True Victory is Self Victory

This calligraphy is by Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido. It reads MASA KATSU A GATSU GATSU HAYABI and translates as “True Victory is Self Victory.”

The calligraphy is beautifully composed, with the first part of the saying, Masa Katsu A Gatsu, written from left to right (although unusual for traditional calligraphy often brushed from right to left). Underneath is the second part: Gatsu Hayabi. Each character takes the same amount of space, and each character follows the energy and fluidity of the entire piece. On the left bottom corner, Ueshiba brushed 武産合気 (TAKE MUSU AIKI- the great spirit of Aiki) and next to it is his signature.

O’Sensei’s KI was powerful and difficult to capture in pictures and videos. However, this calligraphy captured his strong inner spirit. The strokes are bold and vigorous, yet fluid and dynamic. There is no hesitation in the brush. It must have been truly wonderful to train with him and experience this kind of energy!

In the context of Aikido training, True Victory stands for single-minded courage to achieve victory. Self-victory stands for the tireless effort to overcome our barriers. And, Victory-Day, means the here and now. O’Sensei is telling us to let the here and now arrive quickly – not to waste time or effort in meaningless actions.

In Shodō this can be applied as well. Victory over ourselves is to overcome doubts, and any frustrations we may have with our practice. Letting the here and now exist as we lay the brush on paper will capture our inner spirit at the moment, where nothing else matters but the act of writing.

from gohitsushodostudio.com on September 18, 2017

and below, from Clif High's Newsletter, December 15, 2022:

This Matterium is going through one of its Grand Shifts.

This shift is the movement out of Pieces into Aquarius.

These shifts involve Great Energy, Great Changes, and great opportunities for individual change that we call ‘personal growth’.

These Great Shifts of the Ages are filled with opportunities that only exist during these Times. Many souls seek to participate. Universe decides which are among the Fortunate Ones.

Note that it is ‘which’ that is applied to ‘souls’ as the individual soul is not self-aware, it is only aware of its tasks, thus is not a ‘who’ or ‘whom’.

You are a Fortunate One. It may not feel so fortunate here in the midst of a Great Change.

But remember, you asked to be here, now. In fact, you were desperate to be here, now, in the midst of all this.

Yes? Nod your head in agreement.

You wanted to be here, now, explicitly for this opportunity for Change, both writ Large as it affects all of Humanity, and our World, but also as it is writ small, but perhaps far more meaningful, at a truly personal level.

Universe has gifted you. Universe likes you, the proof of which is that you are here, now, swimming in this heady mix of the Forces of Change that occurs only every 2580 years!

Starting to grasp how Fortunate you are?

Change is difficult to achieve, in this Universe. Thus the existence of this Matterium is exactly as a vessel for Change. All changes occur at the personal level, becoming combined to create such Great Changes as we now experience. All Change, great and small, only comes into manifestation due to Opposition. Without the force of Opposition, there is no movement, at any level, within Matterium. Thus is revealed why, frequently, you think your life to be shit. It is because, in the action and chaos of personal change, you took your attention off the need for the opposition, thus took it ‘personally’.

These are the days of the Great Awakening. The Great Awakening requires Great Opposition. The normies are going to take both of these very personally indeed, and will not have any appreciation for what the fuck is happening to them. They will be annoying during this Shift.

It is always thus. Annoying normies. The ‘opposition’ that Universe provides between the Great Awakening, and the Great Reset intended to put the normie population back to sleep and under control yet again, may be very accurately labeled as a ‘war’. This is in spite of everyone, excepting a bare handful of humans, actually understanding what purpose ‘war’ serves, here in this Matterium.

That is the way it always is, for those of us awake on arrival. We are here to serve the annoying normies. It’s our work. Don’t ask about the ‘why’ of it all, but recognize that, as you are awake, you are a participant, therefore, a ‘warrior’ at some level, in this Great War of the Shift of Ages. Note that ‘samurai’ means ‘to serve’, and is a very accurate label for all of us, selected by Universe, to serve in this Great War.

The Great Awakening, at one level, is about normies graduating to some greater awareness. This is the ‘prize’ of this War. At other levels, and particularly pertinent to you, it is about the potential for personal change or growth. These opportunities, at these levels are rare, 2580 years apart rare.

Don’t worry, you are not wasting your opportunities. Proof of which is that you are reading these words.

This War will last a long time. During this War, you will have many roles. These roles will be offered to you within the Matterium. You will see the signs in your personal changes as you need to. Matterium works that part out for you.

You are one of the few, the Fortunate Ones, those who are swimming in the Currents of this Shift of Ages, not bobbing along as a cork (normie). Swimming means that you are taking personal responsibility by self-movement, self-direction.

Take heed, and care, of the normies you encounter in your splashing around in these Times. They are like you, only they need a few more lifetimes to get clued into how it works, down here in the Matterium.

As Above, so Below.

As it is Outward, thus it is Inward.

To see all of Universe,

I need only observe my own Nature.

To understand all that manifests,

I need only Touch the Void.

Masakatsu agatsu (True Victory is Victory over Self).

{an aikido ‘reflection’ said quietly as you start your zazen session. }