| The mission of a yoga instructor should be to serve | | | | ethics that apply most substantially to yoga instruction |
| the needs of the students in the class. That cannot be | | | | are yama and niyama. These ethics require |
| accomplished if intimate relationships are being | | | | peacefulness, honesty, acceptance, truthfulness, |
| cultivated with students, and unhealthy emotions blur | | | | temperance, and restraint. |
| the student-teacher boundary. | | | | Niyama sets forth the goals of purity, contentment, |
| Some instructors are not prepared to guard against | | | | self-study, and dedication to holiness. These essential |
| the ego in these situations and may give into the | | | | ethics cannot be upheld if instructors do not seek |
| temptations presented to them. This not only | | | | them. Ahimsa, peacefulness, requires us to do no harm. |
| dominates the nature of the classroom, but also | | | | One cannot get personally and intimately involved with |
| damages the purpose and reputation of yoga practice. | | | | a student and not inflict some grief. |
| Ego also gets in the way of yoga instruction, when | | | | Unfortunately, in today's environment, it is |
| instructors do not recognize the point where they are | | | | commonplace to see that the "exercise" portion of |
| not trained enough to assist yoga students with their | | | | yoga is often separated from the rest of yoga. The |
| needs. On the other hand, instructors should not | | | | classes tend to be body-centric and avoid, or eliminate, |
| abandon or neglect students. | | | | altogether, the importance of ethics, philosophy, and |
| Students should always be referred to another | | | | spirituality, which have been a part of yoga for its |
| instructor, or class, to allow them to get the most from | | | | 5,000 year history. |
| their yoga instruction. The yoga studio needs to be a | | | | Without the ethical, philosophical, and spiritual elements, |
| safe place for everybody, regardless of where they | | | | the complete benefits and true core of yoga are |
| are in their own lives. The instructor is responsible for | | | | missing. The same can be said of actions taken by |
| creating and maintaining a safe environment. | | | | yoga instructors that selfishly put the needs of the |
| The yoga sutras, which are at the core of yoga ethics, | | | | teacher first. |
| have eight branches, or arms. The personal and social | | | | |