How to Use a Pachamama Biodegradable Urn: A Step-by-Step Farewell Guide

This is the part where love becomes something you can hold in your hands. Preparing the urn, placing the ashes inside, and sealing it for the ceremony — these are quiet, sacred gestures. They may feel unfamiliar, even a little overwhelming. But I promise you: it's simpler than you think, and you don't need to do it alone.

This guide walks you through everything — from choosing the right urn size to preparing the ashes, sealing the urn, and releasing it in a water ceremony or earth burial. Take your time. Breathe. And know that every family who has done this before you has felt exactly what you're feeling right now.

Choosing the Right Size

Choosing the right urn size ensures that your loved one's ashes are held with care and that the ceremony feels balanced and intentional. Here's a simple guide:

Large Urn — 11.5" × 8.5" × 3.5" — holds up to 6 lbs of ashes. Designed for a full adult farewell. This is the size most families choose when all ashes will be released in one ceremony.

Medium Urn — 8.5" × 6.5" × 3" — holds up to 3 lbs of ashes. Ideal for a partial adult farewell, for children, or when ashes are being shared among family members.

Small Urn — 5.5" × 4" × 1.5" — holds approximately 8 to 10 oz of ashes. Perfect for keepsakes, infants, beloved pets, or when dividing ashes among siblings, children, or close friends.

If you're unsure which size is right, your crematorium can tell you the weight of the ashes. And if you're planning to share ashes among loved ones, many families choose one Large or Medium Urn for the main ceremony plus two or three Small Urns for personal farewells.

What's Included in Your Kit

Every Pachamama Water Tribute Urn arrives as a complete ceremony kit:

The biodegradable urn with a handcrafted tissue paper flower on top.

A biodegradable ashes bag inside the urn, ready to be filled.

A cotton cord to seal the urn.

Dried flower confetti to scatter during the ceremony.

Step-by-step ceremony instructions (a printed version of this guide).

A curated farewell music playlist (QR code).

A Certificate of Biodegradability — required by most cruise lines.

Everything you need is in the box. You don't need to buy anything else.

Step by Step: Preparing the Ashes

Find a calm, quiet space for this moment. Some families do this at home the night before the ceremony. Others prepare the urn at the ceremony location itself — on the boat, at the dock, or by the water. There is no wrong time or place.

Step 1: Open the urn. Gently remove the flower lid. Inside, you'll find the biodegradable ashes bag already placed in the urn. The bag opens near the ribbon or tie.

Step 2: Transfer the ashes. Carefully and slowly pour the ashes into the biodegradable bag. Take your time — there is no rush. If the ashes are in a plastic bag from the crematorium, you can cut a corner and pour from there. A funnel can help if the opening feels small.

Step 3: Seal the bag. Once all the ashes are inside, fold the top of the bag over several times or use the provided tie to close it securely. Double-check the seal — this gives you peace of mind that the ashes are safe during transport and the ceremony.

Step 4: Place the bag in the urn. If you removed the bag to fill it, gently place it back inside the urn. Make sure it sits flat and centered so the urn rests balanced on the water.

Step 5: Close and seal the urn. Place the flower lid back on top. Take the cotton cord provided with the urn and tie both ends securely. A simple knot is all you need — tight enough to hold the lid in place during the release. This cord dissolves in water along with everything else.

The urn is now ready. You can transport it gently to the ceremony location or hold it close until the moment comes.

Water Farewell: How to Release the Urn

This is the moment everything has been leading to. Whether you're standing on a dock, aboard a cruise ship, on a boat, or at the edge of a lake, river, or beach — the process is the same.

Choose your moment. When the water is calm, when the family is gathered, when the silence feels ready to hold what comes next.

Hold the urn close to the water's surface. The closer you are, the more gently the urn will land. If you're on a boat or dock, kneel or lean down if you can. If you're on a cruise ship deck, release it as low as the railing allows.

Place the urn gently on the water. Don't throw it — let it rest on the surface. The urn will float briefly, with the tissue paper flower visible on top. This is the moment families remember most — the flower resting on the water, holding its place for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

Speak, read, or stand in silence. This is your time. Say their name. Share a memory. Read a ceremony blessing. Or simply breathe and watch. If you've written a farewell letter, this is the moment to read it aloud.

Scatter petals. As the urn begins to sink, scatter dried rose petals or natural flowers on the water. They will continue to float after the urn has gone, extending the beauty of the moment. Release any Ceremony Message Papers if your family wrote messages.

