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The Mastery of Self: A Toltec Guide to Personal Freedom
The ancient Toltecs believed that life as we perceive it is a dream.
We each live in our own personal dream, and all of our dreams come together to make the Dream of the Planet. Problems arise when we forget that the dream is just a dream and fall victim to believing that we have no control over it.
The Mastery of Self takes the Toltec philosophy of the Dream of the Planet and the personal dream and explains how a person can:
Wake up
Liberate themselves from illusory beliefs and stories
Live with authenticity
Once released, we can live as our true, authentic, loving self, not only in solitude and meditation, but in any place--at the grocery store, stuck in traffic, etc.--and in any situation or scenario that confronts us.
The Ruiz family has an enormous following, and this new book from don Miguel, Jr. will be greeted with enthusiasm by fans around the world. This new book from don Miguel, Jr. will be greeted with enthusiasm by fans around the world.
We each live in our own personal dream, and all of our dreams come together to make the Dream of the Planet. Problems arise when we forget that the dream is just a dream and fall victim to believing that we have no control over it.
The Mastery of Self takes the Toltec philosophy of the Dream of the Planet and the personal dream and explains how a person can:
Wake up
Liberate themselves from illusory beliefs and stories
Live with authenticity
Once released, we can live as our true, authentic, loving self, not only in solitude and meditation, but in any place--at the grocery store, stuck in traffic, etc.--and in any situation or scenario that confronts us.
The Ruiz family has an enormous following, and this new book from don Miguel, Jr. will be greeted with enthusiasm by fans around the world. This new book from don Miguel, Jr. will be greeted with enthusiasm by fans around the world.
176 pages, ebook
First published May 2, 2016
2862 people are currently reading
11766 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews
April 14, 2017
Excellent book with practical tools and exercises to get you out of your head and into your heart.
Two takeaways for me:
1. In a disagreement, most of the time it isn't important who is right or wrong. People are speaking through their own personal story and "Dream" of life.
2. When we set goals, it is wise to set them from a place of unconditional love of self, not from a place of competition or obligation.
Two takeaways for me:
1. In a disagreement, most of the time it isn't important who is right or wrong. People are speaking through their own personal story and "Dream" of life.
2. When we set goals, it is wise to set them from a place of unconditional love of self, not from a place of competition or obligation.
October 22, 2019
Bullet Review:
So the stress finally reached a breaking point and it was either be reduced to the fetal position sobbing uncontrollably in my bed or get help. I got help. My counselor recommended I read this book, with the caveat that not everything had to be taken as Gospel Truth, but that there were good principles.
I have to admit, there are some woo woo things in here (The dream of the planet, anyone?), but there are many other good pieces that make up for the woo. Learning to let go of "domestication" and embrace "my personal truth", that I am okay who I am - things I desperately need to know.
The book only took so long to read because I was trying to listen actively not just "get it over with". This may well be a book I'll end up reading every so often, to remind myself to be gentle and not too harsh.
So the stress finally reached a breaking point and it was either be reduced to the fetal position sobbing uncontrollably in my bed or get help. I got help. My counselor recommended I read this book, with the caveat that not everything had to be taken as Gospel Truth, but that there were good principles.
I have to admit, there are some woo woo things in here (The dream of the planet, anyone?), but there are many other good pieces that make up for the woo. Learning to let go of "domestication" and embrace "my personal truth", that I am okay who I am - things I desperately need to know.
The book only took so long to read because I was trying to listen actively not just "get it over with". This may well be a book I'll end up reading every so often, to remind myself to be gentle and not too harsh.
June 21, 2016
Great book for those seeking the beginning steps to enlightenment. It surprises me the Toltec and the Veda's have very similar paths. This book is clearly written from an aware point of view.
Worthwhile read.
Worthwhile read.
March 26, 2017
If you've read any of the Ruiz' (Sr. or Jr) works, you'll find a thread that weaves them all together. Having read/listened to a handful of their books now, this one stands out to me in a few points:
▪️The importance of goal-setting and achievement from a place of unconditional self-love
▪️The importance of not comparing ourselves to others, either in a positive or a negative way; particularly those we look up to that have qualities we would like to have (we have them because we recognize them in the other in the first place) instead, to appreciate the qualities we have as well as adopt the ones we wish to have - not taking any of it personally/having an attachment of our self-worth to it.
There's so much more. I definitely recommend it!
