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173rd out of 1,143 books
—
958 voters
The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship --Toltec Wisdom Book
by
Miguel Ruiz
In the tradition of Carlos Castaneda, the author distills essential Toltec wisdom on human relationships as well as techniques for integrating this awareness into daily life.
Hardcover, 240 pages
Published
November 1st 2002
by Amber-Allen Publishing
(first published March 30th 1999)
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This is one of those perfect books, that sits on my bookshelf, and then miraculously falls into my bag, just as I head away for a long weekend - just when I need it the most. You know the times, those short breaks, when you need to take some time out to try and make sense of the world, and where you fit into it. This book answered those questions perfectly. In fact Don Miguel Ruiz's explanation of the hell that is earth, and how and why we have so foolishly created this for ourselves, was just w...more
Mastery of Love is one of the most influential books I have ever read. I recommend it to all of my girl friends and I think every guy should read it as well. Ruiz also wrote The Four Agreements...very good read but I liked Mastery of Love more b/c as a girl that has grown up in a (pleasantly) divorced family, I am a skeptic of love and it’s hard for me to open up.
This book starts off discussing love on a conceptual level but then turns into more of a How To book...which is the part I enjoyed th...more
This book starts off discussing love on a conceptual level but then turns into more of a How To book...which is the part I enjoyed th...more
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This book certainly contains some good and well needed advice, for example it frequently stresses the importance of self acceptance and self love, a concept which I think many of us struggle with.
However, I found the book difficult at times because it frequently seemed to fall into the realm of over simplification. Perhaps non western based concepts of 'enlightenment' are supposed to be by nature - simple - and I am missing the point? But I'm not entirely convinced of this. I agree that Western...more
However, I found the book difficult at times because it frequently seemed to fall into the realm of over simplification. Perhaps non western based concepts of 'enlightenment' are supposed to be by nature - simple - and I am missing the point? But I'm not entirely convinced of this. I agree that Western...more
Disclaimer – I doubt I ever would have chosen to read this book without a recommendation from someone else. It was lent to me by a co-worker, and I read it, in part, out of respect for her.
The author: Miguel Ruiz once went to medical school and became a surgeon. Later in life after a traumatic accident he forsook it all to learn the healer’s ways and become an “Eagle-Knight” in the Nagual tradition. He has since studied the “Toltec” people and written about their teachings. He has written a few...more
The author: Miguel Ruiz once went to medical school and became a surgeon. Later in life after a traumatic accident he forsook it all to learn the healer’s ways and become an “Eagle-Knight” in the Nagual tradition. He has since studied the “Toltec” people and written about their teachings. He has written a few...more
5 likes · like · see review
We practice and practice, and we master how to be what we are not.
Soon we forget who we really are, and we start to live our images. We create not just one image, but many different images according to the different groups of people we associate with. p20
If you take your happiness and put it in someone's hands, sooner or later,s he is giong to break it. If you give your happiness to someone else, she can always take it away. Then if happiness can only come from inside of you and is the result of...more
Soon we forget who we really are, and we start to live our images. We create not just one image, but many different images according to the different groups of people we associate with. p20
If you take your happiness and put it in someone's hands, sooner or later,s he is giong to break it. If you give your happiness to someone else, she can always take it away. Then if happiness can only come from inside of you and is the result of...more
This book has very little and everything to do with creating meaningful relationships with others. It's sole focus is about creating a loving relationship with yourself. It gives real world examples of how we create our own hell. If we can create it, we can destroy it. This book looks at how and why we've created a dream of hell and sheds light on how we can turn that dream into a dream of heaven.
Although I was not big on the slightly religious undertones in some of the chapters, I do believe th...more
Although I was not big on the slightly religious undertones in some of the chapters, I do believe th...more
Friend Cat Lee, in NYC recommended. I took a "google peek" and bought it today at my fav independent "Warwick's" in La Jolla. I will report back.
~~~
Blew through this. Much here reminds me of reading Krishnamurti over 20 years ago.
Living as an art, being aware, making choices, having the courage to see what's fearful, facing off with our fears, making changes, taking risks, and in the end LOVING ourselves, others and life.
