The Velvet Hammer with Cynzi/Episode #3

A quick overview of “The Four Agreements” as well as photos, art, music and inspiring quotes!

The Velvet Hammer with Cynzi

Episode: #3 

Show Title: “The Four Agreements”

Show intro: Music, Photos and Original Artwork

Song: Everyday 60 seconds

HELLO everyone! Well this is my 3^rd podcast, today is Monday May 3, 2021. I’d like to say a very big “thank you” to all who watched, shared, reposted, liked, and/or subscribed. I’m not really sure how many will eventually tune in however I simply want to create a calm happy place for anyone who may need it. I’m sitting hear listening to the beautiful intensity of the Nocture’s by Chopin right now while writing these words. They are very emotional and inspiring. Songs written to share what the sould feels. I really want to send out so much love to the world. There was a study done with about 7000 Tibetan Monks…they prayed for peace over many hours. When they got the data on crimes for that time period it showed all categories down about 70%. I’m not going to list all the figures and I may be slightly incorrect regarding the numbers but you get the point. Prayers absolutely work! So let’s keep praying!

I don’t know about you but it seems like 95% of the time I go to any media source these days it’s mostly pessimistic. Even the upbeat Podcasters can’t help discussing all the negative things…I mean after all, being forewarned is being forearmed and we do need to know the truth. Being prepared for certain events is very important! So as I’ve said before I leave the daily “doom and gloom” to the professionals! My main goal is to offer a short uplifting mental time out….providing uplifting words as well as original art, music, books, quotes and anything that will hopefully make us all laugh or smile.

I thought I’d like to do something a little different today and talk about a favorite book of mine. I have so many, but I truly believe this one has the ability to change our lives. I first read this book, “The Four Agreements” several years ago. My partner introduced me to the teachings and concepts of these agreements. I was instantly intrigued by the writings of the author, Don Miguel Ruiz and have tried to put these words of wisdom into practice. This is not a book review rather it’s a quick overview of these contracts and their implications. I found many times, remembering them has saved me from feeling sorry for myself and the drama of being a victim. They are very simple however not always so easy to follow.

1. The first agreement:

Be Impeccable with Your Word

This is said to be the most important and difficult of the four. It may sound easy but the word is much more powerful then most realize. Its importance has been kept a secret. You have the power to create or destroy! Words can inspire or offend….set us free or keep us enslaved. Opinions and false beliefs keep many people in fear while inspiring words can create miracles. Being impeccable with your word, not only means how you speak to folks, but how you inwardly talk to yourself. I mentioned in my last show the importance of the “I AM” statements and how they can either bring you up or bring you down. The same principle can be applied here. If someone calls you a derogatory name, it really hurts them much more them you, because they incur hate or resentment with the name calling. When we love ourselves we express our interactions in a kind, loving way. This usually results in a like reaction…I’m good to you…you’re good to me. According to the author being impeccable with your word is the correct use of your energy….the direction of truth and love for yourself.

2. The second agreement

Don’t Take Anything Personally

If someone has a certain judgment about you or says something unkind… just remember it’s not about you…it’s about them. If somebody calls you a jerk and it angers you…you probably believe you are a jerk. You get mad or get your feelings hurt because you decide to agree with what that person has said. Learning not to care was a huge lesson for me and I’m so glad because it freed me from caring about anyone’s opinion. As long as I know I’m doing the right thing I don’t need to worry. Once we realize this…. life can be much easier. Don Miguel says taking things personally is the maximum expression of selfishness because we make the assumption that everything is about “me, me,me.” People may try to send you emotional poison but you don’t have to accept it. When you learn it’s their hateful garbage to deal with…. you have the power to resist them dragging you down. You don’t have to feel the need to justify or defend yourself or even be accepted by everyone. Also if someone tries to bully you into doing something you don’t want to do…just say in a very nice voice, “No thank you.” No need to argue or justify why or why not. We all have different opinions and beliefs. If people say your words hurt them….you can let them know it’s not your words hurting them…it’s because they have wounds that are being affected by what you said. Whatever is said positive or negative do not take it personally. Compliments are nice but not necessary when you know and love yourself. If you can learn to embrace this concept of not caring what is said about you….you can live with inner peace and much happiness. It’s not my business what people think about me!

