I will be interviewing Don Jose Ruiz, the author of the ‘ The Fifth Agreement’ so it is amazing to have him with us...

Hi Don Jose! Yes!!!! Hi how are you?...

Very good sister, and you?

Good! So sorry for my technical issues and I was extra prepared. I even called Karla and I was like ... ‘he is still going to be on, right?’. And she said ‘oh yes’...then I have the technical issues.

It is all perfect...thank you, thank you...I am so excited to have you on. For me this is such a ‘wow moment’; I read ‘ The Fifth Agreements’ when I was leaving for University, so back in 2009. So my mom got it for me, she was like... ‘remember who you are even if you are in a different environment’...and I was like ‘okay’. So this is really a ‘wow moment’ for me so thank you so much. 

Oh, thank you for all of the love and support that you share. And so grateful for being here. Oh! I swear if you were here in front of me I would jump and give you a big hug. Oh it goes for me too, soul to soul.

Let’s start ... all of your books are so amazing. And they all expand on the Toltec Wisdom that your family lineage has. Your most recent book, ‘ Shamanic Power Animals’, which was just just released in June. The first question is why did you decide to share the Toltec Wisdom with the world. Some people are not aware of it, so why do you feel that it is necessary to even continue...

Well, it is a beautiful path when we pay it forward. When we see things that change our life, when we wake up from the dead. When we wake up from our expiring dream; then we get our power and creativity back - and to have that wisdom inside of us that can be translated into any language. These books are translated into more than forty different languages, because it is not about religion it is about a way of life. 

I really wanted to share the Toltec Knowledge that was shared with me, that everyone is an artist of the spirit. So when everybody is aware of this spirit they can choose the path of their life. And they have the opportunity to choose between truth and lies, and when we walk in authenticity - we chose truth and that is what changes the world. 

So wherever life puts us that is where we are suppose to be, and at whatever time you are suppose to be; because this is the thing about life - everything is perfect. You cannot control it. So when I share the Toltec Wisdom I invite everybody to be the master of their own dream.

You have written so many books...which one would you say is the best for someone that is new to Toltec Wisdom, or even just the understanding that they can create their own destiny. Which book would you say is the first one that they should get from you...

I really feel like ‘The Fifth Agreement’ ...I so agree. It is one of transition between my elders and the dream. So it is about Gratitude. When your teachers give you all of the information what is the next step ? Are we going to wait for the next teacher to keep on learning from another teacher? No! The teacher has given us all of the tools for us to create our world, the magical place of art, and magical dream - a masterpiece of art. So when we get ‘ The Fifth Agreement’ we own our message, we are responsible for our message. So the question is what is the message that we are giving to the people that we love and to ourselves. 

If we like the question we go on, but if we do not like the answer...we can change it. This is the most beautiful part of the ‘The Fifth Agreement’; in the Toltec Tradition this is where you take your power back. And you realize that you are your own apprentice and your own teacher. 

So with this awareness you can go out in the world and create, and conquer. Yes, and conquer it! I am so just fan girl-ing right now. 

You have a new four month guided program, A Path to Authenticity, which is wonderful. We need someone that has gone through the journey of finding their authentic self, and to help you see it for yourself. How did you create A Path to Authenticity, and what do you love most about this program...

Well, what I love most about this Program is the intent behind it. To see my father (Don Miguel Ruiz) teach again. The number one thing that most people are not aware of, is that the last time we did something like this was twenty years ago. My father taught The Art of Dreaming. This was the conclusion of ‘The Fifth Agreement’, and the Mastery Training.

My father did not teach for twenty years until last year when COVID happened. We made the internet program on the computer - all of us...and then we went to my father to show him what was happening with this program. He was so excited, and was like ‘You mean I can talk to more than to just a room, I can talk to the whole world’. We were like ‘yes, father’. He got so inspired. 

