Rascality Afoot
Well-Known Member
Well, here's an odd one.
Years ago, my buddy and I were having that time-honoured conversation regarding what we would like to happen to our earthly remains if one of us should die young.
At the time it was a very real possibility actually. We were both involved in downhill skateboarding, raving, getting in scraps with other young men, and all sorts of other activities that have been known to be detrimental to the lives of foolhardy boys. At the time though, it was hypothetical. We were 17. We were invincible.
I expressed that I didn't want to be embalmed or cremated. I wanted all my carbon to be used by other organisms. I had a vision of wolves tearing at my corpse in a forest, and my bones breaking down and feeding plants. It's a gruesome image, but it made me feel like my existence could come full circle.
My friend on the other hand, wanted to be cremated and distributed in places he'd loved, or wanted to visit. The idea of rotting away was repulsive to him, and besides, he couldn't be put to rest on his favorite beaches by being quartered up and left Willy-nilly. An arm here, a leg there. Kids on vacation finding them, pickled in sea-salt amongst the driftwood.
His other request though, was for a portion of his ashes to be used to grow a cannabis plant, and that is what this thread is about.
A quick google search will yield plenty of discussions surrounding this topic. It's mostly speculation, and joking around. Now, even though this idea usually stems from getting lit and watching the movie "How High", I'm interested in having a serious discussion regarding death, how we deal with the dead, whether we can get closer to our fallen loved ones by visiting final resting places, or even ingesting plants that have fed on their remains.
You see, the dear friend I mentioned earlier passed away in November. He had recently won a battle with substance abuse, and was out living life to the fullest. His sleep apnea, however, had different plans. He stopped breathing in the night, and was discovered in the morning. He was rushed to the hospital and put on life support. I spent several days with him, and was present when he was taken off the machines and allowed to pass.
The gift that he bestowed upon us was that we now knew that you have to appreciate those who are close to you. All of us who knew him well became like a new family, and we get together to talk and sip wine regularly. All of us from different walks of life, finding common ground. Learning from each others very different areas of expertise. We've grown stronger and more worldly together.
On to his final wish though, his ashes have been spread in South Africa, the UK, the Rocky Mountains, his favorite festival, and will even be heading to Burning Man this year. Also, I am fortunate enough to be in a place where cannabis is widely accepted, so I decided to undertake his final request.
I used an autoflowering strain. I tend to avoid them, but in this case, I didn't want anything to go wrong, so a shorter growth cycle was desirable. I waited until they showed their sex, culled the males, and began feeding my favorite plant with organic feed, and some of the ashes. Ashes contain many of the same nutrients as flowering formula, and so I cut down on the other nutrients. The last thing I wanted to do was get nutrient lockout and be forced to flush out my dear friends ashes! The plant is happy, in full bloom, and a bit heavier than the rest, just like my friend.
After examining the trichs, I determined harvest time was close. I started feeding only water, and a few days ago mixed some ashes into the top of the soil, then watered it in. In one more week it will be time to harvest. After a week of drying, and six weeks of curing, I will have cannabis so sacred to me that I'll be almost afraid to smoke it. This will not be for getting high playing video games. This will be for smoking in quiet reflection on a mountain top.
Now I'm a skeptic. I believe that the nature of ones consciousness and what happens to us after we die is not even comprehendible on our plane of existence. I am very wary of, even angered by people who claim to know the answers. The human mind is beautiful, and so very tricky. I feel a connection to this plant, but I have cared for it so well, and I don't think that it is somehow channeling my friend, though I would like to believe that very much.
It does however offer closure, and a cheerful reminder of a young man who took life so un-seriously, that in his death he wanted us all to taste of his flesh in the form of lambs bread. A sort of psychoactive last supper. A reminder that someday you will die, and something will annex your carbon. A reminder that it's just a ride, and when it ends, it's something else's turn to get on. In this case, it was this small mango-scented Lowryder 2 phenotype's turn. And when it's time has passed, it will be my turn, and when my time has passed, the whole thing will be forgotten. And may wolves gnaw on my my skull, with a happy crunching sound...