Ruiz asks toward the end, "Can you imagine what kind of world this would...more
~~~
Blew through this. Much here reminds me of reading Krishnamurti over 20 years ago.
Living as an art, being aware, making choices, having the courage to see what's fearful, facing off with our fears, making changes, taking risks, and in the end LOVING ourselves, others and life.
Ruiz asks toward the end, "Can you imagine what kind of world this would...more
This book came in a pack of three books, and I chose to read it first because I’m not big on the self-help books that tell you how to “find love”. I figured that I would force my way through it so as not to waste my money. But, I was surprised. This is not a book that claims that reading it will help you find a mate. Rather, it is a book that deals with all the relationships in your life (parent/child, coworker, family, friends, etc). I like that Mr. Ruiz cuts to the chase quickly and says what...more
Ruiz's delivery irritates me just as much as Thomas Friedman of the World is Flat. Of course, I have been in the minority before, and I don't mind being in it again.
On the positive side, this book contains some healthy and true messages about how we love, and why we fail, and how so many of our actions and reactions are based on fear. There were some messages in this book that I needed to hear, but I could have removed a lot of fluff of the analogies and stories. They either just felt off the wa...more
On the positive side, this book contains some healthy and true messages about how we love, and why we fail, and how so many of our actions and reactions are based on fear. There were some messages in this book that I needed to hear, but I could have removed a lot of fluff of the analogies and stories. They either just felt off the wa...more
3 likes · like · see review
I had ample time to read this during a day of flying from japan to Hawaii via two flights with an 8-hour layover between them. I chose this theme thinking of my upcoming visit with family members I hadn't seen in person for 3 years...let's just say there was a lot of stored love that needed to be realized, expressed.
Short, concise, a little vague as most self-help books can be~ perhaps for easy relation. I like the points about not taking things personally~ living in a dream state where peace a...more
Short, concise, a little vague as most self-help books can be~ perhaps for easy relation. I like the points about not taking things personally~ living in a dream state where peace a...more
I'm not good at rating these because I want more Oomph, but for what it is, it is pretty good. This is essentially the same book as the Four Agreements, told in a slightly different manner with a focus on love from within. I hate it when authors feel the need to rewrite the same idea in slightly different, albeit comparably mushy new-age self-help ways. However I am willing to overlook this and give Ruiz 4 stars (would do 3 1/2 even, not enough original quirky stories for me here though I am all...more
Don Miguel Ruiz has a way to get to you personally. At first I thought that's because he's a great writer. A great writer, however, takes the most authentic and inspired wisdom to pen words that reach across his readers. By then, I knew that it's because his words are just universal truth. It's not about believing in what he said, for the words themselves strike a chord inside every one of us.
Love, the thing that confounds most of us, the only thing that life survives on (as Life is Love, love i...more
Love, the thing that confounds most of us, the only thing that life survives on (as Life is Love, love i...more
The best spiritual book I have ever read. It teaches you how you can reach happiness and love, within yourself. Once you have mastered self-love and have healed from emotional wounds, happiness is achieved and this is vital for a healthy loving relantionship. This book will have a dramatic influence in 2010 for me, just what I needed. Can't wait to start reading the Four Agreements.
"Happiness can only come from inside of you and is the result of your love. When you are aware that no one else ca...more
"Happiness can only come from inside of you and is the result of your love. When you are aware that no one else ca...more
Dec 22, 2011
Pamela
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Not sure
Recommended to Pamela by:
Mark
This book both frustrated and inspired me. I could not relate to the continual analogy of human relationships as the same as animal relationships, but there were many excellent pieces of advice: "Happiness never comes from outside us . . . If you take your happiness and put it in someone's hands, sooner or later, she is going to break it.". "Love has no obligations. Fear is ful of obligations.". There are excerpts I will read again to remind myself that "happiness is the result of love coming ou...more
If you are seeking to understand how & why relationships work out they way they do, this book is a gem. From it's all about you to it's not about you, these teachings will shift your understanding to a different level.
"A Toltec is an artist of Love,
an artist of the Spirit,
someone who is creating every moment,
every second, the most beautiful art--
the Art of Dreaming.
