Heartbeat Narratives

Meet Kai Uyehara, originally from the south shore of Oʻahu, who is helping revitalize the traditional art of making Hawaiian fishnets. Kai shares about his love of the ocean and how his reverence for Hawaiian culture continues to grow. From learning how to throw net to spending long hours observing the shoreline, he reflects on how slowing down and going analog has shaped the way he approaches fishing, community and life in Hawaiʻi. In this conversation, Kai explains how so many parts of his story begin with - and circle back to - the YMCA. It’s where his parents met, where he first discovered a love for ʻāina as a teenager, and where he has now worked for more than a decade. Along the way, mentors welcomed him in and shared their knowledge and practices, from farming to making throw nets, that continue to guide his path today. Through these relationships, Kai has paid it forward by mentoring youth and helping keep cultural traditions alive in the present day. Episode Highlights 00:49 Throwing net, making friends 03:28 Growing up on Oʻahu's south shore 05:23 The moment throw nets clicked 06:52 From looking cool to cultural perpetuation 09:21 Learning how to make Hawaiian fishnets 12:02 Belonging and hā (breath) 18:29 What fishing looks like today 21:05 ʻĀina and spirituality 21:59 When nature responds - the puhi (moray eel) story 23:47 Knowing when to stop 25:01 Chanting at the lele (altar)  28:30 Kilo and reading ocean signs 29:17 Why I never sell nets 31:13 Trading, time, and value 34:13 Teaching takes commitment 35:47 YMCA roots 39:11 Coming full circle   Check out Kai’s work at the YMCA and their student spring break trip on Molokaʻi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCItXIhxl6g Photo Credit: Kai Uyehara Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

ALOHA ʻĀINA & ART · In this episode, Lily Māhealani Mitchell invites us into the in-between - between Hawaiʻi and England, painting and design, emotions and healing. She traces her path from meticulously painting roses as a kid to creating protest-inspired archival work like a hidden-ink Kumulipo typography piece that questions who knowledge is really for. Living abroad sharpened her awareness of aloha ʻāina, water, urbanization, and what it means to carry culture in spaces that don’t always reflect it back. We talk murals in underground markets, research as resistance, and why sometimes the message chooses the medium, not the other way around. This conversations is about staying rooted while roaming and becoming the sun wherever you land. Mahalo for tuning in! Learn more about Lily's art: Website: https://mahealily.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madebymahealily/ Episode Highlights 00:00 meet lily māhealani mitchell 🌺 01:49 a multi-medium artist — why pick one when you can do it all? 🎨 03:22 home: oʻahu, hawaiʻi island, england & choosing leeds beckett university 06:25 storytelling, culture, and the heartbeat behind the art 06:51 roses, realism, and learning to really see  08:58 letting the message choose the medium  10:37 inspiration abroad: missing hawaiʻi, aloha ʻāina, and community contrast 14:58 reforest leeds: water, biophilic design, and reconnecting people to ʻāina 🌿 19:12 save our surf (sos): archival posters, shoreline protests & urbanization 🌊 21:36 research as healing: archives, primary sources, and cultural continuity 25:04 kumulipo typography project: hidden knowledge, reverence, and decolonizing text 30:21 making the work: emotion, therapy, and the leeds market tunnel mural 33:37 art is for everyone  36:30 leo rising ♌ Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

PRESENCE · In this season of heart-to-hearts, we sit down with Love Chance - a mother, entrepreneur, ʻāina lover, and dreamer. She is also the founder and creative force behind The Indigenous Soap Company. Guided by ancestral wisdom and reverence for the land, Love weaves Cherokee and Hawaiian teachings into her motherhood, her business, and the way she moves with intention. What began as a chance meeting at Pāʻaiau fishpond in Pearl Harbor unfolds into a reflective conversation on presence as the doorway to joy. Love shares how she gathers meaningful moments like flowers in a sacred lei, snapshots to be treasured and carried forward. Along the way, she offers insights on conscious entrepreneurship, happy soap stories and leading with aloha. Mahalo for joining us on this path to living in the moment. Episode Highlights00:52 A chance encounter02:07 What’s in a name? The love story03:41 Roots, rituals, and where we come from06:43 Aloha everywhere: the Hawaiian diaspora09:53 Finding joy in the now12:45 Lāʻau lapaʻau, plant medicine16:34 Sacred beginnings: Hawaiian birth wisdom20:02 From vision to lather: the soap origin story21:34 How Hawaiʻi happened (unexpectedly)22:27 Expanding The Indigenous Soap Company  23:07 Babies, business, and balance24:56 Entrepreneurship 26:53 Aloha forward: business with intention30:53 Creative sparks and muses33:09 Happy soap 36:54 Gratitude  Learn more about Indigenous Soap Company:🌿 Website: https://www.indigenousoap.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indigenoussoap/?hl=en Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

