I have always been fascinated with the world of the dead . How people handle themselves when confronting death . What people are doing now with the remains of the dead . How ancient burial customs and reverence for the dead have left an imprint on the human psyche . Why do we need to keep something of a departed person ? I found some new business ventures that immortalize the deceased through the eyes of the living .
Death in western society is seen as a time to mourn . We feel sad and it takes time to grieve . It hasn’t always been this way . Ancient cultures would celebrate and honor the dead with feasting and ceremony . It was believed in ancient time that the dead lived on in spirit with the immortals and would watch over and protect loved ones . The living would leave daily offerings of food and gifts for the dead as a celebration of their spirit . Sometimes the dead would be cremated on funeral pyres , buried under sleeping quarters , or even body parts would be taken and kept in the family homes . Of all the ancient cultures the Egyptians took the treatment of the deceased to mythic status .
The ancient Egyptians had an elaborate set of burial customs that they believed were necessary to ensure their immortality after death . These rituals and protocols included mummification , casting of magic spells , and burial with specific grave goods thought to be needed in the afterlife . These were all essential parts of a proper Egyptian funeral .
Keeping the body of an individual intact after death was necessary so that the Egyptian soul and personality or ka and ba would have a place to live after death . The ba and ka would reunite with the akh to become a blessed one and live a peaceful life , for all eternity . It was important that in death the body look as normal as possible so that the ba and ka could find its akh . If this was not possible , the ba and ka would wander the underworld , forever searching for its akh . Shallow burials in hot sand often brought about mummification . But once bodies were buried in tombs they decayed quickly . The ancient Egyptians used mummification to prevent the person's remains from decaying .
Mummification was first used in the Old Kingdom , but not fully developed until the New Kingdom . It continued to be practiced until the demise of the ancient Egyptian religion . Mortuary services were available to anyone who could pay for them, although only wealthy members of society could afford more elaborate services . Mummification was actually only available to the rich until the methods became easier and less time consuming . The average mummification process for a queen or king was 70 days .
The basic process involved laying the body on a flat board , and cutting a slit in the abdomen . In an elaborate mummification , this might be performed by a priest wearing a jackal mask to represent Anubis , the deity associated with mummification and the guardian of the Necropolis . Then the body would be washed inside and out with palm wine . The lungs , liver, intestines , and the stomach were removed , mummified separately , and put into Canopic Jars . The heart was left intact because Egyptians believed this is where the essence of a person resided . Because the ancient Egyptians did not recognize the cognitive function of the brain , it would be removed by breaking the thin bone separating the nasal and cranial cavities . This was accomplished by inserting a hooked rod through the nose , stirring the brain until it turned into a liquid , and pouring it out through the nose . The cranial cavity would then be swabbed with linen and hot resin poured into the cavity to seal it .
The body cavity and the separate parts might then be washed with palm wine again . The body was then placed in natron for about forty days , with packets of natron placed inside the chest cavity . Natron dehydrated the body , which , combined with the high salt concentration , prevented bacterial growth and the decay of the body .
The mummy was then wrapped in many layers of linen strips , sealed to the body by tar or resin . Magic amulets were put in the folds and were believed to protect the body from evil spirits and help the soul on its journey through the afterlife . The entire process was completed in seventy days , after which the mummy was delivered to the deceased person's family for burial .
The genius that we owe most of our modern knowledge of anatomy from is Leonardo daVinci . He was the first to perform autopsies on dead bodies to sketch the workings of the human skeletal , nervous , reproductive , and other systems . Seen as heracy or witchcraft daVinci continued his work until his death leaving an incredible manual of the male and female body .
