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Remember, Every Breath is Precious

Book
Meet Lesley "The Cowgirl"
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Excerpt from the Book

...I grabbed a couple of halters and walked through the loading pen to the feed barn. It was essential to bring the horses back before they hurt themselves or wrecked the saddles. The animals all crowded in next to each other. I spun the halter ropes in tight circles to keep the loose horses that waited for their place in line from pushing me aside. What luck! The two saddled horses stood side by side and munched away. Their heads deep in the trough, they were blissfully unaware that I had arrived to bring them back. Either that or they choose to ignore me.

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A wall of jam-packed rumps with swishing tails faced me. There were no spaces between the horses; I would have to push and shove my way up to their heads. Even though I clucked my tongue and poked their sides, they stood their ground, afraid to lose their place at the trough. I turned around and tried to force myself in backward by grabbing the stirrups and pushing my arms forward. I finally managed to wiggle my way in as far as the cinches.

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Suddenly, my conscious awareness, my soul, popped out and stood ten feet away. "I" watched "me" continue to squirm between the horses. I did not feel any movement. I was here, in my body, one moment and suddenly over there. I watched the horses and my body as it continued to twist and turn between the tightly packed animals as if I was someone else. Shocked, all I could think was, "Wha…?" 

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I didn't have the time to finish the thought because within a split second, somewhere close by, a horse screamed in fright, and instantly, en masse, they all bolted. The sheer power of one 1,200 lb. animal is formidable: multiply that by seven to encounter a deadly force. 

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The scene I now witnessed happened in slow motion. As the horses scattered, they bumped into me. I spun around and my right arm slipped into the stirrup. Hung up on the saddle, I was unable to free myself. The horses shouldered me and kicked at my legs; the saddled horse felt my body and reacted with terror. He had to get away and could not if he was burdened by dead weight. He dragged me along for a foot or two, then swung his head and slammed it against me.

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Because I left my body, I did not feel the crush as the horses bounced me around, even though I watched myself scream in pain. My head crashed into the concrete corner, my arm slid out of the stirrup, and my body hit the ground like a sack of stones. Remarkably, peace flooded through me the entire time I observed the drama. The circle of life completed itself, and there was a sense of normalcy to the whole event. This scene was the way it was meant to be: perfect!

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Several horses ran around my battered body while I, my immortal soul, my identity, observed it all. As I gazed down at my crumpled empty shell, I knew that I was dead. I would not be getting up again. It was permanent: I knew it through and through. Yet I giggled as I looked around and thought, This is it? This is what everyone's so afraid of? I'm still here and I'm still thinking!


It appeared that I observed everything from a slightly higher perspective. Looking down, I saw that I was floating. With zero gravitational pull, I hovered a few inches above the ground.

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I wondered what I looked like, what was left of "Lesley Cote" and looked down at myself. Was I a ghost? My hands looked the same, except they were dazzling. A thin neon-blue mist streamed off them. My jeans and boots, dirt and all, mimicked the same light. I was not see-through, but I was not quite stable either.

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I was free! All physical constraints vanished. Previously unaware of how tight and squished one feels inside the human form, I felt fresh and completely unrestricted, like I peeled off a head-to-toe body girdle that was four sizes too small. Every cell separated into buzzing particles, and a crisp, sweet breeze blew through. With no aches and pains, I felt completely invigorated and more alive than ever before. Somehow, I balanced this new, crackling vitality with an abundant sense of tranquility. Harmony flowed through from my soul and cultivated a sense of completeness, of oneness with the world around me.

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My perceptions intensified. I could hear everything. The horses nickered as they stirred around the feeders and crunched the alfalfa as they chewed. Birds twittered and clacked their beaks. Lizards scratched and scurried through the woven mesquite-branch fence. Every sound magnified as if a thick cotton batting fell off my ears. Instead of dissonant sounds, they all blended into a mellifluous symphony.

In contrast to my ordinarily small, limited field of sight, my peripheral vision widened to encompass the entire corral and barn. Everything was in crisp focus, not blurry. I admired how my perception instantly processed all the new and far-ranging data without any sensory overload.

