Neil Carter

Shaker Hts, Ohio, USA

I started spinning poi about 6 or 7 years ago, when I saw a guy at a local beach doing it with a home made sock pair. 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. Like Tai Chi, this flow movement feels great, and adding poi as the object of the manipulation increases the benefit of the movement by adding resistance to the flow. 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 do about 20 minutes, 3 times a day. I use sock, cone, and contact poi I bought on the internet. I make up moves and learn others by watching poi videos and am a member of a local flow group. I only see a few seniors practicing this art though. This poi art is also a great form of mediation. I will be a poi boy for life.