Reaching to Heaven: A Spiritual Journey Through Life and Death

by James Van Praagh

A spiritual journey through life and death.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Paranormal, Religion

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

His very natural, easy-going style would lead you to believe that James Van Praagh is chatting with a friend on the telephone, not communicating messages from the grave. James is a survival evidence medium, meaning that he is able to bridge the gap between two planes of existence, that of the living and that of the dead, by providing evidential proof of life after death via detailed messages. "I'm clairsentient," he explains, "which simply means clear feeling. I feel the emotions and personalities of the deceased. I am also clairvoyant," he adds, clarifying that, "the first is feeling, the second is seeing, very much like Whoopi Goldberg in the movie, Ghost." The true essence of the messages are the feelings behind the words. James is an expert on this subject, since he has been in touch with those feelings most of his adult life. "The spirits communicate by their emotions. No words exist in the English language, or any other for that matter, which can describe the intense sensations."

Personality traits come in as well. If a person was talkative while alive, he will come through with plenty to say. James also relays physical traits and death conditions as evidence. "If I convey recognizable evidence along with even a fraction of the loving energy behind the message, I consider the reading successful."

James' public popularity began during his appearances on the NBC talk show The Other Side. The show concentrated on paranormal issues, and James became the favorite guest and resident expert on the subject of life after death. Even Howard Rosenberg, the Los Angeles Times distinguished television critic, dubbed James "spectacular".

Through the years his message of hope has touched a great many more people due to his television appearances on such shows as Oprah, Larry King Live, Dr. Phil, A&E Biography, Maury Povich, 20/20, and 48 Hours. His unique paranormal experiences during the past twenty-five years have seen him author best-selling books, create meditation programs and development videos, teach mediumship classes, conduct seminars to sold-out audiences, and produce successful television projects.

Reviews

[Iona Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author.

I would regard this as an excellent introduction to the subject of life after death.

Van Praagh, who is an extremely gifted medium, is an intelligent and cultured man and an eloquent writer. It was a pleasure to read a book couched in such graceful language (for a change, I am tempted to say).

In the preliminary chapters van Praagh goes into detail about such matters as the universal mind, the aura, including its colours, the etheric,astral and mental bodies and the processes involved in the various types of death.

Later in the book we are presented with various moving stories taken from his innumerable client consultations, the basic themes addressed being expectations, guilt, fear, forgiveness and love. This section of the book in particular is thoroughly readable.

In the final section the author gives us various useful exercises for grounding, protection and "bringing out your light", He concludes by providing us with spiritual guidelines by which to successfully bring uo our children in these challenging times.

The book is filled with insightful quotations taken from the works of famous writers together with valuable spiritual precepts, such as: "Remember God always says yes; we say no."

I would particularly recommend this book to those new to the subject.

[Noel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had just written a very witty and thoughtful review when I pressed something or other and lost it. Here's the less witty and fairly quick version of what I remember writing...

I've been thinking of death lately. My own death to be exact. Not so much in a morbid way, but more in a curious way. When will it happen? Will it hurt? What comes next? Who will go through my things? Will my house be a mess? Is there a heaven?

So picking up this book which had been lingering on my shelves, I thought I might get some answers. I read it with an open mind and found plenty of thoughts to chew on. No definitive answers, but a lot of ideas that don't sound absolutely nutty either. He speaks of love as being the be all in this life and the next, of figuring out why we're here (not to collect money or power), of how we are born and how the death process works. He gives plenty of examples of people he's read and their experiences. (I'd love to have a reading sometime).

Where he lost me was with some of the examples of what to expect after we cross over. For ex. We will be able to build a mansion in the sky, our choice oceanfront or perhaps mountainside cabin; and we can contact an architect to help us build it. OK - right there I draw the line. It just smacks of earthly materialism, and I don't know, it just sounds goofy. Buildings made of marble and other earth-like items all seem to just be a human idea, limited to what we know and see around us.

But all in all, I liked the book. It was well written and gave me a lot of food for thought, and that's all I can ask for in a book.

[Jam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure how much into James Van Praagh as a psychic/medium I am but I picked this book up in 2006 after the untimely death of a best friend. The book did help me at the time cope with his death.

If you have lost a loved one and grieved their death and question the afterlife, read this book. It was truly an inspiring book, easy-to-read, informative, and concise. Just what I needed at the time.

[Marianne Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read for anyone who has lost a loved one, who misses a loved one, who is in any way, shape or form, wondering what happens to your loved ones after death.

I have always said that I am a combination of Catholic, Buddhist, Pagan, and New Thought. This book encompasses all that and then some.

Heaven is an actual place and it is beautiful.....you are cared for and .....just WOW.