▪️The importance of goal-setting and achievement from a place of unconditional self-love
▪️The importance of not comparing ourselves to others, either in a positive or a negative way; particularly those we look up to that have qualities we would like to have (we have them because we recognize them in the other in the first place) instead, to appreciate the qualities we have as well as adopt the ones we wish to have - not taking any of it personally/having an attachment of our self-worth to it.
There's so much more. I definitely recommend it!
May 25, 2019
Wonderful book! One of the best books I’ve read on personal/spiritual development. It truly shifts your perspective on life. Would recommend this book to anyone, it’s truly life changing.
April 5, 2023
El autoconocimiento es la meta primordial del camino espiritual.
October 7, 2017
"If you see the world through the eyes of conditional love, you are by definition attempting to control others, imposing your will so that they conform to the definition of who and what you think they should be. If they don't agree to your demands, they will receive the punishment of your judgment. This is conditional love in a nutshell."
"But when you see another with the eyes of unconditional love, you are then able to clearly see who is actually in front of you, a living being who is trying to survive and thrive in a world filled with domestication and conditional love. Unconditional love allows you to disagree with the choices or beliefs of others while still respecting their right to have them."
"But when you see another with the eyes of unconditional love, you are then able to clearly see who is actually in front of you, a living being who is trying to survive and thrive in a world filled with domestication and conditional love. Unconditional love allows you to disagree with the choices or beliefs of others while still respecting their right to have them."
March 22, 2022
This follows the line of The Four Agreements, but with focus on some deep introspection about how we view life, or the dream. Some language may seem funky, but the ideas are full of truth and can be used for further eye-opening self-awakening. This is a great quote I’m still thinking about:
“Of all the false ideas that you have been domesticated to, the idea that you are not enough may be the most damaging, so let me be absolutely clear on this matter: you are more than enough. You are perfect and complete exactly as you are. You are not flawed, broken, damaged, or irredeemable. Much of the suffering you experience is self – inflicted, and it can be traced back to believing this untruth. This feeling of unworthiness is the primary reason you withhold un-conditional love for yourself. The most effective thing you can do to bring about change in your life is to let this flawed idea go. Once this false belief is replaced with unconditional self-love and self-acceptance, the myth of scarcity crumbles and comparison and competition with others ends in its wake.”
“Of all the false ideas that you have been domesticated to, the idea that you are not enough may be the most damaging, so let me be absolutely clear on this matter: you are more than enough. You are perfect and complete exactly as you are. You are not flawed, broken, damaged, or irredeemable. Much of the suffering you experience is self – inflicted, and it can be traced back to believing this untruth. This feeling of unworthiness is the primary reason you withhold un-conditional love for yourself. The most effective thing you can do to bring about change in your life is to let this flawed idea go. Once this false belief is replaced with unconditional self-love and self-acceptance, the myth of scarcity crumbles and comparison and competition with others ends in its wake.”
April 22, 2021
A well-written and thought provoking book on the analogies of Toltec spiritual teachings.
September 11, 2017
I have previously read books by Miguel Ruiz (the father); what I liked about them is the simple language approach Miguel used to convey his ideas. This is something I have rarely seen in self-help books.
On the mention of “self-help”, I am not sure I would consider this as one. It was helpful, but not in the way that I expected. The book is supposed to talk about the mastery of self, but I felt it was more about detaching yourself from attachments .. and some mention on controlling emotions. Because Miguel has a second book on “the five attachments” I wonder why he chose to mention it at all.
There were a lot of writing exercises so you would want to consider keeping a pen and paper beside you at all times.
On the mention of “self-help”, I am not sure I would consider this as one. It was helpful, but not in the way that I expected. The book is supposed to talk about the mastery of self, but I felt it was more about detaching yourself from attachments .. and some mention on controlling emotions. Because Miguel has a second book on “the five attachments” I wonder why he chose to mention it at all.
There were a lot of writing exercises so you would want to consider keeping a pen and paper beside you at all times.
February 5, 2024
I couldn’t finish this book because it is so similar to other “self-help” books I’ve read in the past. For being so slim and compact, I found it impossible to get more than a few chapters in. rather than dragging myself along I decided to call it quits.
