Daily Archives: November 13, 2024

How to Display Urn at Your Home

Losing a loved one is a profoundly personal journey that often leaves an emotional void, but finding ways to keep their memory alive can offer a sense of closeness and peace. One tangible way to honour them is by creating a comforting space for their cremated remains.

Choosing where and how to display an urn at home can be deeply meaningful and, when done thoughtfully, can blend harmoniously into the home’s ambiance. Here, we explore ideas and guiding principles on selecting and arranging a place for an urn in a way that reflects both respect and love.

Choosing a Meaningful Display for an Urn

When considering how to display an urn, it’s essential to think about its placement in a way that aligns with the essence of your loved one’s life. Many find comfort in displaying the urn in a room where the deceased spent a significant amount of time, like their study or favourite sitting area. Doing so creates a personal link, bringing warmth and continuity into the home.

For those who feel drawn to keeping a part of the ashes closer to their own person, small portions can be encased in cremation jewellery, such as pendants or rings. This can allow family members to feel the presence of their loved one wherever they go while keeping the larger urn as a central memorial piece within the home.

Selecting a Location for the Urn: Commonly Chosen Spots

Some families choose to keep urns prominently displayed as a respectful tribute, while others prefer a more private location. Common locations include:

  • The Mantelpiece: A focal point in many homes, the mantel is often a suitable place for an urn. Positioned with other treasured family photos or memorabilia, it becomes part of a family legacy display.
  • Corner Shelves: A quiet corner can be transformed into a simple yet dignified shrine where the urn rests surrounded by other significant keepsakes. This setup often exudes a sense of calm and reflection.
  • Glass Cabinets or Niche Compartments: Some people prefer displaying urns within a glass cabinet, either alone or alongside mementoes that were important to the deceased. This can also protect the urn from dust while allowing it to be visible.
  • Personalised Memorial Space: For families who want a designated area for reflection, a dedicated space in the home might be ideal. By combining the urn with photographs, awards, or personal items, you create a tribute that represents their passions, achievements, and unique qualities.

Using Feng Shui Principles in Urn Placement

In certain cultures, the practice of Feng Shui offers guidance on creating a peaceful energy flow within the home, and this extends to the placement of urns. Feng Shui suggests that placing the urn in a location that aligns with positive energy directions can harmonise the household’s energy. For example, if your home faces North or South, you may want to position the urn in the Northern or Southern areas of your home.

Conversely, if your home faces Northeast or Southeast, placing the urn in an Eastern room could be beneficial. This careful placement can be a way of ensuring a balanced and comforting atmosphere while keeping the memory of your loved one in a place of honour.

Considering the Size and Style of the Urn

The size and design of the urn can greatly influence its placement. Smaller keepsake urns or pet urns can fit comfortably on a bedside table or bookshelf. These smaller urns are subtle, offering a gentle reminder of your loved one’s presence without being overpowering.

Larger urns, on the other hand, can become a central feature of a room, and families might choose to place them in a living room, entryway, or another common area where they are visible to family and friends. Matching the style of the urn to the room’s decor also allows the urn to feel like a seamless part of the space. For example:

  • Wooden or Bamboo Urns: Perfect for rooms with natural or Eastern aesthetics, adding a warm, earthy presence.
  • Classic Ceramic or Marble Urns: These work beautifully in more traditional or contemporary settings, giving an elegant touch that speaks to timelessness and permanence.
  • Customised Urns: If your loved one had a particular hobby, passion, or favourite colour, many urns can be custom-designed to reflect these aspects, creating a more personal tribute that resonates with their individuality.

Creating a Memorial Space for Reflection

For those who wish to honour their loved one with a dedicated memorial area, creating a special corner or room can be deeply fulfilling. This space can be adorned with meaningful objects, such as framed photos, awards, favourite books, or small personal items, creating a small sanctuary within your home that preserves their essence and spirit.

This can serve as a comforting place where family members can visit, reflect, and feel close to their loved one’s memory, especially on anniversaries or special occasions.

