Where the Veil Grows Thin

This two part series is based on a training I did for hospice volunteers interested in sitting vigil with people actively dying. As Death Doula work gains popularity here in the US.  it feels appropriate to take the opportunity to talk about what it looks like to be in someones home when they are dying, or to sit with someone in a facility who is actively transitioning. There is so much to be said, I barely scratch the surface but it's a good starting place if you think you have ever wanted to volunteer for hospice, or if you are exploring Death Doula work.

Thank you for listening to Where the Veil Grows Thin.  
You can always get these  wherever you get your podcasts or for more information, visit seanjeung.com.

We hear a lot about 'balance' these days; the necessity for it in all areas of our lives. In this episode, we take a look at how the compartmentalizing of our various roles in life can make our heads spin when we think we have to try to balance so many hats; and how the possibility of seeing ourselves as all we are all the time can actually help us feel more whole and more balanced.

Thank you for listening to Where the Veil Grows Thin.  
You can always get these  wherever you get your podcasts or for more information, visit seanjeung.com.

This episode was the result of someone in a grief group asking, 'What do the rest of you do with regrets?" and the amazing conversation that followed.
When I was asked shortly after that to be a guest speaker at a local church I said I would if I could talk about Regrets. This is what came forth.

Thank you for listening to Where the Veil Grows Thin.  
You can always get these  wherever you get your podcasts or for more information, visit seanjeung.com.

This story took shape after a particularly challenging week in our cancer center.  Staff shortages and a wave of deaths among our patients helped teach me how a small group of individuals can pull together to see one another through. 
And, a week that showed me the toll it can take in the process.

Thank you for listening to Where the Veil Grows Thin.  
You can always get these  wherever you get your podcasts or for more information, visit seanjeung.com.

This story was written in 2014. It was one of the first I wanted to record for this website. I think it was because this experience became a driving force behind my passion for what hospice can bring to a family. Even if the loved one in question never signs up. In rural communities like ours, connectors become vital for optimum outcome. At a certain point, the outcome of someone not dying isn't an option, but we can move mountains to try to make a dying persons wish come true. I believe that often, in a family's later memories, succeeding is secondary to the fact that we tried.

Thank you for listening to Where the Veil Grows Thin.  
You can always get these  wherever you get your podcasts or for more information, visit seanjeung.com.

I cannot recall a time in my life lived without a dog, or multiple dogs.  Animals are the closest we ever come to unconditional love in this life. They are the very best therapists for those who grieve. This story, even though it involves tragedy, is beautiful for all the reasons anyone who loves animals already knows. 

Thank you for listening to Where the Veil Grows Thin.  
You can always get these  wherever you get your podcasts or for more information, visit seanjeung.com.

I was asked once to sit in a busy cafeteria with an older gentleman who had just been told his cancer did not respond to treatment, and he chose to go home with hospice care. It could have been awkward and uncomfortable, but somehow, he made it easy. We felt a protective bubble around us and we just talked, uninterrupted, and as though we'd known one another for years.

Thank you for listening to Where the Veil Grows Thin.  
You can always get these  wherever you get your podcasts or for more information, visit seanjeung.com.

The story of one afternoon that brought the surprise gift of sitting with a dying patient in the hospital before I knew anything at all about any of this, except what my mom had shown us in her dying.

Thank you for listening to Where the Veil Grows Thin.  
You can always get these  wherever you get your podcasts or for more information, visit seanjeung.com.

Before we could air this podcast I needed to find, and ask the blessing of, 3 individuals.  I was gratefully surprised by how beautifully they received me and how readily they agreed to allow the story to be aired. I was also made aware that for some people, these stories will allow for a re-visiting of memories from long ago......

Thank you for listening to Where the Veil Grows Thin.  
You can always get these  wherever you get your podcasts or for more information, visit seanjeung.com.

In this episode, Sean looks at world challenges from a different angle; one that might help us feel less alone, less afraid, less hopeless.

Thank you for listening to Where the Veil Grows Thin.  
You can always get these  wherever you get your podcasts or for more information, visit seanjeung.com.