3.The third agreement

Don’t Make Assumptions

I know like many I’ve been guilty of this myself. Over the years I’ve learned it’s better to ask for clarity when possible but sometimes it’s not that simple. You can ask a friend or family member to explain something they said or did but what about a stranger walking down the street or driving past you on road. Let’s say you think they gave you a dirty look….at some point you can probably ask those you know….hey, why did you look at me that way….what’s up? You look mad or something like that, but if it’s a fleeting moment such as someone in a car….well that’s not as easily remedied. If you can remember agreement number two of not taking it personally you just saved yourself a lot of grief! Ultimately, who the cares if someone said something nasty or had a weird look? Move on….Let it go! Many people are too scared to ask for explanations so they believe whatever they want. Sometimes they can make matters worse if they start gossiping without having all the facts. An easy way to approach someone is to ask them in a polite way if they’d be willing to hear something you have to say or if they’d be okay answering a question. I’m pretty sure we’ve all had some type of experience where we thought we were right about something or someone only to find out later it was completely false. Another mistake we often make is assuming we know what others are thinking. We may judge actions as well as thoughts with limited information. Personally I’ve always felt it’s better to wait and get the truth before taking a stand that may later result in undue embarrassment. We can get rid of old habits and patterns by replacing them with new empowering ones.

4.The fourth agreement

Always Do Your Best

Doing our best does not mean we have to be perfect. As long as we try each day…. we are doing well. Obviously, some days will be better than others. There may be times when we’re sick, tired or feeling down. Certain days we may not feel like giving or even have a lot to give. We don’t need to overdo anything in order for our efforts to still be their best. For instance we don’t need to focus on what we can’t do ….we put our attention on what we can do! I think the most important part of this agreement is to just try by having integrity in all we do. When we attempt to do our best we rid ourselves of regrets and judgments. We can be happy and confident that we are taking a pro active high road in life. The other three agreements will only work if we try to do our best. It takes time to learn and incorporate new ideas. We may get mad and forget to be impeccable with our word. We may not remember to not take things personally. So doing our best can keep us on the right track without gaining perfection. Don’t live in the past or worry about the future….all we have is this very moment. Live our lives with good intentions and we can always try each day to emulate these four agreements.

This is just a quick synopsis of a very in depth belief system derived from the Toltec. They were masters and students, from southern Mexico, who formed groups of scientists and artists known for their great knowledge. They developed their own society in order to preserve and investigate the spiritual truths of their ancestors. They considered it the way to fulfillment and happiness. Their ultimate goal was to share these tools so all could attain love and enlightenment. The lessons were hidden from the general population for centuries. The powers in control did not want this information to be accessible to the mass population. The book explains some of the struggles the masters endured in order to bring these agreements back to the people. We can see similarities just like information being suppressed today.

I highly recommend you go read “The Four Agreements” if you’re interested in learning more. It’s a fairly quick read, a small book with only 140 pages. There are several special prayers listed after the last chapter. You may want to look them over to see if any of them resonate with you. These writings offer hope and encouragement. It’s an easy guide to practicing self worth and self control.

I have taken the liberty of shortening the chapters in order to give a brief summary of the principles. I like this book so much I bought several copies a few years ago and gave them away as Christmas gifts. Let me know what you think! I’d like to present a book each month, ones that have changed my life or made a big impact. Please comment and let me know your favorites and why.

Each week so far I’ve listed a few of my favorite Podcasts and today I have a few more. The previous ones have been entertainment oriented so I’d like to list a few that are more geared towards the professional no nonsense type of news.

