How we work, how we treat each other, and what to expect when you train with Adhyaya Yoga.
Last updated: November 2026
This Code of Conduct applies to all Adhyaya Yoga trainers, faculty, assistants and trainees. Its purpose is to protect our students and community and to hold our teachers to high professional standards. It is rooted in the yamas and niyamas of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Teacher–student relationships. Teachers recognise the trust placed in them and the power imbalance in the teacher–student relationship. They avoid dual relationships (business, close personal or sexual) that could impair their judgment or exploit a student. Teachers do not impose their personal beliefs on students.
Touch and consent. Touch, including hands-on adjustments, Thai Yoga Massage and Acro Yoga, is used only with the student’s clear consent and for the student’s benefit. Consent can be withdrawn at any time. Touch is always free of any personal or sexual motive.
Scope of practice. Teachers do not diagnose conditions, give medical advice, prescribe treatment, or suggest a student disregard a physician’s advice. They refer students to qualified health professionals when appropriate.
Integrity and honesty. Teachers represent their qualifications, credentials and affiliations accurately. They do not portray themselves as enlightened or spiritually advanced.
Financial practices. All fees and financial arrangements are discussed openly and professionally. Teachers do not receive or pay commissions for referring students and avoid financial entanglements with trainees.
Confidentiality. Personal information shared by students is kept confidential. It is disclosed only with written consent, to comply with the law, or to prevent harm. Students are asked for consent before any photo, audio or video recording.
Equity and inclusion. We welcome all students regardless of age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability or socioeconomic background. Teachers adapt practices to make them accessible and approach students in a trauma-informed way.
Respect for place and culture. Our training takes place in Rishikesh, a sacred place for many. Trainees and faculty respect local customs, temples, the Ganga and the community, and honour the cultural and historical roots of yoga.
Advertising. We make no false or exaggerated claims about our trainings, our faculty or the benefits of yoga.
Professional growth. Teachers maintain their own practice and continue their education throughout their careers.
Professional conduct for trainees. Trainees arrive on time, come prepared, treat everyone with respect, and do not attend sessions under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Violations of this Code are handled under our Grievance Policy.
Adhyaya Yoga has zero tolerance for harassment and sexual misconduct. This policy applies to trainers, faculty, assistants, trainees, staff and anyone else present at our trainings, in person or online.
Harassment. We do not permit anyone to harass another person because of age, gender (including pregnancy), race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status or any other protected characteristic. Harassment includes slurs, insults, intimidation, ridicule, hostile acts and denigrating jokes or material.
Sexual harassment and misconduct. We prohibit any unwelcome sexual attention, advances, requests for sexual favours, and verbal, visual or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Examples include:
If someone says a behaviour is unwelcome and it is repeated, it is harassment.
Touch-based practices. Our curriculum includes hands-on adjustments, Thai Yoga Massage and Acro Yoga. These are always taught and practised with explicit, ongoing consent. Every trainee may decline to give or receive touch at any time, without any effect on their assessment or certification.
Relationships between teachers and students. Faculty shall not invite, respond to, or allow any sexual or romantic conduct with a trainee during the training. This applies even if the trainee initiates it. If an attraction develops, the faculty member must keep strict professional boundaries and inform school management. A relationship that existed before the training must be disclosed to school management at the start.
Reporting. Anyone who experiences or witnesses harassment or misconduct is encouraged to report it under our Grievance Policy, to hello@adhyayayoga.com. Reports are taken seriously, handled confidentially, and protected under our Anti-Retaliation Policy.
Adhyaya Yoga will not retaliate against anyone who, in good faith, reports or raises a concern about harassment, discrimination, misconduct, or a violation of our Code of Conduct or policies. The same protection applies to anyone who takes part in an investigation.
What retaliation means. Retaliation is any adverse action taken against a person because they made a report or took part in an investigation. Examples include:
Responsibility of faculty. All trainers and faculty must report any retaliation they see to school management straight away. They must never blame the person who reported, hide a report, or discourage anyone from reporting.
Consequences. Anyone found to have retaliated will face disciplinary action, up to removal from the training or termination of their teaching agreement.
How to report retaliation. Contact school management at hello@adhyayayoga.com. If the concern involves a member of school management, contact the other director directly, or report it to Yoga Alliance.
Anyone who experiences a violation of our Code of Conduct or policies can report it to Adhyaya Yoga and expect a fair, confidential and timely response.
Who reviews complaints. Complaints are reviewed by school management (the “reviewing body”). If a complaint concerns a member of school management, the person may send it directly to Yoga Alliance, so that no one reviews a complaint about themselves.
How to report. Send a written report to hello@adhyayayoga.com within 30 days of the incident. Later reports may still be reviewed at our discretion. Please include:
Reports must be made in good faith. During the training, concerns can also be raised in person with any faculty member, who will pass them to the reviewing body.
Process and timeline.
If a concern is urgent or a safety issue arises during the residential training, we act immediately, which may include separating the people involved.
Confidentiality. Everything shared in a grievance is kept confidential and discussed only in private. Outcomes are shared only with those directly involved.
Possible outcomes. Sanctions are proportionate to what happened:
No one will face retaliation for making a report in good faith (see our Anti-Retaliation Policy). Concerns about a Yoga Alliance–registered teacher can also be reported to Yoga Alliance directly.
A non-refundable deposit of €500 secures a place in the training. The remaining balance is due 8 weeks before the training starts. Payment is by bank transfer in EUR or USD with no extra fee, or by credit or debit card with a 4.5% processing fee.
| When you cancel (in writing) | Refund |
|---|---|
| Application not accepted by Adhyaya | 100% of all payments |
| More than 60 days before the start date | All payments except the €500 deposit |
| 60 days or fewer before the start date | No refund. We will do our best to find a replacement participant. |
| After the training has started | No refund |
Cancellations must be made in writing to hello@adhyayayoga.com. Refunds are paid within 30 days, by the original payment method. Bank and transfer fees are not refunded.
If Adhyaya cancels or postpones. If we cancel a training for any reason, trainees receive a full refund of everything they paid, or may transfer to a future date. We are not responsible for travel costs such as flights, visas or insurance, so we strongly recommend travel insurance.
Special circumstances. If a trainee must leave because of serious illness, injury or a family emergency, we will offer a fair solution at our discretion, usually a credit toward a future training to complete the remaining hours.
Removal for conduct. No refund is given if a trainee is removed from the training for violating our Code of Conduct or policies.
Tuition amounts and what’s included are listed on each training page; this policy only covers deposits, payments and refunds.
Trainees must complete all 300 hours to graduate and receive the Adhyaya Yoga 300-hour certificate.
Attendance. Attendance is recorded at every session. Trainees are expected to arrive at least 10 minutes before each session starts. Arriving more than 15 minutes late counts as a missed hour that must be made up.
Missed hours. Absences should be agreed in advance with the Lead Trainer, except in emergencies. A trainee may miss up to 10 hours for illness or other valid reasons. All missed hours must be made up through:
Make-up hours must be completed within 3 months of the training’s end date. Practice-teaching hours cannot be replaced by written work.
More than 10 hours missed. A trainee who misses more than 10 hours may complete the remaining hours in a future Adhyaya training within 12 months, subject to availability.
Leave of absence. In case of serious illness, injury or an emergency, a trainee may pause the training and join a future date. Our Tuition & Refund Policy applies to any unused tuition.
Removal from the training. A trainee may be removed if they are absent for more than 2 consecutive days without contacting us, miss tuition payments, provided false information on their application, or violate our Code of Conduct.