Here is the gist:
Throughout early life, we learn ways of thinking, and form attachments to our beliefs. Throughout the rest of life, people will challenge those beliefs and try to impose theirs. This will probably make us upset. Rather than getting angry at them, we can review them from a place of love and move on. We can also actively forgive people from our past who have caused us suffering (including ourselves) ~~this is the way~~
Here is the gist:
Throughout early life, we learn ways of thinking, and form attachments to our beliefs. Throughout the rest of life, people will challenge those beliefs and try to impose theirs. This will probably make us upset. Rather than getting angry at them, we can review them from a place of love and move on. We can also actively forgive people from our past who have caused us suffering (including ourselves) ~~this is the way~~
June 29, 2021
This book was a tad repetitive but it repeats all the right messages, messages that you need to hear, one of those messages being “don’t trade in who you are, for who you think you should be”. This book is chalk full of revelation that aides the reader in transforming, “taking off the masks”, and discovering their “authentic self”. This book is a must read.
May 18, 2024
The world would be a better place if this was taught in school. If you’re looking for a succinct reminder about the importance of cultivating your awareness, positive self talk, and recognizing masks and projections, this book does a fantastic job of being just that.
September 13, 2024
Excellent! A book I highly recommend to anyone who wants to understand their inner emotional workings.
September 6, 2016
"The human journey is a process of the Divine becoming aware of itself."
- don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
This May I had the honor to attend an evening with don Miguel Ruiz and don Miguel Ruiz Jr. It was a magical night as you can read about in my May 19th blog. That night I purchased don Miguel Ruiz Jr.'s latest book The Mastery of Self - A Toltec Guide To Personal Freedom. I was thrilled to have him sign the book that night. There is energy everwhere, and along with the energy of the book, there is energy in his signature. And from what I felt in the church that evening, his energy is pure love.
I was very excited to read this book. It looks like a small, quick read, but it is packed and overflowing with wisdom. I really took my time with this one because he provided exercises in each chapter, and I wanted to do everything. As you can probably tell by now, one of my passions is self-improvement and learning to be my best self. What I learned through don Miguel Ruiz Jr.'s book, is that my Authentic Self is already perfect. I just need to let go of the masks and unconditional love for myself and others (and a few other very important things, but you'll read about it in the book yourself!).
"As a Master of Self, the way out is to remind yourself that you are perfect in this moment and you don't need to do or achieve anything in order to be complete."
- don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
The biggest challenge in my life has been forgiveness. It is the biggest obstacle I have been avoiding. However, I knew that I would have to face it eventually if I wanted to live my best life possible. It's amazing how life works when you tune in and see how everything is really guiding you home to your true nature. I recently had a really heartfelt conversation with my bestie. I was telling her about a pivotal, heartbreaking moment in my life. She said she felt like this was the final piece, the one thing I needed to let go of to be free and to essentially live the life I was intended here for. Our conversation was just after I read Chapter 4: Unconditional Love For Others. The exercises in this chapter put me on the path to freedom in this area. I don't want to give the book away, but I will say the first part involved writing a letter (something I've talked about doing for awhile) to the person that caused that "thing", that "moment" that feels like changed everything, and not for the better. I had been avoiding the letter. But I did it this time, I saw it through. For the first time I got it all out, I told my story from the perspective of the young girl I was. It wasn't as difficult or frightening as I thought it would be. The next two parts of the exercise are what set me free. Thank you don Miguel!
The other huge thing that this book helped me with is weight loss. This is yet another struggle that I just wrote about in my last blog. Again, I was just thinking about my struggle with losing weight, and there comes Chapter 8: Goal Setting. This chapter taught me that I am perfect already and I need to love myself as I am whether I achieve my goals or not. This chapter provided a beautiful approach to setting goals in a positive and healthy way. It's been of immeasurable use. Thank you again don Miguel!
As I've mentioned, there is so much packed into this book. I wanted to give a couple of examples of how it helped me, but there is so much more. There are grounding exercises, mantras, reflections on our attachments, the roles we play, the projections we put onto others and more.
I know for everyone reading The Mastery of Self, it will hit at the core of something in your life that really needs to be brought to the surface and released. It will give you an awareness into something profound in your life, and will give you a new perspective. It will reveal the truth and give concrete steps to awareness and freedom. And above all, this is all done with love. Obviously I highly recommend this book! I also highly recommend checking out don Miguel Ruiz Jr.'s book signing schedule and events.
