Kiss of Your Presence

"Sweet Melting" © 2011 Aïda Touré

I’m a golden candle

that slowly, slowly burns

in the kiss of your Presence~

This sweet melting,

this tender burning

has paved the way

for some grace,

so musical and divine

the heart breaks open

amid its sobbing beauty~

so vibrant it screams:

“come, become me!”

Lo! My heart lands in your palm,

spinning and spinning

with quiet force,

longing and union is one;

see, the healer is healed by Love~

I can’t say more…

Will you finish this for me,

in the secret language

only you and I speak?

© 2012 Aïda Touré

Painter Augustin Lesage (1876-1954)

My mother just introduced me to french painter Augustin Lesage’s work she said she thought of me when she found out about the way painting came to him. I had never heard of him before until she told me about a documentary on his life she saw, she was fascinated by his unconventional creative process: one day he heard a voice that told him to take on painting, this voice guided him as to what to do in details. His paintings are huge, highly detailed, colorful and they capture spiritual messages that baffled academics and scientists! I was really happy to learn about him and to discover his intricate beautiful paintings in which I can see cosmological representations present in African cultures. I think what he represented is profound and extremely rare so I wanted to share some of his awesome works.

Augustin Lesage Painting

 

Augustin Lesage painting

Moon-like

Timelessly yours,

my palms throb

with your scent,

they lean toward you

my sage, my love,

your hair twisted in mine,

 our fingers trace

the celestial calligraphy

the air recite~

Our hearts converse

of exquisite tales

the night never witnessed,

we couldn’t help

gazing into each other

for hours, mirroring,

enchanted and chanting: 

Light is the Way.

Speechless and moon-like,

I glow in your embrace,

now where is my prayer mat?

Center me again tonight.

© 2012 Aïda Touré

Until Unity is Realized

Brooklyn Sky

We’re living in a time of great opening so we might as well make the most of it by attuning to our soul’s potential and dissolve all the oppressive fears that interfere with it. Being wide open to love requires harmony with one’s inner feminine principle first, yet fear is the energy that stifles this alignment. All beauty we experience comes from the attributes of this principle which is primordial: Mercy precedes all other attributes so this primal manifestation opens the way to life itself.

From observing our world what it misses the most is love: poverty, wars, greed, destruction of Nature, violence occur because of this lack of love cultivation so in order for it to manifest we must be open, clear, even empty and not so frightened. As long as the chaotic fears from the ego are present they interfere with the love the soul bears, this interference imbalances and ruins nations, relationships and all interactions which were intended to be of divine nature. When we finally meet this sacred purpose where exchanges occur for our collective enrichment and evolution, everything that is disharmonious around us will drastically transform as well but first this transformation has to occur within the individual and this is what love does, it gathers until Unity is realized.

I can’t fathom approaching love with anything other than this sacred purpose which is all-pervasive in the Universe yet we seem so far away from awareness of this Reality! Since the soul is the breath of the Divine, it takes great awareness and care to be able to deal with one’s soul and even more so another soul. That is how deep love is, yet collectively we are far from achieving such regard for our inner being when I see the cruelty of politicians and bureaucrates, their recklessness, their greed, their drive to oppress, to cause harm and chaos while claiming to be “leaders” of this world, and this scheme continues to occur when mankind has clearly voiced its concern for global evolution of these corrupt political systems, this concern now is the priority for the planetary majority.

Amid pauses of long silence and work, the one thing I enjoy the most is expressing my heart wholeheartedly, I have no restraint when it comes to it no matter how uncelebrated it may be in general, the dimension of the heart will become more and more pronounced in time so balance may be reached beyond the current ego-driven frequency. With every breath taken we draw closer to the last breath so Life is beautiful, short and precious~ The realities from the heart is what vibrates for ever, it’s all we leave behind when the veil of physicality lifts so every second of the heart’s Life must be savored and shared for the sake of the Divine, for the Heart within our hearts.

© 2012 Aïda Touré

Spiritual Creativity

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Peace in~ I just finished a new painting that came alive in my dream~ I will be releasing it in a few days. Recently I’ve received correspondences from people who ask for advice because they feel the urge to take upon painting. I honor these exchanges because what they feel represent crucial moments in their lives; as those who have been following this journey with me know my artistic endeavors are the outcome of such an impulse. Thus I’m always glad when the creative paradigm expands in more and more lives… I derive great pleasure from seeing creatives attune to their inner voice and share the virtues of colors, intuition, music, aesthetics, poetry, fine emotions and all the magnificent realities born of Inspiration~

Creativity is the manifestation of Surrender, it takes detachment to fully live it out and as such it is a sacred experience which transcends the mundane considerations associated with it. In many ways, spiritual creativity makes the subject of it shun attention and applauses, it makes them inclined to moments of reclusion because the process of inspiration requires them to. They have no expectation, they just surrender to what comes and let it exist as is; it’s all about the impulse that throbs and flows through, it’s a blissful dance. Such an elusive occurrence demands reverence, humility, emptiness before what’s divine; it requires deep harmony with one’s soul’s position which is a feminine one, there is nothing more graceful and noble than that!

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Drenched in Color

Trials have a way of centering us, and then the Peace that follows is almost surreal, celestial~ Al hamdulillah I’ve been drenched in color during the past couple of weeks so I wrote many poems, enough to compile them in another new book inshAllah~

Today I just wanted to share with my readers one of the most beautiful compositions I ever heard. I discovered it while watching Yi San, a Korean historical drama that I immensely enjoyed for its deep emotions and lessons on true nobility, virtue and wisdom.

