Ashes. Cremains.

Before I started Sacred Embers I had really not had exposure to cremains/ashes from anything.  In my family, as small as it is, most people had been placed in a cemetery or their ashes had gone to someone else.  Plus talking about death was not something that happened. (This is also fodder for a future blog post). 
 
One thing I have learned because of Sacred Embers using the ashes of people and pets,  is that there are SO MANY different textures and colors of ashes.  Some are as fine as powder while others actually have pieces of bone still intact.  And of course there are different textures in between that spectrum.  The colors can differ too! That is something that really has surprised me.  Some have been white as snow while others are different shades of beige or grey and I’ve even encountered a few that have been almost a navy.  Different things come into play to create these differences. 
 
If the person was wearing clothing at the time of cremation, the fabric can change the color.  Aquamation often creates the whitest ashes of all because the body is processed via water as opposed to fire.  The texture can be different because of the way the bones are processed as well.  After cremation or aquamation, what is left of the bones are crushed.  Some places frankly do more processing of the bones than others.  Which obviously plays a part in the texture that the living will receive back, typically in some type of container or urn. 
 
Often people don’t ever open the urn of their loved one.  It’s scary, too final…..so many reasons.  Whether you do or don’t, it really doesn’t matter.  Having them can bring comfort, as can releasing them.  Just be prepared, and if you do release them, don’t stand down wind!
 
My friends at www.restingwaters.com can give you more information regarding pets and the aquamation process.