A Journey of Reflection 15th August
Remembering the Past, Understanding Life, Planning Ahead
15 August 2026｜National Museum of Singapore → Garden of Peace → Nirvana Memorial Garden
On 15 August 2026, we organised our Journey of Reflection (心灵之旅), taking our guests from the National Museum of Singapore to the Garden of Peace, before ending our journey at Nirvana Memorial Garden.
The purpose was simple:
To remember our past, understand the choices available at the end of life, and reflect on how we can better prepare for ourselves and the people we love.
Stop 1: National Museum of Singapore | Remembering Our Past
Our journey began at the National Museum of Singapore.
Looking back at Singapore’s history reminded us that every generation leaves behind its own stories.
We spend much of our lives planning ahead — our careers, families, children and retirement.
But how often do we stop and ask:
What do we hope to leave behind, and how would we like our family to remember us?
Life education is not simply about discussing death.
By understanding that life is finite, perhaps we learn to appreciate the people around us more deeply and think more carefully about how we want to live.
Stop 2: Garden of Peace | Understanding Inland Ash Scattering in Singapore
Our second stop was the Garden of Peace at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery, Singapore’s first dedicated government-managed Inland Ash Scattering (IAS) facility.
Many people imagine inland ash scattering as simply scattering a loved one’s ashes onto an open field, soil or beneath a tree, allowing the ashes to “return to nature”.
The actual process at Garden of Peace is more structured.
Cremated remains are first processed into fine ashes. Family members then scatter the fine ashes along designated pebble-lined lanes, where the ashes naturally percolate through the pebbles into the soil below.
There is, however, another part of the process that many people may not be aware of.
Over time, as ashes accumulate and the scattering lanes reach capacity, NEA periodically carries out ash-soil transfer works. The accumulated ash-soil is respectfully transferred from the scattering lanes to a designated final resting location within Garden of Peace, allowing the lanes to continue serving other families.
Official NEA information on Inland Ash Scattering:
https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/after-death/inland-ash-scattering-facilities
Sharing this information is not about saying that inland ash scattering is right or wrong.
Every after-death arrangement has its own meaning and considerations.
What matters is that families understand what each option actually involves before making their decision.
Understanding should always come before choosing.
Stop 3: Nirvana Memorial Garden | From Understanding to Planning
Our final stop was Nirvana Memorial Garden, where guests learnt about another option for after-death arrangements — columbarium niches, memorial spaces and pre-planning in Singapore.
There is no single arrangement that is right for every family.
Religion, culture, financial circumstances and personal values are different for everyone.
Instead, we encouraged our guests to think about several questions:
Where would you like your ashes to be placed?
Would you like your family to have a permanent place to remember you?
Are religious traditions important to you and your family?
What arrangements would you personally prefer?
There are no standard answers.
But if we never think about or discuss these questions, one day the people we love may have to make all these decisions on our behalf.
Pre-Planning Is More Than Planning for What Happens After Death
Many people still feel that pre-planning is something they can think about “next time”.
But after accompanying many families through loss, we have come to understand something important:
Pre-planning isn’t only about arranging what happens after we pass away. It is about reducing the decisions, uncertainty and pressure our family may face when that day comes.
When our wishes have been communicated clearly, our loved ones can spend less time guessing and making difficult decisions — and more time being together and saying goodbye.
That is why we continue to advocate life education and pre-planning.
Not because we want people to fear death.
Quite the opposite.
Perhaps when we are willing to understand death, we learn to value life more deeply.
And while we still have the ability to choose, making our wishes known can itself be a gift to the people we love.
The Real Destination of 心灵之旅
From remembering our past at the National Museum of Singapore,
to understanding inland ash scattering at the Garden of Peace,
and finally exploring future arrangements at Nirvana Memorial Garden,
we visited three places, but ultimately reflected on one question:
How do we want to complete our journey through life, and what do we want to leave behind for the people we love?
The past reminds us where we came from.
The finite nature of life reminds us to appreciate today.
And pre-planning gives us the opportunity to make our wishes known while the choice is still ours.
That is the true meaning behind 心灵之旅 — A Journey of Reflection.
Not to teach people how to face death, but to understand it — so that we can live more meaningfully and prepare more thoughtfully for those we love.
