Cremation, a popular and well-known method of disposal of a corpse, is considered both an easier and more spiritual way of maintaining a connection with your loved ones after they pass away.
While the logistics of cremation are easier to understand, the energetic or spiritual meaning behind the ashes that remain is a bit more speculated. Some wonder if it may be considered bad luck to keep the ashes of your loved one in your home or living space, listing energy, religion, and even omens as the reasons why it may be unlucky. So, is it true?
What Different Cultures Believe?
When it comes to organized religion, there are many different views of what is to be done with ashes. While no religion necessarily denotes bad luck associated with the handling and placement of ashes, many religions do indoctrinate an understanding of traditional methods of handling or maintaining ashes for the wellbeing of your loved one’s spirit.
In the traditions of Buddhism, for example, you are encouraged to let go of your loved one’s ashes by spreading them in a physical place that either reminds you of your loved one or is directly connected to them. Rather than creating bad luck, maintaining your loved one’s ashes in your home is a sign of continued grieving. Once you spread the ashes in a place that feels memorialized, you may release certain levels of your grief through the ceremony of such actions.
When it comes to the traditions of Hinduism, the practice of immersing your loved one’s ashes into a river or body of water is necessary for the salvation of their spirit. Through the eyes of Hindu tradition, it may not be particularly bad luck for you to maintain the ashes in your home, however, it may have an effect on the afterlife of your loved one.
Similar to this, the traditions of Catholicism call for the ashes to be buried above ground or placed in an urn. In Catholicism, the most important thing to note is the tradition of keeping ashes in one place. It doesn’t necessarily matter where they are kept, in a facility or in your home, as much as it matters that they are not moved. Again, this is done to preserve or assist the soul of your loved one in their afterlife experience.
Preserving Ashes in Your Home: Bad Luck or Spiritual Connection?
When it comes to spiritual prophecy, however, the belief is that after death, the energy of your loved one is released into the afterlife and capable of visiting you, no matter what is done with their remains. Their energy remains intact as what we would refer to as a “soul” or “spirit”. It is through your loved one’s ashes and your memory of their life that you can forge a connection to their spirit. By connecting to their energy, you can feel them around you, watching over you and your life, and loving you from the other side. Energy is the key to this ongoing relationship you can have with your loved ones after their physical death, and their ashes hold an overwhelming amount of their energy.
When you consider the fact that your “spirit”, or your energy, is rooted in your physical body while you are alive, it is easy to understand that there is a certain essence of your energy left behind in your remains after you die. When it comes to keeping ashes in your home, it is not deemed good or bad luck, but rather a matter of energy. In fact, many spiritual mediums believe that keeping ashes in the home, particularly in a central or communal area, helps to keep the energy of your loved one concentrated and present in both your home and your life. Rather than considering it bad luck or an omen, it is considered more of a tool to assist with the grieving and healing process.
There may come a day when having such concentrated amounts of your loved one’s energy in your living space may impede your ability to move forward. However, even then, that is something to be determined by you and your emotional attachment to their ashes. While it won’t inhibit your grieving process to keep the ashes in your living space for as long as you live, it may be more healing and helpful for you to take a pointer from Buddhist traditions and seek out a place to spread the ashes and let them go. Through the process of memorializing a place that your loved one enjoyed and releasing their ashes into freedom, you may feel a sense of relief within your heart space. This can greatly assist the healing of grief in your heart as it acts as both release and closure at the same time.
Of course, there is no rule or reason why you must release the ashes of your loved one. If it serves your heart to hold onto their ashes and keep close to their physical energy, there is no harm in keeping the ashes in your home. On the other side of things, there is also no harm in releasing or letting go of the ashes. If you are unsure of whether or not you are ready to part with your loved one’s ashes, you could consider releasing a small amount of the ashes somewhere that feels significant to you. Over time, you may find it healing and helpful to spread smaller amounts in different places of memorialization or significance.
In the end, ashes or no ashes, the energy of your loved one will always remain by your side, guiding you and loving you through life. The truth of the matter is that the placement of ashes in your home is more about your own grieving and healing process than that of being bad luck. While you may not want to house the ashes of someone you did not know or have a positive relationship with, do know that at the end of the day, the ashes carry the energy of their loving, healed spirit. While it may be strange to feel their energy so present in your home, it is not bad or harmful to do so.
Through the traditions and unique ways that you remember and carry your loved ones with you, healing occurs. Whether you keep their ashes by your side until the time comes to join them in the afterlife, or you release them out into the world with love and reverence, know that your loved one can always be felt by simply closing your eyes, placing a hand gently on your heart, and feeling the love you have for them. Whether you keep their ashes in your home or release them into the breeze, know that you will always have access to feeling their energy. When it comes down to it, the energy of your loved one is always just a thought away!
Jillian Amann is an astrologer, tarot reader and a metaphysical teacher who lives in St. Petersburg, United States. She completed her study at Arthur Findlay School of Psychic Sciences and went on to meet several spiritual advisors & mentors thus mastering her craft for almost five years. She is currently the founder of Red Rose Readings a metaphysical coaching Business and provides personalised readings, reports, horoscopes, tarot etc to several people. Jillian loves writing and hopes to connect people to their loved ones in spirit and connect people to their own spirit.