Chalat Rajaram: Firefly Racing With The Dolphins

UCI Author & Artists Series:

What do medicine and poetry have in common? Does medicine care for the body while poetry for the soul? Can we go beyond such binary thinking--body vs. soul, science vs. literature, especially in the realm of pain, suffering, caring, and healing? Dr. Chalat Rajaram will discuss his poetry collection while addressing such philosophical questions about poetry, life, and consciousness.
Dr. Chalat Rajaram is Clinical Assistant Professor in Medicine at UCI Medical Center (hospitalist Palliative Medicine) and Medical Director of Newport Nursing & Rehabilitation, Skilled Nursing Facility. He also works with students at UCI School of Medicine (“Spirituality in Medicine”) and formerly served as the Senior Medical Director (Retd) at Vitas Healthcare and External Faculty Director of Palliative Fellowship Program at UCI Medical Center.
Although trained in medicine, Rajaram has been writing poetry for many years. He believes the tremendous power of poetry in generating compassion, enlightenment, and healing. Firefly Racing with the Dolphins is a collection of poems written over five decades. Fireflies bring forth light in darkness and stillness, reminding one of this light within, the inner consciousness shining constantly. Dolphins racing in the ocean depict the mind, thoughts, movement, and action. The book describes a life-long search, a journey of pursuing knowledge, meaning, inner peace and happiness.

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