A Practical Guide to Inner Peace (A Toltec Wisdom Book)

The first book was the four agreements. This book should be how the author came to know them. It's more of a personal journey meant to inspire us to do the same. However, when compared to the first this book is lacking in may areas.

This book follows on the footsteps of The Four Agreements and The Mastery of Love but focuses on quieting one's mind, finding the truth from within, and returning to one's own authenticity. I have attended two weekend workshops with don Miguel Ruiz and have learned so much from him that I decided to buy several copies of this book and give as a gift of love to my two teenage kids, my parents, and my five brothers and sisters. Truly a great book with the power to heal the spirit and change for the better by applying the lessons to our lives.

I enjoyed the four agreements and use it for a course I teach at my University. I read this book hoping to use it in other courses. It seem very boring and repetitive. The word lie seems to be used many times on each page. Nothing new here.

This is a good companion to Ruiz's Four Agreements, and digs further into the Toltec philosophy of life and their idea of spiritual awakening form our dreaming life - a life based on false perceptions and tons of lies.

The book basically calls for you being present, for becoming attuned to your own "being" and feelings not to your mind and thoughts. Ruiz advocates for forgetting all the negative chatter that is driving our lives, and to focus more on our hearts and feelings and less in our head and thoughts.

The basic idea of the book is that our mind is full of lies about who we are, we are not, and about who other people are. Our mind is biased by our social and cultural background, too. Our lies makes us judge ourselves and others, and create stories that are mere fantasies affecting our lives... for the worst. If we accept that we can only access our on perception and we are the creators of our own story and that everybody does the same, we can find a better way of not judging, or seeing the divine in everybody, and not getting triggered by somebody else lies and stories.

In this book, Don Miguel Ruiz mentions many of his personal experiences in his transformation from surgeon/doctor to Toltec master, not just somebody preaching a way of living or philosophy.

I agree with some of the other reviewers on the fact that the book is a bit loopy and that it should be more concise. In fact, the book can be easily summarized and re-read by going directly to the end of each chapter, to the section "Points to Ponder", where the gist of each chapter is succinctly and clearly presented minus the over-talking.

This is a great book that will bring lots of peace to your mind.

wow...anyone rating any title from this family of books...four agreements, mastery of love, fifth agreement, etc. less than five stars, indeed, did not understand the concepts, wisedom & knowledge underlaying these titles....only equaled by past wisdom of philosophies, conveyed years ago, by Carlos Castaneda, in his encounters with don Juan Mateus. I subscribed to the audible & am absolutely mesmerized by its beauty. don Miguel Ruiz has done great justice conveying/translating/sharing the ancient Toltec philosophies, previously shrouded in mystery & kept secret for many decades...finally, we may now delve into attempting to understand ourselves, where we & our ideas about life surface from...bible teachings & what they really mean to us & why they mean what they mean to us...experience it for yourself...

This books adds an element Ruiz's prior books lacked, a good narrative of the personal journey taken with his Toltec perspective. He keeps the same style, so if you loved it or hated it in his prior books this is more of the same.

He outlines his personal journey and experience learning from and using the agreements and is less "textbook" instructional than his other works. If you're coming to this author for the first time reading The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) first would be helpful, but isn't necessary.

For those unfamiliar with his prior work:
Ruiz lays out a way of thinking and acting to live a better life. It is very approachable and has something in it for most people. He writes from a perspective of "Toltec wisdom," so if what you want is something more clinical this book is not for you. If you enjoy things which are a mix of self help and spirituality, this book (and his others) are something you'll likely enjoy and can begin making immediate use of.

Step 1: The Four agreements.
Step 2: The Voice of Knowledge
Step 3: Deeper still...

1. In the Four agreements one obtains a very well crafted and usable framework for personal growth and freedom.

2. In The Voice of Knowledge there is a direct focus on something addressed in the 4 Agreements, namely the ego / shadow / voice of knowledge, and makes absolutely sure one understands the issues, pitfalls, tricks and signs of its interference.
While a bit repetitive at times, the intent of the author to make absolutely sure you get the point/s is commendable, AND He must be doing it for a good reason (pay attention).

3. In Shadows in the Twilight: Conversations with a Shaman the topics are integrated further from a COMPLETELY different angel -WOW!, and hence it's usefulness. It indicates how the teachings speak to deep levels and how we can actively and practically apply them.