Years ago, my buddy and I were having that time-honoured conversation regarding what we would like to happen to our earthly remains if one of us should die young.
At the time it was a very real possibility actually. We were both involved in downhill skateboarding, raving, getting in scraps with other young men, and all sorts of other activities that have been known to be detrimental to the lives of foolhardy boys. At the time though, it was hypothetical. We were 17. We were invincible.
I expressed that I didn't want to be embalmed or cremated. I wanted all my carbon to be used by other organisms. I had a vision of wolves tearing at my corpse in a forest, and my bones breaking down and feeding plants. It's a gruesome image, but it made me feel like my existence could come full circle.
My friend on the other hand, wanted to be cremated and distributed in places he'd loved, or wanted to visit. The idea of rotting away was repulsive to him, and besides, he couldn't be put to rest on his favorite beaches by being quartered up and left Willy-nilly. An arm here, a leg there. Kids on vacation finding them, pickled in sea-salt amongst the driftwood.
His other request though, was for a portion of his ashes to be used to grow a cannabis plant, and that is what this thread is about.
A quick google search will yield plenty of discussions surrounding this topic. It's mostly speculation, and joking around. Now, even though this idea usually stems from getting lit and watching the movie "How High", I'm interested in having a serious discussion regarding death, how we deal with the dead, whether we can get closer to our fallen loved ones by visiting final resting places, or even ingesting plants that have fed on their remains.
You see, the dear friend I mentioned earlier passed away in November. He had recently won a battle with substance abuse, and was out living life to the fullest. His sleep apnea, however, had different plans. He stopped breathing in the night, and was discovered in the morning. He was rushed to the hospital and put on life support. I spent several days with him, and was present when he was taken off the machines and allowed to pass.
The gift that he bestowed upon us was that we now knew that you have to appreciate those who are close to you. All of us who knew him well became like a new family, and we get together to talk and sip wine regularly. All of us from different walks of life, finding common ground. Learning from each others very different areas of expertise. We've grown stronger and more worldly together.
On to his final wish though, his ashes have been spread in South Africa, the UK, the Rocky Mountains, his favorite festival, and will even be heading to Burning Man this year. Also, I am fortunate enough to be in a place where cannabis is widely accepted, so I decided to undertake his final request.
I used an autoflowering strain. I tend to avoid them, but in this case, I didn't want anything to go wrong, so a shorter growth cycle was desirable. I waited until they showed their sex, culled the males, and began feeding my favorite plant with organic feed, and some of the ashes. Ashes contain many of the same nutrients as flowering formula, and so I cut down on the other nutrients. The last thing I wanted to do was get nutrient lockout and be forced to flush out my dear friends ashes! The plant is happy, in full bloom, and a bit heavier than the rest, just like my friend.
After examining the trichs, I determined harvest time was close. I started feeding only water, and a few days ago mixed some ashes into the top of the soil, then watered it in. In one more week it will be time to harvest. After a week of drying, and six weeks of curing, I will have cannabis so sacred to me that I'll be almost afraid to smoke it. This will not be for getting high playing video games. This will be for smoking in quiet reflection on a mountain top.
Now I'm a skeptic. I believe that the nature of ones consciousness and what happens to us after we die is not even comprehendible on our plane of existence. I am very wary of, even angered by people who claim to know the answers. The human mind is beautiful, and so very tricky. I feel a connection to this plant, but I have cared for it so well, and I don't think that it is somehow channeling my friend, though I would like to believe that very much.
It does however offer closure, and a cheerful reminder of a young man who took life so un-seriously, that in his death he wanted us all to taste of his flesh in the form of lambs bread. A sort of psychoactive last supper. A reminder that someday you will die, and something will annex your carbon. A reminder that it's just a ride, and when it ends, it's something else's turn to get on. In this case, it was this small mango-scented Lowryder 2 phenotype's turn. And when it's time has passed, it will be my turn, and when my time has passed, the whole thing will be forgotten. And may wolves gnaw on my my skull, with a happy crunching sound...
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great story-other than the wolves happily crunching away on your skull. 
