I’m sure we’ve all heard stories about a spiritual teacher or energy healer being more toxic than they are helpful.

I want to do what I can to ensure that everyone in this space is as safe as possible. Therefore, I’ve compiled a list of Red Flags when it comes to spiritual teachers/yoga instructors/energy healers.

These are the Red Flags to look out for when searching for/following a guru:

• The person claims that they are the powerful one, not the energy they channel.

• Read the subtle messages the person says. eg.

  • Do they imply they are all-knowing?

  • Do they think that they are the authority, not everyone’s inner self?

  • Do they deny your own intuitions in favour of their own?

  • Do they dismiss stories of your own psychic/intuitive gifts?

• If it’s an energy healing system that you’re learning, how many people have achieved the highest level of this system? Is there only one person at the top (or only a very few people?)

• Does your intuition tell you something is off about this person?

• When in groups with the person, are contradictions or challenges to their ideas accepted or punished (even subtlely)?

• Does the person seem to want followers or “yes-people”?

And, finally, remember the ultimate rule of spirituality: Whatever someone says, if it doesn’t resonate with you, disregard it. This prevents dogma and cult-like practices from infiltrating spiritual teachings.

There are plenty of genuine spiritual teachers/yoga instructors/energy healers out there who can help you. But sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between a good one and a harmful one. I hope this helps you differentiate between the two.