The teachings of the voice of Knowledge prepare one for the battle to implement the Four agreements by making sure you understand the 'enemy' or the 'conundrum'. This can then be taken to deeper levels in life.

Another precious literature from Don Miguel Ruiz. "The Voice of Knowledge" is another book that brings us to be the greatest artist in life. It is an excellent companion book after you have read "The Four Agreements" and "The Four Agreements Companion Book". Don Miguel Ruiz's books are meant to be read over and over again to help us deepen our understanding of the truth in life that leads us to live in the heaven.

That voice, the voice of knowledge, those lies, those old agreements, those false beliefs we adopted from the past during the domestication process when we were a child, are always talking and judging. These voices talk very loud in our head to convince us we are not good enough. However, the voices are lies and we believe in those lies. We walk through life day after day believing we need others to validate and provide us the self-esteem. We walk through life day after day looking for external gratification to satisfy that voice.

I like Don Miguel Ruiz's stories, particularly his interpretation of the Bible about Adam and Eve, his personal experience in the dessert and his story with his grandpa.

I like Don Miguel Ruiz's interpretation about the fallen angel (the snake that lives in that tree in Eden, which is called the tree of knowledge). The snake symbolizes our own judgment, fear, anger and ego while the tree symbolizes the book of law. The snake goes on talking in your head starting the day Adam and Eve ate the apple, which to me is a symbolism of us adopting the voice of knowledge. The paradise we lived in turned out to be the hell, where mankind suffers. We are all trapped in the cycle of judgment, fear, anger and ego and day after day, we think that satisfying these feelings are the way to happiness. The snake wants to survive in your head, it will always talk. However, we have the power to turn that voice into love and compassion.

The night in the dessert helps me understand whatever we see at the moment is a reflection of light. Our brain perceives the light and makes its own interpretation. I think Don Miguel Ruiz brought us the truth here. You might think you know someone well. You do not understand why that someone hurts you deep. It is simply because people are also the reflection of light. We only see the reflection of others and we only understand the projected self of others. Asking the question "why" certain things happen is nonsense, because we will never know the truth. The truth only comes from within self and happiness comes from within.

Don Miguel Ruiz's story with the grandpa is empowering. I respect the author telling us his personal story about how he turned his deamon (his ego, and his past in projecting a false image to others) into the voice of truth. It is a powerful message and his story raised my level of awareness about self and about my own ego in the past which controlled my life. Thank you for the author's guidance. When you read this book with an open heart, I am sure you can find the road to happiness yourself.

Great Insight to the inner voice that we use to judge ourselves in negative ways. I enjoyed it but feel the four agreements is the better book between the two if your trying to decide. If you've already read the Four agreements, then it's definitely worth the read. I do not feel that this book repeats a lot of "old hat" topics, I just think he is covering them lightly in the event the reader has not read the other books and or is just recovering old ground for the sake of repetition (how many times have you gone over the same thing trying to learn something and what better way to lean something then to repeat it). I only mention this as Ive seen other reviews bash some of his books for back tracking. I personally have never been bothered by it and feel it's like retracing your steps and noticing new things you may not have thought before.

My introduction to Don Miguel Ruiz was through "The Four Agreements". It was a book that I devoured and one that left a deep mark on me, therefore it only made sense for me to pick up his second most popular book, "The Voice of Knowledge", which I just finished reading in its Spanish edition. Besides offering a useful refresher of "The Four Agreements" halfway through the book, Ruiz tackles the very real and tough problem we all face of being overwhelmed with our internal dialogues going on, telling us what to do or not do, why we are better or worse and driving us down a guilt path of learned behaviors and habits.

The material covered by the book makes perfect sense and he is bound to offer advice that will resonate with those practicing Buddhism as well as those into Christian religions. However, after a while, he begins to repeat himself and go back to elements mentioned earlier in the book, which renders the book a bit longer than necessary past the second half. Though I enjoyed it, I struggled to finish it. All in all, it's very good, but the book can easily be a third shorter and it would work just as well.

