El Miedo es el Veneno – Fear is the Poison
North County San Diego is a magical home: rich, diverse, and layered with history. Quilted throughout nuestros barrios is the Latino communidad: vibrant, resilient, and essential to the cultural and economic fabric of daily life.
Yet in recent times, political rhetoric and federal policies have sharpened divisions and fueled fear like wildfire. Residents across the spectrum feel the weight of these times. Recognizing this, The Coast News publisher Chris Kydd and author Patrick A. Howell spoke with don Miguel Ruiz Jr., who offers a grounded and hopeful perspective:
“The challenges facing the Latino and immigrant communities right now are very real, and fear magnifies them. The work begins with self-respect, and respect for others’ free will. I can be a source of light only if I first cultivate that light within myself.”
Fear as Poison
Benito Juárez, Mexico’s first Indigenous president, famously declared: “Entre los individuos, como entre las naciones, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz.” (“Among individuals, as well as between nations, respect for another’s right is peace.”) That resilience echoes in Ruiz Jr.’s latest book, The Poisoned Arrow: A Toltec Guide to Overcoming Fear.
Channeling Toltec wisdom, Ruiz Jr. explains: pain is like being struck by an arrow, but what lingers is the poison – fear. “The arrow may be gone, but the poison seeps into our thoughts, words, and choices.” His message is simple yet profound: remove both arrow and poison, reclaim peace, and restore creative power.
Fear permeates national life. It echoes in politics, saturates media screens, and settles in the quiet corners of our minds. Ruiz Jr., a Nagual spiritual master in the Toltec Eagle Knight lineage, takes aim at fear’s many faces with clarity and compassion.
Today’s Great Wisdom
From the book’s introduction:
“In my family’s Toltec tradition, we say fear is a great poison. It’s at the root of greed, envy, gossip, anger – virtually every harmful action we take against one another and the planet. Fear keeps us from joy and peace, and it is perhaps the longest-term threat to humanity’s survival.”
He distinguishes between real fear, which protects us from immediate danger, and irrational fear, which tricks the mind into reacting to threats that don’t exist. “Like a horror movie, your body responds as though the danger were real. The mind can’t always tell the difference.”
Central to Toltec philosophy is the “dream”, the personal and collective realities we live in:
“We each have our personal dream, that inner dialogue between me and me. The dream of the planet is the collective conversation we’re all part of. If my dream is full of fear, that’s what I bring into the world.”
On control, Ruiz challenges a cultural reflex:
“Attempting to control outcomes in life is ultimately an illusion. Real freedom comes from embracing uncertainty.”
Legacy of the Toltecs
The Ruiz family has carried Toltec wisdom to millions worldwide. Don Miguel Ruiz Sr.’s The Four Agreements – be impeccable with your word, don’t make assumptions, don’t take things personally, always do your best – has sold over 12 million copies and remains a spiritual touchstone. With The Poisoned Arrow, Ruiz Jr. extends that legacy into our new era, offering a toolkit for resilience in times of upheaval.
A Higher Love
I surrender heart and soul
Sacrificed to a higher goal
Moved, moved by a higher love
By a higher love
– Depeche Mode , “Higher Love”
Our conversation ended with harmony and synchronicity. A devoted Depeche Mode fan, Ruiz Jr. reflected on Higher Love as a kind of New Age hymnal:
“That song is about surrender, about giving yourself fully to something greater. When we transform fear into awareness, we create space for love to move us higher. That’s not just philosophy; it’s a practice we can live with every day.”
In an age where fear dominates headlines, Ruiz Jr. reminds us that freedom begins within. And in North County, a community built on heritage, resilience, and shared humanity, that message could not be more timely.
Closing Note
Shoutout to my nephew, a recent SoCal grad, and his good dad: accepted to Harvard and Berkeley, now taking his robotics and engineering talents to El Tec in Monterrey, Mexico’s tech capital. A reminder that heritage, courage, and “the road less traveled” can bridge cultures and lift us all higher. Your grandfather is proud.
From the Publisher’s Desk
Community engagement is in my blood. My father, Jim Kydd, founded The Coast News in 1987 because he believed North County deserved a voice for its vibrant and diverse people. I continue that mission today by telling stories that matter and making sure every voice is heard.
My own family reflects the heart of this community. My wife is Mexican, our daughters are growing up with the richness of multiple cultures, and together we carry values that define North County: heritage, community and respect. Political views may differ, but the values that unite us run deeper.
As a publisher, I turn often to The Four Agreements: be impeccable with your word, don’t make assumptions, don’t take things personally and always do your best. Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.’s new book The Poisoned Arrow expands on that legacy with a powerful reminder: fear is the true poison. If we choose to live fearlessly, guided by truth, respect and courage, we not only strengthen ourselves, we lift one another higher.
Chris Kydd
Publisher, The Coast News
