John Kells (born 1940 in Dublin) started Tai Chi in London, 1967, under a student of Liang Tung-tsai (whom John also later studied with) called John Yelenesian. Since then he has had nine teachers of substance, including two Tibetan buddhists, the most important being:
Chi Chiang-tao (1919-1994): the top student of Cheng Man-ch’ing (1900-1975) and the supreme yielder of his generation. All who met him attest to his saintly character.
Yang Shou-chung (1907-1985): the son of Yang Cheng-fu who taught John much about spirit.
Hsieh Chi-sheng: a top student of Chen Wei-ming with many martial artist friends who also helped John in his Tai Chi studies. Master Hsieh also taught John Pa Gua and Hsing I.
Liang Tung-tsai (1900-2002): full of mischief and humour whose wife introduced John to Chi Chiang-tao.
Wang Yen-nien (1913- ): student of Chang Chin-lin and of impeccable character with whom John studied power.
From 1961 to 1982 John also received internal instruction from a Harley Street doctor of mixed Icelandic and French descent. This man taught from an ancient European lineage (far older than Tai Chi). The teaching was largely without words and was elemental in the extreme – all about power, transformation and particularly HEART.
John opened the British T’ai Chi Ch’uan Association in 1970 and started teaching, mainly to train up people to Push Hands with. In 1977, after his principle teacher, Chi Chiang-tao (Dr Chi) had spent over a year in London bringing John up to a high level, he started teaching in a big way, with beginner’s classes commencing monthly, until 1993. It is estimated that from 1977 to 1993 John taught over 10,000 students. From 1991 to the present John has spent most his time researching and investigating the new Heartwork – the principles of which have sprung mainly from his Icelandic teacher, though the physical manifestation is still largely Tai Chi.
John has always said that if a student comes to him having already studied TaiChi with another teacher, then that student needs to drop everything they have learnt before they can take on board new instruction. This is what we call respect: the willingness and ability to drop your baggage whilst in the presence of the teacher so that the teaching has a place to reside within you.
Heartwork
Real connexion stems from what we call the Heart.
There is a circulation to the Heart – between the Heart and other Hearts –
human and otherwise.
This is the main thrust of my work.
But there is a circulation within the body, not as simple as blood or ch’i, but
something a lot deeper and from our ancestry – as deep as the beginnings of
time.
Real connexion is out of time and passes through bones and sinews from our
ancient impressions through something with the same kind of significance as
genes.
The inter-connexions between ourselves and other humans and all living things
are so complex that there is no intellectual sense to be made of it.
If my writings echo in you it is because you echo in them.
The soul of belonging is the interplay with all whom you meet and is quite
outside of ego.
To hear the truth resound within your own destiny is a great responsibility.
It bounces forwards in a natural way and you must devote yourself to keeping
up with it.
To be alive is to become your destiny and to burn everyone you come across with
a stronger and stronger light.
So from your land of mist and my land of mystery we have a meeting and a
blessing.
Destiny
The essence of destiny is yielding.
The essence of yielding is softness.
The essence of softness is entering.
The essence of entering is welcoming openness.
The essence of openness is heart.