Terms of Use

AMRITA VIRTUAL ACADEMY - TERMS OF USE
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PLEASE READ THESE TERMS OF USE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS SITE.

The Amrita Virtual Academy (the “AVA”) courses are designed and developed by Mata Amritanandamayi Center (“MA Center”) for the benefit of those enrolled in the Courses.

By using www.amritavirtualacademy.com (this “Site”), you signify your approval to and compliance with these Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these Terms of Use, please do not use this Site or download material.

You need an Amrita Virtual Academy account for most activities on our platform (courses, retreats, workshops, live calls, discussion boards, etc., known collectively as "Courses"). Keep your password secure and somewhere safe because you are responsible for all activity associated with your account. If you suspect someone else is using your account, let us know by contacting our Support Team by sending an email to [email protected].

To create a user account, you must sign that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use by clicking the button at the bottom of the registration page. By clicking the button at the bottom of the "Create a new account" page, you:

Content Agreement
1. By accessing or using the AVA Website (“Website”) and the content and services available via the Website, you signify that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by these terms in all respects with respect to the Websites; such agreement will be deemed for all legal purposes to be in writing and legally enforceable as a signed written agreement. If you are not willing to be bound by each and every term or condition, or if any representation made herein by you is not true, you may not use, and must cease using, the Website.
2. "Content" means all materials and content, including designs, editorial, text, graphics, audiovisual materials, multimedia elements, photographs, videos, music, sound recordings, reports, documents, software, information, formulae, patterns, data and any other work.
3. All right, title, and interest in and to the Website and all Content, source code, processes, designs, technologies, URLs, domain names, marks, and logos forming any part of the Website or provided through the Website (collectively, "Our Content") are (a) fully vested in AVA, our licensors, or our suppliers and (b) protected by applicable copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, database rights, or other proprietary rights and laws.
4. You agree that access and use of Our Content is subject to these Terms, including the disclaimers and limitations of liability herein. Nothing in your use of the Website or these Terms grants you any right, title or interest in or to Our Content except the limited right to use the Website as set out in the membership agreement.
5. Unless otherwise expressly authorized by us in writing, you agree not to
  1. use Our Content other than strictly for personal use as permitted by the terms of the membership agreement or copy, modify, deep link, rent, lease, loan, sell, assign, sublicense, grant a security interest in or otherwise transfer any right or interest in Our Content;
  2. remove any proprietary notices or labels on or in Our Content; or
  3. allow any other person or entity to engage in any of the foregoing.
Refund Policy
a. Understand and agree that there are no refunds allowed on any purchased Courses.
Restriction of Use
a. Agree not to record any Course content in any format, such as audio recording, video recording, photography, screenshots or screenshares.
b. Agree not to distribute any of the materials provided by any Course instructors. Such materials include videos, links, PowerPoint presentations, live session links, PDFs, word document files or any material of any kind. You understand that any Course materials hosted on the e-learning platform will not be available indefinitely.
c. Acknowledge that Amma®, amma.org, Ammachi®, The Amma Shop® and IAM-Integrated Amrita Meditation Technique® are all registered trademarks of the MA Center. Use of any of the trademarks in commerce may be a violation of the law without the express written permission of MA Center. If you have any questions about the use of the trademarks, you need to contact MA Center by sending an email to [email protected].

Confidentiality Agreement
Agree that:

It is essential to the integrity of the Courses that the Courses be taught only by persons authorized by MA Center and in strict accord with the actual content of the Courses.
You will not teach any Course to anyone in any form, for a fee or otherwise.
You will not in any way share any of the techniques designed and developed exclusively by MA Center and contained in the Course with anyone in any form without the express, written authorization of MA Center. The MA and OM mantras specifically, are exclusive to the MA Center.
Receipt of a Certificate of Completion at the end of the Course in no way contradicts or invalidates the other terms of this agreement.

Rights to Recording Waiver

Agree to waive any rights to the recordings of any live sessions held in connection with any Course.
Agree to your being included in any recording (including the recording of your own audio and video) of any live session held in connection with any Course you purchased and in which you participated (“My Recording”).
Agree to the reuse of any of My Recordings for Courses other than the Course(s) in which you directly participated.

