Green Burial: My Favorite Spot

Photo courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net

A lot of people have come across a favorite place where they go to let their mind relax and their soul regenerate. Sometimes, this is their own garden and sometimes this place is located several thousand miles away. Wherever you place is located, consider having your ashes spread there permanently. If it is a place you own, the easier it will be for your spirit whisperer to spread your ashes there. There is just something sacred about your secret place to relax your soul and it isn't surprising that it is often picked as the final resting place for someone's ashes.

Spirit Whisperer

It goes without saying that a quiet spot will not draw a crowd when you go to spread the ashes. So unless your quiet spot is on top of Mt. Everest, it should be an easy spot to do the spreading. Once again, we caution you to select someone that can accomplish what you wish. Consider the spot, if it is your backyard garden, you can select your spouse. If it takes a long hike, consider a professional or someone in the family capable of doing it at that time. Don't select your brother who might be 80 like you when he has to do this. Be respectful of anyone else who uses that spot and spread the ashes so as not to spoil the spot for anyone else.

Wake

The wake is usually going to be held some where other than your secret space. There is a reason why this place is quiet and a good place to relax. If you plan on inviting a small group or only expect a small group to show up then consider a simple wake. Have the group silently walk to your quiet place and offer a toast with out words. Doing this at sunset with a simple goodbye as they leave you to nourish new life while rejoining the living earth.

Memorial

If their favorite quiet spot was their garden, use their gardening tools and gloves as a fitting memorial. A fishing spot can be marked with their favorite lure at the bottom of the lake. Be sure and put the hook in something that won't end up in a fish. Use the online memorial sites or buy a tree for a living memorial. Please leave the site as your found it: unspoiled for the next person.

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Memorial Reading: Life fades slowly

It is important that we say the proper words when spreading the ashes of our loved ones. So occasionally, we try to give some words you can use. Here are some about spread your ashes and how your life impacted the ones you left behind.

A life fades slowly into memories
for it has out grown it's host
which is now spread like a whisper
on nature's doorstep.

Ashes to nourish a new life
and memories to guide old ones
while the sweet soul sings
wonderful praises to it's creator.

Love still fills those hearts
softly touched by a life revered
as time marches forward
until we breathe no more.

But for today, we live and dream
leaving behind those gone
as our soul longs to join
those reborn in supernatural spirit.

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Green Burial: The cycle of life

Water Cycle

I am sure that environmentalist and clean water advocates will not be happy with this particular article. This can also be against the law so check your local ordinances. So do you remember in elementary school when you first learned about the water cycle? Just in case, like me, it has been a long time since elementary school for you, this cycle is depicted in the above picture. Can you imagine a drop of water starting in a mountain stream and making it all the way down to the ocean. Particles of stuff are suspended in the water and carried for who knows how far downstream. So if you really want to spread those ashes, here is what you do.

Have your spirit whisperer take your ashes and mix them with water. They must then hike up to the beginning of a mountain stream and pour the contents in the water. A remote location with no one around seems like a very good idea. In case you aren't aware, the Hindus have run into problems trying to place their ashes in the river. Hindu custom dictates that a father’s eldest son should light his funeral pyre and that his ashes should be scattered in a river or the sea within 13 days. They traditionally place the ashes in the river along with gifts to the deceased. If you travel to India, it perfectly acceptable to do this along with the rest of the country. In other places, you are on your own.

If you decide to spread your ashes this way, donate some money or your time to cleaning up a river. After all, you don't want to end up in a river full of garbage and nasty chemicals. Otherwise, you might as well flush yourself down the sewer. Pick a clear mountain stream and perhaps, as time passes, a small part of you will make its way slowly to the nearest ocean. All along the way, the water will be depositing small parts of your ashes as they get trapped or sink to the bottom of the stream. A very good way to go out in style and return to greening the earth.

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Life is good so Don’t smoke the ashes

sunset: photo courtesy of pdphoto.org

Here at Pyrefyre we talk about picking a great place to scatter your ashes after they have a wonderful celebration of your life. This allows you to go out in style instead of sitting on someone’s fireplace mantle. We have also discussed the practice of leaving a small amount of ashes in a vial to be worn by a loved one. Some have also chosen to reserve a small amount of ashes for use in memorial art but scatter the rest. However, there are risks to leaving any of your ashes behind in an urn or anywhere else. They have been thrown out, stolen, or worse. So it is a good idea to write down what you want to have done with your ashes and select someone you can trust.

