“On the one hand, it is just a circle painted with one brushstroke, in a single breath,” … “On the other hand, it is the representation of the totality of the great void.” - John Daido Loori
Is it depressing that there is no such thing as a perfect circle to be found anywhere?
Not at all. In fact, in Zen Buddhism there is a practice called Enso, which centres around drawing perfectly imperfect circles with one stroke of your calligraphy brush.
In the Shinjinmei, an early Zen text, the way of buddha is described as “a circle like vast space, lacking nothing, nothing in excess.” An enso defines the Zen state of mind.
Enso, or Zen circles, don’t even need to be closed. When left open, they illustrate the Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi, which embraces transience and imperfection.
Today, when you look for circles with blemishes, scratches, dust and dirt, appreciate that everything is both perfect and imperfect - and see the beauty in that.
Share your perfect imperfections on Instagram or Twitter using #kramerseye