Raised in the high mountains of scenic northern New Mexico, Cristael Bengtson grew up riding horseback in the mountain forests and meadows surrounding the small village of Pecos, where her parents owned and operated a small power and telephone company. At the age of 17, she had a visionary experience of a loving and luminous Great Light.

Married when she was 18, Cristael became the mother of two sons that she raised as a single mom. She earned BA degrees in music education and elementary education, going on to earn her Master of Arts in elementary education with a focus on the reading process.

For two years she taught music in Sandoval County, at that time the third poorest county in the nation. She then became an elementary classroom teacher, teaching mainly third grade. During this time she studied voice intensively, and developed a fine lyric coloratura soprano singing voice.

After her sons left home, Cristael left teaching and took care of her mother until she passed on.
Cristael had her Near Death Experience in 1998. A lifelong journal-keeper, she began putting her book together about 2006.

The book grew out of her journaling, and out of a need to share what had been a secret experience with readers. It was her way of coming out of her closet of secrets, because a closet is a terrible place to live.
Cristael enjoys singing. She is also in the grip of a lifelong compulsive book-reading habit.

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Listen to Cristael as she talks about her near-death experience on Talk Zone with Lee Witting (Click image below to listen to her interview)

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