If you caught one of the latest news stories about what supposedly happened or will happen to Kurt Cobain’s ashes, you might be inclined to have your ashes scattered somewhere remote. Seems like an artist, Australian Natascha Stellmach, said that she plans on smoking his ashes. She claims they magically appeared one day so she could have this elaborate ritual with them. She has termed what she is doing art. Just how she actually came to have his ashes is a strange mystery that only Courtney Love could ever resolve. The bottom line is that you don’t want anyone with less than a full deck to be in possession of your ashes. Hire a professional or select a trusted friend to be your spirit whisperer. Don’t be the next news story.

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Scattering ashes by airplane

Waves: Courtesy of pdphoto.org

If you plan on scattering ashes by your own airplane, or by using a pilot friend to take you up, there is something you need to consider. Companies that perform this service report that most ashes fly back inside the airplane or coat the outside of it. They have built systems to guarantee dispersal. So just be aware that it isn’t as easy to spread ashes from an airplane as you think. Trips to scatter with no one attending are $500 or less for reasonable distances.

This method of scattering allows you to decide where you want your ashes to be dispersed also. A flight can be scheduled over some of the prettiest terrain on this planet. California companies will take you out over the ocean or back over the mountains. Select the spot you wish to be scattered and then look for a company in that area. They will know the local regulations for scattering your ashes. You can have the scattering attended by a few friends or relatives if you desire.

Spirit Whisperer

Try and select a nice day either near sunrise or sunset. This will make the pictures and the setting more appropriate for the send off. If you will be the only one there to scatter the ashes, take your mp3 player with headphones for some mood setting music. As a Spirit Whisperer, you should write down your thoughts as the ashes are scattered to the winds. Relatives and friends would want to know how the end of a life well lived was punctuated. Pictures, written thoughts, and a GPS mark of the spot on a chart. A suggestion would be to write down a step by step of everything you did to scatter the remains.

Wake

In the past, airplane dispersal of cremated remains was limited to pilots mostly. So you would expect the wake to be an aviation theme. As more people are opting for this kind of scattering, the wake should reflect their life. More wakes should be held outdoors in a park or forest. If your spirit whisperer is going to take a movie while the ashes are scattered, then think about having the wake after the scattering. The wake could then end with movie showing the final resting place of a life well lived.

Memorials:

Here at PyreFyre, our number one memorial suggestion is to plant a tree or other green living memorial. If you are a part of a group that has several members wanting a green burial, consider building a memorial forest or park just for scattering. Online memorials, electronic memorials, or art memorials are always good ideas.See our memorial page for links.

I really don't believe it is appropriate to offer a reward to kids based upon
something their parents have to do. Whether or not their parents sign your form is certainly out of their control. It also puts the kid in a bad position between the parent and the teacher just because they want a reward like the rest of the kids. You should really rethink this plan.

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Transporting Cremation Ashes

Grand Canyon: Courtesy of pdphoto.org

One of the most frequent questions asked about scattering ashes is can I legally transport them to that beautiful mountain place. Sure you can. Some issues may arise depending on the type of transportation you choose. Travel by car if you can but if you need to fly, you must consult with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) if you have any questions about the transport of the cremated remains on an airplane. Their current number is 1-866-289-9673 and their email is TSA-ContactCenter@dhs.gov.

It is also recommended that you call the airline before you purchase a ticket because each one will have their different rules. The ashes must be carried in a container that can be x-rayed in order for them to be carried on board. A cardboard box or one of these style boxes will work. Security agents are not allowed to open the urn of cremated remains.

Do not check your ashes! Some have come up missing. You certainly don’t want them staying in baggage claim with all that lost luggage.

If you intend to place anything in the box along with the ashes, wait until after the flight. In Miami, someone found a box of ashes filled with cremated remains and a watch to be buried with them. It triggered a bomb squad alert. So be careful what you place in the box. It is best to just transport the ashes alone and add the extra items at your destination.

If you plan on international travel, it gets more complicated because you have to get the specific country regulations. Do your homework. Don’t leave it to your relatives to do after you are gone. They should have very good instructions on what they need to do.

If all this seems like too much. There are companies that will ship the remains for you.

Just don’t let any of this make you decide to skip the spreading of you ashes in a truly wonderful place. Go out in style.

