lynze wrote: "Glenn wrote: "Wynie wrote: "The best thing I got from this book is that whatever a person does or says to you may not be about you at all. But rather about their own issues. So don't take anythin..."

If a person embraces all of the "isms" you list without acting on them what damage is done unless someone takes them personally. If someone criticizes my lifestyle, I can receive it as feedback and I can accept or reject it as I see fit. Any harm done may be only because I take the criticism personally. Actions taken to restrict or alter my lifestyle is distinct from a critique of my lifestyle. A person with one or all of the "isms" you list has a problem in my opinion, not the person they are judging.

Glenn wrote: "Wynie wrote: "The best thing I got from this book is that whatever a person does or says to you may not be about you at all. But rather about their own issues. So don't take anything personally!"..."

I worry a lot about that statement. When we critique others behaviors because it is oppressive and limiting to our own personal freedom, we are speaking to their personal behavior. Allowing others to simply shift the blame onto the individual passing the critique is really destructive. Such things as sexism, homophobia, racism and classism are all things that need to be confronted within our current culture. If people can simply flip it around and blame it on someone else, the oppressive cycles will just continue.

Any thoughts?

Wynie wrote: "The best thing I got from this book is that whatever a person does or says to you may not be about you at all. But rather about their own issues. So don't take anything personally!"

That too!

A person can be aware of being bound up, living by someone else's values without knowing who they are. I think Ruiz is suggesting ways remove the bonds in order to live in our own truth.

that's true. but now you know more. It also made me think, "I can't belive I was doing things i didn't have to do.

Not exactly, because based on this book before we can reach to the ability to realise who we are, we should free up ourselves. It means that at first we change ourselves then we will be able to say who we are. Then It will say who we will be , not who we are.

This book will have you questioning, who am I really? Loaded with wisdom and peace.