Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in dunbarwinston's InsaneJournal:

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Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
11:57 am	Cremation Guatemala Can Be Done Hygienically And Aesthetically Guatemala is a small country with a dense population and slowly the space for burying people is drying up. The masses find it difficult to find a decent burial ground. Rich families have huge private burial plots and mausoleums for their family burials. Middle and lower income people are now resorting to cremation Guatemala to bury their dead. These days this option is growing in popularity even in a rigidly Catholic country like Guatemala. There are many excellent crematoriums where cremations take place hygienically. The surroundings are beautiful and after the cremation takes place, family members can order a beautiful urn to keep the ashes. The ashes can be kept at home or spread in a specific memorial garden depending on the wishes of the deceased. While it is true that Emperor Charlemagne criminalized cremation, even Roman Catholics who rigidly followed this principle are slowly changing their views. They have declared that it is no longer a criminal act and citizens of Guatemala can cremated their dead as long as this is mentioned in the last will and testament. If a person has not left a last will, then cremation cannot take place. So, if you have not written a last will yet and are particular about the way your remains are disposed off, then you should do so right now. It is important that a dying man's final request should be followed especially if he has given it in writing. This can take various forms: • Personal letter • Simple will • Living will / trust • Health care directive • Organ donation • Funeral arrangements There are many things that a person may want his family to follow when he is dead. This can be with respect to disposal of material possession, donation of organs, ‘Do not resuscitate order’ and so on. A personal letter or fact sheet can be just a record of financial information. This can be details of assets and liabilities, insurance policies etc. While this isn’t a formal document, it is helpful for a spouse to manage your financial affairs if you get incapacitated. This document can be used by the executor of your will to administer your estate. It can also contain details about whether you wish to be buried or cremated, the type of funeral service you want, prayers you want said, hymns or poems sung or read etc. Some people even mention how they wish to be dressed, flower arrangements at their funeral and such. A simple will again contains such details but is a formal document. It will usually make a list of all beneficiaries of the deceased. A living will often contains two parts. One portion provides distribution of assets or a trust income during the lifetime of the person who writes the will. The other part is like a simple will and that will list the beneficiaries to receive property or income after a person is dead. When a trust fund is set up, the person who writes the living will can manage the trust during his or her lifetime and then appoint a proper trustee to take care of the estate after his death especially if the beneficiaries are still minors or not reached the age specified in the will when they can inherit the trust fund. Some states have a separate provision that people can use to write an ‘Advance Health Care Directive’. This document prepared in advance by an adult who is competent specifies the type of care they want in case of a terminal illness or a serious accident from which there is no hope of recovery. This specifies if you want life support to be removed in case you are declared to be in a permanent coma. It also gives directives about when artificial nutrition and procedures like chemotherapy, dialysis, resuscitation etc. should be stopped. You can also leave instructions about organ donation that doctors can follow. All that you need to do is fill a card and keep it in your wallet. Finally, those who do not wish to burden their family will leave a document about their funeral arrangements along with enough money to cover these expenses. Having such documents help the family members respect the wishes of their loved one. It is important that a dying man’s final requests be followed so that you respect him. This will also make living family members know that they have honored their loved one by following all his or her final requests. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on funerales Guatemala and funeral services Guatemala, visit his site today. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
11:28 am	Learn About The History Of Cremation Through The Ages When somebody very beloved to you passes away, you will be overwhelmed with grief and pain. This prevents you from taking care of things like the funeral service. In a staunchly religious country like Guatemala, cremation was forbidden by the Catholic Church for centuries. However, for practical reasons like lack of burial space, even the Catholic Church has relented and is allowing cremation Guatemala if the deceased leaves a will expressing the desire to be cremated or the family members of the deceased want this. A funeral home Guatemala can take care of all your funeral needs including arranging for the cremation to take place and giving suggestions how the ashes can be preserved or buried. It is fascinating to read about the history of cremation through the following ages: • Stone age • Bronze age • Mycenaean age • Roman age • British Isles • USA Cremation- how this all started? – well according to scholars who have studied this popular funeral practice, most agree that this started in the Stone Age – around 3000 B.C in Europe. The evidence was further strengthened by archaeological discoveries of colorful urns used to keep ashes after cremation in western Russia. This was said to be a funeral ritual among the Slavic people who inhabited Russia. In the Bronze Age – between 2500 B.C to 1000 B.C - cremation entered the British Isles and parts of Spain and Portugal. Special cemeteries for burying urns containing ashes were found in northern Italy, Hungary and parts of Ireland and northern Europe. A specific distinction existed between cemeteries for ashes and cemeteries where the dead were buried in coffins. In the Mycenaean Age – circa 1000 B.C – cremation grew in popularity among the Greeks. Many Greek philosophers embraced cremation as the dominant way to dispose off remains of the dead. One of these was Homer and the reason cremation was welcomed was that it was considered a clean and hygienic way to expedite the burial of warriors slain in battle. This was around 800 B.C when Greece was a war-torn country. Following the Grecian system, the Romans also started to cremate their dead from around 600 B.C. During this time and continuing to 395 A.D, cremation became widely accepted among the Romans. The Romans cremated their dead and kept the ashes in elaborately carved, ornate urns inside columbarium-style buildings. Since the time when Emperor Constantine ruled the Roman Empire, Christian influence began seeping into Roman culture and burials started replacing cremations as the popular form of disposal of the dead. This was because in the Jewish tradition, entombment inside a classic sepulcher was the preferred option. From then on, for the next 1500 years with the dominance of the Roman Empire and Christianity, burial replaced cremation all across Europe. Modern cremations made their way back into the British Isles a little over a century ago. Around this time, Professor Brunetti from Italy created a perfect cremation chamber and showed it at the 1873 Vienna Exposition. Cremation once again caught on as a popular form of burial on both sides of the Atlantic. In the British Isles, Queen Victoria was in power and her personal surgeon, Sir Henry Thompson, started the ‘Cremation Culture of England’ in 1873. The first crematoriums were built in Gotha, Germany and Woking, England in 1878. Now, this practice slowly started entering the USA too where the first crematorium was set up in Washington, Pennsylvania in 1876 by Dr Juliun LeMoyne. The next one was erected in 1884 again in Pennsylvania, but this time in Lancaster. The cremation society in USA owned and operated these crematoriums. Those who realized that cremations posed less health hazards than burials and the Protestant clergy were instrumental in cremations growing in popularity in the USA. By 1900, around 20 crematoriums were operating around the USA in Buffalo, New York, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Los Angeles and Detroit. Dr Hugo Erichsen started the ‘Cremation Society’ in 1913 and in that year alone around 52 crematoriums was built all across the USA and 10,000 cremations took place. While this is the general history of how cremations started and spread across Europe and USA, the practice has been followed by other religions especially Hinduism always. The practice has grown in the Western world with more Christian societies accepting this form of burial although in the Muslim world, burial is the norm. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on funerarias Guatemala and cremacion, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
5:56 pm	Cremation – If It Is A Final Request, It Should Be So We have seen it played out in the movies. A man lies gasping for his last breaths and tries his hardest to communicate with the ones beside him. For added drama effect, he gives last minute instructions in a raspy voice and demands the almost-impossible like “scatter me over the mountain range” or “bury me by the old tree in the woods”. In real life, the scene is usually a lot less dramatic – there will not be any lonely violins playing in the background and more often than not, no last-minute demands that are too fantastic to fulfill. But yes, there would have been some requests to carry out; although these are often verbalized long before the last dying breath, as they should ideally be. What to do with a person’s body after he is dead is often dictated by the deceased prior to dying. Preferably, these wishes should be told long before the actual hour so preparations for more specific conditions can be done. For example, asking for a cremation may require the family to make enquiries as to whether or not there is a crematorium in the vicinity and if not, how transportation of the body to the said crematorium can be done. Cremation Guatemala style only began in the late 1960s when a Belgian cremationist, Dr Jules Bonge, introduced cremation as an alternative to burial. This was the birth of a cremation society called the Guatemalan National Cremationist Association, officially formed in 1967. Today, many urbanites prefer a cremation to a burial. Reasons for this preference are: - The issue of an exhumation for reclamation of land will never need to be addressed. In many developing countries including Guatemala where population is rapidly increasing