Ashley and Lopa explore the deeper meaning of Aloha as a lived practice. They discuss how mindfulness became a pathway back to cultural values, breaking down the word ALOHA through the teachings of Auntie Pilahi Paki and Pono Shim: Akahai, Lokahi, ʻOluʻolu, Haʻahaʻa, and Ahonui.

They reflect on how these values show up in medicine, identity, and daily life—touching on presence, humility, and the power of gentle strength.

Referenced in this episode:

• “Aloha and Mindfulness” article, https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/jisd/article/view/63056/47001
• Long Story Short interview with Pono Shim (PBS Hawaiʻi): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCB_8FwSm9s

What does it mean to stay tender-hearted—and even a little wild—while working in modern medicine? Dr. Wendy Lau, an emergency physician and Zen practitioner, shares the GRACE approach (Gather, Recall, Attune, Consider, Engage/End) that helps clinicians meet patients with genuine compassion, even on the busiest shifts. She explains how naming moral residue and moral injury can lift hidden weight off our shoulders and introduces self-stewardship as a practical way to set healthy limits so we can keep serving over the long haul. Along the way, Wendy reflects on community, creativity, and finding hope in the simple truth that everything changes—one breath and one patient at a time.

Resources mentioned

• Upaya Zen Center
• GRACE Framework – developed by Roshi Joan Halifax
• Cynda Rushton, PhD, RN – research on moral residue and self-stewardship
• The Inner Practice of Medicine – book by Dr. Wendy Lau

If the episode resonates, share it with a friend or send us your reflections—each voice helps broaden our circle of compassionate care.

What does it mean to be well—not just physically, but emotionally, culturally, and in community?

In this episode, we talk with Saul Ferolus, a Haitian peace seeker, father, husband and community advocate, who shares his lived experience as a Haitian navigating life after the 2010 earthquake, migration, and the challenges of being misunderstood in a new country. His story invites us to consider how well-being is shaped not only by access to care, but by the narratives we tell about each other.

We explore how the effects of othering—especially through fear-based media portrayals—can undermine health at both individual and collective levels. And we reflect on what it means to belong, to be seen with dignity, and to stay connected to community, even across distance and disruption.

This is a conversation about resilience, relational health, and the quiet power of being held in community. Lepspwa fe viv! Hope gives life!