Issue July 20-27, 2005

SAYANI MAURO AND TIEM NAI BEN
A discussion about self defense, the mind-body connection and the absolute horror of shaving
BY SETH MCM. DONLIN

Skulking around the New England Medical Center T stop one day, I noticed an advertisement for what appeared to be a new martial arts school, The Boston School of Boabom. Intrigued by its reference to an "ancient Tibetan Art of Relaxation, Self-Healing and Self-Defense", I decided to swing by Brookline Village to give it a look and what I found was not at all what I expected. Luckily, the school's two senior instructors agreed to sit down with me and set the record straight about the ancient art.

So tell me about this Boabom.
Sayani: Boabom is an ancient art about movement that comes from Tibet. It's pre-Buddhist, so it's not rooted in the Buddhist tradition. The goal of Boabom is to take care of the body and the mind, and to see that the mind-body connection is one entity so that you are able to go through life happy. So what we do here at the school is to move with the purpose of being more relaxed and more present. And with the movement, we teach you how to breathe and how to focus. So that's what Boabom is-it's a system, an ancient Tibetan system, of movement that can be thought of as meditation in movement.

But some of your advertising makes Boabom look like a martial art. What do you say to someone that comes into your school saying that he wants to learn to kick the crap out of that guy down the street?
S: [Laughs] I would say that they would get-how do you say?-the same amount of energy ...

Tiem Nai: The same invigorating energy.

S: Yes, the same invigorating energy that they would get out of a martial art practice with just one difference: There's no contact. Boabom's movements, after a while, become a self-defense, but that's not the purpose. Could I beat up five guys? I wouldn't want to. Could I defend myself against five guys? Sure, but that's not the idea. The idea for you is to come here to work on your body and to relax. And then, as a combo, an extra, you get the self-defense part of it.

You talk about Boabom's ability to help you use your mind more fully. Lots of other groups make similar claims. Scientologists, for example, say your IQ will go up if you convert. If I study Boabom, will my IQ go up?
TN: I can't guarantee that, but I can guarantee that, no matter what your IQ is, you will become calmer and more focused from being here. The way that Boabom develops as a meditation is that you're always learning something new. There's new movements in every class. So your mind is always challenged.

OK, one last question: What's with the beards? Are you two hippie-warrior-philosophers or is it just a traditional Tibetan thing?
S: Most ancient cultures share many of the same traditions, but no. It's just that shaving-it's horrible. [Laughs] It's absolutely horrible.

The Boston School of Boabom is located on the second floor of 33A Harvard St., in Brookline Village. Free introductory classes are held most Saturdays at noon, and a special Seamm-Jasani Seminar, taught by Asanaro-a teacher with 25 years of experience-will be held on 8.20.05 and 8.21.05. For more information, call 617.852.8077, or visit www.bostonboabom.com.