Ethics Statement

At Upāyosis, we recognize that all meaningful spiritual work rests on a foundation of trust, integrity, and compassion. Our ethical commitment is not about following rules—it is about honoring the sacred nature of this path, the vulnerability of those who walk it, and care needed to work with the complexity of the synthesis of altered states of consciousness and contemplative practice.

Why We Show Up

Our intention is to serve the awakening and well-being of others by providing spiritually grounded, psychologically informed, and ethically clear spaces for inner transformation. We do not position ourselves as gurus, healers, or authorities, but as companions and spiritual friends (Kalyāṇa-mittatā) walking alongside others on the path. We show up to offer presence, clarity, and care—guided by the principle that there is nothing to fix, but only to recognize our inherent wholeness.

Boundaries, Integrity, & Humility

We commit to holding clear boundaries—relational, emotional, energetic, and professional. Ethical looseness often creates confusion and harm; clarity is a form of care. We will never knowingly impose our own beliefs or projections onto others and will remain acutely aware of power dynamics and the potential ethical difficulties of holding dual relationships.

We make no false claims about our abilities or outcomes, and we freely admit the limits of our knowledge or experience. When in doubt, we pause, reflect, and seek guidance. We work only within modalities in which we have developed appropriate training and competencies. We are committed to ongoing supervision, mentorship, and education to ensure continued ethical alignment.

Respect for Individual Sovereignty

We respect the autonomy and dignity of every participant. We uphold the principle of informed consent, especially in contexts involving altered states or sacred medicines and their potential for harm. We aim to empower others to find their own path, not to prescribe fixed answers or identities. We preserve confidentiality, respect diverse worldviews, and commit to practicing without bias, favoritism, or manipulation.

Service & Self-Responsibility

We pursue our own liberation not as our own private goal, but in service to collective well-being and flourishing. Our actions are guided by compassion, discernment, and responsiveness to a wide spectrum of spiritual needs. We hold the paradox that while profound change is possible, and urgently needed, nothing essential is broken or missing.

Ethics, in this view, is not a checklist or a set of dogmatic rules to follow—it is way of relating which expresses itself in living, daily practice of honoring what is true, kind, and skillful in relationship. Our ethics reflect the integrity and maturity of our path and the sincerity of our vow to serve life without causing harm.

Reciprocity

At Upāyosis, we honor the profound lineages—both Indigenous and Dharmic—that have made this work possible. Because phenomena arise “in dependence on causes and conditions” (paṭicca-samuppāda), inter-being is the fabric of reality. Reciprocity in ethics simply mirrors this ontological interdependence: one cannot act without affecting (and being affected by) others.

In recognition of the interdependence between our healing, growth, and awakening, and the wisdom traditions that inform it, we commit to donating 10% of program proceeds to organizations and communities stewarding living Buddhist and indigenous based practices. This act of reciprocity is not charity—it’s an ethical response to historical extraction, a gesture of gratitude, and a vow to do what we can to restore what has been systematically displaced. We invite participants to see this as part of their own practice of relational integrity.