Welcome to The Taiji School 

Onehunga, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand

taiji | align the body, mind & spirit 


train the body to train the mind | connect the deeper self

If you are looking for a way to increase both your mind and body's strength & resilience, this form of Taiji (Tai Chi) is an effective way to achieve that

Taiji (also known as Tai Chi) uses individual and partnered movement, along with meditation, to strengthen and balance the body, and bring stillness and resilience to the mind.

Over time, and with at least two classes per week, you will develop a more conscious relationship between your body and mind. Chances are, you will move differently, and become more considered and contemplative internally.

The practice, if sustained, will improve your quality of life now, and in future years while deepening your inner connections and supporting individual inner evolution.

2024 Classes

We began new 2024 classes starting Monday March the 18th. Classes are twice weekly Mondays and Wednesdays from this date at 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Classes are held at Onehunga Community Hall.

It's recommended to come and watch a class before starting. You can see what a class is like as well a ask any questions you have after the class. 

Classes are held at 6.30pm to 8.30pm (Onehunga Community House  83 Selwyn St Room 5

For more details see the 'Taiji Onehunga Auckland' page

The Taiji School | Onehunga

Mark Wallis

Principal Instructor for The Taiji School (Auckland)

A student with Patrick Kelly since 1982 and instructor at Patrick's Auckland school since 1992, Mark has spent most of his teaching time at the St Benedicts St school, taking beginners, intermediate and advanced classes. 

He finds a deep attraction to the art and strongly appreciates the systematic, structured approach to the Taiji path. 

Onehunga 2023

Our latest beginners classes started in March 2024. Please contact us for more details. Please attend two classes per week to give the best chance at reasonable progress.

Contact info

Additional information

Benefits of Taiji 

Requirements to join/FAQs

Two classes per week 

Clothing 

Watch a class

Fees 

What can Taiji do for you?

Taiji helps you find your centre | Physically, Emotionally, Spiritually

Usually in that order. As each of these aspects of being human, are orders of magnitude more subtle than the previous. Being human, we don’t do subtle unless there is a path there - and still motivation is required.

Some satisfy that motivation at the physical level - get some better health, some better balance and physical sense of the body, some surplus energy. Others with a deeper or more refined motivation may become satisfied as their emotional life stabilises, becomes more tangible as another part of themselves, gain insights to its controls and consequences. To sustain motivation, 

Being centred and balanced emotionally is no small thing.

Deep and more subtle still is finding centred spiritually. So much so that anything written or spoken about it can easily be misunderstood, or misconstrued, or worse misrepresented. With things we don’t understand, we conflate meaning, identity, purpose even intent (it's just easier to operate that way.) 

Taiji gives a method to find your centre in these aspects of human existence, providing a path that although open to all, is one only the individual can tread.

Taiji is a 'Way'. And though there are many 'Ways', not all are available to people. Some are devolving, becoming lost to the influence of the external world. Others are hidden, perhaps waiting, many more lost to the world already.

Good Taiji is here and available in your lifetime.

Beginners class structure

What we train

Much of the Taiji on offer in recent times places large emphasis on the flowing movements of the body. Sometimes this is ok for the health of the body, but not for the inner aspects touched on above. 

The Taiji of Patrick Kelly differs from nearly all other Taiji available, in that the motive and aim is to foster the student's inner evolution (inner growth). Rather than forcing the teaching into more intangible, faith-based ideas of practice, it requires the very opposite: that we create a very stable and accurate base to the practice, so the Taiji can be refined over the further years of practice. 

To facilitate this, we teach using these four main practices:

Taiji and Tai Chi

Who is Taiji suitable for?

Anyone who seeks a deeper knowledge of themselves will find benefit from Taiji.


What age is Taiji suitable for?


How fit do you need to be to begin Taiji?


Do i need good coordination to be good at Taiji?

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Why so many styles of Taiji, is one best? 

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Commitment to the learning process

* Please do engage your teacher if you notice you are being challenged by the practice and don't see a way through it, or just need more help. This is when the instructor's (or an older student's) experience is useful. Be it physical, mental or emotional there is a good chance they have encountered a similar obstacle in their own practice. In the case of the Patrick Kelly students in Auckland, collectively we would have the relevant experience to help.

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A Patrick Kelly seminar in Italy. Two person pushing hands may look competitive, but is used for deepening sensitivity and connecting into the partners dynamic system

Who are the teachers? 

When can I start?

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Links to Patrick Kelly & Schools Internationally

Other Schools Worldwide: