American Yoga Council Code of Conduct

v1.0, last updated 18 September 2025

Preamble

A Code of Conduct is a difficult document to write. In theory, it sets out your responsibilities as members in good standing, and what we, as a community, expect of each other.

In practice, it’s easy for a Code of Conduct to be so generic it is of little use, and for there to be next-to-no consequences for violating it. So we’re taking a different approach, with a few specific aims in mind:

  • We want the Code of Conduct to be more adaptable to your own ethics as a teacher or school in good standing.
  • We want the public to easily be able to see a School's code in order to hold them accountable to it.
  • We want our Code of Conduct to reflect our values as an organization.
  • And we want this Code of Conduct to be a key tool in holding ourselves to account as a community.

We expect this document to evolve, with your help, and we’re excited to figure out together what real accountability might look like in yoga teaching.

The American Yoga Council Code of Conduct

1. Follow the Law

This sounds obvious, but it's also the most enforceable clause to have in a Code of Conduct. We expect AYC members to teach in accordance with all appropriate legislation in your jurisdiction when teaching yoga. We’re not going to police your practice, but if your behaviour towards your students and colleagues violates civil or criminal law, we will recommend and support legal action. Unethical behaviour of a legal nature could result in expulsion from AYC.

  • I will teach in accordance with all appropriate legislation in my jurisdiction.

2. Uphold AYC Core Values

Secondly, to be a member in good standing, we expect you to teach in accordance with the following values, which reflect the core values of AYC as an organization.

  • Following the core value of Generosity, I will share my teachings in the spirit of collaboration rather than competition, and conduct my financial dealings fairly with others.
  • Following the core value of Transparency, I will represent my yoga education, background, and the content of my teaching honestly and accurately.
  • Following the core value of Right Livelihood, I will teach to the scope of practice of my training and experience.
  • Following the core value of Embodied Relationships, I will teach with respect for the value of ethical human to human connections.

3. Creating a Personal Code

Lastly, to be an effective and ethical yoga teacher, we believe it is vital to have considered your own personal code of conduct. You might reflect on Patanjali’s yamas and niyamas, on the five Buddhist Precepts for right living, on the lay Jain code, or on any other philosophical sources. We would like you to describe that code of conduct in your own words.

  • In accordance with my own practice and understanding of yogic philosophy, I commit to teach and live by the personal code of conduct written below.

Heart Center School of Yoga Code of Conduct

Additionally, this school has established a specific code of conduct that must be upheld:

Student Code of Conduct & Community Agreements
Welcome to The Heart Center School of Yoga.
Our training is rooted in the understanding that yoga is far more than physical exercise—it is a practice of awareness, relationship, self-study, nervous system regulation, compassion, and embodied living.
We believe yoga should be welcoming and accessible to all.
If you can breathe, you can practice yoga.
Our approach values:
Slow as the “new fast”
Somatic awareness and nervous system safety
Choice, agency, and self-responsibility
Curiosity over perfection
Compassion over performance
Authenticity, integrity, and presence
This training is designed not only to help you become a yoga teacher, but to deepen your relationship with yourself and the way you move through the world.
Professional Scope of Practice
Students and graduates of this program understand that yoga teachers are wellness professionals, not licensed medical or mental health providers.
Yoga teachers do not:
Diagnose medical or psychological conditions
Prescribe treatment
Claim to cure illness or injury
Practice outside their scope of training
Students are encouraged to honor their own body’s signals and exercise personal agency at all times.
At the Heart Center School of Yoga, we emphasize offering options and choices rather than “modifications,” recognizing that every body and nervous system is unique.
Students should never feel pressured to practice through pain, force postures, or override internal signals.
Trauma-Informed Practice & Inclusive Space
Throughout this training, students will learn principles of trauma-informed teaching and communication.
We strive to create a learning environment that is:
Respectful
Inclusive
Compassionate
Consent-based
Non-judgmental
Supportive of differing identities, abilities, experiences, and perspectives
Students are expected to:
Speak respectfully to instructors and fellow trainees
Practice self-awareness and accountability
Avoid shaming, gossip, exclusionary behavior, or harmful language
Honor differing perspectives and lived experiences
Confidentiality & Emotional Safety
Confidentiality is essential to creating emotional safety within the cohort.
As personal experiences may be shared during training:
Information shared within the group should remain confidential
Students are expected to respect the privacy of fellow trainees
Anonymous sharing exercises should remain anonymous outside the classroom
Please do not share personal information disclosed during training with individuals outside the cohort.

Consent & Physical Touch
Our teaching methodology relies primarily on verbal cueing and invitational language.
At times, instructors may offer supportive physical touch or hands-on assists. Consent will always be requested before touch is offered.
Students are encouraged to:
Clearly communicate boundaries
Respect the boundaries of others
Understand that consent may be withdrawn at any time
Personal Responsibility & Self-Awareness
Yoga is inherently a practice of self-awareness and self-regulation.
Students are expected to:
Take responsibility for how they show up in the classroom
Communicate openly and respectfully
Seek support when needed
Practice emotional responsibility rather than projecting stress or frustration onto others
We recognize that all people experience challenges and difficult seasons. Part of yoga practice is learning to meet those experiences consciously and responsibly.
Cell Phones & Electronics
Cell phones should be turned off and stored away during class.
If you are expecting an emergency communication, please notify an instructor prior to class.
Texting or checking messages is permitted during breaks.
Electronic devices may be used for homework outside classroom hours, though handwritten note-taking is encouraged during classroom sessions.
Classroom Discussion Etiquette
Our classroom is a cooperative and respectful learning environment.
Students are asked to:
Respect others’ opportunity to speak
Avoid interrupting
Hold anecdotal comments for appropriate discussion periods
Understand that instructors must balance discussion with curriculum requirements
When participating in discussions:
Listen actively
Share from personal experience
Refrain from unsolicited advice-giving
Practice presence and curiosity
Shared Space Care & Yoga Etiquette
Please help care for the Heart Center environment by:
Cleaning up after yourself
Returning props and materials neatly
Respecting common spaces
Using trash and recycling receptacles appropriately
Food, including gum, should not be brought into studio spaces.
Please store personal belongings neatly in designated areas.
As part of traditional yoga etiquette, please refrain from stepping on another person’s yoga mat.
In Summary
This training is not about perfection.
It is about practice, awareness, integrity, compassion, growth, and learning to teach from an authentic and embodied place.
We are honored to walk this path together and look forward to the wisdom, presence, and unique perspective each student brings to the community.