Code Of Conduct

I. Introduction
Swasti Yoga Center Code of Conduct (Code) applies to every Swasti Yoga Center Member, and all Members are required to submit their official Acknowledgement confirming their understanding of and agreement to follow the Code. The Code sets out acceptable, recommended, required, and prohibited professional and ethical behaviors by which Members agree to conduct themselves. It is based upon core values intrinsic to the practice of yoga, including Patanjali Yamas and Niyamas.

II. Purpose
Swasti Yoga Center strives to maintain an outstanding Center of excellence, setting higher standards in yoga education, research, therary, and propagation. The purpose of the Code is to promote safe and respectful guidelines for the profession of teaching yoga and to assure that Swasti Yoga Center Members maintain a high level of teaching ability and accountability. By defining and requiring high standards of professional and ethical conduct, Swasti Yoga Center seeks to promote confidence and respect for Members throughout yoga communities and the public at large. This includes, but is not limited to: a. Broadening the public understanding of the role and need for certified yoga professionals through the Ministry of AYUSH and the Yoga Certification Board; b. Ensuring and upholding professional behavior within the Swasti Yoga Center community; c. Developing and encouraging high standards of professional conduct; and d. Promoting and protecting the interests of the profession of yoga teaching and Swasti Yoga Center Members.

III. Preamble
Swasti Yoga Center Code centers on the principles of Patanjali Yamas and Niyamas towards the purpose of internal self-reflection and external conscious action. The Yamas and Niyamas set guidelines for aspirational ethical behavior for yoga practitioners, which then inform a contemporary global view on the ethical responsibilities of teachers to students, trainees, employees, peers, or other Members and to society at large. Members agree to adhere to this Code as a commitment to ethical integrity in teaching yoga.

IV. Code of Conduct Principles

• Code Principle 1 – Adhere to Applicable Law Requires adherence to applicable law. Members MUST abide by all local, state, provincial, national, and federal laws and regulations applicable in their location(s).

• Code Principle 2 – Follow the Swasti Yoga Center Teacher Scope of Practice Members MUST follow the Swasti Yoga Center Teacher Scope of Practice (TSP). Members MUST attest that they have read, understand, and agree to the TSP. The TSP sets out acceptable, recommended, required, and prohibited practices by which Members agree to conduct themselves while teaching yoga.

•  Code Principle 3 – Follow the Swasti Yoga Center Anti-Harassment/Sexual Misconduct Policy Members MUST follow the Swasti Yoga Center Anti-Harassment/Sexual Misconduct Policy. Members MUST NOT harass students, trainees, employees, peers, other Members, other teachers, other schools, studios, or members of the public, in person or through online activities, now known or unknown, such as trolling, stalking, using hate speech, threatening, intimidating, reporting of false grievances, manipulating, or otherwise harassing in any form or manner. Members MUST NOT intentionally or negligently cause sexual harm-verbally, physically, or otherwise-to students, trainees, employees, peers, other Members, other teachers, or members of the public through any action, including but not limited to: actions prescribed by local, state, provincial, national, and federal laws and regulations.

•  Code Principle 4 – Do No Harm Members MUST do no harm. Members MUST attest that they will take reasonable steps to do no harm and will not intentionally or negligently cause harm to students, trainees, employees, peers, other Members, other teachers, or members of the public through any action or inaction, including but not limited to actions proscribed by local, state, provincial, national, and federal laws and regulations.

