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The
Ethical Guidelines of the
HeartStream Sufi
Community Leadership
The
HeartStream Board and Leadership Community
are committed to creating a safe atmosphere at all of our functions.
Part of that effort is the creation of an Ethics Board where inappropriate
behavior can be reported. The HeartStream ethics committee chair
person is currently Nancy Norris at healingvib@aol.com
or she can also be reached at 831-336-8461. You can also report
inappropriate behavior to a Dance or Zhikr Leader.
The Dances of
Universal Peace and Zhikr invite us to enter expanded states of
consciousness - including expanded states of feeling. They involve
a high amount of personal contact and, while evoking feelings of
joy, love, compassion and communion, present constant interpersonal
challenges. One can easily confuse the feelings that arise with
the person(s) who helped facilitate them. Because of this, the HeartStream
Sufi Community of Santa Cruz has adapted the Ethical guidelines
as articulated by the SRI Mentor Teachers Guild of the Dances of
Universal Peace and evolved them to more fully support our community’s
needs. They are as follows:
Ethical Guidelines
of the HeartStream Sufi Community
We recognize
that we, leaders, musicians, dance leader apprentices, dancers and
staff, are all affected by the less healthy parts of our culture
around issues of money, sex and power. Out of respect for all of
the activities we engage in as Sufi Leaders, for ourselves and for
those who dance and pray with us, we regard ourselves as responsible
to act in the most ethical manner possible at all times. To this
end we agree to the following tenants:
1. We will uphold
basic ethical guidelines common to the precepts of all sacred paths
and religions. Sufi Practices and activities (including the DUP,
Zhikr, esoteric classes and guidance for mureeds), create an inner
sanctuary for transformation and evolution and all persons need
to feel safe within the container created. Sexual/gender harassment
and misconduct of a sexual nature will not be tolerated.
2. We agree to participate in ongoing and repeated education provided
for our leaders, members and staff in conjunction with the development
and adoption of our policy statement. This education is developed
to help our leaders, members, and staff gain awareness of and sensitivity
to behaviors that might be viewed as harassing or abusive. It will
help us understand how to prevent harassment and misconduct, how
to respond appropriately to complaints and allegations; and how
to investigate and how to follow up after an investigation.
3. We will do our best to be sensitive to the dynamics of personal
relationships, particularly when an imbalance of power may exist
or be perceived to exist.
4. We will be honest in our dealings with money and do our best
to be explicit about fees we charge or contributions that we expect
as reasonable compensation for time, expenses and travel in relation
to certification and supervision and dance leading.
5. We will be honest in our communications with each other and with
participants, and do our best to practice respectful, clear, and
direct communication.
6. We acknowledge that the integrity of our relationships with each
other and our communications with each other, our manners, our Adab,
is at the heart of our spiritual path. For this reason I will uphold
every interaction that I have with my community as an opportunity
to serve unity.
7. We agree that if we have an issue with someone, we will take
it up personally with that person and if needed, will bring in a
mediator to help facilitate clarity and a return to harmony.
8. We will not use our dance meetings or mentoring, supervising
or leadership relationships for manipulation of or indulgence in
favors that would not otherwise be freely given.
9. To avoid sexual harm and exploitation, we will refrain from sexual
relations between students and teachers, between supervised and
supervisor, between event participants and staff. If the awareness
of a relationship potential arises, we will refrain from pursuing
it during the dance or zhikr events and explore the reality of its
potential on our own time and out of the atmosphere of the dance
or zhikr container. We further agree to remove ourselves from the
leadership role while we explore this relationship or the other
person will abstain from participation in activities that we as
leader are facilitating for at least one month or until the relationship
is mutually agreed as ended.
10. We will not abuse or misuse intoxicants, and not use intoxicants
or be affected by them when leading the Dances or at any Dance event.
11. We agree to handle difficulties of an ethical nature through
the Ethics Chairperson and Committee of the HeartStream Board. The
HeartStream Ethical Chairperson currently is Nancy Norris
at healingvib@aol.com or 831-336-8461. The HeartStream Sufi board
will make the final decision in all issues that pertain to ethics.
The
current (2008) SRI Ethics Council includes Saladin Palfrey,
Zubin Goldman, and Abraham Sussman. The current Mureeds advocate
is Rahima Sweeney and can be reached at:
Neither the MTG
nor the local Ethics Committee is a legal or quasi-legal body. We
work on the basis of collaboration, consent and mutual respect. If
the Ethics Chair or Committee perceives that legal issues may be involved,
she/he/they will refer the parties involved to the appropriate authorities.
As the MTG of SRI and the local HeartStream Sufi Commnity Board gains
more experience further ethics procedures may unfold accordingly.
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