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Fireworks: Going out with a bang

Several companies are offering to send your ashes up in fireworks and www.heavensabovefireworks.com is an example of once such company. Hunter S. Thompson's selected this method of scattering his ashes. These organizations split your ashes up into individual fireworks and when the fireworks explode your ashes are scattered everywhere. The intent of the display is to celebrate the life not the death. These fireworks can be shot over the ocean for a modified at sea scattering or anywhere you can receive permission to launch them. Some companies will even send you the fireworks for you to launch yourself.

Setting off fireworks isn’t exactly a green way to go but we list it here for those who choose this method of scattering. Disney has developed a greener method of fireworks launching. So if you are worried about the pollution, see if anyone is offering this method. It uses compressed air instead of gunpowder to launch the rockets. Check out DMDSystems. Their fireworks use nitrocellulose, which is inexpensive and plentiful, and they emit water, nitrogen and carbon dioxide instead of smoke and per chlorate. This has reduced the heavy metal content by 90%. They are not inexpensive and cost 10 times what normal fireworks cost.

Spirit Whisperer

You may be asked to actually light the fireworks and do the display. In then case, you should seek out someone who knows the best way to do it. Check into local ordinances before you select a place. If you pick this method, please select a place that will make it easy for your spirit whisperer to do the fireworks show. Don’t leave it to them to do all the legwork for you. Check into it yourself before you document your plans. A photo remembrance is always a good idea.

Wake

Of course, the wake should take place in the evening so when the party is over, the fireworks can begin. A fireworks display is to punctuate the celebration of a life well lived by the one recently passed away. The type of party can vary based upon what your guests might remember most about you. If you plan on music, the 1812 overture or God bless America would be appropriate selections to play during the fireworks. An alternative would be to just have silence and let them remember a life well lived. Either way, a beverage should be served so toasts can accompany the display.

Memorial

Consider planting a tree as a living memorial instead of a stone somewhere. Check out living memorials to see what others have done. Online memorials as always are a good idea. You should keep a backup of everything you submit there. The digital memorial, either online or using a digital picture frame will become more popular over time.

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Scattering at Sea

Pt Reyes: Courtesy of pdphoto.org

This has always been a popular way to scatter ones ashes and many companies exist to help you do just that. When Ghandi died, he wanted a traditional Hindu burial but he was scattered around the country in urns so your relatives don’t always follow your wishes. However, this may be an extreme case because there were political implications with his burial. One set of his ashes were recently scattered at sea by his family. If this is the way you select, you can readily find a company to scatter your ashes in any body of water on earth. All you have to do is Google “ashes at sea”. Off the Hawaiian Islands, in the south pacific, near Antarctica, or in the Caribbean are all good places to be scattered at sea.

Spirit whisperer

Sunrise or sunset makes an excellent time to scatter the ashes. Stop the boat and let it drift with the wind. Mind the wind and pick the leeward side so the ashes will blow out over the water. If you would like, mix water with the ashes so you can pour them into the water from the urn. A very nice way to spread the ashes is to place a wreathe of flowers in the water and then pour the ashes. The wreathe of flowers will give a nice focal point for the members of your family. Individual flowers can be dropped overboard while the boat drifts away from the ashes. You can also find a green floatable urn that is made from paper-mache. It will float for a few minutes and then sink. Someone should take a video or a series of pictures so don’t forget the camera. The spirit whisperer should send the departed soul on their way with a reading of something about the sea.

Wake

The wake can be as varied as the reason for the love of the sea. For the fisherman, a scheduled fishing charter and one last fishing trip. For the sailing enthusiast, a nice breeze and a sunset with all aboard. And for those who wish to stay on the beach, an evening clambake followed by guests relating their personal experiences with the sea. Bring along your favorite beverage for a toast to the celebration of a life lived well. Have your guests take some time and listen to the symphony of sounds from the sea so they will forever associate those sounds with your memory.

“Cast thy nets and hooks to claim the seas’ bountiful harvest as the ashes of my life shall drift forever upon the open sea. I pray God shall cast his net and catch my soul adding it to the bountiful harvest of Heaven.”

Memorial

Since you will not be able to place a memorial in the Sea, a map with the location of your ashes can be put in a frame. Of course, your ashes will not remain where they are scattered and your relatives cannot come back to visit you. All they have to do is get to the sea wherever it touches the coast for you will be spread where the sea is present. If you select one of the new electronic picture frames, take many digital pictures and make a slide show of the area. Online memorials with poems of the sea, a few pictures of fishing trips, or just posting great ocean vistas would be a fitting memorial to the one that has passed on to a better place.

