My Current Self — The Truth of This Moment, Reflected in the Brush

Standing before a single sheet of paper, the calligrapher lets go of everything.

Past glories, anxieties about the future, the opinions of others.
What remains is only this very moment — oneself, the ink, and the white expanse of empty space.

The word that calligrapher Shourin Iwasaki has poured into this work is: “my current self.“

It may look simple. But is there any word more profound, any word more honest than this?

＼　岩﨑翔凛のSTORESはこちら！　／

The Weight of the Word “Now”

What is “now”?

Buddhism gives us the word “setsu-na” (刹那) — the smallest unit of time.
It suggests that the very moment we perceive something as “now,” it has already become the past.
The philosopher Heraclitus said:
“You cannot step into the same river twice.”
The river flows on, and so do we — always changing.

“Now” disappears the instant you try to hold it.

That is precisely why the art of calligraphy lives in the “now.”

The moment the brush touches paper.
The depth of the ink, the weight of the stroke, the rhythm of the breath — all converge to create a line that can never be replicated.
Calligraphy is an art with no do-overs.
In that way, it resembles life itself.

The Question of “Self”

The Japanese language is rich with expressions built around the word jibun — “self.”

“Jibun-rashisa（自分らしさ）” — the essence one struggles to protect, even as society threatens to swallow it whole.
“Jibun wo shinjiru（自分を信じる）” — to believe in oneself; the only compass that holds steady in the midst of doubt.
“Jiko-kōtei（自己肯定）” — self-affirmation; the quiet incantation a wounded heart speaks before it rises again.

In the realm of four-character idioms, there is “Jiko-kensan” (自己研鑽) — the relentless polishing and refinement of oneself.
And from the ancient Chinese classic I Ching, “Jikyō-fusoku” (自強不息) — “never cease to strengthen yourself.”

These are the questions Shourin Iwasaki quietly poses through his brush:

Where is my current self?
What does my current self feel?
What does my current self fear — and what does it love?

What the Work Is Saying

Bold, yet delicate.

The characters of “my current self” pulse with life across the paper.
The flowing, cursive brushwork seems to express not a fixed “self,” but a self that is always in motion — alive in this very instant.

The black of the ink runs deep.
The white of the space stretches wide.

This contrast may speak to the vast potential within every human being.
There is still so much we can write into that open space.
Today’s self is not the same as yesterday’s.
And tomorrow’s self will have moved, surely, just a little further ahead.

Calligrapher Shourin Iwasaki quietly breathes that message into each work he creates.

The Brush Speaks to You

In the modern world, how often do we truly make time to face our current self?

The dazzling highlight reels of others scroll endlessly through our feeds.
Caught in cycles of comparison and competition, we find ourselves gazing not at who we are now, but at who we wished we’d become — or who we fear we never will be.

But in the presence of calligraphy, that noise dissolves.

The scent of ink reaches the nose.
The sound of the brush crossing paper reaches the ear.
And in that moment, something quietly draws us back — to here, to now.
This is the calm, certain power that calligraphy holds.

Shourin Iwasaki’s works awaken that feeling in the viewer.
A single piece of calligraphy on the wall carves out a space of stillness — a pause — in the rush of everyday life.

Step Closer into Shourin Iwasaki’s World

Shourin Iwasaki creates new works every day, without pause.

Pieces like “my current self” speak softly but directly to something inside the viewer.
His expression weaves together the beauty of technique with the power of language — and it reaches people even those who have never encountered calligraphy before.

His process, his latest works, and the creative moments behind each piece are shared regularly on Instagram (@iwasaki_shourin).
Follow along, and a quiet window called “calligraphy” will open into your everyday life.

＼　岩﨑翔凛のInstagramはこちら！　／

Bring a Work into Your Space

And there is wonderful news.

Shourin Iwasaki’s calligraphy works are now available through his newly opened online shop on STORES.

▶ Shourin Iwasaki — Calligraphy Works Online Shop https://shourin-iwasaki.stores.jp/

Authentic calligraphy — once accessible only in museums and galleries — can now find its place in your home, your office, or as a gift for someone dear to you.

Imagine waking each morning to a single piece of calligraphy on the wall.
The words catch your eye.
They give the day ahead a quiet, steady push.
That kind of life is now within reach.

To your current self — give it words that are real.

Shourin Iwasaki’s calligraphy is here, ready to accompany your “now.”

＼　岩﨑翔凛のSTORESはこちら！　／