The Fifth Agreement: A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery Paperback – November 1, 2011

You should read the fourth agreement first. I think these books actually put life into perspective. No everything is that serious or as it seems to be. But books hit people differently, so I would say to read it to see how you take it. Great book, and I definitely do recommend it to everyone.

This book was a great add-on to the four agreements. I love the concluding pages and how the author has brought us in tune with our mission. If we focus on a different agreement each week, very soon all the five agreements will become our lifestyle and will need no effort.

Definitely is a perspective changer! Clean clear and concise. My 3 read from this author will definitely be buying more! Get the book!

Loved it

This book has literally changed my life and perspective. I am a more calm and authentic person after reading the Four Agreements and then now the Fifth Agreement.

After reading the Four Agreements, I was pretty excited to read The Fifth Agreement. I was a little disappointed, though, because a lot of the content rehashed the first four agreements, and not very much of the book was dedicated to the fifth agreement. However, it was helpful to review the first four agreements and see how the fifth agreement fit into the picture.The book is split into two parts:1. The Power of Symbols2. The Power of DoubtThe five agreements are:1. Be impeccable with your word.2. Don't take anything personally.3. Don't make assumptions.4. Always do your best.5. Be skeptical but learn to listen.The authors talk about how everything we know is expressed in our understanding of the meaning of symbols. This meaning does not necessarily represent what is true about something but rather what we believe about something.The whole process of self-mastery starts with self-awareness. You can't fix something that you aren't aware of or don't realize could be a problem. To truly master ourselves, we need to realize that we may believe in things that are not true. We need to question everything and try to get to the true meaning of things.Some quotes I've highlighted in the book that I want to spend more time thinking about include:• "You sacrificed your personal freedom to live according to somebody else's point of view."• "The result of practicing the fifth agreement is the complete acceptance of yourself just the way you are, and the complete acceptance of everybody else just the way they are."• "…every word in our mind has a meaning, but not because it's real, not because it's truth. It's just an agreement with ourselves and with everybody else who learns the same symbology."• "The truth is that all of our knowledge, 100 percent of it, is nothing more than symbolism or words that we invent for the need to understand and express what we perceive."• "The truth leads to self-mastery, to a life that's very easy; our distortion of the truth often leads to needless conflict and human suffering. Awareness makes all the difference."• "The mastery of the human mind requires complete control of the attention—the way we interpret and react to information we perceive from inside us and outside of us."• "Be skeptical is masterful because it uses the power of doubt to discern the truth."• "Use the power of doubt to challenge every message that you deliver to yourself."I'm nowhere near the point of mastering any of the five agreements, but having an awareness of them is helping me to be more conscientious of my thoughts and is helping me question some of my own beliefs and my self-doubt. I hope to continue working on these agreements, growing as a person, and improving my life by applying them.

The Fifth Agreement is an excellent book for anyone looking to improve their lives and find inner peace. The book is well-written, informative, and easy to read. The authors' insight into the ancient Toltec wisdom is valuable, and the practical exercises and examples provided in the book make it easy to apply the fifth agreement in everyday life. I like the questions to oneself . “What king of messenger am I? I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to transform their lives.

I just finished the audible version, and liked it so much that I am listening again! I have read many self help books in my life, but Toltec wisdom is so easy to understand and incorporate into one's life. This book expands upon the 4 Agreements and adds another. It simply feels right. It is not religion, you can incorporate the lessons into what ever spiritual path you walk on. They find beauty and perfection in all life. We are all artists in our own dreams. No need to learn, just unlearn the stuff that bogs us down! The Ruiz family is a God send in this day and age, I now listen to any podcasts they are guests on and follow them on social media. Thank you Don Jose, Don Miguel Sr. & Jr. Ruiz - your work is empowering and life changing !!!!