Before You Go

Eminem once said “You only get one shot,” and we at ABODE took that to heart this year.  We had such an amazing 2024 and we’re excited to share our most memorable events with you!  

While we’re sad that this is our last episode of Season One, we’re so grateful for the memories and experiences we’ve explored on this podcast.  We’re also incredibly grateful to you, our listeners, for being a part of our community.  #eatthesandwich

Check out ABODE Academy here: https://abodehome.org/category/education/abode-academy/

If you’re in the San Antonio area, please come by for a tour of ABODE!

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In our line of work, we come across things that challenge us.  We like to call them opportunities for growth, or sticky situations.  When you work with people, you’re bound to have challenges.  Family dynamics often come into play when someone is dying.  It’s a very tender time, it’s a very emotional time.  So learning to be aware and not overreact when faced with any number of situations has been a very rewarding growth opportunity for us to take things in stride and not need to solve things right away for anyone.  In this episode, Mary and Natalie talk about some sticky situations they’ve encountered when working with people at the end of life, and their philosophies surrounding those situations.

If you’re in the San Antonio area, please come by for a tour of ABODE!

Learn more about ABODE

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Join co-host Natalie Buster as she takes us through a simple technique to create healthy boundaries while working in death care.  Learn how to “open the shop” to arrive fully present and ready to do your work, and then learn how to “close the shop” so you don’t take your work home with you.  These techniques are particularly effective for people who work in death care, but can be very valuable for people in all professions.

If you’re in the San Antonio area, please come by for a tour of ABODE!

Learn more about ABODE

Learn more about Natalie

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What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “End of Life Yoga”?  In this episode, Mary and Natalie dispel the myth about yoga being only about pretzel positions and tight pants and how it’s actually about being present and connecting to the breath.  ABODE launched their End of Life Yoga Certification this year, and are offering two cohorts in 2025.  Learn how yoga can benefit people at the end of life, people whose loved ones are at the end of life, and caregivers who work in the death industry – and find out how you can bring these skills to your community.

Read more about the ABODE End of Life Yoga Certification here: https://abodehome.org/yogatraining/

Check out our host studio, Pure Prana Path in San Antonio, Texas: https://www.purepranapath.com/

Natalie is forever grateful to Inner Peace Yoga Therapy and her mentor, Molly Lannon Kenny for starting her on this path.  Check them out here:

https://innerpeaceyogatherapy.com/

https://www.mollylannonkenny.org/

We love this book by Pema Chodron: https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-we-live-is-how-we-die-pema-chodron/18054905?aid=103660&ean=9781611809244&listref=abode-end-of-life-yoga-training&

If you’re in the San Antonio area, please come by for a tour of ABODE!

Learn more about ABODE here: https://abodehome.org/

Learn more about Natalie: https://www.nataliebuster.com/
Donate to keep this mission going: https://abodehome.org/donate/

Join co-host Natalie Buster as she takes us through a Metta (lovingkindness) meditation.  

If you’re in the San Antonio area, please come by for a tour of ABODE!

Learn more about ABODE

Learn more about Natalie

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Rosalind Carter once said “There are only four kinds of people in this world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”  We couldn’t agree more.  Caregiving is a challenging and often unpaid job.  In this episode Mary and Natalie talk about the different shadow archetypes caregivers can fall into, and what to do if you see yourself reflected in some of these archetypes.

ABODE has a Caregiver Support Group.  Send us an email for more information: abodehome.org

If you’re in the San Antonio area, please come by for a tour of ABODE!

Learn more about⁠ ABODE

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“Don’t be a role, be a soul.”  These wise words by Frank Ostaseski guide our work with people at End of Life.  In this episode Mary and Natalie talk about some of the Guests who have left imprints on our hearts and how we partner with hospice organizations in San Antonio to provide a dignified end of life experience for the people we serve.  Hospice is not a place, it’s a service.  So we at ABODE provide the home and the love, while our beautiful hospice partners provide the medical care.  We also talk about our ABODE at Home Doula Dispatch Service and how it’s allowed us to bring our contemplative care to people who wish to die in their own homes.

We love this book by Frank Ostaseski

ABODE is a part of the Omega Home Network.  Find out if there is a home similar to ABODE near you

If you’re in the San Antonio area, please come by for a tour of ABODE!

Learn more about ABODE

Learn more about Natalie

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I’m sorry.  Please forgive me.  Thank you.  I love you.  These four powerful phrases are part of the Hawaiian prayer called Ho’oponopono.  In this episode, Mary and Natalie talk about the concept of a good death and how we can prepare now for a good death by making sure our wishes are written down and communicated to our loved ones.  You know who can help with this?  End of Life Doulas!  It’s never too early to get started.

We love this book by Pema Chodron

The Five Wishes document is a great way to record your end of life wishes

If you’re in the San Antonio area, please come by for a tour of ABODE!

Learn more about ABODE

Learn more about Natalie

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ABODE’s vision is “We live in a world where death is not feared, and we live fully until we die.”  During this episode, Mary and Natalie go through the Nine Contemplations on Death.  If you’re new to giving death a lot of thought, or the idea of death still frightens you, these contemplations are a good place to start.  Natalie talks about her breast cancer journey and Mary introduces us to her “Bless and Release” method.

If you haven’t listened to Episode Three, you may want to start here: (link to episode three)

We love the Death Deck! 

Read more about the Nine Contemplations on Death in Being with Dying by Joan Halifax

101-year-old says she’s living the best years of her life:

Cancer Support Community in northern California

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Facing our Fears About Death

Thanatophobia is an intense fear of death or the dying process, or anxiety around death.  In this episode, Mary and Natalie talk about the many reasons people fear death and what they can do about it.  Hint, hint, it may involve hiring an End of Life Doula to help assuage your fears!

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