Arts Medicine for Hope & Healing Initiative Founder and Director, Diane Kaufman, MD
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Three Objects Spoke to Me

4/29/2018

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Picture

The bird was flying in the darkened night. All around was silence, silence. The young girl who did not know she was an angel, held a garland across her chest - a heart, a crescent moon, a star. She was walking alone on a path. She did not know her destination.

She raised up her eyes to see the moon. To her astonishment, there was no moon to be seen. In its place a beautiful red rose blooming in the sky! And the air was filled with such fragrance! And petal after petal floated in the air, gently caressing her. The flower moon kept opening and opening. The girl began to cry. She had never felt such beauty. 

Certainly she had seen beauty before. But feel it? Feel herself become part of the beauty seen? No. That was a rarity. It took her breath away.

She wondered, "if I exhale will it all vanish? I don't want the flower moon to go away." 

She closed her eyes. "Let this be the only thing I see. My only memory. If I open my eyes again will it still be there?" 

"Should I tell someone?" she asked herself. "What if they disagree or call me foolish or doubt my sanity? What if they claim the vision for their own? Will I be left with nothing?" 

She was alone but for the darkened sky, the blooming iridescent rose moon, the petals falling, the garland's heart, crescent, and star, and the path that was yet to be.

"Maybe I shouldn't move." 

"Maybe I should stay still and silent."

"If this is magic and has meaning - what is it? Do I deserve it?"

"If there is no magic and no meaning - what then?"

The girl sighed. She looked up again.

Flower moon.
Falling petals.
Bird flying.
Darkened sky.

No knowing what to do next, she fell asleep. Was she lying down or standing up? She never could remember. 

She slept and slept. An eternity of flower moons and flower petals. Finally she had the dream she was seeking. The dream she would carry inside her - awake - for all the rest of her days. 

The flower moon was the rose of her heart. 
The petals the love she shared.
The bird flying her spirt's call. 
The silence the worship in her soul. 
The garland her protection from not knowing.

That was so long ago and this is the first time I am telling her story. 

Diane Kaufman, MD
Words for Healing workshop
Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital
​Portland, Oregon  
April 28, 2018 



  

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Who Can Justify

4/29/2018

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I was inspired to write the lyric of Who Can Justify when I read of the tragic death of 20 year old Ria Patel on 9/17/17.  I was imagining how her parents felt and was trying to understand how something so terrible could happen to their daughter. With great appreciation to vocalist Maushalik Williams and composer/producer The Prophet X: for bringing the love and the pain of Who Can Justify to life. 
​
Please Donate to the Ria Foundation: https://theriafoundation.com/.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-super-drunk-charged-crash-killed-girlfriend-article-1.3512262.
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Pray to Believe

4/29/2018

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How do we go on after our heart's beloved commits suicide? That is what I was trying to understand and express when I wrote the lyrics to Pray to Believe. I am a child psychiatrist and poet. The words of actor and comedian Jim Carrey moved me:  "We're all so afraid of the river of tears. The fact is, going down the river of sorrow and suffering is the way to freedom," Carrey continued. "I've gone through it and I'm telling you, you don't survive it. You don't come out of it on the other side. You might come out of it with a body, but there's no you attached to it. It's tough to be yourself if you don't have a self.” His ex-girlfriend committed suicide. I have personal and professional associations with suicide as well. I hope my words, The Prophet X's music, and Samantha Smith's voice touches your heart.
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Love is Many Colors ~ A Love Poem

4/29/2018

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I wrote ​Love is Many Colors ~ A Love Poem for my friend Christine's documentary on young adult children who continue to have significant emotional, behavioral, and developmental special needs. The poem is from my experiences as a child psychiatrist seeing the sorrows and the love, the struggles and the triumphs of children and their parents. The poem also comes from a deep place within me. What we yearn for most is connection. The narration is by voice artist Zorwyn Madrone. The composer is Laurent Danis, and his musical piece ,"Le baume," is provided by Jamendo.
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Heart, Bones & Soul

4/29/2018

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Heart, Bones & Soul ~ Narrated Poem, Symphonic Poem & Illustrated Poem. The Heart, Bones and Soul poet is Diane Kaufman, MD. Voice Narration, Illustrated Poem, and Symphonic Poem by the amazingly talented artist, Joris Miguel. The debut of Heart, Bones and Soul was on Easter Sunday. The perfect day for "Who knows how mystery flows... Make your love an offering."
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Women of the World

4/29/2018

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Women of the World is a poem anthem dedicated to women's empowerment. It was written in response to Harvey Weinstein and the #metoo movement, as well as the endlessly devastating reports of domestic violence, murder of women, child abuse, and sex trafficking. The Women of the World author, Diane Kaufman, is a poet, artist and child psychiatrist. The poem was given voice by Cortni Jordan. The media design animator, Lucia Martinez, who lives in Colombia, South America, joined the project through what felt like divine providence as she was chosen amongst many applicants from a freelance site. Ms. Martinez's artistic skill, emotional sensitivity, and her involvement with women's rights made her the perfect partner for Women of the World.
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    Author

    As a child, Diane Kaufman wrote in her grade school composition that when she grew up she wanted to be a "medical doctor or a medical drawer." Her passion as expressed in poetry, story, and art seeks to inspire positive transformation, to help "humanize" our life experiences, to increase our connection with each other, and bring awareness of Arts Medicine as valuable in promoting and nurturing health, healing and well being. 

    Dedication:
    ​I write this blog to express and release my thoughts and feelings, to heal myself and others. The world is full of suffering. I want to do my part to heal the despairing wound. I want to do my part to comfort the crying baby, the lost child, and the all too often hurt and hurting adult. I have named my Arts Medicine for Health & Healing blog, Poetry Baby, and she calls upon me to give voice and share her spirit: to write, create, be courageous, and most importantly, to have abiding faith in the Almighty Mystery and Power of the Universe to spin the world into loving care and compassion. Our hearts and hands can make this be so. 

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