Ethics Agreement - The Threshold Society
Background:
We are challenged morally
and spiritually to make a clear ethical agreement with one another. We want to
affirm:
1.
our mutual respect and responsibility in spiritual community and in the student
relationship;
2.
the processes for resolving ethical dilemmas when they arise; and
3.
ongoing notice of ethical responsibility for new and continuing Threshold
Society members.
Definitions:
Group Leaders/Teachers: Anyone authorized by the Threshold Society to present classes,
seminars, workshops, or in any other way represent the organization. Leaders
have a function of advising students in both individual and group settings. The
following ethical guidelines apply to anyone explicitly acting as a teacher as
part of the Threshold Society.
Shaikh: A
teacher authorized to initiate and guide individual students.
Student: Any
participant in Threshold Society group activities.
Dual Relationship: Where the teacher/student link is combined with other forms of relationship
(business/financial, counseling, personal/romantic, etc.).
Agreement:
1.
In our effort to learn from Hazrati Mevlana Jelâluddin Rumi and to increase our
remembrance of God, each leader must adhere to a code of ethics that protects
the students in their group, the families of those students, and the
surrounding communities. Group leaders agree to hold in their trust the
fulfillment of their student's path in life. As a general principle, leaders
are cognizant of their potentially influential position with respect to
students who accept their guidance. Leaders, therefore, avoid exploiting the
trust and dependency of students for personal advantage.
2.
A leader cannot make claims of infallible spiritual authority, or make claims
of a special charisma which places him or her above other prophets, saints, or
teachers, living or dead. A leader cannot claim to be acting on behalf of other
spiritual guides and their communities without obtaining their prior consent,
or claim with authority to unilaterally represent their viewpoints.
3.
A leader cannot demand complete and unquestioning obedience from a student,
especially in ways which conflict with the student's conscience or moral
discrimination. Both group leaders and students agree to keep their relationship
clear of sexual, emotional, or financial exploitation and/or abuse.
4.
A leader should not counsel, nor attempt to diagnose, treat, nor advise, on
problems outside the recognized boundaries of their competence.
5.
Leaders agree not to engage in sexual activity with their students. A leader
may not legitimately have as his or her student anyone with whom he or she has
entered into conjugal relations, nor anyone with whom he or she seriously
considers entering into such a relationship in the future. Conjugal relations
may ensue between a former student and leader only if the following conditions
have been established:
a.
That
neither party is presently coupled or married to another person who might
protest such an arrangement. If the former condition exists for either or for
both parties, an annulment or divorce must be properly completed (by one or
both) before any other negotiations, such as those below, may take place.
b. Both parties must agree that the
student will no longer take personal, spiritual counseling from the leader, but
will seek spiritual guidance from another (possibly more senior) leader of the
Threshold Society or from another leader of a different order or school.
c.
Both
parties must enter into an explicit verbal or written contract which
establishes them in a committed relationship.
d. If the former student is a member of
an ongoing group, both parties should have the above agreement witnessed by at
least two other parties, and an announcement of the onset of such a
relationship must be made at the next group meeting. A former student may then
elect to partake in group meetings and classes, or not, as he or she sees fit,
with the explicit proviso that the leader of that circle will no longer be
serving as a personal spiritual guide to that person.
6.
A leader does not enter into business ventures which may be reasonably expected
to be unethical or exploitative of others with anyone at any time. A leader
cannot knowingly accept or administer finances or goods obtained illegally or
unethically.
7.
Where dual relationship occurs, there is a potential for misunderstanding. Both
leaders and students agree to use caution and discernment; seeking guidance
with a third party is encouraged. Dual relationship cannot be a precondition to
group membership or to continuing a student/teacher relationship.
8.
A leader will not divulge the confidences of his or her spiritual
student--whether those confidences are spoken, written, or otherwise
recorded--without the prior approval of those students, except as follows: when
mandated by law or in order to prevent a clear and immediate danger to the
student in question or to another person, or when consulting with another
spiritual leader who is similarly bound to confidentiality.
