We all shed a tear when we lose a loved one, maybe even weep openly until our eyes turn red, but while grief is a natural part of the healing process, saying goodbye doesn't have to be a dour affair.
From colourful caskets, to artistic expression of love and loss and inventive ways to return one's body to nature, there is a growing movement around turning the loss of a loved one into a celebration of life.
The Senior takes a look at half a dozen inventive ways to celebrate the legacy of someone who has left an indelible mark on our lives.
Low on cost, high on innovation
Tender Funerals is a not-for-profit, community-led initiative which offers personalised, meaningful and affordable funerals to those experiencing financial hardship.
In addition to providing services that do not leave clients in a large amount of debt, Tender Funerals also aims to celebrate the unique personal traits and characteristics of the deceased.
Based on the philosophy that participating in the funeral process can be an enriching and life-affirming experience, family and friends are encouraged to be involved in any aspects of the funeral they wish.
The model also sees utilisation of a combination of staff and volunteers, so if the client can not afford a celebrant, a volunteer one can be provided.
Founded in Port Kembla, Tender Funerals also has a site on the NSW Mid-North Coast. Sites in Canberra, Perth, Tasmania, Far North Queensland, the NSW Hunter and Central Coast regions, Western Sydney, Melbourne's Greater East, Geelong and Surfcoast, Brisbane North and Gippsland are also set to open soon.
For more information call (02) 4276-1611 or click here.
Channeling grief through art
Funeral homes like Picaluna harness creativity as a powerful tool for healing, remembrance and celebration of life.
The service incorporates a range of forms of artistic expression, including coffin art, venue décor, live musical performances, poetry readings and visual tributes to honour the life of the individual in a truly original way,
These artistic elements help mourners to process their emotions by expressing their grief through creative outlets.
The funeral provider also offers services at various less orthodox locations, such as in bushland, or by the ocean, offers live streaming services, and local celebrants who collaborate with families to tailor services to each individual.
The funeral provider has numerous sites throughout the Sydney metropolitan area, as well as Newcastle, the NSW Central Coast and Melbourne.
For more information call (02) 9067-9537, (03) 9125-4813 or click here.
Back to earth's roots
For those who want to be returned to nature when they die, you can't get any closer than becoming one with a tree!
Located at the former golf course of Mornington Green on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, a company named Living Legacy Forest has developed a way to infuse a person's ashes into trees.
Ashes are injected into a range of tree species which are chosen based on the season a loved one was born.
Located on a site spanning 120,000 square metres of beautifully landscaped garden surroundings, this Living Legacy Forest offers a unique way of returning a person's body to nature, while also offering a greener alternative to traditional burials.
While ashes are normally toxic to the environment, the business hired a plant pathologist, who helped develop a method whereby a special liquid is infused with the ashes to reduce alkalinity and make them safe for the trees. The process has since been adopted by a number of other cemetery boards.
For more information, call (03) 9059-4959 or click here.
Diamonds are forever
Those who want to keep a loved one close and enjoy the finer things in life might want to turn their lost loved one into a diamond.
Swiss based company Lonite offers this service and has branches in both Sydney and Melbourne.
The business can take either the ashes or hair of a deceased person and turn it into a diamond with features of the client's choosing.
Ashes and hair are cleaned and processed to a 99.99 per cent pure carbon, free from heavy metals, unstable chemicals and colouring additives.
Memorial diamonds are certified by the Gemological Institute of America and International Gemological Institute.
For more information call (02) 8317-3356, (03) 9021-6894 or click here.
Becoming one with the ocean
Many ocean lovers request to have their ashes scattered at sea, but a men's shed off the coast of Western Australia has taken the idea one step further.
An initiative of Jurien Bay Men's Shed, Rest in Reef allows mourners to have their loved one's ashes incorporated into concrete balls.
The balls are then deposited into the ocean 220km north of Perth, forming an artificial reef.
The initiative started when Gabie Sutherland - the widow of former Men's Shed member Ron Sutherland - asked if her late husband's ashes could be incorporated into one of the reef balls members were making. The initiative has been approved by both the local council and state government.
Once the balls are dropped into the sea they are quickly covered in slime. This may not sound too pleasant, but the slime coloured balls are fertile grounds for the growth of sea life such as algae, mussels, soft corals and sea squirts.
For more information call Geoff Bunn on 0418-483-793 or Drew deMeur on 0427-522-380.
Let the record keep spinning
Music lovers may want to look abroad when deciding how to preserve their loved one's memory.
UK-based business And Vinyly can press ashes of a loved one into a vinyl record so you will always think of them when listening to your or their favourite tunes.
Ashes are placed onto the record just before pressing, creating pops and crackles in the audio which are bound to remind you of their presence.
For more information click here.
