Heartbeat Narratives

Molly Mamaril
  • 5.0 (13)
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Welcome to Heartbeat Narratives, a podcast that uncovers stories of joy by celebrating the people, places, and passions we love. Based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, guests from the islands and beyond explore what makes their hearts beat - what lights them up. Host Molly Noelaniokekai Mamaril created this space for uplifting, organic conversations that allow listeners a glimpse into people’s inner lives and interests. She feels that everyone has a valuable story and that by leading with curiosity and aloha, we will cultivate meaningful relationships. Tune in for personal stories that remind us of the power of human connection.

  1. David: Crafting Whimsy with the Bubble Alchemist

    APR 8

    David: Crafting Whimsy with the Bubble Alchemist

    WHIMSY · What if the cure for burnout was… bubbles? 🫧✨✨In this episode, Molly chats with David (aka Uncle Bubble), the human behind Honolulu’s dreamy nighttime bubble parties where strangers become a community and “dancing ugly” is highly encouraged. What started as a quirky pandemic experiment turned into a full-on movement of joy, play, and unexpected healing. Alongside his bubble work, David is also pursuing his doctorate in occupational therapy, exploring how to help the body release tension and reconnect through movement, play, and presence - something that subtly weaves its way into every bubble-filled gathering. They talk about following what lights you up, creating spaces where people can just be, and why a little absurdity might be exactly what we all need right now. Consider this your official invitation to let loose, chase some bubbles, and remember how to play. Episode Highlights 00:53 meeting uncle bubble 🫧 02:04 how the bubble journey began 02:59 pandemic “joy drops” 05:42 what actually brings us joy 06:29 dancing ugly 07:54 bubbles meet bodywork 11:29 enter the joy portal 🌀 14:16 wild & wholesome bubble encounters 17:16 purpose, passion & ikigai 20:44 self-care pillars that keep us grounded 25:04 big dreams: the nonprofit vision 28:13 where to find david + upcoming events 📍   Check out Davidʻs bubble adventures at: https://www.instagram.com/thatbubbleguyhawaii/ https://www.instagram.com/bubbaloha/ Listen & Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form Heartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org Credits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik A 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.

    30 min
  2. Brianna: "Love Is All That Matters" – Witnessing Life and Death as a Chaplain

    MAR 25

    Brianna: "Love Is All That Matters" – Witnessing Life and Death as a Chaplain

    "Love is all that matters" · This dynamic conversation with Chaplain Brianna Higa of Kailua, Hawaiʻi was the culmination of an unexpected meeting that unfolded into something beautiful. She shares what it looks like to sit with people in moments of fear, transition, and letting go, and how presence alone can be an offering. We learn about the role of a chaplain, how it differs from traditional roles in church settings, and the importance of meeting people where they are by honoring and respecting their individual belief systems - whether rooted in Buddhism, Christianity,  Islam or beyond. We explore the path that has led her to a life of purpose through interfaith care and hospice work, supporting individuals and families as they navigate grief, loss, and end-of-life transitions. From the quiet moments of honoring a person’s story to witnessing love at the end, Chaplain Brianna offers a grounded perspective on what it means to be present with another human being. We are reminded that, in the end, everything comes back to love. Episode highlights 01:33 What chaplains really do 02:37 Interfaith care and presence 05:25 Finding chaplaincy through Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) 09:35 Hospice work and death talk 11:50 Self care in nature 13:07 Everyday chaplain moments 13:54 Navigating cultural differences with authenticity 18:18 Witnessing grief without fixing 21:25 Confession and forgiveness 23:03 Living differently and practical tips 24:38 Presence before disaster 25:40 Presence over hustle 26:57 End of life truths 28:49 Silence as ministry 31:04 Training a quiet mind 32:02 Retreats and emptying out 33:43 Faith practices worldwide 36:14 Becoming a chaplain 38:12 Interfaith respect required 42:05 Books for the journey 45:46 Hope and softening 47:02 Gratitude Books mentioned by Chaplain Brianna Higa A Course in Miracles – Dr. Helen Schucman A Course in Love – Mari Perron The Book of Joy – 14th Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective – Richard Rohr The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery – Ian Cron & Suzanne Stabile Mother of the Unseen World: The Mystery of Mother Meera – Mark Matousek Episode Photo Credit: Brianna Higa  Listen & Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form Heartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org Credits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik A 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.

