Spiritual Etiquette in the World: Impeccability
by Suzanne Matthiessen
A few issues back I wrote a column about trying to be perfect, and
how attempting to do so can drive you crazy and annoy everyone
you come in contact with. At first glance, it is easy to mistake
the concept of impeccability with perfectionism, but they are vastly
different in that anyone who seeks to be perfect generally comes
from an egoic place, and the one whose goal is impeccability comes
from an exceptionally humble place.
Impeccability is about living a life of conscious, accountable choice,
always aware that none of us is certain how much time we have on
this planet, and that every moment, every thought, every communication,
every action matters in terms of our own personal evolution in the
time we’re given in this incarnation. It is a life lived where
mistakes are quickly owned up to and corrections made simply as a
code of honorable behavior, as there is no room for egoic defense
when fully embracing the path of inner transformation.
I first heard the concept of impeccability thirty years ago when
I began reading the books written by Carlos Castenada that recounted
his apprenticeship with a Yaqui Indian shamanic teacher named don
Juan Matus. Although some claim don Juan was simply a fabrication,
Castenada’s writings about the nature of authentic spiritual
warriorship hold valuable lessons on how to navigate our way in our
life’s journey. At the time, don Juan’s teachings went
way over my head, but were always something I returned to repeatedly
as I gained awareness about how we show up in the world is a direct
reflection of our degree of awakened understanding, and Castenada’s
books are highly recommended.
Distilling impeccability down to its essence, don Juan said to Carlos, “Impeccability
is nothing but the proper use of energy.” That sounds simple,
but it is layered in subtle complexities due to the nature of the
mental interpretations and personal agendas of the individual. For
instance, as we saw illustrated in the Star Wars saga, the bottom
line choice is on what side of the Force one wishes to attain mastery,
as all the characters sought impeccability in each dimension of their
chosen warrior expressions, demonstrating one can become a master
of white or black magic depending on what road they choose. In the
context of choosing the light side of existence, we will look at
what is “proper” use of energy.
As we grow in both collective and personal consciousness we see that
is unwise to waste energy, which means not wasting time, knowledge,
gifts and talents we’ve been given, nor taking advantage
of or for granted people and resources. For the spiritual warrior,
death is the constant reference point that keeps the ego in check.
As don Juan said, “A warrior must learn to make every act
count, since he is going to be here in this world for only a short
while, in fact, too short for witnessing all the marvels of it.” Impeccability
is about paying attention to what is going on all around us, and
not being lazy on any level. It is not deluding ourselves with
the ignorant narcotic notion that there are choices without consequence,
and owning the fact that denial and blame are useless and ultimately
rather petty. Impeccability does not allow us to be self-involved
or self-indulgent and carry on as victims or entitled spoiled brats.
It is the framework for a life lived with constantly mindful self-discipline
and inner strength, because, as I have stated many times before,
it is not enough to have knowledge or good intentions.
The words of teacher A. Hameed Ali reflect the many dimensions of
living a life of impeccability: “Choosing to be an impeccable
warrior means choosing to be a person, choosing to be a responsible
adult, instead of being your mother’s baby. There is dignity
in it; you are your own person, your life is your responsibility
and you always have the choice to do your best. Impeccability can
be in action, in feeling, in thinking. Impeccability can be in terms
of the will, in terms of the mind, in terms of the heart.” In
other words, it is an all-encompassing focus on aligning yourself
with who you wish to be and what you wish to reflect on a consistent
basis. Living impeccably means there is no gap between what you project
to believe and how you act, as there is no room for hypocrisy whatsoever.
It means being a person of your word, and someone that can be counted
on to always show up with integrity no matter what the situation.
Living with impeccability is a doorway to freedom from the small
self. As don Juan said, “The only freedom warriors have is
to behave impeccably. Not only is impeccability freedom; it is the
only way to straighten out the human form.”
