The Voice of Knowledge: A Practical Guide to Inner Peace [Paperback]

Days after finishing the new offering from don Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills, I found the essence of its meaning reaffirmed time and again, and frequently "heard" the teaching in the middle of daily issues or challenges. Just like the wonderful "Four Agreements", this book presents valuable lessons for practical use with everyday living.

We learn in Chapter One that the "Voice of Knowledge" is not a benevolent one, but the incessant chattering that humans unconsciously perpetuate daily, the "...voice in our head. You can call it thinking. I call it the voice of knowledge." (Ch. 1) Ruiz' descriptions of his grandfather's teachings are an immediate wonderful antidote to the wearying Voice of Knowledge that we so often succumb to. His words are beautiful encouragement to rediscover the wonder of childhood. One of his great lines sticks with me: "Faith is the power of creation that all humans have, and it doesn't have anything to do with religion." He goes on to describe the difference between having faith in one's own goodness versus believing the lies of others who might convince us we're not good enough or smart enough.
The realizations that Ruiz experiences in Chapter 4, A Night in the Desert, are an inspiring description of one mind grasping the Truth of the Ages. His account of experiencing the universe experiencing him is an eloquent and understandable report of an epiphany that's a joy to read. I call page 47 the "truth page". Soon after this exhilarating evening in the desert, we learn about the "Storyteller", the essence of the Voice of Lies that pervades our consciousness all too often. I think "storyteller" is an apt term for that demon we all wrestle with - Little mind, monkeymind, maya, etc. etc. The authors do a fine job of offsetting the depressing strength and pervasiveness of Storyteller with thoughtful conversation about faith and intent. Suggestions for transforming the storyteller, and the beautiful descriptions of love, wrap this valuable book up and leave one with a sense of relief and anticipation - this world is full of beauty, hope and possibility.

If you're interested in this book, chances are you gravitate towards inspirational reading. We've all read books that promise great healing, wisdom and illumination, but not all deliver on their grand guarantee. The litmus test of a true work of useful wisdom is whether the material is applicable in mundane, real-world situations. I've had a dozen instances of hearing the words of "The Voice of Knowledge" in everyday situations in my life, and a month later, I return to re-read my favorite parts just for the fortification. The ancient wisdom to be learned from the worlds' great Speakers is here, portrayed in a relevant, and sometimes lyrical, manner.

This is a perfect companion to "The Four Agreements." I just finished this and I can't wait to read it again. There are stories from the authors past, explaining his journey, and making this book wonderfully personal. The book discusses how to not listen to that voice within us that causes us so much drama and pain. How to forget, and change our 'programming', the domestication, and the lies that have permeated our lives. The book even breifly goes back over The Four Agreements. This book is truely a must have. It, like all his other books, are a gift from above. They leave you feeling incredible and the more that they are read, the greater the message becomes. I know that I have said that in other reviews of Ruiz's books, but it is the truth and it is worthy of repeating.

From the moment we are born, we are told how to behave, how to act, what is wrong, what is right. We are told what to wear, what not to wear, how to act, how to behave, how to interact with others. What we are taught forms our view of the world around us.

As we grow up, everything we are told becomes a voice inside of our heads. It is the voice of knowledge: the voice that tells us what is right, what is wrong. It repeats what we were taught, what we hold as truth. Unfortunately, this leads to negative thoughts. I am not perfect; I am not the way I should be. This line of thinking is wrong.

Don Miguel Ruiz, author of the phenomenally best selling book "The Four Agreements" and "The Four Agreements Companion Book" shows us that we are all born perfect, so how could we be otherwise. Following the teachings of an ancient people named the Toltec, Ruiz teaches us a path to inner peace.

The Toltec were "men and woman of knowledge." The Toltec were artists and scientists "who formed a society to explore and conserve the spiritual knowledge of the ancient ones." Ruiz has brought their teachings into the mainstream and many, including Oprah Winfrey, are drawn to the wisdom of the Toltec.

At first, I was a little sceptical of the book's core message: Once we learn a language, the people around us hook our attention and program us with knowledge. This knowledge is filled with lies. In order to achieve inner peace, we must not listen to these lies. All right, I was more than a little sceptical. I mean, it couldn't be that easy, could it?

This book started me on a personal journey that will continue for some time, I think. There is a lot to take in here, a lot to digest, but it all rings true. I found myself reading this book going "Exactly! That's exactly how I feel!" Here's a quote from the book that I particularly identified with:

"If you believe the common lie "I'm not worth it," that lie lives in your mind because you believe it. You don't believe people who tell you how great you are, and don't believe them because you believe the opposite. Your faith is already invested in a belief that's not the truth; it's a lie. But your faith guides your actions....What you believe about yourself is what you project to other people, and that is what others than believe about you"

Ruiz tries to show us through examples of his own personal journey that inner peace can be achieved and also gives us wonderful "Points to Ponder" at the end of each chapter that summarize that chapter's lesson. It is written with a clear voice, a deft hand and a compassionate heart. With each example of the lies from the Voice of Knowledge, I found myself going deeper and deeper within myself, peeling away the onion skin layer by layer. I'm not done, there is a lot more soul searching to go through, but "The Voice of Knowledge" helped to start me on the right path.

Put simply, this is an amazing book. Be warned however: To start "The Voice of Knowledge" is to begin a personal journey down a winding path. Don't worry though, it's worth it! The book is a gem, hard to put down and absolutely wonderful. You don't even need to read any of his previous works to read it, so what are you waiting for? Go get it! You won't regret it!