How important is burial?

Originally Posted by Hydra

So... I've had this awesome dog for eleven years, and he started having terrible seizures last week. My siblings and I have spent every last penny we've got on vet visits, bloodwork and medications just to find out they can't save him. He's gotten to be quite wretched, and they say it will only get worse, so we've decided to have him euthanised.

The vet would charge us $120 to have him euthanised there, and they'd give us the body back to bury him. The rescue society would charge us $50, but wouldn't release the body because the chemicals they use are so toxic. We're going to have to borrow the money anyway.

Thing is, I really want to bury him here on our land. It's another $70 that we don't have, but I have to have that sense that his remains weren't thrown away. Usually I give sentimental people a hard time... but this is just... weird. And its even weirder to be trying to decide with the dog still alive and looking at me. This all just sucks.

How important is burial to you? Or are there other rituals or customs that it just feels wrong to not carry out?

Keep this in mind. One's decision for burial alone can tell you everything about them. For instance, the different traditions of burials from different cultures and different timeperiods will tell you alot about that particular culture. It's a psychology thing.


Some say that cremation describes ones desire to be freed, that being cremated will release your essence from it's bound mortal coil. Whereas being buried could be described as ones desire to bound themselves to the life they lived (memory).


The different decisions one makes after death also describes their outlook on life. For example, tombs could signify enclosure, significance, importance. In life perhaps they looked at themselves as somewhat narcissistic in nature.

Being cremated and having your ashes in an urn could also signify your wanting to stay whereas having your ashes spread could be your longing to leave.



It's all in interpretation. The Egyptians were the closest to realizing that.

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