Waiver of Liability

Agree to assume all risks, full responsibility, and liability for participating in any Course.
Understand that generally meditation, yoga, exercise, holistic practices, learning an instrument, gardening, cooking, dance, art and other spiritual or educational activities are safe and beneficial. Like anything, they need to be practiced judiciously, correctly, and cautiously. If you experience pain at any time during a Course, you should stop immediately.
Understand that there is a risk of injury associated with participating in a Course.
Acknowledge that you should always consult with your physician or other healthcare provider before changing diet, starting an exercise program or before undergoing potentially rigorous physical activities such as gardening, dance, movement classes, etc.
Hereby expressly and willingly assume all risks, full responsibility, and liability for participating in any physical exercises, dance movements, therapeutic techniques etc., presented therein, taught through any Course.
Hereby expressly and willingly assume all risks, full responsibility, and liability for participating in any myofascial postures, yoga postures, poses, breathing practices, meditation sessions, etc., presented therein any Course.
Take full responsibility for your physical, emotional, and mental health and will stop participation in a Course and seek medical consultation or treatment if any physical illness, mental illnesses or emotional disturbances or imbalances arise. You understand the Course is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease.
Agree to forever waive any right to sue MA Center, its instructors, or any person deemed a representative thereof (“MA Center Representatives”) for any claims resulting from your participation in classes and sessions in connection with any Course, except those claims resulting from the willful misconduct of MA Center or any MA Center Representatives.

Use of Community Boards

Understand that community boards on this Site are designed to allow feedback to the M.A. Center and real-time interaction between users.
Understand that the MA Center does not control the messages, information or files delivered to the community boards.
Acknowledge that it is a condition of your use of the community boards and this Site that you shall not:
Restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the community boards.
Post or transmit any unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, or indecent information of any kind, including without limitation any transmissions constituting or encouraging conduct that would violate the antitrust laws or would otherwise constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any local, state, national or international law.
Post or transmit any information, software or other material which violates or infringes upon the rights of others, including material which is an invasion of privacy or publicity rights, or which is protected by copyright, trademark or other proprietary right, or derivative works with respect thereto, without first obtaining permission from the owner or right holder.
Post or transmit any information, software or other material which contains a virus or other harmful component.
Post, transmit or in any way exploit any information, software, or other material for commercial purposes, or which contains advertising.

Understand that the MA Center has no obligation to monitor the community boards. However, the MA Center reserves the right at all times to disclose any information as necessary to satisfy any law, regulation or governmental request, or to edit, refuse to post or to remove any information or materials, in whole or in part, that in the MA Center's sole discretion are objectionable or in violation of these terms and conditions.

Your Privacy

Understand the M.A. Center is committed to safeguarding the privacy of its on-line users' Personal information as explained in the AVA Privacy Policy.
Acknowledge that Amrita Virtual Academy will use the e-mail address you provide as the primary method for communication.
Allow the Amrita Virtual Academy to contact you with general announcements with the option to unsubscribe clearly visible in such general emails you receive.

Amendment of This Site & Terms of Use:

Understand the information on this Site, including the Courses and various materials, is subject to change without prior notice.
Acknowledge AVA reserves the right to amend these Terms of Use at any time. Such changes will appear on this Site in the form of revised and newly dated Terms of Use. AVA will post the changes on this page and indicate at the bottom of this page the date these terms were last revised.
Acknowledge your continued use of the Course(s) after the date any such changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms of Use.
Acknowledge that you are participating in the Course(s) on a voluntary basis.
Voluntarily agree to the terms and conditions for participating in all parts of any Course, as described above.
Understand that this disclaimer document shall be governed, and interpreted, by the laws of the State of California.
Have read and understood this document in its entirety.
Acknowledge that the terms and conditions of this disclaimer outlined immediately above supersede and replace in entirety any other disclaimer in connection with any Course to which you may have agreed, and/or which you may have signed, prior to this date.

Updated: 2025.02.28