In some ways Leonardo da Vinci ( 1452 - 1519 ) appears to be very traditional . He studies ancient sources such as Plato and Aristotle . It is likely that he may have studied Galen . He studies medieval sources such as Albert the Great and the anatomist Mondino de'Luzzi This tradition leads him to compare the microcosm of the body and the macrocosm of the world . These analogies extend to comparisons between arteries in the body and underground rivers in the earth ; the flow of blood to the head , with circulation of water to the summits of mountains ; or blood when a vein bursts in the nose and water rushing out of a burst vein of the earth . There is some evidence that he rejects these analogies in the final years of his life .
In the course of twenty years of study from 1489 to the end of his life Leonardo dissects at least 19 corpses . More is involved than simply recording the evidence of cadavers . Leonardo recognizes that in the process of dissecting a body, blood and other tissues often get in the way, and prevent one from drawing accurately. As a result he advises that the anatomist should make a model of the organ that he is dissecting and then use this as the basis for his drawing . In other cases these models are intended to reveal both structure and function . For instance, Leonardo makes a glass model of the heart such that the flow of millet seeds in clear water or using water with different coloured dyes so that flow patterns can be traced . Throughout he deals with anatomy and physiology together and does not make a clear distinction between them, as is done in modern medicine .
One of the most striking features of the notebooks is the manner in which Leonardo presents his work . There is effectively no criticism of shortcomings in earlier authors , nor boasting of his own accomplishments . Indeed his style is in the form of a teaching manual with descriptions written as advice : how one must proceed if one wishes to carry out these tasks oneself . These are the not the egocentric scribblings of an isolated, genial misfit . They are attempts to convey to a larger public a new method of presentation . His reliance on diagrams apparently posed serious problems for the printing presses of the day , which would explain Leonardo's plea late in life that financial considerations should not prevent one from publishing the work . According to Vasari , plans for publication continued for decades after his death . However , as far as the anatomical works were concerned , these came to nothing until the early 20th century , and had to wait until Dr. Keele's pioneering work ( 1979 - 1981 ) for a more serious treatment . It is no wonder that various features of Leonardo's method have not received the attention they deserve .
The above cases all involve different aspects or layers of the body as a whole, corresponding to Ptolemy's views of the earth as a whole . In the passage cited earlier where he makes the connection between Ptolemy's geographical maps and his own anatomical drawings , Leonardo mentions 15 complete drawings of the human figure . The incremental and cumulative dimension of his approach thus emerges. In this case Leonardo begins with a simple instance using 4 drawings . Since each of these is to be seen from the front, behind and the side, this means that 45 basic drawings are required.
Leonardo is equally interested in various parts of the body . He does a series of drawings of the head , neck and shoulders , arm , hand , leg and foot , in each case drawing these from different points of view and in different layers . It is also a question of showing how these various layers interact . The concern is not just to identify different parts of a system, but also to reveal how outer and inner relate .
Leonardo approach is similar with various inner organs : liver, pancreas, kidneys and renal system , sexual organs and particularly the lung and heart . In conjunction with this scheme he lists nine other organs : liver , spleen , kidney , womb , testicles , head , bladder , stomach , and intestine . Two of these refer to a specific gender . Even so, including the heart and lung , this still adds up to drawings of ten organs in a man , and an eleventh , the womb , in a woman . 462 illustrations .
I remember the first time that I came across an art exhibit that really caught my eye . It was made up of human and animal bodies that have been skinned . These bodies were posed in various ways to make them seem as if they were alive . The exhibit is called Body Worlds and has been generating many different views about it’s nature .
The first people from the UK to donate their bodies to a controversial art exhibition have said they are doing it to help educate the public. Some of the 22-strong group of donors gathered to explain to the public their decision to join the Body Worlds show when dead.
They also discussed how their bodies would be preserved and displayed with the man behind the show, German Professor Gunther von Hagens . The UK donors will join 5,000 more from around the world who have volunteered their bodies to become part of the display of flayed corpses and organs when they die.
Body Worlds has been seen by more than 200,000 people in London and a further eight million more around the world. Prof von Hagens says it is an anatomical and educational exhibition, but others have condemned it as a "freak show" and accused him of using bodies without consent.
