Mangda Sengvanhpheng
Mangda Sengvanhpheng is an artist, death doula, and the founder of BACII - a platform that focuses on loss and grief while providing services and offerings for individuals, communities, and organizations that renew our engagement to life. Her life and death work is guided by her Lao last name, which means “the light of the full moon.” Mangda’s work has been featured in Vogue, VICE, Architectural Digest, NY Mag’s Curbed, Brydie, and more.
Filling the Spaces In-Between: A Creative Grief Potion Experience
A favored and effective way of tending to grief is through holistic and creative practices, nature's gifts, and the presence of others. Let's commune with all these elements, along with the support of BACII’s beloved flower essence grief potion. This potion becomes a companion in helping us soften and expand as we practice letting go.
Together we'll embark on a letting go meditation, express ourselves through art, storytelling and then close with a baci ritual.
What was the catalyst for you stepping into this work? How did you end up here, at this moment, doing what you do?
My mother's death was the catalyst for all of my life, grief, and deathwork. I had an extremely challenging experience navigating the various end-of-life industries while helping my mother through her final days which included being bedside and tending to her needs, washing and dressing her body, arranging a funeral service, and managing a household of tasks that come with death.
This experience revealed to her how difficult and isolating grief and loss can be which led me to volunteering with people at the end of their lives in 2018, becoming a death doula, and creating BACII - a platform focused on grief and loss in order to renew your engagement to life. For the past four years, I've held 100's of community gatherings, worked with various organizations in the arts, wellness, tech, law, and nonprofit spaces, while providing supportive services for clients around the world.
What do you hope people get from working with you or interacting with your services?
I aim to provide quality care and services in all that I do. My hope is for those who interact with my work not only sense the deep thoughtfulness and care that goes into my offerings, but to experience and receive it. I utilize a holistic, empowering, and at times a creative approach to what I do so that we can both preserve what worked in the past and innovate new ways of showing up for ourselves and each other during this time.
What do you wish was different about the way we are supported when dying, grieving, and navigating end-of-life in general? What would you change?
I'd like people to know that there are people that are equipped and willing to help guide and support you through your grief and loss which can be extremely helpful in reducing suffering and hardship during an already difficult time. To know there are many different ways that you can receive end of life support and to encourage you to take those steps in receiving support instead of feeling like you need to do everything on your own.
What would you say to someone who is nervous about attending events about death or grief?
That it's completely understandable you'd feel nervous. I also would ask if you believe attending an event on death or grief could potentially be helpful for you and if there's a part of you that says yes... go forth. Typically, from those who have participated in my gatherings that expressed their nervousness were the ones who shared they received the most from it.
