Where can you scattering human ashes?

Casting: is the act of throwing the cremation ashes to the wind or usually just called scattering.

Here are some thoughts-

• they are more ashes than you realise they can cover quite an area
• we would suggest you invest in a scattering tube or urn they are far more dignified than the plastic container you receive from the crematorium.
• keep it fairly low, below waist height
• make sure party members are upwind
• don’t ‘up-end’ the canister unless you have a rake, it can be quite undignified should you then need level the ashes
• please don’t leave the box or urn behind.

Here is a our selection of

Ringing Ashes: Scatter the ashes in a ring shape on the ground or around an object e.g. a tree or in a clearing. Hold the scattering urn close to the ground. One nice idea is for participants to enter the ring to speak about the deceased.

Trenching or Beaching: If you pick the correct time and beach it can be great, we would suggest a sandy beach and spot below the high tide line, if you are not sure where this is look for the line of seaweed and debris near the top of the beach, we would suggest going quite a way below this– dig a groove in a shape or symbol. A gardening paddle hoe works well for this.

Sprinkle the ashes into the trench, cover if you wish and wait until the tide washes the ashes it away – you can add even more solemnity to it by choosing sunrise or sunset.

Warning don’t do it above the high tide line and try to stay away from the beach entry / exit point. You could get disturbed and you may end up being turned into a sand castle too!

Here is the if it helps.

Toasting: everybody attending gets a toasting cup (eg a coir pot) and in the same way after a speech you might toast someone, you scatter them. After someone has spoken about your loved one, holding onto the cup everyone scatters /throws /flings some the contents of the cup in the required direction. The cups are refilled as required until the end of the speeches or the ashes have run out. Very celebratory and lovely for participation.

Raking: this is the practise used in gardens of remembrance at a crematoria, by using a rake you can disperse the ashes equally – this will allow for faster integration with the soil and better consistency. This may be the method if scattering in your own garden.