Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mangda Sengvanhpheng. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mangda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How’s you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?

I never dreamt or planned to be working so intimately with grief, loss, and death. In 2018 my mother was diagnosed with cancer and shorty after I found myself navigating unknown territories while tending to my mother through her final days. At a much later date after my mother transitioned, I shared my experience with my friend, Nicla DiCosmo on how I supported my mother while navigating different end-of-life systems such as hospice and the funeral industry while fulfilling all the aftercare that is required after someone dies which was very isolating and confusing to navigate alone. She told me I was doing death doula work and I had never heard of a death doula before. After much time researching, I decided to enroll in Going With Grace’s program. I am grateful that I took that leap (which required a lot of encouragement from a loved one).

My mother’s death was extremely challenging in many ways and I found it difficult to not only have the experience of losing a loved it, but to also exist in a society that doesn’t know how to respond to loss or grief as this was pre-pandemic and no one was really talking about these “taboo” topics. My father is from Laos and I was raised in an environment where speaking about impermanence, death and even the spirit world wasn’t considered inappropriate, a conversation that was avoided, or shameful. All my curiosities were welcomed and encouraged which I found to be contrasting from my Western environment.

The experience of my mother’s death and the contrast between my Eastern and Western perspectives of the end-of-life became the catalyst for all the work I wanted to do to shift our experiences and understanding of the end-of-life to be a more holistic, integrated, and supportive approach to loss, grief, and death. By doing so, I believe this will impact and shift the way we live, positivity contribute to our overall wellbeing, and create a more conscious and compassionate society to exist in. These are my why’s for creating BACII.

I launched BACII days before the pandemic brought NYC into lockdowns. The timing of BACII is uncanny and I started simple – hosting online conversations to create a space to speak about these topics. I’ll never forget how nervous I was when I hosted my first online event – my voice was shaking and I could barely read my notes that I wrote because I was so nervous. After the event was over, I cried and over thought every little detail as this was all new to me yet the purpose of doing the event was more important to me than my fears. To date – I’ve hosted 100’s of gatherings with diverse demographics, communities and organizations and it brings me immense joy to do it.

Year by year I’ve witnessed an increased interest, desire, and need to explore, learn, and be supported through grief and loss and I couldn’t be more grateful. In hindsight, I still can’t believe what’s been created through difficult life experiences – all of BACII’s offerings, the friendships and community that’s been built, and how others bring their experiences of BACII’s offerings to their own homes and communities. I’ve never been so challenged by my fears nor have I grown so rapidly by facing them. Most of what I’ve done through BACII I’ve never done before and to this day, it’s a practice to keep going back to my ‘why’ I’m doing all of this because it’s not about me, it’s about BACII’s mission and vision to be of service and make positive contributions to our world.

I could not be more grateful for everyone that has been a part of this journey and who’s supported me along the way. I have no regrets, only learnings, and not only have I learned so much about myself and the human condition, I have discovered one of my life’s purpose.

BACII’s purpose is to change how we understand and experience grief and loss by facilitating community and corporate gatherings, offering 1-1 grief and death support, and offering supportive tools and products that help guide us through these inevitable experiences, while renewing our engagement to life. BACII is influenced by traditional Lao baci ceremonies performed at gatherings of birth, life, and death. During the ritual, people wish baci, or “blessings,” onto others in an act of true compassion, unity and connection.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Supportive 1-1 Services: I utilize a contemplative care framework which is holistic, reflective, non-medical support and depending on the client, we’ll use supportive tools and practices such as guided meditations, yoga, and writing.

Loss and grief support
End-of-life guidance
Creative Legacy Projects

Community + Corporate Events

My events range from educational, creative, experiential, and supportive in both small and large groups. I’ve worked with various communities, brands, industries, and companies such as: Farfetch, The Chapin School, Brooklyn Defender Services, AETHA, and more.

YU:EXIST

YU: EXIST is an empowering 4-week experience designed to re-engage you to your life and to our shared world. We reflect and expand upon our understanding of our mortality, impermanence, and death, move through our anxieties and fears, experience a death mediation and reframe what legacy is and define our own.

Through learnings, practices, self-reflection and community gatherings, you’ll receive invaluable insights and awareness while making new connections and discoveries about your life. This can serve as a pathway to better understand, accept, heal, and prepare for the end-of-life.

This is one of my favorite offerings and I have witnessed so many incredible shifts, transformations, and insights from participants throughout the years.

Products

Shadow – A Grief Potion – this is a supportive flower essence blend for grief and loss made in collaboration with Sun Song.

A Grief Kit – this includes 100% organic, handmade, unscented soy candle, 100% organic linden, rose, and chamomile herbal tea blend, stainless steel tea strainer, wooden matches with striker, and suggested rituals made in collaboration with Nicla DiCosmo.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Integrity and authenticity is everything. There isn’t a separate version of who I am personally and how I handle my business affairs. I know my values, all of my offerings and events are in alignment with who I am and with BACII’s purpose, and I genuinely care about everything that I do and those that I work with. This has been consistent since day one.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bacii.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_bacii/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellobacii

Image Credits
Lia Bekyan, Pearl Madryga, Luna Van Arsdale, Nicole Autumn