Freedom

A strong theme in “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz is freedom. In fact, personal freedom is the ultimate goal of buy-in to the Four Agreements that Ruiz describes as the elements that will enable the individual to attain it. The freedom that Ruiz refers to is liberation from the “big dream” that society created and that is reinforced by parents, teachers and the clergy.

The values and beliefs that society’s big dream is comprised of provide what a person should believe and how he should behave. While children are born free and are like wild things until they begin to mature and realize that there are limitations and restrictions to their freedom. They become aware that there is an accepted way to present themselves and they begin to “act” that way even though it isn’t heartfelt. As the child develops he abandons his younger...