An Extension of Yourself – Part 3 – Prop Spinning and Beyond

Did you THINK I meant the poi was the extension of yourself? Well, you are right, and not right about that. Today I ask you, an extension of who? Who is this you, and why does it bother prop spinning at all? Allow this blog post to inquire further and finally into the fundamental nature of flow arts and prop spinning.

Flow of the Universe

To truly honor our flow arts, we must first honor ourselves, the movers and the doers. Who knows who started flowing first, the stars, the atoms, or the humans? Perhaps it was all of them at once? No! The stars and the atoms were first, the humans second. Humans tend to put themselves second amongst nature and the universe, and since humans believe themselves the power to separate from it all, I suppose that would put us in second place as we well know the earth and stars will still exist after we are gone. Though to me this is still mere prop spinning, and it is not satisfying, so to me it is not the final answer to “why flow?”. Let us explore the prop we did not even know we were spinning first: our bodies.

Our Place in the Flow

Our bodies are these mushy things, held together by our solid bones and stretchy ligaments that tend to move in curves, even when we attempt to go in straight lines. What drives the body? Well I suppose that would be our thoughts and our feelings. Our thoughts, feelings and actions erupt in such an assortment of ways that to truly wield the prop that is our human form is absolute madness to even try and sort out; it’s no wonder most of us fail in doing so in the end (we die).

Though some of us learn a method to the madness, do our exercises, yoga and meditation, and maybe even learn to dance. Then the really crazy ones come along and decide that dancing isn’t enough, we need something more to twirl and spin, till finally the insane ones still un-content decide to set the object on fire and see how that goes. What goes beyond insanity is the fact that many of these people are the most happy, youthful, safe and secure beings I have ever met. How is this paradox possible??

It is possible, and probable even, because we are the props in which the universe uses to spin itself. We may call it consciousness, we may call it energy, or even Spirit or God, but at the end of it, this thing I call myself, my being, has been flowing the stars, atoms and humans as well as all the objects these three create since well before and well after time was time. It is in our very nature to practice getting familiar with an extension of ourselves, for all IS an extension of ourselves! We, the observer of ourselves, of space, matter, and time, do not know reality at all without things moving around each other. 

Flow Arts in Life and Practice

So, you see, the very nature of existence itself is flow arts. Some get good at existing and live long and enjoyable lives. Some won’t allow themselves to commit to it and tend to live shorter, miserable ones. The rest of us live somewhere in between. A few of us live somewhere outside and beyond. 

I do not know what activity will set your spirit free, but I do know that your spirit as it exists as a thing, as far as we can understand it, is practicing flow arts and prop spinning every moment of every day, everywhere, in every way. So when you pick up your poi, or whichever prop spinning route you choose, remember that this is not an object to be regarded as friend or foe, nor an activity that is smart or dumb, it just is, and it’s there for your enjoyment and to continue to create and grow a relationship with all you are.

Blessings ever more,

To be continued…

Jesse Hart of Full Circle Phenomenal
A Sacred Flow Art Community Blogger

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