People all over the world are experiencing the power of poi, from physical to mental to emotional benefits and everything in between! Check out the amazing stories below for some intimate truths about the positive influence of poi, or click the button to share your own story.
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Poi is my life companion for over 15 years now and it still brings me joy every day. I believe it is a unique form of meditation, a challenge for the brain, a dance partner for the body and a magic tool for group work - all in one! It also gives me total freedom in combining different art forms including visual arts and dance. Another very important reason is that it makes me feel good and relaxed.
I was introduced to poi by my friend, and quickly understood the movements as I noticed a correlation between martial arts and poi. A year and a bit later I have started doing performances with poi and have been opened up to an array of arts including juggling, staff and fire breathing. It's really inspired me and helped improve my mental and physical health as well as helping me become more fluid and technical in my martial arts.
I learnt to spin poi when I was dealing with all sorts of changes in my life. It absorbed the fear and hesitation, and gave me courage, possibility, and the thrill of something new. Since then, it’s always been something I can lose myself in, and find myself in. It’s one of the most valuable tools I have to ground my emotions, distract from anxiety, and refocus myself - a mental sanctuary.
Poi has transformed my life, in a very good way. Poi forces you to learn spatial awareness, awareness of the world around you. You learn timing, ambidexterity, focus, gain flexibility, react faster, and can begin to multitask your motions. In my opinion, it bonds your mind with your body, while simultaneously making both better.
When I started to play poi, it created a new space within mommy space that I could claim while still having mainly my attention for the kids. But this space with poi gave me joy and enabled me to reconnect to myself and my body in a way that was not restricted by time nor space. And in the practise of poi I learned about my sensuality, about learning to learn, attachments, limitations of the mind and the list can go on. I strongly feel that learning the skill of poi flow changes people and therefor has a power to change the world.
With all my formal training and education in neuroscience and the mental health field, what has interestingly become one of the most powerful tools in my toolbox for personal healing and transformation is something I would have never expected – the Flow Arts, specifically the art and practice of dancing with poi, the hoop, and with fire, dancing being the key word.