and the need of land grows every year, some burial sites may need to be used for residential or industrial use. This may require the government to contact the families for permission to exhume the bodies so they can be moved to a new graveyard. This has raised uneasiness amongst many, particularly the superstitious who believe the dead must never be disturbed, but is unfortunately, a necessity that must be done. - Hygiene. Burning has always been a much cleaner way to get rid of anything, especially organic materials which have the potential of being very fertile ground for bacteria and possibly harmful micro-organisms. While burying is also hygienic, an unwelcomed natural catastrophe such as a tsunami or torpedo may have the strength to unearth the remains in a gravesite. This could mean a serious health hazard for when this happens. - Convenience of preparation. Particularly for modern cremations in a crematorium, a burning spot is ever ready to be utilized so all that is needed is to carry the casket over the pire and get it wheeled into the furnace. A cremation in Guatemala can only take place in two licensed crematoriums – both of which have high-powered enclosed furnaces. This reduces the need for actual manpower and strength to carry a casket, lower into the ground and further cover the gravesite. - Less taxing emotionally. Watching a coffin go into the furnace and burn is far less taxing emotionally than watching gravediggers slower cover the hole spade by spade. For the mourners and family members, knowing that the body will be reduced to ashes in a matter of hours can be twistedly comforting, compared to the effect of “throwing” a beloved into a hole in the ground. - Cheaper. While a cremation may cost more upfront, in the long run, it is much less expensive. Unlike a burial, apart from an urn and possibly a columbrium space, which also needs to be paid upfront, there is nothing else to pay for. A gravesite, on the other hand, will need a plot to be paid upfront and when the soil is better settled, a headstone and grave maintenance to be done on a regular basis. In Guatemala, neglected gravesites are exhumed and the remains put into a common grave, which makes grave maintenance even more important than ever. If a person requests a cremation, it should really be respected and acknowledged. After all, it is a last wish and usually is not much more than the average request on a normal day. More importantly, it would mean they can die peacefully, knowing that they will be put to rest the way they want. And surely, they should not be robbed of that simple request? Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on servicio funerario Guatemala and cremacion Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
5:55 pm	The Story Of Cremations – How It All Began While cremation is nothing particularly uncommon today, once upon a time, it was unheard of and totally opposed. In the Middle Ages, it was illegal and if done with what was termed as “pagan” rites, it was even punishable by death. Dating back some twenty thousand years ago (which sounds like a REALLY long time ago), cremation was once used as a means to punish heretics. This was very true for Europe, which often prided itself on being an ultra-civilized society. The act of burning a beloved person’s body seemed atrocious and disrespectful, which led them to banish the idea for a long, long time. The opposite was the case for more rural and supposedly uncultured civilizations such as the native tribes in South America, who have done cremations far longer than any other society known. For other nations like the Indians and Nepalese, this was even considered the most respectful act a person can show to a family member. In Guatemala, this method of respecting a person’s remains only caught on in the late 1960s and till today, the country has only two licensed crematoriums. Cremation Guatemala style is preferred for a few reasons: 1. By law, it is required that a deceased’s remains be put to rest within 24 hours unless it is embalmed. Embalming would also have to take place within 24 hours of death. 2. After 6 years, if a grave is seen to be neglected, the remains will be exhumed and put into a common grave so the plot can be re-used for another family. 3. For many, the thought of a body slowly decomposing is even less disrespectful and unappealing than a quick burning in a furnace so it can be turned into ashes to fulfill the age-old “ashes to ashes” rite. 4. A small nation like Guatemala sees spread of contagious diseases as a huge threat and so, burning a highly organic object such as a human body or animal carcass helps ensure no such danger is posed. The 2 crematoriums licensed to carry out this procedure employ modern technology of cremation to ensure nothing but ash and dry bone fragments, the conditions needed to ensure the process if done well and hygienically, are left behind. This can be done through burning at extremely high temperatures and for this to happen, the ideal combination of oxygen and fuel need to be together. After a cremation in Guatemala, the remains can be dispersed in a few ways. The ashes may be: 1. To be retained by loved ones in the home in an urn 2. To be kept in a columbrium which is sealed with a headstone for a long period of time or forever 3. To be buried in a cemetery 4. To be scattered Nowadays, crematoriums are a lot more fuel-efficient than in days long gone. Early furnaces had to deal with the problems of heat loss every time the furnace door was opened for the operator to check on the burning process. A new design saw a separate remains removal door located on the side of the unit which allowed the remains to be pushed to the rear of the chamber for removal. This reduced heat loss and saved crematoriums loads of energy in having to reheat the chamber for subsequent burning. The Hot Hearth system was also developed in the 1980s. This was the creation of a chamber that was heated up from hot gases running underneath the hearth, allowing higher temperature to be maintained for more efficient cremation. Another innovative and cost-saving invention is the Programmable Logic Controller or PLC touchscreen, which calculates the weight of the mass to be cremated after the information is logged in prior to the process. This then ensures the burning continues until everything is done and automatically simmers down and switches off. These contemporary additions to the original furnaces help reduce a cremation’s impact on the environment and saves on energy. While most countries allow cremations in licensed crematoriums, countries like India allow open-air cremations, which are also highly-revered rituals. It is ironic that while disposal of remains are far more hygienic this way – the issues of incomplete decomposition and bodies being exposed before they are completely decomposed will never be raised – environmentalists contend that cremations in huge numbers and high frequency have a negative effect on air pollution. However, these objections are not often voiced out of respect for the mourners and the fact that, in comparison to traditional burials, may actually help the planet to sustain just that little bit longer. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on cementerio Guatemala and manejo de duelo Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
5:50 pm	The Story Of Cremations – How It All Began While cremation is nothing particularly uncommon today, once upon a time, it was unheard of and totally opposed. In the Middle Ages, it was illegal and if done with what was termed as “pagan” rites, it was even punishable by death. Dating back some twenty thousand years ago (which sounds like a REALLY long time ago), cremation was once used as a means to punish heretics. This was very true for Europe, which often prided itself on being an ultra-civilized society. The act of burning a beloved person’s body seemed atrocious and disrespectful, which led them to banish the idea for a long, long time. The opposite was the case for more rural and supposedly uncultured civilizations such as the native tribes in South America, who have done cremations far longer than any other society known. For other nations like the Indians and Nepalese, this was even considered the most respectful act a person can show to a family member. In Guatemala, this method of respecting a person’s remains only caught on in the late 1960s and till today, the country has only two licensed crematoriums. Cremation Guatemala style is preferred for a few reasons: 1. By law, it is required that a deceased’s remains be put to rest within 24 hours unless it is embalmed. Embalming would also have to take place within 24 hours of death. 2. After 6 years, if a grave is seen to be neglected, the remains will be exhumed and put into a common grave so the plot can be re-used for another family. 3. For many, the thought of a body slowly decomposing is even less disrespectful and unappealing than a quick burning in a furnace so it can be turned into ashes to fulfill the age-old “ashes to ashes” rite. 4. A small nation like Guatemala sees spread of contagious diseases as a huge threat and so, burning a highly organic object such as a human body or animal carcass helps ensure no such danger is posed. The 2 crematoriums licensed to carry out this procedure employ modern technology of cremation to ensure nothing but ash and dry bone fragments, the conditions needed to ensure the process if done well and hygienically, are left behind. This can be done through burning at extremely high temperatures and for this to happen, the ideal combination of oxygen and fuel need to be together. After a cremation in Guatemala, the remains can be dispersed in a few ways. The ashes may be: 1. To be retained by loved ones in the home in an urn 2. To be kept in a columbrium which is sealed with a headstone for a long period of time or forever 3. To be buried in a cemetery 4. To be scattered Nowadays, crematoriums are a lot more fuel-efficient than in days long gone. Early furnaces had to deal with the problems of heat loss every time the furnace door was opened for the operator to check on the burning process. A new design saw a separate remains removal door located on the side of the unit which allowed the remains to be pushed to the rear of the chamber for removal. This reduced heat loss and saved crematoriums loads of energy in having to reheat the chamber for subsequent burning. The Hot Hearth system was also developed in the 1980s. This was the creation of a chamber that was heated up from hot gases running underneath the hearth, allowing higher temperature to be maintained for more efficient cremation. Another innovative and cost-saving invention is the Programmable Logic Controller or PLC touchscreen, which calculates the weight of the mass to be cremated after the information is logged in prior to the process. This then ensures the burning continues until everything is done and automatically simmers down and switches off. These contemporary additions to the original furnaces help reduce a cremation’s impact on the environment and saves on energy. While most countries allow cremations in licensed crematoriums, countries like India allow open-air cremations, which are also highly-revered rituals. It is ironic that while disposal of remains are far more hygienic this way – the issues of incomplete decomposition and bodies being exposed before they are completely decomposed will never be raised – environmentalists contend that cremations in huge numbers and high frequency have a negative effect on air pollution. However, these objections are not often voiced out of respect for the mourners and the fact that, in comparison to traditional burials, may actually help the planet to sustain just that little bit longer. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on cementerio Guatemala and manejo de duelo Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
