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What 3 Near-Death Experiences Taught Me About Heaven, by Robert Kopecky

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

Is it possible to venture into "the great beyond" without having to pay "the ultimate price" to get there? As a survivor of multiple Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), there is one big piece of advice I can give you about it: Try to avoid having multiple near-death experiences! The lessons you get from them about the afterlife are truly amazing, but the circumstances you go through to get there are definitely best avoided.

There are easier ways—take my word for it—that can lead you to discover that the place "beyond" you’re so curious about; it isn't so far away after all, especially if you look within—as with this example.

What do you see when you close your eyes? Try it right now for ten or twenty seconds: Close your eyes and really look into the darkness inside your eyelids and notice…it's not really complete darkness in there, is it? There's a kind of life unfolding inside of your eyelids—undulating waves of slightly effervescent energy—vibrations and pulsations, arising and receding. I know it all can be explained in a neurological way, but still, there is a lot going on in there—a lot of very mysterious stuff. Just stay there for a minute and take it in. Then, when you open your eyes and look around, see how the light energy floods in from everywhere, bouncing off of everything. There's that vivid, radiating life-energy penetrating every iota, every instant of our being—just as there always has been, and just as there always will be! That experience never changes. We have always—and will always—live in this miraculous, illuminative now. Those inward vibrations are the introductory inklings of the great beyond alive within us all. Those curious vibrating fields of energetic effervescence are a lot like the atmosphere alive in "Heaven"…and that is something I can tell you a little about.

In my new book, How to Get to Heaven (Without Really Dying): Wisdom From a Near Death Survivor, I take the opportunity to explore each of my NDEs, and to pass along to you all of the attitudes, atmospheres, sensations, and possibilities that define my experiences of the "heavenly" realm I visited, as well as the "normal" life experiences I've had of it ever since. You see, as a result of my accidental excursions into a couple completely different afterworlds, I've come back with this one big message: Heaven isn't a single, predictable place that you'll go to someday. Instead, it's a kind of custom-made, eternal state-of-being that can be reached and experienced everyday, through all of Life. You can get there from here, and in easier, more empowering ways than by having to experience any kind of physical death (so let's just hold off on that, for now). I'd be remiss without a respectful nod to the skeptics, because it goes without saying that I didn't actually die—or I wouldn't be here to talk about it. Obviously, no NDE survivor has actually died and stayed that way—a simple truth that justifies all the skepticism and conjecture surrounding the subject. But it's also pretty fascinating how NDEs are a growing worldwide phenomenon that transcend ages, races, and cultures, and describe an apparent continuation of our consciousness beyond (and I'd suggest within) this world to which we open our eyes every morning.

Despite any similarities about which you've heard, NDEs come in many different forms and motifs, and describe a kind of "custom-made afterlife," a kind of Heaven—or Hell—that all survivors report on. As you might expect, the bottom line for me (and almost all NDE survivors) is that I know life doesn't end here. It continues in an extra-dimensional fashion, but exactly how I'm not sure. Having had the three of them myself, I don't believe that NDEs are a visit to any definitive "next world" that many may wish for. I believe these experiences aren't so much a reliable description of what will come next after this life, but simply more evidence about how richly complex a thing that all of Life really is.

Even though each of my experiences was very different from the others, they all described my life; and though their main features were different, there was always that energetic, effervescent life alive in this miraculous now that didn't change from trip to trip to trip—in fact, that's what may have been the most important part of them all: The powerful sense of a total loving connection to everything. It's the common prerequisite for any "Heaven" we'll ever find.

Having the three trips under my belt, and having learned about many, many more in my travels, one unavoidable characteristic that all these experiences share in common is how perfectly their specifics fit each survivor's life. They almost always involve other critical spirits, places, and events that speak directly to each of us. We know how many NDE events adhere to a set of common motifs—as in my three experiences, I had an "out-of-body" perspective on my own death, a reassessment or "life review," and a forced "return back" into this life (against my will). Along with other scenarios commonly spoken of, such as "the light at the end of the tunnel," visiting an "Elysian" field and meeting up with your dearly departed, experiencing a view of the Earth from deep outer space, and others. Yet, even these similar passages are uniquely suited to us (in fact, they're even specific to the religion and culture of the experiencer).

My NDEs seemed to be just what I needed at the time of each of my "deaths." They were as simple or as elaborate as they needed to be to move me closer into alignment with a greater reality—into a place in my life where I could experience those attitudes, atmospheres, and potential, that state-of-being that I associate with Heaven. That was the powerfully unavoidable sensation that each experience had in common: the enveloping aspect of this miraculous now that each event gave me. In each experience, I was enfolded within a penetrating field of intelligence—an experience of the continuing connection and expansion into what I call the field of "Divine Consciousness."

I lost track of everything material—I don't even remember having a body, or knowing exactly where I was, but the truth that I've brought back with more empowering urgency than any other detail of "the afterlife" is that I never stopped experiencing an all-encompassing Consciousness (which you’ll notice I now capitalize, indicating it as a force of Divinity). Like many NDE survivors, I realized a complete merging into a greater field of intuitive, omniscient intelligence, accompanied by an indescribable non-physical sensation of loving wholeness and belonging-to. It's this continuation into a greater, unified "mind," and expansion into a magical, spiritual dimension—full of every possibility that you can possibly imagine—that now informs my understanding of every life I'll ever live.

It's an experience that I've discovered can (nearly…) be experienced in this crazy human form, and that can be fostered in my everyday-to-day life in this crazy human world. It's an experience of Life that in a variety of very interesting ways, I'd like to share with you.

