A circle is one of the simplest forms imaginable, yet Zen Buddhists believe this unassuming shape holds great meaning. For centuries, Buddhist monks and artists have created these brushwork circles to express their truth. Some of these artists even hold that the Enso, or Zen circle, is a graphic depiction of enlightenment itself.
Take a moment and contemplate this circle, and notice that it is not perfect, nor does it have to be. Each brush stroke is unique, like the fingerprint of the artist and mind that created it.
Some Enso paintings are loose and elliptical, and some are painted in a slower, more deliberate style. Yet each represents the same thing, the simplicity of the curved line, closing in upon itself. The center is a void of space, blank and empty. Try not to concern yourself with trying to unravel its secrets, rather passively absorb the image, and let it speak directly to your heart. Know that the curved line is the building block of all living things, from the single celled organism from which we all come, to the curve of the mother's womb.
The Zen Buddhists sometimes wrote short passages to accompany these circles, and all gave the same advice in different words. "Make your heart child-like, and you will understand." Take a moment to peruse this small gallery of Enso images. Let the images speak to your heart, and not merely to your mind. Take a little enlightenment into the rest of your day.
From the Daily Om
