposition
Not to make any assumption is without sustain the most difficult toolteal agreement to apply because it requires real work on oneself to learn to do not project or imaginary. Do not try to interpret reality. In case of doubt or confusion: dare to ask the other directly to clarify his point of view by simply asking him questions.
Often, we “dream our life” by living it in our head and by making both questions and answers … By daring the direct relationship to the other, we confront reality and We stop making movies !
4. Always do your best
The last of the Toltec agreements may seem trivial but well applied, it leads to a certain personal development. Doing your best, does not imply trying to be the best all the time. Wanting to be perfect would be to fail frequently, while doing your best keeps us in a Dynamics of motivating progress.
It is the opposite to put unnecessary pressure, from the inner voice that judges us. This also requires a great requirement in the definition of our objectives and our priorities. We Let us remain anchored in reality Instead of taking refuge in the fantasy of a so-called perfection.
It is also a question of not procrastinating by postponing the next day what can be done the same day, so Do not accumulate in your head things to do later. On the contrary, to live intensely the present, to express your “being” now by accomplishing, with pleasure, the tasks that arise. The opposite of usual time management.