What We’re Leaving Behind
- 8 hours ago
- 5 min read
Article and Photos by Jessica McCafferty
They say the 1970s was our environmental awakening with the first Earth Day, the creation of the EPA and the Clean Air Act. By the end of the ‘80s, terms like “Global Warming” and “Climate Change” were entering the mainstream consciousness. The early 2000s told us about our “carbon footprint” and encouraged us to reduce our emissions in the hope of leaving less of an impact on our planet.
With the rising costs of traditional burial—the plot, casket, concrete vaults, and memorials coupled with the new awareness of what we are putting in the ground —the country has seen a rapid rise in cremations over burial and more celebrations of life rather than funerals.
Cremation now outweighs traditional burials 63.4% to 31.6% with alternative methods rounding out the last 5%. Those methods include Aquamation (Water Cremation), Terramation (Natural Organic Reduction) and Green Burial, the one alternative option currently legal in New York State. That brings us to our article and a beautiful three-acre lot on a side road in Essex, New York.
Waste Not Want Not
One of the most impactful statements Colleen Corrigan, Coordinator at the Spirit Sanctuary, made as we began to meander a mowed path towards the pines in the first field was, “Life doesn’t have a concept of waste. That’s a human made construct. Life is ready to take what dies and transform it back into new life. A cycle that continues forever.” Returning to the earth what has sustained you is the concept behind green cemeteries.
We all have varying views on death, impacted by religion, culture and our own life experiences. Some say the process is as beautiful as birth. While that may not match my views, I can see the appeal of the green cemetery and could easily see a loved one being laid to rest in one.
The Spirit Sanctuary was founded by and operates in partnership with the Eddy Foundation Land Trust, a non-profit with the goal of investing in local conservation and environmental education to create a community that values this space. Its enrollment fees go toward preservation.
Reframing the Narrative
Corrigan, not only the sanctuary’s coordinator, but also an End-of-Life doula, spoke of the stigma and discomforts around death and decomposition. “Green burial reconnects humans to the inherent life-giving cycles in nature, transforming what remains into new life.” Spirit Sanctuary operates as a fluid conservation effort.
That means ecosystem first plot placement. There are no predefined plots because the forest is constantly evolving. Instead, enrollees are guaranteed space within the sanctuary. When the time comes, a location is chosen that minimizes disruption of the flourishing tree and plant life. The grounds are left deliberately wild with one mowed trail that circles the acreage and a naturally worn path among the pines.
The Sanctuary allows for natural sinkage as bodies decompose. Dead trees are left standing, and animals are welcomed to naturally clear the brush to leave the land as untouched as possible. Markers are minimal. If families want one, the Sanctuary requires simple, locally sourced, unpolished stones that lie flush with the earth. Families are encouraged to let nature select the plants for the graves, but they can work with a steward to obtain approval and to witness the planting of native flora. Non-biodegradable items may not be buried with the interned or left at the gravesite.
Participation is Alchemy
A unique aspect of the Sanctuary’s service model is the emphasis on client participation, which Corrigan views as crucial for grief processing. Families are invited to dig the graves (either alongside Spirit Sanctuary stewards or on their own with steward support), serve as pallbearers, and actively lower the body into the earth using a system of cross boards and straps. Once the body is lowered, families are encouraged to make the ceremony entirely their own, through storytelling, reading or simply filling the grave in with provided shovels. Corrigan refers to this hands-on involvement as “alchemy” because it helps loved ones integrate their loss and find a sense of wholeness.
As an End-of-Life doula and former Hospice worker, Corrigan has witnessed how families process death and dying and has seen how cathartic the process can be. The physical weight of the dirt and the body make grief almost a tangible thing to work through and move past, and can be very freeing.
From Oldest to Newest
There are currently about 40 enrollees of the Spirit Sanctuary, 26 are already interned, three of whom are animal companions. The first burial took place in 2018, and you would be hard pressed to find its location without a map or a guide. There are some subtle vegetation differences in the plot areas, but nothing that stands.
The newest burial, that took place in January of this year, took place among the pines. There are already plants sprouting up among a bed of pine needles that covers the site.
And the prettiest of them all? The most picturesque site is about four years old. It is clear a loved one comes regularly. There is no marker, just a few dead branches that likely fell across the space, some pinecones and birch bark, and one emerald green moss-covered chunk of wood -- as though the visitor thoughtfully adjusted the pieces nature provided.
Future Fields
New York State regulations limit the Spirit Sanctuary to only three active burial acres at a time and there is currently plenty of room left in the private green cemetery. But as the popularity of natural burial increases, driven by education and awareness, it has the ability to expand into an additional three adjacent acres.
Coordinator Corrigan and the grave diggers are happy to educate those seeking burial alternatives that don’t impact the earth with accessories or greenhouse gases.
I found my research for this article and my interview interesting, and I would encourage others to dig a little deeper into the subject of emerging options.
Curious about Corrigan and what an End of Life Doula does?
An End of Life Doula is a non-medical profession who provides holistic emotional, spiritual, and practical support to terminally ill individuals and their families. A doula is a compliment to traditional hospice care by helping clients draft advance directives, plan vigils, build legacy projects and navigate grief. Doulas have the ability to offer more one-on-one time to sit at bedsides for extended periods and tailor support to the specific wishes of the dying individual. If you would like to learn more about Corrigan and Doula services you can visit her website www.sacred-explorations.com
Spirit Sanctuary
304 Cook Road
Essex, NY 12936
(518) 278-7502