534. SAND Panel on Sexual Misconduct, Money, Power, Trauma & Ethics in Spiritual Communities

Panel Discussion at the Science and Nonduality Conference on Sexual Misconduct, Money, Power, Trauma & Ethics in Spiritual Communities, with Jac O'Keeffe, Mariana Caplan, Craig Holliday, and Miranda Macpherson Introduction by Rick Archer The spiritual awakening sweeping the world may be critical to addressing our critical problems. Ethical breaches by spiritual teachers sabotage this awakening. How the ASI was founded. Its role & perspective. Qualities and Characteristics of a healthy teacher, student, and spiritual community. What to look for in a spiritual teacher The student’s responsibility. Healthy teacher/student relationships. Support for teachers recognizing their blind spots. Are higher consciousness and more ideal behavior correlated? Continual growth and learning, even in the teachers’ seat. Discriminating between Awakening, Integration process, and actualization. Abiding exclusively in nondual awareness vs. developing a multi-layered perspective. What contributes to unhealthy behavior or cult-like tendencies. Questions and answers Guru addiction Money issues in spiritual communities The responsibility teachers and students share The importance of therapy. Teachers referring students to other teachers. How long to stay with a teacher Teachers inviting students to give them feedback Discussion of this panel in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this discussion. Recorded October 25, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Purpose of the Organization 00:02:40 - Establishing Guidelines for Spiritual Teachers 00:04:40 - Introduction of Spiritual Speakers 00:06:29 - Qualities of a Healthy Spiritual Teacher and Student 00:08:38 - Pursuing Growth in Spiritual Communities 00:10:47 - Accountability and Ethics in Teaching 00:12:47 - The Role of Humility in Teaching 00:14:31 - The Role of Trust in Teacher-Student Relationships 00:16:17 - The Process of Idealizing Teachers 00:18:23 - The Interplay in Unhealthy Relationships 00:20:25 - Higher Consciousness and Behavior 00:22:22 - Aligning with Integrity in Sexuality, Money, and Power 00:24:26 - Embracing Lifelong Learning 00:26:20 - Finding Balance and Growth in Education 00:28:08 - The Tricky Spot of Non-Dual Awareness 00:30:02 - The Deterrent of Fixed Notions and the Endless Possibilities of Awakening 00:32:02 - The Problem with the Search for Enlightenment 00:33:49 - The Danger of Group Think in Spiritual Communities 00:35:41 - Challenging Group Think and Teacher-Student Relationships 00:37:41 - Recovery from Guru Addiction 00:39:35 - Working on Our Relationship with Money 00:41:30 - The Illusion of Giving in Spiritual Teachings 00:43:30 - Mobilizing Teachers in the Shift 00:45:27 - The Power of Students Speaking Up 00:47:02 - The Development of Spiritual Maturity 00:49:05 - Engaging in Good Therapy and Trauma Healing 00:50:43 - Referring a Student Out of Their Depth 00:52:12 - Long-term relationships with students 00:54:24 - A Teacher's Role in Empowering Students 00:56:09 - The Need for Connection and Support in the ASI Community 00:58:01 - Music Interlude