1 | Crude Vessel, Perfect Peace
Alive Again
Intro
This chapter explores a life-changing near-death experience during ice climbing in the Rocky Mountains in 1980. The speaker reflects on how this event reshaped their understanding of self and the universe, sparking a journey of spiritual and personal growth.
In our inaugural episode, brought to us by producer Kate Sweeney, Peter Panagore shares not only the harrowing details of the ice climb that nearly took his life, but the profound spiritual journey that began when he flatlined. He describes his near-death experience with vivid clarity—from the moment he left his body, to the overwhelming presence of divine love, to a soul-shifting life review that changed everything he believed about self, sin, and purpose. For years following the incident, he felt himself to be keenly aware of his body as a crude vessel compared to the perfection of the other side — and in this episode, he tells the story of how he found peace with his impatience to return to the absolute solace he knows awaits us all. We explore his early mystical experiences, his crisis of faith within organized religion, and the decades-long path of integration that followed. Peter speaks candidly about what it means to live after death, how he hid his transformation for years—even while serving as a minister—and how he finally came out as a near-death experiencer. This is a conversation about memory, meaning, divine love, and the lifelong challenge of returning to Earth when you’ve already glimpsed eternity.
Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners.
* If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at aliveagainproject@gmail.com
About Peter Panagore:
Ex-Reverend Peter Panagore, MDiv, is an acclaimed author and spiritual counselor known worldwide for his best-selling book, Heaven Is Beautiful: How Dying Taught Me That Death Is Just the Beginning. His life is a testament to the power of personal transformation, having undergone profound changes following his two Near-Death Experiences. After graduating with a BA in English Literature from the University of
Massachusetts in 1982, following his first NDE, he redirected his career path from architecture to studying the Classics of Western Mysticism at Yale University’s Divinity School, earning his Master of Divinity.
Peter served liberal Congregational churches and their coastal communities for over two decades while privately pursuing his mystical studies and practices. During his 15-year tenure as a television writer and on-air talent for his morning inspirational spot, he reached 30 million views annually (Nielsen Ratings) on two NBC-TV News Stations across Maine and New Hampshire. His first best-selling inspirational book, Two Minutes for God: Quick Fixes for the Spirit, is a selection from his 1700 TV scripts.
He has practiced single-minded meditation and Kriya yoga for forty years and teaches both.
Social Media
URL: www.peterpanagore.love
YouTube: @PeterPanagore or https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterPanagore
Instagram: @pbpanagore
Facebook: Peter Panagore, MDiv
TikTok: @peterpanagore
Book Links:
Heaven Is Beautiful: How Dying Taught Me That Death Is Just the Beginning
Two Minutes for God: Quick Fixes for the Spirit
Chicken Soup for the Veteran’s Soul (Contributor)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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