On: Flow Arts

 My experience with flow arts

I typically don't begin these types of posts with my own experiences or opinions because I usually find it more beneficial to begin with information so that people can get a better understanding of where my experience is coming from, however this is something I'm really excited to share with you guys and something that has very recently become very near and dear to my heart... the flow arts, or forms of motion meditation! But most specifically hooping. I already made a quick mini-post about hooping which  you can read here if you would like, and included a few videos and photographs of myself, however I wanted to make something a little more in-depth for those of you who may be curious. Bear in mind, though, that I have only just started out, and have only had a little less than a month's time total practice time. While I have had my hoop for longer than that, the long hours I put in with school and work don't allow me to spend time learning each day and my practice time is very limited. Enough of that, though. Let's get started!
Hooping is something that I stumbled across on the internet back in high school and was really taken aback by how cool it looked. At the time, I had absolutely no idea what a flow art was, and had never heard of motion meditation, nor had I ever sat down and even attempted to meditate a day in my life. At that time in my life I was really heavily battling insecurity with myself and I was really hard on myself. Whenever I would try and quiet my mind, negative thoughts toward myself would find their way to creep in. But watching the (typically) girls spinning the hoops, they always looked so happy and free, and free from the burden of insecurity. They seemed in such a state of bliss to me, and they made spinning look so easy and effortless. However it was also something that I completely shied away from attempting. I told myself that I would look too awkward,  that I would never be able to learn the moves and that everyone would just think I was weird or that I looked stupid, and it would be wasted time and energy, so I put hooping out of my mind. I didn't really ever think much of it again until I was in college, when a coworker and friend of mine named Tyler introduced me to Poi. It was something he had recently started up himself and he brought them over to my apartment when we were hanging out and taught me a few moves. It was really difficult but I found that I really, really enjoyed spinning the poi and that focusing on my movements had really quieted my mind. It was a way to connect with the music that was playing, and I instantly really enjoyed myself doing it. After he left I went on Youtube and was watching videos of other people spinning Poi, and that's when I came across hooping again. I found myself watching video after video of people making up their own flows to a whole host of different types of music and I was captivated. It was definitely something I wanted to try, but I was too afraid of failing, too afraid of looking stupid, that it held me back.
It wasn't until a random moment of impulse in the sports store that I actually worked up the courage to give hooping a try for myself. I had gone to The Academy to purchase a pair of skates that were on sale and sure enough, right next to the skates in plain view, were weighted fitness hoops, also on sale. I made an impulse buy and got the hoop and I found myself filled with excitement to be able to try it out. That night I took the hoop (one that I later found out was entirely too big and entirely too heavy to use for the purpose of any sort of hoop dance) to my gym in the apartment complex and watched several YouTube videos and tried to learn some tricks. The size and weight of the hoop made it difficult, but nevertheless I had a ton of fun! The entire time I wasn't worried about performing each move correctly, or worried about what others would  think of me but was purely just enjoying myself in the moment, and that's when I was hooked. Thankfully, after posting a video of my first experience on Facebook, a friend had let me know I was using the wrong kind of hoop and that's when I set out to get a proper dance hoop. The new hoop has made everything much easier and I absolutely love practicing! Hooping is not only really fun but also very meditative for me and even in my extremely short experience with it, it has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I would recommend anyone to try it.

But what exactly is a flow art?

Giving a complete history of the different flow arts and where the concept came from is a bit tricky, in part because of how many different types there are and also because it can be a bit difficult to  to separate the history from the prop itself and the art, however one of the first times a flow art appeared in history were on paintings in Egyptian tombs around 2000 BCE. "Flow arts" is an umbrella term that encompasses all activities that involve integrating types of dance with the manipulation of props including but not limited to hoops, batons, swords, poi, or even fans. Some people even go as far as to include various dexterity related activities such as cup stacking or Frisbee, within this realm as well, though it is heavily debated. Flow arts are meant to blend fitness and meditation much in the same way that yoga aims to, with the goal being a harmonic experience of skill-based technique and artistic expression. These activities are influenced by ancient practices of taichi and other martial arts. 

What is the goal of flow arts?

The goal of participating in a flow art is to reach a state of "flow" (makes sense, right?) which is what occurs when your body, mind and spirit are all balanced. It's the state when your ego, fear, and insecurities dissolve and you're engrossed in the Here and Now. According to Mihaly Csikszentihalyi, a researcher in positive psychology, the flow is a state of being in ecstasy that everyone and anyone can achieve with enough practice. Through complete absorption in your actions you will feel a sense of energized focus and involvement. Your flow might not be the same from one week to the next, or even one day to the next, and you can 'find' your flow by finding the balance between your skill level and the level of challenge in the activity or movement you're practicing. 

The above is a diagram from this website  which focuses on poi. As you look at it you will realize the truth that is there. When performing low skill level activities with low challenge levels, you may feel apathetic, however when performing high challenge level movements with low skill you may feel anxious, and end up becoming frustrated or give up. Having found your flow is said to be accompanied with: intense concentration, action and awareness merging together, loss of self consciousness while gaining a sense of control. Some report having a loss of their sense of time. 

Flow arts provide a safe way to test your limits and expand your comfort zone. 

How do the flow arts work?

Aside from being a fun hobby or a way to get some exercise, it is a simple way to incorporate "playtime" back into our adult lives. Practicing flow arts aims to engage the mind and body in harmonic movements, similar to yoga that can help people not only just get to know themselves better but become closer and closer to their personal bests. Physically, the skill based movements help bring awareness to our bodies, and the use of muscles to control the props engages the entire body and can be a really positive outlet for energy. Studies have shown that those who regularly experience periods of flow are more likely to develop higher concentration, self esteem, and other positive traits. If you're interested, this video of a Ted Talk does an excellent job at explaining the relationship between finding flow and happiness. 

So, now I want to give it a try. How do I learn?

The best way to begin is to just go for it! Do the research and find out what materials you need, pick out a space where you will feel comfortable (personally, I find a more private space more comfortable when I'm trying new tricks because it helps my focus a little better) and where you won't risk breaking anything like lamps, televisions, or windows, and just remember to use your resources. There are TONS of tutorials all over the internet and websites that you can visit for tips and techniques (I also have a few links to some tutorials of a few of my favorite beginner hoop tricks on my resources page, if you're interested). If you're looking to begin specifically with poi, a baton, or one of the other props, unfortunately this is where most of my usefulness to you has run it's course. This website has really, really great tutorial videos for the very basics, even down to hold your poi. You can also purchase gear from here as well. If you're looking to start hooping, I can be of a little more help! You're going to want to get yourself a hoop and try to be sure to get one that is the proper size for you (don't make the same mistake I did!). You're going to want something that, sitting on the floor, will come up to about your belly button, however if you tend to carry extra weight in your midsection you may want to add a few inches to your hoop size. I'm using a polypro 100psi 3/4 inch. If you look in my FAQ, there is a link to the Etsy shop that I purchased my hoop from.

Godspeed, friends!