Life is nothing but a dream,
and if we are artists,
then we can create our life with Love,
and our dream becomes a masterpiece of a...more
"A Toltec is an artist of Love,
an artist of the Spirit,
someone who is creating every moment,
every second, the most beautiful art--
the Art of Dreaming.
Life is nothing but a dream,
and if we are artists,
then we can create our life with Love,
and our dream becomes a masterpiece of a...more
I've never read Ruiz's more accredited book, the four agreements, I picked this up instead and am thankful that I did. It came at a time when I was questioning what Love meant and was. I knew love existed, but I never believed that it would exist for me, and I was okay with that.
The most influencal part of this story for myself was the chapter on the man who didn't beleive love existed. I don't think faith or belief in love between two people could ever be written better.
A definate read for tho...more
The most influencal part of this story for myself was the chapter on the man who didn't beleive love existed. I don't think faith or belief in love between two people could ever be written better.
A definate read for tho...more
I read this alongside "The Four Agreements" for a book club this month. I did not like this book as well as The Four Agreements. I found the advice to be way too general (open your heart and let the love in). Also, I felt the advice was geared more to people who were still looking for their life partner, not for people who were already in a relationship that needed help. I found my mind drifting off during a lot of it and I was continually having to force myself back to the word. I just don't re...more
What I got most out of this book :-
"The whole world can love you, but that love will not make you happy. What will make you happy is the love coming out of you. That is the love that will make a difference, not the love everyone has for you. Your love for everyone is your half ; the other half can be a tree, it can be a dog, it can be a cloud. You are one half ; the other half is what you perceive. You are the half as a dreamer, and the dream is the other half." ~ Don Miguel Ruiz.
Toltec Wisdom...more
"The whole world can love you, but that love will not make you happy. What will make you happy is the love coming out of you. That is the love that will make a difference, not the love everyone has for you. Your love for everyone is your half ; the other half can be a tree, it can be a dog, it can be a cloud. You are one half ; the other half is what you perceive. You are the half as a dreamer, and the dream is the other half." ~ Don Miguel Ruiz.
Toltec Wisdom...more
Absolutely amazing and insightful book!! Definitely recommend to all those who have always wondered why love, in all areas, has not worked out for them. It definitely taught me some things that I was unaware of before and it helped me to reflect on past choices and new improvements I need to make in my life not only in the area of love but in all aspects of my life. Very motivating, encouraging, and instills a sense of hope for all of the possibilities that love has to offer and bring into your...more
I LOVED this book. Like all of the Don Miguel Ruiz books that I have read so far, it was amazing. I truly believe this is a book that everyone should read. Don has so many insights into how we can attain love regardless of what love we receive from others. He explains how easily it is to get caught up in fear and how most of us have been lied to and mislead in what love is supposed to look like. I think this book falls in the top three of the most important books I have ever read.
The only issue...more
The only issue...more
There was a lot of good stuff in this book. These were my favorite quotes:
"Love is ruthless. It doesn't feel sorry for anyone, but it does have compassion. Fear is full of pity, it feels sorry for everyone. You feel sorry for me, when you don't think I am strong enough to make it. On the other hand, love respects. I love you; I know you can make it. I don't have to make your choices for you. You can make it. Compassion comes from respect and from love; feeling sorry comes from a lack of respect...more
"Love is ruthless. It doesn't feel sorry for anyone, but it does have compassion. Fear is full of pity, it feels sorry for everyone. You feel sorry for me, when you don't think I am strong enough to make it. On the other hand, love respects. I love you; I know you can make it. I don't have to make your choices for you. You can make it. Compassion comes from respect and from love; feeling sorry comes from a lack of respect...more
Beautiful. Simply written and fast read (started it yesterday, finished this morning), but profound truths to be gleaned for anyone. Toltecs are "artists of the spirit", wise people, who have passed down wisdom from the Masters (naguals) of ancient Mexico. They believe in creating a masterpiece of your life by awakening from the mindsets we are "programmed" to believe and seeing things as they are--seeing Life through unconditional Love, rather than through fear, as do the unawakened. Miguel Rui...more
Mar 25, 2009
Angel
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Angel by:
I had read Ruiz's other book
Shelves:
spiritual-or-inspirational
I liked this book, but compared to The Four Agreements, it is not as tight or tidy, so to speak. The book presents some very good points, but it is a bit repetitive at times. In other words, what he did in about 200 pages, he could have done in 100, or at least 150, without losing the essence of the message.