Pulse Undefined

© 2010 Aïda Touré

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un.
Pulse undefined,
on a promenade outside
of the confine it used to be in,
now seeing everywhere,
infinitely open to Love,
untying the knot that slipped
in this string theory
turned to fact
as it travels at last,
weightless, toward Hu~
may its journey be smooth,
may it find all the mercy
no one could feel for it,
every breath was aching,
but no more, no more.
For the sake of the ReUnion
that completes
and that finally heals,
let it be all-embracing,
let it be whole, free,
so beautiful to the 7th sense
I shed tears in its resonance,
in its sublime company,
in its Life that is just beginning;
for the very first time,
pulse undefined~

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Iridescence

varnishing "Fragrance of Light" © 2007-2011 Aïda Touré

Bismillah, there is deep passion in one who savours repose of mind, slowing down, a necessity for artistic activity to evolve however it breathes, wherever it begins, it is only from Stillness that beauty reveals itself; the tremendously graceful ones have beheld it so they stopped speaking much, elaborations and noise left their lives, their surroundings, their very bodies. These beings left themselves to just be not-being~ Here, the very whisper in my ear…

I look at my canvases, scattered across the room, learning new lessons from formlessness and fluidity and how they are the sublimation of materiality, so they’re really one. Learn to walk the iridescence that bridges them, have no fear~ I realize these paintings didn’t have to be materialized, it is just the outcome of exuberance, some personal fancy to be surrounded with beauty.

Yesterday I reflected on all that’s left for me to do and the fact that I only paint when I’m inspired~ Amid it all if I stopped painting, I’d be okay with it because it came so generously so if the impulse to crystallize it ceased, I’d bow, the grandest bow ever~ it’s part of the glory of Life…What would be next is the past, look to your origin: the primordial light, you will be that again, inshAllah, the deepest bliss you ever experienced! Before it, everything pales when compared. I think I should stop here now but…

In the meantime, these shapes dance loud and clear and glide on my fingertips in some outward movement toward you so I execute what I’m commanded to do until we fully become love and kindness anew~

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Love is Spacious

A love that is limited to the five senses is bound to fade as its seeming synchronicity is only a mirage. Once this mirage dissipates the disharmony that was clouded by desire and pleasure shows its face, it is a sight that is unbearable to most lovers so that makes them break apart, no wonder the divorce rate is so high.

True love surpasses the experiences of the five senses which are but vehicles meant to offer glimpses of the soul, without this knowing, lovers vibrate on a coarse physical level which can never bring authentic fulfillment, this is why many go from one partner to the next, ever seeking that which will fulfill them but in vain and this cycle goes on and on and eventually it causes unrest to the inner being, outwardly manifested as pain, insecurity, fear, agitation. It takes work to learn to break this cycle, to detach from it and delve deeper into oneself to finally attune to a love that breathes spirituality, the only kind of love that can endure.

Such a love is spacious, it is presence, it gives and brings calm because it is a tender, profound interaction between souls that look upon the other as a reflection of one’s innate and still unknown attributes that are necessary to experience for this evolutionary process called life. This kind of love is undisturbed, it is not based on status, convenience, physicality nor ego considerations, this love is rare, it is a gift, it is true wealth, it is the corridor to the Divine in this life and in the hereafter~

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Ego & Greed Confronted

Tonight I took a walk through Zuccotti Park where the occupywallst protest is taking place. I saw young people in sleeping bags laying on the floor, artists painting, people in a circle meditating in the obscurity of the night, I got goosebumps seeing all this because these youths represent the majority of the planet who is demanding more equality, more justice, more peace, more integrity, more compassion and service from the institutions… it was an eery experience for me to read their signs and see them laying there, surrounded by the powerful energy of sacrifice, it truly is something that I’ve never seen before yet it renders tangible a phenomenon I have addressed in recent interviews: when people feel excluded and not listened to it leads to serious crisis so it would be wiser for the elitists to lend an ear and pay attention to what’s happening now.

The Dance Everyone Does

Soninké Symphony © 2011 Aïda Touré

Love calls the soul to itself! “Come to me” is inscribed like a cosmic sentence on all that exists. The soul, consumed by its longing for such intimacy draws closer and closer, through the acts of expansion and contraction that both are contained in the breath. There is the dance everyone does, knowingly or not; this is the deep love we are subjected to, how many can actually see its  immense beauty? Its lights switching places every second that passes as they enwrap the loneliness orchestrated by the ego. We are lovers in this unending grandiose attraction movement that pervades the galaxies, we were meant for this continual breaking free, this cosmic blossoming~ In all desires, there is this pull imbuing the soul, manifesting as coarse or refined impulse depending on our evolutionary degree. Everything one does revolves around this attraction, fulfilled or not, it is always there, magnifying, intensifying… it is in this act that the soul encounters its own contemplation, creativity, compassion and the manifestation of vertiginous gentleness, the mirroring of Ar-Rahman’s attribute~

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Omraam on Poetry

"true poetry is beyond intellectualism" ~Aida.