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National Parks

Yosemite: Courtesy of pdphoto.org

President Ulysses S. Grant established the first National Park, Yellowstone, on March l, l872. Now, you can find a National Park in every state except Delaware. There are 391 different areas and 84 million acres. A plethora of places to spread your ashes so surely you can find one to your liking. In fact, if you are like me, there are so many beautiful places in the parks; it is hard to decide on just one.

My favorite parks are Glacier National Park, Denali National Park & Preserve, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Haleakala National Park.

Spirit Whisperer

As far as I understand it. You may spread your ashes in a national park as long as you aren’t doing it for money, e.g. a business, which has to be registered, and you are discreet. You can’t do it in developed areas like a campground but feel free to hike into the back country and spread them. You will need to get a back country pass from the ranger’s office if you plan on being out over night. Check the weather conditions before you start out. It is important that you know the area, take a GPS and map, and read how to respect the back country. People get lost in National Parks every year.

Wake

The wake for someone looking to have his or her ashes spread in a national park can go one of many different directions. If you really love the park system, they always need volunteers to help with upkeep. Rent one of the many fine rooms at one of the parks and request that your guests give some of their time volunteering. A hike to look at some of the park’s great scenery will certainly cause your guests to think about life. A simple camping trip with an evening prayer around a campfire would be a memorable experience for your wake. Outdoors beneath the stars, while listening to the sounds of the night, will always invoke the mind to contemplate life and death.

Memorial

Since you will not be able to place a memorial in the national park, a map with the location or locations of your ashes can be put in a frame. Take a picture of the view from the spot you will have your ashes spread and it can be added to the frame. If you select one of the new electronic picture frames, take many digital pictures and make a slide show of the area. With those pictures and the GPS coordinates; your friends and relatives who want to visit your final resting spot will have no problem finding you.

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The road less traveled for a green burial

Outhouse: Courtesy of pdhoto.org

Spreading your ashes after cremation occurs in a lot of different countries. So if you decide to have your ashes spread outside the US, it is important to be aware of local customs and laws. In Sweden, people are spreading their ashes in the mountains. This is distasteful to the local Reindeer herders who have to walk over that area. To them it is like walking over a grave in a cemetery. So they are seeking a change to the laws. Even if the law says you can spread your ashes somewhere, it is still your responsibility not to tread on the sensitivities of the people who have to live there.

Be courteous to others and select your final resting spot well. Some places you find along the way are inappropriate for spreading ashes. One example is shown in the picture. If you are a Spirit Whisperer, the “path less traveled” is the one to select. Try and get away from any marked area and use the GPS to mark the spot for relatives. It will take a little extra effort but is within the confines of showing respect for not only the deceased but for the living also.

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Memorials

Bryce:Courtesy of pdphoto.org

Once a Spirit Whisperer has placed the earthly remains in their final resting spot, a memorial can be erected to mark it for future visitors. If you are going to be buried on public land or lands belonging to someone else that won’t let you erect a memorial, you still can mark the place for visitors. The Spirit Whisperer will use a GPS to note the spots longitude and latitude at the time of the placement. This can be entered on a memorial certificate and framed for display. We have a certificate that you can print out just for this purpose.

Memorial Scrapbooks

People like to make scrapbooks with photos and other items from the life of the deceased. Photos can be taken at the wake as well as at the site selected for spreading the ashes. Be sure and ask your Spirit Whisperer to take digital photos of the site along with noting the latitude and longitude so you can include these in your scrapbook.

Engraved Items

There are many items to be purchased that can contain a small part of the ashes while the rest of the ashes are spread by your Spirit Whisperer. You may even want to have the urn engraved and keep it after the ashes have been spread. Some will just select a nice engraved item to display.

Online Memorial Pages

Legacy.com

Amrericasmemorials.com

Beliefnet

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Trails

The Appalachian Trail winds 2,050 mi along the ridges of the Appalachians between Mt. Katahdin, Maine, and Springer Mt., Georgia and it includes the Shenandoah and Smoky National Parks. There are a lot of good trails to select like Glacier Gorge, Breakneck Ridge Trail , Dolly Sods Wilderness or Half Dome in Yosemite just to name a few.

