Book excerpt: A Near-Death Survivor's Guide to Living a Joyful Reality in the Here and Now After living through three very different near-death experiences, Robert Kopecky discovered a remarkable fact about life and death: You don't have to die to go to Heaven. This book shows how to engage with a paradise that is always present in your life. It's about learning how to make choices that lead you to a place of happiness and fulfillment—finding the pathways (and a few shortcuts) that will bring you the spiritual awareness and joy that is your birthright. By cultivating perspective, presence, and purpose, you'll discover that going to Heaven is not about moving into a realm of eternal sleep, but about being right where you are—wherever that may be—and waking up. Praise: "Many people have had near-death experiences and have returned with strong messages for the rest of us. Robert Kopecky's reflections are unusually intelligent and presented in a lively mix of humor and seriousness. I had fun reading this book and appreciated Robert's fresh way of offering traditional wisdom."—Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul and Ageless Soul "Helping us to engage with life, these truths will lead us on a transformational journey in finding a life filled with joy while creating Heaven on Earth."—Anita Moorjani, New York Times bestselling author of What If This Is Heaven "Possibly the most insightful book on how to obtain the enlightenment experienced by those who have gone through a NDE, How to Get to Heaven (Without Really Dying) offers hope and encouragement to experience lasting change."—Marianne Pestana, host of Moments with Marianne "Robert's compassion and selfless service of insight and reflections are a true gift to every reader of this guide to higher consciousness."—Brother Edward Salisbury, DDiv, FD, hospice minister and multiple NDE survivor "Robert Kopecky clearly identifies techniques to help stop our de-evolution of society by remembering our true purpose—to be of service to others."—Linda P. Truax, Board Secretary of the International Association for Near-Death Studies "I appreciate and endorse Robert's key themes, which are presented with engaging and heartfelt first person examples: we if seek peace of mind in this life, we'll find it through acts of kindness, humility, honesty, forgiveness, compassion, and service. These practices are universal, but often expressed in a dogmatic fashion, rather than in the friendly manner found in this book. Perhaps his clarity boils down to the adage, 'Religion is for people who're afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for those who've already been there.'"—Josh Korda, author and guiding teacher of DharmaPunx NYC "A landscape of love is all around us, and yet mysteriously hidden. Based on his own near-death experiences, Robert Kopecky gives us keys to this landscape. Practicing the simple qualities of kindness, compassion, humility, and service open us to the love, light, and magic of life. Heaven is not 'somewhere else' but a state in which we are reconnected to the Divine Consciousness that is within and all around us. This beautiful book helps us to live in this miraculous realm, awake in its wonder."—Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, PhD, author of Sufism: The Transformation of the Heart