In Gratitude & Love,
Kerri Mulhern
www.suitablegifts.com
- don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
This May I had the honor to attend an evening with don Miguel Ruiz and don Miguel Ruiz Jr. It was a magical night as you can read about in my May 19th blog. That night I purchased don Miguel Ruiz Jr.'s latest book The Mastery of Self - A Toltec Guide To Personal Freedom. I was thrilled to have him sign the book that night. There is energy everwhere, and along with the energy of the book, there is energy in his signature. And from what I felt in the church that evening, his energy is pure love.
I was very excited to read this book. It looks like a small, quick read, but it is packed and overflowing with wisdom. I really took my time with this one because he provided exercises in each chapter, and I wanted to do everything. As you can probably tell by now, one of my passions is self-improvement and learning to be my best self. What I learned through don Miguel Ruiz Jr.'s book, is that my Authentic Self is already perfect. I just need to let go of the masks and unconditional love for myself and others (and a few other very important things, but you'll read about it in the book yourself!).
"As a Master of Self, the way out is to remind yourself that you are perfect in this moment and you don't need to do or achieve anything in order to be complete."
- don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
The biggest challenge in my life has been forgiveness. It is the biggest obstacle I have been avoiding. However, I knew that I would have to face it eventually if I wanted to live my best life possible. It's amazing how life works when you tune in and see how everything is really guiding you home to your true nature. I recently had a really heartfelt conversation with my bestie. I was telling her about a pivotal, heartbreaking moment in my life. She said she felt like this was the final piece, the one thing I needed to let go of to be free and to essentially live the life I was intended here for. Our conversation was just after I read Chapter 4: Unconditional Love For Others. The exercises in this chapter put me on the path to freedom in this area. I don't want to give the book away, but I will say the first part involved writing a letter (something I've talked about doing for awhile) to the person that caused that "thing", that "moment" that feels like changed everything, and not for the better. I had been avoiding the letter. But I did it this time, I saw it through. For the first time I got it all out, I told my story from the perspective of the young girl I was. It wasn't as difficult or frightening as I thought it would be. The next two parts of the exercise are what set me free. Thank you don Miguel!
The other huge thing that this book helped me with is weight loss. This is yet another struggle that I just wrote about in my last blog. Again, I was just thinking about my struggle with losing weight, and there comes Chapter 8: Goal Setting. This chapter taught me that I am perfect already and I need to love myself as I am whether I achieve my goals or not. This chapter provided a beautiful approach to setting goals in a positive and healthy way. It's been of immeasurable use. Thank you again don Miguel!
As I've mentioned, there is so much packed into this book. I wanted to give a couple of examples of how it helped me, but there is so much more. There are grounding exercises, mantras, reflections on our attachments, the roles we play, the projections we put onto others and more.
I know for everyone reading The Mastery of Self, it will hit at the core of something in your life that really needs to be brought to the surface and released. It will give you an awareness into something profound in your life, and will give you a new perspective. It will reveal the truth and give concrete steps to awareness and freedom. And above all, this is all done with love. Obviously I highly recommend this book! I also highly recommend checking out don Miguel Ruiz Jr.'s book signing schedule and events.
In Gratitude & Love,
Kerri Mulhern
www.suitablegifts.com
March 19, 2022
The main premise of the book has some serious flaws around it which is why I'm giving it two stars. Miguel keeps restating that people should see themselves as perfect and complete. He gives an example where he himself is perfect, but needs to be healthier. The idea of seeing yourself as perfect is to allow yourself to unconditionally love yourself, because you're already perfect.
The issue I have here is that this is delusional. No one is perfect, and the book should be teaching to love yourself DESPITE imperfections. How can someone be perfect if they need to be more healthy as his own case?
A perfect person, thing, or being is one that does not need improvement. If people listen to his guidance literally, then people would stop thinking about how to better themselves, as perfection has been reached already.
While you may think this is a technicality, it isn't. The wrong message will still get imprinted on people. An honest message is to teach people to love themselves despite being imperfect, but maybe that's more difficult to write about.
The issue I have here is that this is delusional. No one is perfect, and the book should be teaching to love yourself DESPITE imperfections. How can someone be perfect if they need to be more healthy as his own case?
A perfect person, thing, or being is one that does not need improvement. If people listen to his guidance literally, then people would stop thinking about how to better themselves, as perfection has been reached already.
While you may think this is a technicality, it isn't. The wrong message will still get imprinted on people. An honest message is to teach people to love themselves despite being imperfect, but maybe that's more difficult to write about.
May 17, 2017
El libro de Miguel Ruiz me ha parecido muy básico para lo que me esperaba. Creía que profundizaría más en la parte espiritual que psicológica, y me he encontrado con demasiados términos modernos como el apego, la domesticación, y no me ha aportado nada nuevo.