9:04 am	Places to Go in Times of Mourning After hiring the services of cremation Guatemala , more often than not, it would be the time where the pain would sink in and anguish of kick in. It would be perfectly understandable for one to be devastated by the loss of a loved one especially if it is a close family. The bereaved will normally want to be far from where they currently are. It is one of people’s defense mechanisms, thinking that the pain can subside should they go somewhere else. However, going some place can be helpful in a way and should be permitted. This article will enlist healthy places where one can go to while mourning. • Church and/or temples –places of worship can help in channeling one’s grief. Surely, one would have questions and most people would really blurt them out even if they are certain it will not be answered aloud. They say losing loved one can strengthen or shatter one’s faith. Either way, leaning or getting honest with God will release all the pain that you are feeling. You can decide to deem the Lord as your rock or you can get mad at Him for a moment but it will be better than keeping all your thoughts to yourself, clamming up only to burst out after a while. This may have terrible ramifications such as broken relationships. • Cemeteries –some people bury the ashes after the process of cremation Guatemala. Cremated or entombed, cemeteries remain one of the places where you can grieve. It is where you can cry openly without having to think of what others will make of your actions. There will be nothing wrong in frequently going to the graveyard of your loved one especially when he passed away just recently. You can find solace in such place as more often than not, there are hardly people in there and most of people who are in it are only paying their departed loved ones a quick visit. • Bodies of water –water has always been associated with serenity. This is one of the reasons why going alongside bodies of water is deemed therapeutic. When one is mourning, peace of mind is one thing that they will yearn for. The mere sound of calm waves has a relaxing effect to people especially the ones who are troubled by grief. You don’t have to go to a beach especially the packed ones. You can go to a lake or ocean or anywhere that could give you solace and solitude. Being alone with your thoughts and pain is sometimes helpful to your healing process. • Significant places to the departed and surviving family –you may also go to places that have significant value to you and your departed loved one. It can be a national park where you spent good times together, school you both went to, a museum you frequently visited or a restaurant you usually go to. Mourning is a period and coping up with the loss is a process and you simply cannot abruptly shut off your world from pain and memories. Going to different significant places will somehow still connect you from the deceased while you are gradually accepting the loss. • Offices of support groups and/or medical professional –if the loss has immense impact on you to the extent that it poses significant risks to your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, you would rather seek professional help. Therapists can help you sort out your feelings and be strong. They can give you a hand in how you should handle the pain. Depending on the circumstances, you can join support groups if you are not comfortable with psychiatrists and counselors. Associating yourself with people who know what you are going through can be good as you can find an ally and confidante in them. • Family –grieving should be a family affair. There are instances where the death of a family member becomes the reason of division among the surviving members. This should not be the case as it would only make matters worse. Make no mistake; you should mourn by yourself too but you must understand that you are not the only one who feels the pain. You are not the only one who lost a loved one. You rather let it unite you. More heads will always be better than one as the pain will be lighter. Mourning will not be easy for anyone. Taking heed of the above-mentioned suggestions will help you in a way. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on servicio funerario Guatemala and servicios funerarios Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
9:01 am	Cremating a Dead - The New Status Symbol in the Society? Cremation Guatemala offers a burial option that bucks the normal tradition, which is entombment. While there remains pocket of resistance to this not so new idea, it cannot be denied that gradually, it is being accepted globally because of its practical benefits. In fact, in some rich countries, it is the preferred means of disposing the remains of the deceased. This may be one of the reasons why it has been viewed as new status symbol in society. But is it? This article will cover all the aspects of cremation and will assess objectively how it should be perceived by the general public. • The process of cremation –in this process, the remains would be removed from the casket and afterwards burned in a big furnace that is placed inside a chamber or crematorium. The ashes will be then gathered. If there are bones that are not burned well, it will be grinded. It will be set aside and be put into a sealed plastic and will be placed into a fashionable urn. It will be then the choice of the surviving family the disposal of the ashes. It can be put at home or be placed into a vault or be scattered into the sea. • Economic factor –rates of cremation didn’t rise during the Great Depression. This is because it costs more compared with entombment. In fact, the latter can only constitute a third of the overall cremation cost. This may be the reason why it is perceived as an option only for the elite members of the society. However, if you would weigh other things and its long-term effects, you will see that it is not as expensive as it sounds. It is just that you would pay for everything one time big time. You would even save more money in the long run as you wouldn’t have to continue leasing or paying taxes for the cemetery Guatemala lot. • Environmental benefits –there has been debates about the environmental benefits and disadvantages of cremation. Because of the burning, it also emits toxic gases such as sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. However, entombment also poses risks for the surroundings. If all the deceased will be buried traditionally, more cement and wood will be required for their caskets and graves. In addition, there will be a clamor for more open space, a problem in the overcrowded world. Another concern is the toxins that the decaying bodies will release over time. Not all cemeteries observe sanitary rules imposed by the respective governmental bodies. • Religious views –there are religions that vehemently disagree with cremation such as Jewish Orthodox. This is because of their belief that the dead will not be resurrected if they have already turned into ashes. There are others which believe the exact opposite like the Hindus. Even quoting and taking quite literally a quote from Genesis that says as a man came from ashes, he should return to it. The Roman Catholic has quite relaxed their laws about it. They now allow their brethren to be cremated. The religious views of the people can never be questioned and be respected at all times. • Cultural views and geographical implications –there are countries where this type of burial is not dominant such as Italy and Argentina. This is mainly because of the culture that they hold onto. It is a known fact that the two nations cling to Roman Catholic Orthodox views especially the former where Vatican is headquartered. Japan and Taiwan are countries where it is widely accepted. These countries are deemed as progressive but their lack of open space is the primary reason why they are open with this burial type. Because of constantly growing population, there is scarcity of cemeteries so cremation is a handy solution. • Personal beliefs –Personal views on cremation are formed by the abovementioned factors. Regional, economic and religious views may sometimes be contradicting but at the end of the day, it is the surviving family who will make a decision on whether or not to cremate the remains of the departed. Depending on their financial capability, they may choose the traditional means to dispose the body. Whatever decision they will make, nobody else will be in the position to question it. The idea of cremating the dead as a new status in the society is all but a big misconception and it should never be perceived that way. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on manejo de duelo Guatemala and cementerio Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
Friday, November 25th, 2011
