Best of Ourselves

In Parker Palmer’s book, Healing the Heart of Democracy, he cites 5 habits of the heart that will help us move beyond fear.  Using excerpts from a 2013 interview, we examine the first habit — we are all connected. Resources: Parker’s full description of Habit One An Hour Interview with Parker Palmer For More Best of Ourselves Podcasts on Community and Relationships The post BOO507- Encore – Healing the Heart of Democracy – Habit 1 appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

A casual question during a cell phone upgrade sparked an unexpected political exchange—and a deeper inquiry into how we meet one another across difference. This episode reflects on presence, sacred engagement, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s reminder that love and power must work together if we’re to create justice and avoid becoming what we oppose. Resources Healing the Divide The post BOO505 – An Unexpected Lesson at the Cell Phone Store appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

A Thanksgiving moment went wrong—a small dog, a sudden crisis, and my brain completely freezing. What followed wasn’t competence or quick thinking, but a powerful lesson in how stress disconnects us from our bodies. In this episode, I reflect on what that scare revealed about presence, uncertainty, and the quiet wisdom our bodies carry—especially during long, difficult seasons. A reminder that when answers aren’t available, staying honest with what’s here may be enough. The post BOO503 – What a Holiday Scare Taught Me About Presence appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

What if strength isn’t something we build for ourselves alone? Inspired by the Grand Portage Band’s response to the closure of our local Coast Guard station, this reflection explores how Indigenous wisdom challenges our dominant story of competition, scarcity, and separateness—and invites us into a different way of living, grounded in connection, love, and shared belonging. Resources Imprisoned by Our Story Suffocating What Do You See? The post BOO501 – Choosing Love in a World Built on Dominance appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Being human isn’t tidy. In this episode, I share two moments—one small, one life-shaking—that pulled me right into the rawness of shame, fear, and uncertainty. What I’m learning is this: the struggle isn’t a failure. It’s the place where honesty and grace can actually reach us. Resources Living in Uncertainty The post BOO499 – The Trouble of Being Human appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.