To Be a Tree or Not To Be a Tree?
Until I heard about tree burials, I just wanted to have my body tossed in some deep woods to be consumed by the carrion eaters OR since that’s NOT an option, to donate my body to science after this soul has left this meat suit.
Then I met my husband and we both decided that we wanted to fertilize a tree. He wants to be a cherry tree and have a sign that says, “EAT ME!” Because of course he does. I’m partial to birches and oaks myself. I don’t know that we’d have tree options, though.
Nor do I know how much a tree burial would be. One would think that its more affordable than putting a large hunk of garbage in the ground. But then the “green” alternatives tend to be more expensive than the fancy over-priced caskets.
On Midspring, I was sitting outside with my Spirit Stick communing with Nature and enjoying the weather. Doing the 2 Powers Meditation and breathing deep. Lately I’ve been focusing on my seiðr and runework studies and practices. I was thinking about some of the burials of possible seiðr workers found and about my own.
I don’t know that I could be buried with my seiðr tools and staff if I were to choose the tree option. Even if I broke my Spirit Stick down to be held by my fetal positioned body. Not all the materials on my Spirit Stick are nature friendly—there’s some paint and sealer on it (I’m working on having more nature-friendly tools).
The best option for having garb and tools with me would be the box options. I’m pretty sure some places offer simple pine caskets that will biodegrade and let the underground carrion eaters consume me (if not, toss some soil and worms in my box—GIVE MY BODY BACK TO NATURE TO BE CONSUMED, DAMN IT!).
My grandma Hester was buried with some items, as many folks are. She had a quilt that a family member made her and that she was sure to have a photo taken with each of the grandkids and great grandkids up until her death in September 2014. As well as a couple of coins for the crossing payment.
I’d like to be buried in my finest ritual garb and priestess jewelry and tools. As much as I’d love to have my magikal tools passed down to my descendants, I don’t know if my kids will have kids of their own, OR if any will approve of me being what I am. I’d hate for them to throw it all away due to willfully ignorant limiting beliefs. …I’d hate for any of our descendants to undo a lot of the generational healing that I’ve been doing, honestly. Hoping that I can teach my children to be stronger and smarter than that. Can’t control people, just try to teach them em to be better.
I’d much rather my magikal and spiritual garb and tools be buried with my body than tossed… and for the chance that maybe an archologist centuries from now will exhume my burial and find some interesting stuff. Maybe I’ll have a metal engraving addressing the scientists explaining who I was and what the items were….assuming of course that American English is still a language by that time.
Might be fun!
Maybe I could be buried in my pine box at the base of my husband’s tree? Kind of romantic! Could also become a place of power…I dunno! Who knows what my death future holds, huh?
Either way I should probably update my our Advanced Directives and funeral wishes.
Also, I’m not dying anytime soon—that I’m aware of anyway! Ya never know what the Universe has in store for you—but it’s never too soon to plan for your own funeral. If you haven't already, look into Advanced Directives, especially if you have some disrespectful relatives who might be in control of your funeral and/or might do uncool things at your funeral, like say misgender you, hide your sexuality, disrespect your partner(s), or give you a Christian or religious funeral when you're neither. Advanced Directives legally give you power to appoint someone else who will respect your death wishes and should stop that bullshit. Fuck, you can even ban those disrespectfully willfully ignorant people.
Some say that funerals are for the living, but they’re also for the dead. I’m a Priestess, Seiðrkona, Völva, and a member of the Druid Fellowship ADF. I’m not sure what my funeral will look like, but I have some notes—I definitely want it to be Pagan and in line with my beliefs and rituals. I know I definitely want an ADF Druid Clergy Person or whatever group I’m a member of. I have been leaning more into Norse Paganism, so maybe I’ll have a Goði or someone? I definitely want a table for the Kindreds, with offering bowls, for those who feel the need.
I’ve read Do I Have to Wear Black? by Mortellus and other pagan funerary practices by others over the years, and I know some cultures and spiritual paths have family members—particularly women—wash the bodies in herbs and oils. I don’t know about doing all that right now, however I do like the idea of my family or chosen family to care for my body. Dress me in my ritual garb and such. I know cosmetics are more for hiding the discoloration, but I don’t wear make up because I’m allergic to it. I’d rather not wear it when I’m dead. I do wear ritual masks and veils, however, if some kind of cover is needed, I’d rather it be one of my masks or even a veil. But more research would have to be done, like talking to funerary folks and if it must be done, looking into more natural options.
I have other notes and wishes. Regardless of how I go, I hope it’ll be a celebration of life and love. Hopefully I have plenty of time to plan. But Advanced Directives, yall, look into them, or whatever your state or country has.
I offer psychic readings if interested. I’m a Psychic Medium who can channel Deities, Spirits, and the Dead—human and animal. These entities may use pendulums, cards, runes, automatic writing/typing/drawing, possession, or energies to answer your questions. I accept venmo and trade. Click the link above for more information.
Readings will be offered on my Etsy soon.
Until then, you can email me at foxtorchphoto18@gmail.com
Until I heard about tree burials, I just wanted to have my body tossed in some deep woods to be consumed by the carrion eaters OR since that’s NOT an option, to donate my body to science after this soul has left this meat suit.