1. The War Room with Steve Bannon

I started watching his show last year and was amazed at the assortment of guests he interviews. He talks about all the current important topics as well as providing minute by minute updates. He’s not afraid to tell the truth and has a tremendous loyal audience ready to help him at a moments notice. The War Room’s talented reporters and daily guests have impeccable resumes. You can get all the news of the day or week right here.

2. Dan Bongino

Like Steve Bannon, Bongino, has a huge following of true Patriots. He has a background in law enforcement and worked as a Secret Service agent. His daily show attracts hundreds of thousand due to his outspoken demeanor and digging for the truth. He was recently given the honor of taking over for Rush Limbaugh radio show while still maintaining his original podcast. He’s also a best selling author who tackles the hot political topics.

3. Denesh D’Souza

He is another best selling author and also a talented filmmaker. His documentaries are some of the most financially successful of all time. The daily podcasts he posts focuses on all major political news. He fights for truth, justice and the American way.

In the next episode I’ll leave a list of other types of people you may find interesting. Please let me know if you’d like to recommend someone.

I’m only leaving one quote today because the book had a lot of positive things to say and I don’t want to overwhelm anyone! However I do feel like the quote below is in line with The Four Agreements, that’s why I’ve included it.

“Condemn nothing….love all….that is the secret”

It can be so hard not to be judgmental…I have tried for years and I admit I’ve failed many times. We humans like to categorize and form opinions on everything. A few years ago I read something that really helped me get over this. I heard this woman say… when you start to judge someone or something….instead of forming a negative opinion…you can say to yourself….isn’t this curious? For example you see someone wearing clothes you disapprove of….before saying something …think to yourself….it’s different from what I like…how curious they choose to dress this way. It takes away the need to judge and you’ll feel better about yourself for not being unkind. You can take it a step further by asking why does this bother me so much anyway?

hope you got something positive out of hearing about these agreements. They can be a positive alternative way to live a happy life. Personally, I’m doing this show to hopefully add some joy to the world…I never want to be just a useless eater. I’ve always wanted to do something to contribute to the good in this world. I have plenty of other things to occupy my time and am not doing this for my ego. If I can be of service I’m happy to do so. I admire all the Patriots who risk their lives and reputations with service to others. I’m trying to do this in my own way. May we all try our very best to be loving, caring, compassionate beings who enjoy supporting and uplifting as many as we can! What a wonderful world it could be!

As usual I’m going to leave you on an upbeat note. I was reading through the Reader’s Digest a few days ago and found this cute short story. I’m amazed and glad this publication is still around and has kept to its original format by offering lots of good articles, funny jokes, mind games and stories. It remains a good source of information and humor while holding on to traditional moral family values.

So, the story goes like this…..an elderly grandmother was invited over to her son and daughter in laws house to have dinner. Afterwards the wife presents the family with a delicious looking pecan pie. When she was offered a slice the grandmother politely refused explaining how the refined sugar was really bad for her. It caused her extreme pain and inflammation because it made her rheumatoid arthritis flare up. Hearing her problem the grandson felt bad she wouldn’t be eating any of the pie. He immediately got up and said he needed to get something as he went into the kitchen. After several minutes he came out with a few pecans on a dish. He came over and said, “Here Grandma, these are for you.” “Oh, Thank you sweetheart, she said, but these nuts are covered with sugar so I can’t eat them!” He quickly said “Oh no Grandma, don’t worry, there’s no sugar…..I licked it all off!”

I’m about to sign off for now…. Please feel free to contact me, leave a comment or suggestion. I’m hoping my audience will want to engage with me at some point. Then we can discuss many things in future episodes.

The short intro music and the song you’re about to hear are off my recent CD/Dreams with my group Sugarplum the Band. If you’d like to hear more and see original artwork check on the links at the end of the reel. See you next week….bye bye!

Before I go I am wishing tremendous blessings for all of us! We deserve the best! The best is yet to come! Cheers!