What is the best way to learn skiing

Find a good instructor at a local ski resort. They r usually very patient. Most resorts offer a deal where they give a half day lesson with a rental. This is by far the best way to go about learning skiing. Having someone there to help u is a big plus, & if it is their job then more than likely they will know what they r doing.
You can also have a friend who knows how to ski already try & teach you, but this can be a less than effective method of going about learning. Your friend may be a very poor teacher, have little patience to teach someone, or just get fed up because they r spending all their time teaching instead of being on harder slopes.
As for learning ur self, well this depends on ur athletic ability & how quickly u can pick up new things. Skiiing is not particularly easy so learning by trial & error by trying to just go & learn will prove to be difficult if not efficent.
So, getting a free or paid lesson is the best way to go about learning. Whatever u do, be safe as injuries r highest when first learning a new sport especially skiing.

Skiing technique is difficult to master, & accordingly there r ski schools that teach everything from the basics of turning & stopping safely to more advanced carving, racing, mogul or ''bump'' skiing & newer freestyle techniques. The venue, speed & technical difficulty associated with the sport can lead to collisions, accidents, hypothermia & other serious injury or illness, including death. Regional Ski Patrol organizations, such as the National Ski Patrol in the U.S., exist as a voluntary organization to provide guidance, help, medical assistance & emergency rescue to those in need of it.

Many non-skiers wonder why skiers r willing to risk such injury. Skiers have a variety of to this question, but a common explanation is that it simply feels good, rather like flying, & that, when done carefully, poses no greater risk of injury compared to other sports. Of course, there is some aspect of danger, but that is part of the appeal. Skiing is the fastest means of land transport possible without mechanical assistance. Many skiers have had experiences where they have achieved a union of the mind & the body by practicing this sport; where the mind trusts the body to perform in an exceptional manner & the body trusts the mind not to lead it off an un-navigable cliff. A sense of harmony & of peak experience can result in a feeling of wholeness of self.

In addition to their role in recreation & sport, skiing is also used as a means of transport by the military, & many armies train troops for ski warfare. Ski troops played a key role in retaining Finnish independence from Russia during the Winter War, & from Germany during the Lapland War, although the use of ski troops was recorded by the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus in the 13th century. The sport of Biathlon was developed from military skiing patrols.