What does it mean to believe you are enough? In this episode of Heartbeat Narratives, Teron Buford, author, storyteller, and founder of Grace Through Soul, joins the conversation for a reflective discussion on identity and self-worth. Teron and Molly reconnect as friends from their college days, reflecting on how shared history deepens the conversation. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Teron shares how his life experiences have shaped his approach to leadership, fatherhood, and service. He reflects on insights from his book, "What If I’m Enough?" and the roles that storytelling and love play in making meaning of our lives. The conversation explores vulnerability, masculinity, and a reminder that your story isn’t a shackle, it’s the key.Teron’s Website:https://www.gracethroughsoul.com/Buy the Book “What If I’m Enough?”https://www.gracethroughsoul.com/about-3Episode Highlights02:34 Reconnecting03:31 Teron's journey and life lessons09:57 Role Models: the candy fundraiser story16:28 Reflections on identity and vulnerability21:49 Meeting Dee: a love story27:22 Living fully and embracing the present38:01 Future plans Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

GOOD NEIGHBORS · In this solo episode, I reflect on what it means to be a good neighbor during a time of uncertainty and injustice. While I touch on ICE operations in Minnesota, my aim is to move beyond politics and into a place of shared humanity and respect for dignity. I’ve noticed that most of my neighbor interactions happen during crisis, and I wonder how much stronger our communities could be if we connected in everyday blue-sky moments too. I share stories from Minneapolis and Hawaiʻi, from neighbors stepping up to strangers showing unexpected kindness. Letʻs see the dignity in the people next door and choose again and again, to show up for one another.Ways to show solidarity with Minnesota communities: https://minnesotanonprofits.org/ally-solidarityEpisode Highlights00:52 — We see you, Minneapolis01:37 — “Good neighbors”: Esther Perel’s insight on caring for others03:11 — Minnesota Nice: reflecting on ICE operations in the Twin Cities and the kind ways neighbors are stepping up04:59 — "Choose one's own way": Viktor Frankl's teachings on cultivating resilience during the Holocaust 06:56 — Brave breakfast conversations: unexpected honesty, history repeating, and the urgent need to speak up 09:26 — Aloha in action: how strangers have shown me kindness over the years 13:49 — Lessons from the woods: a simulation of the Secret War, building empathy with immigrant communities and never being a bystander 19:28 — Dignity next door: my heart sees your heart  Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

HANAHAU'OLI: JOYOUS WORK · Step back into the magic of elementary school as Kauʻi, an Oʻahu-based elementary school principal, shares how care and heart guide her work in education and leadership. From the power of a welcoming classroom to the small, meaningful moments that shape a child’s day, she reflects on why elementary school environments matter so deeply. Caring for our keiki extends beyond academics - it’s about helping children feel seen, safe, and supported every day. Through stories from campus life, Kauʻi highlights the humor, connection, and humanity that show up in everyday interactions with students. This episode is an honest, uplifting look at education rooted in presence and relationships. Mahalo for tuning in!Episode Highlights01:04 🏫 Welcome to Our Classroom – Creating a Joyful School Environment02:04 ✏️ Lessons That Stick – Why Elementary School Matters03:38 🌺 Where I’m From – Growing Up in Hawaiʻi04:20 🌈 Joyful Work – Loving Life in Education11:49 ⚖️ Recess Balance – Managing Work and Real Life14:21 😂  Students & Classroom Laughs16:13 🧠 Third Grade Clicks – When Learning Starts to Connect19:10 ☀️ Best Day Ever – What Fills the Cup20:13 💛 End of the School Day – Gratitude and Reflection Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