God bless those overly scientific, "materialist" skeptics, many of whom base their doubts in current explorations of neuroscience. I believe that they're absolutely right in their assertion that NDEs are abstract perceptual phenomenon resulting from the brain not being completely dead. After all, this is a pretty abstract Universe (floating around out here in outer space is already miraculous enough, isn't it?). Like me, I don't think any NDE survivor would ever insist that their brain had completely died—we'd simply acknowledge that we went on "thinking" and "seeing" in what we remember as the afterlife. I think it's simply because (despite even the physiological "death" of our human brains) our mind does not die; instead, it's incorporated into a greater mind. We're folded into an expansive, organizing, Consciousness-based intelligence—a kind of loving matrix of limitless potential experience.

And here's the really good news: That very same experience is definitely available here and now—it's just more of a challenge because we're in these doggone bodies all the time. We don't have to escape them per se, but we do have to elude their materialistic tendencies, so there are what I call "rungs on the ladder to Heaven" that we can make use of—principles to live by that allow us to actually witness Heaven-on-Earth. There's meditation and mindfulness, and teachings from amazing ancient texts that are direct doorways to the kind of Paradise that we may only imagine as being "extra-dimensional." And there are perceptions and practices that can actually help us to restore whatever parts of that Garden we may feel we've lost, or even to create an entirely new one!

But it is true, in couple ways, that you'll have to let go of this world, to let go of "who you're supposed to be," if you want to explore those extra-dimensions. If you want to find out exactly how you can get to Heaven…without really dying, that is.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2018. All rights reserved.

Help! I have friends who are very involved in Christianity and are always confronting me about my unorthodox spiritual practices. You must come across this as well. How do you handle it?
Greta

Susyn:

As a rule, I don't try to change others beliefs or insist that they accept mine. However, I have had the sort of experiences you describe, and I found them to be rather frustrating.

Years ago, I dated a man who belonged to a Bible-based church. He was fearful that if his church knew he was dating a psychic, he would be forced to stop. I asked him to show me where in the Bible my work and beliefs were condemned. He didn't know but he agreed to ask his pastor. In the mean time, I consulted another minister and asked him to direct me to biblical quotes as well.

I was surprised when both pastors gave me the same exact passages to read. I was even more surprised when I read further and uncovered the whole story. I began doing my own research and found that the Bible actually encourages my work and beliefs.

The first passage was in chapter two of Daniel, which states that the King Daniel served had ordered all astrologers and seers to be put to death. This is where the pastors stopped. If you read on, however, you discover that Daniel (who was himself an astrologer) needed to interpret a dream the king had had in order to save his life and those of his colleagues. He prayed to God and was given the answers he needed, which made for a happy ending to this story.

In the second passage, Isiah 47, verses 13-15, Isiah condemned and cursed all astrologers to death along with any people who followed them. It's easy to see that he was targeting anyone who made another person or thing his god. I don't have a problem with that, for my work and beliefs are a channel for getting closer to Spirit and are not to be worshipped in and of themselves.

My own research was even more revealing. In Genesis, there is a passage that reads that God placed the stars and planets in the firmament (sky) as signs for those who are able to read them. In Matthew, chapter two, it specifically states in many bibles that the three wise men were astrologers. Essentially, Godís birth announcement of Jesus was an astrological event, and the three wise men who followed the star used astrology for holy work.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Romans 12:6: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. If your friends insist on confronting you about your spiritual beliefs and practices, I would invite them to investigate how the Bible forbids not the use of spiritual gifts, but rather their misuse!

*****

Oceania:

This is not so much about conflicting belief systems as it is about your relationships with your so-called friends. If they think they have the right to challenge or attack something as personal and precious as your spiritual life, itís because you have allowed that sort of behavior from them. You have been passive rather than assertive.

When you're assertive, your energy basically says Iím okay, youíre okay. When you act assertively, you show respect for yourself and for others. Being passive conveys the message Youíre okay, Iím not. Passive people are doormats who don't stand up for themselves or protect their personal boundaries. Passive people avoid conflict, tend to be used, and often give up whatís important to them to keep the peace.

Being aggressive conveys the message I'm okay, you're not. An aggressive person is intent on getting their way at any cost. Aggressive people tend to attract passive people and vice versa. Bullies sense passive people's desire to be liked and they manipulate them through criticism and rejection.

Ultimately, being passive is frustrating, discouraging and tiresome because you canít please everyone. No matter how much you give up, someone is going to be unhappy with you.

Assertive people tend to attract other assertive people. As you move from passivity to assertiveness, you will find the aggressive people in your life either falling away or mustering up healthy assertiveness in order to continue your relationship.

Setting specific biblical passages aside, history scholars have learned much about the historical Jesus. Their research suggests that the spiritual leader Jesus of Nazareth was opposed to the judging and condemning of others and held an attitude of inclusivity. He was opposed to excluding people from his spiritual community based on their being different from the mainstream. When you experience Christians judging, condemning or excluding you, you can rest assured that Jesus would not agree with such behavior.

The way I cope with the kind of people you mentioned is preventatively. I take delight in my personal beliefs but do not share them except with people I know will understand. If someone happens to become aggressive on this or any topic, I gracefully exit.

I recommend that you find friends or a spiritual group of people with whom you can share openly and enjoy mutual support, respect and acceptance. If you look for them, you will eventually find some lovely kindred spirits who share your beliefs and interests.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.