Iris Healing® Retreat, Woodland Hills, CA

Using The ‘Four Agreements’ During Your Recovery Journey

If you happen to look at the “Day In The Life at Iris” section of our site, you’ll notice that we begin every morning with spiritual reflections and a recital of The Four Agreements. What might those be, you ask?

We like to think of The Four Agreements as important affirmations that can lift those recovering out of despair. They are, of course, based on the best-selling book, “The Four Agreements,” by Mexican author Don Miguel Ruiz, who himself has been touched by addiction.

To start things off, let’s list the Agreements and validate their importance throughout the recovery journey. Truth be told, The Four Agreements list can be applied to any aspect of life and has clearly touched readers at large, with over five million copies in print.

The Four Agreements

What are The Four Agreements?

Agreement 1. Be Impeccable With Your Word

Honesty is a tremendous component in the recovery process. Often times, people find themselves caught in lies and deceit when they are in the throws of an addiction.

Having to hide your habit from loved ones, or even making up excuses to borrow money to help feed the cravings. As we move past that phase and onto a higher plane, we discover that your word is how you establish character.

Be honest with others and, just as importantly, be honest with yourself.

Agreement 2. Don’t Take Anything Personally

Ruiz famously writes in his book, “When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.”

It’s a sad fact, but society can be quite judgmental when it comes to addiction and emotional blows can be a catalyst that makes people want to use.

This second Agreement is especially important because it teaches us to move beyond the naysayers and doubters. If you commit to a successful recovery experience and distance yourself from the noise, you’ll see incredible results.

Agreement 3. Don’t Make Assumptions

Communication is a crucial element of this Agreement and, with our program, you’ll see a conscious effort to express opinions honestly and openly.

We encourage everyone at Iris Healing® to answer any and all questions, creating a fluid experience for all who participate.

If there are challenging feelings happening during the recovery process, it is important to address them and not be afraid of showing vulnerability. Never assume that you are alone in this journey.

Agreement 4. Always Do Your Best

Agreement 4 is of the most important Agreements of all. Always remember that you can only do the best that you can do.

Some days, of course, are going to better than others and, as Ruiz puts it, “Your best is going to change from moment to moment.”

But as long as you’re putting in the effort and striving for personal excellence, you should feel comfortable taking pride in your progress.

We mentioned before that Ruiz, himself, had been touched by addiction and drew personal inspiration when writing this book. His son, Jose, battled and beat a crystal meth dependency, which has transformed Don Miguel into an author and recovery advocate.

Ruiz has said, “The reason we have addictions is because we love ourselves with conditions.” “That’s the problem. I love myself if I perform a certain way, if I believe a certain way. That way, I can be accepted by everybody else. We don’t accept ourselves.”

Thankfully, with inspirational teachings and a strong recovery support system we can change these self-perceptions.

Quote From “The Four Agreements”

On a final note, we thought we would share one more particularly moving quote from the book.

You can only be you when you do your best. When you don’t do your best, you are denying yourself the right to be you.

The key phrase there is “denying yourself the right to be you.” In our opinion, that is exactly what happens when substances and alcohol enter the equation. The more you use, the more you deny yourself (and your loved ones) the opportunity to appreciate your true self.

The great thing about The Four Agreements is the unique interpretations one can make when reading the writings of Don Miguel Ruiz.