Not wanting a funeral

[Ghostlights]

I have often thought about how my funeral should look like and no matter what I imagine, I don't like it! I don't want to be in a coffin or in a urn, I don't want flowers, any relatives to show up (especially those, give me some peace, you didn't care about me when I lived, so why show up for the dead version of me?!) and I don't want to be buried next to some random people. I think I'd prefer to be away from people (no matter if dead or alive)... leaving my body to rot somewhere in nature.
A few years ago, I had a dream in which I sat on a tree trunck, it was spring, the sun was shining... I was looking at my dead body, which was laying a couple of metres away from me. It was such a peaceful view.

 

[yotaka]

I very much relate to this. I want to be out in nature away from people. I want my body to decompose naturally and feed plants and animals. The thought of my corpse being preserved with toxic chemicals and put in some expensive varnished casket with a plush interior, taking up a bunch of space and actively damaging the environment, and for what? It's so dumb to me. Why do humans do this?

 

[itsitbit]

I also don't enjoy the thought of having a funeral, I feel like it'd be a hassle (and very expensive!) for my family to arrange. I don't think my friends would be invited either, so the people who know me best and who have been kind to me wouldn't even get the chance of that closure. I just feel that with my specific family circumstances it would be a lot of pointless theater and money down the drain. I just want my body to be disposed of quickly and safely without any additional ceremony, so cremation and doing whatever with the ashes is fine by me. Being left to nature's course isn't really an option as far as I know for where I am, but I like the thought of it. If I could do it I'd definitely prefer that too.

 

[Ghostlights]

I also don't enjoy the thought of having a funeral, I feel like it'd be a hassle (and very expensive!) for my family to arrange. I don't think my friends would be invited either, so the people who know me best and who have been kind to me wouldn't even get the chance of that closure. I just feel that with my specific family circumstances it would be a lot of pointless theater and money down the drain. I just want my body to be disposed of quickly and safely without any additional ceremony, so cremation and doing whatever with the ashes is fine by me. Being left to nature's course isn't really an option as far as I know for where I am, but I like the thought of it. If I could do it I'd definitely prefer that too.

I don't really have that option either... there is a forest nearby, but I would be found very quickly. But I don't know where I'll die yet... in three to four years I'll maybe follow an old job-related tradition... there are some dangers to this journey so I'll leave my parents some money for my funeral, in case I should die during this time, but I wouldn't be happy if ended that way.

 

[NotSoEnchanted]

I relate to this. I have a complicated relationship with my family, and sometimes the thought of them having a funeral for me upsets me. Especially when I know it'll likely be religious. I try to keep in mind that my funeral and what's done with my body isn't technically for me though, it's for those I leave behind. To help them grieve, process, and hopefully get on track to healing.

I do have my preferences, I too would like to rot and return back to nature, but since I can't have that (I don't want to waste SAR resources) I hope I get cremated and scattered at the places I loved to hike at. I included this preference in my note, along with a request to not spend a bunch of money. I don't want to make the lives harder of those whom I leave behind by draining them financially for my funeral.

 

[wishmaster9]

I know exactly what mine is going to be like because of my religion and the country I live in. When Jews die in Israel, their bodies are usually buried the same day the death occurs as the goal is to bury the body ASAP, and no one can avoid a religious funeral that always involves scripture reading.
We don't get to choose whether we want to have a casket or be cremated, we can only be buried in the cemetery, wrapped up in a burial shroud.
If it was up to me, I would prefer to get cremated and without a tedious funeral, as there are already way too many graves and tombstones as it is and I wouldn't want to take so much space on earth even after I'm gone.

 

[chaotic_crow]

I have often thought about how my funeral should look like and no matter what I imagine, I don't like it! I don't want to be in a coffin or in a urn, I don't want flowers, any relatives to show up (especially those, give me some peace, you didn't care about me when I lived, so why show up for the dead version of me?!) and I don't want to be buried next to some random people. I think I'd prefer to be away from people (no matter if dead or alive)... leaving my body to rot somewhere in nature.
A few years ago, I had a dream in which I sat on a tree trunck, it was spring, the sun was shining... I was looking at my dead body, which was laying a couple of metres away from me. It was such a peaceful view.

I feel the same way, I don't want a funeral, I don't want people pretending they cared after the fact. I've been thinking about going out in a dark sky zone or in a national forest but it'll be hard cause I'm in a wheelchair. But definitely no funeral and I really don't want to be preserved. I just wanna be burried naturally

I know exactly what mine is going to be like because of my religion and the country I live in. When Jews die in Israel, their bodies are usually buried the same day the death occurs as the goal is to bury the body ASAP, and no one can avoid a religious funeral that always involves scripture reading.
We don't get to choose whether we want to have a casket or be cremated, we can only be buried in the cemetery, wrapped up in a burial shroud.
If it was up to me, I would prefer to get cremated and without a tedious funeral, as there are already way too many graves and tombstones as it is and I wouldn't want to take so much space on earth even after I'm gone.

Are you able to write your wishes like a will? I'm not well versed in it but I'm pretty sure they have to honor that. At least in the US

 

[wishmaster9]

Are you able to write your wishes like a will? I'm not well versed in it but I'm pretty sure they have to honor that. At least in the US

I couldn't edit my comment so thanks for the reply and the opportunity to correct my previous statement.
A will isn't helpful here if your next of kin doesn't know about it or your burial plans, as they're the ones who get the call if anything happens to you. The main issue is getting your next of kin to know and follow your plan, and not go with the default religious burial. We don't have funeral advocates like in the US, who can be in charge instead of our families.
I did end up having a conversation with my dad and signing a contract with one of the few funeral homes last Sunday, so I'm set.
So apparently it is possible, but requires having conversations about it with your loved ones in advance, and of course dealing with the bureaucracy of it all.