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I did not change into an oblivious ball of light or a particle in a luminous river… or even another person. I was still me, Lesley Cote, but very much alive and as light as a feather. All physical boundaries dropped, and I became breath itself; breath with consciousness. Cosmic breath.

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As I relished my newfound buoyancy, Don O. returned from the desert with the fast ride and leaned over to open the lower gate across the corral. The last groups of guests had come back. Bill M. led his group up right behind him. Nostalgia swept through me. I knew what would happen next.

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Don moved aside to let the riders enter and closed the latch as I had done so many times before. As he turned to lead the people up to the barn, they all noticed my body face down in the manure. He raced over as he shouted for help from the other cowboys who still were unsaddling. The guests rode over as everyone converged at my body.

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One of the guests jumped off his horse and ran over to my body. He turned me over, cleared my breathing passages, and started CPR. Drawn to the event, and without realizing how, I moved over to watch. They gathered around my body in a circle as another guest knelt to help the man do CPR. He pushed on my body and counted aloud as the first man desperately tried to ignite some spark of life in me. Two women stood nearby and held hands as they wept. Others helplessly stood in silence. Every so often, the guest who blew into my lungs checked his watch.

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Every breath the people took, the swoosh of their pulsing heartbeats; every whisper they uttered to each other was amplified. I stood lightly on the ground right there, right next to the people who struggled to save my life. I shouted that I felt great and to leave me alone. But no matter how much I tried, no one heard me.

As the cowboy ran to the main ranch house, the stable all around me began to change. The barn, the horses, the people, and the fences all began to fade away into an intensely bright fog. I wanted to linger, to stay where I was and see them all: the cowboys and the guests, the horses, even the manure on which my body lay. A surge of vulnerability passed through me as I watched it fade away.

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An endless river of shimmery particles streamed past like a breeze and whooshed around me. I did not move, yet everything around me started to shift and change. Triangular patches of intense blue-white light hovered around me so that nothing bumped or jostled me. These splashes of energy appeared to be conscious, yet I could not recognize what, or who, they were. I felt the separation from the ranch increase as another world developed. I expanded again, lighter than before. A soft crackling buzzed around me, reminding me of the whooshing sounds that I had heard when I saw the Aurora Borealis in Canada.

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As my world in Tucson gradually grew dimmer, another realm slowly emerged. Faint outlines of a thickly wooded forest, impenetrable and still, slowly took form. Large oak trees with thick branches stood fully leafed out with ferns clustered at their trunks. Bright green velvety moss partially covered the trunks and roots. Small-multicolored star-shaped flowers carpeted the forest floor. Their unfamiliar scent wafted over, pungent and intoxicating. As this new world came more into view, selfless love covered me and filled me with the purest and most intense sensation of indescribable joy.

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Behind me, a large creek about twenty-five feet wide noisily bubbled and splashed over a bed of mottled brown rocks. Off to the left, the trees thinned, and a hollow appeared. The transition from the earth plane to this place — whatever it was — happened so seamlessly I wondered if this realm had always surrounded my life in Tucson but on another level of energy that existed beyond the human scope of perception and comprehension.

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In spite of the thickness of the forest, there were not any shadows underneath the foliage. No sunbeams broke through the canopy. I could not discern any particular light source. On the contrary, each twig and leaf, each flower and rock glowed with iridescence, seeming to be lit from within. The entire forest shimmered like sunlight on water. Radiance shone from every plant, tree, rock, and flower which revealed vivid colors that I had never seen before. A life force flowed through the greenery, and I could see it. The forest manifested itself and danced before me. It all seemed familiar somehow, a dance I had taken part in many times before.

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Quite unintentionally, one recurring thought ran through my mind: I have to remember this. I have to remember it all. I reached out to touch a bush right next to me; the wide green leaves were bright and slightly translucent. They glistened yet were dry to the touch. It resembled a hologram, however denser.

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A faint rhythmic tune pulsed just beyond my hearing.I wondered if it came from somewhere in the distance. I began to move as things snapped into place around me. Moreover, in spite of the fact that my mind was still alert, I felt much groggier than I did after the accident.