    48 min
  3. Kai: Knots and Nets — "Let's Go, Let's Throw"

    MAR 11

    Kai: Knots and Nets — "Let's Go, Let's Throw"

    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 & Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form Heartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org Credits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik A 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.

    41 min
  4. Lily Māhealani: Aloha ʻĀina, Art and Archives

    FEB 25

    Lily Māhealani: Aloha ʻĀina, Art and Archives

    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 & Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form Heartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org Credits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik A 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.

    39 min
  5. Love: Savoring this Sacred Lei of Life

    FEB 14

    Love: Savoring this Sacred Lei of Life

    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 Highlights 00:52 A chance encounter 02:07 What’s in a name? The love story 03:41 Roots, rituals, and where we come from 06:43 Aloha everywhere: the Hawaiian diaspora 09:53 Finding joy in the now 12:45 Lāʻau lapaʻau, plant medicine 16:34 Sacred beginnings: Hawaiian birth wisdom 20:02 From vision to lather: the soap origin story 21:34 How Hawaiʻi happened (unexpectedly) 22:27 Expanding The Indigenous Soap Company   23:07 Babies, business, and balance 24:56 Entrepreneurship  26:53 Aloha forward: business with intention 30:53 Creative sparks and muses 33:09 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 & Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form Heartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org Credits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik A 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.

    41 min
  6. Teron: "What if I'm Enough?"

    FEB 11

    Teron: "What if I'm Enough?"

    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-3 Episode Highlights 02:34 Reconnecting 03:31 Teron's journey and life lessons 09:57 Role Models: the candy fundraiser story 16:28 Reflections on identity and vulnerability 21:49 Meeting Dee: a love story 27:22 Living fully and embracing the present 38:01 Future plans Listen & Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form Heartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org Credits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik A 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.

    42 min
  7. Dignity Next Door: Be the Blue-Sky Neighbor

    FEB 7

    Dignity Next Door: Be the Blue-Sky Neighbor

    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-solidarity Episode Highlights 00:52 — We see you, Minneapolis 01:37 — “Good neighbors”: Esther Perel’s insight on caring for others 03:11 — Minnesota Nice: reflecting on ICE operations in the Twin Cities and the kind ways neighbors are stepping up 04:59 — "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 & Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form Heartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org Credits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik A 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.

    20 min
  8. Kau'i: Hanahau'oli — Joyous Work in the Classroom

    JAN 28

    Kau'i: Hanahau'oli — Joyous Work in the Classroom

    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 Highlights 01:04 🏫 Welcome to Our Classroom – Creating a Joyful School Environment 02:04 ✏️ Lessons That Stick – Why Elementary School Matters 03:38 🌺 Where I’m From – Growing Up in Hawaiʻi 04:20 🌈 Joyful Work – Loving Life in Education 11:49 ⚖️ Recess Balance – Managing Work and Real Life 14:21 😂  Students & Classroom Laughs 16:13 🧠 Third Grade Clicks – When Learning Starts to Connect 19:10 ☀️ Best Day Ever – What Fills the Cup 20:13 💛 End of the School Day – Gratitude and Reflection Listen & Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyYoutubeHeartbeat Narratives WebsiteGuest InquiriesInterested in sharing what brings you joy? Complete our Guest Interest Form Heartbeat Narratives Book RecommendationsOur curated reading list that inspires and connects: Heartbeat Narratives on Bookshop.org Credits🎙️ Host & Producer: Molly Mamaril🎸 Guitar: Amund Gismervik A 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.

    24 min
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5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Welcome to Heartbeat Narratives, a podcast that uncovers stories of joy by celebrating the people, places, and passions we love. Based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, guests from the islands and beyond explore what makes their hearts beat - what lights them up. Host Molly Noelaniokekai Mamaril created this space for uplifting, organic conversations that allow listeners a glimpse into people’s inner lives and interests. She feels that everyone has a valuable story and that by leading with curiosity and aloha, we will cultivate meaningful relationships. Tune in for personal stories that remind us of the power of human connection.

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