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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The low resistance and technical nature of poi spinning was perfect to complete my full rehabilitation from my illness, many years after my last physical therapy session. I drilled and drilled the basics, gaining fluency with my movements and regaining feeling of where my limbs were in relation to my body. I now use poi as a form of mindfulness meditation and as a reminder of how far you can come if you work diligently at something for a long time.
I have a highly complex congenital heart defect called transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA). As a kid I was very clumsy, had a speech impediment and very poor fine motor skills. My hand eye coordination was pretty much nonexistent. Now after 16 years of flow arts I'm far less clumsy and my hand eye coordination is better than ever. If you get discouraged just remember it's all about taking baby steps, all those little victories will get you where you want to be.
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 decide to play Poi everyday. Sometimes I turn on the music and flow with it. Since then, I feel myself better. Some parts of my body are just being more "active" (because I don't play any sports - which is bad, I know). My mind becomes more clear and relaxed. Thoughts become more positive. I normally feel an empty mind with Poi in hands. And to me this is the most interesting part: when I perform to my friends, they feel magical too.
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.
The doctor/surgeon said I would never be able to spin poi again after they cut my sternum open for heart surgery but they were wrong. I started spinning as soon as my chest didn't hurt any more in the nursing home physical therapy room. The physical therapist there saw my progress and let the elderly spin bean bags as well if they wanted to try what I was doing. It greatly improved their progress because they were having fun. Some even came to my room outside of p.t. time to get lessons.