Conduct Is Practice

A Letter About Developing Ligmincha's Code of Conduct

In spiritual communities around the world, people have recently been coming forward to speak about misconduct and abuse – sexual, financial, physical, verbal.

All communities in which there are asymmetrical power structures (teacher/student, boss/employee, staff/volunteer, member/nonmember) face such problems. Reading about the struggle of individuals to expose these situations, come to terms with them, and heal fills my heart with sadness and compassion. Such disclosures have also strengthened our collective resolve within Ligmincha to do more to minimize the risk of harming one another, protect the teachings and preserve our integrity as practitioners.

The element of conduct needs emphasis in our practice and in our relationships. To that end, we are committed in thought, word and deed to creating a community founded on the equality of all. Ligmincha aspires to be a community in which every individual is respected and even cherished as a future buddha. Every sentient being has this innate capacity. Whoever you are, whatever identities you hold, whether you have been practicing for one month or most of your life, we want you to feel welcome in our online communities, at our retreat centers and in our practice groups. We hope that you feel this way already. At the same time, we must actively work to ensure that what we hope for is a reality, not only today but in the future, too.

With the encouragement of our spiritual director, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, a group of board members and senior students are drafting a formal code of conduct. We are working to make clear the behaviors expected from all of our teachers, instructors, staff, and volunteers, as well as from every participant in our community. The more authority one holds, the more responsible one is for guiding and shaping the character of the community.

In addition to formalizing a code of conduct, we will make it an integral a part of our trainings at every level of Ligmincha. There will be a clear and impartial process to hear allegations of misconduct, evaluate them, and make space for healing and change as needed. Our goal is to create opportunities for each practitioner to fully express their best self. Any individual or group actions that inhibit our collective pursuit of self-realization must be identified and changed. For it is in our service to one another that our practice bears fruit.

We will make this new code of conduct available to all after it is finalized over the coming months.

In Service to Bön,
Rob Patzig
President, Ligmincha International