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may/june 2018yogajournal.com.auIF YOU’RE A YOGA TEACHER
OR ORGANISATION
By David Lipsius, president and CEO, Yoga Alliance» Understand power dynamics.
Even when no malicious intent is present, energy can shift easily from
healthy classroom relationships to an unhealthy power imbalance. If
you’re a teacher, hold yourself accountable to the inherent power
dynamic at play in the yoga teacher–student relationship. At minimum,
you may be viewed by your students as a more advanced practitioner
and an experienced guide. At maximum, you may be viewed as a
master, guru, or enlightened being. Either way, do not abuse the power
that is enmeshed in the relationship. Teaching yoga comes with great
responsibility to individual students and the community you serve;
maintain an appropriate boundary, and let the yoga practices
themselves become the guru for all students.» Ask permission before all hands-on assists.
Use consent cards (or “yes/no” discs, stones, symbols) and verbal
affirmation every time you assist a student. Every student deserves to
be empowered within their own practice. Always ask permission before
touching a student. Using clear communication, make each assist an
empowering co-creation, inviting students to choose or decline your
help, to change their mind, and to alter their answer from moment to
moment. All types of hands-on assists require consent, including
nurturing presses, manipulative adjustments, and press-point assists. To
safely support all students in each class, strengthen your skilfulness with
non-touch assists: Use precise verbal cues and invitational mirroring.» Update, clarify, and publish your policies and procedures.
Community leaders in all settings must be explicit about what they will
do in the event of a report of assault, rape, unwanted touching, or other
misconduct in their yoga space. A well-defined response policy is
necessary to lay a clear foundation for public safety. Be clear, be precise,
and ensure that all policies and procedures are published and available
for everyone to see. Then train your staff to follow those policies and
procedures to the letter, every time. Consistent enforcement is essential
to develop and maintain a culture of safety.» Set in place an explicit reporting structure.
It’s unrealistic to think that a yoga institution is equipped to function like
a qualified law-enforcement, investigative, or judicial body. For all
reports of criminal activity, law enforcement should be notified—
without delay. Have phone numbers for law enforcement and victim
advocacy groups clearly posted. For noncriminal but questionable
activity, clarify the reporting structure within your organisation and
advise and train all employees, contractors, and students to report
violations to the appropriate human-resources professional, an
ombudsperson, security person, or manager. Effectively training staff in
reporting procedures helps employees at all levels feel empowered to
speak up against abuse.» Acknowledge the issue of sexual misconduct,
and act as a leader.
Far too often in yoga’s history, a yoga brand, lineage, tradition, ashram,
or organisation has failed to properly acknowledge and deal with
problems related to sexual misconduct. For a better future, all yoga
institutions need to openly discuss their history and take active steps to
change the dynamics that led to alleged abuse and the alleged
silencing of whistle-blowers. Use external—not internal—experts and
support networks to address the issues. Together, we can change
cultural systems so that issues are no longer kept within the “family.”
Many thriving traditions have become stronger over the years by
learning from difficult experiences. Transparency, honesty, and truth can
be used to help educate, elevate, and inspire future generations of
yogis.