12:07 pm	Memorial services are as much important for the departed as they are for the mourners. If you are wondering why, here is a probable answer: • They say, with death it is only the body, which is destroyed; the soul lives on. May be all these remembrances and adulations convince him/her that with death he/she has not been forgotten or that his/her life has not been in vain; may be this helps him/her to rest in peace. Although this cannot be proved, you must remember that not every factor in life can actually be proved. • Contrarily, that such a ceremony helps the mourner to accept the reality of loss and start life afresh goes beyond doubt. Whatever is the reason, the importance of funeral services cannot be underestimated. However, it is not possible for every one to organize it in a big way; in fact, not everybody may like big funerals. The death care industry knows that and that is why they offer different types of memorial plans to suit different types budget or taste. Therefore, it is important that you should shop around a little before selecting any one of them. However, the first point to decide is how you want the body to be disposed; you can go either for burial or for cremation. Although the former is still more popular, the later is also gaining ground. There are quite a few reasons for such a shift; finance being one of them. Indeed cremation is much cheaper; there are also quite a few good crematoriums with good infrastructure for such process. However, in Guatemala, unless the person has mentioned the fact in his last will, it may not be possible to cremate the person directly. In such cases, where legal impediments do not allow cremation Guatemala funeral homes provide niches for temporary burials. To satisfy the law, the body is kept buried there for six years, at the end of which the body is dug out and cremated as per the instruction. This may cost a little more, but it will definitely be much cheaper than outright burial. You must understand that burial cost more because of two main reasons. First, an individual burial plot is expensive and so is the cost of a good casket. However, people often go for green burial where the body is either wrapped in a shroud or put in a cardboard casket and then is buried in graves without outer vault. This enables the body to degenerate quickly and so the same burial plot can be used many times and land can be saved for the living. Consequently, it comes out much cheaper than traditional burial. In fact, going for green burial or for cremation is a much better idea than renting out vaults that many Guatemalans are forced to do. If they cannot keep paying the rents, these vaults are emptied and the remains are shifted to a mass grave. Therefore, it is imperative that one gives a good thought to all these matter while one is still alive. After his or her death, the family member may be in too much mental turmoil to make any wise decision. As I said, many types of memorial plans are available today; however, they may vary in details, but in essence, they are all same. In general, they all take up the following: • Transportation of the body from the site of the death to the funeral home • Collection of all legal papers necessary either for burial or cremation • Embalming the body and preparing it for the wake or visitation • Providing caskets on rent if you choose cremation • Helping you to buy caskets in case of burial and urns in case of cremation • Arranging visitation as well as funeral service if asked to do so • Transportation of the body to the burial ground or the crematorium • Accepting donations for your chosen charities and such other services However, it may not be out of place to say that one should always buy a suitable memorial plan while one is still alive. If nothing else, it spares the mourners from having to choose a plan and make necessary arrangement (financial or otherwise) at the time of their grief. Moreover, the cost too can be locked up at today’s level. Most importantly, you can have the kind of farewell you will really like. This way, you can choose all the details; even to the extent of choosing the poetry or pieces to be read or flowers to be had. Indeed, more than being given a send off, having a suitable memorial plan will enable you to say goodbye and exist from this world like a monarch. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on funerarias Guatemala and contratos funerarios Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
11:57 am	Cremation Guatemala Can Help You In Many Novel Ways Although the basic teaching of a religion is constant, most rites and rituals alter with time. In fact, rituals must change, or the religion will eventually become extinct. Remember, the rites have been prescribed to make life easier for the followers. Now, if they remain constant, they may instead make it more difficult. Once upon a time, burial was the usual method of disposal of dead bodies; but today people have cremation as a valid alternative and in places like Guatemala, where land is scarce, it is indeed a very useful option. Indeed, if you are a Guatemalan and if your family does not own any burial plot, you may find cremation a much better alternative than the traditional earth burial. For cremation Guatemala has many modern crematoriums where you can complete all rites according to your religious tradition without having to face any hurdle. Only remember to remove the pacemaker, if the person had one, before putting up the body in the cremator. It may otherwise, explode and damage the furnace. A body generally takes around one hour to cremate. Once that is done, the ashes will be handed over to you in an urn. You can now have the following alternatives: • You can bury the urn in a suitable place and have a gravestone put on the site. This will make a nice place for visitation and contemplation. • You can keep the urn at home. This may enable you to feel that your loved ones are still with you. • You can also scatter the ashes over land or water so that your beloved becomes one with the world. • If your church has any spot or garden where you can scatter such remains, you can also opt for that. • You can have the ashes change into artificial diamond or similar objects and use them for regular wear. Of course, there can be as many alternatives as you can conceive. Today, some companies even offer to scatter part of the ashes in the space. This is known as space burial. Religion does not have any objection to such things as long as you have full faith on resurrection and the Last Judgment by our Lord. Moreover, your act must not show any disrespect for the dead, instead, it must show how much you love and revere him (or her). Indeed, cremating the dead is not really any new phenomenon. It was practiced in Europe too until Emperor Charlemagne outlawed it. It is now being revived because the modern condition demands it; that is all. Bringing food to the grieved family is another wonderful tradition that is also being revived because of modern day requirement. Today, nobody has the support of the extended family and so such things are always welcome. If you visit a friend or a relative who has lost a loved one, you can take some cooked food with you; however, be a little cautious about your choice. You must be aware that such a tradition is practiced by the Jews even today; but they also follow some norms. Earlier they only prepared some lentil soup and boiled some eggs. Actually, round food items were preferred because they signified that life, in spite of death, goes on and on. Alternatively, it may be that, such food was preferred because they were easy to prepare and more importantly, easy to consume. However, things have changed now. Today, people take whatever they think the mourners will appreciate. For the Christians, there is no such thing as mourning food; therefore, you have wider choice. Bread, cheese, dry meats like salamis, fruits and cakes are the usual items, but you can also take a nicely made casserole with you. The main advantage of this item is that it can be frozen and then heated up as is necessary. Then again, people who knew the departed may take with them his favorite food; this may open up reminisce of happier days, which in turn may help to fill up the wound. If indeed, someone you know have lost a loved one, you ought to maintain all etiquettes, but if you can feel the need, do not hesitate to evolve new techniques. After all, the purpose behind the funeral is to show respect to the departed and to allow the family to come in terms with their loss. Therefore, one should follow only those traditions, which are in the best interest of the family. Bombarding the family with food is definitely not one of them. Keep that in mind when you next go for a visit. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on funerales Guatemala and contratos funerarios, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
Monday, October 31st, 2011
6:50 pm	Knowing That Your Parents Are No More It is strange but true that knowing your parents takes a lot of time. Harshly enough we realize that we should have done more for them after they are no more. The death of parents is perhaps a phase that is emotionally draining. It is natural that some people just cannot accept it and may not even shed a tear during the entire cremation process. It is such a time when you can get some professional help from cremation Guatemala to help you in formalizing some funeral arrangements. It is shocking for you to accept that they are not here anymore. You must have accepted their zest to live and also their wrinkles. Turning pages in your life you will now realize that they were always happy. The news that your parents are no more is unbelievable. Life goes under a complete flashback. You want to reach out to them and hold on to their mortal remains. But the funeral arrangements need to be done and if you are feeling overwhelmed the cremation Guatemala services is recommended so that you can mourn peacefully. Silent tears fall from your eyes looking at the body of your mother or father but it is a truth that now life is getting more responsible. You will remember the days of your school when you parent sat in the seat patiently waiting for you to say the speech or smiled through tears when you received the trophy. So many memories come to you instantly. You must have remembered the first time your mom was upset with you and the first time you were grounded. But these were the things that made you successful. Parents give us life and also the best things that make our life useful. Making their funeral the best is also a priority to you. The arrangement of cremation Guatemala is a neat one. You can attend to your other relatives and also to your own family in the best way as they will do all the formalities. This is such a help to you. Parents mean the world to you. Life is full of responsibilities but we all manage our time to be with your family. It is so very essential to also complete all the legal formalities so that things are managed better. Find out through a legal person as to how to go about things. It might seem a bit too early but you will need to do the formalities so that there is no further delay. Finding through their papers you will realize that they were so thoughtful and meticulous. Perhaps you want them back but you must know that they are resting and happy. Tears and sadness will be with you for sometime but the challenges that life give you will help you cope with things. While you go out for family dinners, you will surely feel that a seat is still vacant or you just miss a person still passing you your favorite salad. But we must all look forward to life in every way with the help of these memories. We can also emulate their goodness and their beliefs. It is a pleasure for you to know that your parents were so good and loved when people turn out in numbers for their funeral. It is hence recommended that you call for cremation Guatemala to get the best things done. Accepting the situation is a priority. In fact you may have the additional responsibility of your parent who is grieving miserably. Encouraging others to live life normally is also therapeutic. The best part about life is it smiles back at you if you give it a chance. The letter that your demised father wrote to you, the first cricket bat which he bought for you will always be in your mind. But accepting the truth that they are not there is the best part about life. Life is pleasant with memories and slowly you will learn that your additional responsibilities are taking so much of your time and you will accept the truth that your parents are not there anymore. It is strange that a bond which you revered is now not there but bonds are about emotions. You will always feel the connection with your parent in a spiritual plane. The formalities and paperwork will need to be done too and live your live with the truth that your parents loved you so much. Saying your prayers and closing your eyes, you will find them here with you, in your heart. This is like a blessing that will be with you always. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on servicios funerarios Guatemala and cremacion Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