“You like poetry: you read poems and perhaps you even write them. This is fine; continue to do so, but know that true poetry is not found in literature. True poetry is a quality of the inner life, and you will not understand what true poetry is until the day you harmonise your inner life with the images, the rhythms, and the melodies of the world of the soul and spirit. Those who truly love poetry understand that it must begin within themselves: that they must endeavor to think, feel, and act poetically while maintaining clear and luminous states of consciousness. It is in such states of consciousness that true poetry is created: the poet is inspired, he feels as if a current is flowing through him, because inwardly he is connected to the world of harmony. He must do everything possible to keep himself in these higher realms of consciousness.”

~Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov

Amina Mag Interviews Aïda Touré

photo by Tony Campbell

Aïda Touré, a Gabonese artist presents her creations to the American public.

She moved to New York in order to study music, a multidimensional artist, she published three collections of poetry. She recently had an exhibit at the Rio Penthouse Gallery in New York which was appreciated by the American public.

You moved to New York in 1995 to study music, how come you have opted to pursue painting?

my first passion was music, but I discovered that art concealed a vast universe. It is in this context that Sufi poetry and then painting suddenly were revealed to me, without having received any formal training. One day, in silence I was reading one of my poems and something happened: the verses of this poem turned into images of indescribable beauty; I got moved by their sublimity so this is how I started painting these images and that I labeled this art “Visual Sufi Poetry”. Later on I met Steve Adams, an artist from California, who observed my work and helped me understand precisely which equipment and materials to select in order to crystallize my art works. I had never planned to become a painter nor a poet, it just happened unexpectedly. I also am a music composer, my album will be released soon. I experience these arts as one reality that unfolds on different octaves and which reflects this incandescence that is present in us all.

Were you encouraged on this artistic career by your family?

It is thanks to the unconditional love of my parents, my brothers and sister that I was able to pursue my artistic aspirations. Without their presence, their sacrifices and support, I don’t think that I would have followed my inner voice in this way. Creative and spiritual activity can only manifest in stillness and peace, my parents did everything to create this peaceful environment in their household. Also the cultivation of wisdom, integrity, individuality and perseverance instilled by my father has played a decisive role along my journey. We all have innate capabilities that await to manifest yet it’s important that our environment nurtures this process instead of interfering with it. Encouraging the youth to express their full capabilities would contribute to the thriving of our continent.

How old were you when you painted your first piece, what did it represent?

I painted my first piece at 32, it was entitled “The Flamboyant”, it represented the cosmos, in its center was a divine attribute that exuded luminous rays. This painting is dear to me because it constantly reminds me of the unconventional aspect of my journey.

How does inspiration come to you?

my inspiration comes from Islam which is an inner state of being where the self humbly surrenders to its Divine Source. My paintings capture the movements inherent to the Sufi poetry I compose.

What is the particularity of your paintings?

my paintings celebrate the Sufi tradition, their themes revolve around the quest for the Divine, bliss as well as the total blossoming of the individual; they also are colored with my Malian and Gabonese cultures. Each painting is unique and possesses a universal sacred message to decipher. Actually my paintings are like mirrors that reflect who we are deep within. On my website visualsufipoetry.com, I explain each piece so that viewers may have a sense of the symbolic behind their conception.

You recently had an exhibit in New York, how did the public react to your paintings?

my exhibit “Inner Treasures” curated by Jose Reyes was an enriching experience for me. The audience was intrigued and very moved by this art and its origin. I got the chance to interact with people of all ages who could relate to the spiritual themes of the artwork and this beyond the differences in languages, religions and cultures. I marveled at the level of understanding art can create, it is a phenomenal experience!

You also are a poet and in your poem “Art in Islam” you refer to the virtues of prayer, what do you think of the medias who project Islam as a negative religion?

When it comes to the appreciation of religions, everything is a matter of perception, intelligence, interpretation, sensibility as well research. I think that any form of information can be tainted, falsified, or misinterpreted so that the majority is conditioned to have an erroneous perception of specific phenomena. The stigmatization of Islam has been ongoing for centuries, it aims at maintaining an elite’s monopoly over the resources which normally belong to the planetary collectivity. Whereas Islam in its authentic form has always denounced elitism, exclusion, oppression, exploitation, it has always encouraged equality of all people, love, peace, justice, knowledge, respect for diversity and freedom of all. It is important to do research in as many fields as possible because knowledge illuminates, it allows us to make better choices based on what we truly know and not based on what is reported to us by the medias and else.

You paint women with graceful gestures, sumptuously dressed; does woman illuminate man?

I used to mostly paint abstract pieces and then two years ago I did the album cover for a jazz musician which was a painting with five African women holding instruments. During the conception of this painting, I saw my art evolve toward the celebration of the feminine principle through its original manifestation on earth, thus African. I then decided to conceive a series of paintings entitled “Luminous Dark Matter” that depicts graceful women sometimes in an ancient historical context. It was a way for me to celebrate, through my pen and brushes, the majestic octave of Africa which is oftentimes omitted from history. I also must stress that on my paintings, women symbolize the soul, therefore their sumptuousness evokes their spiritual essence that is transmitted through their progeny. It is the consciousness of this essence which illuminates not only men but all humanity as well.

Isn’t it difficult for an African artist to make it in the US where there are so many other talented artists?

I think it depends on the artist’s expectations as well as the specificity of her/his art. I believe that there is enough room for all artists wherever they are, with their different inspirations and forms of expression. We’ve been used to the culture of competition yet in a field like art whose true purpose is to uplift people, there shouldn’t be any competition. With the internet, the promotion of arts has become more accessible especially for independent artists whose innovative works defy conventional norm. I always encourage artists to have a web site/blog. African art is appreciated here, it is renown to have inspired movements like cubism for instance which actually comes from Gabon. Artists should dare to innovate and be fearless in honoring their own individual paths because when an artist has something truly unique and rare to express s/he must cease opportunities to share it with their fellow beings.

