Filling a cremation urn with the remains of our loved one constitutes one of the last rites. There is no doubt that the process can be quite overwhelming in itself. We may go through a lot of emotional turmoil and anxiety. There might be too much going on in our minds apart from the regular arrangements. Therefore, we understand your adversity and came up with a simple guide to help you decode the process.
What to expect while receiving the cremated remains:
We are often very careful because it is a matter of saying our last goodbyes. No one would want to disregard the deceased in any way. Hence, everything should at least be flawless, if not perfect.
Consequently, when you receive the ashes from the crematorium or the funeral home, they do not directly come into the permanent urn that you may have ordered. The authorities send you the ashes either in a tightly packed plastic bag or a temporary wooden container.
It is your own responsibility to transfer the ashes from the temporary container to the urn of your choice. Now, this can be done by any of the two processes. Either you can do the transfer on your own at your convenience or you can take the help of the staff of the respective funeral homes near you.
If you wish to proceed with the first option, then you can read this article further as we dive deep into this topic.
How to transfer the ashes on your own:
It is important for an individual to know that transferring the ashes is an honour in itself. Some families are not even aware of the process. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize the value of this ritual and proceed with caution.
How to fill a traditional urn
Here’s how you can fill your traditional urn in some simple steps mentioned below:
Prepare your workspace:
Before beginning the ritual, make sure that your workspace is cleaned up thoroughly. The goal is to not let the cremated remains spill so that most of it remains untouched.
- Turn off any fans or air conditioning. It eliminates all the possibility of the ashes getting spilled from any gush of wind.
- Shutting all the windows: You do not want the ashes to scatter everywhere in your house; therefore, it is crucial to seal all the air openings. Neither it is good nor it is sacred from a spiritual point of view.
- Make sure your kids or pets are out of your reach. Playful kids and pets can get involved in the process and disrupt it for no reason. Stay careful of these cute little monsters.
- Place a newspaper as a protective layer. You want to make sure that there is as little spillage of the ashes as possible. Though technically it is not possible, a miniscule amount of it can be here and there.
- Lit-up the space properly: Make sure your workspace is well-lit so that you don’t pour the ashes into the wrong opening. Proper lighting makes the job easier for the doer.
Opening the personalized urn and transferring the ashes:
- Understanding your urn: Before transferring the ashes, it is very crucial to understand the design and openings of your urn. Practice how it opens and closes to avoid unnecessary spills.
- It depends on the mouth of the urn. If the mouth of the urn is wide enough, you can put the ashes directly in the plastic bag in the urn. If the urn’s mouth is too narrow or it opens from the bottom, then you have to follow different steps to transfer the ashes.
- The urn’s opening is not wide enough.
- Grab a funnel and put it into the urn’s opening.
- Wear your gloves to prevent the ashes from getting any moisture.
- Carefully hold the urn with one hand and start pouring the ashes into the permanent container with the other.
- First off, transfer the residue ashes back into the permanent urn after the initial pouring so that whatever spillage happened gets cleaned too.
- The next step is to close the finalised urn properly. Now you must know the right technique to do so, as I mentioned earlier.
- You can also use the stick glue to gently apply it to the sides to fix any loose lids.
- Lastly, if you have the feature, you can light up any candles or put some flowers around the urn to brighten up the space with good energies.
How to fill a burial or a biodegradable urn
Burial or biodegradable urns are a little different than the regular ones. They are not supposed to be kept as a showpiece in the house for a long time. Either they will be buried in some crematorium or they will be used for scattering the ashes aerially.
Mostly, the burial urns are wooden or metallic; hence, they have simple designs. Therefore, one can follow the same steps as I have mentioned above for these.
Whereas those urns, which are used for scattering, will follow a slightly different trajectory.
- These urns can be made of wood, metal, marble, or any other material.
- You don’t need a plastic bag for the urn to hold the ashes. Transfers can be done directly.
- Simply open the lid or the pin (in the case of a wooden urn), transfer the ashes with the help of a funnel, and close the lid.
- Do not use a glue stick to seal the urn because later you will need to open it for scattering. Do remember that.
To conclude the article, I would suggest that transferring the ashes can be a roller-coaster of an experience if something or other goes wrong. And it can affect you individually on an emotional level too. So, you can always ask for help that is available. Ask your family members to accompany you on the task, or you can generally call the funeral homes and ask them for their services altogether.
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