Another donor, Lynne Hazel, 43, from Broughton Astley, Leicester, said she wanted to become a source of knowledge after her death. " It's about education, but I will be providing information after my death and that is my own personal choice," she said . Her daughter 17 year old Helen Taylor said she found it odd that she might take her children to an exhibition to see their grandmother one day, although she supported her mother's choice.
Raymond Edwards, 51, from Islington, North London, said : "For me it was about taking control of my death and what happens to me after I died . " I have been to so many funerals where I thought this person didn't want it to happen like this."
One of the youngest donors , Colin Hill, 17, from Chapel Allerton , Leeds , said his parents were a bit surprised, but it was " not a big problem" . He said : " It is all about reality for me, more than with art or in literature . " It shows what the human condition is and I was just pleased to be able to donate my body to give people the chance to experience the exhibition around the world."
A survey has shown that people in the UK are more willing to donate their bodies, with 38% of those questioned at the exhibition saying they would consider it . " People in this country are more sensible to consent ," Prof von Hagens said . He admitted that he had used some corpses without the consent of the deceased or their families in countries where the law allowed him to use bodies that had not been identified. But so many people have volunteered their bodies that he does not need to resort to more sinister methods, he said . " There is always some suggestion or other that I dig up some corpse in Siberia but no, see, I don't need to," he said .
So what can be done with the cremation ashes instead of putting the urn on display in the house ? Baseball fans may want their ashes scattered in their favorite ball park. Hiking enthusiasts often choose to have their ashes scattered on their favorite trail. It is really surprising to find out what new ways that ashes of the deceased can be transformed into lasting memories . The most unusual ways of using cremation ashes is by turning them into a diamond or combined with ink for a memorial tattoo .
Considered morbid by some and the ultimate form of memorializing a deceased loved one by others , using cremation ashes in a memorial tattoo , but may not necessarily be a wise decision. You will run into several obstacles including refusal by many tattoo artists and several health-related concerns . Do your homework before making the decision to include someone's bodily remains in a tattoo .
Research health issues surrounding the use of cremation ashes in tattooing . Due to the body's tendency to reject impurities , tattoo ink mixed with cremation ashes may be rejected as an impurity . This could leave you with an unflattering tattoo that may or may not be fixable . Worst case scenario , the ashes could cause an infection that may make you very ill or cause scarring in the tattooed area.
When a body is cremated , the residual bone matter will not be a fine dust but more like small pebbles or a sand-like substance . You need just the finest particles to mix in the tattoo ink . There are some who have also found various ways to grind the entire remains into a finer powder .
It's been suggested that you bake the cremation ashes you'll be using in order to "sterilize" them . The temperature at which the body is cremated should have eliminated any germs or diseases that might have been present in the body .
Search for a tattoo artist willing to use cremation ashes in a tattoo . Due to the uncertainty of introducing these foreign bodies into your skin and the lack of experience in using cremation ashes many tattoo artists are going to be hesitant to do the procedure.
Be prepared for negative feedback . Adding someone's remains to your body is considered pretty abnormal by society . You could get some hurtful comments , so be ready for any backlash . If you're confident in your decision then you'll have to find a positive way to deal with negative opinions.
You may feel your memorial tattoo will hold even more meaning with cremation ashes , it may not be the safest route to take . Be sure to research the topic thoroughly and if possible , get the advice of a doctor and any tattoo artists who've previously completed the process before making your final decision .
There are countless ways to memorialize a loved one, but probably none as unusual as turning their cremation ashes into a diamond . You can transform cremation ashes into a wearable treasure and a company called Life Gem has been doing this for many years .
Life Gem diamonds are molecularly identical to natural diamonds found at any high - end jeweler . To qualify as diamonds , they must have the exact same brilliance , fire , and hardness ( the hardest substance known ) as diamonds from the earth .