6:46 pm	Looking Forward To A New Life The gloomy days are just a passing phase. There the dark clouds in the sky which when moved will give you the bright sun that shines and brings warmth in your life. Nothing about life is constant and that can be the days in the week or even the minutes in the hour. It is easy for a person to give advice on how to overcome grief but a personal experience in grief can really stir you up. The services of cremation Guatemala had helped you and your family a lot. Firstly, you will need to accept the change. Accept that the person is not around and yet make it a point to accomplish at least one thing in a day. There could be matters of finance, bills or even packing some stuff which cannot be used. Call over a friend to help you and they will be with you. The little changes you make in your life will be a stepping stone to bigger things that God has paved for you. Since you have already accepted the challenge to move on, you must make it a point to show your friends that you still need there help. Going for house parties, a bit of traveling and just being with your pet can give you a distraction. If you are already doing that then you are doing well and are coping well with life. It was a good decision on your part to engage the services of cremation Guatemala. It is a strange feeling to balance your emotions. At one time you are full of desires to do something eventful with your life and at other times you retract to a shell. The best things in life can be seen when you are able to acknowledge your emotions. It surely will take time for you to manage your life but the start is now good as you have started socializing. Grief can make you forgetful. At all times make it a point to have a to-do-list. A white board will also do well. You can write down the tiniest details and also give yourself a deadline to complete the same. A good evaluation of the same will help you find an objective in life. If you want something to done at home like painting or even a new door, get into the same and perhaps do it yourself. You must be surely thanking cremation guatemala to have helped you so much. This will keep you busy and the interaction with the service providers or friends will keep you engaged. The normal chores can also keep you happy. Join a music class or find a new way to enrich your days. Crying is very important while you are sad. Locked up emotions can be dangerous and also cause a lot of health problems. When you know that you are overwhelmed there is no need to over work yourself. Try giving yourself a break and do not do the dishes. Order some food from outside or just be cool about life. It is said that friends are the best thing in your life. You will need to acknowledge this and it is good to create a circle of friends whom you can share and stay happy about. Are you still scared of the loneliness? You will not be as you so many things to do now. It may seem a chore but then life has to balance itself if you are willing to balance your life. Enrich your life with work and play. There is no need to rush you into things. You may have several things in office to sort out. The to do list works well again. You will be surprised that your efficiency level has increased and it will be nice if you can get some things delegated. People around you understand the problem and colleagues too will be willing to help. Find a new hobby like gardening or pottery which will make you learn new things. You will find out soon what you are good at and these things will give you happiness. There is no time for you mope around or keep crying as you had done in the initial days. You will find that you can now feel the sunshine and enjoy the warmth of life. This surely shows that you are now overcoming grief and looking forward to life’s pleasures. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on servicios funerarios Guatemala and manejo de duelo Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
Friday, October 14th, 2011
3:26 pm	For Cremation Guatemala Has Quite A Few Well-Kept Crematorium Not very long ago, cremation as a means of disposal of the body was restricted to few sects only. Although Christianity never forbade it, burial was generally the accepted mode of such disposal for the Christians. May be there are some historical reasons behind it. You must understand that all our customs and traditions evolved out necessity. May be, during the time of our ancestors, it was easier to bury the dead rather than to cremate them and so it became the norm; but that does not mean that we should stick to such practice even today. Indeed, the condition of Guatemala today is quite different from what it was once upon a time. Population has increased and the land for burial is in short supply. It is natural that people today prefer to cremate their dead rather than to bury them in small vaults. Moreover, for cremation Guatemala provides the right kind of opportunities as well. There are indeed many well-kept crematoriums in Guatemala where you can bid your dear ones final goodbye in a very dignified manner. It is true that the greater percentage of Guatemalans prefer burial even today; but that is because the ethos of the country is greatly influenced by the Spanish culture and the dictates of the Roman Catholic Church, both of which have always prescribed burial as the only method of disposal. However, the Church has already given its nod to cremation and so religion-wise, there is no problem any more. The problem actually lies in our mentality. It is a fact that, most people like to tread along the known and used path only. Few of us actually have the courage to question an established tradition and take up a new path. That is why people are still buying burial plots at exorbitant price to bury their dead. Of course, if you choose cremation over burial, there is no reason to suppose that you are the only one who is choosing such a novel method for disposing the mortal remains. Many other people too are doing exactly that. In fact, the first cremation in Guatemala took place in the year of 1966. However, the law requires that if one wants to be cremated, he or she has to mention that in his/her last will. You cannot just cremate a person, however closely related he or she may have been in his or her lifetime. Therefore, it is for you to choose whether you want your mortal remains to be buried or cremated. Now, both of them have certain advantages. As for the former, it allows the mourners a place where they can feel the nearness of the deceased. The grave allows them to think that their loved one is sleeping under the earth and can hear them when they speak out. There is nothing more comforting than going out to the cemetery to light a candle at the grave of a dear one or put some flowers there. It instills a sense of permanence in this ever changing world. However, on the con side, burial can be a costly affair and you will be spending thousands of dollars to preserve your body, which basically came out of dust to be returned to dust. Remember what the Bible said, “for dust you are and dust you will return". In fact, many people choose cremation because it speeds up the whole process of returning to the dust. In a matter of few hours, your mortal remains become ashes to be dispersed the way you like. Those who prefer cremation often opt for it because of the following reasons: • It is cheaper way of disposing the mortal remains. • It is quicker method of disposal of the body. • There is no rotting of flesh and so it is healthier too. • There is no scope for miscreants digging out graves or natural calamities bringing up the half rotten bodies. • Land can be utilized for the living. Indeed, cremation allows you put your resources to better use; be that your money or the country’s land. Always remember that it is only your inert body, which will be destroyed by fire, not your spirit. As for the resurrection, do not worry about not having any mortal remain left. God is all-powerful and He does not need anything for resurrection. Indeed, if there were any problem, the Roman Catholic Church would not have given its nod. Therefore, follow the trend and opt for cremation; save the country’s land as well as your money. Many well-to-do well-establishes Guatemalans are doing that; why don’t you follow them too? Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on funerarias Guatemala and funeraria Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
Thursday, October 13th, 2011
5:50 pm	Who chooses cremation over burials? Death is but a natural part of life. Different cultures have different beliefs and traditions when it comes to death. They also have different traditions in burying their dead. However, for most people, when death occurs in the family, there is usually a funeral service that follows it. A funeral involves the viewing of the body of the deceased in an open casket for the duration of the wake and then burying the deceased either underground or above ground such as being kept in a mausoleum. Nowadays, an alternative way of disposing of the dead is becoming more and more popular. This is through the process of cremation. The cremation process involves the burning of the body of the deceased until only the ashes are left. The ashes are then placed in an urn which can be carried around by the family left behind or can be kept inside a columbarium. The popularity of the cremation process is increasing as shown by these following statistics: • The US national cremation rate in 2004 is estimated at 30.88% of all deaths. • Hawaii has the highest cremation rate with 67.50% of all deaths cremated. • The top 5 US states with high cremation rates are Hawaii (67.5%), Nevada (67.26%), Washington (62.86%), Oregon (61.91%), and Arizona (59.14%) So why is there an increase in the usage of the cremation process for disposing of the dead? Here are some of the reasons that people have given: Personal or spiritual philosophy. Most people who choose cremation over burial have their own personal or spiritual philosophy about it. Their philosophies vary from “I do not want my body to decompose over time so it is better to convert it into ashes” to “kings of olden times where