What should one do with the ashes after cremation?
Once you've made the decision to cremate your loved one, the crematorium will return the ashes to you. Now, the responsibility of transferring the remains to their right place lies with you. There are a wide range of options for performing this ceremony, and one must take it as an honor. Therefore, we have crafted a simple guide to help you out with the last rites. Do give it a read.
1. Scattering the ashes
Scattering the ashes is one of the primary ways to liberate the deceased from any kind of wrong attachment. The most popular way is the scattering of the ashes in places that were dear to your loved ones, such as their favourite river, brook, or beachside. Placing the ashes at the places that were close to them is a great way to honour those who departed.
You can scatter the ashes aerially or through any hydrological process, but you must be careful with the legal actions that can be taken by the authorities against you because not all the places are suitable for scattering.
2. Turning cremation ashes into jewellery
Transferring the cremated remains into jewellery pieces is one of the ancient ways to remember your loved ones and to keep them with you. One needs a small amount of ashes to fill in the jewellery piece, whether it is a ring or a necklace. Some companies even offer you space to combine the ashes of two people if desired. You can also opt for custom engravings to make it more personalised and stylish.
Still, if you want to go full throttle with some high-end jewellery, you can invest in diamonds made from a hair strand or ashes, whichever is more feasible. You can look for companies based in the UK for the same.
3. Turn the ashes into a tree.
This is one of my favourite ways to pay homage to those who were once very dear to us. Scattering the ashes near a memorial tree or planting a sapling in the soil after mixing it with the ashes is a great eco-friendly technique. Mixing the ashes with the forest soil helps to neutralise the acidic effects of the remains. Moreover, you can always come back to that place to admire the growth of the sapling initiated by you. It will aid you in cherishing your loved one from time to time and will become a living legacy that your coming generations can witness as well.
4. Bury the ashes in your garden.
The garden, or the back area of a house, is the place closest to our hearts. It is a great idea to bury the ashes in your garden if you are the landowner. Because if you are burying them for a temporary period and some other person owns the land later, then he or she might not allow you to take regular visits. So, do keep that in mind.
5. Travel with the ashes.
Travelling the world is a dream for most people. Some people are able to do it alive, and some won’t make it to the right time. In brief, if the deceased person had a passion to travel, then you could go on trips around the world with them. You can take their ashes to their favourite city or town they were very fond of and lay them down to rest there only.
6. Distributing among the family members.
Often, some families would like to share the remains of the deceased person because of the love they must have shared once. To make them feel the closeness too, you can distribute the ashes to your family members so they can cherish their memories together. You can keep some of it at your own place, either in a cremation urn or buried in the garden, and distribute the rest as keepsakes to the rest of your family.
7. Keeping ashes in an hour-glass urn.
Keeping your loved ones’ ashes mixed with the sand of an hourglass is quite an innovative idea that is emerging nowadays. It is a brilliant way to reminisce about the past memories of those who were closest to you, along with presenting the memorial like a showpiece to adorn your space.
8. Celebrate them with the stars.
Brighten up the sky with the ashes of your loved ones. Let the world know of the love you have for the person with bursting fireworks in the night sky. You can light up the mood with some good music to add your own flare to the celebration.
9. Have a cuddly memorial.
Like keepsake urns, you can also put some of the cremated remains sealed in your favourite toys to keep them next to you in difficult situations. Cuddly toys stuffed with the ashes of your loved ones will remind you of them from time to time. And it will be quite comforting for your kids as well if they are attached to the deceased person. These cuddly toys usually have an opening at the back and are suitable for pet cremains, too.
10. Memorialise them by building an artificial coral reef.
For a nature enthusiast or a green thumb, building an artificial coral reef with their remains is quite a thoughtful way to honour them as well as their interests. Moreover, because this process is eco-friendly in nature, it will prove to be a great legacy on its own.
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