The diamonds are created individually from your specific carbon source in a patened process .. It begins by placing several ounces of ash in your own personal crucible that can withstand massive heat . This crucible can only be used once . After the crucible is placed in the furnace , the temperature is increased to just over 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit , to allow all of the elements except the carbon to oxidize . Continue to heat until the carbon has turned to graphite by adding a metal catalyst and a diamond seed crystal .
Place the core in a diamond press . Bring the temperature to about 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit and the pressure to about 800,000 pounds per square inch . The graphite will turn into a rough crystal . The Gem Cutter takes the crystal and uses faceting tools to cut it to your Life Gem specifications .
With the new advances in the process , capturing carbon from a lock of hair , is now available for those choosing burial . Pets are cherished companions and unconditionally loving family members . The company can and will create a Life Gem memorial of your precious pet . You will have your loved one with you and in your life at all times . And of course , as a one - of - a - kind diamond , it will be a treasured heirloom in your family for generations to come .
I still think that the traditional Irish Wake has to be one of the best celebrations of the dead . The traditional Irish Wake was commonplace around Ireland up until about the 1970's . This was the process of Laying out the body of a departed relative in the house where they lived and /or died . All of the family and quite a few of the deceased ones neighbors and friends would gather at the house . The body was usually in a coffin in the parlour or living room . There would be lots of food and plenty of drink to be consumed . People would come and socialise and remember the departed person's life . This wasn't a time for tears to say the least , it was more of a party than a funeral . It was the traditional Irish way of celebrating one's life and ensuring that they had a good send off . A proper Irish Wake is worth the time and effort required to return to the old customs . It is hard to imagine a passing being complete without one ! This raucous celebrations is used to Wake the dead thus the name . The Wake is the period of time from death until the body is conveyed to the care of the church which is generally the evening before the day of burial .
'KEENING & CRYING' is traditional and the vocalizations over the dead is very important . The mourning family produces either muffled sobs or loud wailing related to the depth of sorrow . In the event that the death was considered a “great loss” ( a parent leaving a large family or tragic or early death ) Keening is most intense and heartfelt . After a while of Keening mourners are led away from the bedside by a few neighbors and are consoled . Word is sent out to distant relatives and is spread with the help of a local shop or village and preparations for the wake are made .
A relative and a neighbor take part in the preparations. The Coffin is ordered ( traditionally made by a local carpenter at the Wake house ) . Supplies are brought in ; bread , meat , food of all kinds . Whisky , stout , wine , pipes , tobacco ,and snuff ( Tobacco and snuff are extremely important as is alcohol ) . The Wake house is now ready .
The Wake house is ready and a place for the corpse is determined by the house itself . A table , settle or bed in the kitchen or one of the rooms is used . A loft may be used . A plate of snuff is offered to the deceased and to all for a pinch . A clay pipe filled with tobacco is also offered and all are provided with food and drink - traditionally a meal . The clocks are stopped as a mark of respect . All mirrors are turned toward the wall or covered .
A corpse must not be left unattended for the entire Wake . The ceremony begins in the morning and with the end of the working day others in the community stop in . The visitation lasts until midnight .
Close neighbors remain till morning. They drink tea , whisky or beer and talk about general affairs . Anecdotes are told with quiet laughter but within a solemn and decorous mood . There are two funerals for the corpse, one in the evening and the second is when the body is taken to the graveyard on the next day .
Unfortunately the traditional Irish wake , is not that common anymore , and is mostly confined to the west of Ireland . Irish wakes mostly followed this patter , although Irish wakes in Roscommon , were known for the boisterous play and games .
It is nice to know that our Western Society is now starting to celebrate death with a sense of joy instead of sorrow . We as human beings all understand that death is unavoidable , so why not celebrate the persons life and new Karmic path as a spirit again . If you believe in re - incarnation then you understand that the spirit goes on , waiting to be reborn again as our shell rots in the Earth . Death
means no more pain , suffering , stress , anger and reuniting with passed loved ones . Does is really sound that bad ?
