the Aaahh

THE MABA

The double edge realignment technique of:

(immediate access to our subconscious)

For many of us it is very important to highlight and underline emotionally, many of our communications and interactions, when this is needed. It can mirror our psychological stand. The Maba practice helps us to access our Conditioned as well as our Primal emotions ie. our unconscious and subconscious.

This practice can help us reach mindful awareness, and for some Self-realization, through these Primal emotions and feelings. mainly by first using the extremes of emotional non-verbal engagement and release. These nonverbal expressions serve as a discharge and social negotiations. However, when such release has achieved its aim, it turns into artistic expressions, closeness and liberation within the Aaahh community culture.This flexible culture serves us as "The Constant" in all of our communications and interactions. These are fluid and need moment-to-moment adjusting. Within the Aaahh culture we can address instinctual chaotic fixations of Yes and No when we communicate. This practice, by and large, needs to be complemented by the "Hama" and "Imme" practices, described below. In this way, we can find the right balance between our emotions and intellect, between left and right brain.

In the Aaahh framework, when we talk about communication and relationships, we are not talking mainly about hard facts, such as how much money do I have, or what obvious practical action to take about some issue. We are talking here more about "perceived, imaginative" things which we also call "psychological realities" or "psychological facts". These "perceived facts" or realities in communication, and our relationships, can play a role more vital than material considerations. These perceptions have to do more with our imagination and feelings, that is, the way we feel about someone or something, about our spouse, children, parents, ourselves etc.

To establish a base for such delicate and 'soft' perceived facts or realities, a community base is a must. The application of personal and group unorthodox transformation tools, such as the three main practices, are required because within this transformational process, it can take time for a habit based shift to happen.

The complexity and fragmentation of modern life is reflected in the language we use in our communications.

In the Aaahh, in addition to our verbal interactions, we learn to articulate essentials in communication through nonverbal ways ie. gestured communication such as, eye contact, facial expression, tone of voice, and other instant improvised expressions. This takes place when normal language is not adequate for our feelings and emotions to be expressed or we stay too much in our head. Paying attention to our nonverbal language is very important here.

Gestured communication comes mostly from our subconscious and enriches our emotional intelligence. Such a "primal language" does not further emotional or intellectual fragmentation, which often results from the tyranny of choice that verbal associations and the complexity of language (and life) and the so- called 'acquisition of knowledge' can bring. Adding gestured language to our verbal language leads to personal and Community cohesion. Having role models in the Aaahh context adds emphasis to everything.

We revert or synchronize our intellectual conclusions with the dominant feelings of that very moment expressed in improvised manifestations. This also helps us detect when there is a big gap or uncertainty between what we say and what we feel or do.Thus maintaining the dance and flow of balance. In these complex and uncertain times, such a balance is hard to maintain by mere words and a fluctuating mind. It needs to be supported by psychological micro-actions which are cultivated with the help of practices, meditations and our group culture.

Our experiential background of this approach is vital for the rational understanding of the Aaahh communication.

In the Aaahh context, in any communications or interactions, we most often include our very personal (individual) subjectivity, however idiosyncratic, fractured or unbalanced it may be.

Through voice tones, facial expressions, mime, talking gibberish and other apparent spontaneous nonsensical or childlike actions that can fit into the given psychological context, we act out how we feel at that time. (If needed, we may use a maximum of only 3 understandable words.) These can provide both release and direction especially when we have prioritized our intentions. At times, we may be required to act out a kind of "simulated madness". Often, only such a behavior can jolt us out of our personal, sometimes overpowering, ego fixations and lead us to our primal tribal emotions and feelings. This puts a stop to our going around in the "vicious intellectual circles" of mind regurgitation, defined, to a large extent, by the psychological model we have imposed on ourselves, mainly through relying on the use of language in our communications. As well, catharsis through friction and resistance, is for many of us in the west, a part of our culture and personal make up. With the help of appropriate personal and group tools, through such on the spot idiosyncratic interactions, better bonding and meaning can be achieved.The Maba practice helps this to happen without leaving language memory marks.

