What are the benefits of choosing cremation?

Losing a loved one is difficult, to say the least. But what makes everything even more challenging is the idea that you may have to prepare the funeral arrangements. Although no one should go through that kind of emotional and mental upheaval when they’re mourning, at times it cannot be helped when there’s no one else left but you to make decisions. 

The aforementioned is one of the reasons why direct cremation has become popular. This most basic form of cremation with no embalming, viewing, and other memorial ceremonies assures a swift service without compromising on any aspects that honor the deceased. Moreover, other cremation services allow flexibility during the planning stage, which assures the bereaved is not overwhelmed. There are many other benefits of choosing a cremation. Learn about them below to see if this is a viable option for you:

 

Cost-Efficient Option

At a traditional funeral, you have to fork out thousands of dollars on embalming, the gravesite, a casket, and the tombstone. In contrast, you can have simple but meaningful cremation services for just a couple of hundred dollars. It’s way cheaper than a funeral service with a burial so you can opt to host a memorial service much later when your emotions have settled down.

 

Readily Available

Burials tend to be expensive because gravesites are scarce. As a result of high demand and low supply, people end up paying a premium. On the other hand, cremation is more readily available because you can opt to keep a customized urn at home to house the ashes. Alternatively, you can scatter the remains in a memorable place or keep them in a cremation garden.  

 

More Eco-Friendly

Embalming releases a lot of hazardous chemicals into the environment which contributes to air, water, and soil pollution. Although furnaces are used in the crematory chamber, all of the equipment passes environmental safety standard protocols. If you prefer something more eco-friendly, cremation is a good option. Moreover, there are green cremation options such as the use of cardboard coffins or cloth coverings for the body, which minimize waste.

 

Easier to Execute

Planning a traditional burial is more complex because you need to make detailed service arrangements from the funeral program to intricate details like the casket, priest, funeral flowers, or hymns. Deciding all of that can be disconcerting when you’ve just lost your loved one. If you want an easier option, cremation is fuss-free, especially if you opt for direct cremation. When the service is done and the ashes are given to you, you can take your time to decide on what to do. If you want a memorial service or a celebration of life, you can host it months later or even at the one-year death anniversary. This gives more time for family and friends who are far away to make travel arrangements and attend. 

 

Religions Are More Accepting

In the past, many religions did not allow cremations because they believe it compromises the sanctity of the body because it is burned and reduced to ashes. But many religions are allowing cremation today. For example, in the past, the Roman Catholic Church may have preferred burial because it preserves the body, but today, cremation is widely accepted. Many religions now acknowledge that this final disposition method does not affect and damage the soul during the process. 

 

Provides More Flexibility

When a body is buried, that’s all there is to it. There isn’t much that anyone can do other than pick an appropriate headstone or buy flowers when they visit. Contrary to this, cremation offers more flexibility. The surviving family members can be creative. They have the option to do the following:

• Scatter the ashes: Ashes can be scattered anywhere like the sea, park, yard, or anywhere that’s memorable for the deceased. You can opt to have a mini-ceremony before releasing the ashes. 
• Divide the remains: Even if you scatter the ashes, you can keep a portion as a remembrance. Fortunately, urns come in many different sizes so you can divide the ashes and have family members bring a portion of the remains home as their memento 
• Cremation jewelry: With the help of a memorial jewelry company, you can turn the ashes into beautiful jewelry. For example, you can have a locket with a small chamber for the ashes. There are also bracelet and ring designs. With this, you can wear the memento daily and keep the deceased close to your heart (both figuratively and literally).
• Plant a living tree: Another option is a living tree. Here, you bury the ashes with seeds or seedlings so they can grow into a tree of life. You can plant it in your own home or choose any meaningful spot that the deceased loved. This option gives you a place to visit as opposed to releasing the ashes in the air or ocean. 

 

A Portable Option 

Finally, one of the benefits of cremation that many people appreciate is the portability of urns. If you have to relocate for a job, you can take the remains of your loved one with you. This is something you can never do with a traditional burial. With the constant changes in this modern world, many families love cremation because urns can be taken just about anywhere. 

In fact, you can even take a small urn traveling with you to honor the wishes of a departed loved one who longed to see the world. There are truly numerous benefits of cremation, and if this is a service you need help with, contact our team and we’ll help you get started.