Cremation Stones vs. Urns: Choosing the Right Memorial for Your Loved One

There is no one right way to grieve the loss of a loved one. There is also no one right way to memorialize your loved one. What is meaningful to one individual or family may not be quite right for another – and that’s okay. This is a personal process and the best way to move forward is to learn about the options and choose the one that feels most appropriate to you. 

If you have been trying to determine what to do with ashes, we’d encourage you to look at the benefits of cremation stones. At The Sacred Stones, we offer this service to our customers as an urn replacement that will keep the memory of your loved one present and visible from day to day. Learn more below and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

 

Understanding Traditional Urns

Urns are the traditional method of storing remains. They come in virtually every possible shape and style, so there isn’t one single definition of what an urn can be or what it has to look like. You might choose to display an urn prominently in your home as a reminder of the person you’ve lost, or you may store it away for safe keeping.

 

What Makes Cremation Stones Different?

Cremation stones are another way to think about keeping ashes. Rather than storing them in an urn, you will have the ashes turned into stones that you can hold and touch. This might feel more meaningful to you, and it may accommodate other plans you have, such as creating an outdoor memorial. Turning ashes into stones feels like a meaningful transformation and you will appreciate the opportunity to hold your loved one close in this way.

 

Making Your Selection

As you try to sort out the debate of cremation stones vs. urns, it’s important to remember that there is no right or wrong here. You can’t celebrate someone that you loved in the “wrong” way, because it’s all about what feels suitable to you and your family. Just as many families have debated between holding ashes vs. scattering, many others have tried to decide if they want to keep ashes in an urn or create something like stones with them for a memorial.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself in this situation. Take your time to think it over, talk to your loved ones about the options, and only act when you feel settled and at peace with your choice.

 

A Beautiful Tribute

We fully respect the individual nature of grieving and would never question any family’s choice for a memorial, no matter what that may be. If your family has been looking at alternatives to urns and you believe that stones are the ideal way to remember your lost loved one, we would be honored to handle this important project for you. Learn more on the rest of our site or connect with us today to get started.

FAQ

Why Stones?

Stones speak to us.

They are beautiful solid reminders of connection and dependability.

They provide a way to hold and be close with your loved one in a tidy and touching way.

We spend a lot of our free time outdoors, particularly around water - trout fishing, kayaking, camping, hiking. Often, we collect rocks and stones as reminders of these adventures.

Believing in the power of stones as a part of nature, we began crafting ashes into their shapes. Starting in 2023, we developed a process that we believe gives people a beautiful alternative to the traditional ways of storing or scattering ashes.

Why Not Scatter Ashes Or Keep Them In An Urn?

  • While scattering ashes is a very common way to say our final goodbyes to a departed loved one, there are negative environmental impacts from this practice. Cremated human ashes contain very high levels of salts and highly alkaline components - these can cause damage to plants, soil microbes, soil nutrient balance, and leaching of salts into groundwater. Salt Stress in Plants and Mitigation Approaches
  • Everyone handles grief, loss, and death in their own way, and that is why we are here. Personally, we feel that transforming ashes into a form which can be touched and held close or returned to nature feels less confining than an urn or columbarium.

How Long Does The Process Take?

Our current order time is 4-5 weeks from when we receive your loved one's package in our workshop.

How Do I Ship The Ashes To You?

  • Currently the only legal method of shipment for cremated remains is via USPS Priority Express with appropriate labeling:

How to Package and Ship Cremated Remains

  • We will mail a package of shipping materials and instructions to your home once your order is received through our website. These should arrive within 5-10 business days from USPS.
  • *The buyer is responsible for the shipping cost of sending cremated remains to Sacred Stones*
  • We will keep you informed about the status of the shipped ashes and stones.

Are They Environmentally Friendly?

  • Our process involves the careful removal of excess salts and highly alkaline components of cremated remains prior to formation of the stones.
  • After the removal of these components, our stones and the solidified ashes within may be placed in nature without the concern of damage to the soil, water, and ecosystem.
  • Our stones include a protective shellac coating for increased longevity when exposed to the elements, without any risk of plastic or chemical contamination.

How Long Do Our Stones Last?

  • Our stones will last indefinitely indoors - outdoors they will break down over time due to normal wear and tear due to weather conditions. Over time meaning months to years (not days or hours).
  • Our stones are water-resistant but not waterproof, we use shellac as an environmentally friendly exterior coating (versus epoxy/plastics which would be waterproof but result in plastics being released into the environment). 

Do I Have To Order Online?

  • No, you are welcome to pay over the phone and we will confirm order detail with an itemized invoice.
  • We try to be as flexible as possible during such a difficult time of loss - we can process your payment through email or you can send us a check.

What Size And Color Are The Stones?

  • Each stone is approximately 2-4 inches wide.
  • Our collections of Sacred Stones use a variety of shapes and sizes so that each stone is unique. Each stone is modeled after a real stone collected from nature, so each one is perfectly unique.
  • Generally the stones are white to tan in color. But the color of the stones will be unique due to the natural variations in pigments contained within the cremated ashes of your loved one, reflecting their own unique characteristics and life to be remembered.