I found this book in a Little Free Library when I was walking through my neighborhood a few years ago. It called out to me and I gobbled it up in a couple of hours. I revisited it again the next day because it had so many juicy pieces. It spoke to me about self-love and creating feelings of fulfillment. The imagery and stories in it still stick with me to this day. I figured with all this talk of love in the month of February, this is the perfect time to revisit The Mastery of Love.
The Breakdown:
In The Mastery of Love, Don Miguel Ruiz begins by talking about how our minds become wounded as children and we lose our innocence. He then talks about love vs fear and our belief systems. He teaches ways to heal our wounds and create healthy boundaries so that we are no longer effected by, or responsible for, others’ emotions. We can allow each other to be who we are with full acceptance instead of conditional love. This of course starts with healing and loving ourselves, returning to the root of who we are. “Happiness can only come from inside of you and is the result of your love. When you are aware that no one else can make you happy, and that happiness is the result of your love, this becomes the greatest master of the Toltecs: the Mastery of Love.”
What I like about this book:
- The stories that he tells are easy to understand and memorable. I especially like the one about the Magical Kitchen and about the dog’s love.
- The empowering messages about always having a choice what to believe and that we can always choose to love. The reminder that the truth is always here with us.
- The idea that forgiveness is our natural inclination (you can see that easily in young children) but we have learned to master unforgiveness for various reasons including pride and punishment.
- The flow of the book and the way the chapters are ordered, building upon each other. It is an easy read and can be done in bite-sized chunks or all at once.
Fair Warning:
- You may not buy into all the beliefs or teachings of the Toltec people, but the book is mostly teaching universal truths of all religions.
- Some have taken his message to mean that people can behave irresponsibly in relationship because each person’s happiness is their own job. This is not what he is teaching but it may offend some who have been in abusive relationships.
About the Author: Julie Glaser is a healer who creates sacred spaces for people to share, release, and grow. She’s in the habit of being in awe and wonder and writes to share her own experiences and curiosities with other inquisitive souls in the process of transforming.
Spiritual Direction and Healing Touch Energy Therapy 