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.

Empower Wellness Code of Conduct

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

OUR ETHICAL COMMITMENTS:

Honor the Practice
Approach yoga with humility, dedication, and respect for its roots. Acknowledge that the practice is larger than any one teacher or tradition, and carry that awareness into how you teach and study.

Teach with Integrity
Share what you know and be honest about what you are still learning. Represent your credentials and experience accurately. When a student's needs are beyond your scope, point them toward the right support with care.

Create a Welcoming Space
Hold your classes and interactions as genuinely inclusive — welcoming people of all bodies, abilities, identities, backgrounds, and experience levels. Every student deserves to feel safe and at ease in this space.

Communicate with Respect
Speak kindly, listen actively, and engage with students, peers, and colleagues in a spirit of openness and care. How we communicate is part of how we teach.

Maintain Healthy Boundaries
Keep professional boundaries clear and appropriate in all student and peer relationships. The trust that comes with the teacher role is something we hold carefully and do not misuse.

Prioritize Safety
Place the physical and emotional safety of students above all else. Offer touch-based assists only with explicit consent. Safe teaching is attentive, adaptive, and always student-centered.

Keep Confidences
What students and fellow trainees share in class, in training, or in conversation is held in confidence. Personal stories and sensitive information are treated with discretion and respect.

Commit to Your Own Growth
Show up prepared, engaged, and invested in your own development as a practitioner and teacher. Continuing education, personal practice, and honest self-reflection are ongoing professional responsibilities.

Take Care of Yourself
Sustaining your own wellbeing — physically, mentally, and emotionally — is part of how you serve your students well. Tending to yourself is part of the work, not separate from it.

Be Accountable
Take responsibility for your words, choices, and actions. When something goes wrong or a concern arises, address it honestly and directly. Growth requires the willingness to be corrected and to stay in relationship through difficulty.