I read this book thoroughly as I have all of Don Miguel Ruiz's books. The contents and voice in this book is truly powerful. I have begun to experience a Self-Love and Peace I could not of imagined. I practice the Four Agreements daily, and have agreed to follow the powerful, spiritual, ancient suggestions Don Ruiz clearly depicts. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants freedom that comes from being and loving your authentic self. In my book: "Trauma and Transformation: A 12-Step Guide", I fully explore the spiritual side-effects of trauma, and how the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is a powerful systematic approach for the trauma survivor seeking a spiritual solution.

-Rivka Edery, L.M.S.W
Website: [...]
Author of: "Trauma and Transformation: A 12-Step Guide".
Available from: TRAUMA AND TRANSFORMATION 12 Step Guide

Don Miguel Ruiz has brought us all a gift to reclaim our own truth, from within our own hearts rather than listen to the `voice of knowledge' that so many people have destroyed when they give their own `knowledge' to you.
This wonderful book will help you shatter the judgment, self-recrimination, and denial of your greatest attributes that you have taken on from others, and have even learned to deny within your own self.

The only truth is that which you were born with. Don Miguel Ruiz helps you to re-connect to the Divine attributes and qualities that you DO hold within, despite what other's tell you, and despite what you may have `learned' to tell yourself.
This book will help you open up to the wondrous being you are, so you can align with your OWN truth, soar in your life, unattached to outcomes, and love yourself in the joy-filled process you deserve.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to claim his or her authentic self.
Barbara Rose, author of "Stop Being the String Along: A Relationship Guide to Being THE ONE" and 'If God Was Like Man'
Editor of inspire! magazine

I got this book as a gift and I enjoyed reading it.
The message is clear, that we must not let our negative thoughts control us as they may be very well false. Those negative thoughts coincide with the idea of the negative introject studied in psychology.

The one thing that I did not like about this book was that it kind of got new-agey, where the author shuns the idea of external evil. Yes, a lot of evil comes from lies within, but I wouldn't agree with him that the reason why the world is in strife is because of that. Read Political Ponerology by Andrew Lobaczewski to learn that some people have no empathy, and tend to rise to the top of positions of power.

But, I agree that we should not be discouraged by these people, and fight for truth. So I give the book 4 stars.

Don Miguel Ruiz is a very smart man and he writes very simply about the most important things for better lives! In "Voice of Knowledge" he really makes us fully understand what Toltects really stand for! He gives us some brilliant ideas on how can we lead a lot more better lives then we are now. He writes about "The Voice of Knowledge" which in truth is our inner voice or as Don likes to refer to it, The Liar.
He is so right when he recommends to us that if our inner voice is our verbal abuser and says negative things about us - we should learn to totally ignore it or at least not believe what it says to us.
Then...what I liked the most about the book is regarding the "Nobody's Perfect"! Well if you're one of those who still believe that nobody or nothing's perfect then read this book and you'll never get to feel that way again.
After all, this book is wonderful by all means and in my opinion I think every person should read it. As there's something for everyone in it.
Highly Recommended

I have to admit that I wasn't expecting much from Ruiz's fourth book on his philosophy. The ideas expounded upon in The Four Agreements and its companion volume are simple enough that I didn't really think much more could be done with them. Also, Ruiz seems to have progressively picked up more New Age buzzwords since his first book, and the samples I'd seen of this work suggested that it might be fluffier than his previous writings. Still, I hadn't been disappointed by one of his books yet, so I added it to my wish list and received it as a gift. And I really think it may be his best work to date.

The Voice of Knowledge doesn't dazzle at the beginning. It does have some fluff to open with, but as with his other books, the narrative progresses into crystal clarity, almost completely free of superfluous elements. Thankfully Ruiz never falls into the abyss of misusing the New Age vocabulary as a substitute for real content. The focus is a little more autobiographical, and one of its most engaging aspects is that the whole thing reads like a story, even where the biographical elements are not the focus. This alone makes it an exceptional piece on Ruiz's part.

But more compelling to me is that somewhere along the way--I can't place where--I found the narrative prodded something in me, stirred it up something fierce. The ideas in The Four Agreements have been incredibly useful to me in recent years, but few things have had the ability to really stir something up in my psyche as this work has.

