Teachers and Mentors

Someone recently asked me how one finds a reliable and trustworthy Taoist teacher or mentor.  Any thoughts on good sources for someone not living in or around a big city?

Re: Teachers and Mentors

Over the past three decades, I'm amazed at the truth behind, “when a student is ready, a teacher comes.”  OR - now that I've enjoyed walking the path of teacher for some time, I've come to know, “when a teacher is ready, a student comes.”

Here's what I seek in a teacher:

• their travels - just how much of this planet have they actually experienced beyond the typical 'packaged tourist” adventure.
• their willinginess to learn - students offer wisdom as profound as any other source.
• their desire to walk a path free (or as free as they can) of judgment.

• an active desire to carve out the time to “BE”  (just BE) - meaning - allow things to unfold (versus “MAKE IT HAPPEN”)
• a willingness to release what no longer serves them once they learn their appropriate lessons.
• a passion to laugh.  Learning is MUCH more pleasant when one dines from a healthy plate of laughter!