The Barefoot Doctor
Encyclopedia
Stephen Russell, also known as the Barefoot Doctor, is a practitioner and teacher of Taoism
, its medicine, philosophy, meditation practices and martial arts and "magic" system, or wu wei
.
His pseudonym is taken from the barefoot doctor system set up by Mao Zedong
in 1960's China, which gave farmers basic medical training to bring health care into rural areas.
at 11, a Japanese martial art relying on the practitioner using the opponent’s strength against them without having to use their own. He also learned to meditate and do basic energy healing as part of the training. In his teens he switched to studying T'ai chi, one of the three Taoist ‘internal martial arts’, so called because they rely on following a set of internal principles while in the midst of movement or action. In his early twenties, he studied human consciousness with psychiatrist R D Laing
for three years.
In 1979, he lived for four years with the Taos tribe in New Mexico
, where he studied shamanism
. During this time, he also trained in the two other Taoist internal martial arts, Hsing I and Pa Kua, as well as Taoist meditation and acupuncture
, acupressure, moxibustion
, and massage techniques.
He returned to London in 1983 where he set up and ran an acupuncture practice for 17 years, as well as facilitating self-help workshops based on using all these techniques as a self-help system. He also ran a series of music-based events he developed to raise consciousness in a group setting. These were originally called Drum-Offs as they relied on each audience member bringing a percussion instrument. He also taught baby massage with obstetrician Yehudi Gordon for five years during this time. Additionally he released two albums of relaxation music with Polygram International in 1986 and 1987, called First Orbit and Sundancer respectively.
Russell ran his own private healing practice until 2001. From 2001 until 2003 he created and sold a range of fragrant body products. These were called Barefoot Doctor’s Chi/Qi and Barefoot Doctor’s Damn Sexy which was on sale at 360 Boots
branches across the UK as well as Bon Marche in Paris, Henry Bendell on 5th Avenue in New York and at Fred Siegel in LA
He has written twelve books, including Barefoot Doctor's Handbook for the Urban Warrior, A Spiritual Survival Guide and Pure: A Path to Peace, Power and Prosperity, as well as numerous spoken word CDs and DVDs including Meditate and Tai Chi Short Form. Russell was a weekly columnist for The Observer
for five years.
In addition to giving talks, leading workshops and commenting on holistic and spiritual matters, he is primarily also a composer and producer of mood-altering music and plays in clubs and at festivals as the frontman of the Barefoot Doctor Band, which ran from 1989 until 2005, and in which the self-help message was conveyed in the music, lyrics and audience participation. Russell has been a regular guest on London Live radio, as well as Channel 4's The Big Breakfast
. He made a series for BBC UK Style named "Barefoot Doctor" which was broadcast in 2003.
As well as continuing with his music production and talks, Russell has created a popular self-development training website, Barefoot Global, which has been running since 1998. He runs a number of other online courses including the School For Warriors.
In summer 2009, Russell launched a weekly radio show on Ibiza Global Radio. He also performed live in Ibiza at Bazaar (Santa Gertrudis), and launched "Jewels Of Enlightenment", a DVD, CD and book package focusing on the practice and philosophy of Taoism. Russell has also recently launched www.superchargedtaoist.com as his main website.
In January 2007, a number of female users of Russell's site accused him of sexually predatory behaviour, and five complaints were filed with the patient group Witness. Russell was forced to issue a statement confirming that he had had sexual relationships with a small number of ex-patients from his acupuncture practice.
He admitted having become involved in "salacious" email exchanges with fans who had approached him through his website, and confessed that these were "really stupid", but insisted the women had approached him as a "celebrity" rather than a doctor, in the sense that they were fans of his work rather than "sick people asking for help". Russell denies some of the allegations made to Witness, and believes them to be part of a slur campaign against him.
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
, its medicine, philosophy, meditation practices and martial arts and "magic" system, or wu wei
Wu wei
Wu wei is an important concept of Taoism , that involves knowing when to act and when not to act. Another perspective to this is that "Wu Wei" means...
.
His pseudonym is taken from the barefoot doctor system set up by Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
in 1960's China, which gave farmers basic medical training to bring health care into rural areas.
Work
Russell's training comprised studying AikidoAikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
at 11, a Japanese martial art relying on the practitioner using the opponent’s strength against them without having to use their own. He also learned to meditate and do basic energy healing as part of the training. In his teens he switched to studying T'ai chi, one of the three Taoist ‘internal martial arts’, so called because they rely on following a set of internal principles while in the midst of movement or action. In his early twenties, he studied human consciousness with psychiatrist R D Laing
Ronald David Laing
Ronald David Laing was a Scottish psychiatrist who wrote extensively on mental illnessin particular, the experience of psychosis...
for three years.
In 1979, he lived for four years with the Taos tribe in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, where he studied shamanism
Shamanism
Shamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
. During this time, he also trained in the two other Taoist internal martial arts, Hsing I and Pa Kua, as well as Taoist meditation and acupuncture
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
, acupressure, moxibustion
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy using moxa, or mugwort herb. It plays an important role in the traditional medical systems of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, and Mongolia. Suppliers usually age the mugwort and grind it up to a fluff; practitioners burn the fluff or...
