wishface

I don't understand this at all. If I knew the daoist arts i wouldn't need to be here in the first place! I don't see why this guy can't tell me anything. I'm sure there are plenty of books on taoist practise. I don't think he's ever claimed to be the only authority on the subject at all - he just claims he can teach stuff in a simple and effective way. I don't know what other authorities are available, but I do know my local library doesn't have anything at all (mainly because such stuff always ges stolen). It's not a question of making up my own mind; that's like telling someone who wants to learn tai chi not to pay for classes but instead invent their own form! Like I said I don't understand your post at all, and, while i'm not here to be th Barefoot Doctor's mouthpiece, I don't think you understand what he's trying to do. I think you give my taoist art skills and knowledge more credit than they deserve; i'm far from experienced. That's why I came here (and posted below about trying to find teachers).

Hello, currently and for a long time my life has been stuck. I've been drawn to eastern stuff for a while. In fact, more than once, as a kid people mistook me for being chinese (which i'm not and don't appear thus). This of course may mean nothing. I come here really to find answers; I need to change my life and so my purpose in posting is to try and find a teacher in the taoist arts where I live (north somerset, uk0. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of money. I've been interested in the taoism taught by the Barefoot Doctor for a while, even though his message is somewhat populist (which isn't necessarily a bad thing at all). Despite his recent notoriety (the truth of which is not going to be really known except to those concerned, though it seems he made a bit ot a twit of himself - still people are entitled to make a few mistakes), he strikes me as sincere and genuinely wanting to help. I don't know whether he's a genuine teacher (and his stuff is informed by more than Taoism though that forms the main thrust) or whether he's peddling so light a version of Taoism as to be pointless, but he has a School for Warriors program which I'm interested in signing up to (Can just about afford it in lieu of any other form of tuition. I don't know if anyone here has tried it already and has any experience. Anyway that's me; student without a teacher. Thanks for listening.

thanks for the replies.

I know, but I think you'd have to be a bit of a heel to take him up on it. I know that's how i'd feel. Still the refund offer is apparently geuinne. Money comes a lot less easily than it goes for me. I'm not working at the moment. I can afford it. However at this point, all is moot. I signed up. I think the guy is pretty genuine. It's very easy these days to slam people for making money/being successful when it comes to spirituality. Really that's a bit silly though since people got to earn a living, teacher or student. I know he's courted notoriety in the past but that also doesn't mean he's just full of crap and exploiting the likes of me. He's also far from the only teacher in the marketplace and if he has somethign to offer then all the better. I've been aware of him for years, reading his books on and off starting with the Handbook. It's only now that i'm looking seriously at self development. I need to improve myself and change. Even though some of his work suffers a little obfuscation (Return of the Urban Warrior, specifically), which is a shame, he is quite good. I also find him consistent and actually pretty helpful - he's usually quite good for responding if you email him. That's not bad considering how many emails he must get and how busy he must be. Of course it could all be bollocks. Or not.

I know what you mean. It does look very commercial, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's not quality. I'd hate to miss an opportunity because of some poor website design attitude.

No one got an opinion? That's disappointing! Enrolment closes tomorrow and I'd like to have more informed opinion before I make up my mind whether to go for it.

Anyone know a good resource to find a teacher in the taoist arts in the UK, particularly north somerset? I can't find anything myself. Thanks.