Masakatsu

The best way to show your gratitude,
whether towards those who have extended their hands,
lend you their shoulders, or sheltered you with their strength,
is by becoming the best that you possibly can...
not because that they demand so
but because you wish to be worthy of their time.
~Sushi Delight

Masakatsu [必勝] is a Japanese word and literately means "True Victory". The word is part of a short phrase "Masakatsu Agatsu", meaning "Victory over oneself". The phrase is popularized by the founder of Judo and I believe it is the spirit of this sport.

The first and last battle is with oneself. The struggle to do right. The honesty to confront your own demons. Judo fascinates me because it is more than a sport, it is a way of life. It trains both the body and the mind. There is something very spiritual about the exercise.

The name itself, judo [柔道], literately means "the gentle way". There is a strong emphasis on circular motion so the movement is strangely like a dance. While other sport practices and drill entirely on success, Judo wisely teaches you how to fall, how to take damage, and how to be flexible. It teaches you how to minimize defeat before showing you the path to victory. The spirit of the sport is also reactive. You try to use other people's motion against them when possible. If they punch, you pull. If they attack high, you throw low. When done right, it is very like a chess match with first reaction time limit. It is exactly like a dance.

Judo is an art with a strange blend of physics, exercise, and philosophy. Besides love I think Judo is the closest I can come to accept for a religion - for a way of life. What? You don't think love is a religion? Have you seen its power, its salvation, and its hell? Don't be blasphemous, your god or goddess will slap you silly and tickle you to death. If you haven't met your god or goddess yet - you will, or so I hope.

[Thoughts]