AQUAMATION....

Aquamation or alkaline hydrolysis is the process where the body is placed in a vessel which is attached to water lines. The water has high alkaline properties and is washed over the body for several hours or days, dissolving tissue from the bones.  Once the bones are clean, they are crushed, put in an urn and given to loved ones.  The water that was used in the aquamation process is then used as a fertilizer for gardening.

Simple, isn't it?  Think about it.  No embalming, which is toxic and can seep into ground water, and retards natural decomposition.  No casket, which is a waste of expensive hardwood and hardware.  No expensive burial plot, which is a waste of land you are about to contaminate by burying your embalmed loved one in the ground in an expensive casket, leaving you heart broken and broke.

Funeral homes and society should really change how they proceed with disposal of our dead.  I know it has a lot to do with tradition and all our installed ideas of how we proceed to the next life, but just like there are many ways to die, there are many ways to be disposed of.  The more natural, the better! 

For more information on this process, please visit www.aquamationindustries.com and make a difference to this planet and all it's natural glory.

PROMESSION....

THE WAKE

A wake is when loved ones gather to celebrate the life of a person who's passed.  Usually it is planned at a particular location that the loved one was fond of and it includes all the things that made up the decease's character. The music they liked, the food they enjoyed, the people they loved and knew or associated with.  Sounds like a party? Well, it is!  I have heard many accounts from mediums and near death experiences about the party that's waiting for them when they reach the other side and I believe that we can join in. I have heard many people talk about how they avoid funerals due to the depression and rigidness of it all, but they will go to a wake because of the relaxed atmosphere which allows people to talk about that person who passed in a real, truthful and meaningful way.  Not only is it a more relaxed and happier atmosphere, but it is also a less expensive way to say good-bye. 
I recently lost a friend not long ago who, before he died, requested that there would not be a funeral. He wanted a party (wake) because that was part of his character, and a party he got!  He was a lover of live music and so they chose a venue he was familiar with and had a whole bunch of people and bands play at his wake, giving him the best send off ever!  I have also heard accounts about spirits not being able to reach their loved ones still alive due to the heaviness of their grief, it seems to create a cloud that they cannot seem to penetrate.  Maybe that is why when we are in grief that we feel so alone, but that is a topic for another day. So in the meantime, remember the things that made your lost loved one happy in their days here on earth and pray that they are still able to enjoy those things in some way shape or form.  Until next time, have fun and celebrate life!