Death in western society is seen as a time to mourn . We feel sad and it takes time to grieve . It hasn’t always been this way . Ancient cultures would celebrate and honor the dead with feasting and ceremony . It was believed in ancient time that the dead lived on in spirit with the immortals and would watch over and protect loved ones . The living would leave daily offerings of food and gifts for the dead as a celebration of their spirit . Sometimes the dead would be cremated on funeral pyres , buried under sleeping quarters , or even body parts would be taken and kept in the family homes . Of all the ancient cultures the Egyptians took the treatment of the deceased to mythic status .
The ancient Egyptians had an elaborate set of burial customs that they believed were necessary to ensure their immortality after death . These rituals and protocols included mummification , casting of magic spells , and burial with specific grave goods thought to be needed in the afterlife . These were all essential parts of a proper Egyptian funeral .
Keeping the body of an individual intact after death was necessary so that the Egyptian soul and personality or ka and ba would have a place to live after death . The ba and ka would reunite with the akh to become a blessed one and live a peaceful life , for all eternity . It was important that in death the body look as normal as possible so that the ba and ka could find its akh . If this was not possible , the ba and ka would wander the underworld , forever searching for its akh . Shallow burials in hot sand often brought about mummification . But once bodies were buried in tombs they decayed quickly . The ancient Egyptians used mummification to prevent the person's remains from decaying .
Mummification was first used in the Old Kingdom , but not fully developed until the New Kingdom . It continued to be practiced until the demise of the ancient Egyptian religion . Mortuary services were available to anyone who could pay for them, although only wealthy members of society could afford more elaborate services . Mummification was actually only available to the rich until the methods became easier and less time consuming . The average mummification process for a queen or king was 70 days .
The basic process involved laying the body on a flat board , and cutting a slit in the abdomen . In an elaborate mummification , this might be performed by a priest wearing a jackal mask to represent Anubis , the deity associated with mummification and the guardian of the Necropolis . Then the body would be washed inside and out with palm wine . The lungs , liver, intestines , and the stomach were removed , mummified separately , and put into Canopic Jars . The heart was left intact because Egyptians believed this is where the essence of a person resided . Because the ancient Egyptians did not recognize the cognitive function of the brain , it would be removed by breaking the thin bone separating the nasal and cranial cavities . This was accomplished by inserting a hooked rod through the nose , stirring the brain until it turned into a liquid , and pouring it out through the nose . The cranial cavity would then be swabbed with linen and hot resin poured into the cavity to seal it .
The body cavity and the separate parts might then be washed with palm wine again . The body was then placed in natron for about forty days , with packets of natron placed inside the chest cavity . Natron dehydrated the body , which , combined with the high salt concentration , prevented bacterial growth and the decay of the body .
The mummy was then wrapped in many layers of linen strips , sealed to the body by tar or resin . Magic amulets were put in the folds and were believed to protect the body from evil spirits and help the soul on its journey through the afterlife . The entire process was completed in seventy days , after which the mummy was delivered to the deceased person's family for burial .
The genius that we owe most of our modern knowledge of anatomy from is Leonardo daVinci . He was the first to perform autopsies on dead bodies to sketch the workings of the human skeletal , nervous , reproductive , and other systems . Seen as heracy or witchcraft daVinci continued his work until his death leaving an incredible manual of the male and female body .
In some ways Leonardo da Vinci ( 1452 - 1519 ) appears to be very traditional . He studies ancient sources such as Plato and Aristotle . It is likely that he may have studied Galen . He studies medieval sources such as Albert the Great and the anatomist Mondino de'Luzzi This tradition leads him to compare the microcosm of the body and the macrocosm of the world . These analogies extend to comparisons between arteries in the body and underground rivers in the earth ; the flow of blood to the head , with circulation of water to the summits of mountains ; or blood when a vein bursts in the nose and water rushing out of a burst vein of the earth . There is some evidence that he rejects these analogies in the final years of his life .
