

Perhaps, centuries from now, your same elements will find themselves a new home within other organisms, mountains, or even a star in a galaxy far, far away. No matter whether you choose a natural burial, embalming, cremation, or so on, your body returns to ‘ash’ and ‘dust’ all the same to enter the cycle of nature yet again. With that in mind, eventually, when we die, our bodies return to these basic elements within the earth. Though you might feel young, your body’s elements are as ancient as time itself. Our bodily elements (hydrogen, carbon, calcium, etc.) date back to the beginning of the universe over 13 billion years ago. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but it’s the true reality we live in. We’re made of the same stuff as stars, nearly every element in the human body being made in stars and supernovas.

While it sounds remarkable, humans are-at their essence-dust. In simple terms, this phrase reminds us that we all began as dust, and we will return to dust again when our time finally comes.

The words ‘ash’ and ‘dust’ have negative connotations, but don’t get the diction twisted. On the surface, ‘ashes to ashes, dust to dust’ paints a bleak picture. What ‘Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust’ Means You can even turn your loved one's ashes into a real diamond with Eterneva or into cremation stones with Parting Stone. Tip: If you're looking for something very unique to hold a loved one's ashes you can custom order an urn from a store like Foreverence. Let’s take a step back through time, literature, and popular culture to discover the real meaning behind ‘ashes to ashes, dust to dust’ and how it applies today. It’s a phrase with a biblical origin dating back to the creation of man, and it honors the cycle of life as the meaning behind everything we hold close. Returning to ‘ashes’ and ‘dust’ isn’t something to fear. In reality, the phrase ‘ashes to ashes’ carries a lot of beautiful symbolism. This might sound scary and intimidating at times, especially when coupled with the question of why we die. Whether your body is cremated or buried within this earth, you will return to ashes and dust. In reality, this phrase highlights what happens to all bodies during burial ceremonies.