cremated and therefore I would also like to be cremated”. The choice of cremation over burial is also related to the educational level of the person choosing it. People who have completed their college degrees are more likely to choose cremation over burial. A number of people who chooses cremation over burial have final wishes of spreading their ashes over their favourite place such as the ocean, a garden or any place that they are fond of. Environmental philosophy. Some people choose cremation because of environmental concerns. They believe that it is more environmentally friendly for them to be cremated as compared to being buried under ground. Simplicity or convenience. Today’s families are no longer just living within a common area. As the family unit grows more distant, the demand for cremation increases. It is more convenient for a family that is apart to cremate their dead loved one and have the urn of their loved one passed from one member to another as they so choose. Practicality. Choosing cremation over burial is more practical for these following reasons: • The cost of cremation is significantly less expensive than that of a traditional American funeral service with a ground burial. The cost of cremation such as the ones performed by cremation Guatemala is about 1/4th of that of burial. • When you choose cremation, the memorial service does not need to be held immediately but can be scheduled at a time that is convenient for you and for all the deceased relatives and friends. When you are arranging a funeral service, there is a time constraint because you have to make sure that the body is still fresh for the viewing and because of this, you have to rush the arrangements making you shell out thousands of dollars. • Because you are not concerned about keeping the body fresh, there is no time constraint when you are arranging a memorial service after the body has been cremated. This will allow you to contact a lot more friends and relatives to commemorate the death of your loved one. Having a cremation will also allow organizations such as a fraternity to have their exclusive for members only memorial service with the permission of the deceased’s family. Cremation is indeed becoming more and more popular choice for disposing of a loved one’s body. Whatever option you choose, it is important that you show your final respects for a departed loved one. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on cremacion Guatemala and contratos funerarios Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011
4:04 pm	Cremation Or Burial – The Choice Depends On Personal Philosophy The question of - Who chooses cremation over burials? – is predominantly a religious one.  Both cremations and burials have existed since ancient times.  While Christians and Muslims bury their dead, people of other religious affiliations often cremate their dead.  However this trend has slowly been changing over the years with many more Christian denominations opting for cremation over burial.  Burial was the usual tradition because people believed that man came from dust and must return to dust to and his earthy body is allowed to decay in the normal way rather than hastening the process through cremation. People also believe that cremating a body can pollute the environment.  Whichever form a family chooses – burial or cremation – the funeral services can be the same prior to this act.  A complete service can be held with songs, reading from Scriptures, eulogies and such.  Hence, the process of grieving and saying goodbye to a loved one remains the same whether a family chooses to bury or cremate their loved one.  As of now, orthodox Jews, Muslims, fundamental Christians and some Eastern orthodox religions do not allow cremation. Whatever the choice, it is based mainly on religious sentiment.  Some people who believe in life after death feel that cremation destroys the earthly body and hence prefer to bury their dead.  In fact, in ancient traditions, kings were even interred with pets, food and servants to make their transition into the after life smoother.  Yet others believe that since the body takes time to decay, cremation is a quicker way to enter the after life.  So, these sentiments are based on culture of the region and religious affiliations.  In fact, in a predominantly Catholic country like Guatemala, burial has been the tradition from ancient times.  It is only in the past fifteen years or so that cremation guatemala has been permitted by the Catholic church since space is a constraint in this small country.  There are other reasons why more and more people are opting for cremation: •    Personal philosophy •    Environmentally friendly •    Simple and convenient •    Economical •    Wide acceptance •    Modern outlook As already mentioned, even the Catholic Church - which until a few decades ago was fiercely opposed to cremation - is giving permission to do so.  Yet, in Guatemala, people need to specifically mention in their will or pre-planned burial service that they wish to be cremated.  Apart from personal wishes, many people feel that cremation is more eco-friendly since the body is not left to rot in the ground and get attacked by maggots and so on.  Cremation is simple, convenient and economical for people do not have to spend on elaborate caskets and large tombstones. The main contention between those who supported burial against cremation is that burial gave them a concrete place to go and visit their departed loved ones during special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.  However, many countries now offer special memorial gardens for those who cremate their loved ones.  At these memorial gardens, people can bury the urns under small tombstones; scatter the ashes in a garden of remembrance and such.  Hence, cremation is not only cheaper but also offers a place to visit your loved ones just like a cemetery does. With both cremation and burial, you can have similar services, wakes, memorial services and such.  Before the cremation, the body can be kept in a casket for people to pay their respects.  In fact, there are different cremation services offered to people and they can make their choice depending on the wishes of their loved ones and cost.  Apart from being buried in a garden of remembrance with a special plaque being erected, ashes can be scattered at sea, on top of a mountain, amidst special fireworks etc. Hence, the question of cremation or burial can be decided on practical matters like cost, and convenience or on religious sentiments.  In fact, cremation is becoming widely accepted all over the world especially with growing population and diminishing space.  After all, when there is no place for the living to live, why waste enormous grounds in burying the dead.  You are still honoring your loved ones by having a beautiful funeral and memorial services and if you place the urn in a garden of remembrance, it still gives family members a place to visit and remember their loved ones on special occasions.   Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on funerarias Guatemala and contratos funerarios Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
1:59 pm	Make An Early Memorial Plan And Avoid Problems In a predominantly Catholic country like Guatemala, burying the dead has been the tradition over the years.  The first cremation was allowed only in 1996 for until then, the Catholic Church did not give permission for the dead to be cremated.  Even now, unless a person has mentioned specifically in his or her will that they wish to be cremated, it will not be allowed.  With the increasing population and diminishing burial space, more people are opting for cremation Guatemala. There are many crematoriums slowly springing up and a person can look up in his local directory and locate one near his home.  Cremations are done in an eco-friendly manner and the ashes are collected in decorative urns and given to the family members.  You can visit the local crematorium and see what facilities they offer and even select a specific urn.  If possible get costs from two or more crematoriums and choose one that offers the best services and is cost effective.  Those who do not want to do these themselves can get help from relatives or friends to make the necessary arrangements. There is a nationwide move in the US for people to pre-arrange their funerals long before any emergency or medical need requires them to do so.  In fact, many adults are setting aside money for their funeral arrangements and some states have passed a law as to how this money is kept secured until it is required.  When a person considers at what age should you decide to get a memorial plan, the answer ought to be sooner rather than later.  Very often the burden of organizing a funeral falls on one or two surviving members.  After a while, they will get depressed organizing one funeral after another, especially in a large family. Hence, as far as possible responsible adults will try and pre-arrange their own funerals and make sure there is enough money set aside to take care of all funeral expenses.  If you do not set aside an insurance policy or a deposit to take care of these needs, the burden will very often fall on children who will have their own expenses and could find the additional funeral expenses a burden.  Even pre-arranging a memorial plan can bring a few problems, so here are some ways to overcome them: •    Choice of funeral service •    Contracts •    Changes in memorial plans •    Change of ownership The funeral service is the main event and you need to plan this properly.  There are different rates for different services, so consider the cost and also what you will be comfortable with before settling on one.  If you have no idea what to go for then settle for a traditional one that will also be cost effective.  All pre-arranged memorial plans have a contract that has to be signed, so, read through this carefully in the presence of your lawyer and funeral director.  It is also advisable to keep your spouse in the loop so that he or she will know your wishes and adhere to them. Sometimes, if a memorial plan is drawn early in life and the person lives for many more years, his ideas may change.  In this case, you can request a change in plans, which could also mean a new contract being drawn up.  The change could be - wanting a different casket, changes in the service and such.  Sometimes, you could have wanted a friend to give a eulogy and if that friend pre-deceases you, then you have to mention this change in your memorial plan too.  The funeral home or cemetery can often change ownership over the years. You will need to meet with the new owners and go over your contract to ensure that it will still be honored.  A change of ownership does not make a pre-arranged funeral contract null and void.  These are some of the problems one can encounter when pre-arranging a funeral. If you want a meaningful funeral service, it is best to know about these various hitches that can occur and tackle them in the right way. While a lot of people feel morbid and avoid pre-arranging a funeral, you can focus on the benefits and do so.  The chief benefit is to leave behind your express wishes that family members can follow.  When a loved one dies, coping with grief often renders people unable to take care of arranging a meaningful funeral.  If this is pre-arranged, they can grieve peacefully while at the same time knowing they are honoring their loved one by following his or her wishes. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on funerarias Guatemala and servicio funerario Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
