What Every Yoga Student Needs to Know About Yoga Teacher Ethics, Power, Gurus, and Spiritual Teachers
by Beth Shaw, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, Founder of YogaFit Worldwide
Yoga teacher ethics are once again at the center of a difficult conversation. Another respected school has closed following allegations of inappropriate and unethical behavior by its founder. Sadly, this isn’t the first time our industry has faced this kind of reckoning—and it likely won’t be the last.
Why Yoga Teacher Ethics Matter
At its core, yoga teacher ethics aren’t simply about following a code of conduct. They’re about protecting students, honoring the practice, and recognizing that teaching yoga carries tremendous responsibility.
For nearly four decades, I’ve watched the yoga industry grow from a small community into a global business worth billions of dollars. I’ve also watched something else repeat itself over and over again. A beloved teacher rises to fame… an inspiring individual takes wisdom teaching and launches himself into the role of a spiritual guru. He writes books, he achieves fame, he has thousands of followers from every corner of the world. Students begin treating that teacher as enlightened, infallible, or somehow beyond ordinary human behavior.
Boundaries blur.
Power becomes concentrated.
Eventually, allegations emerge—sometimes of financial misconduct, emotional manipulation, sexual exploitation, or abuse of authority.
The community is shocked.
Then it happens again.
And again.
This isn’t really a story about yoga.
It’s a story about power. And our community has had a rash of this recently; some of these situations hit closer to home, especially when you have participated in the promotion of said individual. I have to say it makes me sick. Last September, I attended a workshop with a notable spiritual teacher, one who has achieved extraordinary fame … books, celebrities, mainstream beyond imagination. Yes, I had to delete the photos from my Instagram when his name showed up in the Epstein files. It’s sad, it’s disheartening and yes it’s another reminder to what we all inherently know …..it makes me simultaneously sick and sad. Disengheartened and disgusted. Taking advantage of someone who has come to you ( as many people seeking spirituality and yoga do ) to heal, to connect to find solace, is abuse.
Humans are Humans … Teachers are Human
One of the greatest misconceptions in modern yoga is that
studying yoga teacher ethics somehow makes someone immune to ethical failures. It doesn’t. Ethics aren’t a certificate you earn—they’re a daily practice.
Teaching yoga doesn’t eliminate ego… no, it often makes it worse.
Meditation doesn’t erase narcissism.
Leading retreats doesn’t guarantee integrity.
A teacher can deliver brilliant instruction and still make terrible personal decisions… and with the closure of yet another yoga school, now shrouded in scandal. I’m reminded that two things can exist at the same time. I speak from personal experience here … I’ve been practicing yoga and meditation since a young age, and has it helped my compassion? Yes. Has it helped eradicate excess ego? Yes. Has it helped my ADHD and depression? Sometimes. Has it helped my awareness? Yes. However, in running a school steeped in yoga and mind-body techniques for almost 30 years, I have to say that a large part of the learning comes from the integrity it takes to share the practices of yoga and other mindfulness tools in a clean way for over three decades. To maintain boundaries – to not get too close -even when this looks like you have walls up. There are ways to energetically erect walls and still remain open. It’s a feeling, it’s an energy, and it’s an intention to SERVE THE STUDENT – not have them SERVICE YOU!
When students stop seeing a teacher as a person and start seeing them as a guru, problems begin. I have found the very people who put you up on a pedestal are the same ones who often can’t wait to knock you off of it. My advice? Take yourself down, or even better, don’t allow anyone to place you in this role. Humanize yourself.
A GURU pedestal is a Dangerous one. At YogaFit, we have always made the focus the student – the focus needs to be on bringing the student’s power closer to the surface so they can see and feel it. Otherwise ….
Healthy respect turns into unquestioning devotion.
Questions become disloyalty.
Criticism becomes heresy.
The teacher’s needs begin to outweigh the students’ well-being.
No one benefits from that dynamic.
The Ethics of Intimacy
One issue has surfaced repeatedly throughout the history of modern yoga: romantic or sexual relationships between teachers and students.
Can two consenting adults have a relationship?
Of course.
But consent isn’t the only ethical consideration.
When one person holds authority, influence, admiration, and control over another’s education or spiritual development, there is an inherent power imbalance.
That imbalance deserves thoughtful consideration and clear boundaries.
As educators, we have a responsibility to create environments where students feel safe—not confused about whether admiration, vulnerability, or spiritual seeking might become entangled with personal relationships. Any type of energy that is not clean or pure needs to be left out of the room. Sacred space means a clear space. Professional boundaries protect everyone involved.
This is exactly why yoga teacher ethics emphasize professional boundaries. When a teacher holds authority over a student’s learning, healing, or spiritual development, maintaining clear boundaries isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Charisma Is Not Character
Some of the most magnetic people you’ll ever meet become yoga teachers. They inspire, motivate, and speak beautifully. But charisma should never be confused with integrity. Real integrity is often much quieter. It’s shown in consistency.Transparency.Humility.Accountability.The willingness to admit mistakes, to hear criticism, and to humanize yourself – your struggles, your challenges, and your triumphs.
I’ll admit it – every time another scandal breaks, it’s hard for me, anytime an Instagram model uses yoga to get likes – beautiful poses with an attractive body – sometimes it makes me never want to practice again. One of the tragedies that follows every scandal is that students often abandon yoga entirely- this is truly tragic – but I get it.
Please don’t.
Yoga existed long before today’s celebrity teachers and self-appointed “gurus”. It will exist long after them. Your practice belongs to you—not to the person standing at the front of the room.
Strong yoga teacher ethics are demonstrated through consistency, transparency, accountability, and humility—not popularity or charisma.
What YogaFit Has Always Believed
When I founded YogaFit, one of my primary goals was to establish a higher standard for yoga teacher ethics by creating professional education rooted in anatomy, evidence-based teaching, inclusivity, and accountability. YogaFit’s safe principles of alignment, our inclusive communication style, the emphasis on letting go of judgment and expectation, and being present for yourself in each moment – to witness without reaction – yes, these rules apply to the teacher too. Yoga is a practice of oneness, meaning the student and teacher essentially share the same energy. At YogaFit, we continually emphasize anatomy, ethics, continuing education, critical thinking, and evidence-informed teaching—not personality cults. Not Gurus and not stages. This may not help your “ celebrity statues or Instagram likes, but it matters more than anything. Our role as teachers isn’t to collect followers. It’s to help students become more independent, more discerning, and more connected to themselves. If a student leaves one of my trainings believing they need me forever, I’ve failed. If they leave trusting themselves a little more, I’ve succeeded.DEAR Students – take the message – don’t shoot the messenger, but please, please don’t F^@K him – or her – either.
Don’t Give Away Your Power
Don’t assume you will find solace, answers, or truth outside yourself. A true GURU does not exist. A true teacher honors and respects you and would never cross boundaries that are just unethical. A good teacher points you back to yourself. A great teacher reminds you that the wisdom you’re seeking isn’t owned by anyone.
Ask questions.
Maintain healthy skepticism.
Appreciate excellent teaching without surrendering your judgment.
Respect your teachers—but don’t idolize them. Ultimately, yoga teacher ethics aren’t just the responsibility of instructors—they’re something every student should understand. An informed student is far less likely to surrender their power to someone who hasn’t earned it.
And remember: The messenger may inspire you. But your own inner wisdom is the real teacher. That’s the practice worth protecting.
If you teach, your only job is to keep your students safe on every level.