This program - A Path to Authenticity - is so special to me, also my brother Miguel is joining us. This A Path of Authenticity is very special because it is my dad teaching. Interesting thing is that my brother Eric, who runs the Program with Karla said isn't it amazing because when we took the journey twenty years ago the telephone, internet was not available like now...my favorite part is that now people get the opportunity to learn from my father from more than in his books, but from verbal, and visual.

So I have to ask with A Path to Authenticity, and in your books you talk about understanding your power, owning your power, and loving who you are...however you come. My biggest question, you touched upon it with COVID ... how have you found with your clients in your program, has COVID effected them to break down their barriers. Do you think it has allowed people to open up quicker because it was such a jolt in our every day life; or have you found that it has been harder for people to open up, because of the unknown...

Well it has been easier...Okay... because everyone’s automatic habits paused... their routines paused...people get to be with one another. In the Toltec tradition there is nothing to learn but to unlearn in an inspirational way. Many people live lies, they lie to themselves...and even in ceremonies in marriage people get divorce because they realize they are not happy in that environment.

So for me I say to my apprentices that this time of COVID is like time when the worm gets into the cocoon. In the cocoon all of our habits, everything that we know that we feel safe with, even safety over a disease that can kill us, we went into the cocoon. And now we have come out of the cocoon, we turned into butterflies. Many people have transformed. The thing is that many people that wanted it to be like before, to be stuck in those times; people found out their inspiration, it is their epiphany...their own path to let go of the way of dreaming. 

It is like dying but resurrecting in the same life. You have how you use to be, but that is not you that is the domesticated person. Now we have the epiphany of life, and our life begins to change. 

I know many people who began quitting their jobs, they need something that inspires them, because they spoke their truth - it is like dying in life. So when you die in life and you wake up knowing that you are still alive - so that is when you are full of Gratitude. No illusion can stop you, you are here to enjoy it all, and this is when we get the beautiful opportunity that we survive.

I know that the pandemic is still happening, but I want you, and everybody to realize that it is a miracle that we are still here. Many of our brothers and sisters are not here. So when we have that epiphany what else are we waiting for to create our masterpiece of art. This is when COVID really shook things up, and nothing is going to be the same. 

Even with spirituality, even with my father coming out of retirement to teach to the whole world, and not to one classroom. I know that this is a time of transformation. In the Sixth Song, we call it the Sixth Bird of Humanity the Six New Dream, and all of us are here in service of Divine Mother. We have the epiphany that our bodies are of the earth, so how we treat ourselves is how we treat Divine Mother. And this is how COVID really helped us to get out of the cocoon, so we can learn a new way of life. A life that is guided by the heart. 

‘The Fifth Agreement’, takes a big part in that because it is to be skeptical, and learn to listen. Not to be skeptical to the outside dream, be skeptical of our own lies and self-judgment, and also justification to lead a new dream. This is a time that we can all let go. I tell you there is nothing to fear. This fear deserves our respect, so when we feel that fear we take that action.  And our voice is our prayer. Now as the Angel are we going to answer that prayer?  Oh my gosh...I just love it, you are such love! I also watch your Monday Live Meditations...

My next question, and you have already kind of touched upon this...it is your whole family that work together on The Path to Authenticity. How does it feel? Is it a pinch me moment? You have mention how your dad coming out of retirement, teaching the world; and your brother Miguel -  who I will have on next week...how does it feel as a whole family to have that single minded focus to continue to create this...

Yeah, it is a dream of Gratitude. Like I said twenty years ago when I started the training, teachings after dreaming the messenger training - training the Angel, training the Messenger. My father came out of coma and he asked me ‘what have you been doing with your life’, I said that I have been doing Angel training. He said ‘of course! I would like to see that’, and he came to see it. And he saw that people are using it, and was like what is happening - well it is no longer ... your are level one, two, or level three - it is no longer the level of awareness that one has...if one wants to change their life they are going to change. 