Do you have the sentiment that you are contributing to the promotion of African culture in the US?

yes I have this humble sentiment and even more so because Africa generates a particular interest in the fields of arts, fashion, history, natural medicine, spirituality. There is a real fascination for the immense potential that Africa possesses. As far as creativity is concerned, it is a universal experience where frontiers between people seem to dissolve; everybody just unites beyond the superficial considerations that can separate us. But considering that Africa is the cradle of mankind, isn’t it natural that it’s through her that we gather to reminisce over our common origin? It is in this paradigm that art created from an African perspective is essential.

What is your greatest wish?

in this world that is currently undergoing great upheavals, with the masses’ aspirations for more freedom, more equality, my greatest wish would be to see the institutions that govern the world finally align themselves with the authentic and urgent needs of humanity who is in constant evolution. It would be a great advent if the masses were more included in the shares of planetary resources. We already see that the old exploitative structures that interfere with the development of Africa are collapsing, these disharmonious systems must either vanish or adapt to the current reality that demands inclusion of the majority in the prosperity of nations.

Interview conducted by Ahmed Touré for Amina Magazine issue 495/July 2011.

Wangari Maathai~ 1940-2011

~Wangari Maathai~

You sang Nature is our wealth

while sowing the seeds of Peace,

now your essence is a dance

in the Fragrant Being~

Crowned with the golden leaves

from each tree you planted,

you are where beauties belong

and we, uplifted,

water the soil

you caressed with

all the love in your voice.

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Magazine Amina interview Aïda Touré

The English translation this interview is here. You may click on the images to enlarge them. Thank you all for your support and the kind emails you send my way~ I’m going to reply to each one, inshAllah.

Amina magazine/Aida Toure interview

Alchemy of Colors

© 2011 Aïda Touré

A flash: my palette and paint tubes near my feet, a couple of brushstrokes’ motions envisioned, the smoothness of brush upon canvas and my heart tears open: in this state I can paint for what seems like hours, exploring nuances of the same or different colors, it is rapture~

I learned the alchemy of colors as a child, the healing property of each, their language, their secret keys and what they unlock when found. Colors are musical, they burst out of our interaction with the Sun, they constantly dance with the Star and once we understand them, we can work with them to celebrate the symphony of Life which is audible to those of fine feeling.

I have seen colors been used to trigger angst in the viewer, many artists do this: they use art to sort of unload their negative emotions in it and when the viewer lays her/his eyes on the piece, the angst, the torment and depression of the artist is transmitted to her/him. I went to a museum long ago in NY and walked out discouraged to visit again, the majority of paintings by the great masters I saw conveyed this type of energy, the paleness and chaotic movements of colors suggest inner chaos, depression, angst, the very state they might have been in when conceiving the work. The audience who then receives the work also receives these energies, they absorb them. I spoke about this before, and it is one of the reason why I only look at artistic works that have a certain spiritual quality which shows regard for aesthetics and the inner harmony of the viewer.

The effect of colors is extremely powerful, so their purpose is sacred to me. Depending on the way we use them they can enliven, uplift and stir the viewer to attuning to one’s soul Paradise, they can deeply transform in that way or they can trigger the opposite in us~ so how great is the artists’ responsibility when s/he creates!

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Aïda Touré: “the richness and advancement of civilizations always manifest through inspiration …”

I was recently interviewed by Tribune2lartiste, which is a web magazine about African cultures and arts. Below is the English translation of the interview.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jean-Jacques Dikongué | Tribune2lartiste.com

When you have thoroughly uncovered her artistic world, heard her or read her words, there is the question of whether there is an area or topic that Aïda Touré would address without displaying such ease, lucidity, serenity and above all with so much humility as when she speaks of her activities for which I wanted to learn a little more. Discover and be seduced by this young woman whose depth is about the size of her talent.

Who is Aïda Touré?
I am a Gabonese-Malian artist who lives in New York, I work in the field of sacred arts. I am the author of three books of Sufi poetry entitled “Unmanifest Poems”, “The Sublime Sphere” and “Nocturnal Light”. These books are studied in schools in the United States and Canada. I also am a painter, music composer and I conceived a jewelry line that actually carries miniature versions of my paintings. My works have been published on four continents.

When does the origin of creation was a matter of questioning for you?
From an early age, I wondered from whence came this immensity around us: the sky, oceans, stars, mountains, nature in general, all this spectacle fascinated and intrigued me.

Is this intrigue for the creation that led you to paint?
This intrigue first led me to an introspection that was imperative because I had a certain detachment from worldly expectations, I did not experience them as priorities, they seemed totally alien and even oppressive to me. It is when I aligned myself with this contemplative disposition I had that I discovered my voice under different artistic activities based on spirituality.

“Visual Sufi Poetry”: Can you explain it?
“Visual Sufi Poetry” is the term I attribute to my art because it took form from the Sufi poetry I write. I was reading one of my poems one day and it inspired me imagery of indescribable beauty, so it is in this context that I started to paint without having received any formal training. So it this Sufi poetry that my paintings portray. Sufism is the spiritual dimension of Islam, it calls for the quest of the Divine within self. This tradition of light, which is the essence of all religions, manifested initially in Kemet Africa and over the centuries, it spread in different cultures and nations through the message of the prophets (peace be upon them) and sages. Sufism is known for the sublime beauty of its expressions that celebrate love for the Divine. Sufi poetry to date is the most widely read poetry in the world, by its depth, it transcends all differences erected between men, it gathers us all in its essence, in unity.