I'll note that I generally loathe inspirational works, as their usual purpose is to make you feel good and leave you with very little real benefit. The Voice of Knowledge is a rare work that finds that perfect balance between theory, practicality, and inspiration--inspiration that exhilarates and engages rather than that which merely placates.

This book reached into my soul and touched me. Not only does it clearly explain the big picture message but also gives practical tools to help in our everyday lives. I have already benefitted from this book by applying the principles and tools to my everyday life.

The Voice of Knowledge is Ruiz's best book. His focus is near perfect non-dualism although he never mentions that word. The book tells of his awakening experience. He also gives pointers to help others awaken. Are his pointers sufficient? I don't know.

My intention here is to say that his experience matches mine and many others who have broke free of the liar, the voice of knowledge. Trust in his writings as being a true state of psychological development. You may never find a path to truth that is written as plainly as found in this book.

I feel this is a good starting point for someone's spiritual journey. The Rabbit hole gets deeper but it definitely starts from within and how you percieve yourself. I really appreciate the articulation and the passion thr author presents and I look foward to reading the Four Agreements!!

You can believe it or not, but Don Miguel is a living Christ or Buddha. But, we are too. If we don't see this its because we are blinded by our concepts, our thinking. We have a desire to know, but all we really know is a story. Quantum Theory tells us this, Anthropology tells us this, Semantics tells us this, History of Science tells us this. Self dialogue is not the problem, its that we believe our dialogue. Self-dialogue is just a story describing what we perceive. You are the narrator. You are the artist. Once we realize its a story we disconnect our emotions from the story. Don't be afraid to give up your story. I can promise you that there is a whole other world of Love, which is all around us, but is obscured by the chatter of the collective story we call culture.

The beginning of the 6th Sun has started a new phase in mans evolution. Life is a Dream. Heaven is a Dream and Hell is a dream. The 6th Sun, through Don miguel, has given us a new Dream based self-love, not morality.

Morality does nothing but create self-rejection and confusion, because you can never be moral enough. You must judge the man behind you as inferior to justify your morality. You must be unconscious for morality to work because the man behind you is you. There can be no concept of bad without the concept of good. There can be no saved without the sinner.

You can dream this new dream. Each person who dreams it makes the dream stronger. The Dream of concepts is strong, but the Dream of Truth is getting much stronger.

For those of us who have tasted Heaven, but have become discouraged through multiple attempts and failures due to a lack of Wisdom Don Miguel has provided us with a powerful path of Wisdom which is strong enough to finally guarantee that you will never have to fall again. Heaven is attainable right here and now, and you do not have to do anything but love yourself. It doesn't take years to get their either.

Breck

This is a perfect companion to "The Four Agreements." I just finished this and I can't wait to read it again. There are stories from the authors past, explaining his journey, and making this book wonderfully personal. The book discusses how to not listen to that voice within us that causes us so much drama and pain. How to forget, and change our 'programming', the domestication, and the lies that have permeated our lives. The book even breifly goes back over The Four Agreements. This book is truely a must have. It, like all his other books, are a gift from above. They leave you feeling incredible and the more that they are read, the greater the message becomes. I know that I have said that in other reviews of Ruiz's books, but it is the truth and it is worthy of repeating.

Don Miguel Ruiz has a knack for taking complex concepts and simplifying them into basic principles that are easy to digest. In "The Voice of Knowledge", he describes how, as we move from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood, we gradually accumulate unconscious filters through which we interpret everything and everyone we encounter in life. Those filters -- or lies, as he calls them -- color our perceptions, not only about others but about ourselves. We bury our authentic self in layers of interference and succumb to our "inner voice", the critic who convinces us we are not enough. As a result, we feel inadequate, but more importantly, we lose our sense of connection with the Infinite.

When I first cracked open this book and began reading, I felt disconnected from the book's true intent due to the description of knowledge as the primary source of our problems. There were many references to what Ruiz calls our "voice of knowledge," all pointing toward what most would consider the inner critic, and what some might even consider the ego -- not what most of us would first imagine when hearing or reading the word "knowledge." I tend to feel that knowledge together with experience breeds wisdom -- wisdom of the self, wisdom of our incredible potential -- and, through that process, assists us in ultimately realizing our infinite nature. As such, I have never viewed knowledge as a bad thing. Therefore, the usage of the word "knowledge" in such a negative sense did not resonate well with me, but in the end it was a small matter of semantics, as on page 58 the clarification was made: "The problem is not really knowledge, the problem is what contaminates knowledge." This I could certainly agree with.