Aloha · In this first mini episode of 2026, we explore pivots - pivots to slow down, to shift energy, and to find grounding amidst chaos. Together, let’s uncover ways to dance through it all. I’m grateful for your support, feedback, and stories over the past twelve months since we launched Heartbeat Narratives. Mahalo for listening and sharing this journey with me.As we step into the new year, please consider rating and reviewing Heartbeat Narratives on Spotify or Apple Podcasts - your stars mean so much. We’d also love for you to fill out our Listener Survey. Mahalo nui loa ~Episode HighlightsEpisode Highlights00:00 🌺 Aloha 2026, let’s go01:01 📖 Looking back 02:11 🎤 New year, new podcast rhythm02:53 🕊️ Slowing down and filling my cup03:43 🤝 Roses, Thorns and Buds04:04 🤎 Giving forward08:47 🔄  Storytelling through truth, Queen Lili'uokalani's wisdom12:13 🔹 Dancing through the unknown15:11 🔮 Looking ahead Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

DO YOUR BEST · This week, Heartbeat Narratives turns 1! To mark the milestone, we welcome the most requested guest, Amund Gismervik, a steady presence who has quietly shaped the podcast behind the scenes. Note: he is the guitarist behind the podcast's intro and outro music! A lifelong athlete with a deep passion for springboard and platform diving, Amund has transformed his love for the sport into coaching. Born and raised in Norway, he followed his zest for diving to Hawaiʻi on a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa scholarship and later represented Norway in the 10-meter platform at the 2012 London Olympics. In this conversation, Amund shares what makes his heart beat - from adrenaline and meticulous training to travel, and life beyond competition. This episode is a reflection on courage and doing your best, offering an example of what can unfold when you fully show up for what you love.Episode highlights00:00 Heartbeat turns 1! 02:07 Amund’s journey from Norway to Hawaiʻi07:29 Discovering a lifelong love for diving10:37 Lessons learned through international competition17:41 Olympic dreams and a defining moment23:22 Training, coaching, and growth30:26 Life beyond diving 🎥 VideosInstagram Reel — Amund at 2025 Singapore MastersVimeo — Amund Gismervik Interview / Olympic and UH Mānoa Feature   Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

EVERY WORD COUNTS · In this episode, playwright Sean Dunnington shares stories that travel as freely as he does from Hawaiʻi Island to New York, Singapore, and beyond. He reflects on growing up in the misty hills of Waimea, finding refuge in theater, and learning how art can belong anywhere including libraries, community circles, and far off stages. The conversation drifts through queerness, power, memory, and the  magic of theatricality when life is mirrored onstage. Sean explores how his writing has evolved from personal survival to creative world building, and how playwriting can be a communal, living practice. This fun, flowing conversation is a reflection of the radical intimacy of telling stories out loud.Episode Highlights02:12 Opening SceneGrowing up in Waimea and peering into the world of theater.05:06 Finding the StageDiscovering playwriting as refuge and an invitation to imagine new worlds.09:37 Moments of IllusionFormative theater experiences and the performances that transformed spectatorship into devotion.12:40 Behind the ScriptThe writing process, deadlines, and the challenges of making meaning on the page.20:26 Ensemble BuildingThe creation of Tree Moss Collective and reimagining what playwriting in Hawaiʻi can be.24:49 The Circle WidensPlaywriting as communal process, storytelling as listening, and theater as a place of healing.33:19 Final CurtainWhere to find Sean’s work and what comes next beyond the stage.To explore more of Sean work and writing, visit https://www.seandunnington.com/and learn about Tree Moss Collective at https://www.treemosshawaii.com/. Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