Is there a link between your religion (Islam) and your work as a painter? If so, how does it translate?
My work as a painter blends with my experience of Islam which is an inner state where the self surrenders to its Divine Source. Creativity itself is an extension of this state for to fully live it out, you must know how to self-efface.

You are a singer, painter and poet? How do you manage to make live all three activities?
I am a composer of instrumental meditative music. Poetry, painting and music came to me naturally, so they breathe on their own, they are an expression of the same reality. They also reflect my love for harmony, beauty and wisdom.

Is it the same idea behind your work in the three arts you practice?
Yes these three arts unravel to express the same idea of rapture that is continuous, timeless; through my artistic activities, I aspire to honor it and to share it with my fellow beings because it emanates from this luminescence in us all that unites us in the same Source.

Do you think we can have the path that is yours by staying in Gabon, Mali, or even in Cameroon? Or should we necessarily get out of Africa and even leave France to grow artistically.
We are part of the same Universe, borders disappear when it comes to creativity. So it is not in itself the location of the artist that matters, but more so the awareness of its intrinsic identity that shines through his art. If the artist works on himself, cultivates love and masters his ego, this wonderful experience will be palpable through his art that will be unique, alive and incandescent. It is this inner work that is most important because in this context, opportunities to share one’s work come naturally to the artist wherever he is for beauty is universal, everyone recognizes it, appreciates it and invites it. I always recommend to artists to have a website or blog on the net and to exhibit their art, to share it despite the difficult conditions in which they might work, regardless of the indifference of the institutions that should support culture, do not be discouraged, rather these obstacles must be used to grow, to overcome and to transcend these structures that fail to respond to the real needs of the people. It is through creative expression that authentic value is created; the richness and advancement of civilizations always manifest through inspiration, through high ideas, therefore we must create, innovate and celebrate this process which has always had a particular intensity in Africa. Despite the systemic confiscation of its resources and the lack of development it causes, the Motherland still carries the spark of ingenuity; natural resources are not just material, they are also spiritual yet we must vehicle them so that that which has been taken from us by force returns to us through love; this is imperative for the future generations so they can freely benefit from these resources. This is one of the important purposes of artistic expression, so we must support and promote our culture for the empowerment of our progeny.

What is your view on the interest that is given to culture in some French-speaking African countries?
I think there is a kind of awakening, people are getting more and more interested in the richness of their ancestral culture that was demeaned by colonization, they fervently reclaim their rights to be free, to ​​prosper, to be respected, they do not want to be treated as excluded citizens on their own land so they demand that the representatives of institutions harmonize with this momentum instead of attempting to suppress it. People are revolted by the confiscation of their resources, and even culturally this sentiment is increasingly expressed by African artists and it will intensify until there is real change.

What do you think of the attitude of the Senegalese authorities who continue to sequester the works of African artists who participated to Fesman 2010? (http://www.tribune2lartiste.com/?p=5689 )
I wasn’t aware of this situation but if it turns out that the works of artists who participated in the festival are really sequestered, I hope that they will be returned otherwise this could tarnish the prestige of the festival and the reputation of those who organize it. It would be a shame because this kind of initiative that celebrates the Black Arts should be encouraged.

What is your definition of success? Do you have it considering the recognition your work has received so far?

My perspective on ​​success is somewhat unconventional because I evaluate it according to standards of timelessness. I am grateful for the attention my work has received but I will have a real sense of success only if over time these creations help to instill reverence for the divine spark in my fellow beings, this reverence which is denied to them by an inharmonious and unequal global system.

What is the formula to have in this business?
It takes a lot of patience, perseverance, devotion, no fear to innovate and to be oneself. It is equally important for an artist to learn about his rights and to enforce them by demanding fairer contracts that would allow him to benefit from future sales of any original artwork he ever sold. Over time the value of the artistic work increases therefore it generates greater revenues, the creator should also benefit from the increased value of his work in time.

Will you choose two of your paintings and comment them?

1-Amina-Disamu

This painting is part of a series entitled “Luminous Dark Matter” which celebrates the attributes of the feminine principle in its original manifestation on Earth, therefore African. “Amina~ Disamu” evokes the sacred role of the feminine principle in developed societies. In my work, the woman is a metaphor for the soul, so its lavish ornaments and clothes reflect the innate richness that we all possess as human beings that descend from the highest sphere of existence. On this painting, the grace of the subject shows that life is a natural resource with the capabilities that lie dormant in us, it is upon reverence for this life and encouragement of these capabilities that society blossoms. The subject on this painting exudes all the subtlety and gentle force that woman can hold, as physical manifestation of the soul, she is thus a vessel for divine attributes. Her Harp in this context symbolizes life that restores truth, love and justice on Earth.

2.On the Edge of the Union

 This painting shows the interaction between the feminine and the masculine principles, which when enlivened by Divine Love leads to unity and complete balance. On this piece, the right side reflects the male principle which looks after the sacred activity of the feminine principle to its left. When balance between the two principles is manifested, harmony triumphs and thus radiates in our environment as well. You see, all the chaos on Earth is due to the imbalance between these two principles that are present within ourselves and in all that exists. Only the complementarity of these two principles triggers the development of our innate capabilities.