The book eventually finds its footing, and then lands steadily on very solid ground. Ruiz distills practical, everyday wisdom about conquering your inner critic and reestablishing your authentic self. As mentioned above, he has a knack for presenting things in a very straightforward manner and making everything quite easy to understand, yet the true depth of the material is never in question.

Some of the book's major points touch on the source of problems most of us encounter on a day-to-day basis: the tendency to distort what we perceive in order to make it fit our preconceived notions, the ingrained patterns that cause us to take things personally when we shouldn't, and the unconscious habit of trying to change others rather than change ourselves.

The book's foremost message is about learning to control the inner voice that feeds us a continuous stream of negative self-talk. Though the book contains only basic instructions in how to accomplish the task, by simply making us more aware of that inner voice, it inspires us to rise to the challenge. Overall, "The Voice of Knowledge" presents a valuable lesson in overcoming self-judgment, making it worth the read.

I have read and enjoyed previous work of Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements, The Four Agreements Companion Book, and The Mastery of Love. This last book I've probably liked better than the other ones. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because it's a lesser known book or that it was a bit less mystical than the other ones.

In any event, I found The Voice of Knowledge to be a very insightful piece of work. It was easy to read and had a section titled, "Points to Ponder" which helped summarize the major points in each chapter. I also bought the The Voice of Knowledge Card Deck which has all of the major points contained in 48 beautifully illustrated cards. Some examples included: The truth is perceived with our feelings, All of the drama humans suffer is the result of believing in lies, mainly about ourselves, and Heaven is here, but we need to have the eyes to perceive it.

Ruiz's work is vital to my deeper understanding of human behavior. It is important to me as a relationship/personal development author to give really good advice in terms of awareness, skills, and strategies. And this the, The Voice of Knowledge, helps to keep me on track so that I can be of better service to those who trust in me for sound advice in their dating, love, relationship, and communication areas of their lives.

This is a highly recommended book for those with a higher awareness and seeking deeper understanding of the invisible forces in our lives.

It's that simple! Ruiz points out through Toltec Wisdom that we are believing a lie. Having raised mainly through the Christian tradition, I found it hard to put this book down. His gentle interpretation of the Adam and Eve symbolism is beautifully written and so easily understood. The why of the seeming search and the need for true transformation is evident after reading about his visit with his Grandfather and being introduced to the Storyteller. Each chapter ends with a few paragraphs of points to ponder that touch the essence of his message. This is a must read for the serious at heart, a book that can be shared with anyone who is open, and it definitely keeps you grounded on a solid foundation. And I'll bet you believed your thoughts were your best friend, didn't you?

"The Voice of Knowledge" is a wonderful companion to "The Four Agreements" by Miguel Ruiz. In this simple and concise book, don Miguel shares many of the experiences and breakthroughs that led to his being the Artist of the Spirit that he is today. Woven through his personal story is the story of The Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden, and the Fallen Angel (the serpent, the parasite, the devil) who lives in the tree. The Fallen Angel has forgotten the message of love that angels deliver, and is now telling lies ("The Voice of Knowledge"). When we eat the fruit of this tree, the lies grow in us, and our mind becomes another Tree of Knowledge, feeding the lies to others.
It is through learning AND believing the real truth about who we are as Divine beings, that we find our way back to the Tree of Life in the Garden. There we eat the fruit of Life itself. Ultimately, we become true Angels (which means "messengers") and our message is one of absolute unconditional love.
In the chapter near the end called "Opening Our Spiritual Eyes" don Miguel writes: "When you open your spiritual eyes, the first thing you say is 'I am with God and the angels. I am in heaven, in paradise, where everything is so beautiful. . .there is no place for fear or suffering. It's just beautiful.'"
This beauty would seem to be our true legacy here as humans in this beautiful garden. When we open our spiritual eyes, we have a chance to perceive directly all the beauty that is here, without judgement or resistance to the Truth.
I urge you to read this book (and the others by Miguel Ruiz) if your desire is to feel more connected to Life, to feel empowered to create your life the way you want it, to know your own precious Divinity and perfection, and to be always happy.
Don't miss this chance to re-claim the truth of who you really are, and live in Heaven on Earth !!

