Code of Ethics

Preamble

For the purpose of protecting the safety and welfare of community members, clergy, and staff, this Code of Ethics outlines ethical principles governing all ceremonies, but especially sacrament ceremonies, conducted by The Sacred Tribe.

As members of this community, it is our individual and collective responsibility to aspire to the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct. We agree to practice all rituals and ceremonies, especially ceremonies where sacrament is used, within our scope of competence and in accordance with this Code of Ethics.

We directly and promptly address ethical concerns and use professional judgment, supervision, and consultation when ethical dilemmas arise.

Our aim within the community is to provide an environment of safety and support for a person to engage with their own growth and expansion, to embrace each of our innate wisdom and ability to move towards wholeness and wellbeing. We act in the spirit of service to listen and ask. We devote ourselves to establishing relationships within the community based on trust, care, and attunement, and to support every individual’s own unfolding experience.

At times, we may engage in deep work with trauma and attachment, as well as non-ordinary states of consciousness; therefore, our rituals and ceremonies carry unique ethical considerations. These considerations include the potential for greater participant suggestibility, the need for sensitivity regarding consent, and the likelihood of stronger and more complex transference and countertransference.

Given the special considerations of work within these spaces, we take seriously our obligation to the safety of everyone. This work requires an elevated quality of presence, tending to the process consistently throughout long ceremonies, as well as during the phases of preparation and integration.

In order to provide impeccable care for all members and to evolve ethically, we engage in practices of self-care, self-growth, and self-examination, aligning with our own intelligence. We give and receive feedback from mentors and colleagues, work within the larger communities of which we are a part, and participate in continuing education.

Our worship ceremonies are founded on the ancient practices of Rabbis, explorers, researchers, and indigenous traditions which stretch back centuries. We honor these contributions and recognize the privilege of working with non-ordinary states of consciousness. The ability to participate in these practices, as ancient as they are innovative, is both a gift and a responsibility.

We envision a world where all people can have direct experience of the divine, however they may come to understand it, and the expansion of what is possible that comes with it. We view our members’ challenges, as well as their growth, within a greater web of relationships, acknowledging that experience is passed between people, across cultures, and through generations. We aim to validate and support the intrinsic wisdom and intelligence in others as well as in ourselves, in service to collective growth, liberation, and greater engagement in the fullness of life.

1. Safety

We commit to the safety of our members.

Prior to any ceremony, we ensure that a person is an eligible candidate for participation, medically, psychologically, and spiritually. An eligible candidate has the resources necessary to engage in the ceremony, ideally including supportive people in their life and a stable and safe living environment.

We conduct thorough and comprehensive preliminary screening and preparation, including screening by a medical professional and clergy.

Prior to any ceremony, we provide participants with clear information about our availability, backup support, and emergency contacts.

We take measures to prevent physical and psychological harm. We create a space with clearly-defined boundaries and ask participants not to leave during ceremony, and provide them with the space to do so comfortably. We inform participants that we will take precautions to ensure their safety, such as preventing falls or injuries.

We immediately address medical emergencies, including having on-call medical personnel.

We have a crisis plan prepared, where a qualified medical professional is available in the event of participant crisis or medical complications. We are responsible for addressing crises for as long as the participant is in our care.

We provide thorough post-ceremony integration with participants.

We never abandon a member. We recommend and support transitions to self-care or the care of professional service providers as appropriate.

We adhere to best practices regarding storage and security of entheogenic substances.

2. Confidentiality and Privacy

We commit to the privacy of our members and uphold professional standards of confidentiality.

We may occasionally discuss members as part of professional consultation and supervision, in which our consultants and supervisors are also obligated to respect participant privacy, and we will provide the minimum amount of identifying information.

Outside of these limitations in confidentiality, we never disclose personal information about members without their explicit permission.

We make agreements with our members about acceptable and preferred means of communication, such as leaving voicemails, sending text messages, hours of contact, and response time.

We securely store all records. We promptly respond to breaches in confidentiality.

We seek legal counsel as needed to maintain member confidentiality.

3. Transparency

We respect members’ autonomy and informed choice.

We include our members in decisions affecting their well-being.

We obtain informed consent before conducting ceremony. We honor the participant’s option to withhold or withdraw consent at any time.

We inform participants of all ceremonial procedures, including an accurate description of substances used and their potential risks and benefits.

We discuss the process of transitioning to self-care (and/or professional support) after ceremony with our members at intake.

We inform members if we have reason to believe they may be harmed by participating.

We accurately represent our background and training using appropriate terms according to applicable laws and professional code.

We obtain consent to record sessions when applicable and to use recordings solely for purposes explicitly agreed upon by the members, such as for training and supervision, or for the member’s personal use.

We obtain informed and sober consent in advance of any physical touch by describing the type of touch. Physical touch is never sexual and we make agreements about how the participant can stop touch at any time.

We inform participants in advance about the possible or scheduled presence of facilitators, observers, or any other staff who may be a part of ceremony and/or have access to sensitive participant information.

We provide consistent care to our participants and arrange a backup and emergency contact when we are unavailable to members.

4. Clergy – Member Alliance and Trust

We act in accordance with the trust placed in us by members.

We aspire to create and maintain clergy-member alliances built on trust, safety, and clear agreements, so that participants can safely engage in inner explorations.

We respect each individual’s widsom and intuition to guide their experience.

We understand that the practice of prayer and worship is deeply personal; each member has different, goals, intentions, and needs for support.

We set our members’ best interest above our own interests, within the bounds of our relationship.

We treat all members with respect and compassion.

We acknowledge the inherent power differential between clergy and members and act conscientiously in the service of