November 26, 202
One morning this week, it came about as an epiphany. I call it ‘zenjoie’. It emerged gradually, like the sun on a winter dawn. I cycled along a lane parallel to the sea. It was almost daybreak, and people were heading to their respective jobs. This was when I felt myself smooth-out of a mental turmoil. My mind almost squished out of the blob (a dark grey one) that it had found itself within. And suddenly, I felt the heavy breath ease out.
*zenjoie
*my newly coined word for this epiphany.
epiphany
Epiphany is a moment of sudden realization.
I usually am glad when a beautiful term gets coined. But on that day, I was more glad about the feeling it brought along. I felt a sense of calmness, a sense of delight in the feeling of calm. I felt a sense of calmness, a sense of delight in the feeling of calm. Everything felt light. Light and bright! I was happy with the feeling this realization had given me.
Now, I explain ‘zenjoie’ to you.
[zen + joy = *zenjoie]
This term has the following two components : Zen & Joy
ZEN
‘Zen’ is a state of a calm mind. A mind that is clear and focused on the present moment. A mind that is in the ‘NOW‘.
Being in the present disconnects one from the past and from the future. It is more focused and has nothing to worry about. The mind automatically calms down in such cases and such a mind becomes a happy space to inhabit.
JOY
‘Joy’ is a positive emotion that arises from feeling satisfied. It is not only an emotion, but also a state of mind.
This mind feels good. It begins to understand the purpose of things, the meaning of life and also desires to remain longer in this state of being.
joy as joie
Joy as JOIE
‘Joie’ as a spelling is rather cute and endearing. It almost feels like a whimsical dance of sensations. Reading ‘Joy’ as ‘Joie’ also feels tickle-ish to the eyes.
The word Joie, instead of the straightforward Joy, is not just a stylistic choice. Joie has a more transitory sense. It is overlaid with hope and memory. Joie here also has an illusory and a fleeting sense. Much like a mirage.
Joie, a Mirage.
Mirages occur due to the lack of ability to distinguish between reality and illusion. They also entail perceiving the unreal as real. And sometimes, joys are also fleeting.
This fleeting and transitory sense of joy has been encompassed here in the word ‘joie’.
This is when joys occasionally feel akin to a “मृगजळ” or a mirage, elusive yet enchanting. And importantly, momentory!
ZENJOIE
Zenjoie is an amalgamation of Zen and Joie, , two concepts that describe a state of mind that is calm and serene. Is when the mind feels serene. It is also when joy is the present state of mind. However, the mind being a funny entity that often treats these beautiful presences as momentory. It enjoys the mental states of calm and joy as present, but still doubts their very existence; at the same time acknowledges them as real. This is because they are real. They are true in the present moment. They are the moment.
The intertwining of ‘zen’ and ‘*joie’, makes “zenjoie”. Zenjoie, a feeling of multidimensional reflection on the nature of joy and an intense experience of tranquility.
प्रा 