The idea for “The Old Man From the Hill (Lessons in Qigong and Tai Chi) came to me one day when I was thinking how my childhood would have been had I been able to learn Qigong and Tai Chi back when I was a kid. There were times when I would get sick at school or before school and would either be sent home or never go. I wondered if Qigong would have made a difference.

So I started to think how would I, be able to convey this message in a story. A light went on and I thought that if I could take some of my childhood memories and weave them into a story about the ancient Chinese healing arts that might work.

My memories included visits back to Smock, Pennsylvania where my parents came from and I created John as someone who lived in a cabin on my grandparent’s property. Although I never did spend the summer with my grandparents, I did spend two weeks with my aunt and uncle in the same neighborhood. My brother also spend the time with me on that visit.

The story line includes the history of Qigong and Tai Chi, the concept of what Qi is, and how the Qi affects the world in which we live. I also included information on the Chinese dietary principles on how the energy of the food we eat affects our bodies and our personal Qi. It was a challenge for me as I had never written a book before nor did I know anything about how to get it published.

The reviews that I have received from long time teachers and practitioners of Qigong and Tai Chi let me know that I was on the right track and that it would be beneficial for all who read it. It has also encouraged me to start on a second book to continue the journey with John, the teacher, in the Pennsylvania country side.

Steve Zimcosky