The main thing I took away from it was the need to look into ourselves. This is a common sense concept and important because it leads to the idea that we cannot love or respect others if we...more
The main thing I took away from it was the need to look into ourselves. This is a common sense concept and important because it leads to the idea that we cannot love or respect others if we...more
Good. One should definitely read the Four Agreements first, even though this repeats some of that. The basic message is that you can't love anyone else until you love yourself. Love comes from within, not without. I think most people know this, but don't really live it. One of his big points in both books is that most of what we see/think about life is an illusion. Everything exists in our perception, we don't see things as they really are, we see them how we're trained to see them. He asserts t...more
This book completely changed my perspective on life. I strongly recommend it to everyone no matter your religion. I bought this book over a year ago and the beginning was a little slow but this month I picked it back up and finished it. The book told me exactly what I needed to hear to change my thoughts about myself, others, and how I view the world. This isn't a book i would want to check out of the library because it is a book that I plan on rereading multiple times and probably even highligh...more
I loved this book. We are taught in scripture that "perfect love casteth out fear". This book helped me understand how that is possible. I realized so many fallacies that I practiced in my life. I learned what love is, what love isn't and how to better apply it in my life. It's opened up my mind and released some emotional misconceptions. I plan to read it again and again.
I have one beef with the book. But that's neither here nor there. Read it. It will change your life.
I have one beef with the book. But that's neither here nor there. Read it. It will change your life.
solid and clearly explained guide for anyone who wants to have more compassion, patience and happiness within and in your dealings with others. kind of essential, no? it's a super short read. so even if you think it's a bunch of phooey, you'll be done before you reach your saturation point. i love it because Ruiz uses common situations and analogies to point out how we can end suffering in ourselves and in our relationships with others. love over fear always.
Don Miguel Ruiz has a way of sharing practical advice and making it sound much more mystic than it is. Every once in a while he contradicts himself but the overall message here is a good one, as with other works of his that I have read. The Mastery of Love applies not only to romantic relationships, but to platonic relationships and the relationship you have with yourself. I had a few ah-ha! moments, as I did with The Four Agreements. Definitely worth the read, and easy to get through.
this book makes me feel contented with what i have in life. it takes passion and patient to be happy. it is also how to divert risk and responsibility in life into new great possibilities rather huge /tough responsibilities. this is also to overcome your fear to speak about yr feeling and thoughts abt others. I heard about this book from Gisele Bundchen's website how she was inspired by Miguel Ruiz. No doubt, this book rock and give me an impact in a positive way.
Another great book in the Toltec knowledge series - and definitely up to the standards I have come to expect. Life changing in regards to loving yourself, the one you're with, and those around you. How to act, walk, and be in love. And how not to. What should a healthy relationship look like? I know I didn't know the answer to that question until I was much older than I would have liked. I had already started fleshing that out when I read this, but this really helped me to solidify my views and...more
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The tools shared by don Miguel are based on common sense and shared with such simplicity, that the universal message underlying his teaching is recognized by many. don Miguel's message is simple, practical and when implemented, even incrementally, changes lives.
In the tradition of the Toltec, a Nagual guides an individual to personal freedom. Combining new insights with old wisdom, don Miguel has...more
More about Miguel Ruiz...
In the tradition of the Toltec, a Nagual guides an individual to personal freedom. Combining new insights with old wisdom, don Miguel has...more
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“You don't need to justify your love, you don't need to explain your love, you just need to practice your love. Practice creates the master.”
—
87 people liked it
“And what is the right woman, the right man? Someone who wants to go in the same direction as you do, someone who is compatible with your views and your values-- emotionally, physically, economically, spiritually.”
—
53 people liked it
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