Consent, Power And Abuse in Spiritual Groups
Workshop facilitators Rupert James Alison and Wilrieke Sophia have co-created two free booklets intended to encourage awareness of abusive power dynamics in spiritual groups. Both are available for free download below.
​
The first introduces a series of coloured flags (red, orange, yellow and green) to indicate a range of power dynamics, from the most abusive to the most healthy.
​
The second addresses other key factors in maintaining unhealthy group dynamics: the roles of enablers, apologists and bystanders.
​
The Background: Unhealthy power dynamics - from the relatively minor to the seriously abusive - have recently come to light within many different spiritual groups. Being able to recognise coercive and non-consensual dynamics is invaluable for anyone involved in these kinds of organisations, particularly unregulated groups such as yoga and tantra schools whose practices work with the vulnerabilities of students’ physical bodies.
Our hope is that with greater awareness, people can feel safe enough to experience the benefits of many of these practices, while better protecting themselves and each other from systemic harm.
​
​​
