Or can you?

When the time comes and you pass through the veil, become one with the divine, join the queue for reincarnation, visit the Summerlands, Valhalla, Elysian Fields, Heaven, Hel, Hell, Hull or simply fade to black, what do you want to do with your mortal remains?

Do you even care?

Does your path dictate the way they ‘take out the trash’?

Do we have any Kemetics here who hope their nearest and dearest are stocking up on bandages?

Any Heathens here dropping hints about longships and matches, or stocking their spare room with grave goods?

Anyone here fancy sky burial or spending eternity in an ossuary?

Me I’m going up in flames, no longship, but a nice spot in the local crem.

I don't really care to be honest. I don't for one second believe that what happens to my clapped out flesh after I've absconded matters in the least. From a purely environmental point of view I don't like the idea of burial much, taking up all that land. I did hear of a new technique where they turn your ashes into diamonds.... My next life as a pair of earrings? Why not?

I want to have a shround, written and painted on by everyone that loves me, to be wrapped in it, and returned to the Earth. become part of the cycle again.

Pretty much same as Galena, but maybe without the people writing on the shroud bit. Would like to be just popped into the ground deep the Argyll forest and left and be absorbed by the earth and just continue the cycle. Don't want any markings or anything like that.

I'd like to be buried also, though not with an over elaborate grave stone, maybe have a sapling planted above me so my loved ones have somewhere to go.

After my brother died, he was cremated and I've always felt that it was a shame as I'd like to go and 'visit' him from time to time, but his ashes are split between my parents homes! So that's why I'd like to be buried!

My choice would be for my body to be returned to the land, either buried somewhere wild, or cremated and my ashes scattered in wood. What I don't want is a plot in an overcrowded cemetery, with a headstone to be used as a urinal for the local lager louts.

Definitely want to be crisped - especially so since I saw show about these ghouls who collect the skin from tattood people for "study"!!! Of all the things, something like that is my only worry as I add more ink. Don't want any markers either: just don't like the idea of someone coming and paying whatever to one who's long gone. I've had the legal paperwork done out for these specs for the last 30 odd years, so it's not a new thing. Always tell my friends to just go have a few on me and tell the stories of what I REALLY was like! I want no funeral whatsoever. Neither did my folks - I guess I get the idea from them that if you wanted to see me, you shoulda done it when it counted TO me. .

FLAMES for me.If i could i would just want to rest in a quite forest somewhere and let nature take me back,no chemicals or anything.As i'm uncertain about reincarnation,if it does happen i suppose i'll start fresh.

I had to have a "last instruction" for my pension (yes, its true) at work. I had to think hard about who was to get my dosh when I died. I called a local witch for ideas and was given a great one - Liferites - A group of Pagans who will help at those times you need them for rites of passage. See:
LIFE RITES WEB PAGE

As for my burial, I haven't thought that far yet. I know I would prefer burial to cremation only because I like the idea of sleeping in the warmth of Gaia, but I believe in reincarnation and so it really doesn't matter. Its cool to think of being buried with my athame though.

Blessings Cosmic - you've got me thinking

Maybe a small stone with "I ATEN'T DEAD"

I want to be buried along with my favourite possessions, things that I might be able to carry with me to the place I go to next - my harp, my torc, things like that. I'd like to have a tree planted over me, I like the idea of my body nourishing something lovely that people will enjoy.

I think it would be a woodland burial for me, though I still like the idea of a plaque or something to pass on some 'advice' to the living; whenever I go to graveyards I always read the poems.

To be honest I'm still unsure on death and what I want done with my body, but hopefully I'll have a while to think about it before it's my time to go!

id like to be buried with my head sticking out of the top.
or
have a big bonfire making sure the winds blowing the direction on my neighbours house

@ Stormy

I've actually toyed with giving my body to medical science after I'm dead, or rather putting itin my will so my family honour my request, and asking that a tree is planted.

I think I'd have to burn because the thought of not actually being dead and waking up in a coffin is awful! Saw a film once....
I know it's not likely, but they are understaffed in hospitals these days, and it'd be just my bloody luck.
At least cremation would be over more quickly....

I wouldn't worry Pebble, if you werent dead when they wheeled you into the mortuary by the time they'd refrigerated you and drainied out all your blood and put formaldehyde in instead and all the other lovely things they do to bodies these days, you'd would be when you left.