Days after finishing the new offering from don Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills, I found the essence of its meaning reaffirmed time and again, and frequently "heard" the teaching in the middle of daily issues or challenges. Just like the wonderful "Four Agreements", this book presents valuable lessons for practical use with everyday living.
We learn in Chapter One that the "Voice of Knowledge" is not a benevolent one, but the incessant chattering that humans unconsciously perpetuate daily, the "...voice in our head. You can call it thinking. I call it the voice of knowledge." (Ch. 1) Ruiz' descriptions of his grandfather's teachings are an immediate wonderful antidote to the wearying Voice of Knowledge that we so often succumb to. His words are beautiful encouragement to rediscover the wonder of childhood. One of his great lines sticks with me: "Faith is the power of creation that all humans have, and it doesn't have anything to do with religion." He goes on to describe the difference between having faith in one's own goodness versus believing the lies of others who might convince us we're not good enough or smart enough.
The realizations that Ruiz experiences in Chapter 4, A Night in the Desert, are an inspiring description of one mind grasping the Truth of the Ages. His account of experiencing the universe experiencing him is an eloquent and understandable report of an epiphany that's a joy to read. I call page 47 the "truth page". Soon after this exhilarating evening in the desert, we learn about the "Storyteller", the essence of the Voice of Lies that pervades our consciousness all too often. I think "storyteller" is an apt term for that demon we all wrestle with - Little mind, monkeymind, maya, etc. etc. The authors do a fine job of offsetting the depressing strength and pervasiveness of Storyteller with thoughtful conversation about faith and intent. Suggestions for transforming the storyteller, and the beautiful descriptions of love, wrap this valuable book up and leave one with a sense of relief and anticipation - this world is full of beauty, hope and possibility.
If you're interested in this book, chances are you gravitate towards inspirational reading. We've all read books that promise great healing, wisdom and illumination, but not all deliver on their grand guarantee. The litmus test of a true work of useful wisdom is whether the material is applicable in mundane, real-world situations. I've had a dozen instances of hearing the words of "The Voice of Knowledge" in everyday situations in my life, and a month later, I return to re-read my favorite parts just for the fortification. The ancient wisdom to be learned from the worlds' great Speakers is here, portrayed in a relevant, and sometimes lyrical, manner.

I love everything I have bought that has Ruiz attached to it. It is with great love and thought that he writes his books. They are an easy read and I get so much out of his work. I have bought the CD's to listen to in my car. It helps keep this air sign somewhat grounded. Try one and you will get them all, I promise.

This book shows you how the world should be! if i could give it 10 stars i would! although derived from biblical principles the four agreements really help one live more peaceful and happy life, it really helps resolve all the issues we face in the world. its funny how he points out fear is a product of believing in the lies of the parasite that exists in the human mind. Its help me master myself and become a better human.

Don Miguel Ruiz has a brillant book with information that pours out of his glass of truth like. This book has the chance to change your life. Reading this book provides a way to spiritually and/or intellectually ask the big questions of life.

Why are we here? What is my purpose in life? Is this is? Not a fluff book, it will either change your life or you are not ready to hear this.

I feel so grateful to have studied with Miguel and his mother many years ago. My life was totally transformed. His love and wisdom comes through so clearly in this book. If you apply these words to your life you truly can be happy no matter what is going on around you and magic and miracles can become a way of life.

Thanks Miguel for sharing your love and wisdom with so many.

I have the cd version and I have listened to it several times for this simple truth to sink in. I am starting to understand the lies of knowledge and my true self. I ave been helped more than words can say with this book. It's more than a good read it's a study guide for a happy life!

Everyone has a constant rhythm of talking in their head. Sometimes it seems as though that voice is never quiet. It is constantly telling us things. Usually things we already know. Miguel Ruiz calls this the Voice of Knowledge or the "prince of lies." The voice of knowledge knows everything about you and everyone else or so it would like to have you believe.

Miguel Ruiz's latest book The Voice of Knowledge focuses on that voice. The majority of what the voice says is negative; even if you think it's positive it probably isn't as positive as you would think. Ruiz wants us to be able to understand how the voice works so we can better control it. Most of what it says is useless information. This negative voice is what causes the majority of people to seek releases elsewhere with alcohol, drugs or even food.

