TIJUANA.- The 33rd edition of Tijuana's Book Fair is here, taking place at the Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT). From June 19th through 28th, this event will feature several world renowned writers with strong Tijuana roots; such is the case of Don Miguel Ruiz, author of the global bestseller, "The Four Agreements", and the heirs to his legacy, Don Jose Ruiz and Don Miguel Ruiz Jr., who will continue the task of spreading the wisdom of Toltec knowledge.

The Ruiz family has always been Tijuana bound, with Don Miguel senior born and raised in the city, as well as his children, who have seen the world more than twice but assure us that no other city has welcomed them like their own, where they hope to come back and offer four free conferences starting June 24th at the Sala Federico Campbell in CECUT.

"The Four Agreements" has been translated into 39 languages and distributed worldwide, however, this is not the only family work based on Toltec culture. Don Miguel senior has eight books under his belt, and coming soon, a ninth titled "Toltec Art of Life and Death", with a launch date set for next October.

We had the opportunity of talking to the author and his children, in order to know a little bit more about their Tijuana roots and about the education they received growing up, first, as their father's apprentices and now as masters in Shamanic knowledge, a name that is often a topic of conversation with them, even though they didn't use it on themselves at first.

"Shamanism is merely just a word", confessed Don Miguel Ruiz, while he gave us a kind look and smiling lips. "Just so you know, I'm a licensed surgeon and I've worked a long time in the medical field, so the word shamanism, is just that, a word. While it may be filled with superstitions it's also feel with wisdom."

Thanks to his father's teachings, Don Miguel Ruiz Jr. (Don Miguel's eldest son) achieved his own spiritual growth through a love of philosophy and detachment. Something that is left very clear in his book, "The Five Levels of Attachment".

On his own, Don José Ruiz has two books published, The Fifth Agreement and Gifts of the Heart, the latter was collaboration with author Larisa Curiel; although the book is directed towards children, it's filled with useful content for all ages.

Following their family path, the Ruiz siblings began their spiritual journey in Tijuana. Thanks to their father and grandmother, they grew up surrounded by Toltec culture, even though they never made it their own until they reached adulthood.

As kids and teenagers, they studied at the Mentor Mexicano private elementary and middle school, and afterwards went to the Lazaro Cardenas High School, a stomping ground for generations of Tijuana residents. However, once they began to face the more difficult aspects of their life, everything changed. They started to live Toltec knowledge.

"My Toltec experienced happened at 17, because I was and addict and walking down the wrong path. One of my best friends died in a car accident, and when that happened I reached out to my dad and we talked about what I was going through. He just gave me a hug and said: "Welcome home." I can honestly say, that's when my Toltec tradition started," mentioned Don Jose.

"It's a process of unlearning all the negativity you've learned and about finding yourself, as that's the Toltec message. It's not about being part of a tribe, or of an ancient society, but about being the artist of your life," Don Jose went on with his eyebrows raised and a sparkle in his eyes. He explained further that the word 'Toltec' actually means 'artist'.

"Within the Toltec tradition, you don't have to learn so much as detach yourself from what's withdrawing you from your inspiration, which is negativity, and because we believe everything we say, my dad decided to introduce "The Four Agreements."

'Unlearning' isn't easy. Given that they weren't born being wise, the Ruiz family has lived this, understanding in the process that the key relays on experiencing love and anger with the same respect. They continue to work on their 'unlearning' process with the purpose of reaching full freedom and harmony with their surroundings.

"If I take things personally, sometimes I can't be impecable with the spoken word, I'n not doing the best I can,

[p]and I'm not esceptic, and that's a reality, but my father has a saying: "Help me change the world", not from the outside but from here," said Don Miguel Ruiz Jr. while we signs with his head: "It happens inside my mind for I cannot change the world pretending to be something I'm not."

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And so on, with books regarding Toltec tradition, and conferences imparted at CECUT on Wednesday, this family has fought to spread the knowledge as well as their infinite wisdom of Mexican ancestry with books like "The Five Levels of Detachment", "The Four Agreements", "The Fifth Agreement", among others.

Sometimes people ask: Is there going to be a Sixth Agreement? And our answer is always no, but the truth is that we are, really, and we're talking about an agreement with yourselves, which will help you change your life."

You can watch more of our conversation with the Ruiz siblings here:

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elizabeth.rosales@sandiegored.com