Play music softly. Scan the QR code included in your kit to play the farewell music playlist. Families tell us the music transforms the atmosphere — it gives the ceremony a sense of completeness.

Let the moment hold you. The urn will sink gently and begin dissolving. The biodegradable bag dissolves within minutes. The urn itself dissolves completely within a week. Nothing is left behind but memory, love, and the petals drifting on the water.

If you're in U.S. waters, remember to submit your EPA burial at sea notification within 30 days — we include the link and instructions in your kit.

Earth Burial: How to Bury the Urn

If you've chosen a Burial Urn with Flower Seeds, the farewell happens in the soil — and from it, something new will grow.

Choose a meaningful place. A garden you tend together, a backyard where they spent quiet mornings, or a spot in nature that held meaning for them. If you're burying on private property, no special permit is typically required in most U.S. states. For public land, check local regulations.

Prepare the soil. Dig a space approximately 6 to 12 inches deep. Mix the surrounding soil with compost — cremated ashes are alkaline, and the compost helps balance the pH so the wildflower seeds can germinate. This small step makes a real difference.

Place the urn in the earth. Set it gently into the ground. This is a sacred gesture — the return of someone you love to nature's embrace. Take a moment. Say their name. Let your hands touch the soil.

Cover with earth. As you fill the space with soil, you're creating a living memorial. The urn will decompose naturally, and the wildflower seeds will begin their journey toward the surface. In time — weeks or months depending on the season — flowers will bloom where the urn was planted.

Tend the space. Water gently in the first weeks. Visit when you need to feel close. Some families add a small marker, a stone, or a candle nearby. Others let the wildflowers speak for themselves. Read our full guide: How to Plan a Garden Memorial.

Tips from Families Who've Done This

One of our customers, Jennifer, shared her experience: "Make sure you get the air out of the bag the ashes are in before you close it. Try to get the bag of ashes flat in the box before you put it in the water." This helps the urn float evenly on the surface.

Tammy described the moment beautifully: "This urn was just perfect. Gave us enough time to say goodbye, as the ashes quietly and gently merged into the lake overlooking her favorite mountain."

And Kelly wrote: "Fantastic seller. This was beautifully packed and includes a biodegradable bag, dried petals, and a heartfelt message from the seller."

These families trusted Pachamama for the most important farewell of their lives. We hold that trust with deep care.

Including Children

If children will be part of the ceremony, include them. Let them scatter petals, hold a flower, draw a picture to place by the water, or say one word they want to send with the person they love. These moments stay with children in quiet, healing ways. You can read more in our guide to designing a farewell ceremony.

For Pet Farewells

If you're using a Pachamama urn for a beloved pet, the process is the same — with one gentle difference. Our Small Urns are the right size for most pets. If you'd prefer to keep your pet's ashes at home, our Pet Memorial Kits include a keepsake urn, candle holder, cotton ashes bag, transfer funnel, and optional photo frame and engraved name tag.

Many families choose both — a keepsake urn to keep at home and a biodegradable urn to release in a place their pet loved. A park where they ran, a lake where they swam, a beach where they chased waves. The goodbye can honor both the home they shared and the nature they explored.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need any tools to prepare the urn?

No. Everything you need is included in the kit. A funnel can be helpful for transferring ashes, but it's not required.

Can I prepare the urn ahead of time?

Yes. Many families prepare the urn at home and bring it sealed to the ceremony location. Just handle it gently — the tissue paper flower is delicate.

What if the flower gets a little squished during transport?

It can be gently fluffed with your fingers. Several customers have mentioned this — the flower revives easily with a light touch.

Can I release the urn from a cruise ship?

Yes. Coordinate with Guest Services once on board. See our full cruise ceremony guide.

What are the legal requirements for scattering ashes in water?

In U.S. ocean waters, the ceremony must take place at least 3 nautical miles from shore, and you must submit an EPA notification within 30 days. For lakes and rivers, rules vary by state.

Can I bury a water urn in the ground instead?

Our water urns are designed for water ceremonies. For earth burials, we recommend our Burial Urns with Flower Seeds, which include wildflower seeds and are designed to decompose in soil.

You are doing something sacred. Every step — from opening the box, to placing the ashes, to watching the urn float or burying it in the earth — is an act of love. It doesn't need to be perfect. It only needs to be yours.

With love,

Virginia