Independent Conflict Resolution:
We encourage the affected individual to first address their ethics concerns or conflict directly with the teacher or other IMMC person in question, provided the individual feels reasonably comfortable and safe doing so. We believe an effort to independently resolve an ethics concern or conflict can bring openness and clarity in a manner that oftentimes successfully resolves the issues in question.
Suggestions for this independent approach include any of the following:
- Meeting one-on-one
- Meeting with one independent person that both parties trust to mediate
- Meeting with two allies, one for each party
- Meeting with representatives from the HEAR Council informally, as a sounding board.
HEAR Council members will not serve as mediators in this stage of independent process.
We acknowledge that power differentials in the teacher – student relationship and other issues may make this step difficult or impracticable. Part of the collective practice as a community is to level the playing field so that power differentials do not undermine the intentions of resolving conflicts or harm and restoring the relationships involved. However, the affected individual may choose to forgo this first step if it does not feel appropriate or safe.
Reconciliation Consultation:
You may choose a HEAR Council member with whom you feel most comfortable to discuss your concerns. The HEAR Council member will listen to your concerns carefully and will discuss possible directions or courses of action depending on the situation. The HEAR Council consultation could assist in facilitating honest inquiry and reflection, serve as a sounding board or a caring witness, facilitate dialogue between you and another member of the community, serve as a source of advice in how best to resolve a conflict, or suggest resources for reconciliation.
Examples include but are not limited to:
- Conflict with a friend or partner where both of you are members of the community
- Conflict with someone else working on a task for the IMMC community
- Request for resources on working with conflict
- Ethical concerns and challenges and how to work skillfully with them
- Creating and maintaining healthy boundaries with others in the IMMC community such as after a break-up, or other interpersonal difficulty.
Inquiries to the HEAR Council to request a reconciliation consultation can be made by emailing the HEAR Council at HEAR@insightmeditationmc.org
If the situation is not resolved through one of these options, is of a more serious nature, or if it is advised during the consultation with a member of the HEAR Council, a formal grievance can be made. You can find more information about the Formal Grievance Process by clicking here.