In this first session exploring The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, we reflected on the Toltec view of human awakening and its parallels with spiritual concepts in Islam, including the idea that knowledge is the lost property of the believer. We discussed the introduction of the book, where Ruiz recounts a story of an ancient seeker who experiences a profound realization of being made of light—echoing the Quranic verse, “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth” (24:35). This led into a broader discussion on how such mystical experiences, when interpreted correctly, reveal the unity of all existence under God, and how love, light, and life are interwoven as divine realities.
We delved into the concept of the “dream of the planet,” likening it to the matrix of collective human consciousness shaped by fear, programming, and domestication. The idea that our beliefs and self-perception are conditioned from childhood resonated with the Islamic understanding of fitrah—the innate purity and nature we are born with—and how that pure state can become obscured by societal norms and ego-driven judgment.
Much of the conversation focused on the nature of attention as spiritual power. We explored how attention is love, and how reclaiming our attention—rather than allowing it to be consumed by the world—leads us back to presence, sincerity, and ultimately divine connection. This was linked to the Naqshbandi principle of “keeping your gaze on your step,” a way of staying spiritually grounded and undistracted.
We also examined how fear-based beliefs trap us in cycles of judgment and suffering, and how repentance, forgiveness, and self-acceptance are essential steps on the path to liberation. Ruiz’s point that injustice is paying more than once for a mistake helped illuminate the mercy embedded in Islamic teachings on tawbah (repentance) and God’s continual offer of return.
The session concluded with a powerful reflection on the difference between spiritual awakening and psychosis. While both can appear similar outwardly, true awakening is marked by inner peace and detachment from ego, whereas psychosis is being overwhelmed by the mind. We emphasized the need for grounded, traditional spiritual environments to safely support transformation and awakening.
This opening session laid the foundation for understanding how the agreements we unconsciously make shape our lives, and how consciously aligning ourselves with divine truth can open the path to personal freedom and peace.
