Is It Bad Luck to Keep Ashes in the House?

No, it is not bad luck to keep ashes in the home. The reason that so many people think that it is bad luck to keep ashes in the home goes back to an old ruling by the Vatican that forbade Catholics to keep ashes in the home.

Some people that are superstitious may also consider it to be creepy or bad luck to keep ashes in the home.

It is not unlucky to leave ashes in the home, as the general consensus on ashes in the home outside of the Vatican is that there is nothing wrong with it. When someone passes and is cremated, there are many things to consider about where the ashes will be stored.

What it will mean to those left behind is considered as well.

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Why do people think it’s bad luck?

There are many laws surrounding how humans are managed after they pass on, and this is enough to give people pause about their luck when it comes to decisions such as cremation. For many, the decision of cremation is easier as it leaves more time than burial does for families to make decisions about their loved ones.

A key reason, however, that people think it’s bad luck to keep ashes in the home is connected to the Vatican’s decision to forbid Catholics from keeping ashes in the home.

Catholics are not allowed

Overall, Catholics are not allowed to use loved ones’ ashes for personal purposes. They cannot scatter ashes, divide them between family members, or have them transformed into sentimental products.

Catholics can cremate their loved ones, bury their loved ones, or put them in a mausoleum, which is still a very common practice today amongst Catholics.

Catholics can and do cremate their loved ones, but they must bury the ashes according to Vatican rules. This is one reason that people think keeping ashes in the home is bad luck.

Another reason lies in general spirituality or belief in the paranormal, where loved ones think they will be haunted or punished by those that have passed on if they are kept in the home.

Do loved ones bring negative energy into the home?

There is some anecdotal evidence that ashes kept in the home can bring some paranormal or spiritual energy into the home. For many people, this is a good thing, and they enjoy feeling their loved ones around them.

There are, however, stories on the Internet, social media, and in everyday conversation that suggest that sometimes having ashes in the home can invoke dreary or negative energy.

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Outside of the ruling of the Vatican, many religions believe that humans came from the Earth and must go back to the Earth upon death. Approximately 70 percent of Americans believe in God, and it is estimated that across the world, only 7 percent of the world is atheist.

Believing in something higher than the human realm is a strong deterrent for many that want to keep ashes in the home.

Many simply believe that ashes that are kept anywhere must be honored and kept safe and sacred. That belief alone would not be enough to cause negative energy in the home unless you were sincerely afraid of being unlucky for having them in the home.

Then, your behavior would make the entire experience unpleasant and would bring negative energy into the home on its own.

How can I keep ashes in the house safe?

There are many ways that you can keep ashes in the home safe. Urns are a very popular choice for keeping ashes in the home.

Many people also use boxes with strong seals on them and store the ashes in a safe place, such as a favored spot of the loved one.

Another thing that people do with ashes is to have them transformed into art. Sometimes, this can be a painting or a sculpture where the ashes are sealed inside the sculpture.

Ashes of loved ones are also frequently used in pots for plants and can also be spread or scattered into gardens.

Ashes do not have an expiration date, and this is a key reason people prefer to keep them. They want to keep their loved ones close.

Additionally, the decision on where to store or transfer them can be put off for as long as you need.

What is the best way to transfer ashes?

When you get ashes from the funeral home that manages the cremation, you will frequently get them in a plastic bag. You may be offered ways to transfer them at the funeral home so that you don’t have to worry about this concern.

That typically comes with an additional cost and will be a factor in your decision when making your arrangements for cremation.

cremation

If you choose to consider your own transfer arrangements at your own desired expense at a later date, there is nothing wrong with keeping them in the same bag or container the crematorium gives them to you in. You can then transfer just the bag into a sealed container of your choice and keep them in your home whenever and wherever you like.

Ashes from a crematorium will not have an odor unless the crematorium used incense or another element for ceremonial purposes.

When you are looking for something to transfer the ashes to, you want to have a container that can hold from two to four kilograms or 4.4 to 8.8 pounds. Because this could be a heavy job, you may want to have help when you make the transfer.

Make sure the container you are transferring to is on a flat and stable surface and use a small hole in the bag (rather than a large one) to ensure an even transfer of the ashes.

Where is the best place to keep ashes in the house?

The best place to keep ashes in the house is the place that will make you or your loved one happiest. There is no placement that is luckier or less lucky than the other unless you are unhappy with where you put them.

You may choose multiple different containers for the ashes if you are not sure where you want to put them.

A good idea when you are transferring ashes is to put some newspaper down on the table before you transfer them to your container or containers. Then, if something does spill, you can simply funnel the newspaper and pour them into the container of your choice.

Placement of your ashes can vary, with people preferring them to be prominently displayed or out of sight to any visitor. Common placements are on a mantle or a bookshelf, however, closets and cupboards are also a common place for ashes to go if you want them out of sight to visitors.

If you have pets or small children, out of reach and in a high place is the only rule you need to follow when it comes to where to put the ashes of a loved one.

Does cremation impact the connection with a loved one?

cremation impact

Cremation will not impact your connection with a loved one. Your connection with your loved one may begin in this life as a physical one but will continue on through your souls.

Your connection to your loved one doesn’t go away, whether you have them cremated, buried, or placed in a mausoleum.

They will always be your loved one, even if you feel they did not want to be cremated. Cremation is a ceremony as much as burials or funerals are and is practiced by cultures all over the globe.

With cremation comes many other decisions to be made as a family, however, there is not a single decision in that experience that will impact your soul’s experience with that individual.

Some people do believe or wonder if the spirit of a loved one goes away if you cannot visit them in a cemetery. However, having them at home is not any different than visiting them in a cemetery.

In fact, there are processes done to the human body prior to burial or a mausoleum entry that differ only slightly from cremation when it comes to preparing someone for end-of-life arrangements.

You will stay connected to your loved one’s soul and memories regardless of what you choose to do with the ashes after they are gone.

Do you miss a loved one?

If you miss a loved one, there are many ways to cherish their memories without breaking any rules or messing with your spiritual karma. There is nothing unlucky about keeping their ashes in your home, particularly if they said they would want you to do that.

When you lose a loved one, you are within every right to choose how you celebrate them after they are gone.

miss a loved one

If you are a staunch Catholic, you may feel unlucky and experience stress about your faith if you go against the Vatican’s guidelines. That is not to say you will experience bad luck, but rather, only stress if you make your own personal arrangements about your loved one’s cremations.

In the United States, the Vatican’s rules do not apply as law, and you are free to keep your loved one’s ashes in the home without undue stress about how this impacts your luck.

Do you miss a loved one? Have you ever had to make these decisions? How did you come to your final decision, or what are you considering now when it comes to how to keep ashes in your home?