Pushing up Daisies

 

 

Nature designed life.  Nature designed life to increase and multiply.   Nature then designed death to make room for new life.

 

Walk into the woods or meadows and visit with Nature.  You will be in the presence of much life.  There will be plants and animals, large and small. There will be life in abundance.

 

Now take a closer look.  There is an equal amount of death.  There will be dead grass and leaves, fallen limbs and trees, even dead animals and insects.

 

When a plant or animal dies it will eventually be eaten by the decomposing microbes.  They will decay or disassemble it and put it back into the soil.

 

This life-death-decay-life cycle has built the thin layer of fertile soil that covers our land. It nourishes and grows our plants, which are the bridge of life between the soil and man

 

The laws of Nature demands that all expired life be recycled back to the soil to serve as food and energy to support future life.

 

Nature did not exempt the human body from this cycle.  Should not it too be recycled?  

 

Mutilating the human body by embalming is a grave injustice to the natural laws.   Embalming consists of draining the liquids, plugging the orifices, wiring the jaw shut then pumping the body full of toxic chemicals that could someday pollute the Earth.

 

To further the injustice, the body it is then sealed in a plastic, fiberglass, metal or concrete box or tomb and buried beyond the reach of the decomposing microbes.

 

The graveyard where the body is placed is taking up land that could be used for food production, playgrounds or other useful needs.  Many times the graveyards are not well kept and become an eyesore.

 

The casket and tomb the body is placed in is made from raw materials and energy, which are both becoming short in supply.  The manufacturing process, along with digging the grave, uses more energy, which still creates more pollution.   

 

There has to be a better way to lay a body to rest.  A way which is more respectful and in tune with the natural laws.

 

In Nature, all plants and animal bodies are disassembled, consumed, and returned to the Earth by the decomposing microbes.  These microbes can detoxify poisons and destroy harmful pathogens as they maintain and build soil fertility.

 

Wouldn't this also be a more respectful way to handle our deceased?  The large compost companies around the country have discovered that large animals completely disappear within two weeks or less when placed in an active compost pile. Even, a full-grown horse or a 2,000 lb. bull is completely consumed.  All that is left are horseshoes or a plastic ear tag if the bull had one.  No teeth, no bones, hide or hair are left behind.  Just the memory, elements and energy contained in the compost.

 

If human bodies were composted, that person could literally push up daisies.

The remaining compost could enrich the soil in flowerbeds, gardens or farms.

 

By composting the body, the laws of Nature are not violated and the cycles of life could continue.

How to lay my body to rest

I would want my body dressed in a white linen or cotton gown.  Then, if necessary, held in cold storage until I could be gently placed on a warm bed of compost that no longer has a foul odor but still microbially active.  Then my living relatives and friends could use shovels and buckets to cover me with a thick blanket of more warm active compost.  During this laying and covering process the religious rituals would be preformed.

 

This composting process could be done in a container decorated with silver and gold.  For proper composting aeration, the bottom, sides and top are made of fine mesh stainless wire cloth.  This container could be placed on a trailer or have wheels of it's own.  It could be pulled behind white prancing horses or a shiny black automobile.

 

At the location my body is to be returned to nature such as, my farm, gardens or meadow, the container will be parked until my body is completely consumed.  Then the container would be opened so my elements and energy can be distributed over the land to start the timeless cycling journey through higher and higher forms of life.  Then finally, once again, the highest form of life.

 

Eternally

Malcolm Beck