We give vent to these "small unnoticed details" by using spontaneous, quirky nonverbal expressions to also negotiate psychological baggage, and to "tune into" each other. In this way we can create an on-the-spot nonverbal chemistry which will lead to balance and enhanced interactions, as and when needed.

The acknowledgment, and allowance into our midst, of a manageable level of 'craziness/clowning' and/or such instant improvised expressions, can be a very powerful liberating tool to restore both our emotional and rational flow of balance. Such a nonverbal and contained acting-out or childlike silliness (especially when sharing in front of other members), can be remedial fun and a powerful tool in conflict resolution. Here we allow ourselves to pull apart the image/mask we have created and, so to speak"go naked" in front of our friends. A great honesty is required to "let go" and let our group spirit or community culture guide us. The Aaahh culture is forged through the cultivation of imaginative, symbolic as well as practical constants. If we allow these, and adopt them into our life they will add meaning and enhance our communications.

When there is within us a deep desire for personal and community harmony, our individual strong fixations can eventually synchronize with that desire. In this light, it doesn't matter if we, individually or communally, get sometime "out of sync".

Here is a further description of this practice:

The Maba, as a restrained enactment, can exaggerate and release tension. This can be the initial part of a overall practice enabling those in conflict to be able to determine where they emotionally stand with each other. This recognized Aaahh-acknowledged action can bring great release to the individual and the community. It can make a great difference to someone from a culture bent mainly on ironing-out fundamental individual problems in our lives (and larger issues) through intellectual conflict, or abstracting through talking and projecting them "out there". Up to a point, talking is OK, if it really helps to address the issue. If this is not the case, we use the Maba technique.

After this cathartic enactment, we can return to normal talking communication and see how it feels. We may also go back and repeat the Maba exercise until issues have been sorted out. Alternatively, we can just enjoy being in the presence of each other and experiencing good communication without our "mind clutter".  Being present without words.

IN ADDITION, AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, AT A CERTAIN LEVEL IN THE MABA PRACTICE, SOME OF US MAY BE ABLE TO ACCESS OUR PRIMAL (PRIMORDIAL and not the conditioned) EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS, REACHING OUR TRIBAL CORE - THE MARROW OF OUR BONES - AND BECOME ONE WITH EVERYTHING - SELF-REALIZED IN THE "HERE AND NOW". THIS REQUIRES "A LETTING GO AND A TUNING IN". OTHERS IN THE AAH MAY REACH THIS LEVEL THROUGH PRACTICES AND MEDITATIONS OF MINDFULNESS AND AWARENESS. HOWEVER, FOR MOST OF US, A COMBINATION OF THE TWO, A BALANCE BETWEEN ENGAGED SENSORY EXPERIENCE AND SENSORY NON-ATTACHMENT, WILL BRING THE BEST RESULTS. HERE THE HAMA AND IMME PRACTICES (please see below) COME TO ASSIST US.

In the Aaahh context, we speak about "self-realization". This is a state in which an individual and the group (community) become fully synchronized, and also function in such a way. This is an occurrence that need not necessarily be talked about, but has become an implicit fact.

Understanding and seeing our relationships, our community and even our greater world, in its 'is-ness' or ' being-ness' without the need for words, helps us to balance our individual perspectives and indeed can place all of our relationships on a very different footing. A heartfelt language will then emerge.

THE HAMA
(focusing)

The second principle practice which compliments the interactive Maba practice (and brings into focus many other processes) is the Hama. It revolves around a flexible non-religious "mantra" which can be practiced in a variety of passive or active ways, such as in sitting meditations, singing, dancing, chanting, and bringing rhythm as a form of meditation into our activities. In the passive Hama practices, we are able to divorce ourselves from our crude emotions and become the observer of passing feelings and sensations. This mantra, as a complete psychological unit, addresses and integrates three aspects: the negative, the neutral and the positive aspects in our psyche. The Hama synthesizes all our practices and meditations and includes many forms of sitting meditation.