Rigorous Persistence

Today we celebrate the upcoming birthday of one of the most creative geniuses in history, Leonardo Da Vinci. More than just a talented artist, he was truly one of the greatest masters to have ever lived. A man of careful precision, mindfulness, and complex analysis, he truly lived up to the self-appointed motto of his life, Ostinato Rigore, loosely translated as ‘rigorous persistence.’

     With a mission to gain knowledge by observation, his successful melding of science with art, overlaid with a yearning for spiritual enlightenment, resulted in some of the greatest renderings of the human form known in the realm of art. He studied every subject with zeal, often following people home to capture not only their appearance but also the personality in his work. This fervor was applied to every situation of his life resulting in countless creations.

     An engineer like Adam of Novana, Da Vinci used his keen observations and explorations in art to design several military machines and improve other inventions like the clock. In Adam in Taoland, Adam comes from a land of nothingness where he never had the need to create or explore thought, but his beautiful mind is soon allowed to flourish. He proves himself as a talented engineer through his observation and the application of what he learns for the betterment of all. 

     With a goal of self-development we must allow ourselves to indulge in deep introspection and ask: Do we approach life with Ostinato Rigore, or are we just simply allowing it to pass by? If the answer is no, we must vow to change for the better so that we can all become our best selves. 

“Perform every move with a drop of purpose.

Plant every word with a seed of meaning.

Sing every note with an ounce of your soul.”

Ayesha Abdul Ghaffar