Foundation & Roots – Membership Agreement

Our Agreements, Values, Principles and Guidelines are rooted in Dharmic, Queer, Feminist and Somatic wisdom and guide how we gather, practice, and grow together. Although imperfect, all members and anyone accessing our space is invited to strive towards and uphold these values, principles and agreements.

‍

Space Agreements

Our living space agreements anchor and support the longevity and safety of all those using our space. In becoming a professional MTLHS member you agree to strive towards and uphold the following:  

• Consent
  Seek permission as much as possible and honour one's own and others boundaries (e.g. invite active, ongoing consent before engaging in physical touch).
• Respect Self
  Take ownership and care of your own needs, wants and limits (e.g. make requests, step back, lean in and respect bodily needs).
• Respect the Space
  Take mindful care of the space and all within it (e.g. refrain from stealing, misusing or damaging the space and others belongings).
• Sobriety
  Abstain from the use of alcohol and substances that alter your baseline.
• Do No Harm
  Refrain from intentional wrongdoing and forms of harm (e.g. verbal attacks, bullying, harassment, physical violence, threats, etc.).
• Cultural Dignity
  Demonstrate respect and dignity to all ethnic and cultural traditions (e.g. acknowledge the lineages and teachers from an offering and refrain from cultural appropriation).

‍

Member Agreements

Our living member agreements anchor and support the longevity and safety of members of MTLHS. In becoming a professional MTLHS member you agree to strive and uphold the following:

• Respect Oneself
  ‍Honouring your own limits, choices, capacity and needs. 
• Lean into your Edge
  ‍Finding the space in-between comfort and overwhelm where stretch, growth and learning happens as practitioners and people.
• Good enough-ness
  Show up as you are - good enough and perfectly imperfect. 
• Own Your Experience
  Speak from your own subjective truth and refrain from assuming and speaking on behalf of others.
• Honest Communication
  Speak directly, clearly and honestly to one another.
• Self-Accountability
  Engage in ongoing personal and professional work in order to sustain and nourish your own healing.
• Confidentiality
  Maintain confidentiality regarding client and colleague information.

‍

Our Values

Our core values are the roots of MTL Space. They anchor us in shared beliefs and actions.

• Equity
  The active commitment to fairness and justice by uplifting those most marginalized.
• Compassion
  The practice of recognizing suffering in all beings and responding with loving-kindness.
• Integrity
  The alignment of our thoughts, words, and actions with honest, ethical clarity.
• Humility
  The acknowledgment that we are different and cannot fully know another's struggle.
• Authenticity
  The courage to show up with genuine presence and honor each other's truths.

‍

Our Principles

Regardless of identity, our guiding principles invite all members to orient towards a shared professional vision or true north.

• Accountability
  Take ownership of your actions and decisions (e.g. acknowledge rupture, show up to process and repair conflict).
• Systemic Healing
  Acknowledge systemic trauma and work towards liberation for all beings especially those marginalized by racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, classism, and other forms of oppression.
• Intersectionality
  Recognize intersectionality as inseparable and compounding experiences in order to move beyond single identity categories.
• Accessibility
  Prioritize practices and offer options that reduce barriers for those most marginalized (e.g. offering sliding scale, hybrid events or varying levels of participation)
• Non-Violence
  Resist hatred, discrimination and dehumanization (e.g. lateral violence, cancel culture, peer shunnings, bullying and marginalized peer-on-peer violence) by fostering compassionate and peaceful forms of change and communication.  

‍

Conflict Guidelines

Conflict and rupture are normal milestones of intimacy and collaboration that invite us to strengthen our integrity, trust, and connection. In becoming a professional MTLHS member you agree to strive towards and uphold the following conflict guidelines:

• Consent
  Get consent to have a conversation or offer feedback to prepare our nervous systems (e.g. name explicitly that an issue exists before attempting to enter a reparative conversation).
• Set Container
  Co-create a container before engaging in context (e.g. agree on time, place, and resources like a timer, water, food, note taking and confidential space help support the conversation).
• Communication Style
  Prioritize mutually preferred communication styles (e.g. in-person conversations vs. video/phone conversations, text or email)
• Clarity
  Share facts clearly and any other important information to support mutual understanding (e.g. name specific details that are capturable by camera).
• Seek Resolution
  Take responsibility for co-finding resolution (e.g. name what resolution means with the understanding that if not named, the other member cannot know what may be needed to find closure).
• Intention & Impact
  Hold space for both the intentions and impact in order to make room for unintentional misalignment and hurt feelings.

‍

Pathways of Communication

Pathways of communication encourage de-escalating and empowering conversations through conflict and offer clarity on the how-to when dealing with challenging conversations. In becoming a professional MTLHS member you agree to uphold the following paths of communication:

1. Direct Conversation
   Speak directly with the person involved, naming concerns with care including your own experience and sharing facts.
2. Supported Dialogue
   Invite one or two members to witness or support the conversation if further support is needed.
3. Founder Support
   If unresolved, ask Parneet, the founder to facilitate a generative conversation and seek resolution together. Parneet will make an executive decision.
4. Collective Support
   If still unresolved, bring the issue to the member collective for shared witnessing and steps towards resolution.

‍

Leaving MTLHS

Upon doing our best with the Pathways of Communication, it may be the case that a member is still unable to make amends, uphold an agreement or find resolution causing disturbance to the safety and integrity of the space and other members. In becoming a professional MTLHS member you understand a member may be asked to leave for the following reasons:

• If a member breaks agreements more than twice, is informed of these transgressions and is still unable to reach resolution
• If a member facilitates intoxicated or under the influence
• If a member becomes violent to another person
• If a member steals from or damages the space or another person's belongings
• If a member violates another person's bodily consent

‍

Through collaboration and connection, this living document including our values, principles and agreements are subject to change. Members are encouraged to propose amendments and additions during quarterly review of our foundation & roots membership agreement. For more information, feel free to reach out at hello@mtlhealing.space