Mission’s code of conduct is underpinned by traditional yoga ethical principles. The yamas and the niyamas in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are living principles that we believe encourage awareness, compassion, and peace.
We promise to abide by and uphold these ethical and professional behaviors.
I. Teacher-Student Relationship: We maintain the highest standards of professional conduct with our students.
1. We respect the rights of all students, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, or physical/psychological state.
2. We protect our students’ rights of confidentiality. We treat any and all personal information with confidence – this includes physical as well as mental health conditions. We do not take photos or videos of our students during class without their permission.
3. We support the physical and mental safety of our students.
4. We maintain professional boundaries. We recognize there exists a power imbalance between teacher and student, and we seek to create a more horizontal teaching praxis. We avoid the development of any relationship that could compromise the integrity of the teacher-student relationship.
5. We aim to communicate skillfully and respectfully with our students, whether that is through our actions, our words, and our behaviours. When giving physical adjustments or assists – a powerful and transformative aspects of practice – we always ask for a student’s consent.
II. Scope of practice: We acknowledge the scope and the limitation of our skills and knowledge, and seek to fill the gaps over time.
1. When we become aware of a gap in our knowledge or ability to help a student, we will refer them to seek alternative instruction, advice, treatment or direction.
2. We commit to ongoing professional development with other teachers.
3. We maintain diligently our own practice.
III. Relationship with peers: We take a professional approach when working alongside our fellow teachers, therapists, and Mission staff. This includes:
1. We speak respectfully of teaching traditions not our own.
2. We cooperate with other teachers, and other health practitioners to meet the needs of students where appropriate.
3. We treat other teachers, therapists, and Mission staff with respect. We do not gossip, we do not harm others and at all time seek to act with compassion and care.
4. We consult and take advice from our peers and mentors where appropriate.
