A few years ago, I came across a word that subtly, but noticeably, changed my perspective on life. That was the Korean word sohwakhaeng, and you can read about it here.

Just recently I came across another word that has me contemplating life in similar ways. It’s the Japanese word yūgen.

Yu – Subtle, graceful, elegant
Gen – Dark, profound, mysterious

The English translation depends on the context, but these are the ones I’ve seen:

* An awareness of the world that cues an emotional response too deep and powerful for words.
* A profound, mysterious sense of the beauty of the universe.
* A feeling of mysterious profundity.
* Beauty only partially perceived - fully felt but barely glimpsed.

“To watch the sun sink behind a flower clad hill. To wander on in a huge forest without thought of return. To stand upon the shore and gaze after a boat that disappears behind distant islands. To contemplate the flight of wild geese seen and lost among the clouds…” –Zeami Motokiyo

In the years since my mother’s death, perhaps as a salve for grief, perhaps as a byproduct of getting older, perhaps now as a vessel for new life – I’ve been seeking out yūgen, though I didn’t know it, or have a word for it. And it has given me a solid foundation.

In an existence that won’t stand still, it’s hard to find steady ground. It can be hard to trust life when life has no ability to conform to your wants and needs. But without knowing it, I’ve come to trust in yūgen. There is a never-ending opportunity to experience it, and find sustenance within it.

As always, I share my thoughts in hopes that you find your version. May you find comfort, healing, rest, salvation, hope and more through encounters of yūgen.