Standards for Guides1

Standards of Independent Guides Recognized by the Casa

The following are the Standards of Guides which are used by a number of experienced Group Leaders. If you planning to visit the Casa, you might want to ask if your guide adheres to these standards.

We are independent guides who are recognized by the Casa de Dom Inacio de Loyola (the Casa) as upholding certain standards. Qualifications for this recognition include:
	at least three months of on-site participation in the activities of the Casa within three years
	recognition by Joao de Deus, aka Joao Teixeira de Faria, as being qualified to lead groups to the Casa
	loyalty to the following standards in our work as guides for those visiting the Casa:

*Standards*
A	We are wholly independent agents who choose to align with the values of the Casa and the counsel of the Entity. We are not agents or employees of the Casa, nor are we authorized or certified by the Casa. We have no financial relationship to the Casa other than supporting it through good will donations. If at any point the Casa publishes guidelines for Guides we will dedicate ourselves to following those guidelines.

B	We believe that each individual is ultimately responsible for his/her own health and welfare, and we encourage guests to make their own choices regarding their well-being.

C	The following are the elements of our responsibilities:

I.	Guides have a genuine concern for the people in their group, and are committed to assist these individuals in the healing they seek at the Casa.

II.	The ratio of participants to guides should be appropriate to the experience of each guide (e.g., it is not appropriate for a relatively inexperienced guide to care for a group of, say, 35 people). It would be impossible for one person to offer personalized emotional and spiritual support to such a group.

III.	Guides hold regular group meetings to support the work each group participant is doing in his/her visit to the Casa.

IV.	Guides offer personal consultation to individuals as needed. Guides encourage each participant to consider his/her visit to the Casa a spiritual and/or healing journey.

V.	Guides give orientation sessions to transmit to newly-arrived visitors the pertinent information about the protocols for healing at the Casa.

VI.	Guides introduce their group members to the translators at the Casa and facilitate a good working relationship with one or more translators, as needed.

VII.	There are certain essential protocols in receiving spiritual healing, e.g., those who have surgery, even if it is invisible surgery, should first rest and meditate for at least 24 hours, and then continue regular meditation and prayer for up to 8 days after surgery is complete, while not exerting themselves physically by hiking, lifting heavy objects, or lying out in the direct sun. Guides strongly encourage their guests to follow these and other important protocols, in the Casa guidelines as listed in the Casa de Dom Inacio Guide for Visitors. http://www.friendsofthecasa.org/CasaGuideV2.1.pdf

VIII.	Guides consider it their responsibility to stay up to date with the changes in suggested protocols at the Casa de Dom Inacio. The guide provides the latest edition of the booklet called "The Casa de Dom Inacio Guide for Visitors" http://www.friendsofthecasa.org/CasaGuideV2.1.pdf to each group member before coming to Abadiania. Guides must refer their visitors to these standards for guides by including reference to these standards on their website and in their registration form with a link to the page where they can be found on the FOC site.

IX.	Guides keep abreast of what each participant is asking of the Entity or attending to in treatment--if client so wishes. We do regular follow-up with participants during the process of their explanation and clarification.

X.	It is recommended by the Entity that the group members remain within the healing energies of the Casa during their stay and discourage any interventions that may interfere with the treatments given at the Casa. Therefore, guides do not take people who are visiting the Casa to visit other healers during or after their treatments at the Casa; nor do guides offer excursions outside of Abadiania on the weekend between treatments. In order to over-ride this rule, a guide must take a list of the names of people going on an excursion to the Entity for approval on the Friday before the weekend excursion.

XI.	Guides refer people to the FOC site if they are unable to provide the tour dates a person requires for a tour.

XII.	We require each group participant to sign the Casa Declaration Form, "TERMO DE DECLARACAO", approved by the Casa lawyer, before participating in the activities of the Casa. This agreement recognizes that each person ultimately has sole responsibility for his or her health care/ healing choices. Guides are not to be held legally liable for participants' health problems. In a similar vein, the Casa De Dom Inacio and its staff and attending volunteers, including Joao Teixeira de Faria, are not to be held legally liable for the health-outcomes of anyone participating in any of the Casa's activities. The signed Declaration forms will be delivered to the Pousada owner on signing, and kept on file by the Pousada owner.

	*Regarding Safety*
XIII.	We believe that the safety of each member of the group is of the utmost importance. We do our best to make available clean water, safe vehicles for traveling, and a clean and secure environment.

XIV.	The guides are each responsible for knowing where and how to locate pharmacists, hospitals, clinics, a local doctor, an ambulance, or any other resource a sick person may need.

XV.	Each guide holds copies of travel insurance for each member of his/her group-so that, in case of emergency, we are prepared to facilitate appropriate medical care. In cases where a group member does not have travel insurance, the guide facilitates purchasing this insurance prior to the beginning of the trip so that each participant is covered for the duration of the trip to Brazil. The insurance needed is a travel insurance policy that covers both medical problems and medical transportation.

XVI.	We strongly suggest all guides stay up to date with First Aid Training, available through the Red Cross. Ideally, each guide would renew their training every two years so each feels confident about what to do in an emergency.

	*Regarding Confidentiality*
XVII.	Regarding medical and personal histories: we respect the privacy of group members, and others who seek our support. Each participant's issues are held in confidence by the guides and not spoken in front of others without express permission. The only exception to this rule is in cases of medical emergency.

	*Regarding Pre-Trip Preparations*
XVIII.	Guides consult with each participant prior to his/her making a financial commitment to come to the Casa. We do our best to advise individuals on the appropriateness of their intended visit. We are especially mindful to advise those with physical problems regarding the safety of travel to the Casa. When a person is in a delicate physical situation, we ask them to ask their doctor to provide a letter saying they are cleared to make the journey to the Casa. If there is still question, we will send the name of the person to the pousada owner or a Casa associate who can take their name to the Entity to obtain advice about the person coming.

XIX.	If individuals coming on a guided trip are unable to care for themselves, they shall be required to bring a caretaker who is prepared to care for them in every way that care is needed. In cases where that caretaker is coming for the sole purpose of caring for a participant, the participation fee is discounted. However, the caretaker should never be prevented from receiving healing at the Casa. Should the caretaker be scheduled for a surgery, the guide will assist in finding an adequate replacement caretaker.

*Guides' Fees*
XX.	Our fees cover the participants' expenses including room and board, transportation to and from the airport at a designated time, private consultations, group meetings, and information sessions during our visit to the Casa.

XXI.	Our fees also cover our time and expenses preparing for the trip. These include long-distance phone charges, personal consultations by phone, making travel arrangements and administration for guests and the guide's own travel and expenses of being away from home.

XXII.	Each guide makes a donation directly to the Casa. These donations may be in the form of money, remodeling or replacing furniture at the Casa, gifts, and/or help to the needy people of Abadiania.

XXIII.	Each approved guide listed on the FOC site must provide a link to the FOC site from their site, explaining the resources of the FOC site.


	Any guide can continue being listed on the FOC website as long as he/she follows all of the above protocols. If the guide refuses to follow these protocols, he or she is dropped from the FOC listing.

	******If you have been authorized by the Entity to bring groups to the Casa and you have received a guide badge from the Casa management, please contact Bob Dinga and Diana Rose at lovestar3@msn.com for further information on how to be listed as a Casa guide on this website.

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