Five Toltec Wisdoms That Will Inspire You

Toltec wisdom brings us magical glimpses of a civilization that continues to inspire us. Their vision of the cosmos, their mythology and legends continue to spark the now perpetual interest in the Nahuatl people and their secrets. Nowadays we also regularly see new books about the people appearing, such as ‘The Four Insights’. These books bring us a little closer to this past that was so rich in knowledge.

The interesting work entitled ‘The Myth of Quetzalcoatl’ tells how the Toltecs created a highly sophisticated culture. Despite having a hierarchical military system and being warriors, their anthropological, mystical and cultural imprint has left its mark on Mesoamerica.

At the same time, it is said that the Toltecs reached the highest level of the ‘toltecayotl’ (synonymous for culture). This concept represented nothing more and nothing less than the respectable art of living in balance and practicing the ancient wisdom of Huēhuehtlahtōlli , a set of rules that go way back in time and were passed down orally from one generation to the next.

While the Old World had Hinduism or Buddhism, ancient Mexico had the Toltecayotl philosophy, a true legacy of wisdom and religion. As a result, we were left with the following great wisdom…

Toltec Wisdom

Most of these small examples of Toltec wisdom have been brought together in books such as The Toltec art of life and death, The Toltec path, The Quetzalcoatl universe, Toltecayotl and The Four Insights, by Miguel Ruíz. This last book is by far the best known. However, it’s never a bad idea to delve into other works and other interesting volumes. In this way we can get a much broader view of this culture which is in a sense part of the history of mankind.

A legacy that is also incomplete and contains many information gaps…

1. Authentic Engagement

This statement is known because it appears in the book ‘The Four Insights’. The life lesson this wisdom offers is undoubtedly enormous and immensely useful. Let’s think about this for a moment: are we really giving 100% of ourselves in everything we do?

Not always. In fact, sometimes we even give much more, as much as 120%. Far from being positive, this leads us to unnecessary exhaustion and fatigue. That’s why it’s a good idea to adjust our resources, be aware of them and offer the best we have, no more, no less.

2. Fear turns you off

The Toltecs were one of the bravest and most dominant peoples in existence. And eventually they controlled an area that stretched from the present state of Zacatecas to the southeast of the Yucatan Peninsula. It is said that the Aztecs greatly envied them, but that the Toltecs had two clear principles that dictated Toltecayotl philosophy: not to be jealous and not to be afraid.

Both facets made people deaf and blind. They didn’t help anything, but instead reduced people’s skills and strengths.

3. Words have power

This is one of the most famous expressions of the Toltec wisdom and reminds us that words have power. Words are creative, they unite things, nourish, create bonds and transfer knowledge. However, we must not forget that nothing can do more harm than a poorly chosen word or a word inadvertently aimed at the person in front of us.

Let’s make good use of what ultimately makes us human: language. Let’s be careful what comes out of our mouths, because sometimes these words don’t pass through the filters of our brain or heart…

4. Inner knowledge and freedom

Freedom, in the real sense of the word, is trying to be true to who we are. That said, we often behave more like warriors with no specific destiny. We get carried away without understanding our true nature or the nature of what surrounds us.

Sometimes it is therefore necessary to adopt the lifestyle of an artist: someone who wants to know the elements around him, the raw materials as well as his own inner world. After all, we can only create the most beautiful work of art when we bring these two dimensions together.

5. Don’t take anything personally

However, in one way or another, each of us has felt personally attacked by certain words, attitude, or situation. As a result, we have also all suffered and may have even been easy prey for others. We have been influenced by manipulative behavior and games. But is it really worth letting ourselves be guided by these dynamics?

Apparently not. The Toltecs, as we mentioned above, exalt the principle of freedom. And nothing oppresses us more than paying attention to what others say or do. Let’s make an effort to be responsible for ourselves. This means that we know how to separate our personal universes from those of others. It means that we are inspired by self-love.

Finally, as we can see, none of this Toltec wisdom is out of date. Nor are they strange to us. On the contrary. The philosophical principles of the Toltecayotl are still useful and inspiring to us today. Let’s keep them in mind and make them our own.