More and more people are having difficulty in deciding whether or not to be buried below ground, or if they should opt for an above ground burial instead. Most people don’t even want to think about death, but the debate rages on – should you be buried below or above ground?
There are typically three ways you can choose to be buried:
• Mausoleum
• Grave
• Tomb
Mausoleums are above ground structures that house the body of the deceased, in full form or cremation, with a shrine being built to memorialize the body. A grave is a dug out hole in the ground where the body is placed, usually in a coffin, and a tomb is and above ground grave, such as a vault.
Many people have strong spiritual beliefs that make them feel closer to nature and the elements of life. These believe that an above ground mausoleum would put them closer to those elements while they rest eternally.
Others can’t stand the thought of being put in a box for the rest of eternity while worms and other bugs eat away at their flesh. These people might be more comfortable knowing that they are in an above ground tomb where friends and loved ones can still visit them to pay their respects.
Then there are those that just go with the old fashioned way of thinking and say that a pine box in the earth will suit them just fine. These folks are perfectly comfortable being buried six feet under the ground during their eternal resting period.
Which Type Of Burial Is Better?
There really is no definitive answer as to which option is better. Different people have different feelings and opinions on the matter. In certain parts of the country, and world for that matter, it is widely considered normal practice to be buried in mausoleums above ground. Certain regions are swampy and experience large amounts of rain year round, whether from hurricanes or other natural phenomena. People in these parts would rather have their loved ones remains above ground so that flood waters don’t ravage the land below, shifting bodies about, or even causing them to come above ground.
Other reasons could be based upon religious or spiritual beliefs of a person or culture. There are some that believe a mausoleum or a tomb is a better way to enshrine their loved ones, so that they will feel closer to them. There are plenty of reasons why above ground burials are preferred. Money, however, is usually a great deterrent to the above ground option.
It is very expensive to be buried above ground and the costs can be astronomical for family members left behind if they need to keep paying fees for upkeep and such. Family plots are very common; reducing costs overall, but there is still a large financial aspect to consider when choosing a tomb or mausoleum to be buried in.
Other cultures believe that burying loved ones in the earth holds more spiritual meaning because it puts them back into the earth that they once came from. Indian tribes are a good example of this as they believed we are all born from earth, so it only makes sense that we be reunited with it once we are gone.
Whether you choose to be buried above or below ground, you will have a place where people can come to be with you. Choosing the right option for you is based upon your beliefs and values.
This post is brought to you by regularlink.com member Greer Family Mortuary.