Masukhuma: Explanation of the Term & Technique

The word Masukhuma combines the word ‘ma’ (especially for its meaning in Japanese: space, emptiness, or pause; and its nearly universal meaning: Mother) with ‘sukhuma’: a Pali word (the ancient Indian language spoken during the Buddha’s lifetime) meaning subtle (also fine or exquisite). Becoming physically still - or moving extremely slowly - is a very important part of the technique of Masukhuma. When movement of the body pauses (ma) very subtle sensations can be felt, so in a sense it is ma that allows for a subtle (sukhuma) experience. But it is not enough to simply slow down or stop moving the body. In order to develop sensitivity to subtle sensations, the mind must also become quiet, must become empty. Again, ma is needed. In order to observe form, the empty space around the form must exist; to hear the intricacies of sound, there must be pauses, places of rest, moments of quiet. Subtlety and emptiness are intricately linked.

In addition to the meaning of ‘ma’ in Japanese, ‘ma’ (or mama) is used in a great majority of counties worldwide for mother. The reason for the universality of this word is due the fact that it is one of the easiest syllables for an infant to pronounce. With this ‘ma’ being one of all infants first available sounds, it may begin as being a request for sustenance, naturally becoming associated with the life-giver, care-giver, and especially the sustainer of life: ultimately evolving into the word for mother. In order to exist in our present physical bodies, we must grow in and pass through another body. Our life depends on the life of our mother who provides the fertile soil for the tiny seed of our bodies to sprout and develop. 

The technique of Masukhuma encompasses four foundational parts, which can be practiced in any order, as well as combined. In the case of the workshops the order is often as follows, although within each section aspects of the other sections also appear. First is the ‘Warming’ section, which includes specific exercises for opening awareness to the natural physical sensations that are constantly changing throughout the body, as well developing strength and flexibility. Second is the ‘Heating’ section, which aims to keep most parts of the body in constant motion, at a high but sustainable speed. This section is greatly beneficial for energizing, and cleansing the body, and for calming the mind.  The third section, ‘Cooling’, includes exercises of various speeds, often focusing on specific parts of the body. Some of these exercises are highly detailed and structured, and others focus on improvisation, encouraging the body to find it’s own organic forms and movements, and to break free from habitual ways of moving. The last section, ‘Freezing’, cultivates deep sensitivity to more subtle sensations - small, intricate movement - and develops the practice of remaining present while keeping the body externally still, focusing the attention on internal movement and the tiny, uncontrollable, inevitable movements taking place throughout the body. Freezing reveals the aliveness and activity within the apparent stillness. 

Masukhuma & Vipassana

The foundation of practicing Vipassana meditation is to remain alert and attentive while keeping the attention focused on the changing physical sensations throughout the body, all while remaining in a non-reactive, non-judgmental state of equanimity. To a great extent this is also the foundation of practicing Masukhuma. 

When one is present with what is actually occurring (in the case of Vipassana/Masukhuma, on a physical level) and remains equanimous, then one is fully able to experience all the nuance and subtly taking place in each passing moment. If one feels a sensation in the body and labels it “pleasant” - as the mind is bound to do at such a moment - then immediately one stops actually experiencing the “pleasantness” because with this label, naturally, the thoughts come of how to get more of this sensation. When one experiences a painful, uncomfortable, or unpleasant sensation, and the label is also given, and the thought arises of how one must rid themselves of the sensation, of how bad the sensations is, then this combines with the sensation itself, making the experience doubly unpleasant. While practicing Vipassana meditation, one observes sensations and aims not to react, neither with thoughts nor with physical movements, attempting to keep both mind and body still. Within the practice of Masukhuma, one also observes the physical sensations and aims to keep the mind quiet, but now the awareness of these sensations can also become the impetus for movement of the body. With the awareness on the body sensations, movement can come directly from the body without being commanded or imposed by the mind. In Butoh, there is the idea of “being danced” rather than dancing; sensitivity to the body’s sensations allows movement to occur rather than the mind forcing the body to create movement. Even in the case of making intentional movements, the awareness of the changing sensations keeps the mind present, and helps cultivate a unique and unexpected quality of movement. 

In Vipassana, as much as possible the mind is kept completely within the framework of the body; in Masukhuma, the awareness of the body can at times merge with the awareness of the environment, the sounds, the energies from outside. But whether the attention is focused within the body, or merging between the body and that which is outside, a state of mental non-reactivity is cultivated. In Masukhuma, the body may react to its own sensations, to the outside stimulus, but the mind simply observes. The mind watches the body from the outside, and this way it can be even more sensitive to what is occurring both internally and externally. The sounds are felt on the body, as well as heard. The smells, the sights, and everything external is filtered through the body rather than being evaluated with the mind. 

In both Vipassana and Masukhuma, the awareness of the changing sensations allows one to experience the body for what it actually is— simply a mass at atoms, and like all other matter in the universe, in a constant cycle of birth, decay, death, regeneration.