Upon My Death

MindGate

I was in the graveyard one day, with a dear friend of mine. I forget what we were talking about, but the thought popped into my mind. The thought of what I want to be done after my death:

I don't want any fancy funeral. I want something simple, or perhaps even a non-public one. All I want done there is a speech to be recited stating what I, as a person, stood for.

Then, I want my body cremated. I want my ashes mixed in with the dirt where I want a tree planted. Plants thrive on dead matter and ashes. My body, who I am, will be recycled into this tree. My energy will go into this tree and be part of it. I will be simply plant food. I'll give life to this plant. I will be part of it.

So... as odd as it is, thats what I want done. Sort of an actual physical version of rebirth. Its a comforting thought to me for some reason.

Cloud

Well you'd be giving up a lot of your energy to the fire too ya'know.

This represents even more, as we fuel the fire that heats the air, that energy rippling outwards. We still regard ourselves as the ash, but we were no more the ash than the body itself.

Dazzle

MindGate wrote: »

The thought of what I want to be done after my death:............

Buddhist centres and monasteries can usually advise on funeral arrangements for people who want a Buddhist funeral. Its a good idea to have it organised on paper whatever one's age, because non- Buddhist relatives can't always be expected to know what to do.


_/\_

andyrobyn

I agree with Dazzle's post, my funeral has been sorted for out, hopefully well in advance:) ... the important things to me are pre arranged and paid for and there is plenty of flexibility for those remaining to do what they would like as they see it at the time... funerals are more for those who remaining living to pay respects in my experience... mostly I have wanted to have my remains/ some of my cremated remains at least, placed in a certain place and this has been easy to arrange.

genkaku

My wife and I recently saw a lawyer and put in place the particulars of a will, a health care proxy and some other aspect I can't quite remember. I see no reason to burden those who remain with the fact that I didn't make life easier for them.

Getting things in writing was, as someone else noted, a somehow consoling thing to do ... just trying to be responsible and get over the suspicion/wish that I might live forever.

sukhita

andyrobyn wrote: »

....... the important things to me are pre arranged and paid for and there is plenty of flexibility for those remaining to do what they would like as they see it at the time... funerals are more for those who remaining living to pay respects in my experience.......

That pretty much is my stance also. I have a "funeral policy" that takes care of all the important stuff (hearse, cremation, marquee, seating, etc.) I have already indicated to my wife and children that they may arrange my funeral according to their own tradition because I firmly believe that all these external practices and rituals (no matter what tradition) are of no consequence to "me" - or whatever is left of "me" after death. If the funeral helps my family in letting go of their "loss", then it would have served its purpose. In the greater scheme of things, my birth-ageing-death is just "another passing show"