Then I met my husband and we both decided that we wanted to fertilize a tree. He wants to be a cherry tree and have a sign that says, “EAT ME!” Because of course he does. I’m partial to birches and oaks myself. I don’t know that we’d have tree options, though.
Nor do I know how much a tree burial would be. One would think that its more affordable than putting a large hunk of garbage in the ground. But then the “green” alternatives tend to be more expensive than the fancy over-priced caskets.
On Midspring, I was sitting outside with my Spirit Stick communing with Nature and enjoying the weather. Doing the 2 Powers Meditation and breathing deep. Lately I’ve been focusing on my seiðr and runework studies and practices. I was thinking about some of the burials of possible seiðr workers found and about my own.
I don’t know that I could be buried with my seiðr tools and staff if I were to choose the tree option. Even if I broke my Spirit Stick down to be held by my fetal positioned body. Not all the materials on my Spirit Stick are nature friendly—there’s some paint and sealer on it (I’m working on having more nature-friendly tools).
The best option for having garb and tools with me would be the box options. I’m pretty sure some places offer simple pine caskets that will biodegrade and let the underground carrion eaters consume me (if not, toss some soil and worms in my box—GIVE MY BODY BACK TO NATURE TO BE CONSUMED, DAMN IT!).
My grandma Hester was buried with some items, as many folks are. She had a quilt that a family member made her and that she was sure to have a photo taken with each of the grandkids and great grandkids up until her death in September 2014. As well as a couple of coins for the crossing payment.
I’d like to be buried in my finest ritual garb and priestess jewelry and tools. As much as I’d love to have my magikal tools passed down to my descendants, I don’t know if my kids will have kids of their own, OR if any will approve of me being what I am. I’d hate for them to throw it all away due to willfully ignorant limiting beliefs. …I’d hate for any of our descendants to undo a lot of the generational healing that I’ve been doing, honestly. Hoping that I can teach my children to be stronger and smarter than that. Can’t control people, just try to teach them em to be better.
I’d much rather my magikal and spiritual garb and tools be buried with my body than tossed… and for the chance that maybe an archologist centuries from now will exhume my burial and find some interesting stuff. Maybe I’ll have a metal engraving addressing the scientists explaining who I was and what the items were….assuming of course that American English is still a language by that time.
Might be fun!
Maybe I could be buried in my pine box at the base of my husband’s tree? Kind of romantic! Could also become a place of power…I dunno! Who knows what my death future holds, huh?
Either way I should probably update my our Advanced Directives and funeral wishes.
Also, I’m not dying anytime soon—that I’m aware of anyway! Ya never know what the Universe has in store for you—but it’s never too soon to plan for your own funeral. If you haven't already, look into Advanced Directives, especially if you have some disrespectful relatives who might be in control of your funeral and/or might do uncool things at your funeral, like say misgender you, hide your sexuality, disrespect your partner(s), or give you a Christian or religious funeral when you're neither. Advanced Directives legally give you power to appoint someone else who will respect your death wishes and should stop that bullshit. Fuck, you can even ban those disrespectfully willfully ignorant people.
Some say that funerals are for the living, but they’re also for the dead. I’m a Priestess, Seiðrkona, Völva, and a member of the Druid Fellowship ADF. I’m not sure what my funeral will look like, but I have some notes—I definitely want it to be Pagan and in line with my beliefs and rituals. I know I definitely want an ADF Druid Clergy Person or whatever group I’m a member of. I have been leaning more into Norse Paganism, so maybe I’ll have a Goði or someone? I definitely want a table for the Kindreds, with offering bowls, for those who feel the need.
I’ve read Do I Have to Wear Black? by Mortellus and other pagan funerary practices by others over the years, and I know some cultures and spiritual paths have family members—particularly women—wash the bodies in herbs and oils. I don’t know about doing all that right now, however I do like the idea of my family or chosen family to care for my body. Dress me in my ritual garb and such. I know cosmetics are more for hiding the discoloration, but I don’t wear make up because I’m allergic to it. I’d rather not wear it when I’m dead. I do wear ritual masks and veils, however, if some kind of cover is needed, I’d rather it be one of my masks or even a veil. But more research would have to be done, like talking to funerary folks and if it must be done, looking into more natural options.
I have other notes and wishes. Regardless of how I go, I hope it’ll be a celebration of life and love. Hopefully I have plenty of time to plan. But Advanced Directives, yall, look into them, or whatever your state or country has.
Thanks for all of the Hearts, Follows, Subscribing, Purchases, Bookings, and Recommendations. I really do appreciate the support.
Trust in Sunna. Trust in Joy. Follow the Bees…
~ Priestess Foxlyn
I offer psychic readings if interested. I’m a Psychic Medium who can channel Deities, Spirits, and the Dead—human and animal. These entities may use pendulums, cards, runes, automatic writing/typing/drawing, possession, or energies to answer your questions. I accept venmo and trade. Click the link above for more information.
Readings will be offered on my Etsy soon.
Until then, you can email me at foxtorchphoto18@gmail.com