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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I will be 67 in two months and have always been interested in Tai Chi, yoga, and meditation. Unlike tai chi, poi offers resistance to flow moves by the weight of the poi. Now my bursitis in one shoulder is gone. My muscle memory, peripheral vision, coordination, physical exercise, stamina, and some chest and arm muscles have increased.
I'm the type of person who enjoys movement and finds importance in it, so poi has been my number 1 influence to going outside to play and move more. It's help me become better with coordination, quick reaction, focus, mobility, serenity and so on. I believe it really is healthy for the mind, body and soul. If I had to choose just one tool to use for body movement, it would probably be poi. I find it to go hand in hand with a majority of my interests as I find a connection between them, and with that said, poi will always be something I do and share with the world.
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 had a great impact on my life. Because I am so hyperactive and have ADHD poi helps me focus and calms me down. Every time I spin I don’t think about anything else, just that moment in time. My hand and leg coordination has improved dramatically which is mostly noticeable in my sport life. Currently I am doing fire shows as much as I can. With my friend we do a lot of workshops, especially for kids and older people (we work with lots of senior homes and youth associations for gifted kids), because we love seeing the look on their face when they learn a move or two and they thought that this is impossible.
A few years ago, in my early 50's, I had a horrid case of pneumonia that lasted for months; I'd also injured my knee, which took weeks to heal. I was getting very depressed. I believe that poi was an important healing force for me. It wasn't too physically demanding, yet it let me get range of motion and coordination at my own pace. It was always exciting to master a new weave. It got me off the couch without hurting me, it cheered me up, it gave me a chance to laugh at myself a lot, and it was great for my confidence and mood. And SO fun.
It was at a low point in my life that I discovered juggling, staff, and poi. Even with all my troubles, I still progressed. The motion and satisfaction of getting a move down filled my heart with joy. These skills came with powerful "magic", indeed. Playing with poi and the flow arts can make "magical" changes in you too, and I encourage all no matter where you are in life to give it a go.