The Enso

Oil on canvas by Lise Carlson

Enso is a Japanese word signifying a circle and has no single, fixed meaning. A popular expression in Zen painting, it symbolizes a moment when the mind is free enough to simply let the body or spirit create. The brushed ink of the circle shows the expressive movement of the spirit in time. The enso also symbolizes strength, enlightenment, harmony, elegance, and the universe.

The enso represents a vast space lacking nothing, with nothing in excess, perfect just as it is. Ultimately we can achieve great energy, life satisfaction, freedom, balance, strength, and joy by nurturing ourselves and accepting who we are as perfect with all our faults and short comings. In natural medicine the enso symbolizes the great Healing Power of Nature. When we find ourselves in a nurturing environment both inside and out we find our center of health, our center of wholeness.