Be Impeccable With Your Word
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz includes the advice to be impeccable with your word.
Being Impeccable With Your Word Involves a LOT!
The full first agreement is:
Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
I can’t imagine being so thoughtful and deliberate in my speaking. It would seem having to think through all of the directives of this agreement might make my speaking a lot less spontaneous. A lot less heartfelt.
With a blog entry it’s a little easier. I get to dump out my thoughts on a keypad. Review those thoughts. Edit those thoughts. I can even re-write portions to make it seem more spontaneous and heartfelt.
I do try to speak with integrity. Saying what I mean is easy…saying ONLY what I mean is a bit more difficult. I have come to notice when I speak against myself and will self-correct when I do. Gossiping about others is something I need to work on. And the last part about using my word in the direction of truth and love is more subjective I think. It’s also more of a journey than a destination. No?
How NOT To Keep This Agreement
I noticed this meme on social media the other day.
I’m using it as my personal example of how NOT to speak. This is an example of the OPPOSITE of speaking with integrity.
First of all, it’s just not true. Second of all, it harkens back to people accusing others of being too “politically correct.” And insulting those who won’t put up with hateful and ignorant things we say by calling them stupid? Wow.
Now that I have a good example of how not to speak, I need to start coming up with good examples of trying to live up to one of the four agreements.
Current Knitting
I made some modicum of progress on the Aha Wrap by Charles Gandy.
It’s only one more section. But I got a bit distracted again by my circular sock knitting machine. I knew I needed to get it set to bring to the Men’s Spring Knitting Retreat in May. And in a mere 2 hours, I was able to create this beautiful pair of socks.
The yarn is Vesper Sock Yarn by Knitterly Things. It’s in colorway Soctober Spooktacular.
The socks practically flew off the re-set-up Gearhart circular sock knitting machine. I am quite pleased.
Soooo jealous of CSMs.
Love the four agreements.
In yoga teacher training we learned about only speaking if something is True AND Necessary AND Kind. It’s hard and obviously I fail at this frequently but not us helped me A LOT.
Again. If anyone has a CSM that’s taking up too much space, let me know. Lol. Love those stripes!
I usually don’t like double-negatives, but I think I strive more to not be unkind. I will often re-read e-mails (especially when I’ve written them whilst angry) and take out the unkind words. I don’t think it’s always necessary to be kind…but not being purposely unkind is perhaps?
Someone (maybe Erma Bombeck?) said she only found one thing to say that was True AND Necessary AND Kind: “Ahoy there kind person, I seem to be drowning and would be very grateful if you could throw me a line.” Sort of a limited usefulness but might come in handy some day?
Two hour socks! Oh, my goodness.
At 75, I don’t know if giving up gossip is possible. Then the only other thing to talk about is aches and pains LOL.
Have a good day.
When I’m not irritated or annoyed by someone, I do find I tend to be affirming and supportive more now in my comments than critical or gossipy. For me, it is definitely a journey, not a destination.
Great socks (love the ribbing with the stripes!) and beautiful wrap.
I’m crazy about your current knits.
And my words are impeccable!