I’m very grateful and very fortunate to have met Master Zhao. I am a scientist, which means a little bit “stinky scholar”, and I am a bit of a jerk. However, I have traveled and studied far and wide to improve myself and met many remarkable people but Master Zhao is unique and beyond description in his accomplishment.

Almost ten years ago, I happened to be in the park and noticed two people practicing a high level of Qigong with the tree. I had heard of this practice and realized it was the mark of a very high level teacher. So I approached the students and asked who had taught them this approach. They explained that their Master considered this a part of basic training and that he treated patients in Fremont. I was very intrigued and arranged to visit as a patient. I was really astonished to find how easily the Master could move the Qi — he only waved his hands over me and I felt great waves of Qi moving throughout my body. I had many problems with kidney stones and recovering from the surgeries to remove them.

Master helped strengthen and heal me through each session of recovery.

Then I had a problem with the left side of my face; I lost some feeling and it drooped. The doctors couldn’t decide if it was a stroke or not. So as quickly as possible, I left them and I called desperate to see Master Zhao. Mrs Zhao quickly made an appointment and Master explained it was a small stroke and began to treat it. Within two treatments it had fully recovered and has not reoccurred and remains invisible to this day.

In 2009, I took the beginners course. The master explained his philosophy which was entirely unique as it was neither traditional Qigong nor was it traditional Chinese medicine but something much greater. He then asked us to stand in the office. I stood in front of his desk. Then he asked us if we felt something and without any warning I suddenly felt a great wave push against my body to the point where I felt I would fall over his desk and destroy his lamp. It was truly astonishing — as if I were suddenly in a great ocean and the Master never even moved. Later and most importantly during the training, the Master pointed out a defect of my character that no one could have known. He mentioned it quite directly but also quite gently. This caused me even greater astonishment as I realized he could read my character as easily as looking at my face. It was a great lesson and I am truly very grateful for it.

I began to practice and I realized quickly I had a great deal to unlearn. My training in martial arts had made me hard and it took many years to make me begin to soften. At one of the park group trainings, Master and Mrs. Zhao kindly corrected me again about how hard and stiff I was. She said I had to learn how to soften and relax but not become slack. I struggled with this for many years but feel that I have finally made some progress.

I mentioned that I am a bit of a jerk so you may not be surprised I figured I should cheat a little — I mean I am old now and there is not much time. So whenever I would visit the Master for treatment I would try to remember the feeling from Mrs. Zhao’s suggestion.

Then every night before I sleep, I lie on my back and try to re-create the feeling of the Qi flowing through my body. Now I feel that my Yong Chuan is open and when I stand I find my Lao Gong opens and I see a ring around the Lao Gong point on both hands but more on the left. I stand between four Redwood trees — it is quite cozy. Recently a falcon will come and join me; not resting high in the tree but actually very low where I can easily see him. The falcon will remain there while I practice but sometimes I think he’s considering that I may be food, or it could be just that’s the way a falcon looks.
I am very grateful to Master and Mrs. Zhao and all the senior students who have been so good to me in treatment and in training. I am very, very happy to be allowed this great opportunity of the advanced training and to share it with such fine people from all over the world. I earnestly hope for our success and that we make Master Zhao proud of our efforts.

With sincere gratitude —

Harry Prest