Cremation Ash Spreading Methods As Unique As Your Loved One
We all have that one eccentric relative (or maybe you are the eccentric relative in your family) who does everything a bit differently. They have marched to the beat of their own drum and lived life in a way that isn’t influenced by the expectations of the other people in their lives. They remain true to themselves even when it’s not a popular choice with others. Sometimes they’re black sheep, sometimes they’re beloved centers of their families, but they’re always memorable and intensely unique.
Often, it’s exactly these precious people with strong and unusual personalities for whom a traditional funeral or memorial service just won’t do. For these unique individuals, and for anyone else who wants to go out with a unique style, there are intriguing new options for spreading ashes. Many of these options arise from growing technologies, and novel uses of existing technologies to cater to the final rest of our loved ones.
Explore Space
No, seriously. If you have the funds to afford the fees, you can launch cremains into outer space. Companies like Beyond Burials, Celestis, Aura Flights, and Elysium Space are among the companies helping families fly their loved ones’ ashes to the heavens. This is about as unique as a final rest can be!
There are a variety of specific options available. The most exclusive packages promise to launch cremated remains into deep space or to the moon. These higher-tier options are perfect for someone whose life was defined by a sense of adventure and exploration. They are also more affordable than a traditional funeral, landing somewhere between $5,000 and $7,500! This makes these options surprisingly appealing for space fans who are making their own final arrangements.
Others are more modest, releasing cremated remains to burn up in the atmosphere like a shooting star, for example. These smaller packages cost even less, as little as $1500, making them dramatically less expensive than a traditional funeral, even including cremation costs.
It’s strange to think of space flight as the economy option, but as a nimble, new industry, space-centric cremation spreading is actively competing against conventional funerals and other burial options. Since only a small amount of cremated remains are sent up, it’s relatively inexpensive to achieve the dream of space flight with one’s final wishes.
Go Out With a Bang
Keeping with the theme of fiery ascents into the heavens, there are some companies that will incorporate cremated remains into fireworks. There are some substantial restrictions to where and how these can be used, however. We aren’t talking about bottle rockets, but true commercial-grade fireworks as you might see at a city’s New Year or 4th of July celebrations. This means that a licensed firework technician must set the fireworks off, and also that any necessary permits are obtained and that you own the land where the fireworks are being shot off, or have permission in writing from the landowner.
In practice, this means it’s a lot easier to launch a loved one into space than to send them up in a firework. That said, there are some fireworks manufacturers who will incorporate cremated remains into commissioned fireworks. One, in particular, is Hamburg Fireworks Display in Lancaster, Ohio. We haven’t found any closer to home here in Maine, but if you know of any, please let us know through our Contact Page.
Feed Mother Nature
One of the most interesting options we’ve found is those surrounding rapid decomposition and neutralizing the pH and Sodium content of cremains for planting. There’s a company called “Let Your Love Grow” that sells kits that will neutralize your loved one’s cremains. These are perfect for incorporating remains into a memorial garden, planting a tree, or even just spreading their remains without causing harm to the local environment. This is a great option for many people, but especially for those who loved nature or had a green thumb.
Alternatively, there’s a start-up called Coeio that has developed a full-body burial shroud and suit that is heavily inoculated with fungal spores. These spores flourish and rapidly decompose their body. They are, however, not legal to use everywhere. In Maine, you will typically have to have an established family plot in order to use this kind of system.
The flexibility offered by cremation is greater because it’s an established process with good legal precedents in place. It’s easy to cremate your loved one soon after their passing and make final decisions later, while something like Coeio’s mushroom suit has to be on hand at the time of death and imposes significant restrictions on where your loved one can find their final rest.
Celebrate Their Memory With a Permanent Tattoo
It’s possible to incorporate your loved one’s ashes into tattoo ink! This is a particularly appealing option for some family members who are left behind. It’s possible for several loved ones to get matching memorial tattoos made with the remains of the memorialized loved one. As strange as this sounds to some, others will immediately understand how comforting it can be to know your loved one is literally with you for the rest of your life.
Yet others will appreciate the potential to make this a multigenerational tradition. If you have your parents’ ashes tattooed onto you, and your children do the same, they functionally have a bit of both their parents and their grandparents with them. While it’s a touch macabre, it’s a concrete way to create a living memory and experience of one’s ancestor through the generations.
Final Thoughts
There’s not really a wrong way to respectfully spread or use a loved one’s cremated remains. What’s important is that the method chosen fits the person and satisfies those they’ve left behind. At Maine Cremation Care, we respect your familial rights and hope you will put careful consideration into what you choose to do with your loved ones’ remains. For more information about cremation and how we can help, please Contact Us.