禅箱 Zenbox
一份爱的礼物｜A Gift of Love
心灵之旅 八月十五日
回望过去，了解生命，规划未来
2026年8月15日｜新加坡国家博物馆 → Garden of Peace → Nirvana Memorial Garden
有些旅程，是为了看风景。
有些旅程，却让我们重新思考人生。
2026年8月15日，我们举办了 「心灵之旅」，带领来宾走访新加坡国家博物馆、Garden of Peace，最后来到 Nirvana Memorial Garden（富贵山庄）。
这趟旅程，我们希望大家能够：
回望过去、了解生命最后的不同选择，并思考我们可以为自己和家人提前做好什么准备。
第一站：National Museum of Singapore｜回望我们走过的路
我们的第一站，是 National Museum of Singapore（新加坡国家博物馆）。
从早期的新加坡，到今天我们熟悉的家园，每一代人都留下了属于自己的故事。
这也让我们思考：
我们一生都在为未来努力——事业、家庭、孩子、退休……
但我们是否曾经停下来想过：
这一生，我们希望留下些什么？又希望家人如何记得我们？
生命教育，并不只是谈论死亡。
当我们明白生命是有限的，或许反而会让我们更懂得珍惜眼前的人，也更认真地思考自己想要怎样走完这一生。
第二站：Garden of Peace｜新加坡的陆地骨灰撒放，和你想象的一样吗？
第二站，我们来到位于 Choa Chu Kang Cemetery（蔡厝港坟场） 的 Garden of Peace。
Garden of Peace 是新加坡国家环境局（NEA）管理的陆地骨灰撒放设施，也是新加坡首个专门设立的 Inland Ash Scattering（IAS） 设施，于2021年开放。
很多人听到「陆地撒灰」，脑海里可能会出现这样的画面：
把亲人的骨灰撒在一片草地、泥土或树下，从此在那里「回归大地」。
但亲自来到 Garden of Peace 后，我们才真正了解新加坡陆地骨灰撒放的实际方式。
骨灰需要先处理成细灰，再由家属将细灰撒在指定、铺有石子的撒灰通道。骨灰会透过石子层，逐渐进入下方的土壤。
但这里还有一个很多人并不了解的细节。
随着时间过去，撒灰通道内的骨灰与土壤会逐渐累积。当通道达到容量后，NEA 会进行 Ash Soil Transfer（灰土转移），将累积的灰土转移至 Garden of Peace 内指定的最终安置地点，让撒灰通道能够继续开放给其他家庭使用。
NEA 官方 Inland Ash Scattering 资料：
https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/after-death/inland-ash-scattering-facilities
我们分享这些，并不是要告诉大家陆地撒灰「好」或「不好」。
每一种身后安排，都有它的意义，也有不同的考虑。
我们真正希望带给大家的是：
不要只凭想象做选择。
先了解实际的安排，再决定什么才真正适合自己和家人。
了解，永远应该走在选择之前。
第三站：Nirvana Memorial Garden｜从了解，走向选择
旅程的最后一站，我们来到 Nirvana Memorial Garden（富贵山庄）。
在了解陆地骨灰撒放后，我们也让来宾认识另一种选择——骨灰阁位、纪念空间，以及 事前规划（Pre-Planning）。
我们从来不认为只有一种安排才是正确的。
每一个家庭的宗教、文化、经济状况和价值观都不一样。
真正值得我们思考的是：
将来希望自己的骨灰安放在哪里？
是否希望家人拥有一个固定的地方纪念自己？
宗教仪式对自己和家人重要吗？
自己希望留下怎样的安排？
这些问题，没有标准答案。
但是，如果我们从来没有想过、也从来没有和家人谈过，当事情真正发生时，这些选择就会全部留给最爱我们的人。
事前规划，不只是规划自己的身后事
很多人听到 事前规划（Pre-Planning），第一反应还是：
「还早啦。」
「为什么现在要谈这些？」
但在陪伴过许多家庭以后，我们越来越深刻地感受到：
事前规划真正规划的，不只是自己的身后事，而是减少家人在那一天需要面对的选择、压力与不确定。
当自己的意愿已经说清楚、安排清楚，家人就可以少一点猜测、少一点仓促，多一点时间好好地陪伴与告别。
所以，我们推广生命教育，并不是希望大家害怕死亡。
恰恰相反。
当我们愿意了解死亡，或许才会更认真地看待生命。
在自己仍然可以选择的时候，把自己的想法告诉家人，也是一种爱。
心灵之旅，真正想带我们去的地方
从 National Museum of Singapore 回望过去，
到 Garden of Peace 了解新加坡陆地骨灰撒放的实际方式，
再到 Nirvana Memorial Garden 思考未来的安排。
我们走了三个地方，其实一直在思考同一个问题：
我们希望如何走完自己的人生，又希望为所爱的人留下些什么？
过去，让我们知道自己从哪里来。
生命的有限，让我们更懂得珍惜今天。
而事前规划，让我们有机会在自己仍然能够选择的时候，为所爱的人留下一份清楚的安排。
这就是「心灵之旅」真正的意义。
不是教大家如何面对死亡，
而是希望当我们更了解死亡以后，能够更认真地活着，也更从容地为所爱的人做好准备。
禅箱 Zenbox
一份爱的礼物｜A Gift of Love