More American Qigong Ethics (part 4)

If you are making offerings or commitments (bowing, praying, sacrificing, burning incense) to a teacher or an idea or a deity, or any unseen force--be explicit and upfront with your students. If they are expected to make the same commitments make that clear at the beginning. Do not include students in your commitments or covenants with out their permission.

The above paragraph is a rule.  But I've been having trouble pinning down a rule with regards to subordination and pain.

What makes qigong work is unknown.  Pain is so utterly un-transferable to others that we can not measure change in another persons pain level.  Pain is highly subjective, but fortunately, subjectively felt pain is what matters.
How can I say people shouldn’t subordinate themselves to something if in the process they end up reporting less pain? or more friends? or deeper bonds? I know I’m not half as good as some teachers are at getting students to change their behavior. Are some teachers lying to people for ‘their own good?’