Heaven is Beautiful: How Dying Taught Me That Death is Just a Beginning, By Peter Baldwin Panagore

Reviewed by Carol Callahan: 

Heaven is Beautiful : How Dying Taught Me That Death Is Just a Beginning was written by Peter Baldwin Panagore. His story is an account of his near death experience while hiking in Alberta Canada when he was 21 years old. He was ice climbing the Lower Weeping Wall on Cirrus Mountain, Banff National Park. Several climbing mistakes resulted in Peter and his partner being stranded on the ice wall over night and experiencing hypothermia. Peter was well versed in the stages of hypothermia and was aware of his increasing confusion, clumsiness and sleepiness as the hypothermia increased. Peter struggled to stay awake but he was unable to and he slipped into death. He died on the side of the mountain and experienced forgiveness, unconditional love and bliss.

Peter describes the NDE experience of meeting God which was impossible to explain in words. He tries saying that God was a voice and an all knowing, all love feeling. At first he was flooded with knowledge, suddenly knowing and understanding so many things he had not comprehended on earth. Then came what Peter refers to as “Hell”. The “Hell” was a life review of the hell he had created on earth. The hell was to see, hear, feel, understand and embody all of the pain he had caused anyone he had known from their point of view. He felt their pain and suffered every instance of pain, big or small, intended or unintended. This pain he had caused was “sin”. Peter relates that sin on the earth plane is unavoidable and inevitable. Many of Peters sins were unintentional, accidental actions he had taken that he’d never known might cause hurt. Hell wasn’t a place to go but a place within. He felt guilty and ashamed. Then he heard the Voice of God saying, “I love you, Peter. I know you, Peter. You are my creation, Peter”. And suddenly, undeservedly, Peter was forgiven fully, completely and instantaneously. The Pain he had caused vanished. God’s love was so wide and deep, so full and sweet, so safe and eternal he wanted to stay with Him.

Peter had not gone through the gateway to heaven and realized that as much as he wanted to stay in that Loving place forever, he had to go back. The choice was his. He felt he must go back to be with his parents. He would not cause them the pain and anguish they would feel if he died. His sister had disappeared and caused them much heart break. He could see their broken, loving hearts inside them and he could see all the suffering and sorrow, their pain, wounds and anger. He couldn’t add to that.

Suddenly Peter was back on the mountain and woke up. He tugged on the rope that had been caught and was preventing their descent and it came loose. They were able to rappel down the mountain and get to their car.

After Peter’s NDE he was a changed man. He lived in two worlds. How he longed to go back to the place of God’s love. He felt he made a terrible mistake. After a period of intense emotional struggle Peter settled into his earthly life but he had changed. Peter did all he could to be a good person and to help people, feeling deep compassion for all people and their struggles of every kind. He eventually went into the ministry, receiving a master’s degree at Yale Divinity School and ordination. He has served several churches in Connecticut and Maine and has focused on helping people who were near death. He has a special ability to comfort those about to pass over, telling them of God’s love and the beautiful heaven that awaits them.

I found this book a fascinating read and would recommend it highly. Anyone who fears death themselves or for a loved one will be comforted that Heaven is a beautiful place with overpowering love so beyond anything we can imagine.