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As I moved around, selfless love hung around me like fabric, a veil of spun sugar, sticky and sweet. Even though it felt palpable, it permeated me like energy: I soaked it up from my head to my toes and embodied the essence that saturated all around me. 

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I knew I was in Heaven or what I would come to call Upstairs. I, or some part of me — at that point I had no idea how to define myself — existed beyond my body on earth. I still was mindful of me, my mind, and that I was dead. That knowledge never left me as I looked around. I felt more at peace than ever before.

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I knew this was real. Never once did I feel stupefied. It was not a dream; instead, I was in a heightened sense of an authentic reality. It was so ultra-real that for the first of many times, a sentence popped into my mind: This is real: earth is the dream.

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I adjusted to the crisp, cleansing energy fields of the heavenly dimension and discovered something absent within me: all negative emotions. The fight or flight reactions that unconsciously formulated part of my human psyche — and all the deleterious reactions that were hard-wired into that system — were gloriously absent. No negative emotions registered in me: no fear, no pain, no anger, no anxiety, and no worries. Even though I was woozy, I did not feel judged or any sense of competition. I did not want to control what surrounded me nor did I feel the need to "earn" the selfless love that flowed around me. I was lovable and it was infinite; I knew there would never be an end to this. 

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Time - that physical sense of seconds as they tick by like little soldiers on a march that drained away my future - did not exist, at least as I knew it before. A circular energy kept everything eternally present: Timeless. Nothing could age here.

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Even the concept of space, of distance, a "here and there" was different. I encountered one consciousness that connected every particle to the whole. My distant earth-mind seemed like a ticker-tape machine, spewing things out in little lines. Here, Upstairs, all information, all movements absorbed into me instantly. My mind's ability to process all the data simultaneously astonished me.

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I basked in the freedom from any worries or fears and trusted in the knowledge that it was permanent. Selfless love was the way it had always been: "I am Loved: I Love: I am Love." As simple as strolling in the sunlight.

 

- Excerpt from Remember, Every Breath is Precious, Now Available on Amazon.

Book Endorsements

"In this wonderful and inspiring book, Lesley Lupo writes in detail about her deep near-death experience (NDE), while visiting “Upstairs” due to a severe cerebral trauma. Her healing unexpectedly surpassed the doctor's predictions, but in the first months after her coma, her total failure to remember anything else in her life terrified her. Luckily for us, she could describe her overwhelming and inspiring experience, with the meeting of light beings that revealed wisdom, compassion, devotion, ultimate truth and unconditional love, and with her decision to come back in her damaged body. Her NDE is one of the most impressive and detailed experiences I have ever read. She was unable to share her knowledge with others because words utterly fail in a description, and no one would listen. So her life was at first very difficult, but she could not forget her ultra-real experience, and at last, she no longer denied her spiritual path or her inborn gifts. Little by little, she started to integrate her awakened immortal soul with her ordinary waking consciousness, and she is now able to describe for us her tremendous personal and spiritual growth. This book is an excellent gift for everybody who is willing to be open to his spiritual aspects, and who is willing to help to shift personal and global consciousness. Highly recommended."

Pim van Lommel, cardiologist, NDE-researcher, author of ‘Consciousness beyond Life.’

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"Many books can be found today that recount vivid, emotionally gripping tales of near-death experiences and meetings with spirits. You will find such an account in Remember, Every Breath is Precious. But author Lesley Joan Lupo, who had the NDE, then goes in a new and exceedingly valuable direction. She is aware how strange NDEs can seem when compared with our everyday experiences, so she investigated her experience from several fresh angles. The result is additional layers of evidence indicating that something exceedingly strange did indeed happen. A compelling, original work." - Dean Radin, author of Real Magic; Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and a Guide to the Secret Power of the Universe.

