A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery (11.1.2009) - The Fifth Agreement

Excellent review of the original "The Four Agreements" plus an additional concept to ponder and apply in your own life - Be Skeptical. This is not to say that you become bitter. Quite the contrary. You simply question your surroundings including your own outdated or just plain wrong beliefs.

An extension of the Magical Four Agreements. The gentle and wise Mr. Ruiz brings his Toltec philosophy to a new level. There is no saner way to live and appreciate life then by living with the Five Agreements. It has changed my life and those around me.

There are some really good things about this book and some really poor things. I split the difference and gave it 3 stars. Here is why:

Pros:
* The message is solid.
* It's written in a way that anyone can understand.

Cons:
* This is written for someone who isn't a thinker, reader, and hasn't done much homework. The language is simple, repetitive, and written for someone with the attention span of a gnat. It borders on insulting.
* If you have read the 4 Agreements, you have most of this information already.

If I hadn't heard Don Miguel Ruiz speak, I would think that this was a joke. You might too. Be patient. You can get something out of it. The message IS good. You just may have to grit your teeth to get it.

If you are familiar with the Four Agreements, this book weaves them skillfully into an appreciation that each person has a unique truth which we can discern from listening skeptically. The Fifth Agreement provides perspectives that enable one to accept the behavior of others with greater understanding.

I've been listening to the 5th agreement over and over in the car. I"m now liiving my life by these principles and understanding them more than ever before. My life is changing so much, as I hear things differently each time I listen. Especially the deeper meaning of Be Impeccable with Your Word and Be Skeptical and Learn to Listen. Peter Coyote's voice is a great choice. I recommend this from my heart for people from all spiritual paths.

The four agreements were a wonderful reminder of my humanity. The Fifth Agreement encompasses all of that and gives more for the seeker to consider and work through to what I call a Marvelous Conclusion.

Reading spiritual enlightenment books frees my soul. I like to read don Miguel Ruiz, or his sons' books. They kick started my spiritual journey back in August 2016. I highly recommend these books for your collection so you can read, and re-read as needed. Do you want to time travel? Then READ! Get lost in the NOW...or should I say found.

love all his books easy to understand , I often recommend these book to people starting the journey the 4 agreement s mastery of love and 5th agreement . Also a go to book to redirect your thoughts when you off balance

Reading spiritual enlightenment books frees my soul. I like to read don Miguel Ruiz, or his sons' books. They kick started my spiritual journey back in August 2016. I highly recommend these books for your collection so you can read, and re-read as needed. Do you want to time travel? Then READ! Get lost in the NOW...or should I say found.

love all his books easy to understand , I often recommend these book to people starting the journey the 4 agreement s mastery of love and 5th agreement . Also a go to book to redirect your thoughts when you off balance

In this follow up to the Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz makes another agreement to help guide you to true happiness. In addition to the Four, the fifth one teaches skepticism, but listening. It will help to sort through all the emotional poison around us and puts us on a path to clarity.

This book makes life real simple. Just follow the agreements and you will grow as a person in a positive way. The agreements are simple but tough to follow.
I would recommend this book to anyone trying to control people and situations. You can only heal yourself and make yourself whole. You cannot control other people.

Equally as impactful, if not more so than the first book (the Four Agreements). This book is not meant to be intellectually digested and discussed, it's meant to be lived. Use these ideas to alter your view of reality and you will not be disappointed.

I have read The Four Agreements, and The Four Agreements Companion Book. I obviously enjoyed them, or wouldn't have bothered with this one. Besides the addition of the fifth agreement, the main difference in this book is that the imagery of the parasite is removed. All the same information and wisdoms are there, just without the imagery. Some may find this presentation a bit dryer. Others may find it an improvement, as the parasite imagery could be viewed as more mythology, which is something the previous books try to cut through. Someone reading the first book might think something like, "He's trying to get through the mythology of various religions to their deeper meaning, but he's just creating a different mythology." (Though I think only the most critical reader might have this take.) The Fifth Agreement wouldn't be subject to the same criticism.
That being said, I would, in most cases, probably be inclined to recommend The Four Agreements as an introduction to these concepts, as the four are plenty to implement. I wouldn't discourage anyone though, from reading this book first. Both are excellent. This one does perhaps focus a bit less on the four agreements, but I think there is plenty of information about them for a person to "get it."

I have read The Four Agreements and Mastery of Love, but I couldn't fathom the Fifth Agreement. Either I am suddenly gone stupid, am spiritually bankrupt or the book is incomprehensible. I'll take another shot at it next year.

Don Miguel Ruiz guide to self-discovery & creating peace with yourself & the world is wonderful. At times you may feel that what he's written is difficult to accept, but self-search & understanding brings on a whole new world of awareness.