The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz is rooted in Toltec culture, a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican culture, as well as New Age spirituality. The Toltec, known historically for their advanced art, architecture, and societal structures, are also known for their philosophical and spiritual contributions. Toltec wisdom, as presented in the book, is seen as diverging from conventional Western psychology, offering a unique lens for personal and relational issues.

The Toltec were a Mesoamerican culture that thrived between the 10th-12th centuries AD. They are often considered a predecessor to the Aztecs, inheriting much from previous cultures like the Maya and influencing those that followed. The Toltec civilization is traditionally associated with the archaeological site of Tula, located in present-day Hidalgo, Mexico. The Toltec were known for their art and architecture: They constructed impressive buildings, including pyramids and ball courts, and their art included finely crafted pottery, bright murals, and monumental stone sculptures, especially the famous Atlantean figures—massive stone columns carved in the shape of warriors. Toltec religion incorporated elements from various Mesoamerican belief systems: They worshipped a pantheon of gods, including Quetzalcoatl, a feathered serpent deity who held a particularly prominent place in Toltec mythology. Quetzalcoatl was associated with air and learning, and stories depict him as a civilizing hero who brought agriculture, the calendar, and crafts to humankind.