Health Content Advisory: This conversation centers on pregnancy and birth, including personal experiences. Please listen with care – mahalo.In this life-affirming episode, we sit down with PuaOEleili Pinto - mother of two, cultural health provider, and keeper of lomilomi, lāʻau lapaʻau, and Hawaiian childbirth traditions. Raised in Kailua, Oʻahu, with ancestral roots across Maui and Hawaiʻi Island, Pua honors her lineage through both research and lived practice via Ēwe ʻOiaʻiʻo, the company she founded to teach Hawaiian healing and birth. She shares how Hawaiian history, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, sound, and land restoration shaped her journey and guided the reclamation of ʻŌiwi birthing practices. Reflecting on her own birth experiences, Pua explores rebuilding trust in body wisdom, blending Hawaiian and Western healing methods, and restoring birth as a family-centered journey. The conversation also touches on food sovereignty, highlighting traditional Hawaiian food and the distinction between food and medicine, and the critical role of restoring Hawaiian forests as the foundation of well-being for all life. This episode is a reminder that indigenous practices are living, vital, and essential for healing families and communities today.Episode Highlights00:52 – Exploring Hawaiian birth practices01:30 – Connecting to home: Kailua05:32 – Navigating joy and challenges in Hawaiian healing07:21 – In her ancestors' footsteps - re-membering birth practices10:09 – Traditional Hawaiian medicine14:27 – Connecting past and present in birthing practices24:16 – Creating safe birthing spaces26:57 – Discovering pregnancy and early challenges29:05 – Helping others overcome birth trauma30:29 – Empowering couples in birth32:29 – The role of ancestral practices in birth37:22 – The importance of Hawaiian diet in pregnancy38:38 – Advocating for Hawaiian food and food sovereignty42:35 – Restoring the Native Hawaiian forest46:00 – Future hopesPregnancy and Birthing Resources:PuaOEleili's Cultural Birth Education Website: Ēwe ʻOiaʻiʻoPuaOEleili’s Online Birth CourseCookbooks & Resource LibraryMust We Wait in DespairʻO ʻOe nō Paha Ia e ka Lau o ke Aloha – An Essay by Kīhei de SilvaNohopapa – Hawaiian Cultural Heritage Stewardship ServicesMotherwit – Postpartum Food DeliveryKauluakalanaKaulunani Urban & Community Forestry Project“Grow Hawaiʻi” Book – Native Books HawaiʻiHawaiʻi Forest Institute – Go Native: Growing a Native Hawaiian Urban ForestAwaiaulu Kīpapa – Hawaiʻi History Educator ResourcesPuOEleili's Academic ResearchPua kanikawī kanikawā: The Intimacy of Hawaiian ChildbirthNative Hawaiian Complementary Feeding Practices as Told by GrandparentsEpisode Photo: PuaOEleili Pinto and Kicking Bird Photography Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING · Meet Harry Baden, a wildland firefighter based in Montana who followed an unexpected path from Minnesota to Hawaiʻi and into a life of fire service. In this episode of Heartbeat Narratives, he shares the fun, camaraderie, and standout moments that come from working long days on the fire line with friends who quickly become family. Harry talks about how discipline, training, and his athletic background influenced the way he approaches both the physical grind and the mental focus the job demands. He talks about the balance between intense, high stakes work and the joy found in teamwork, laughter, and shared purpose. At its core this episode is about adventure, friendship, and finding meaning through service. Mahalo for listening! Episode Highlights01:01 From Minnesota to Hawaiʻi01:39 College days, diving boards, and big energy02:24 How Harry traded campus life for the fire line03:40 Training days, chainsaws, and learning the craft06:06 Life inside the flames and what it really feels like10:07 Crew chemistry, trust, and lifelong friendships12:57 Fueling the body for long days and longer hikes16:38 Stories from the frontlines24:14 Thinking about fire life?  Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

COURAGE TO COMMERCE · In this mini episode, we meet Reshma in the bustling marketplace at Katong Square in Singapore, where commerce and community come alive. She shares how losing her job at 50 sparked the courage to turn her lifelong love of fashion and handmade goods into a vibrant, affordable boutique. Reshma’s journey is a joyful reminder that reinvention is part of life and taking the courageous jump into entrepreneurship can lead to meaningful new beginnings.  Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

SPEARFISHING · In this episode, Cindy Kan shares her perspective as a waterwoman, spearfisher, and lifelong ocean lover. She reflects on how the Pacific has taught her balance and presence, shaping the way she moves through life both in and out of the water. Her story follows a path from Vancouver, Canada to the reefs of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi where learning to source her own food strengthened the kinship she feels with the islands. Cindy shares about turning points that led her to the practices that now ground her, including free diving and sustainable harvesting. Through her eyes, the ocean is both a teacher and an ice box, especially for a waterwoman who is always learning and loves a fresh seafood meal. Ocean enthusiasts and foodies, this one is for you! Episode Highlights01:44 Her heart belongs to Hawaiʻi04:05 Discovering a deep love for the ocean07:08 Memorable spearfishing adventures16:13 Finding her place in a male-dominated sport22:18 Connecting with the fish22:57 Sustainable spearfishing23:43 Honoring the ocean29:05 Chefs, community, and invasive species30:35 Favorite book: “Hawaiʻi’s Reef Fish: Food, Science, and Tradition”33:37 The infamous fish picture (on the apps)35:38 The perfect spearfishing day40:20 Gratitude found in the oceanResourcesBooks: "Hawaiʻi’s Reef Fish: Food, Science, and Tradition" by Cassandra Pardee and Craig OmoriNamea HawaiʻiNative Books Hawaiʻi"Native Use of Fish in Hawaii" by Margaret Titcomb Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

