The fifth agreement is be skeptical, but learn to listen. Be skeptical because most of what you hear isn’t true. You know that humans speak with symbols and that symbols are only the truth because we agree, not because they are really the truth. But the second half of the agreement is learn to listen, and the reason is simple: When you learn to listen, you understand the meaning of the symbols that people are using; you understand their story, and the communication improves a lot.

wareness is the ability to observe our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors without judgment. It is the conscious recognition of our internal and external experiences. In the context of the Smokey Mirror, awareness involves recognizing the limiting beliefs and illusions that cloud our perception.

Let me say something about the truth of spiritual discipline that goes far beyond daily meditations. You might remember Rumi’s tale about the pilgrim who came to the house of a renown spiritual master. I’m not entirely sure of the details of the story, so I’ll tell it my way. Please bear with me.

We all know what it feels like to drive in heavy traffic. It’s not much fun– but even in the midst of so much noise and confusion, everybody seems to agree on the rules. They obey traffic signals. They observe warning signs. Drivers find their destinations, at their own pace, and the system appears orderly. It seems predictable– but is it?

Hope is a very potent word in most societies. Like every other word, it’s a symbol– a dead thing, waiting to be brought to life. Once someone infuses it with meaning, it has the ability to move us. Once it is spoken, it has power.