Based on my experiences with various arts ( mostly some wing chun many years ago, Taiji, Yiquan, various methods of qigong and bagua ) and phases of pratice methods I've used, the philosphical foundation of yiquan as shared by my current teacher ( Fong Ha ) & my interpretations of other Yiquan luminaries is wonderfully beneficial in many ways.
The emphasis on meditational expansion of grounded, embodied equilibrium, awareness, essence & naturallness through standing meditation / qigong & externally simple or short movement flows deeply explored can be so rewarding. I remember overhearing nonpractitioners commenting on how weird a class of people practicing yiquan looked just moving slowly & externally simply / not flashy. Yet if they were willing to open their mind & experience through mindful practice the deeep feelings of integrated equilibrium, peace, physical, emotional, energetic & spiritual sensitivity, harmony & relaxed vitality that is nurtured through these practices they too would probably not be worried about how silly they may look practicing. As Fong says sometimes, it's not how we look but how we feel & our embodied equilibrium that matters most. These seemingly simple and for some perhaps boring ways of practicing such as standing for a half hour, hour or longer, one movement repeatedly practiced very slowly for continual refining of awareness and movement & embodying of in the moment presence, etc seem so fullfilling to me.
A sincere thank you to the heartfully dedicated practitioners, teachers & founder(s) of arts like Yiquan who followed their own truth, experience, feeling & vision, even through misunderstanding & ridicule from belligerent, less creatively spirited practitioners of other arts. It is people like these independent souls who keep the essence & spirit of wonder, love & growth through exploration alive and vigorous.