We leave you the last word, and wish you to carry even higher the colors of Africa.
Thank you to Tribune2lartiste for giving a voice to artists from the continent, it is very important to support art and artists because through artistic creation, we converge with our fellow beings toward a reality which elevates us, which magnifies what we have been, what we are and what we will become through the total emancipation of future generations.

Website: http://visualsufipoetry.com
Contact: info@visualsufipoetry.com

Ecstasy Dust

Bismillah,
you sprinkle my heart
with Ecstasy Dust
as I dance between
these golden words
to be with you,
to lay at your feet
as if before embodiment,
I long to be in your Presence~
Jewel of my soul,
O Joy of all joys,
you named me “Returning“
so how could I escape it?
My palms burn with love
for there is no one to touch,
there is nothing to aspire for
but your Effulgence;
yesterday is present again,
you cup my cheeks
with your hands,
and I unravel in
the glory of Nothing,
your divine tenderness…

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Ecstasy Dust

Untainted Love

Lit up Love... in progress © 2011 Aida Toure

“When faced with other human beings, we often have to resist, to assert ourselves so that we are not destroyed. But when we efface ourselves before God, we strengthen ourselves and grow.” ~Omraam

Humans and Love do not always interplay in a pleasant way, Love is and can be through us only when we succeed in curbing the ego which majorly interferes with Love. When humans strive to polish their inner lives, they become like crystals that Love can shine through, when in this state it’s impossible to covet or to cause harm to anyone. Without this inner work, dealing with humans has always a dangerous element to it, there is a violent energy that is bred and cultivated in the interaction that becomes the very dynamic of the relationship; in this case it is not Love but domination that guides the interaction and it is poisonous. Sadly most relationships between humans function in this manner; the ego covets and preys on the other whenever the opportunity presents itself; it completely ruins relationships and causes pain.

One who reflects Love allows space for the other to be and is concerned for the other well-being and what they could do for the other, it takes great surrender to love and to nurture the other, this is the disposition of the sage, it takes another sage to be able to mirror it. That sort of self-effacement is mundanely associated with weakness, the pure beauty of humility, sensitivity and giving is often crushed by the worldly. To me it is like a resentment for Love itself, it is being destructive, and this destruction is not limited to the way humans treat one another, it’s also extended to the way they treat Nature, the oceans, and mostly children, how they prey on their minds to teach them domination so it is perpetuated when they become adults because without this energy of domination the current system of things can not survive. Therefore what comes to life between us in our interactions is reflected everywhere around us, be it Love or lack of Love, the latter is pretty much the norm which is unfortunate and unnatural.

Love is present in your life, awake to it, cherish it, rise always beyond the mainstream frequency, only this will reward your heart and make you rich for, greater loves will flock to you and this phenomenon will be unending… Love is extraordinarily divine! Bathe in it, taste it and spread it, fearlessly~

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Night of Beauties (the painting)

"Night of Beauties" © 2011 Aida Toure

For a change I went to sleep early this evening so I could wake up at 2am and stay up until Fajr and make the most of the Night.

Al hamdulillah, I just completed Night of Beauties that I’m really grateful for. For some reason once I achieve a piece it’s like been given permission to vanish and dissolve in Peace. This painting has a particularity I hold dear because it developed during Nighttime only, which is truly the time for the prostrated…

I did this painting for a private collector, it is an 18″x24″ size so I worked on it for about seven weeks, which seems not like a lot compared to the new 30″x40″ size I’ve been working on and which requires months to complete. I must say that patience is primordial when it comes to the oil medium, it’s great because it allows time to see the painting unfold and to gear it in the direction that resonates best.

There are so many ways to explain Night of Beauties that I can’t even begin to do so because its symbolic that has to do with embodiment as well as the spacial envelope around all inclines me to Silence for now. To see the entire painting and the poem that inspired it, you may click here.

© 2011 Aida Toure

Of the Heart

painting with my nephew © 2011 Aïda Touré

Bismillah, endeavors undertaken from the heart resonate beyond time and space for within the heart The Divine reigns~ Working from this realm renders life’s purpose magnificent as the lover lives in harmony with her/his Source which is truly the cause of all Beauty, Wisdom and sublime attributes.

The so-called knowledge that transpires from entire lifetimes of books study can never equate authentic Knowledge attained by the one who is attuned to the heart and who does not discuss nor debate for s/he who knows observes quietude. With this unconventional attitude the sage confounds the intellectual who is very talkative as he still seeks to know.

Love has expanded the breast of the mystic therefore s/he has learned to surrender the limits of the intellect to the Infinity of the heart therefore Wisdom has revealed itself to her/him. Only inward cultivation of Light can open one to such a state, this glorious opening usually inclines one to silence, catalyst to the greatest form of teaching and Knowledge. Similarly, when a deep love flows between beings, they barely speak, as words become superfluous for them, they communicate in a divine way, drawing truths from the fountain of Knowledge the heart contains. In humility, they revel in the Light: this revelry is beyond verbal expression and in this state occurs the highest form of activity…

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Celestial Lamp Metaphor

Celestial Lamp © 2011 Aïda Touré

Bismillah, I’ve been doing something that I have always enjoyed doing from childhood: Sky watching~