Si empiezas a conocer este tipo de corriente, es un libro introductorio que puede ser de ayuda. Pero si ya has leído mucho sobre estos temas, quizás se te quede corto.
En cualquier caso, espero que este libro llegue a las manos adecuadas que lo necesitan :)
Si empiezas a conocer este tipo de corriente, es un libro introductorio que puede ser de ayuda. Pero si ya has leído mucho sobre estos temas, quizás se te quede corto.
En cualquier caso, espero que este libro llegue a las manos adecuadas que lo necesitan :)
July 21, 2019
Solid book but nothing I'd not heard before so not an 'earthquake book' for me. Two things I did love reading were (a) the analogy of the party & people being lost in a drunken stupour/the illusory drama of the party & (b) the nudge for me to forgive and the simple but useful affirmation to practice to direct my thoughts towards unconditional love & forgiveness.
August 22, 2022
i don’t think i’m gonna finish :/ i think there are some important ideas about self love and introspection, but (imo) the focus leans too heavily on how someone can improve themselves and not how they treat others. i think the examples lacked emotional nuance, and (while simple can be effective) they were bleak and unrealistic.
October 13, 2016
If I ever have kids, this is one of the books I would give them
May 25, 2020
This book put a lot of things I've been struggling with in perspective.
August 30, 2017
Muy buen libro, si bien él no es el autor de los 4 acuerdos (que no he leído por cierto), sí es el hijo de quien inició ese movimiento, por lo tanto considero que cuenta con la autoridad para hablar sobre el tema.
A través de analogías y prácticas te lleva de la mano no sólo hacia el uso del conocimiento que expresa sino a la verdadera comprensión de lo que significa ser un maestro de ti mismo.
Si has leído sobre el tema y tienes conocimiento en Budismo Zen (Mindfulness) o has leído algunas de las prácticas orientales occidentalizadas (como Deepak Chopra, Osho, etc.), éste libro te encantará no sólo como recordatorio de vivir en el presente sino como comprensión de por qué y cómo la maestría del Ser es posible.
A través de analogías y prácticas te lleva de la mano no sólo hacia el uso del conocimiento que expresa sino a la verdadera comprensión de lo que significa ser un maestro de ti mismo.
Si has leído sobre el tema y tienes conocimiento en Budismo Zen (Mindfulness) o has leído algunas de las prácticas orientales occidentalizadas (como Deepak Chopra, Osho, etc.), éste libro te encantará no sólo como recordatorio de vivir en el presente sino como comprensión de por qué y cómo la maestría del Ser es posible.
June 5, 2022
As with all of his books, this resonated with my heart and soul. I find the language beautiful and easy to understand. The message can be applied to simple every day moments, as well as complex things. I recommend anyone interested in these Toltec wisdom books first starts with The Four Agreements.
April 28, 2025
3.5⭐️
First “self help” book I’ve been able to stick with in a while. A bit different from what I’m used to but still was able to relate and absorb some of the lessons. Undecided as to whether I am going to read the rest of the books🚔
First “self help” book I’ve been able to stick with in a while. A bit different from what I’m used to but still was able to relate and absorb some of the lessons. Undecided as to whether I am going to read the rest of the books🚔
October 23, 2025
- There is no goal you need to obtain to be worthy of your own love
- By tying ur self love and acceptance to a goal, your happiness corresponds to its achievement
- Scarcity and the subsequent comparative mindset: there is not a limited supply of happiness, beauty, love, etc
- By tying ur self love and acceptance to a goal, your happiness corresponds to its achievement
- Scarcity and the subsequent comparative mindset: there is not a limited supply of happiness, beauty, love, etc
December 25, 2025
Love me some of Don Miguel Ruiz books!!
August 7, 2020
So much to emulate! I will have to keep this book ready and available at a whims notice. It had so much truth and inspiring words. I feel optimistic and ready for my "Dream world" to reveal itself!. Terms like domestication and attachments have new meaning..I will definitely be more aware of what triggers my limitations in life.
July 6, 2025
Powerful book. Many good lessons
October 16, 2025
This book has an interesting perspective on mastering ones self. It was a good read and has different self help activities.
January 9, 2021
Excelente enseñanza sobre el amor propio. Los ejercicios prácticos hacen el libro muy ligero de leer y dinámico.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews