Zen circle meaning11/22/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() Since you won’t have a name stamp available, feel free to create your own.ĭrawing an ensō is a meditative or contemplative exercise and many artists practice drawing an ensō daily as part of their spiritual practice. Artists may also put their hanko or name stamp in the picture. Traditionally the inscription was a quotation from a Buddhist text but it can be anything – even humor – which reminds us to enjoy the moment. The inscription is usually placed to the side of the ensō but can be located anywhere, including inside the circle. Ensō can be drawn alone or accompanied by inscriptions, poems or words of wisdom. Many artists choose to use the ensō as a starting point in a drawing. Breath and emptiness are essential ingredients for meditation, contemplation and the creation of a spiritual life. Leaving the ensō open is like leaving room for the spirit to flow in and out of the circle of emptiness allowing it to breathe. Ensō can be the open circle of emptiness in which the self flows in and out while remaining centered or it can be closed and express a mandala or cosmogram. It might also speak to imperfection as an essential and inherent aspect of our existence. The open circle reflects that the ensō is not contained within itself: but opens out to infinity. An open ensō may express the idea that the ensō is not separate from all that is rather, it is a part of something greater. Some artists paint ensō with an opening in the circle, while others complete the circle. Zen Buddhists believe that only a person who is mentally and spiritually complete can draw a true ensō. ![]() The ensō reveals the expressive movement and character of the artist’s spirit and leaves the creator fully exposed at one particular moment in time. It also represents the oneness of life and all things contained within it, the spirit of harmonious cooperation, personal development and refinement of character, the visible and the invisible, absolute fullness in emptiness, simplicity, completeness, endlessness, perfect harmony, the circle of infinity and the cyclical nature of existence. Ensō can also represent the moon’s reflection on water, thereby symbolizing the futility of searching for enlightenment outside oneself.Įnsō symbolizes many more things including: strength, elegance, the universe, single mindedness, the state of mind of the artist at the moment of creation and the acceptance of imperfection as perfect. It can even symbolize the moon, which is itself a symbol of enlightenment-as in the Zen saying, “Do not mistake the finger pointing at the moon for the moon itself.” In other words, do not mistake doctrines, teachings or explanations, which are intended to guide one toward enlightenment, for enlightenment itself. It can symbolize infinity, the “no-thing”, the perfect meditative state, and Satori or enlightenment. All things might be contained within, or, conversely, excluded by its boundaries. It can symbolize emptiness or fullness, presence or absence. At first glance the ancient ensō symbol appears to be nothing more than a miss-shaped circle but its symbolism refers to the beginning and end of all things, the circle of life and the connectedness of existence. In the sixth century a text named the Shinhinmei refers to the way of Zen as a “ circle of vast space, lacking nothing and holding nothing in excess”. To discover the meaning of Ensō we need to look backwards. These are some of our favourites for under $6 available on Amazon Enso Meaning One of the most common uses of Enso in popular culture are for ‘Enso Rings’, commonly made of silicone. ![]()
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