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"Lesley Lupo’s Remember, Every Breath is Precious is a stirring and well-written account of her fascinating near-death experience. Her book is one of the most engaging and engrossing I have had the pleasure to read on this subject. Be prepared to enjoy a real cover-to-cover page-turner; one which, I imagine, most readers will not want to put down." - Raymond A. Moody, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., Author of Life After Life

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"When Lesley Lupo had her near-death experience in 1988, she did not merely encounter a heavenly light. No, she seems to have entered and remained in a heavenly realm, which she then is able to describe for the reader in stunning and thrilling detail. Thus her story is unique and uniquely valuable. In forty years of researching NDEs, I have never found so complete an account of what may await us after death. And that’s just the beginning of her gripping and inspiring personal story in a book that is also full of the fruits of Lesley’s hard-won spiritual wisdom. In short, this is one of those books that will leave an indelible mark on its readers. It certainly did on me." - Kenneth Ring, Ph.D., Author of Lessons from the Light

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"A brilliant, highly readable and extremely enlightening account of a life-transforming NDE—one that again demonstrates, and more clearly than ever, that we have a consciousness that is beyond our brain and beyond even our organic existence. A book to be read by everyone who ever doubted that this might be the case." - Ervin Laszlo, Ph.D., Author of Science and the Akashic Field: An Integral Theory of Everything

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"In this fascinating book, Lesley Lupo describes her extensive, near-death experience that resulted after she was trampled by horses during a near fatal accident.  The depth of subjective experience that Lesley described, occurring during a time when the injuries sustained led to her resuscitation being abandoned, defies materialist explanations. Lesley also describes how her massive brain injury resolved in a remarkably short amount of time in comparison to the extent of her injury. This enthralling book details her incredible journey of physical and emotional healing that ensued thus enabling her to understand and integrate her experience. Due to her ongoing spiritual practice, Lesley regularly connects with the spiritual realm and her guides. This book is full of wisdom and insights revealed to Lesley during her experience and healing journey and this is something we can all benefit from without having to nearly die." - Penny Sartori, Ph.D., Author of Wisdom of Near Death Experiences: How Understanding NDEs Can Help Us Live More Fully

 

"Lesley Lupo’s book Remember, Every Breath is Precious is a compelling account of her spiritual journey which began when she was a child and played with spirit guides who no one else in her family could see. Lesley’s journey took a dramatically deeper turn during a near-death experience (NDE) that occurred after she was pushed by a frightened horse which then kicked and dragged her around the corral, resulting in a severe traumatic brain injury that caused her heart to stop beating. During the event, Lesley’s awareness left her body and she entered a light-filled realm, which she calls “Upstairs,” where she met her guides. In her time with them, she received many profound insights about the nature of life and death. In Lesley’s account she shares the fascinating wisdom she was taught “Upstairs” - how we plan our life trajectory in this world and the lessons we have to learn. She also tells of the terrifying moment during her recovery when the hospital physician told her, "If I hear that you have said even one more word [about it], I will transfer you to a psychiatric hospital for the rest of your recovery. I will pump you up with so many drugs that you will not know if it is day or night.” This is a poignant reminder of the large gap that still exists between the materialist belief system of many clinicians in the medical profession and the often validated experiences of persons who have NDEs. One highlight of this book is the set of appendices, including the reading given to Lesley Lupo by the evidential medium Suzanne Giesemann, in which, without knowing any details of Lesley’s NDE, she confirmed the events that had occurred on the other side. I highly recommend this book, and the perspective it gives us about the preciousness of our life on this earth, as well as the profound support we always have from the loving beings on the other side. As the title says, “Remember, Every Breath is Precious.” - Marjorie Hines Woollacott, Ph.D., Author of Infinite Awareness, The Awakening of a Scientific Mind

 

"Lesley’s fascinating descriptions of what ‘the Other Side’ was like for her contain many life-enhancing benefits for YOU here and now. Her unique perspective after visiting ‘Upstairs’ provides wise answers to many questions you have likely pondered. Despite researching afterlife topics for over forty years, I learned a lot from Remember, Every Breath is Precious and highly recommend you do the same." - Mark Pitstick, MA, DC, Eternea Director of Education and author of Soul Proof.

