Don Miguel Ruiz Jr. on Self Mastery with Lewis Howes

Dualities

Don Miguel Ruiz Jr. shares his unique upbringing, which was marked by the dualities of living between the United States and Mexico, and being influenced by both spiritual and academic traditions. He describes how his father's decision to send him to school in Tijuana, despite living in the U.S., was driven by a belief in the superior quality of education there at the time 1. This experience of crossing borders daily and balancing different cultural influences shaped his understanding of duality in personal growth and identity development 2.

I grew up surrounded by Mexico and the states and with spirituality and academics, it's always dualities.

--- Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.

Miguel's journey also involved a personal rebellion against his family's spiritual teachings, which he later embraced after a life-changing breakup 3.

   

Self-Acceptance

Self-acceptance is a cornerstone of Miguel's philosophy, emphasizing the importance of loving oneself unconditionally and understanding personal truths. He explains that mastering oneself begins with removing the masks of societal expectations and embracing one's true identity 4. This involves recognizing the illusions of worth imposed by external standards and forgiving oneself for past mistakes 5.

To experience me, to become the mastery of Self, is to simply love myself unconditionally, which simply means to see myself as I really am at this very moment.

--- Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.

Miguel stresses that true justice is paying for something once, while injustice is reliving it repeatedly, highlighting the need to let go of guilt and shame to achieve self-mastery 6.