1:19 pm	Make An Early Memorial Plan And Avoid Problems In a predominantly Catholic country like Guatemala, burying the dead has been the tradition over the years.  The first cremation was allowed only in 1996 for until then, the Catholic Church did not give permission for the dead to be cremated.  Even now, unless a person has mentioned specifically in his or her will that they wish to be cremated, it will not be allowed.  With the increasing population and diminishing burial space, more people are opting for cremation Guatemala. There are many crematoriums slowly springing up and a person can look up in his local directory and locate one near his home.  Cremations are done in an eco-friendly manner and the ashes are collected in decorative urns and given to the family members.  You can visit the local crematorium and see what facilities they offer and even select a specific urn.  If possible get costs from two or more crematoriums and choose one that offers the best services and is cost effective.  Those who do not want to do these themselves can get help from relatives or friends to make the necessary arrangements. There is a nationwide move in the US for people to pre-arrange their funerals long before any emergency or medical need requires them to do so.  In fact, many adults are setting aside money for their funeral arrangements and some states have passed a law as to how this money is kept secured until it is required.  When a person considers at what age should you decide to get a memorial plan, the answer ought to be sooner rather than later.  Very often the burden of organizing a funeral falls on one or two surviving members.  After a while, they will get depressed organizing one funeral after another, especially in a large family. Hence, as far as possible responsible adults will try and pre-arrange their own funerals and make sure there is enough money set aside to take care of all funeral expenses.  If you do not set aside an insurance policy or a deposit to take care of these needs, the burden will very often fall on children who will have their own expenses and could find the additional funeral expenses a burden.  Even pre-arranging a memorial plan can bring a few problems, so here are some ways to overcome them: •    Choice of funeral service •    Contracts •    Changes in memorial plans •    Change of ownership The funeral service is the main event and you need to plan this properly.  There are different rates for different services, so consider the cost and also what you will be comfortable with before settling on one.  If you have no idea what to go for then settle for a traditional one that will also be cost effective.  All pre-arranged memorial plans have a contract that has to be signed, so, read through this carefully in the presence of your lawyer and funeral director.  It is also advisable to keep your spouse in the loop so that he or she will know your wishes and adhere to them. Sometimes, if a memorial plan is drawn early in life and the person lives for many more years, his ideas may change.  In this case, you can request a change in plans, which could also mean a new contract being drawn up.  The change could be - wanting a different casket, changes in the service and such.  Sometimes, you could have wanted a friend to give a eulogy and if that friend pre-deceases you, then you have to mention this change in your memorial plan too.  The funeral home or cemetery can often change ownership over the years. You will need to meet with the new owners and go over your contract to ensure that it will still be honored.  A change of ownership does not make a pre-arranged funeral contract null and void.  These are some of the problems one can encounter when pre-arranging a funeral. If you want a meaningful funeral service, it is best to know about these various hitches that can occur and tackle them in the right way. While a lot of people feel morbid and avoid pre-arranging a funeral, you can focus on the benefits and do so.  The chief benefit is to leave behind your express wishes that family members can follow.  When a loved one dies, coping with grief often renders people unable to take care of arranging a meaningful funeral.  If this is pre-arranged, they can grieve peacefully while at the same time knowing they are honoring their loved one by following his or her wishes. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on servicio funerario Guatemala and manejo de duelo Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011
3:53 pm	Planning For Estate Will To Help Your Family Cope With A Crisis The cremation guatemala are of great help to people who have lost a loved one. They are professional and very efficient in their services. When there is a sudden demise in the family, everyone is shocked. It causes a lot of emotional turbulence. It can upset so many things in your life. But there is slight relief if you have done your finances well. If you have the support of family and friends it will make it easy for you to pull along through these difficult times. Being a good friend will also mean to allow them to breathe but if they are excessively depressed then it would be best to show them a new meaning in life. Caring and sharing is the beauty of any relationship. It will be a personal growth for you as a caring person and for your friend while discovering how to cope with the situation. For all kinds of financial planning, you will need to keep a tab on your savings and investment. There are times you may feel that whether it is really good to have a habit of saving for the future. But when there is death in the family, the matters of investment certainly help. The cremation guatemala service is one big help that provides care and proper attention to the family who has lost a person. The idea of having a proper financial plan will assure you that you can lead a life of satisfaction and there won’t be many areas which will need compromise. The foremost important thing would be planning your insurance well. The insurance will always provide you for an emergency plan. If you have something that is bothering you for a while, you must take into account your assets and ascertain your immediate liabilities. It can be anything right from a new house to other loans. What essentially is needed is to sit with your spouse or elders and get a gist of the estimated big ticket expenses. If you need any kind of professional help or a budget planner that can be availed too. This will give you a more systematic approach towards the situation. When you avail the services of cremation Guatemala, you will realize that it is really simple to get the professional help. You can always recommend it to your friends too. A good look at your finances and ascertaining a will, can help you rule out so many problems. It is ideal to get your financial plan validated by an expert though you will always be a good judge to decide the ratio of survivor’s chances to have access to your property and bank money. It is tragic enough for people to lose their partners, parents or elders and it is a tough situation to run to banks and courts just to get the money passed into your accounts. Hence when all of us know that death can be really deadly, it is better to get the accounts nominated and also several matters of property done in a proper will. The more you delay financial planning; you will lose out on getting more interest compounded to your account. The best part of having a good plan in matters of money is that you have the assurance for yourself that even if something would happen to you, your family can survive. The emotional bonding will always be missed but still it is the best way you can care for your family. As you care deeply about your family, you would be the best judge to analyze how the real estate can be distributed. A wise decision is done via estate planning. It is terrible for a family to know that the beloved person will never come back. But if matters of finance are taken care then you can go on with your life in peace. The liability chart or loans section is another matter of concern. Having too much of debts is not considered as healthy living. It can make matters worse for your family when you are not there. Hence it will be good to curtail expenses and minimize over spending so that you can even out the debts. Frugal living is not recommended but till the time you want to achieve something, you can make sure that you are not over using your card or over shooting your overdraft account. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on cremacion Guatemala and servicio funerario Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
3:50 pm	Ten Thoughts To Instill Cheer In Someone Who Has Lost A Relative Life is full of opportunities and chances. It will be great to have the wealth of friends around at all times. With our life’s getting busier, it will be nice to have some time set aside to value the inputs of our family and friends. People who matter to us will stand by us during all situations. A good life is promised for all of us. But one thing about life is also the matter of death. Death can come to any of us and to our family members. It is a certain thing in life. But if you know your friend or relative needs a lot of support, it is good to give them the emotional help at all times. The cremation Guatemala is one great help to anyone who has just lost a loved one. The cremation Guatemala service is getting more and more popular. You can check out details by a call to them. People who have lost someone need a lot of words more than condolence. It is natural that as you speak they will roll out a few tears or weep inconsolably. But that is natural. Do cheer them with a hand around them or offer to take care of their chores. They may face a lot of simple jobs difficult to do. A reassuring friend can take over the chores for a short time. It is so much needed to reinforce faith in all aspects of life. You can tell them to add more life into their simple life from now. You can even ask them to seek refuge in a prayer book and prayer surely has the power of healing. A person who has lost someone may not be in a mood to eat well. You can probably take them out on the weekend to a favorite coffee and ensure that they look after themselves. If you think they are ignoring their meals and it is proving to be a problem to their health then it would be nice to take them to a therapist. It is very difficult to