To better explain how the voice works, Ruiz uses personal anecdotes. Right from the beginning I was on guard. I have a problem with knowledge being looked at as a bad thing and a great part of the opening was about how bad knowledge is. It wasn't until later he confirmed knowledge isn't the problem, "the problem is what contaminates it." Another thing about the opening that bothered me was his comment that his perspective may or may not be true because it was from his perspective.

I continued to swim in and out of skepticism as I read. According to Ruiz our head is full of lies and everyone is always trying to inflict their story on us and us on them. I put him in this category as well. He's just another story teller trying to tell us what we are doing wrong with our lives. Supposedly, once we are able to understand this we'll stop trying to control things we have no control over: each other.

A big part of his book is about faith. He wants readers to regain their lost faith in themselves, their lives, the world and most of all in love.

Half way through I had a Dr. Phil book plug moment when Ruiz brought up his other book, The Four Agreements. This section seemed more like a long advertisement for this book which was disappointing. The information is also available on his website.

At certain points the book becomes "God" preachy but I survived and feel one step closer to quieting the prince of lies. The Voice of Knowledge is a very short book and is very repetitive in trying to get its main points across. Basically knowledge is bad, don't believe yourself and don't believe other people. I felt like he was dancing around what he really wanted to say but that could be me imposing my story on his. Or maybe not.

Ruiz didn't offer many suggestions for quieting the voice other than wordless music or prayer (he provided a couple in the back of the book.) He also didn't make any promises that you could. Everyone's different and the way they control their voices I expect it is also different.

As you can see I'm a bit resistant to most of the book. On a positive note, I did find myself more aware of my voice. With that awareness I was able to quiet it more than I have in a while. With that there is a feeling of peace. The kind you get when the kids are away for the day and there are no appointments in your day planner. Now that my scepticism has wavered slightly I'd like to re-read The Voice of Knowledge again with my new perspective.

If this is something you want to do then this book will help. If you are looking for a miracle to inner peace well I think you'd be better off searching elsewhere.

Review Originally Posted at [...]

As with his other works, Don Miguel Ruiz once again challenges us to take a new look at the stories and beliefs we hold in order to reach a higher level of self-realization and communion with our creator. Ruiz' works are consistent with some of the best in human psychology, and are easily absorbed into the religious and world-view perspectives the reader may hold. Rather than challenging our relationships with God, Ruiz calls us to a closer and more intimate relationship by setting aside the false beliefs we have inherited through the years. I am sure this work may garner wringing of hands by some in the extremist movements; however, at its core, Ruiz embraces the highest and the best of world religions and calls us to make them our own.

I purchased, and read, The Four Agreements several years ago. I am now listening to this title on Audio and I am very pleased with my choice to do so because it illuminates or fleshes out the concepts he introduces (to me) in The Four Agreements. He is eloquent and concise and I'm so happy to hear his description of love. I plan to listen to that portion in particular, many times. What I thought I "knew" about love in the past is quite unlike what I'm finding it to be now and his words on that subject are stirring, in my opinion.

Don Miguel Ruiz writes a brillant short insightful book with information that pours out of his glass of truth like common sense and deep pardoxically occuring at once. This book has the chance to change your life. Why? You are already searching. You are reading my review searching, and the mere process of searching is what this book is about. Reading this book provides a vehicle to spiritually and/or intellectually ask the big questions of life.

Why are we here?

Is there a higher power?

As he puts it in his book...it's all in us from birth. What is? Peace. Joy. Bliss. Tranquility. Happiness. Are you ready to take the journey?

The Voice of Knowledge is a wonderful book that anyone can enjoy and learn from. It opens your eyes to thinking errors made everyday and teaches you how to approach life with a clear and healthy mindset.

This book touched me deeply. I have read the Four Agreements and loved it, but this book really spoke to my heart in a language that felt so right for me. I have bought this book for all my loved ones, telling them that it is a beautifully written book about love. Love yourself and read this book.

I got so much from The Four Agreements by this author and would heartily go on to write a 5-star review for that, but I see it already has something like over 700 good reviews. But you can skip The Voice of Knowledge all together. It is just the same information from The Four Agreements. One or the other will suffice. If you are looking for new information, it is not in The Voice of Knowledge.