In the course of twenty years of study from 1489 to the end of his life Leonardo dissects at least 19 corpses . More is involved than simply recording the evidence of cadavers . Leonardo recognizes that in the process of dissecting a body, blood and other tissues often get in the way, and prevent one from drawing accurately. As a result he advises that the anatomist should make a model of the organ that he is dissecting and then use this as the basis for his drawing . In other cases these models are intended to reveal both structure and function . For instance, Leonardo makes a glass model of the heart such that the flow of millet seeds in clear water or using water with different coloured dyes so that flow patterns can be traced . Throughout he deals with anatomy and physiology together and does not make a clear distinction between them, as is done in modern medicine .
One of the most striking features of the notebooks is the manner in which Leonardo presents his work . There is effectively no criticism of shortcomings in earlier authors , nor boasting of his own accomplishments . Indeed his style is in the form of a teaching manual with descriptions written as advice : how one must proceed if one wishes to carry out these tasks oneself . These are the not the egocentric scribblings of an isolated, genial misfit . They are attempts to convey to a larger public a new method of presentation . His reliance on diagrams apparently posed serious problems for the printing presses of the day , which would explain Leonardo's plea late in life that financial considerations should not prevent one from publishing the work . According to Vasari , plans for publication continued for decades after his death . However , as far as the anatomical works were concerned , these came to nothing until the early 20th century , and had to wait until Dr. Keele's pioneering work ( 1979 - 1981 ) for a more serious treatment . It is no wonder that various features of Leonardo's method have not received the attention they deserve .
The above cases all involve different aspects or layers of the body as a whole, corresponding to Ptolemy's views of the earth as a whole . In the passage cited earlier where he makes the connection between Ptolemy's geographical maps and his own anatomical drawings , Leonardo mentions 15 complete drawings of the human figure . The incremental and cumulative dimension of his approach thus emerges. In this case Leonardo begins with a simple instance using 4 drawings . Since each of these is to be seen from the front, behind and the side, this means that 45 basic drawings are required.
Leonardo is equally interested in various parts of the body . He does a series of drawings of the head , neck and shoulders , arm , hand , leg and foot , in each case drawing these from different points of view and in different layers . It is also a question of showing how these various layers interact . The concern is not just to identify different parts of a system, but also to reveal how outer and inner relate .
Leonardo approach is similar with various inner organs : liver, pancreas, kidneys and renal system , sexual organs and particularly the lung and heart . In conjunction with this scheme he lists nine other organs : liver , spleen , kidney , womb , testicles , head , bladder , stomach , and intestine . Two of these refer to a specific gender . Even so, including the heart and lung , this still adds up to drawings of ten organs in a man , and an eleventh , the womb , in a woman . 462 illustrations .
I remember the first time that I came across an art exhibit that really caught my eye . It was made up of human and animal bodies that have been skinned . These bodies were posed in various ways to make them seem as if they were alive . The exhibit is called Body Worlds and has been generating many different views about it’s nature .
The first people from the UK to donate their bodies to a controversial art exhibition have said they are doing it to help educate the public. Some of the 22-strong group of donors gathered to explain to the public their decision to join the Body Worlds show when dead.
They also discussed how their bodies would be preserved and displayed with the man behind the show, German Professor Gunther von Hagens . The UK donors will join 5,000 more from around the world who have volunteered their bodies to become part of the display of flayed corpses and organs when they die.
Body Worlds has been seen by more than 200,000 people in London and a further eight million more around the world. Prof von Hagens says it is an anatomical and educational exhibition, but others have condemned it as a "freak show" and accused him of using bodies without consent.
