Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “My Good Friend the Rattlesnake” direct from the publisher Plain Sight Publishing (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Inspired to Read:

In the mid to late 1990s and a page or two afield into the early 2000s, I was a reader who loved joining book clubs! Yet, these weren’t the book clubs where you would sit around and have thoughtfully enriched bookish discussions about what you were currently reading! No, these were the mail-order book clubs where you could purchase hardback novels and/or non-fiction titles at a discount. I must’ve joined nearly every club that was available as I am such an eclectic reader my tastes are quite diversified as you can gather a bit of the scope of this statement by visiting my Story Vault!

One of the clubs I had joined back then was “One Spirit” where you could gather books on Spirituality & Metaphysics as well as healthy eating, self-help towards self-fulfillment of a better balanced life, as well as other curious books such as the long lost art of ‘old world arts & crafts’ and a variety of other specialty niche areas of literature. They had a lovely selection of World Religions and Philosophical non-fiction releases as well, which truly interested me.

Around the time I was participating in the book clubs, I came across Don Jose Ruiz’s father, Don Miguel Ruiz and the book The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom of which I am quite certain I received through my club membership of “One Spirit”! I had it in mind to follow-up with new releases as much as keep an eye on what would come next out of his career, however, as life has a funny way of ebbing you away from things that you care about, I somehow managed to lose track of the Ruiz family! When I came across this particular blog tour, it felt as though I received a second chance to re-connect with them and pick up from whence I had left off!

 Don Miguel Ruiz’s Favorite of The Four Agreements | Super Soul Sunday |

Oprah Winfrey Network via OWN TV

As I have mentioned several times throughout my blog on different posts, I have a strong connection to Mexico (as I spent a considerable amount of time exploring ancient ruins) as much as I do to Native American culture, traditions, and spirituality. I had previously disclosed that I appreciated the friendship a Cherokee Indian had given to me as a young girl whilst browsing his art gallery and book shoppe. His stories are not as clearly remembered now as they were then, but his kindness to share his spirit and his culture with me has endured the most. There are cross-similarities between the cultural traditions and spiritualities I found in Mexico to the Native Americans in the United States, which keep me quite wicked happy to continue to read and expand my knowledge of both!

My Good Friend the Rattlesnake (Stories of Loss, Truth, and Transformation)
by Don Jose Ruiz
Source: Direct from Publisher

Every Life is a New Journey

Navigate your personal path with spiritual advisor and bestselling author don Jose Ruiz. This collection of short stories teaches how to find your way and discover yourself in the process.

From Rattlesnakes and Rebellion to swamis and shamans, these stories will shape how you see the world around you and your own road through it.

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Published by Plain Sight Publishing

on Halloween, 2014

Format: Paperback

Pages: 120

Published By: Plain Sight Publishing (@PlainSightBooks), an imprint of Cedar Fort Inc.
Converse via: #MyGoodFriendTheRattlesnake
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

About Don Jose Ruiz

In 2010, don Jose Ruiz released his first book, The Fifth Agreement, in partnership with his father, don Miguel Ruiz. Following its publication don Jose began travelling around the US, Mexico, and South America. Don Jose inspires people in many different ways, including book signings, lectures, seminars, and hosting journeys to Teotihuacan and other sacred sites around the world.

Among the highlights, don Jose has been asked to speak at conferences such as Conversations Among Masters, Celebrate Your Life, and the Conscious Life Expo. At these conferences, he has spoken alongside Dr. Wayne Dryer, Reverend Michael Beckwith, Caroline Myss, and Gregg Bradden. He has been interviewed by many notable media publications, including the Los Angeles Times , Univision, Fox News, and Eckhart Tolle Television. Don Jose has also inspired many corporate entities by using the five agreements to enhance positive rapport among employees and inspire creativity linked with common sense.

Don Jose's message has been heard all over the United States, Mexico, Europe, Israel, Japan, and South America. His journeys to sacred sites have also been translated into many different languages, including Spanish, French, and German.

Don Jose's message and The Fifth Agreement are growing rapidly and being shared around the world. His message changes lives and brings people closer to themselves than ever before. His passion is to help children stay away from gangs and drugs by developing healthy outlets, such as music, as well as other creative avenues. He will continue to share the wisdom of his family lineage through his own life experiences. Don Jose enjoys working with people of all faiths and cultures. He sees all men and women as equals and feels it's a blessing to be alive.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

A beautiful prologue writ out of a father’s love for his son:

My Good Friend the Rattlesnake opens quite uniquely from Don Miguel Ruiz’s perspective on how his son entered his life and changed his world all at the same time! As I had recently blogged about my own close-knit family whilst embracing Andra Watkin’s journey through Not Without My Father I must confess, whilst reading this elocution of a father’s love for his son, echoes of my own Mum’s fond reflections on behalf of myself stirred inside my spirit!

I appreciated getting to become re-acquainted with the Ruiz family whilst seeing that my own family is not the only one who has survived a major accident without any repercussions except for what the mind remembers and what the soul has learnt outside of the moment it occurred.

My Review of My Good Friend the Rattlesnake:

I hadn’t realised that by blogging my experience in Teotihuacan ahead of reading the opening chapters of My Good Friend the Rattlesnake would in effect, be my own way of including an antidote that strikes a direct chord with one of the affirmations Don Jose Ruiz is sharing about his own life and experiences! About how to live through a moment where fear might strive to overtake your mind and how you can choose the outcome of that moment by the actions that stem out of your reactions to how what is happening is affecting you. 

A cardinal truth I have known about since I was quite young is that it is the will of what we can accomplish can create a daring ability to achieve what might at first be felt as being impossible to do at all. The will we have to create necessity out of moments in our lives where fortitude of spirit, heart, and mind act to enable us to achieve what we need to do rather than to succumb to impossibility of what cannot happen at all. A lot of life is taken on faith and perceived with a mindfulness to notice the little measures of where grace and faith intercede on our own paths. Read More