Yoga is much more than a way to get your body in shape. It is a way of life with its own moral code that serious Yoga practitioners are expected to follow. These principles have been passed down for many generations. Now that Yoga has become the most popular group fitness activity in the world, the people who teach it are held to the high standard described by this moral code. Let's take a look at the list of Yoga instructor ethics that people are expected to follow:
Competence
1. Maintaining Competence
A Yoga instructor must always continue to strive for excellence in their profession by constant self-assessment of their own abilities as a teacher. Constant study of the best methods to instruct students is expected.
2. Personal Conflicts and Problems
Yoga instructors should avoid any teaching activity that could possibly be negatively affected by their own personal problems. If anything in the teacher's personal life will prevent him or her from performing their duties in an exemplary manner, they should wait until the problem has been resolved before teaching again. They owe it to their students to give them the best instruction possible.
3. Substance Abuse
Under no circumstances should Yoga instructors attempt to offer any form of advice or instruction if they happen to be using alcohol or drugs. If prescription drugs are involved, it is the instructor's responsibility to find out from their doctor if there will be any side effects that could possibly impair their judgment and prevent them from properly performing their professional requirements.
Personal Relationships
1. Exploitative Relationships
A Yoga instructor is forbidden from using their power over another person for the purposes of their own self-interest. They should never exploit people whom they possess evaluative, supervisory or other authority over such as employees, supervisees, clients, research participants, student teachers and students. Exploitation is defined as behaviors or actions that place the desires and needs of the instructor above those whom he or she has power over. This also includes situations where a subordinate of the instructor might also benefit, but the instructor's actions are motivated by their own self-interest.
2. Conflict of Interest
Yoga instructors should never agree to a job when their effectiveness, competence or objectivity could possibly be affected by their own financial, professional, personal, legal or scientific interests.
3. Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is defined as physical advances, sexual solicitation or any nonverbal or verbal behavior that pertains to sexuality that are unwanted or considered to be offensive to the recipient of the advances. Furthermore, this type of harassment creates a hostile, offensive and uncomfortable environment for students.
4. Discrimination
It is prohibited for Yoga instructors to engage in any type of discrimination based on a student's socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, gender identity, age, disability, religion, culture, race or gender.
5. Seeking Counsel
If a Yoga instructor believes that he or she has encountered a situation where their ethical behavior might be questioned, it is their responsibility to seek out the proper professional guidance.
6. Teacher/Student relationships
Exploitive relationships between students and teachers are always forbidden. A Yoga teacher must not enter into any romantic/sexual relationship with a student that they are currently teaching. This type of situation can often result in the teacher's judgment being compromised.
Competence
1. Maintaining Competence
A Yoga instructor must always continue to strive for excellence in their profession by constant self-assessment of their own abilities as a teacher. Constant study of the best methods to instruct students is expected.
2. Personal Conflicts and Problems
Yoga instructors should avoid any teaching activity that could possibly be negatively affected by their own personal problems. If anything in the teacher's personal life will prevent him or her from performing their duties in an exemplary manner, they should wait until the problem has been resolved before teaching again. They owe it to their students to give them the best instruction possible.
3. Substance Abuse
Under no circumstances should Yoga instructors attempt to offer any form of advice or instruction if they happen to be using alcohol or drugs. If prescription drugs are involved, it is the instructor's responsibility to find out from their doctor if there will be any side effects that could possibly impair their judgment and prevent them from properly performing their professional requirements.
Personal Relationships
1. Exploitative Relationships
A Yoga instructor is forbidden from using their power over another person for the purposes of their own self-interest. They should never exploit people whom they possess evaluative, supervisory or other authority over such as employees, supervisees, clients, research participants, student teachers and students. Exploitation is defined as behaviors or actions that place the desires and needs of the instructor above those whom he or she has power over. This also includes situations where a subordinate of the instructor might also benefit, but the instructor's actions are motivated by their own self-interest.
2. Conflict of Interest
Yoga instructors should never agree to a job when their effectiveness, competence or objectivity could possibly be affected by their own financial, professional, personal, legal or scientific interests.
3. Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is defined as physical advances, sexual solicitation or any nonverbal or verbal behavior that pertains to sexuality that are unwanted or considered to be offensive to the recipient of the advances. Furthermore, this type of harassment creates a hostile, offensive and uncomfortable environment for students.
4. Discrimination
It is prohibited for Yoga instructors to engage in any type of discrimination based on a student's socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, gender identity, age, disability, religion, culture, race or gender.
5. Seeking Counsel
If a Yoga instructor believes that he or she has encountered a situation where their ethical behavior might be questioned, it is their responsibility to seek out the proper professional guidance.
6. Teacher/Student relationships
Exploitive relationships between students and teachers are always forbidden. A Yoga teacher must not enter into any romantic/sexual relationship with a student that they are currently teaching. This type of situation can often result in the teacher's judgment being compromised.
Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA.
Yoga is a way of life with its own moral code that serious Yoga practitioners are expected to follow. Thanks for sharing this informative article!
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