Everyday we make certain choices.  Yoga has taught me to be more conscious of those choices, and in turn, my thoughts.  It has taught me that so often we live in our heads. We let our worries win; we let our fears take control. I’ve read several books about the way we think, and the most recent book I finished was about the Four Agreements.

They are–

1.) Be Impeccable with Your Word

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2.) Don’t take anything personally

Nothing others say or do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

3.) Don’t make assumptions

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama.

4.) Always do your best

Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

I first found the four agreements in the funeral program of one of my mother’s close friends.  Kayla fearlessly battled ovarian cancer, and sadly lost her fight earlier this year.  Her daughter wrote in the program that she was struggling to find the words to describe the way her mother lived and how she loved.  Then she found the four agreements taped to her mother’s fridge (in addition to the five principles of Reiki and yoga commitments)  and knew that these things were the right words.

As with so many of these “yoga-y” spiritual books or ideas, I firmly believe that these ideas speak to some and not others…may be meaningful to me, but not you.  So I throw the four agreements out in front of you- see if they take.

The Four Agreements book is written by Don Miguel Ruiz.