What should I look for in a good teacher?

When considering Tai Chi and Chi Gung teachers, the first questions to ask are: have they been doing the type of chi work they are asking you to do for a minimum of ten years? Did they really understand their teacher's transmission, especially if their teacher did not speak the same language? Do they seem fairly well balanced psychologically? Look for mental and emotional clarity and physical wellbeing in a teacher.

How can I tell if a spiritual or meditation group is a cult?

For thousands of years Taoists have observed that cults do not spiritually serve either their leaders or followers. Groups that operate from manipulation, dishonesty, and sham are cults, rather than spiritual groups. The aim is to make the followers totally dependent on the group leader. There will always be a small minority of individuals who become cult leaders to deliberately manipulate and exploit people for their own benefit. However, many corrupt spiritual leaders, especially those with smaller cults, begin with some integrity and pure motivations, but over time turn to the dark side for a multitude of reasons.