My father began to join me that weekend. So I never dreamed about co-teaching with my father. Then my grandmother came also on Sundays, and it was a beautiful feeling. Now twenty-five years later it is a beautiful feeling...because the doctor said that my father would not be alive. And he is alive, and after twenty years he is teaching these teachings with me. 

For me to sit next to my brother and to hold his hand, to hold my father’s hand, and continue doing this - that is the gift. And I tell you sister, the most beautiful thing is when we are aware that we are one Tribe. The whole world - and we work for the same Boss. Exactly!!!! ... because that moment of the family... holding the family, holding their hands - that is the Dream! I totally agree that we are One - if we recognize that we are just Beings, if we love one another and stop being so mean, I think it would be so much nicer.  Yes, yes I so agree.

So what is your favorite meditation practice that you start your day with, what is that one thing that you have to do when you get up...

Well, the first thing is to grab this little buddy... Oh!!!! He is soooo cute!... I take him out and then I make myself a little cafecito. Then I sit down and reflect on anything that is happening in my life. And everything that is happening in my life becomes a teaching. So there is nothing that I plan for, like study or imagine, no... I begin to translate negative experiences to positive experiences. It is like turning things into medicine so it is about asking ourselves to be centered. I make one prayer, and I say ... ‘may my life protect me from myself, may life give me the strength so that I do not take myself personal, don't take anybody personal, and for me to hear my own voice, and to not lie to myself’. In that moment everything begins to set itself up for a brand new day. 

The first rule that we give in the Toltec Tradition is that we are not happy all the time. That is the first rule in the Art of Happiness. Then we can get all of these tools and remind ourselves that we are dreaming. Even though we are doing yoga, and I do not mean the physical move, I mean yoga in the mind. Sometimes things are uncomfortable, sometimes we have to speak our truth, or the abuse will continue. Sometimes we have to speak up, or other people will write our book for us. 

That is something that we have to be clear, that is one of the beautiful things to turn any experience into medicine, that is what my mornings are... I love it!

I have one last question, you touched upon how everything is not perfect...What do you advise for someone that is looking for Gratitude. They are drowning in their own negativity, or just the environment of the world; and they cannot think of anything to be Grateful for, of course there is, but how do you tell someone to start with their Gratitude...

Never look into the outside. Look into the within. If you are still breathing, you are still alive and you can change anything. Do not judge yourself for what you did yesterday. It was a gift that we can repent, or regret...why? because we can do it today. Be easy on yourself, be kind on yourself. Do not be in a hurry, there is not hurry at all. Time is on our side, when we are in a hurry we disrespect time, and we loose our center. It is always something when we are in a midst of a reaction. Where we will find our center is calming ourselves down, and we do it in our own way.

This is the number one thing that we have to understand, we do not heal in someone else’s way, that is why sometimes we do not heal, and we reject it. But when we come in our own terms and we say that...’I am ready to change the message that I give to myself’, and with changing the message that I give to myself, I am changing the message that I give to others.

So I am beginning to control  my emotional poison. And this is the dream of the rattlesnake. When the rattlesnake is young he cannot control his emotional poison, he can kill somebody when he bites. When he grows up he has more poison, but he knows how to control it. 

And what I am saying to everybody...we all have poison. But the with ‘ The Mastery of Love’ we learn how to control our poison. So it doesn't effect us and the people around us. Ohhh! I love it ..and everybody grab all of his books - ‘The Fifth Agreement’; ‘ The Wisdom of the Shamans’; ‘ The Medicine Bag’; ‘ Shamanic Power Animals’; ‘My Good Friend Rattlesnake’; and sign up to the Path of Authenticity which I will have up after this...thank you so much  Don Jose, it is such a pleasure and honor...thank you.

Thank you so much for this opportunity, and I look forward to us doing this again. Oh My Gosh!!!! Yes! I say the next time we should do it in person. I recommend in person. 

Yes!...Ahahah okay sister!