As Heartbeat gets close to turning one, I’ve been thinking about how much joy this whole pod-life journey has brought me. And with my birthday this month, it felt like the perfect time to share a fun bit of serendipity - I discovered a video time capsule from when I was sixteen. I popped in a few audio clips at the end so you can get a quick peek into my teen years (midwest accent and all). Aloha nui  -MNM Episode Highlights00:00 — Aloha future me02:09 — Roses, thorns & throwbacks04:49 — Joy, but make it early-2000s07:21 — Time08:20 — The cassette tape that time-traveled15:00 — 20 years later17:27 — Sweet sixteen - meet mini me (circa 2005) Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

A serendipitous encounter in Kīhei opens the door to the enchanting world of Maui musician Don Lax, whose hurdy-gurdy and violin shimmer with their own personalities. Don shares the spellbinding history of these instruments and brings them to life with music that feels as if it drifted in from another era. As he and Molly talk story on the sidewalk of a grocery store, Don reflects on his globe-trotting childhood and the Christmas violin that set his musical path in motion. He also shares his rare gift for hearing and playing the song of a person’s soul, turning frequencies into melody - even offering a spontaneous musical interpretation of Molly’s heart. Don can often be found playing outside the Hawaiian Moons Natural Foods most Sunday nights from 6 PM to 8 PM. Enjoy the whimsy and wonder of this conversation!Learn more:Don V. Lax Website: https://www.mauiviolin.com/Soul Song Readings: https://www.mauiviolin.com/soul-song-readingsDon V. Lax YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@donvlax Episode Highlights00:00 A chance encounter in Kīhei, Maui00:47 Discovering the heart of the hurdy-gurdy03:23 Violin magic06:02 The beginning of a musical path08:35 Playing the song of the soul09:31 Music across Maui10:44 The ocean’s healing presence11:59  Follow your joy - why else be alive? Photo credit: Don LaxEpisode Art: Molly Mamaril Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

Pop, pop, POP! It’s SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY! 🍿At Lani’s Island Snack Shack in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, Cassi of Kravin' Munchies brings pure joy to every conversation about handmade treats and the laughter-filled energy of the shop. Cassi dives into the beginnings of those flavored popcorn experiments and the mouthwatering power of Lani's beloved teri burger (with mustard!) that customers can’t stop ordering. Be sure to support your favorite small businesses today! Enjoy this mini-sweet treat episode.🍬Follow along:🍧 Kravin' Munchies — https://www.instagram.com/kravinmunchies/?hl=en🍔 Lani’s Island Snack Shack — https://www.instagram.com/lanisislandsnackshack/?hl=enPhoto Credit: Kravin' Munchies Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

Content Advisory: This episode contains sensitive themes, including discussion of suicide and suicide awareness. Please listen with care -  mahalo.In this season of gratitude, I’m excited to share an episode recorded with a close college friend of mine, Coco, an artist in every sense of the word. During a reunion at our alma mater in St. Paul, Minnesota, we revisit our college years and the beautiful, ever-evolving creative path they’ve carved through dance, theater, and - of course - the influence of Beyoncé(!).Coco opens up about their journey of self-discovery and healing through art, including a pivotal memory of organizing a Suicide Awareness Show in honor of a close friend. Our conversation explores the power of performance, how confidence can be a choice, and what it means to find a sense of home within the arts community as a queer Black person.Along with plenty of giggling, you’ll hear about our dramatic 19-year-old selves, our carefully curated Cowboy Carter concert outfits, and how Coco’s long-held creative ambitions are taking shape. Mahalo for listening with love.Episode Highlights00:47 College memories take center stage01:18 From Sierra Leone to St. Paul02:43 We had the walkie talkies04:24 When creativity calls04:47 A performance from the heart06:31 Art as medicine14:14 Reunion magic17:51 Friendship forever18:34 Titanic Dreams, because main character energy19:48 Beyoncé love20:38 Enter the Beyhive25:58 Find home in the Twin Cities dance community31:13 Confidence as a choice33:32 Final bow Instagram & TikTok: @unapologetically_cocoYouTube: youtube.com/@unapologeticallycocoPhoto Credit: CocoEpisode Art: Molly Mamaril Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