Another donor, Lynne Hazel, 43, from Broughton Astley, Leicester, said she wanted to become a source of knowledge after her death. " It's about education, but I will be providing information after my death and that is my own personal choice," she said . Her daughter 17 year old Helen Taylor said she found it odd that she might take her children to an exhibition to see their grandmother one day, although she supported her mother's choice.
Raymond Edwards, 51, from Islington, North London, said : "For me it was about taking control of my death and what happens to me after I died . " I have been to so many funerals where I thought this person didn't want it to happen like this."
One of the youngest donors , Colin Hill, 17, from Chapel Allerton , Leeds , said his parents were a bit surprised, but it was " not a big problem" . He said : " It is all about reality for me, more than with art or in literature . " It shows what the human condition is and I was just pleased to be able to donate my body to give people the chance to experience the exhibition around the world."
A survey has shown that people in the UK are more willing to donate their bodies, with 38% of those questioned at the exhibition saying they would consider it . " People in this country are more sensible to consent ," Prof von Hagens said . He admitted that he had used some corpses without the consent of the deceased or their families in countries where the law allowed him to use bodies that had not been identified. But so many people have volunteered their bodies that he does not need to resort to more sinister methods, he said . " There is always some suggestion or other that I dig up some corpse in Siberia but no, see, I don't need to," he said .
So what can be done with the cremation ashes instead of putting the urn on display in the house ? Baseball fans may want their ashes scattered in their favorite ball park. Hiking enthusiasts often choose to have their ashes scattered on their favorite trail. It is really surprising to find out what new ways that ashes of the deceased can be transformed into lasting memories . The most unusual ways of using cremation ashes is by turning them into a diamond or combined with ink for a memorial tattoo .
Considered morbid by some and the ultimate form of memorializing a deceased loved one by others , using cremation ashes in a memorial tattoo , but may not necessarily be a wise decision. You will run into several obstacles including refusal by many tattoo artists and several health-related concerns . Do your homework before making the decision to include someone's bodily remains in a tattoo .
Research health issues surrounding the use of cremation ashes in tattooing . Due to the body's tendency to reject impurities , tattoo ink mixed with cremation ashes may be rejected as an impurity . This could leave you with an unflattering tattoo that may or may not be fixable . Worst case scenario , the ashes could cause an infection that may make you very ill or cause scarring in the tattooed area.
When a body is cremated , the residual bone matter will not be a fine dust but more like small pebbles or a sand-like substance . You need just the finest particles to mix in the tattoo ink . There are some who have also found various ways to grind the entire remains into a finer powder .
It's been suggested that you bake the cremation ashes you'll be using in order to "sterilize" them . The temperature at which the body is cremated should have eliminated any germs or diseases that might have been present in the body .
Search for a tattoo artist willing to use cremation ashes in a tattoo . Due to the uncertainty of introducing these foreign bodies into your skin and the lack of experience in using cremation ashes many tattoo artists are going to be hesitant to do the procedure.
Be prepared for negative feedback . Adding someone's remains to your body is considered pretty abnormal by society . You could get some hurtful comments , so be ready for any backlash . If you're confident in your decision then you'll have to find a positive way to deal with negative opinions.
You may feel your memorial tattoo will hold even more meaning with cremation ashes , it may not be the safest route to take . Be sure to research the topic thoroughly and if possible , get the advice of a doctor and any tattoo artists who've previously completed the process before making your final decision .
There are countless ways to memorialize a loved one, but probably none as unusual as turning their cremation ashes into a diamond . You can transform cremation ashes into a wearable treasure and a company called Life Gem has been doing this for many years .
Life Gem diamonds are molecularly identical to natural diamonds found at any high - end jeweler . To qualify as diamonds , they must have the exact same brilliance , fire , and hardness ( the hardest substance known ) as diamonds from the earth .
The diamonds are created individually from your specific carbon source in a patened process .. It begins by placing several ounces of ash in your own personal crucible that can withstand massive heat . This crucible can only be used once . After the crucible is placed in the furnace , the temperature is increased to just over 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit , to allow all of the elements except the carbon to oxidize . Continue to heat until the carbon has turned to graphite by adding a metal catalyst and a diamond seed crystal .