suddenly ask them to adjust to change in their life. Hence it is advisable to allow them some sadness but you can always tell them to eat their favorite pie or snack on their favorite food. Mourning does not mean that they have to give up their favorite food and snacks. The cremation Guatemala service takes away most of your worries. For the bereaved family celebrating functions and rituals is not really meaningful anymore. So the best way would be to allow them some time and ask them to actually help you with the preparations of a party at your place. You can take them to shop with you or help them decorate a particular thing. This way they will feel important and they will fill their hearts with a new hope. Talking to their children, you can also offer to baby sit for them when they have their errands. It is a huge difference in their lives and hence words can make it feel better. Another thing is talking about memories. Ask your friend to talk about the best memories about your spouse. Slowly you will realize that the friend is now willing to talk about a fond memory with lot of love and sometimes you can even see them smiling. There could be times when your friend will show you mixed emotions but it is good if you always be there till the problem is settled. There is no way we can ever replace the loss but the severity of the situation can be altered to have a better understanding. A good friend will be someone who can listen with their hearts into it and hence sometimes being just a listener will surely help. Depending on how the mood is and how recent the bereavement is, you can suggest a makeover to a friend. Perhaps a different hair color or a short summer hair style can make a change in their lives. It will give them a new meaning. You can take your friend to shop and this will surely engage them in staying distracted. Once they show enthusiasm in their daily lives, things will be settled soon. If you think that your friend has lost interest in all the necessary things in life, it is a need for you to convince them to see a therapist. A therapist may prescribe counseling and medication in a clinical manner. Bad days in life just mean that there is some light shining somewhere. It is that ray of hope which will inspire them to overcome the situation. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on servicios funerarios Guatemala and funeraria Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
Monday, July 4th, 2011
10:27 am	Funeral needs is catching up in the social circle One can find a reason to live, stay happy, groomed and elite in every way. But the spirit does not die for others when we leave the world. The remains of our life in the form of physical body needs to be displayed with a lot of integrity. This can be arranged for you with the preened funeral arrangements Guatemala. The best and reliable service is available in many professional parlors that are very good in their service for funeral arrangements. It will give you so much comfort to know that a dead body is given so much of importance and is displayed with care and as a symbol of dignity. You can check for what services are offered at the funeral homes in Guatemala. Often one talks about preening services which means presenting the body in a proper manner. This includes dressing too and projecting an image of serenity. Even if the body is disfigured, the embalmers will do a job on the same. Make up is also treated as a part of the procedure. If you are very particular of what services you want for the person demised, you can visit the funeral parlor and get an idea of what they can do for you. The services are a real help and saves you the stress so that you can concentrate on comforting yourself and other members in the family. Check out other formalities like insurance and related details. The preening procedure if found fine with you can be arranged in the parlors. The cremation services are also conducted by the funeral arrangers. More and more people are now planning how they wish to plan their rituals after death. It is quite possible to ask them how they want to present their bodies. The fees will be told to you in advance. People are opting to know about the cremation policies and how they want to dispose their remains. It is quite nice to know that the service is quite uniform and hence people are approaching these centers to arrange for their own funeral. Life goes on for others but if you are keen that your relative may have a good funeral then it is well managed at the professional who also have their own mortuary to keep the body for a while. When a person who is terminally ill is aware of the essential part of death, it becomes more essential to give him or her assurance that things after his death will be peaceful. That starts with the body itself. The body represents a temple of life but without life, there is still a lot of respect that needs to be given to the body. The funeral services also arranged a closed casket service if there is problem with the body. The funeral homes also conduct burial services which are now broadly looked up as an open need for people to leave their mortal remains in dignity. Often people with no encumbrances or people without children approach the services of preened funeral arrangements Guatemala and discuss in length what is to be done with their body after their death. This serves a lot of hassle and other legal matters too are sped up in the process. When the clarity is high, it will help a lot of know what is in store after you are dead. The preening services are just a mark of respect that is shown towards the body. Several people come to pay their last respects to the body and it does matter how you to be presented when a person is dead. Other matters of will or estate planning take a lot of time and hence it matters if the preened services for funeral in your state are available so that you can also arrange to take up the legal matters speedily. Death is the final adieu to leave the world. Hence going for the preened funeral arrangements Guatemala is now becoming a status symbol for many people who believe that etiquettes are a part of life and also death. A feeling of solace and peace on a dead body matters so much and this is possible with the funeral arrangements you have signed up for. Though the service of undertakers is available, the preened services are one high up to the existing service offered in many parts of Guatemala. You can call on them or even visit them at your convenience to know what arrangements can be done. Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on funeraria Guatemala and servicio funerario Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)
4:54 am	Planning the estate well is a meticulous effort When life happens to be trudging, all you can do is get into the act of being patient. It is true that youth is the time of being carefree and alive. It matters a lot if the present is handled well so that there are no problems about finance in the future. Estate planning is not as complicated as it used to be. When you look at your financial statement, you must make it a point to improve on it and get a closer look at what things are getting matured at a near date. Well life is about giving and taking and hence it better be planned before it is too late. There are several companies who do a portfolio management for you if you desire. If you have a business then it is good to have a personal finance done so that you are never at unease. Insurance can also be discussed before you have an agreement for planning the estate. These days all around the world funeral parlors are offering great services for people who have lost a dear one. You can enquire for services in funeral arrangements Guatemala and you will find several reliable ones. The parlor offering funeral services offer you good arrangements and also will help you with the paper work. During the times of death, all in the family require an emotional backing. Hence with the help of the best support from an arranger to do the funeral things, you will be in a better position to take care of other things to streamline the process. There are easier ways to attain the inheritance or give access to your family people to your wealth and this can be done via estate planning. Family is important at all times. One realizes this late sometimes though. It will give you so much of relief to have the services of funeral arrangements Guatemala. They are considerate and trustworthy. When you decide you need more service about estate planning, you can hire the certified planners who will help you with your finances. It will give you so much confidence to have done your money matters well. The hard earned money has to earn interest and you can also find ways to do your loans in the best way so that the effect on your liabilities is always balanced. As you are indisposed, you can also seek a power of attorney to act on your behalf. Shares and portfolio are one flexible way to arrange for estate planning. The term of estate planning is catching up in all affordable classes. The reason being it totally gives wieghtage to plans after the demise of a person. There is less confusion in the manner the property has to be distributed. Special services are offered in estate planning depending on the profile of the person. Matters related to property, finance and investment have to have proper disposal and channels to minimize the probability of legal issues hindering the disposal matters. The broad term of inheriting wealth in terms of cash or even jewelry is now taking a broad planning through estate planning. It matters so much what you need to do with your money when you are gone. A simple nomination or will suffices but in case of several issues which may lead to problems like land, fixed deposits, bank accounts and wealth one needs to have a better planning about inheritance or disposal. The terms o planning for estate after the demise of a person is very much important. An attorney can be contacted for knowing how the estate planning works. Checking out the funeral arrangements Guatemala, you will know how to go about finding a genuine service giver. This will minimize your stress. Losing a loved one is so much in life. The trauma is personal and yet you have to go through so many formalities. Matters of land, property or wealth can be easily done with the help of a legal person who is specialized in the field of estate planning. A trust deed is an essential way you can give legal access to people whom you want to give your property or land. An attorney will explain to you what are the formalities required in making a will or a deed. This saves so much of embarrassment and confusion in the event of death. The estate planning method is a justified way to ease out your financial problems not only now but also after you are no more in the world. Article by Winston Dunbar of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on contratos funerarios Guatemala and manejo de duelo Guatemala, visit his site today. (Comment on this)