• Code Principle 5 also prohibits, for the purposes of safety, the Member from teaching yoga while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, except for those drugs that have been prescribed to the Member for medical purposes by a licensed medical or mental health professional. This teaching prohibition is irrespective of jurisdictional legality and within certain yogic practices and lineages, styles, and methodologies. Code Principle 5 – Actively Include All Individuals Members MUST NOT discriminate against and SHOULD actively include all individuals. Members are expected to go beyond basic legal prohibitions against discrimination and, within their scope of practice, actively include, accommodate, and welcome all who wish to be included in the practice of yoga. Code Principle 5 includes, but is not limited to, the following: ? Avoid Discrimination: Members MUST NOT discriminate against students, trainees, employees, staff, peers, or any other Members on the basis of age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, body type, personal appearance, physical or mental ability, socioeconomic status, marital status, political activities, or affiliation or any other basis proscribed by local, state, provincial, national, and federal laws and regulations. ? Seek Active Inclusion: Members SHOULD seek to actively include, accommodate, and welcome persons who are typically excluded on the basis named above in ‘Avoid Discrimination’ as a committed practice towards creating equity. ? Provide Reasonable Accommodations: Members SHOULD understand and facilitate to the best of their ability reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. Members are responsible for complying with disability laws and regulations applicable in their jurisdictions. For reference, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs provides a resource to Disability Laws and Acts by Country/Area which may be applicable in particular jurisdictions. ? Establish Reasonable Physical Location: Members SHOULD carefully consider the safety and accessibility of the physical location(s) of their yoga classes and workshops.

•  Code Principle 6 – Respect Student-Teacher Relationships Members MUST respect Student-Teacher relationships. Code Principle 6 includes, but is not limited to, the following: ? Consent-Based Touch: As it pertains to the act of physically assisting, the Member MUST obtain Explicit and Informed Consent before physically adjusting students and trainees in yoga practices. Explicit and Informed Consent can be given verbally, in writing, by an unambiguous gesture, or via a consent indicator. Silence or lack of resistance, in and of itself, does not demonstrate consent. Further, Members understand and agree that Explicit and Informed Consent is an ongoing process of communication and agency and that previous consent does not imply future permission or allow for future physical adjustment or contact of any type. ? Romantic and/or Sexual Relationships: The Member SHOULD NOT enter into a new romantic and/or sexual relationship with a student or trainee during the course of a teacher training course, other school, conference, workshop, retreat, class, or other such events at which the Member is perceived to be the Teacher. If feelings do develop, or if the parties mutually agree to move forward with a romantic and/or sexual relationship during the course of the aforementioned events, the Member SHOULD suggest that the Student or Trainee find an alternate Teacher. ? Work Status: Members MUST abide by all local governing agencies, including but not limited to: local, state, provincial, national, and/or federal laws and regulations when hiring, working with, or engaging students, trainees, employees, or other Members. In cases of non-monetary work exchanges, Members MUST commit the details of those agreements to writing to decrease possible tensions and misunderstandings. ? Consent to Record: Members MUST NOT photograph, record video, or capture any other imagery in any other medium, nor use such imagery or such person likeness, without the express consent of the students, trainees, or members of the public who are included in such photography, video, and imagery.

• Code Principle 7 – Maintain Honesty in Communications Members MUST maintain honesty in communications. This principle includes a duty to both refrain from certain activities and to proactively and affirmatively make certain disclosures including, but not limited to, the following: ? Honesty in Communication: Members MUST NOT falsely represent their professional yoga history, including but not limited to: education, training, experience, and credentials. Members MUST NOT plagiarize any copyrighted material and MUST accurately disclose the source of any teaching, writing, or resource that is not their own. Members SHOULD acknowledge their Teachers or mentors when sharing a teaching related to that relationship. Members MUST NOT make unsupported or exaggerated claims regarding the effects of yoga. ? Local Resources: Members MUST NOT provide advice or services in locations where they are not currently and properly licensed during or resulting from any program. In terms of disclosures, Members SHOULD create and provide referral lists of locally available resources for students, including but not limited to: medical and mental health professionals, law enforcement, suicide prevention hotline, sexual abuse hotline, and Swasti Yoga Center. ? Cultural Responsibility: Members SHOULD educate and inform themselves about the history and genesis of yoga and proactively inform students and trainees of the origin and practices from the lineage, style, or methodology being taught. Members SHOULD seek to responsibly adapt yoga teachings and practices for Students of various cultural backgrounds while also understanding the existence of appropriation and commodification in contemporary yoga and its effects on Indian and other cultures and traditions. ? Individual Responsibility: Members SHOULD, in addition to utilizing Swasti Yoga Center resources, establish an individual and personalized structure for periodic and ongoing peer mentoring, support, and advice as well as self-reflection, especially around yoga and yoga teaching issues they find challenging.