Place the core in a diamond press . Bring the temperature to about 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit and the pressure to about 800,000 pounds per square inch . The graphite will turn into a rough crystal . The Gem Cutter takes the crystal and uses faceting tools to cut it to your Life Gem specifications .
With the new advances in the process , capturing carbon from a lock of hair , is now available for those choosing burial . Pets are cherished companions and unconditionally loving family members . The company can and will create a Life Gem memorial of your precious pet . You will have your loved one with you and in your life at all times . And of course , as a one - of - a - kind diamond , it will be a treasured heirloom in your family for generations to come .
I still think that the traditional Irish Wake has to be one of the best celebrations of the dead . The traditional Irish Wake was commonplace around Ireland up until about the 1970's . This was the process of Laying out the body of a departed relative in the house where they lived and /or died . All of the family and quite a few of the deceased ones neighbors and friends would gather at the house . The body was usually in a coffin in the parlour or living room . There would be lots of food and plenty of drink to be consumed . People would come and socialise and remember the departed person's life . This wasn't a time for tears to say the least , it was more of a party than a funeral . It was the traditional Irish way of celebrating one's life and ensuring that they had a good send off . A proper Irish Wake is worth the time and effort required to return to the old customs . It is hard to imagine a passing being complete without one ! This raucous celebrations is used to Wake the dead thus the name . The Wake is the period of time from death until the body is conveyed to the care of the church which is generally the evening before the day of burial .
'KEENING & CRYING' is traditional and the vocalizations over the dead is very important . The mourning family produces either muffled sobs or loud wailing related to the depth of sorrow . In the event that the death was considered a “great loss” ( a parent leaving a large family or tragic or early death ) Keening is most intense and heartfelt . After a while of Keening mourners are led away from the bedside by a few neighbors and are consoled . Word is sent out to distant relatives and is spread with the help of a local shop or village and preparations for the wake are made .
A relative and a neighbor take part in the preparations. The Coffin is ordered ( traditionally made by a local carpenter at the Wake house ) . Supplies are brought in ; bread , meat , food of all kinds . Whisky , stout , wine , pipes , tobacco ,and snuff ( Tobacco and snuff are extremely important as is alcohol ) . The Wake house is now ready .
The Wake house is ready and a place for the corpse is determined by the house itself . A table , settle or bed in the kitchen or one of the rooms is used . A loft may be used . A plate of snuff is offered to the deceased and to all for a pinch . A clay pipe filled with tobacco is also offered and all are provided with food and drink - traditionally a meal . The clocks are stopped as a mark of respect . All mirrors are turned toward the wall or covered .
A corpse must not be left unattended for the entire Wake . The ceremony begins in the morning and with the end of the working day others in the community stop in . The visitation lasts until midnight .
Close neighbors remain till morning. They drink tea , whisky or beer and talk about general affairs . Anecdotes are told with quiet laughter but within a solemn and decorous mood . There are two funerals for the corpse, one in the evening and the second is when the body is taken to the graveyard on the next day .
Unfortunately the traditional Irish wake , is not that common anymore , and is mostly confined to the west of Ireland . Irish wakes mostly followed this patter , although Irish wakes in Roscommon , were known for the boisterous play and games .
It is nice to know that our Western Society is now starting to celebrate death with a sense of joy instead of sorrow . We as human beings all understand that death is unavoidable , so why not celebrate the persons life and new Karmic path as a spirit again . If you believe in re - incarnation then you understand that the spirit goes on , waiting to be reborn again as our shell rots in the Earth . Death
means no more pain , suffering , stress , anger and reuniting with passed loved ones . Does is really sound that bad ?
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DTOKENS OF THE DEPARTED : Recycling The Dead . An Article By John Boyd .