Don Miguel Ruiz is able to express his experiences of life for you so that you can tap into the knowledge and create the mind to express yourself and become peaceful to move onto whatever it is that makes sense to you. I find this is one of the best books that I have read and it just speaks the words inside me that I have not been able to express most of all because I didn't understand how until now.

Thank you Don Miguel Ruiz for sharing.

I didn't know what to expect when I received this book, which was a recommedation, but since I've listened to it, I have become a big fan of Dr. Ruiz. I listened to the book twice now, and will probably listen one more time just to pick up all the fine points. It will open you up to a lot of new ideas, and possibly some important solutions.

The first half of this book is great - I sat down, read the first hundred pages or so, got up to make myself a snack, and thought about what had been said so far. Though I had problems with a lot of the words he chooses to use, (his use of the term "knowledge," which he never quite seems to define or use congruently) it was a really interesting and wise dissertation.

Sitting back down to finish the book, these minor issues grew ugly. Ruiz' writing style is very informal; second person, lots of repeats and rephrases. Unfortunately it just seems like he's talking down to the reader, not being clear enough about what he's saying, and failing to define most of his terms in clear language. I feel that the main gist of the book, the useful information/advice/perspective that is contained herein, could have been condensed down to about 50 pages instead of 200.

The author and editor could have taken some lessons from the Dhammapada, or Think and Grow Rich, or any tome of wisdom that doesn't torture each point it makes by expanding on it, spinning it out, twirling it into beautiful patterns, analyzing each individual part, "building on it like a bit of foundation," et cetera...let ME do most of the thinking, thank you.

This book has the potential to be REALLY GREAT, but it never quite gets there. Every moment of ecstatic "I know what he's talking about! He's right!" is immediately clouded by a follow-up statement that sounds ridiculous...not because it's stupid, but because the author simply doesn't seem to be informed about the general philosophical terms used to define the commonalities between schools of thought.

Oh, and Ruiz takes some pretty incredible liberties with the Christian myths, along with some extreme generalizing of Buddhist and Islamic thought.

Here's what it comes down to: Ruiz clearly has some really cool stuff to share...but I wish he would just write it out the way he learned it. The examples he draws on are often flawed, or sound absolutely silly, or are REALLY far-fetched. Just say what you're trying to say and stop worrying about whether or not I'll get it!!!!!!!

Frustrating. A very low 3 stars, only because the essence of the material is really cool.

-Dave

To be honest I never would have bought a book that said Toltec on the front cover. My daughter had me read it. I found it to be so profound that I bought 4 more to share with family and friends. I really, really felt such a big change in me and everyone has noticed it. Some chapters go in to Toltec that was kinda weird but the gist of it was awesome.

Really enjoyed this one! It was so easy to read and makes so much sense that it was hard to put down. The stories behind all religions are different but at the core they all the same. I liked the simpliness and direct ways the author was able to get his story across, I encourage people from all religest backgrounds to talk a look at this old but new spirtual movement and become awakened.

Much of the teachings of Miguel Ruiz is put into a clear, understandable and absorbable form. There is a sense of empowerment that radiates from these simple concepts and this book has become an often read addition to my readings of the spirit and guidance of these principles that can add so much to living a life well lived.

The Voice of Knowledge is inner wisdom. I loved reading this book and got a lot out of it. The wisdom is simple, and it's good to re-read when you feel stressed out. I think this is a great book that can help people learn more about themselves to make a better life.

This book is amazing! If you truly want to find peace with your self and others - Read this book! It's changing my life for the better and I no longer have to worry about so many other things or people.

I hope everyone will read this book. The truths told by Miguel Ruiz are the basis for every relationship in our lifetime--including, and most especially, the relationship with self.

Dr. Diane Fitch

Now that I've read this book, I completely think differently and find it easier to make the right changes that effect my daily living. I no longer tolerate lies, but expose them immediately. I highly recommend this book.

Cheesy at it's best times. This book of enlightenment taught me no more than could be found on a fortune cookie or Dear Abby column. Not worth the time it took- which was not much as it's a short, easy read- it takes more time as you stop and say "Seriously? Seriuosly."