5 Top Places to Scatter Ashes
Cremation has continued to gain popularity as a preferred method of memorialization for many. One of the benefits of cremation that accounts for its growing popularity is the versatility it offers in the variety of ways a loved one’s ashes can be handled. Families can choose to bury the cremated ashes of a loved one, keep them in a cremation urn or scatter them throughout one or several sentimental locations. Scattering ashes in a special location can make for a very poignant goodbye ceremony especially if the location that you choose possessed deep meaning to your deceased loved one. An emotionally charged and personal decision, choosing the best place to scatter a loved one’s ashes to honor their life and legacy can be very overwhelming, as well as feel unsettling.
If you’re currently wondering where to scatter your loved one’s cremated remains to make their goodbye as special and meaningful as possible, below are 5 of our top recommendations. We hope these suggestions offer you a sense of comfort as you prepare for a final ceremony to honor your loved one.
The Ocean
A popular choice to scatter a loved one’s ashes, the ocean holds spiritual meaning for many, seeming to represent infinity and the cycle of life itself with its never ending ebbs and flows and wondrous vastness. Many people feel deeply connected to the ocean, and retreat to it as a place of solace and to clear their mind during different times of their life. If your loved one enjoyed being by the sea, and perhaps always looked forward to their next beach day, then spreading their ashes there could be a great option to take into consideration.
Keep in mind, however, that as the ocean waves will wash the ashes away, this might not be the best place for you to scatter ashes if you wish to be able to once again revisit your loved one’s remains. You may then want to consider purchasing cremation jewelry to keep a small portion of your loved one’s remains close to you at all times. That way you would not have to worry about being able to revisit the remains if you choose to disperse the ashes somewhere that makes revisiting difficult.
There are also a few other important things to consider when scattering a loved one’s ashes by the ocean or any other outside location. First, you should be careful not to spread the ashes in the direction of the wind as this may cause the ashes to fall in your eyes or mouth. Also, make sure you’re following your local laws and guidelines when spreading the ashes outdoors or in the ocean. You can always get in touch with an organization like Eternal Reef, or others that specializes in the scattering of ashes by the ocean to help you become familiar with their guidelines.
A Garden
If your loved one enjoyed being outdoors or always felt close to nature, then a garden may be a great choice for you to consider spreading their ashes. You can either prepare a small garden in your own backyard to scatter the ashes, or simply opt for a different garden close to your home. While scattering cremated remains at home can make for a personal and long-lasting memorial to your loved one, it may be a better option to choose a different local garden if you don’t plan on staying in your current home forever.
A Place That Holds a Special Memory
Certain locations may potentially hold special meaning to your loved one due to their being the setting that an important life event or milestone occasion took place. For example, you may wish to honor your loved one and say your final goodbye to them at the location that he or she met or married their beloved, or perhaps was the place in which they experienced another life-changing event or accomplished a major goal or dream. There is a beautiful and poignant full-circle significance to holding a goodbye ceremony to end one life chapter in the same location that a different life chapter has its beginning.
Your Loved One’s Favorite Place
Certain places hold a power to us serving as go-to destinations to help us reconnect with ourselves or a hobby. We may retreat to such locations to seek solace when life brings disappointments, or they may possess a deep importance to us for a different reason. Perhaps your deceased loved one had a favorite place they loved to go to, their ‘happy place’ when they were upset and needed to relax and revitalize. Such a location may be a great choice for you to consider scattering your loved one’s ashes. For some, this location could be a tree house or camp house, a certain spot in town, an area in their backyard, or simply another place they cherished that held great meaning to them.
A Place They Dreamed of Visiting While Alive
Sometimes places that we were never able to make it to during our life can possess deeper significance than places that we were able to go to. If your loved one dreamed of visiting a certain location, such as a country they had planned to travel to one day, or another special landmark or destination, but was unfortunately not able to make it there before their passing, deciding to spread their ashes there could be an incredible sentiment to them. Many family members find this to be a meaningful way to honor and commemorate the deceased, while simultaneously granting them one final wish.
Saying Your Final Goodbye
As you get ready to say your final goodbye to your loved one and enter a new life chapter of your own, remember there is no one way or right way to memorialize your loved one or or a right or wrong place to scatter your loved one’s ashes. Choose a location or locations that you feel suits your loved one best to honor their life and legacy that will also help you find closure as you prepare to navigate your new life without your loved one.
