Book Club: The 4 Agreements

Welcome to my first Book Club Blog! I am so excited to be sharing with you all my thoughts on the books that I'm reading and hopefully hear some of the things you have to say each month about the books we're reading. After careful planning you can look forward to this online book club going like this:

• The title of the book, author, page numbers, and book category will be included in every review

• I will answer 10 questions every month that pertain to an in-depth reflection on each book

• I will ask you all a few questions that I asked myself while reading the book for you to reflect on as well

Feeling it so far? I hope so! So let's get into this month's read...

September 2022 we read The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. This is a self-help book that is 135 pages long. It is a little over 2 hours and 30 minutes on audiobook and took me 3 weeks to complete reading 20 minutes daily.

Question 1: Summarize this book in your own words.

This is a book about learning how to unlearn. This book is a reminder to connect to and heal your inner child because the more you connect to your inner child, the more you can truly live. This book allows you to free yourself from the things that you were told and thought to be true but hold you back from being your best self.

Question 2: What was your favorite chapter and why?

Chapter 3, The Second Agreement: Don't Take Anything Personally

Every time I read this book I get something different from this chapter. This time I was reminded that everybody is on their own journey. Everybody is learning what they need to unlearn and it is impossible for me to know what part of their journey they are in. The only thing I can control is the way I respond. It just opened my eyes to realize my reality is just that; mine. There is nothing I need to take personally.

Question 3: A story or statement that stuck out to you most and why?

All of page 99. This page talks about awareness and is really a lesson on personal inventory. In this season I have been taking responsibility for so much in my life and this was just timely it really bought so many thoughts home for me.

Question 4: Rate the book out of 5 stars. Would you recommend it?

5/5, would recommend.

Question 5: What other book did this remind you of?

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Question 6: Would you read another book by this author? Why or why not?

No doubt. I hope to read all of his books by this time next year.

Question 7: What feelings did this book evoke for you?

Peace and zen.

Question 8: Why did you choose to read this book?

Every time I read this book it helps me to ground myself. I was in a whirlwind of emotions because I have been going through a breakup and remembered this book and it gave me exactly what I needed.

Question 9: Did any parts of the story remind you of anything that happened in your life?

SO MANY PARTS DID. I think the one that stuck out to me most was on page 99 where he said "if at any time you are not enjoying your life, change the dream." So many times I think I am supposed to stay in places that no longer serve me because of history, respect, or fear but I am realizing now that the best time to leave is when you feel the need to.

Question 10: Did you learn anything new from this book? If so, what?

I learned that we are really evolving beings. If we were not meant to change we'd all be babies but we're not. We change all the time. We grow our entire lives. It gets difficult because we are learning what to unlearn because all we know is what someone taught us and they probably did the best they could, passing on what they learned from someone else. Everyone's truth looks different but we have to extend people grace to be themselves as we'd hope they'd do the same for us. At the end of the day, all we can do is our best to be the version of ourselves that we enjoy no matter what it looks like to others.

Here are my questions for you:

Question 1: One of my favorite quotes in this book came from Chapter 3, The Second Agreement. It says "You make something big out of something so little because you have the need to be right and everybody else is wrong." Do you aspire to be right or do you want peace? Why?

Question 2: Reflecting on chapter 3, How many times do I project my perception on other people? What do I gain from this?

Question 3: Reflecting on Chapter 6, What does it mean to tap into your inner child?

Question 4: Reflecting on Chapter 6 where Ruiz talks about the Parasite- a monster with a thousand heads. What are some of the "heads" your parasite has? Have you fed them lately? What are you doing to starve them?

Question 5: Which agreement do you feel you can work on the quickest? Which one do you think will take a little more inner work?

Purchase this book:

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I hope you enjoyed this book as much as I did! This book always does something for my spirit so I'm glad I got to share it with my cousins! Join us next month and be on the lookout for more book club content on all my socials!