Today I saw a celestial metaphor that amazed me. There were layers of clouds with different tones that seemed to hide the Sun from an instant to the next, and a delicate silver lining that traced the periphery of the bottom cloud~ I know it must seem ordinary to some but I had never seen anything quite like it before. It was magical, with the soft movements of the clouds, a dance orchestrated with the most perfect rhythm it seemed… The metaphor related of our constitution and the way we function, the clouds were the different layers we are made of and the Sun was the inner Lamp that shines its light forth beyond our will, whether we are clear or wear masks, whether we’re sincere or deceitful, the Lamp still does its work, like the Sun it’s lit up always even when we don’t see it. The Lamp minds the overall being, it serves and everything it does is for its nurturing, its evolution, its convergence toward Divine Centering~

Longing fills this journey with joy and difficulty yet the soul, faithful, remains fixed on the directives of her Beloved, Divine like the Breath S/He instilled that moment they “parted” for a time… The Beloved is “here” in the formless form of a gift that is closer than close. She breathes S/He, soul that is, the majestic she that sees herself into everything, known, unknown… in Unity~Tawhid.

© 2011 Aïda Touré

"Celestial Lamp" © 2011 Aïda Touré

Amongst True Friends

"Surrender" © 2011 Aïda Touré

Silence is the style of conversation the soul knows for its perfection is spoken only amongst true friends~

Thoughts form to harmonize with Truth yet the ego tends to manipulate its waves and conceal that which does not reflect the Heart, its quietness, its unconditional Love … One who is silent develops the very sincerity of pre-cosmic thoughts, they, by nature luminous, weave universes expanding with Divine Harmony~ You see cosmic expansion occurs in everything we see and do not see~ Yet do we contribute to it or exclude ourselves from it by yielding to the ego’s boisterous tumults? Spiritual Evolution or Un~Evolution, regressing while we age, I cringe to the enunciation of this fate~

Silence is the style of conversation the soul knows for its perfection is spoken only amongst true friends~

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Closing One’s Eyes

Have a blessed Ramadan~ for a month, eyes will close so the self grows more aware of the breath’s nourishment. The material dimension loses its grip on the soul that seeks to be with the Presence~ to be beyond all that is not, la ilaha illa Allah!  Colors, scents, suras will be nutrients to the selfless self that dances with the prophets (as). We embrace the suffering of all children who starve just because some adults stole from them, we are with them, immersed with the humility that crowns innocent sufferers. The sweetness of Returning supersedes the one of not owning anything~ We are Poor for the sake of True Wealth: bismillah, my love, the Moon is out, come sit at our table, the feast of Light is starting tonight!

© 2011 Aïda Touré

“Allah ta‘ala, Almighty God, created the food for each being 70,000 years before it was created. There is no one other than Allah who can feed His creations. This truth was told by Allah to His prophets, and thus to all people. Any man who has the faith to absolutely accept this truth will not covet or plunder the wealth or nourishment allotted to another, either in this world or the next. Why? Because he will understand that each creation has already been given his own share of the treasure of all three worlds: the world of the souls, this world, and the next world. There are some men, however, who will steal the wealth, home, and food allotted to others. This quality of stealing exists only in man and not in animals. In the qalb, or inner heart, of man are craving, avarice, selfishness, pride, conceit, and countless such evil and base desires.” ~Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (ra)

Blue of My Orange

Blue of my Orange © 2011 Touré Aïda

On the Nur plane,
the presence of you
has a sura-like feel
to my ear.

You, lover of S/He
I sought you within;
silently, patiently,
I reveled in your Beauty~

Pen and brush in tears,
I lost speech, I mumbled this piece,
slowly, exquisitely,
eye resting on you,

Bliss named you,
robed you, traced you,
with every line and curve
your pulse strums

my inner strings,
I vibrate with
every motion you make
in the blue of my orange,

listen, we are an echo
beyond the audible range;
soul intertwined with soul,
every breath

draws me closer;
my heart leaps in joy for
the night has crowned you,
my palace is yours~

© 2011 Touré Aïda

Wholeness is Holiness

Bismillah, time is a strange phenomenon, it rhythms the cycles of my daily contemplations yet beyond this I often lose track of it and truly I don’t mind… The soul has Love to tend to, it is Work! There is only energy for the glories of Surrender and verily here, we’re all just passing by… so the business of deepening oneself is primordial so that one may near the Presence now.

I’d rather mind the language of brushstrokes, of tenderness, of subtleties, of divine scents and words and knowing that I have much to uncover about Love, Light and the delicate veil placed between both before we spiraled down to this dense dimension; left to be fragmented by man-made conditioning. I say dissolve this excessive materialism that has caused such ego-wretchedness in us, let us leave ourselves to be in the inner company of the prophets (as); in learning to leave oneself, we leave the world and become whole~ Wholeness is Holiness, now it is majesty! To meet another being in this state renders Love exquisite, yet it takes innocence, pure intention to manifest such bliss between a woman and a man. Ordinary romantic encounters pale in comparison to the gathering of two souls who are individually whole first. This higher love is rare and can only occur with the grace of The Divine and the spiritual refinement of the two souls involved~

I know now that there are no limits to Love, even in this world, except the ones we subject ourselves to, yet in truth the soul belongs to The Divine~ so expansion is the Way, infinity is the experience the soul cultivates so let us polish ourselves, let us feel deeply and be shameless about it, that’s what Beauty does: it renders one free for, in the flirting with Beauty one knows s/he is looked after unconditionally, that sort of nurturing is a constant caress upon one’s being, how delightful to wallow such intimacy. Love always nears love in all ways, it’s a garden of unending delights and the Heart derives the highest pleasure from it. Love mirrors itself in other forms, that is all there is~ Allahu Akbar.