, and massage techniques.
He returned to London in 1983 where he set up and ran an acupuncture practice for 17 years, as well as facilitating self-help workshops based on using all these techniques as a self-help system. He also ran a series of music-based events he developed to raise consciousness in a group setting. These were originally called Drum-Offs as they relied on each audience member bringing a percussion instrument. He also taught baby massage with obstetrician Yehudi Gordon for five years during this time. Additionally he released two albums of relaxation music with Polygram International in 1986 and 1987, called First Orbit and Sundancer respectively.
Russell ran his own private healing practice until 2001. From 2001 until 2003 he created and sold a range of fragrant body products. These were called Barefoot Doctor’s Chi/Qi and Barefoot Doctor’s Damn Sexy which was on sale at 360 Boots
Boots UK
Boots UK Limited , is a leading pharmacy chain in the United Kingdom, with outlets in most high streets throughout the country...
branches across the UK as well as Bon Marche in Paris, Henry Bendell on 5th Avenue in New York and at Fred Siegel in LA
He has written twelve books, including Barefoot Doctor's Handbook for the Urban Warrior, A Spiritual Survival Guide and Pure: A Path to Peace, Power and Prosperity, as well as numerous spoken word CDs and DVDs including Meditate and Tai Chi Short Form. Russell was a weekly columnist for The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
for five years.
In addition to giving talks, leading workshops and commenting on holistic and spiritual matters, he is primarily also a composer and producer of mood-altering music and plays in clubs and at festivals as the frontman of the Barefoot Doctor Band, which ran from 1989 until 2005, and in which the self-help message was conveyed in the music, lyrics and audience participation. Russell has been a regular guest on London Live radio, as well as Channel 4's The Big Breakfast
The Big Breakfast
The Big Breakfast was a British light entertainment television show shown on Channel 4 and S4C each weekday morning from 28 September 1992 until 29 March 2002 during which period 2,482 shows were produced. The Big Breakfast was produced by Planet 24, the production company co-owned by former...
. He made a series for BBC UK Style named "Barefoot Doctor" which was broadcast in 2003.
As well as continuing with his music production and talks, Russell has created a popular self-development training website, Barefoot Global, which has been running since 1998. He runs a number of other online courses including the School For Warriors.
In summer 2009, Russell launched a weekly radio show on Ibiza Global Radio. He also performed live in Ibiza at Bazaar (Santa Gertrudis), and launched "Jewels Of Enlightenment", a DVD, CD and book package focusing on the practice and philosophy of Taoism. Russell has also recently launched www.superchargedtaoist.com as his main website.
Controversy
Some members of the mainstream medical profession, who consider the application of his practices to Western ailments to be unscientific, have criticised the advice given in his Observer column.In January 2007, a number of female users of Russell's site accused him of sexually predatory behaviour, and five complaints were filed with the patient group Witness. Russell was forced to issue a statement confirming that he had had sexual relationships with a small number of ex-patients from his acupuncture practice.
He admitted having become involved in "salacious" email exchanges with fans who had approached him through his website, and confessed that these were "really stupid", but insisted the women had approached him as a "celebrity" rather than a doctor, in the sense that they were fans of his work rather than "sick people asking for help". Russell denies some of the allegations made to Witness, and believes them to be part of a slur campaign against him.
Selected bibliography
- Russell, S and Jurgen Kolb (1992) "The Tao Of Sexual Massage" : Gaia Books
- Russell, S. (1998) Barefoot Doctor's Handbook for the Urban Warrior : Piatkus : London
- Russell, S. (1999) Barefoot Doctor's Guide to the Tao: A Spiritual Handbook for the Urban Warrior : Three Rivers Press : London
- Russell, S. (1999) Barefoot Doctor's Handbook For Heroes" : Piatkus : London
- Russell, S. (2000) Barefoot Doctor's Handbook For Modern Lovers : A Spiritual Guide to Truly Rude and Amazing Love and Sex: Piatkus : London
- Russell, S. (2001) Barefoot Doctor's Handbook for Modern Lovers: A Spiritual Guide to Truly Rude and Amazing Love and Sex : Broadway : New York
- Russell, S. (2001) Return Of The Urban Warrior' :' Element Books
- Russell, S. (2002) Liberation : Element Books
- Russell, S. (2003) Twisted Fables For Twisted Minds : Element Books
- Russell, S. (2004) Instant Enlightenment : Element Books: London
- Russell, S. (2005) Manifesto London: Element Books
- Russell, S. (2005) Dear Barefoot: The Wisdom of the Barefoot Doctor Atlantic Books: London
- Russell, S. (2006) Invincibility Training" : Element Books
- Russell, S. (2008) Pure : Hay House
- Russell, S. (2009) The Man Who Drove With His Eyes Closed" : Hay House
- Russell, S. (2009) Jewels Of Enlightenment" : Nightingale Conant
External links
- Super Charged Taoist official website
- Barefoot Doctor official website
- The Good Web Guide interview with Russell
- Prediction Magazine interview with Russell
- Russell's page on the Cyberspace Health Clinic website