Wake

Many different ideas come to mind in doing the wake for someone who loves to hike or just wants to be spread on the trail. An evening campfire, sunrise breakfast, or a gathering at one of the lodges near the trail all seems very appropriate. If you must stay in the city, display pictures and maps of your favorite hikes. Your walking stick and hiking gear make great items of interest to start the discussion of the finer points of your life. You may want to give these to any hikers who attend your gathering. By all means try and hold your gathering outdoors. We suggest a picnic followed by a hike to a waterfall or other landmark where your friends and family relate tales of their time with you. Be sure and include your favorite beverage for the life toast. Check the local alcohol regulations before you serve.

Spirit Whisper

This can be as elaborate or simple as your money and desire will take you. Obtain a map of the Appalachian Trail and pick a spot or several spots for your final resting place. This doesn’t have to be the Appalachian Trail; it can be any trail you have hiked or simply a trail you have wanted to hike. Don’t forget to donate money for the upkeep of the trail. After all, you would like your final resting place to be maintained for others to enjoy as you have enjoyed. You may want to visit the spots and take digital pictures. These pictures will be attached to the instructions for your spirit whisperer. Some words should be said to make it a ceremony and not just dumping of some ashes on the ground. A moment of silence reflecting on life or a simple prayer can be made for your soul’s peaceful journey.

Solitary:

Have your spirit whisperer deposit your remains at one designated spot anywhere on the trail. This may be all of your ashes or just some of them. You may want them buried or placed in a ring around your favorite tree. Please be sure they put them off the actual trail. You don’t want people stepping in your face everyday of the year.

Ultimate back packing the Trail:

This is something you can’t really ask your relatives to do unless they are a hiker who has always wanted to walk the trail and you can fund it. Have your Spirit Whisperer break the ashes up into smaller bags to make it easier to disperse along the trail. The bags can be labeled with the spots where you designate you final resting place to be.

Memorial

Since you will not be able to place a memorial on most trails. A map with the location or locations of your ashes can be put in a frame. If your relatives want to visit they will know where to find you. Another good memorial is to have a tree or trees planted in your name with a plaque attached to it. Some city parks and other places will accept trees in your name with a donation of course.

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How far will your Spirit Whisperer be willing to go?

This is definitely a very personal decision. When you select the spot for your final resting place, you have to consider how difficult it would be for your Spirit Whisperer to fulfill your wishes. A Spirit Whisperer is the person you have designated to cast your remains like the whisper of wind in the pines. They will gently sow your earthbound remains to return you back to mother earth from whence you came.

Most people will have a hard time just spreading the ashes in a spot they can easily access. So be mindful of what you are asking your Spirit Whisperer to accomplish for you. If you really want to be on the top of Mount Everest, you will have to hire a professional willing to make that a reality. Don’t leave it up to your relatives to climb that mountain. It is certainly unfair of you to ask them to sneak onto the Playboy Mansion property if your one desire is to spend eternity there by the pool.

One Spirit Whisperer spread his mom’s ashes at a Philadelphia stadium and then assumed the position as security hauled him away. A mom may get away with having her son risk getting arrested but be considerate before you ask your Spirit Whisperer to do something risky. One family spread their uncle’s ashes in the flowerbeds outside of Texas Stadium where the Cowboys play football. Wherever you decide, have a plan of everything you want to do, don’t make it a big time consuming production, be discrete, and you probably can’t leave a memorial to mark the spot.

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Scattering

Glacier Park: Courtesy of pdphoto.org

Where shall you rest for all eternity? Well, at least where will you rejoin the food chain and do your part for a green earth by having a green funeral and green burial. Don't settle for going 6 feet under with the same old expensive funeral. Let's go out in style. This decision can be quite straightforward and simple for some and agonizingly slow for others. Some of us fall in love with a spot that we visited on vacation while others select a spot they spent many an hour visiting when they were alive. Still others pick one spot and as time passes they discover a completely new spot. The important thing is that you write down the spot that you select.

On this blog we will be discussing many different places including green cemeteries and memorial parks. Along with a discussion of why someone would like that space for their scattering. Below is a list of places you may want to consider.

1. National Parks
   Space
   Sea
   Volcano
   Sports Stadium
   Disney World
   African Game Preserve
   Balloon
   Mardi Gras
   Your favorite spot to be alone
   Fireworks
   Mountain Top
   Garden
   Grave Top
   Airplane/Helicopter
   Golf course
   Rose garden
   Hiking Trail
   On the Moon
   Wildflower Meadow
   Waterfall
   Snow bank
   Horse Track
   NASCAR Track
   South Pacific Island
   Skiing
   Hurricane
   North Pole
   Reef
   Rain Forest

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