The Concept of "Yi"
The term “Yi” has become somewhat unclear as to what it actually means. In this post I would like to clarify some of the misconceptions. I will give you an idea of how you can shape your own understanding of Yi, depending on what you practice.
This introduction already suggests an important characteristic of Yi. It can mean different things and it’s definition depends on how the word is used and about what art we talk. The practitioner of Qigong for health purposes will understand Yi differently than an internal martial artist. Then again, even between styles it can differ.
Anyways, first things first.
If you have never even heard of Yi before, it is commonly translated as intention, intent or purpose, but also focus or the thought of imaging and visualizing. However, all these words have completely different meanings.
The creator of Yiquan (intention fist), Wang Xiangzhai believed that true power comes from the mind. The mind is the commanding centre, the body moves and the Qi follows along. Whatever we do, it is in our mind where we first create the idea and this influences our body.
This brings us a little bit closer to the concept of Yi.
Yi has to do with the mind but certainly affects the mental AND physical body.
In Neigong practice we coordinate our mind and body with breathing and relaxation exercises to improve our internal and external power. We cultivate physical and mental control over our breathing, movements and flow of energy. Exercises emphasize the release of tension in the muscles and naturally promote a balance of energy. Certain techniques even allow us to manipulate it in such a way that can penetrate deep into the bones.
Somewhere in this process of cultivation has to be the Yi…
Whereas we in the western world look at the mind as conscious and subconscious, the traditional Chinese martial artists and Taoist monks categorized it into intention/will (Yi) and emotion/attitude. (Xin)
What people generally mean by “using Yi” is the conscious, focused thought, or more like something between thinking and doing. It is like an impulse, a “thinking energy” that makes your arm move forward if you want to grab something.
Training your Yi means training your mind and developing a strong form of intent which allows you to physically, mentally, and on a neurological level prepare for the action. So Yi is somewhere between thinking of doing something, and making the action.
An example:
Imagine you want to throw a ball. You are holding the ball in your hands and you are having the intention to throw it. You are only thinking about it but stand still. In this case something already happens inside. Your brain has already sent the signals to the muscles and tendons which will be involved in this action through the nervous system to the motor neurons. You are ready, the power has turned on slightly and you just gotta do the action. For most people this happens on a subconscious level, however with enough training, relaxation and a strong visualization you are able to feel these sensations throughout the body. This is called “sense memory”. The memory of throwing a ball. The stronger this memory and visualization is the stronger you can feel sensations which are acting on your intention or idea of throwing this ball. (Yi) Some people claim this to be the most important aspect in Neigong and Qigong practice.
I mentioned Yi, but what about Xin?
To keep it short, Xin affects the attitude or quality of the intention. When you throw this ball to a child, the attitude of this intention changes and therefore affects the way you throw the ball. If you throw the ball at your opponent in a heated ball game, again, you will throw it with your heart (Xin) and the quality of this intention changes and becomes more forceful and emotional. Because your Xin is emotional and can dilute your intention, but also because your emotional mind is responsible for creating mental and physical tension, it is important to use Yi and not Xin during your practice.
I believe Yi is important and necessary to consider during practice, but at the same time I think that it’s use, application or meaning can simply not be generalized.
And why is that?
It’s really quite simple. The difference is obvious when you compare an internal martial art like Xingyi Quan with Taoist Yoga or Neigong sitting meditation. One Yi is to be powerful or even to destroy, another Yi is to nourish and heal.
The internal martial art Xingyi Quan puts a lot of time into training a very powerful and focused Yi. This intense Yi leads every action and cuts through the opponent. When a Xingyi Quan practitioner stares at you from across the room you should feel their gaze cutting through you.
During Qigong or Tai Chi (partly) you are placing your Yi ahead of your Qi. Yi leads the Qi. During small circulation training you place your Yi slightly ahead of your cultivated area to lead the Qi to the next spot. Some practices involve visualization and imagery for example breathing in clean air or white light and exhaling stagnant energy through the feet. You can see that the meaning of Yi can slightly differ once again.
Either way, Yi is important and you need to find out what it means in your personal practice and how to apply it correctly. When you practice Qigong for health purposes you want to cultivate energy efficiently and train your mind to have a strong Yi. You want to use your Yi to develop your root as well as nourish your organs with Qi.
In Tai Chi, it is different again. Unlike the intensely focused Yi of Xingyi Quan the Tai Chi strategy involves a flexible and non-apparent Yi. You strive towards emptiness, want to disappear, adapt to changing circumstances naturally and your Yi is almost never focused. A feeling of emptiness in mind and body. Most of the time there is no place for intent but yet it can be there, but it might be placed into the opposite direction, and then in the next moment disperses. This doesn’t make sense at first but let me explain:
For some a stronger Yi might slip in at times, for example in Fajin (internal power moves) or due to cross-training and an automatic reaction of a drill from a different martial art.
A Tai Chi practitioner should train his Yi, let it become strong and focused, but should be able to let it go any moment and merge with the wind. A focused Yi is much easier to sense than an unfocused Yi, therefore you won’t let your opponent in on your intention. Practicing Yi in Tai Chi might as well be practicing “Opposite-Yi”. This means you place your intent on something else or opposing to what we do. You train your intent but you don’t focus on your Yi, Qi or movements. This is to achieve the state of emptiness, nothingness and a clear mind.
As an example:
When someone holds your arm tightly in a strong grip, there is no point in trying to fight against it, trying to move the arm. A strong Yi towards the arm won’t help you out of this situation. The only thing you can do is to use your whole body as one, root your stance firmly and move your intent away from your arm. You need to forget about the strong grip and completely relax. You look far into the other direction and the movement follows your eyes. Here you use your Yi and place it on something different in order for your body to follow without being distracted and tensed up by the grip of the opponent. You see that the Yi in Tai Chi is a lot more unique and abstract than the Yi used in Neigong or healing arts.
At Water Dragon Arts we offer various courses that deal extensively with Qigong and Taijiquan. You can take part in our online lessons via Zoom or a selection of multi-day courses.
Why is the meaning of Yi so inconsistent?
The character Yi (意) in Chinese language can be used for many different things. Most of the time it depends on the context. For example intention (意向) and thought (意念). A translator of the classical Chinese literature would need to be very familiar with the art itself to understand what exactly the author means and how to convey it’s most accurate meaning. If the translator would be very familiar with Xingyi Quan let’s say, it is likely that his background would influence his interpretation of a classic Tai Chi text. It is important to keep in mind that Yi is used different among different arts. You need to ponder upon this concept yourself and find what is true to your personal practice. You might come across teachers who will intellectualize this term and I suggest to let their interpretation influence you in a healthy and observant way, but not drastically and blindly believing it to be the truth. They might have cross-trained themselves and are influenced by other arts.
Having offered you some insights and scenarios already, I want to remind you not to take everything word for word. And most importantly, Yi is certainly nothing that you have to “think” about during practice. I hope some of the examples could convey the idea of Yi sufficiently. I need you to put this information in relation to your own practice. After all, this subject leaves enough room for everyone to ponder upon it themselves.
Best to you,
Marco
