The Power of Intention in Yi Quan

Nikki Callahan

Welcome back to Reflections Unfiltered. I’m Eden Callahan, and I’m here with John Harvey. Today, we’re diving into a martial art that, honestly, feels like it was designed for those of us who’ve ever felt a bit allergic to rigid routines—Yi Quan, or “Intention Boxing.”

John Harvey

Yeah, Eden, I’ll admit, when I first heard about Yi Quan, I thought, “Wait, you just stand there? No forms, no katas, no endless repetition?” It’s almost subversive. Wang Xiangzhai, the founder, basically looked at the whole tradition of martial arts and said, “Let’s strip it all back. What if the real power isn’t in the muscle, but in the mind?” That’s a radical move, especially in early 20th-century China, where lineage and form were everything.

Nikki Callahan

It’s wild, isn’t it? Wang was a master of Xingyiquan, but he got disillusioned with all the ritual and choreography. He traveled across China, not just to challenge other masters, but to figure out what made their power real. And what he found was—it wasn’t about the external stuff. It was about the internal state. The intention. I love that quote of his: “Yi is the source, li is the function, xing is the trace.” So, don’t focus on the form—focus on the mind. That’s so countercultural, even now.

John Harvey

It really is. And it’s funny, because it reminds me of something we touched on in our episode about Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu—how sometimes, the real art is in what you don’t see. But Wang took it even further. He basically said, “Forget the choreography. If your mind isn’t there, your body’s just going through the motions.”

Nikki Callahan

That hits home for me. I mean, I’ve talked before about failing my black belt test—twice, actually. I was so obsessed with getting every move perfect, ticking every box, that I lost the thread of why I was doing it in the first place. It wasn’t until I let go of that rigid expectation—just, you know, stood there and felt what was happening inside—that things started to shift. It’s humbling, but also kind of liberating. I think Wang’s journey echoes that. He had to break with tradition to find something more authentic.

John Harvey

Yeah, and it’s not just about martial arts, is it? It’s about how we approach anything—work, relationships, even creativity. Are we just repeating what we’ve been taught, or are we actually present, actually intending what we do? That’s the real challenge.

Nikki Callahan

So, let’s get into the nuts and bolts—or, I guess, the stillness and imagery—of Yi Quan. The core practice is Zhan Zhuang, or standing meditation. And I know, it sounds like nothing, but it’s everything. You stand, but inside, you’re aligning your structure, your breath, and your intention. Sometimes you imagine holding a tree, or pushing a mountain, or sinking into water. It’s vivid, almost like you’re painting with your mind.

John Harvey

Yeah, and it’s not passive. There’s this neurological remapping happening—your body’s learning to integrate as a whole, not just as isolated muscles. I’ve done something similar, actually, when I was training with an African healer. We’d stand for what felt like hours, just focusing on the sensation of energy moving through the body. At first, I thought, “This is pointless.” But then, you start to notice these subtle shifts—your posture changes, your awareness sharpens, and suddenly, you’re moving with a kind of quiet power. It’s the same principle: intention first, action second.

Nikki Callahan

That’s beautiful, John. And then there’s Shi Li—testing force. You make these tiny, almost invisible movements, but you’re imagining, say, pushing through thick honey. It’s not about brute strength. It’s about feeling the connection, the pressure, even when there’s no physical resistance. It’s so different from the martial drills I grew up with, where everything was about speed and impact.

John Harvey

Exactly. And then you’ve got Mo Ca Bu—friction steps. You walk as if you’re sliding over ice or sandpaper, always rooted, always guided by intention. It’s about developing what they call “live root”—the ability to move with balance and awareness, to feel the shifting forces under your feet. It’s subtle, but it’s powerful. And honestly, it’s a lot harder than it looks. I mean, try walking across your living room like you’re gliding on ice, and see how quickly your mind wanders. That’s the real training—keeping your intention alive.

Nikki Callahan

And I think that’s what makes Yi Quan so radical. It’s not about adding more—more forms, more drills, more complexity. It’s about stripping everything back until only the essential remains. And that essential is intention. It’s a bit like what we talked about in our Um-Yang episode—the art of balance, but here, it’s the balance between doing and being.

John Harvey

Let’s talk science for a second. What’s fascinating is how Yi Quan lines up with what we now know about neuroplasticity. When you use mental imagery—like in Zhan Zhuang or Shi Li—you’re actually creating new neural pathways. It’s the same mechanism elite athletes use for visualization, or what’s used in stroke recovery. Even standing meditation can modulate your brain waves, making you more body-aware and less stressed. It’s not just woo-woo; there’s real evidence behind it.

Nikki Callahan

And then there’s the fascia—the connective tissue that links everything in the body. Yi Quan treats the body as a tensegrity system, so movement isn’t just about isolated muscles, but about this whole-body integration. You develop what they call “six-directional force”—up, down, left, right, forward, back. It’s a harmonious cascade, not brute strength. I love that line: “The intention must arrive before the hand. If you think it, it is already there.”

John Harvey

And that’s what sets Yi Quan apart from other internal arts. If you look at Taiji, there’s a lot of form and flow. Xing Yi is more about linear force. But Yi Quan? It’s minimalistic, almost Zen. No show, no pattern, just essence. It’s about presence and root, not about looking good or following a script. And that’s a tough sell in a world obsessed with doing more, achieving more, showing more.

Nikki Callahan

But that’s also where its power lies. Yi Quan has applications way beyond combat. It’s used in physical therapy for balance and neurological conditions, in athletics for fluid movement and injury prevention, even in corporate leadership for decision-making and presence. The challenge, though, is that it looks like you’re doing nothing. And in a culture that values busyness, that can be hard to swallow. But sometimes, the hardest thing is to do nothing well—to be fully present, fully intentional, and let action emerge naturally.

John Harvey

Yeah, and I think that’s a lesson we could all use, especially now. In a noisy world, reclaiming intention—whether in movement, in work, or just in how we show up for each other—might be the most radical thing we can do. So, if you’re listening and you’re curious, maybe try standing still for a few minutes today. See what happens. You might be surprised.

Nikki Callahan

That’s a perfect note to end on, John. Thanks for sharing your stories and insights. And thank you to everyone listening—whether you’re standing, sitting, or gliding across your living room. We’ll be back soon with more reflections, more questions, and, hopefully, a bit more intention. Take care, John.

John Harvey

Thanks, Eden. Always a pleasure. Until next time, everyone—keep exploring, and don’t be afraid to stand still once in a while. Goodbye.