It is always very difficult when somebody you love passes away. Especially if this person is a member of your family, it can feel like there is a big hole in your life which can never really be filled again. If this is how you felt when a loved one passed on, you are not alone. Remembering them can be painful, but is also an important part of the process of healing. While they aren’t with you in the physical world any more, they will live on in your memories and in the stories you tell about them. 

Tradition Versus Innovation

There are many traditional ways to remember those who have died – and there’s nothing wrong with these old ways. Some of these traditions include laying flowers regularly at the grave; scattering the person’s ashes in their favorite place; lighting a candle for them and keeping their picture on the wall. All these ceremonial acts of remembrance are important parts of our culture and should not be overlooked.

Nevertheless, in our modern era with increased technological advances, there are new and innovative ways to preserve the memory of your late loved one – while also embracing new ways to honor them too. Here are some innovative ways to remember and honor those who have passed.

1. Capsula Mundi

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For fans of nature and celebrators of the Earth, this one’s for you. Capsula Mundi, meaning ‘World’s Capsule’ in Latin, is an egg-shaped construction containing the ashes of a person which is then planted in the ground along with fertile seeds. A tree of your choice then begins to grow out of the ashes of the person who has passed away, eventually becoming a full-grown tree which contains the DNA and is nurtured by the ashes. This amazing capsule has become a highly popular alternative to traditional coffin burials, because it gives back to the Earth. Plus, you can plant the tree in your garden, and watch it grow every day. It is truly a special, touching way to honor your loved one. 

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1. Cremation Jewelry

Have you ever wanted to take a little piece of your loved one with you wherever you go? Well, you aren’t alone. There’s a reason why we wear our mother’s and grandmother’s jewelry after they are gone; we want to feel close to them all the time. Memory and memorial grief jewelry is a way to do this in an original way which keeps an actual piece of your person with you. Cremation jewelry can be in the form of encapsulated ashes into a locket or ring; alternatively, you can even have ashes made into diamonds using lab technology which compresses diamonds over a shorter time span. This allows you to have a piece of beautiful jewelry which you can wear every day, keeping your loved one with you while you go about your life. Many people find this a peaceful way to honor the dead, and that it helps inspire confidence in them to move through life and succeed at their goals with their loved one by their side. 

1. Sea Bed Stones

If the person who has passed away loved the ocean, then this is the perfect way to honor their passions. All around the world, reefs are struggling to survive due to global warming. You can now have a person’s ashes turned into reef balls which are placed on the sea bed and help sea life to thrive within their natural habitat. The reef balls are structured out of rough concrete which is porous, helping small creatures to latch onto them and create their habitat. From this simple reef ball structure, new coral, crustaceans and even sea creatures like fish can create a home for themselves and have a better chance of survival. 

If you have recently lost a nature-loving relative or friend, what better way to honor their passion for helping the Earth than with a sea bed reef ball made from their ashes? Laying someone to rest on the sea bed in a way that will help bring new life to the Earth seems like the perfect way to say goodbye. Your loved one will be providing life, even after death.

 

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1. A Vinyl Record

For music lovers out there, this is the perfect way to honor your loved one who loved to rock and roll. You can now have a person’s ashes converted into a vinyl record or a set of vinyl records which play their favorite songs. You can make them into a personalized album which includes artwork that you can design which represents your memories of that wonderful person. If your recently deceased friend or relative loved nothing more than to listen to music, play and sing, then this is the ideal sendoff for them.

1. Handing Them Out

 

As recently documented by Humans of New York, many people are taking the decision to give tiny vials of ashes out to each and every guest at the funeral – then asking them to share where they decided to scatter the vial. HONY documented one woman who did this for her husband, who said, ‘Mine got mixed into some ink and tattooed on my finger. The other vials have gone all around the world: seven continents, so many bodies of water, the Wailing Wall, the Great Barrier Reef.’ What a perfect way to celebrate the life of a recently passed on loved one – by allowing their friends and family to take them all over the world. 

 

Final Thoughts

There’s nothing wrong with honoring tradition, but if you are searching for new ways to remember and celebrate the life of a person you loved, use this helpful guide to come up with the perfect send-off. There are so many ways to hold a late loved one dear; try these new ones or come up with your own way to say thank you to them for all they did, and to put that love back out into the world. Although saying goodbye is hard, these innovative ways to remember them will help you feel at peace.