Common Misconceptions And Fears About Cremation Corrected And Allayed

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There are some people who are terrified about being buried in the ground. Then there are others who cringe at the thought of being cremated. Even though, in both instances, you will be just a flesh-shell, it is difficult to reconcile these fears. However, there are many misconceptions about cremation services, and these misconceptions are often the cause for such irrational fears. Once the misconceptions are corrected, the fears are easily allayed.

Myth #1: Keeping One's Ashes Causes One's Ghost or Spirit to Remain

There is no evidence whatsoever that keeping a loved one's ashes causes their ghost or spirit to haunt the living. In fact, there is no evidence that ghosts or spirits exist at all. That is not to say that you should not or cannot believe in such things; only that it is highly unlikely that your own spirit/ghost would remain or return to haunt your family. In cases where "ghost hunters" found spectral entities, none of these entities were tied in any way to urns filled with ashes. Additionally, most people who believe in the supernatural argue that once a body is burned, a spirit has nothing to tie it to this world. At any rate, you really have nothing to fear in that realm.

Myth #2: If Someone Accidentally Inhales Your Ashes, You Are a Cannibal

Stranger things have been said, but this one sounds funny if you say it out loud. Yet, there are a lot of people that worry about this exact thing. The truth is, cannibalism only applies to people who regularly consume the actual flesh of a person. Ashes do not count, as ashes are no longer flesh. It is also very difficult to accidentally inhale someone's ashes, as cremains are very gritty and heavy, like sand. It takes a lot of wind blowing in just the right direction to get any granule of human ash into one's face, too. All of your surviving family relatives are safe from the extremely remote possibility of inhaling you after a cremation. 

Myth #3: Comforting Words Are Part of the Cremation Services

If you are thinking about which way you want your remains to go after death (i.e., cremation or burial), you should know that comforting words and relieving pre-death anxieties are considered part of the services offered by funeral homes and crematoriums. That includes the above fears and misconceptions, which are easily allayed and corrected. If you have any other concerns about cremation, you can always ask a funeral director or cremation service.


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