Joe Nickell, PhD, is now well into his fifth decade as an investigative writer. Among his many books is Secrets of the Sideshows (2005).
Figure 1. Author at the grave of Dixie Annie (Jarrett) Haygood, a.k.a Annie Abbott, “The Little Georgia Magnet,” whom strong men could not move. (Author’s photo, taken before a headstone was installed.)
In nearly half a century of investigating strange mysteries, I have frequently encountered claims of the mysterious force or power known as qi or ch’i or simply chi (pronounced “chee”). The term translates as “air” or “breath” and, by extension, “life force” or “energy flow.”