9.
A leader cannot verbally or physically abuse or threaten a student with
punishment of any sort, corporeal or spiritual. A leader cannot speak to a
student or leader in a manner which is manifestly disrespectful or publicly
humiliating. Individuals, men or women, students or leaders, have the right to
refuse any request made by others if they feel such request or demands are
immoral, unethical, unnecessary or against their will.
10.
A leader is normally expected to conform to the laws of the country, state, and
county which he or she presently inhabits, unless such laws directly contradict
the leader's deepest spiritual and moral values, in which case he or she may
feel morally obligated to practice a form of non-violent civil disobedience.
11.
The student accepts responsibility for bringing ethical concerns or
ambiguities, perceptions of moral inadequacies, or issues that need attention,
to the leader, leader’s guide, Student’s Advocate, or Ethics Committee of the
Threshold Society. No member of the Threshold Society is exempted from
this review.
12. The ongoing work within the Mevlevi
tradition is a non-commercial, God-given spiritual path. Freely we receive and
freely we give. Thus the regular gatherings of Sufis are offered without
charge. Groups may ask for donations to cover the expenses of the group,
including rent, food, and other expenses such as communication. Shaikhs,
khalifas, and circle leaders are not paid for their teaching within the Mevlevi
tradition. If someone is invited to a conference, or travels a significant
distance to offer a public event, payment may be accepted. If an
introductory course is offered for a limited time on a Sufi literature
or knowledge, a fee is also acceptable. To summarize, the week to week, year to
year teaching of the tradition is a non-commercial, free offering.
13. Teachers and circle leaders cannot demand
or exert pressure on their students to contribute money that will personally
benefit the teachers or leaders.
14. Teachers and circle leaders cannot force
students to hold secrets, or to make decisions in people’s lives, such as who
they will marry, where they will live, who their friends will be, or who they
should associate with.
1.
Students and group leaders share responsibility for keeping the teacher/student
relationship free of abuse or exploitation.
2.
Whenever possible, issues will be resolved by those involved, with or without a
mutually agreed-upon mediator. Immediate, local resolution is encouraged; it is
recommended that local communities develop their own resolution/mediation
processes.
3.
Where resolution is not forthcoming, parties may request mediation assistance
from the leader's supervising guide or Student’s Advocate. Either party may
request the assistance of the Ethics Committee.
(A)
hear and make recommendations on all ethical issues referred to it, and
(B)
coordinate subsequent revisions of this document with the membership.
5.
While this code of ethics is meant to establish general criteria for the
specific activity of spiritual guidance, it is not the moral or legal
responsibility of the Threshold Society to directly enforce this code. This
code is not intended to be legally binding on members or any other persons. No
person shall be deemed authorized by the Threshold Society, expressly or
implicitly, to maintain any legal or regulatory claim, cause of action, or
lawsuit against any other person based upon or related to the guidelines and
principles set forth herein. Complaints can and should be directed to the
Threshold Society Ethics Committee.
6.
Copies of this agreement, along with names and addresses of members of the
ethics committee and the current Student's Advocate, shall be published in the
Threshold Society bulletin "Eye of the Heart," distributed to all
students.
We stand at the beginning
rather than at the end of our exploration of ethics.
"The Sufi's book (of ethics) is not of ink and letters;
it's nothing but a heart white as snow."
(Hazrati Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi)
"Sufism means scrupulously maintained moral behavior
which one must observe toward all of God's creatures"
(Hazrat Kwaja Moineddin Chisti)
Here are some aspects of
adab we will attempt to follow:
Disclaimer: None of the activities of the
Threshold Society are intended to be "psychotherapeutic" or to treat
active or latent emotional, physical, or mental disease. Members participating
in the activities of the Threshold Society should be aware that they do so as
fully responsible adults for the sole purpose of spiritual development.
Co-authorship: The Threshold Society has drawn
from several ethics agreements of other Sufi organizations, especially that of ITLAQ,
formulated by Dr. Yannis Toussulis.