Buried for me - I'd rather wake up in a coffin than on fire Somewhere nice and quiet, woodland, with a small marker. Either that or one of those really big mausoleum type things

The Life Rites website has a lot of really good info on it regarding all this stuff, I need to do a little more reading on that site and the local council.

It rather depends on the circumstances and whether there are relatives needing to do things their way. My organs are not as fresh as they were, but if anybody wants them they're welcome. Otherwise, a human compost heap. Swept out to sea by a giant wave, buried under a tree, boiled up to make soap (well I'm sorry, but it really won't matter to me what happens,; there comes a point when you have to let go...)

By the way, does anybody consider that they might give their own relatives a pagan send-off? After all, funerals are for the grieving ones left behind, really.

Ummm, I would have talk it over with the loved one before they died to see if they minded, particuarly, if not pagan themselves, otherwise I'd see it as being a huge presumption.

Not too fussed really as I won't be around to enjoy it.
My two prefered options both involve a good bonfire, followed by either the scattering of my putrid ashes from the top of a Scottish mountain into a West Wind or burial of the aforementioned ashes underneath an oak tree.
But If I end up on the local tip it won't bother me much.

I would like to go on the compost heap but if I can't then just drop me in a hole in the ground somewhere and my rellies can plant a tree or shrub of their choice above me.

Seeing folks having benches dedicated to them has given me an idea. I want my rellies to make up plaques that say "Please Take Your Litter Home With You" (possibly with my name and birth/death date) put up around all my favourite places.

Mooners
)0(

i wanna be buried...but im a bit afraid of enclosed spaces...somaybe with a Mobile or a flare or something just on the off chance i wake up

yes a flare would be useful when you are buried six foor under and knowing your luck there will be no signal on your mobile. which is the reason i want to be burried with my head sticking out of the top

What a good idea.
Imagine how interesting a trip to the local cemetry could be.

I don't know if I want to be buried or burned, but people may use my organs if it can help other people.

I don't have a problem with the green wheelie bin at the bottom of the path although I'd have to time my death as close to Wednesday as possible.

I've stipulated in my will that after any and all useful organs are taken out for use by others in need, what's left is to be cremated and the ashes to be scattered on top of Moel Hiraddug, so I can be with my dog and walk the hills for all eternity

It's the actual funeral I need to get down on paper, or my mother will have people chanting xtian stuff over me, and I'm NOT having that!

yep.

that's what my Mum wants.

medical research

Once any useful organs have been taken, I want to be buried in an eco-friendly coffin/shroud and a tree planted on top of me, my brother has suggested a cider apple tree, everybody is then going to bugger off down to the pub for a piss up which I am apparently paying for.

Storm Raven

I'm not at all sure that any of mine will be of much use to anyone by the time I've finished with them, they take what they like if they want them though.

I want to be cremated and my ashes thrown over Sean Bean

Hmmmm, originally I wanted cremation, but it doesn't seem the most eco friendly way to go.

Ideally I'd like to be buried somewhere quiet in the North of scotland, with just a wee plaque by my head for walkers to trip over A tree wuld be even better, but they don't grow so well in Caithness.

I plan to donate all my surplus bits anyway, then assuming there's enbough of me left to put clothes on, and that I haven't gone all runny (no embalming for me thank you) I'd like to be buried in my corset and leather skirt (this could be amusing if I live to over eighty) and favourite jewellery.

and what does he think?

Does he think?

Burn my body. For the same reasons as Pebble!

ah just cremate me and throw my ashes to the sea...

i might get my wishes sooner than i think with some of the comments i have been getting recently LOL

Do you think that Kate Bush might agree to keep mine under her pillow?
Ahhh Kate......

Its an iteresting idea. So this is what I would Like.


Burial in an eco-frendly coffin, with a tree (An Oak Sapling), a bench next to it with a plac (Dinno how to spell it) which reads sit rest and enjoy. And watch a Goddess in action. The music, for the cerimony 1) High on a Hill, 2) I'M a lumberjack (Yep by the M.P team) Fallowed by a reading of T.P. Guards, Guards.

Thats for me and at least everyone will have a good laugh.