Buried or Cremated?

[monstersinthedungeon]

Following recent deaths of two of our dogs and the associated decisions, I was discussing with my mother how converse my thinking was; I couldn't bear to think of the dogs buried, outside and alone in the cold, dark and rain. Yet I would like to be buried; in life I struggle constantly with tiredness, I enjoy sleep and so I think of a lovely big long sleep I will eventually have in a cosy comfy casket.I want to be buried on our property (apparently you can do that on land over a certain size), but the casket has to be rectangular, not tapering in at the leg part - I want to be able to starfish a little in my long sleep.

My preference would actually be a sea-burial as I love being underwater, but I have a vague idea that that option is not available to ordinary people, so will have to be buried on land.

Mum can't bear to think of being worm food and insists on being cremated. I wanted to turn her into a diamond so she could be with me forever, but as I am an only child with no children of my own, she is worried about what would happen to "her" when I die.  I told her I would swallow her on my deathbed :^O, but she wasn't convinced; I am to scatter her in the ocean, so she can visit all the exotic places she didn't get to in life.

The conversation was tongue-in-cheek, not morbid, but I was interested in seeing what other people want done with their mortal remains when they finally shuffle off this mortal coil, and why.

[lurker17260]

I want to know how I can be turned into a diamond! I like that idea :^O

[lurker17260]

oopps clicked too soon. 

Then nobody would want to get rid of me :^O

[ashjoma]

Cremating seems quite awful to me eg  being burnt - but I do like that ashes are the final result

Being buried in a coffin - seems awful too - claustrophobic in fact, and I do not like the idea of slowly rotting in a confined space,  either.

I do like the idea of a 'field burial' - so out in the countryside  somewhere  - no typical coffin, except for a handmade wicker coffin, and only a cotton sheet - everything is designed to decompose naturally.

No headstone - only flowers planted.

I think I prefer the idea of decomposing naturally in the countryside.

This is offered in the UK now.

Mum was cremated - when she died last year - I still have not picked up her ashes - I can't bring myself to do so.

The place has written a letter asking me to pick them up, but I rang and said I can't do it yet.

I don't know what to do.

[catsnknots]

cremated... no way do I want to be in a coffin, in the ground , with bugs eating me... 

family can do what they want with the ashes... 

and I do not want a church service... maybe just a nice goodbye at the funeral home and then off to chamber... 

[freddie*rooster]

I hope when I die that my family will give me whatever send off brings them the most comfort. I'm pretty sure I won't be there hovering over the ceremony to see whether they've carried out my wishes.

Ele that's my wishes as well. I will let my family decide my send off.

[love*today]

ashjoma, that field burial is exactly what I want!

pretty sure there's somewhere in oz where you get buried with a tracking device, so future family can still find your resting place in the bush.or there was talk of it happening?

[freakiness]

A body farm sounds good to me

[the_great_she_elephant]

Mum was cremated - when she died last year - I still have not picked up her ashes - I can't bring myself to do so.

The place has written a letter asking me to pick them up, but I rang and said I can't do it yet.

I don't know what to do.

Honey, if it's too painful, you don't actually have to do anything. Uncollected ashes are eventually scattered to the winds by the Crematorium staff.

We left them to do that with my mum's ashes. We looked at all the options and since she had specifically asked for ABSOLUTELY NO FUSS (yes, in those tones lol) we decided to grant her wish.  We didn't feel bad about it, and I'm sure she would have approved.

[cat_mioux]

It's cremation all the way for me. I like the idea of fire as cleansing for the soul and the thought of decomposing in a box makes me shudder.

When my mum died we had her body cremated. We picked up the ashes and asked if we could scatter them under a rose bush on the crematorium grounds. The guy said yeah of course, led us to a nice garden and handed us the container. Perhaps we should have brought our own garden implements? 😐

So we got down in the mulch, dug a small hole with our bare hands and we all took turns pouring the ashes in. Yes, the wind blew mum's ashes into our faces and hair and yes, we got some of mum under our fingernails. But it wasn't gross. It was quite 'earthy' and spiritual.

Then dad died and we had him cremated. Us 'girls' argued over where to scatter his ashes.  That was 2 years ago and nobody wants to talk about it.  :^O

As a Buddhist I guess I could have a sky burial. But it's kinda gross and I don't want to end up as birdy poop, which is the idea.

[purple_haize]

Cremation is the cheapest, and that is what I want, my son and my mother and my maternal grandparents are all scattered on a rose garden at large cemetary here in Melbourne.