[Ginette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Confirmed everything I knew about this brilliant Universe. Everyone needs to read this to understand that death is part of life. Our Soul lives on forever. We are Love.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love the examples.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's like reading a book-length horoscope. For the most part, it's full of fluffy bunny feel-good prose not bothered by those pesky little things like facts or reason or anything like that.

For the most part.

And every now and then Van Praagh throws in some real mind-fucks such as people carry over their addictions in the afterlife. Really? Well, you might as well drink up, fire the spoon and smoke 'em if you got 'em 'cause it means NO CHANCE OF OVERDOSING OR CANCER IN THE AFTERLIFE. You just work on quitting your addictions in order to "progress" to "higher levels."

Yeah, right. Drugs and booze and smokes in the afterlife and you are still pressured to quit. What are they gonna do to you NOW -- kill you?



However, that's a new twist on most of these spiritualist medium excuses for books. They can help you understand why people get sucked into these scams and perhaps make for some good research material for writing horror fiction. Also nice soothing material for getting drowsy.

[Chandler · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a solid book, and a decent introduction. The author seemed to be talking like he would to a child. Which, under the circumstances of how basic this book is, makes sense. It is great for someone just getting in to spirituality, or even someone more advanced trying to expand there mind a bit and get a lot of refreshers. But, if your looking for a book speaking of the mystical worlds and complex theories of duality , heaven, and mind states, i wouldn't recommend it .

[Ronaldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

As 100 primeiras páginas são bem técnicas e didáticas para quem nunca teve contato com o espiritismo. As páginas subsequentes são inspiradoras e trazem boas reflexões para nós! Quem está buscando mais sentido na vida é altamente recomendável a leitura!

The first 100 pages are very technical and educational for those who never had contact with spiritualism. Subsequent pages are inspiring and bring good thoughts for us! Who is looking for more meaning in life this reading is highly recommended!

[Laurent Videau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many other books on the subject, James Van Praagh describes what happens when we leave our physical body and rejoin our spiritual original world.

What is striking with all these books is that they all say the same thing. It is hard to continue to reject the existence of the spiritual realm where we all come from.

[Lisa Nienhaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The author has a good way of explaining things to people who are just learning about this topic. He actually covers a wide range of topics in this book. The author answers a lot of questions people wonder about death and heaven and continues on to relay common messages from spirit as brought through in the readings he has done as a medium. Good book, I enjoyed it.

[Sue J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much of this book was uplifting. James Van Praggh is a medium, and he has helped many people with unresolved issues.
However, there were portions that I cannot reconcile in my mind. None of us really KNOWS what is to come. Some of the concepts were difficult for me to reconcile.
All in all, it was a unique view of the afterlife.

[Jennifer B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is obviously for people who are open to the possibilities of an afterlife, and what that might be like. Besides that, it also offers a lot of general advice on how to live our lives today without worrying about what comes next, which can be comforting to anyone, no matter what their beliefs.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as a George Anderson book by any means, but still an interesting read.

[Pattik · Rating 5 out of 5]

great boook

[debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sylvia Brown has more detail, yet i give this one a decent.

[Gino]

One of the leading Spiritualists of our time takes us Beyond and dispels fears showing us, through his talents as a medium, that all is love. Nothing but love.

[Lori Basile · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very thought provoking. Sometimes hard for me to take it all in, but amazing!

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read!

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed it - different view

[Claudia Loureiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was James Van Praagh's first book. I would recommend it to someone who is trying to gain some awareness of the importance of their own spirituality. It's beautiful, comforting, and uplifting.

[Andrea Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful book. The author writes in plain language and it is easy to grasp his teachings.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love his books....so soothing and full of hope.

[Hulda Rós · Rating 4 out of 5]

well written, information in this one fits with other information i've gotten in the past

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on the spiritual realm, and how to better access our own spirit during life.

[Tracie Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some nice concepts in here.

[Steven H · Rating 2 out of 5]

A ‘FOLLOW-UP’ TO HIS ‘TALKING TO HEAVEN’ BOOK

James Van Praagh is a self-described clairvoyant/spiritual medium and author. The TV movie ‘Living with the Dead’ (aka ‘Talking to Heaven’) was based on him; he also hosted the paranormal talk show ‘Beyond with James Van Praagh.’

