Visions, Trips, and Crowded Rooms: Who and What You See Before You Die

179 Pages·2010·0.94 MB·English

by  David Kessler

Praise for
Visions, Trips, and Crowded Rooms
“David Kessler writes of a world that is rarely talked about,
much less examined with such sensitivity. His stories reveal
dimensions of the death experience that are anything but
depressing, and at times absolutely joyful. In a book filled
with intriguing and inspirational tales, Kessler makes a
compelling argument that death is not the end.”
— Marianne Williamson, the New York Times
best-selling author of The Age of Miracles
“I so remember David Kessler in the old days of The Hayride,
a support group I started in West Hollywood. He and his work
were so vital and so heartwarming to our group, who shared
those frightening moments of crises in the early days of the
AIDS epidemic. His very presence with those approaching death
was like being enveloped in a safe, cozy space. No harm could
come to you if David was around. In fact, I recently asked
him to be there when it is my time to go. This book
shares David’s wisdom and his love, and helps all
of us who enter unknown waters.”
— Louise L. Hay, the New York Times best-selling
author of You Can Heal Your Life

ALSO BY DAVID KESSLER
ON GRIEF AND GRIEVING: Finding the Meaning of Grief
Through the Five Stages of Loss
(co-authored with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross) LIFE LESSONS: Two Experts on Death and Dying Teach
Us About the Mysteries of Life and Living
(co-authored with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross) THE NEEDS OF THE DYING: A Guide for Bringing Hope,
Comfort, and Love to Life’s Final Chapter
Please visit: Hay House USA: www.hayhouse.com®
Hay House Australia: www.hayhouse.com.au
Hay House UK: www.hayhouse.co.uk
Hay House South Africa: www.hayhouse.co.za
Hay House India: www.hayhouse.co.in

Copyright © 2010 by David Kessler, Inc.
Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com •Published and
distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.: www.hayhouse.com.au • Published and
distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk • Published and
distributed in the Republic of South Africa by: Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.za •
Distributed in Canada by: Raincoast: www.raincoast.com • Published in India by: Hay House Publishers
India: www.hayhouse.co.in
Editorial supervision: Jill Kramer • Project editor: Lisa Mitchell Design: Nick C. Welch All rights
reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process,
or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or
otherwise be copied for public or private use—other than for “fair use” as brief quotations embodied in
articles and reviews—without prior written permission of the publisher.
The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a
form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either
directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in
your quest for emotional and spiritual wellbeing. In the event you use any of the information in this book
for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for
your actions.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kessler, David.
Visions, trips, and crowded rooms : who and what you see before you die / David Kessler.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-40192542-0 (hbk. : alk. paper) 1. Deathbed hallucinations. 2. Death-Psychological aspects.
3. Terminally ill--Psychology. I. Title.
BF1063.D4K47 2010
155.9’37--dc22
2009050707
ISBN: 978-1-40192542-0
13 12 11 10 4 3 2 1
1st edition, May 2010
Printed in the United States of America
For Richard, David, and India
CONTENTS
A Note to the Reader
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: Deathbed Visions Up Close
Chapter 2: Believing the Words of the Dying
Chapter 3: Visions of the Dying: Part I
Chapter 4: Deathbed Visions in the Arts
Chapter 5: Visions of the Dying: Part II
Chapter 6: The Spiritual and Religious Visions
Chapter 7: The Journey of the Dying— a Trip of a Lifetime
Chapter 8: Crowded Rooms at the End of Life
Epilogue: Final Words
Acknowledgments
About the Author
A NOTE TO
THE READER
This book is the result of personal experiences of healthcare professionals and
clergy members, as well as those who have lost loved ones. The contributors
have not received any pay or recognition; rather, they have shared their stories in
the hope that readers will come away less afraid and with a deeper understanding
about what happens in our final moments of life. These firsthand accounts
suggest that deathbed visions are normal and actually common, and they were
culled from believers and skeptics alike, with no agenda. This book is simply a
report from the front lines, featuring stories of average people, in their own
words, experiencing extraordinary events.
(Editor’s note: All stories have been edited
for length and clarity.)