Choosing your burial options is an essential part of end-of-life planning. Setting these plans in advance is important so that your loved ones can best meet your wishes upon your passing. You can choose various options for your final resting place, and cremation is one of the most popular. Here’s everything you need to know about the cremation process.
How Cremation Works
Cremation is a process in which a crematorium reduces a deceased body to ash. Ideally, the first step in this process is authorization and deciding if cremation is right for you or your loved one. Once you decide that cremation is the chosen body disposition method, the next step is preparing the body. The cremation provider will clean and dress the body for cremation, and then they’ll remove any jewelry or prosthetics.
Next, professionals will put the body into a combustible vessel and then place it into the cremation chamber. Cremating the body can take anywhere from two to four hours on average. Once the ashes finish cooling after leaving the chamber, they will go to the family.
Choosing an Urn
After the cremation process, it’s up to the deceased individual’s family to choose an urn. There are several types of vessels you can use to transport your loved one’s ashes. Many families will opt for a decorative urn to keep the remains. Often, people will keep these decorative urns somewhere in their homes, like a mantle. However, if you plan to scatter all of the ashes, you may not want to spend your money on an urn, in which case you can opt for a plain container to transport the ashes until you spread them.
Spreading the Ashes
Spreading the ashes is a common next step after the cremation and choosing an urn or transportation vessel. Deciding how you want to handle your loved one’s remains is entirely up to you, and you can personalize the experience in any way you’d like. For example, some people will hold a ceremony for the ash spreading and invite family and friends. Seeking connection in times of grief is important so you can be there for one another in difficult times.
Therefore, inviting your passed loved one’s closest companions to the ash spreading may be beneficial. You can also choose almost whichever location you’d like to spread the ashes. Many people wish to have their ashes spread in a location that was important to them in life. For example, if someone loved the ocean and spent their favorite memories at the beach, that may be a perfect location.
Now that you know important tips about the cremation process, you can decide if this is the right choice for you or your loved ones. Take your time to learn about all your different options and pick whichever one you are most comfortable with and would prefer as your final resting place.
