Background
My Journey on a Taoist path initially came through some condensed catalytic health, life and death experiences around 15 years ago. It was to radically change every aspect of my life from beliefs, life path, work direction, home circumstances, relationships; everything I had known as familiar. Till then, I had been a successful "jobbing " actor working all over the UK on stage and in Community Theatre for about 13 years and was at the time deeply involved with educational theatre work for non English speaking immigrant and special needs children in London.
In a critical period of about 3 years duration, time many things dovetailed, loss of a parent through tragic circumstances, my subsequent deteriorating health, illness, surgery and hospitalisations, other deaths, housing difficulties and I was aware of experiencing a heightened time of crisis; a journey in life and death alluded to in the shamanic path, the vajra (thunder and lightning) path in Buddhism and which the I Ching would call a time of Shock ( Chen Hexagram 51) " This movement is so violent tha it arouses terror. It is symbolized by thunder which bursts forth from the earth and by it's shock causes fear and trembling" I Ching book of Changes Richard Wilhelm/ Cary F. Baynes translation.
Practice Beginnings
Typically in the Tao, I discovered that the extraordinary inner and outer healing quest I embarked on to make sense of my experiences; lay in healing and rebuilding what had been separated, fragmented in my life from a young age, undermining the earth and roots of an ordinary peaceful life. "Isolated through opposition, One sees one's companions as a pig covered with dirt, As a wagon full of devils. First one draws a bow against him, Then one lays the bow aside. He is not a robber, he will woo at the right time. As one goes, rain falls, then good fortune comes." ( Kuei.Opposition.Hexagram 38. I Ching).
Two important books came my way, The Tibetan Book of the Living and Dying and the The I Ching (Yi Jing) and amazingly enough; a Taoist neighbour who had taught himself many of Mantak Chia's Universal Tao system of simple Nei Gong (inner work meditations) and exercises. He proved to be a natural and talented teacher, friend and mentor for the next few years we spent together in practice, in our small, vibrant, creative, semi squatting housing community in West London. "One meets his lord in a narrow street" (Kuei Hexagram 38 .I Ching ).
Universal Tao
In practice, I immediately felt a connection to Mantak Chia's Nei Gong inner meditations. By accessing the energy pathways, my body, health and spirit experienced a direct and unequivocal benefit from the very first meditations and proved extremely beneficial during the hospital process.In hindsight I can say it was crucial to the quality of the full physical and holistic recovery I made. The journey into the Tao that opened up for me continues to this day .Later, I formalised my training with the Universal Tao System of Mantak Chia and his instructors and was indeed taught and guided through my teacher training programme by Master Mantak Chia.
In a 7 year period of intense self exploration, study retreat, solo cultivation, I cultivated from predominantly Taoist/Buddhist meditations and training and was lucky enough to hear the Dalai Lama a few times and occasionally study with Sogyal Rinpoche (lineage holder Buddhist Dzogchen tradition and author of the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying) as well as the myriad of dedicated cultivators, friends, teachers and mentors in the Sangha and Taoist community.
Approach
My background and experiences have shaped me to essentially become an autonomous and independant practitioner rather than a follower of just one lineage and this is what influences my teaching approach, from the recovery of health through Taoist principles to a path of self exploration and expression. It is important to me that the way is accessible and realisable and not shrouded in cross cultural esoteric elevation! I value the experience of bringing together diverse influences to a common principle rather than seeing it as conflicting lineage loyalty. Of course loyalty lies in the integrity of the proper material and opening long term practice as a real and self tested reality. I honestly believe that the journey to discover this proper material, through pitfalls and all is an important process in honing one's discriminatory senses to what's useful and what isn't. The I Ching proves invaluable in this process. "Pay heed to the providing of nourishment, and to what a man seeks, To fill his own mouth with." (I.Corners of the Mouth/Providing Nourishment. Hexagram 27, I Ching).
This is my way but not the only way one and the root that links and coalesces all paths is the perseverance to study thoroughly and patiently; enjoying long term cultivation. There is "no getting there"or "achieving that" but a continous expressive process. My experiences seem to indicate that progress (Ta Yu. Possession in Great Measure. Hexagram 14. I Ching ) kind of creeps up on you unnoticed!
Continued Cultivation and Practice
These days my Practice is a process of training, cultivating, distilling and integrating Southern/ Northern School Qi Gong and Nei Gong traditions, sitting meditation, I Ching and Life Practice and more recently Hung Leng Kuen Kung Fu. I continue to lead a quite adventurous life in a beautifully ordinary sort of way these days, dividing my time between Hampshire and London, the garden and the rest of the world occasionally! "The town may be changed, But the Well cannot be changed. It neither decreases nor increases. They come and go and draw from the well." (The Well. Hexagram 48. I-Ching).