Practical Considerations for Displaying an Urn

In choosing a spot for an urn, it’s essential to consider both the practicality and the durability of the chosen location. For instance, placing an urn where it could easily be bumped or knocked over may lead to unintentional distress. A stable surface, away from direct sunlight and high-traffic areas, can be ideal, preserving the urn’s condition over time. If you have young children or pets, placing the urn out of reach can provide peace of mind.

Balancing Elegance and Simplicity in Display

When designing a space around the urn, the goal is often to strike a balance between honouring the deceased’s presence and integrating the urn in a way that feels naturally part of the home.

Many find that choosing understated elements—like soft lighting, natural flowers, or simple decorative items—enhances the tranquillity of the area without drawing attention away from the urn itself. For families who prefer a more subtle approach, urns that resemble decorative vases or sculptures may be a thoughtful choice.

Embracing Personal Traditions and Beliefs

Each family’s approach to displaying an urn will vary based on personal beliefs, traditions, and cultural practices. Some may find solace in placing the urn in a room where they spent cherished moments together, while others might opt for a prominent place to reflect respect and memory openly.

Taking the time to understand what feels right for you and your family can make the placement more meaningful, transforming it into a gesture that honours the life and spirit of your loved one.

Conclusion: Honouring the Journey Together

When it comes to displaying an urn at home, the objective is ultimately to create a space that embodies love, respect, and the cherished memories shared with the departed.

Whether through a dedicated memorial area, a discreet display on a shelf, or a personal piece of jewellery, these choices offer family members a tangible way to hold onto memories while gently reminding them of the beauty of the life that was lived.

Selecting and arranging a resting place for the urn not only honours the life of your loved one but also becomes a comforting focal point for you to reconnect with them in moments of remembrance, providing solace in the quiet, sacred moments shared in your own home.

Embracing Traditions: Ritual of Urn Placement

The process of placing a loved one’s cremated remains into an urn is a deeply emotional and significant act for bereaved families, often involving those closest to the deceased. Here’s how this tender ritual typically unfolds, reflecting the care and respect that families bring to each step:

Choosing the Right Urn: Selecting an urn is the first step in this process, and it’s one that carries a lot of emotional weight. Families often choose materials that not only reflect the durability and beauty they want to honor their loved one with but also resonate with symbols of meaning. Whether it’s the strength depicted by dragons or the purity of lotus flowers, the design of the urn can serve as a lasting tribute to the deceased’s spirit and legacy.

Preparing the Remains: Once the urn has been selected, the next step is to prepare the remains. The remains should be handled solemnly and with respect, typically by immediate family members or those closest to the deceased, to maintain the intimacy and personal nature of the process. This may include cleansing the remains with wine and wrapping them in cloth—a gesture that honours the physical presence of their loved one one final time.

Placing the Remains in the Urn: Placing the remains involves more than just a physical act; it’s a symbolic reassembly of the person who has passed.

Starting from the feet and moving up to the head, each bone is placed in order, culminating with the skull. The skull, symbolizing the deceased’s memories and legacy, is placed last and often by a particularly close family member, underscoring its importance.

Sealing the Urn: Sealing the urn is a solemn conclusion to the process. As the lid is secured, some families choose to say a few words or perform a brief ritual. This isn’t just about ensuring the physical safety of the remains but about providing a spiritual seal as well, a promise to keep the deceased safe and remembered.

Deciding on Memorialisation: Whether choosing to place the urn in a carefully selected niche in a columbarium or keeping it at home in a special spot, the decision is deeply personal. Families take care to choose a place that feels right, often guided by principles of harmony and respect, ensuring their loved one rests in peace.

Adding Personal Touches: Throughout this process, families often add small personal touches that speak to the life and passions of the deceased. From placing personal mementos inside the urn to selecting an inscription that captures their essence, these details make the memorial unique and deeply personal.

This careful, step-by-step approach allows families to come together to honor their loved one in a manner that is both meaningful and respectful, helping them to start the healing process through a shared act of remembrance.