Cremation is the process of incinerating the body of a deceased person at extremely high temperatures, leaving behind only a small amount of “ash” for the family to keep, bury, or scatter.
Even though cremation remains taboo in many cultures and religions, it has been steadily gaining popularity over traditional burials in recent years.
But with this rise in popularity comes a lot of questions — and just as many fears. Most of the anxiety around cremation comes from one thing: we don’t really understand it.
What actually happens to the body? How do we know the ashes are really our loved one’s? And for those who believe in an afterlife — what happens to the soul?
In this post, we’ll walk through:
- How the cremation process really works
- How funeral professionals ensure ashes are correctly identified
- Common questions people ask (yes, including unusual ones)
- What different religions and belief systems say happens to the soul after cremation
Demystifying the Cremation Process
Lauren, a former funeral home worker known as @lovee.miss.lauren on TikTok, has built a following of over 2.5 million people by doing one thing: telling the truth about death care.
One of the most common questions she gets is: “How can I be sure that the ashes I receive really belong to my loved one?”
It’s a fair question — and the answer is more reassuring than many expect.
How Identification Works
When a body arrives at the crematory, it is tagged with a metal ID plate stamped with a unique number.
- That plate stays with the body throughout the entire process.
- After cremation, the ashes are placed in a sealed bag with the correct identification.
- The family is then given a cremation certificate listing the person’s name and registration number.
This system is designed to ensure that the remains you receive truly are those of your loved one.
Questions People Are Afraid to Ask
Some of the questions families ask may sound unusual — even awkward — but they come from real concerns.
One person asked Lauren whether a tampon is removed if a woman passes away while on her menstrual cycle.
Lauren explains that in many cases, especially when an autopsy or embalming is performed, items like tampons are removed beforehand. These procedures follow strict protocols and are only done with the family’s knowledge and consent. The overall goal is always the same: to treat the body with dignity and respect.
Why Some Items Can’t Be Cremated
Louise Singer, manager of Bramcote Bereavement Services in the UK, adds that coffins are checked for items that cannot be safely burned — especially metal objects.
One of the most important things to look for is a pacemaker. Under cremation temperatures, pacemakers can explode, causing serious damage and even shifting the heavy cremation chamber. That’s why they must be removed before the process begins.
The Big Question: What Happens to the Soul?
For many people, the hardest part isn’t understanding what happens to the body — it’s wondering what happens to the soul.
If you believe in the afterlife, heaven, reincarnation, or any form of spiritual existence, cremation can raise deeply emotional questions:
- Does cremation affect the soul’s journey?
- Is it disrespectful to the soul?
- Does my tradition or religion allow it?
Different religions and belief systems offer very different answers. Let’s explore some of them.
1. Hinduism and Buddhism: A Sacred Transition
Hinduism: Fire as a Purifier
In Hinduism, cremation is the preferred practice when someone dies.
Hindus believe in the atman — the eternal soul — which leaves the body at the moment of death. The body is seen as a temporary vessel. Cremation helps the soul detach from its physical form and move forward in the cycle of reincarnation (samsara).
Fire plays a powerful symbolic role. It is considered a sacred purifier that releases the soul and helps it continue its spiritual journey.
Buddhism: Honoring Impermanence
In Buddhism, cremation is also common, but the belief system is slightly different. Buddhism does not teach the existence of a permanent, unchanging soul. Instead, it emphasizes:
- Consciousness and mental formations
- The cycle of rebirth
- The impermanence of all things
Cremation, for Buddhists, is often a way to honor impermanence — to accept that the body changes and passes away, while consciousness transitions into another form of existence.
2. Christianity: From Burial to Acceptance of Cremation
Christian views on cremation have evolved over time.
Traditional View: Burial and Resurrection
For centuries, many Christians — especially Catholics — favored burial. This was partly due to the belief in the bodily resurrection at the end of time. Burial symbolized the body “sleeping” in the Earth, awaiting resurrection.
Modern View: Cremation Is Allowed
Today, most Christian denominations accept cremation, as long as it is not chosen as a way of rejecting belief in the resurrection.
Christians believe that:
- After death, the soul is judged by God.
- The soul then goes to heaven, hell, or a temporary state such as purgatory (in some traditions).
- The way the body is treated — whether buried or cremated — does not change the soul’s destiny.
What matters most, within Christian belief, is faith, repentance, and one’s relationship with God — not the method of handling the body.
3. Islam: Strict Prohibition of Cremation
In Islam, cremation is strictly forbidden.
Muslim tradition teaches that:
- The body should be washed, shrouded, prayed over, and buried as soon as possible after death.
- The burial should be simple and respectful.
- The body is placed in the ground facing Mecca.
Muslims believe that the soul leaves the body at death, but remains in a state that is still connected to it until the Day of Judgment. Because of this connection, the body must be treated with great care and respect.
Cremation is seen as a violation of the dignity owed to the human body and as disobedience to God’s commands regarding burial.
4. Secular and Spiritual (But Not Religious) Views
In today’s world, more and more people describe themselves as spiritual but not religious, or adopt a secular or scientific perspective.
For them, cremation is often:
- A natural way of returning the body to the Earth
- A more affordable or environmentally conscious choice
- A way to keep their loved one close through ashes scattered in meaningful places or kept in urns
Spiritual but Not Religious
Some people believe that:
- The soul moves on to another plane
- It becomes one with the universe
- It lives on through the memories, love, and impact the person left behind
They may not follow a specific religious doctrine, but still feel that something of the person continues beyond physical death.
Secular and Humanist Views
On the other hand, some scientists and humanists view consciousness as ending at death. For them, cremation is:
- A practical decision
- Sometimes an ecological one
- Not a spiritual concern, but a personal preference
In this view, what truly lives on is not a soul, but the person’s influence, legacy, and the way they shaped the lives of others.
So, Does Cremation Affect the Soul?
From a practical standpoint, cremation is simply a method of caring for the body after death. The soul’s journey, according to most belief systems, is not limited by what happens to the physical remains.
- In Hinduism and Buddhism, cremation often supports the soul’s transition.
- In Christianity, cremation is generally allowed and does not block resurrection or salvation.
- In Islam, cremation is prohibited, not because it changes the soul’s fate, but because it disrespects the body.
- In secular and spiritual views, cremation is a personal, emotional, or ecological choice, with meaning defined by the family and the individual.
Final Thoughts
Cremation can feel frightening when we don’t understand it. But once we look at:
- How carefully the process is controlled
- How identification is tracked from start to finish
- How different faiths and philosophies view the soul
…it becomes less about fear and more about choice.
Whether you choose burial, cremation, or leave those decisions to your family, what matters most is that your wishes align with your values, your beliefs, and the way you want to be remembered.