Living on a small, rural island I quite frequently come across creatures whose spirits have left their bodies.
Usually, I move them and say a small prayer as I put them into the brush or the sea.
One day, I had a strange thought. What if I could cremate them, and create tiny vessels to hold the cremains that honoured the life of the creature?
So I did.
My brother in law works at a cemetery and sometimes runs the crematorium. I asked his advice, and then followed my intuition.
I use a small soup can for each creature, keeping the open end of the can slightly tilted up to avoid collecting wood ask. I use a small cedar campfire. I crouch low and think peaceful and loving thoughts. I turn the can once every little while. It takes a couple of hours.
These vessels I have created house a small portion of each animal. I will make more.
They are loved.
so much little 