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"Remember, Every Breath is Precious is a very personal and courageous book. The reader will especially enjoy how Lesley Lupo included veridical evidence—from an evidential medium to an astrology reading of the exact date of the accident in the appendices. Anyone interested in how NDEs relate to our ability to transform our consciousness and express our true potential should enjoy this book." - Rajiv Parti, MD., Author of Dying to Wake Up

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"When Lesley Lupo was thrown from her horse and crushed in a stampede, she left her body and was stunned to find that she was still herself, permeated by unconditional love, not because she had earned it but because that’s just the way it is. The last thing she was told before she came back to a painful rehabilitation in this life was, “Remember, every breath is precious.” In this book by that name, she shares her journey and the insights she gained. Readers will find this book not only a spellbinding narrative but also a practical guide to integrating spirituality into daily life." - Bruce Greyson, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, University of Virginia School of Medicine; Founder IANDS

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"Remember, Every Breath is Precious provides an engaging and moving account of one of the most detailed and profound Near-Death Experiences ever reported. The experience proved to be transformational for Lesley Lupo, and her masterful presentation of it in this inspiring text will be transformational for many others. This is an important book on many levels and a must-read for anyone interested in Near-Death Experiences and the wide-ranging opportunities that these phenomena provide for enhancing our understanding of ourselves and our universe."  - David O. Wiebers, M.D., Author of Theory of Reality: Evidence for Existence Beyond the Brain and Tools for Your Journey

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"Life isn’t a race, it is a pathway. From my own NDE and experience as a scientist and medium, I know that every word of Lesley’s book is more than true. Lesley shares some of the best advice: “Just start from this position: every breath is precious. You are loved. Live the love you are in the now, and be ready for more to unfold. Have faith and slow yourself down. Add patience to your daily practices. Everything will work out for you, even if sometimes it doesn’t look like it will. The Divine Upstairs has your back.” - Dr. Alan Ross Hugenot, Engr.Sc.D., Author of The Death Experience: What it is like when you die

 

"Lesley shares the most in depth, beautifully written and detailed personal account of “Heaven” that I have had the pleasure to read. From her meeting with Jesus and His message of forgiveness to the reasons and purpose why we choose to incarnate on the earth, Every Breath is Precious is a must read for those who truly want to know what waits for them beyond the veil." - Virginia Hummel, Author of Cracking the Grief Code

 

"This gift of a book is not only a spectacular tour guide to Heaven, what Lesley calls “Upstairs”, it is a portal to that realm. Reading the words, if you turn within, you will hear your soul whisper, ‘Now do you remember?’ Thank you, Lesley, for guiding us so lovingly back Home." - Suzanne Giesemann, Medium and author of Messages of Hope

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"Lesley’s clear and detailed account of her experience “Upstairs” is one more powerful confirmation that there are realities that lie beyond this world. While physics can provide a supportive framework in which other such realities can exist, there is nothing so compelling as a firsthand experience of these realms of joy and peace. Her book is also a powerfully moving tale of overcoming adversity that will give heart to anyone dealing with their own major challenges—and give them insights and tools to bring Divine awareness dynamically into how their lives unfold." - Joseph Selbie, Author of The Physics of God

 

"Lesley’s personal narrative of “Heaven” is gracefully written as it speaks to the heart and helps us to connect with our loved ones across the veil. Her encounter with Jesus is profound! As a nurse, I feel that Every Breath is Precious is truly spiritual medicine for the soul and a gift for those who genuinely seek answers to what happens when our Earthly journey ends." - Erica McKenzie, RN, Author of Dying to Fit In.

 

“Life isn’t a race, it is a pathway. From my own NDE and experience as a scientist and medium, I know that every word of Lesley’s book is more than true. Lesley shares some of the best advice:

‘Just start from this position: every breath is precious. You are loved. Live the love you are in the now, and be ready for more to unfold. Have faith and slow yourself down. Add patience to your daily practices. Everything will work out for you, even if sometimes it doesn’t look like it will. The Divine Upstairs has your back.”

- Dr. Alan Ross Hugenot, Engr.Sc.D, Author of The Death Experience: What it is like when you die.

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