The first agreement is the most important one and also the most difficult one to honor. It is so important that, with just this first agreement, you will be able to transcend to the level of existence I call heaven on earth.
The first agreement is to be impeccable with your word. It sounds very simple, but it is very, very powerful. Why your word?
Your word is the power that you have to create.
Your word is the gift that comes directly from God. “The Gospel of John” in The Bible, speaking of the creation of the universe, says, “In the beginning there was the word, and the word was with God, and the word is God.” Through the word, you express your creative power. It is through the word that you manifest everything. Regardless of what language you speak, your intent manifests through the word. What you dream, what you feel, and what you really are will all be manifested through the word.
The word is not just a sound or a written symbol. The word is a force; it is the power you have to express and communicate, to think, and, thereby, to create the events in your life. You can speak. What other animal on the planet can speak? The word is the most powerful tool you have as a human; it is the tool of magic. But like a sword with two edges, your word can create the most beautiful dream, or your word can destroy everything around you. One edge is the misuse of the word, which creates a living hell. The other edge is the impeccability of the word, which will only create beauty, love, and heaven on earth.
Depending upon how it is used, the word can set you free, or it can enslave you even more than you know.
The word is so powerful that one word can change a life or destroy the lives of millions of people. Some years ago one man in Germany, by the use of the word, manipulated a whole country of the most intelligent people. He led them into a world war with just the power of his word. He convinced others to commit the most atrocious acts of violence. He activated people’s fear with the word, and like a big explosion, there was killing and war all around the world. All over the world, humans destroyed other humans because they were afraid of each other. Hitler’s word, based on fear-generated beliefs and agreements, will be remembered for centuries.
The human mind is like a fertile ground where seeds are continually being planted. The seeds are opinions, ideas, and concepts. You plant a seed, a thought, and it grows. The word is like a seed, and the human mind is so fertile! The only problem is that too often it is fertile for the seeds of fear. Every human mind is fertile, but only for those kinds of seeds it is prepared for. What is important is to see which kind of seeds our mind is fertile for and to prepare it to receive the seeds of love.
don Miguel Ruiz, MD is the author of the New York Times bestselling book The Four Agreements ®. A former surgeon, a near death experience led him back to study and carry forth his family’s legacy as Toltec wisdom keepers. He is highly regarded as one of the leading spiritual teachers of our times and has transformed the lives of millions through his books, teachings, and power journeys. Learn more atwww.miguelruiz.com.
Excerpted from The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom. Copyright © 1997 by Miguel Angel Ruiz, M.D. Reprinted by Permission of Amber-Allen Publishing, Inc., San Rafael, California.
