Origin: Japanese ("circle") Other Names: ? by: magpie Enso, translated from Japanese, means "circle." It often appears in Zen paintings as a single brush stroke. The strength and balance of the Enso represents the state of mind and being of the painter. If the painter is in a calm and balanced state, the Enso will be balanced; if the painter is in mental or emotional turmoil, the Enso will reflect that. A true Enso can only be painted by someone who is in mental and emotional equilibrium. The Enso is also an expression of infinity, but is sometimes painted with an opening somewhere in the circle. This opening symbolizes that the Enso is not self-contained, rather that it is open to infinity. Empty space is just as important as painted space (if not more so) in Zen art.