He wrote in the Preface to this 1999 book, “I began my spiritual journey in the early eighties, and at the time I had no idea of what I would learn or how I could use my new-found perceptions in my day-to-day life. I had never planned… to have a career as a medium. But when the door opened wide to the spiritual realms, and I walked through, I felt the Universe had called me to my destiny. I soon realized that my gift as a medium was to be used in the service others … I knew that lives could forever be altered. I was determined to bridge the gap between the physical and spiritual worlds by imparting the knowledge I had received about a greater spiritual existence. I felt that if individuals could learn from those on the other side… human hearts would awaken to goodness, and humankind would be relieved of so much suffering.” (Pg. xiii-xiv)

He continues, “I have written this book as a follow-up to my first book, ‘Talking to Heaven.’ After its publication I made numerous appearances on television and I was besieged with requests for information about the spiritual world. Since I no longer do individual sessions or counseling, I designed this book to be used as a tool for everyone---those already on a spiritual path and those who are new to spiritual paths.” (Pg. xvi)

He recounts, “I… experienced several incredible past-life experiences. In one particular regression I saw myself as a general in several wars… As the scenes unraveled in my mind, I instinctively knew why I was here for this lifetime: I had to alleviate the karma from those past lives when I ordered the mass destruction of all those men. As a healer in this life, I am balancing our past-life karma…” (Pg. 35-36)

He admits, “‘What exactly happens at the time of death?’ That is the one question I have been asked most often over my many years of work as a medium. Unfortunately, I cannot give a definitive answer because the experience of death is as individual as the experience of life.” (Pg. 47)

He states, “When groups of people die together in tragedies such as a bombing, a plane crash, or a natural disaster, they leave as a soul group. They are fulfilling what is termed ‘group karma.’ In other words, on a spiritual level people decide to die together to burn off karmic debt. Remember that I am talking about the spiritual implications of such circumstances. As humans we all share in the pain of such a tragic loss of life.” (Pg. 57-58)

He says, “Family members on earth assume that their deceased loved ones on the other side are privy to the entire plan of creation, and they expect all of heaven’s secrets to be revealed. Often I am asked, ‘Why can’t a spirit tell me the answers?’ Or, ‘If she loves me, she would certainly help me out.’ The truth is that spirits love us enough not to give us the answers. They know that for a loved one to grow and advance, he must go through experiences without any sort of psychic hints. Spirits will not hinder our spiritual growth by telling us answers that rob us of the need to understand certain situations. We must live through our experiences in order to gain wisdom and fly higher.” (Pg. 77)

He reports, “People often ask me, ‘Why is it that we forget who we are and where we come from?’ My response is that it is done through God’s grace. First of all, by not knowing, we are less homesick for our heavenly existence. Second, if we knew all our past mistakes and failures, we might obsess over them to the point that we would not be able to progress and get our present work done. By forgetting the spirit realms, we start with a clean slate, so to speak.” (Pg. 120)

He weighs in on abortion: “When an abortion takes place, a spirit has not fully invested the body and returns to the God world. It will wait there for another appropriate opportunity to reveal itself. Remember that a new being is spiritually linked to its mother and is completely aware that an abortion may occur… it seems that most abortions occur for the mother’s spiritual growth. Before incarnating, a spirit will set up a situation like have an abortion to work through lessons of self-worth, guilt, failure, and love of self. Is there a karmic effect on a woman in a future incarnation because of the act? Not necessarily. Hopefully, a women will learn to grow in self-love and come to self-enlightenment because of such an emotionally difficult experience.” (Pg. 123-124)

He recalls, “My mother’s dream was for one of her children to be a nun or priest. I decided to fulfill that wish and be the priest my mother always wanted. Why? Because I thought this would make my mother proud of me and love me all the more. However, after a year in a seminary I dropped out, realizing that I lacked the spiritual calling in my soul to enter the priesthood. It was my mother’s desire, not mine. I didn’t realize then that my mother’s love was always present and always would be.” (Pg. 134)

He recounts a session with Joe and Carrie, who had a gay brother who died of AIDS, and whose Evangelical mother thought he would go to hell because of his lifestyle. He says, “I gave them a message from their brother… ‘He says he hasn’t seen anything that resembles a place like hell… he is saying that hell on earth… Sexuality has nothing to do with how much love and kindness a person has in his heart. Please try to understand that. Being gay is not wrong. God knows only love. Humans the ones who place conditions on love, not God.’” (Pg. 193-194)

This book appeal to those who like spiritism, and related topics.

[Cindy ✽ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, I’d like to say that my grandmother was the one to tell me to read this. As a family, we have lost many people and probably think about death more often than most people. That being said, I am not a very religious person. I would say that I am spiritual, so I found this book very intriguing. I found his explanations to be very informative and interesting. I have many similar beliefs to this author, without the factor of God. His sharing of his readings and sessions was my favorite part of the book. Overall, I’ve been left with a sense of hopefulness about what occurs after death. This is definitely something to read if you’ve been fearful of death or have been interested in exploring the spiritual world.

[Shelby Fazzolare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Praagh has an amazing take on life after death, this book definitely subsides common fears about dying. Even though this book is slightly religious based, I do think it is an essential read for everyone looking to add spirituality into their life from a new perspective. The seances described in the second half of the book are truly incredible to read and really opened my mind to the power of psychic mediums.