ZEST & ZIPLINING· Molly and Dina meet atop Mount Ulriken in Bergen, Norway, where Dina works as a zip line guide overlooking her ancestral homeland. It is the most beautiful "view from the office" you could imagine. She shares how growing up on a multigenerational family farm surrounded by sea, mountains, and animals shaped her love of nature and adventure. She talks about the rush of adrenaline that fuels her, from parachuting in Australia to cold water dips and the joy of helping nervous visitors leap into freedom on the zip line. The conversation weaves in sustainable tourism, language, and Dina’s lifelong love Japan. It is clear that she moves through her world with curiosity and enthusiasm, bringing that forward in everyone she meets. Episode Highlights00:30 Dina’s love for the mountain 01:16 The thrill of zip lining01:55 Ancestry in Bergen03:57 There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing ("Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlig klær")07:22 Visiting Norway with a leave-no-trace mindset08:49 Adrenaline in everyday moments13:06 Obsessed with Japan15:45 Joy is better shared (but solo moments matter too!)  Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

5 DAYS OF SILENCE · After ten years of dreaming about doing a meditation retreat, I finally found the courage to do it last month. In this solo episode, I share what it was like to spend five days in silence at a mountain retreat center in California. I had written it down as a New Year’s resolution because I LOVE exploring personal development strategies, but following through on this goal was SO HUMBLING. When I recorded this episode, I had just gotten back into the "real world," so I (very slowly) talk about the funny moments, spiritual downloads and realizations that floated in to my mind when there were no distractions.  I hope that this reflection can serve as a touchpoint for how silence can reset our minds and hearts if we give ourselves enough time to slow down. Mahalo :)Episode Highlights00:20 – POD NEWS! New website, listener survey, guest interest form! Plus, rate & review us - mahalo!01:45 – Doing 5-day silent meditation retreat06:42 – Daily breadth: a day in the life of a yogi, cultivating a meditation practice13:14 – The vow of noble silence, meals, the four most important words, laughing26:59 – Reemergence: From silence to society31:40 – Closing bells Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.

In this episode, we share space and song with Kukui, a musician, law student, and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi advocate whose life flows with aloha and mele (song, poetry, chant). This conversation is a testament to her love of music and how to her, mele is moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy). After seven years away, she returns home to Oʻahu with kuleana to teach and nurture others through oli (chant), cultural protocol, and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language).  Kukui was raised in a family of musicians and has always been surrounded by music. From Afrobeats to '70s throwbacks to classic Hawaiian melodies, she hopes to create more spaces where music and ʻohana come together to kanikapila (play music).Kukui shares how patience and a “let’s learn together” mindset have shaped her path from her home in Waimānalo to studying at Ka Haka ʻUla ʻO Keʻelikōlani at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Through stories of spirituality and creative flow, she reminds us that mele transcends sound as identity, prayer, and the heartbeat of family. Episode Highlights00:00 Welina mai, e Kukui!00:32 Moving back to Oʻahu after 7 years01:54 Big Mama Energy: teaching and mālama through spirituality and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi04:55 On patience: ʻAʻohe hua o ka maiʻa i ka lā hoʻokahi06:27 “Let’s learn together”: Hawaiian Club at UH Hilo (Hui Keaomālamalama) & Ka Haka ʻUla ʻO Keʻelikōlani08:42 Waimānalo roots, learning Hawaiian before English10:00 Lullabies forever: a musical ʻohana11:58 The creative force and spirituality17:22 Music and identity20:32 Inspo: Afrobeats (Soso is a fav) and Hawaiian throwbacks (she loves Kanaka Waiwai)22:46 Mele is the heartbeat of ʻohana29:06 On the horizonEnjoy mele from a special playlist Kukui created:Apple Playlist: 8/8 vibez🌈💧Spotify Playlist: 8/8 vibez🌈💧Check out Nā Puke Wehewehe for Hawaiian > English translations.Recorded August 2025Photo credit: KukuiEpisode Art: Molly Mamaril Listen & SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest FormHeartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.orgCredits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund GismervikA Diversity of Experiences: Guests on Heartbeat Narratives share their own perspectives and experiences. Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. We invite you to listen with an open mind and enjoy the joy and insight offered from many different vantage points.