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Tehuti’s Gems

Tehuti's Gems © 2011Aïda Touré

Peace~ I just released “Tehuti’s Gems”, one of my newest paintings on visualsufipoetry.com. “Tehuti’s Gems” is part of the series “Luminous Dark Matter” which celebrates the primordial role of the feminine principle in spirituality. This role has been at the center of the sages’ mission on Earth for eons, this is why the prophets (as) as well as highly advanced civilization, have always revered the feminine principle.

I think the masculine principle is as important as the feminine yet because we live in a time where the feminine has been so repressed, with a lack of consideration for its sacredness, my goal in developing this series relates to Balance, to Origin and most of all to the divine attribute of Mercy.

I recently did an interview where I reveal for the first time the purpose for the “Luminous Dark Matter” series. In time, I will have more to say about its spiritual octave, inshAllah.

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Ethereally Infinite

Ethereally Infinite © 2011 Aïda Touré

~ Ethereally Infinite ~

Permeating the Unseen
with all the Beauty
only you wear,
your source is divine,
soul filtering Light,
you are infinite,
ethereally,
stilled,
your breath
fluttering on my lips,
and lo! I am free of the lonely
that caged my life
in this dense moment;
now on the edge of you…
this world drained me.

© 2011 Aïda Touré

Structurelessness, Love & Genius

The systemic structures imposed on us limit us in this divine Soundscape we are experiencing. I say structures are appropriate only when they respect the laws of Harmony, yet when they don’t they must collapse to make room for the paradigm that allows our innate immensity to manifest outwardly as well. There is such perfection to mere vastness, a heart that is wide open is like a window we can peek through to truly know the infinite scope of our intrinsic being, the Universe. I salute parents who raise their children to be wide open beings whose discernment won’t allow any so-called educator to instill fragmentation in them with the false sense of identity and fear that always follow it… this leads to restlessness and alienation from our true selves. I’m for complete structurelessness until the child is aware enough of his own inner life to make decisions on which structure s/he opts to embrace or create for her/himself. Everyone is unique, we shouldn’t all be compelled to abide by the same old structures that thwart mankind’s evolution.

As a teenager, when I felt the urge to find my own voice, I was compelled to opt for no structure at all, complete emptiness, so that I may explore life in alignment with my own sensitivity and senses and not the senses of anybody else. In that perspective, systematization can be cruel, it violates the integrity of the human being, requiring her/him to pursue endeavors that do not resonate with them! It causes a form of torment to the soul that has a strong sense of purpose while it experiences the material world. When there is no structure defined from any external source, we are free to wander our being and listen to its vibrations and thus we are harmonious and free without being forced to have our experience tainted by the predictability of rigid structure; everything is thus One again, clear, vivid as The Divine intended it and from this flows pure light and love…  I think that’s where the spirit of innovation comes from, that’s what  genius is! All genius must leap beyond structure in order to fully live in tune with one’s own Center… this can not be taught from any external source, it can only come from the pure freedom interiority offers…

© 2011 Aida Toure.

“A hollow bamboo becomes a flute and the divine starts playing it. Once you are empty then there is no barrier for the divine to enter in you… You need not become anything; simply realize who you are, that’s all. Simply realize who is hidden within you. Improving, whatsoever you improve, you will always be in anxiety and anguish because the very effort to improve is leading you on a wrong path. It makes the future meaningful, a goal meaningful, ideals meaningful, and then your mind becomes a desiring… Desiring, you miss. Let desiring subside, become a silent pool of nondesiring — and suddenly you are surprised, unexpectedly it is there. And you will have a belly laugh, as Bodhidharma laughed. What is to be practiced then? To be more and more at ease. To be more and more here and now. To be more and more in action, and less and less in activity. To be more and more hollow, empty, passive. To be more and more a watcher — indifferent, not expecting anything, not desiring anything. To be happy with yourself as you are. To be celebrating.” ~Osho

Sublimity to Mirror

I took a walk in my neighborhood and saw this!

In the past few days, I have experienced a very particular atmosphere, so exquisite I still can’t fully understand it.  Sometimes it’s best to just accept that it’s okay to not grasp something and to just bask in it. It’s rewarding to follow own one’s heart and to do what brings us joy, for only attuning to one’s own inner being can trigger fulfillment which ends up manifesting outwardly as well; what comes from the outside to us, be it people or situations, relationships  start within us first.

I also had one of the most heart-warming lessons ever about the impact of creativity: I’ve learned that whatever we think and nurture does expand and unfold beyond time, space in a way we can’t imagine and that this occurs with such precision it makes me feel humbled to even be… so this whole convergence of events has triggered some new musical compositions in me, I will release them soon…

One thing I know for sure is that what we do creates some sort of waves that affect other forms of life whence the importance to cultivate light so that love and not chaos is instilled in those who share this space with us. We may not even be aware of the effect of our thoughts and vibes, yet they’re real, the study of quantum speaks to this.

To the refined self, Beauty when seen is recognized because it is familiar to the soul always. I think its manifestations at some point can truly be overwhelming yet and still it makes my soul dance… and I say al hamdulillah! Live in the world and don’t dwell on the world’s darkness, your heart has some sublimity to mirror…

© 2011 Aïda Touré