THE LUCID GATHERINGS

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Heart-Awakening  educational offerings and coaching services offer a path of spiritual awakening and integration. Neither the work of the Heart-Awakening Teacher William Miller, or any collaborating Teacher/Mentor colleagues nor any contents of this website including the resources on the resource page, constitute psychological or medical advice.

Although Heart-Awakening Teacher William Miller and some collaborating colleagues may, by other professional training be psychotherapists, Heart-Awakening Teacher William Miller and any collaborating colleagues are not functioning as psychotherapists, mental health professionals, or addiction counselors. Any teachings or methods employed that resemble those of psychotherapy are due only to the expansive scope of the Heart-Awakening path, which address the full range of human experience. This work does not attempt to achieve therapeutic ends. We strongly recommend that those who are struggling with clinically diagnosed (or suspected but undiagnosed) psychological or emotional issues, diseases, or syndromes refrain from engaging in this work unless they are also actively working with a qualified, licensed professional.

Engaging in Heart-Awakening services is voluntary on the part of both practitioner and William Miller or any collaborating teacher or mentor. Practitioners are encouraged to discontinue their participation with Heart-Awakening Teacher William Miller or any collaborating teacher, mentor, or the work, at any time if they do not feel that they are benefiting from Heart-Awakening Teacher William Miller or any collaborating colleague, or the work in general. Conversely, Heart-Awakening Teacher William Miller and any collaborating teachers or mentors reserve the right to refuse individual work or access to group events for anyone they do not deem suitable.

If you believe that you may be suffering from a medical or psychological condition, please consult your primary care physician or other appropriate qualified professional. The services of Heart-Awakening Teacher William Miller or any collaborating teacher or mentor are not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any physiological or psychological problem or disease. Do not disregard any medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, treatment, or therapy because of your engagement in services provided by Heart-Awakening Teacher William Miller or any collaborating teacher or mentor.

The names of and links to Heart-Awakening, William Miller and any collaborating teacher or mentor or any resources listed on the resource page of this web site are provided only as an informational resource. They are not offered to achieve therapeutic ends. It is strongly recommended that those who are struggling with clinically diagnosed (or suspected but undiagnosed) psychological or emotional issues, diseases, or syndromes refrain from engaging in this work unless they are also actively working with a qualified, licensed professional.
 

Heart-Awakening  Teacher, William Miller and any collaborating teachers or mentors, our priority is always our students’ well-being, awakening, and integration. We recognize the influence we have on students who come to us individually and collectively for spiritual teaching and support. We have mutually agreed to uphold high standards of integrity, mutuality, and trust in all our interactions. We agree to remain accountable in mutuality with our students, colleagues, and the wider community. 

We agree to offer the same quality of connection and support to all students without prejudice regarding a student’s appearance, financial circumstances, education, age, gender, social status, or race. The most egregious violations of trust between teachers and students (or therapists and clients) have historically occurred in the areas of power, money, and sexuality, and these three areas are specifically addressed below. For these purposes, a “student” or “mentee” is defined as a person being supported by a teacher or mentor in either private sessions, group sittings, or Heart-Awakening related workshops. The following is a summary of the key points of our ethics policy in the areas of power, money, and sexuality. 

Power About power issues and differentials between teachers and students, Heart-Awakening Teacher, William Miller and any collaborating colleagues will specifically refrain from telling students what to do. You, and only you, oversee your life. Your teacher might suggest or recommend things they feel will facilitate your awakening and integration. In many cases you will want to follow those suggestions to benefit from their experience, but you should always feel free to honor your own inner guidance. If your teacher ever makes demands that feel uncomfortable or unreasonable, please raise your concerns immediately with Heart-Awakening teacher, William Miller and any collaborating colleagues. These issues will be reviewed immediately.

Money Heart-Awakening Teacher, William Miller and any collaborating colleagues acknowledge the need to be especially sensitive with issues around money. Heart-Awakening Teacher, William Miller and any collaborating colleagues are free to set their own fees and are not required to offer a sliding scale. They are expected to make clear agreements with students about their fees for personal sessions, including cancellations, and should draw clear boundaries between compensated “session” time and other times they spend with students in informal settings. This teaching and support are offered on a fee-for-time basis. 

Students do not have to purchase anything, make donations, invest, or lend money to participate in our work. Of course, workshops and retreats are highly recommended, and books and other resources are available to expand students’ understanding of the work. Various opportunities exist to make donations if you feel you have received benefit and want to support this work. But donations will never be required to participate, or receive benefit, from Heart-Awakening courses and services. 

We are aware of the traditional relationship between teachers and students regarding exchanges and gifts of money. Our teachers have agreed NOT to:  Imply that donating, lending, or investing money in a teacher’s business or personal project will in some way further a student’s spiritual progress.  Imply that students somehow owe teachers any additional money or service other than has previously been made clear.  Imply that students should take care of teachers’ financial needs.  Bring their own or other teachers’ financial needs to the attention of students.  Ask students to hold teachers’ financial disclosures or dealings in confidence. If you are ever asked to participate in anything that violates these terms, or somehow feels “off” to you, be sure to openly discuss it immediately with Heart-Awakening Teacher, William Miller, and any collaborating colleagues.

Intimate Relationships and Sexuality Romantic and sexual feelings and openings can be especially important to the awakening process, and often arise in teacher/student or mentor/mentee relationships. To suppress or avoid such feelings could be counterproductive for students’ healing and growth, yet if teachers or mentors were to act upon them impulsively, this would violate the trust that participants in this work extend to those in positions of authority, guidance, and leadership. 

This ethics policy requires Heart-Awakening Teacher, William Miller and any collaborating colleagues to welcome, allow, contain, and investigate these feelings, and then communicate and explore their potential ramifications with their personal support network outside of their Heart-Awakening service provider role.This should be done before, in any way, acting upon these feelings. 

It may be the case that a relationship with a student or mentee could be the outcome of romantic feelings that arise as teachers work with students. If so, the following agreements are guidelines for making prudent and caring adjustments so that a relationship can begin well and develop auspiciously, for the benefit of both participants and the greater community around them. 

The following will give you a sense of our intentions in this complex area:  Teachers/mentors will not engage in sexual contact with participants during workshops or retreats. If a romantic interest develops between a teacher or mentor and a newer student, that student will be assisted in getting their feet on the ground and finding another teacher to work with before the teacher or mentor opens a relationship consideration with them. If this cannot be achieved, then a relationship should not occur. 

Teachers or mentors who serve a student in an ongoing primary relationship (private sessions on a regular basis) will not initiate romantic or sexual contact with that student, nor respond to any overtures by the student. They will consult with their support network to receive coaching and support.  If a sustained interest develops, and both are free of other romantic commitments, there are steps to follow (including a three-month “cooling off” period) to ensure that both student and teacher have adequate support before moving forward.  In all cases, the goal is for all parties to be supported in ways that will help them navigate the especially volatile arena of romantic and sexual engagement. 

By participating in a support group or with an individual for support outside the Heart-Awakening teaching context and being transparent with our feelings, our intention as conscious teachers is to help one another avoid the most significant lapses of judgment that can occur in private, one-on-one situations.

 If you, as a student of Heart-Awakening, find yourself having strong romantic or sexual feelings toward a teacher or a mentor, please know that this is common in the process of embodied awakening. Such feelings can be catalytic, whether they are ever acted upon. You are welcome to openly discuss your feelings with Heart-Awakening Teacher, William Miller and any collaborating colleagues who will assist you in finding optimal ways to hold, contain, and celebrate the openings they represent.