Impeccability

To be impeccable at that moment is to do all that you can do to pay attention, to use whatever you have learned, especially at those times when you know you have a tendency not to pay attention. Your knowledge is not perfect, not complete, but you use what you know, the best techniques you have, the best attitude you have, the best understanding you have, and apply it right then. (Diamond Heart Book 1, pg 214)

It is not to be perfect but to do your best, to act according to all the wisdom, all the understanding, all the experience, all the awareness, all the will that you have. As you confront your indulgences, you will see that to continue to be really impeccable and not succumb to your indulgences will mean letting go of all kinds of things. The way of impeccability can be taken as a path on its own. You could attempt to be impeccable all the time and all your indulgences would arise, which would reveal all your attachments. Impeccability means letting go of those attachments. The way of the impeccable warrior is a way complete in itself, is a path to a certain knowledge. In our Work here, we’re not taking that path by itself, but we’re using it. We’re taking that attitude as an aid. (Diamond Heart Book 1, pg 218)

Impeccability and action

To act impeccably means to act with certainty. You cannot act impeccably when you are not sure of yourself. You know it is the best thing, even if you know that it is not perfect, but you do it with certainty. You’re learning to defend against your superego. You are not completely sure what this means, but you know something, and what you know is the best you know, and you do this as if you are certain. And this is what you do until you learn something else. In time, this will evolve and develop into what we call true certainty – essential certainty. 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. (Diamond Heart Book 1, pg 219)

Impeccability and superego

When you’re learning to defend against your superego, you really need to be an impeccable warrior. You can’t do it in a haphazard way. You can’t do it at one time and not at another, a little bit now, a little bit later. It won’t work. You have to do it constantly, all the time, impeccably. That means if you really want to learn about defending against your superego, you make it your number one aim …you are always aware of defending yourself against your superego and you do your best. (Diamond Heart Book 1, pg 216)

Impeccability and truth

To be an impeccable warrior, you do your tasks impeccably and your task is to be impeccable. That’s it. You do your best. After a while, you are impeccable for the sake of impeccability itself. I’ve talked about it in terms of a path leading someplace, but it is actually what we’re going toward. It’s both the means and the end. When you are really impeccable, that’s it. It’s not as if you’re looking for truth because truth will lead you someplace, to something else. No. You are dedicated to the truth because the truth is truth. It is the same thing with impeccability. (Diamond Heart Book 1, pg 221)