zen
Calm, focused awareness
Zen describes a state of calm, focused awareness or meditative tranquility: I felt totally zen after yoga, She has this zen approach to chaos.
The adjective suggests being unruffled, present, and accepting—drawing loosely from the Buddhist tradition without necessarily invoking it directly.
Often used casually to describe minimalist aesthetics or unflustered attitudes: His apartment has a very zen vibe. (Capitalized Zen is the Buddhist tradition.)
Undisturbed mental quietude
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
- stillnessComplete lack of motion
- peaceFreedom from disturbance
- quietudeState of calm stillness
composure · equanimity · placidity · repose · unruffled · unflappable · centeredness · poise
State of perceiving reality
- presenceState of being somewhere
- attentionFocused mental awareness
- focusConcentrated attention point
- groundingConnecting to earth
centering · acceptance · openness · balance · clarity
Aesthetic of reduction
- simplicityLack of complexity
- asymmetryAbsence of balanced form
- naturalnessUnaffected, uncontrived quality
- understatementIntentional diminishment for effect
restraint · elegance · austerity · clean · uncluttered · sparse
serenity
Undisturbed mental quietude
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
- stillnessComplete lack of motion
- peaceFreedom from disturbance
quietude · composure · equanimity · placidity · repose · unruffled · unflappable · centeredness · poise · relaxation
awareness
State of perceiving reality
grounding · centering · acceptance · openness · balance · clarity
minimalism
Aesthetic of reduction
- simplicityLack of complexity
- asymmetryAbsence of balanced form
- naturalnessUnaffected, uncontrived quality
understatement · restraint · elegance · austerity · clean · uncluttered · sparse
- borrowed wordschic, naive, passe, avant-garde, faux
- Eastern traditionsBuddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Shinto, Confucianism
- staying calmcalm, relax, chill, patience, composure
- aesthetic vibescozy, dreamy, ethereal, vintage, minimalist
- exotic decorbohemian, tribal art, desert oasis, palm trees, wabi-sabi
- Go with the flowrelax, calm, ease, chill, mellow
zengrasping
Greedy for wealth
controlling · obsessive · workaholic · ego-driven · materialism
- Zen BuddhismMeditation-focused Eastern spiritual path
- zen gardenMeditative landscape of stone
- zen masterEpitome of tranquil expertise
- zen modeDistraction-free mental clarity
- Zen monkBuddhist practitioner of meditation
- zen meditationBuddhist practice of awareness