Impeccabilis is Latin for impeccable which means not to sin. The first agreement in Toltec Wisdom is to “be impeccable with your word.” So what exactly does that mean? To be impeccable with one’s word is not just the verbal or spoken word, but also those that float through your mind. It means we are mindful of what we think about others, the universe, and ourselves.
Being impeccable with one’s word is not easy. It is an ongoing practice of learning how to control one’s thoughts, rather then allowing our thoughts to control us. It means being honest with others and ourselves at all times. As I read once on a calendar, “Honesty is more than just not being dishonest. It is an active choice to be responsible for the choices we make before we act upon them so that we can stand up for them and not be tempted to be dishonest.” This is true of what we think and say as much as it is about what we do.
Being impeccable is about not going against oneself or others. It is about being mindful of every thought, word, and action so that what we do, think, and say does not bring harm to the environment, others, or ourselves. It is a journey towards emotional and spiritual freedom, which must be worked on each day until it is mastered. As the saying goes, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.” Mastering impeccability comes with practice, practice, practice.
Being impeccable with one’s word means, we do not think or say anything that does not come from a space of love. There is a Sufi teaching that assists in being impeccable with one’s words. It suggests that before we speak, we must answer three questions. Is it truthful? Is it necessary? Is it kind? If it is not all three, then we should not say it. Being impeccable with one’s words means we avoid behaviors mentioned by several sacred writings as “sinful” such as gossiping, judging, arguing, slander, and any other way of interacting that does not come from a place of love. It means if we do not have anything nice to say, then we do not say anything at all. It means we become use to silence and release the need to fill up time and space with messages that are not essential and positive.
Being impeccable also has an affect on how we make choices and how we act on those choices. It means we do not spend unnecessary time making a decision and once the decision is made, we do not put off acting on that decision. As Nike is known to say, “Just do it.” When we find ourselves making a mistake, we learn from it and move on. We do not spend time beating ourselves up over something from the past. We are impeccable with our use of time, energy, and choices when we act in ways that do not cause harm to others, the environment, or ourselves.
Being impeccable means we release from our lives all things that drain and zap us of our energy. We think about what we eat or drink before hand and whether or not it is going to contribute to our energy levels or deplete them. Is what we are doing for a living energizing us or are we in a position where we cannot wait to get out of work so we can enjoy life.
There may be moments when we realize we have done something that is not impeccable. When this happens, we recognize it and release it. Being impeccable also means that we do not get historical or hysterical, beating ourselves up for things from the past or of the present. We work on releasing all emotions, which stem from fear and embrace all emotions that come from a space of love.
Being impeccable requires us to train our minds to filter out those thoughts and ideas, which are negative, fear based, or guilt driven. We learn to stop having those internal conversations with ourselves that enable us to beat ourselves up. We practice being present in the moment, detaching ourselves from all things which are not life giving and loving. Being impeccable is like doing a deep cleaning of one’s mind, releasing the things we have agreed to out of fear.
Because the reality is, as the song says, “all we need is love.” Love begets love begets love and the cycle continues. One impeccable act begets another which begets another. Being impeccable is a process of moving to a space of unconditional love for others and self in one’s life. We get there one thought, one action, one decision at a time. Each choice is an opportunity to practice it, until we have mastered it. This is how we arrive at the Carnegie Hall of impeccabilis – practice, practice, practice.